ã€ŠMartial Research Masterã€‹


 Chapter 1

    ?Chapter 1: PROLOUGE

    Given that you are reading this document means; you are ready to apany me on my life journey. It all started when I returned to my apartment after a hard day at work.

    Imagine the freedom a man experiences after a constant stream of paperwork. I rxed on my couch, grabbed booze, and dosed myself infort, getting rid of all mundane matters.

    I remembered that I still had toplete the online web novel I had binged on recently.

    It gave me chills to read about the heroes climbing through adversity to achieve the pinnacle of power and prosperity in these fantasy worlds.

    The feeling of connection to these characters gradually arose in my mind. Iughed a lot whenever I tried to visualize myself in their ce. But being a man of science, I had to discard these sweet little dreams of mine.

    Completing thest few lines of the ongoing chapter, I immersed myself in sleep.

    The final preparation was on its way when I returned to theboratory the next day. ¡± Long Tao, you finally arrived. Is thest phase preparation of the reactor specimen concluded?¡± I apologize for myte arrival.

    Today was a big day for theboratory. I finished thest phase check-up of all the units before giving a thumbs-up to the supervisor.

    .....

    A vital breakthrough was on its way. Theboratory designed the experiment to improve the human brain¡¯s capabilities. Our mind was estimated to be functioning at 30% efficiency during the usual time. A spike of another 10 -20 % may be seen in rare cases.

    Theb was trying to break through this barrier. The experiment¡¯s design was based on the fact that the human body could not harness its brain¡¯s maximum possible potential. We need to give it an overall boost. The first human trial is now on its way.

    The experiment was scheduled to start after some time. I wanted to gain the blessing of my parents before the trial began. I left for the nearby room and gave them a call.

    ¡± Mom, we are finally about to start the experiment. Wish me luck.¡±. I conveyed my pleasantries to her and returned to myboratory.

    .....

    ¡± Commencing the power, station requested to monitor patients¡¯ vital stats and conditions.¡± The operation started. The supply of power was being increased slowly. ¡± Reaching 50 % efficiency, please report the stats.¡±.

    ¡± All stats are normal. Proceed immediately¡±. The scientists crossed their fingers. A loud bang urred when we were at the very end of the experiment.

    ¡± Noooooo!¡± was thest thing I heard before engulfing the mes.

    ...

    ¡®Cold¡¯ was the first feeling that I experienced. Opening my eyes, I saw a lonely stretch ofnd with no signs of life. I looked around, trying to find a ray of hope. I started panicking, scared of this loneliness. When my expectations were about to be crushed, a mysterious force grabbed me into a different scenario.

    A blinkter-

    I was still trying to make sense of the situation. All I could feel was getting dragged into a building that appeared out of nowhere. I tried my best to resist, but my limbs had forsaken me. The darkness engulfed me.

    A momentter-

    I was lying on a stone b. My limbs were still cold. Soon the temperature of the te started increasing. At first, it was bearable, but soon a painful burning sensation started arising in his body.

    Long Tao gnashed his teeth and continued to bear the pain. But soon, it became unbearable.¡±Aaah-Aaah-hhaaaaahhh,¡± Long Tao¡¯s screams were heard all around the room.

    My skin was being burnt, and blisters were growing on them. But I was helpless. Just then, I heard a creaking sound. I hoped my saviour had arrived. Twisting my head, I opened my eyes. Waiting for me was the worst nightmare of my life. Arge enough beast to fill the whole space was staring at me. It drew its head closer to me. Its jaws were wishing to have a bite of my burnt skin.

    But then, all it did was breathe on my body. Wait, it wasn¡¯t airing out of its nostrils. A painful cry was heard from my mouth as the view of my whole self changed. I was on fire.

    An unknown timeter-

    I woke up in a room with grand old furnishing, sitting on a chair. It took me some time toe to my senses. What just happened to me? I was looking around to find my injuries. Was it all a nightmare?

    As I was grazing around, a painting came into my view. It was serene and beautiful scenery that calmed my mind. I lost myself within it.

    ¡± The painting helps gain a state of peace and serenity,¡± A voice sounded from behind. Long jumped back as he saw a man in his mid-forties walking towards him.

    ¡± You are quite a something, boy. Be able to bear the pain while managing to retain your sanity. ........ahhhaaaaaaahahaha, I am frustrated by your good fortune.¡±

    Before I could react or reply,¡± Since you did pass the trial of limbo, I allow you to have a chance at reincarnation into a parallel world of cultivation. Do you ept?¡±

    I calmed my mind down and picked up all his courage ¡± Before I choose, I would like to ask you about this world.¡±

    ¡± Interestingly, a mortal soul still dares to ask this question to me. As you would have suspected, you are already dead. Although you were not supposed to be in this room, fate ys a wicked role in everything. I don¡¯t feel like informing you of the details.¡±

    ¡°Although I can¡¯t send you back to your world, I can send you to a better world. Think of it as a constion prize for yourself.¡± I hesitated for a bit, but after a brief thought, I agreed, ¡± I am fine with the proposition.¡±

    ¡± I hope you have a life.¡± A white light shrouded all over my body, and I started floating. A faint tremor was heard, and the man¡¯s face changed. He rushed out in a hurry without even looking at me.

    The room started shaking, and weak explosions were heard. Just as the white light was transporting me out, the painting on the wall floated up and turned into a blue projection burying itself in my head.

    The room was sted apart as I was being transported out. When I was about to vanish, I saw a sizeable monstrous figure fighting a ck silhouette that looked like the man before. A ssh of blood fell upon me, and I was teleported out.

    Sometimeter, opening my eyes ¨C

    Extreme pain and senselessness was the first thing I experienced after waking up. As I gradually opened my eyes, I saw small light rays through the leaves gaps. I found myself in a moist environment. Turning my head, I could see a red liquid all around me. I took some time to realize that it was my blood.

    ¡± Is this the reincarnation that guy was talking about? Death after just being re-incarnated. Isn¡¯t it too unfair¡±? I was losing all my senses. But just then, a faint heat emerged from my body.

    ...

    If one could see the body from afar, one would see pale ck blood seeping out of Long Tao¡¯s body and his wounds slowly recovering. The ckness continued to engulf him, and the pain became more intense.

    ¡± How did it turn to be like this?¡± cklight covered Long Tao¡¯s body, and he fell unconscious. Soon Long Tao nked out, but a white light began to originate from his forehead and spread, tackling the darkness.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2: THE CRIPPLED CHILD

    Within the vast Jiao country, one could see an intersection of variedndscapes intertwining with each other. It was a hub of various powers, both guilds and ns, all under the rule of the royal n of Jiao.

    The morning time was marked with a lot of activity. One could see both cultivators andmoners roaming throughout the ce. It showcased the liveliness of the kingdom.

    As one move towards the eastern part of the country, one hears the name of the Long n. Being a vassal of the royal n, they gave it jurisdiction over arge stretch ofnd.

    A massive signboard with the words LONG weed visitors to the excellent n manor. One could see the disciples training, fighting, and gaining insights. Several people gathered on the grounds and spoke about its power in the area.

    Within the centre, the section was a vast building near the north. This was the n lord¡¯s mansion. Within it, one could see a pair of men and womenmenting about something.

    ¡°Is there still no news of Tao¡¯er?¡± Tears could be seen in the eyes of thedy. Do you have to be so heartless? Does our son mean nothing to you?¡±

    ¡°you don¡¯t have to cry like that. I will search heaven and earth to find our son. We have already organized the search team. I assigned only the best men among the mansion guards the duty to go search.¡± The n lord Long Shen said with a heavy heart.

    .....

    ¡± I may be a father, but there is a tremendous burden on my shoulders. Ites with the title of n lord. I can¡¯t waste much of my time on waste.¡± He then exited andmanded all his guards: ¡°Gather all the elders for a meeting.¡±. The guard bowed in response.

    The young master of the Long n, Long Tao, recently went missing. But the response of the n members was almost nonexistent. This could all be attributed to the fact that he was an infamous cripple.

    Long Tao was a dazzling star of the n, born with a heaven-defying talent and quickly built his base to the 8th level of the Foundation forging realm. The whole n had a massive expectations from him.

    But an unfortunate event rted to the feud between the Long and Bai n, crushed all his dreams. Long Tao lost his cultivation base and was crippled by a sneak attack from the enemy.

    ¡°Can anyone rify where my son is?¡± Long Shen razed angrily. ¡°answering the n lord, due to the ipetency of this old man, the young lord seems to have gone missing on the way back from the Ti vige.¡± one of the guards replied.

    ¡°All the guards of the young lord have been found dead, and the carriage in which the young lord was travelling was burnt to the ground.¡± Nervousness was visible in his tone.

    ¡°Form a search party fast. Search for every nook and cranny of the whole range. I don¡¯t care about the procedure, but I want my son found alive. Otherwise, all of you can apany him to your deaths.¡±. The guard¡¯s countenance paled as he bowed and left.

    Another man d in blue robes approached the lord and said, ¡°Why pit them with a crime they have notmitted, brother? We all know that the ck dagger hall caused the incident. The Bai n is behind it.¡±

    All the men present lowered their heads. Rage could be seen in their eyes. ¡°I have gathered you all here to inform you that the 5-year disciple selection event of 6 sects will soon be held. Only one and a half years remained for that event. The n needs to emphasize the training of the next generation. We need at least three people crossing into the Qi disciple realm before the event¡¯smencement¡±.

    ....

    Ti Mountain Range-

    A body lying in a pool of blood in the middle of the forest is in the mountain range valley. This range was called the range of death due to the mysterious atmosphere. All those who have dared to venture into the valley have never returned, turning it into a specialized danger zone.

    Long Tao was lying surrounded by grass dyed red with his blood. Due to the previous encounter, Long Tao had lost consciousness. One could see a ck-like fluid slowly surrounding his body, mending his injuries and his features turning demonic.

    Just as the ck fluid was about to turn him into that demonic being, a white resplendent of light shone from Long Tao¡¯s body, slowly countering the effect caused by the ck Ki. The process of conversion and cancetion continued.

    His body was healthy, and a faint rosiness slowly arose on his face. As time went by, the body¡¯s aura kept rising. In Long Tao¡¯s consciousness, he could see multiple fragments of memories.

    The first one is a deste world. A man of medium stature was silently cultivating. A feeling of deep reverence emerged within Long Tao¡¯s heart. He was feeling tiny in front of the power radiated by this man. The man suddenly opened his eyes.

    A dark gleam could be seen in them. Long Tao¡¯s mind was dismayed. The figure got up, practised a set of arts, and sat down again. One could hear the crack of bones from his body, the expression turning unsightly, but the cultivator persisted till the end.

    The scene continued until Long Tao eventually broke out. The figure opened its eyes, looked at Long Tao, and threw a punch towards him.

    The scene in Long Tao¡¯s mind changed. He was currently in the beautiful domain of greenery all around. Upon a nearby hill, a man d in white stood and was practising a set of weird movements.

    One was a monkey, a crane, a tiger, a turtle, a leopard, an elephant, a rhino, and a bear, and gradually unrecognizable animal outlines were formed. The final was that of a Dragon as it howled and went up the sky, dominating all existence. Long Tao couldn¡¯t bear to hold himself up to the roar and was ejected out of the scene.

    With a sudden start, Long Tao got up. His whole body was covered in sweat as he looked around, graduallying to his senses. He tried to organize his thoughts. How did he end up here?

    As he engrossed himself, he could feel some memories forming in his brain. ¡± Hell forger art¡± and ¡± 99 stances of beast god¡±. There was another painting flowing in his memory space, and upon close look, he saw golden runes floating up saying¡± Omnipotent soul art¡±.

    He was busy making sense of the memories. He didn¡¯t notice drips of his blood falling on the pendant he wore. The blood was absorbed, and the pendant shone.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3: THE PATH OF DOMINANCE

    Long Tao visualized all the content in his memories. He was shocked to the core. How can this be possible? The body¡¯s memories started appearing in his mind.

    He remembered his father and mother. Growing up as a particr child, nurtured, and cared for. His cultivation practice. Him being attacked and crippled. The humiliation he had to bear. Even thest assassination attempt on his life.

    The Bai family was too ruthless. They were not giving up on his life, even after crippling his whole body. ¡°Damn those bastards. I swear to wipe you all out.¡± Long Tao swore on his pride.

    He remembered how he tried to cultivate again and again but failed each time, with the condition of his body getting worse with each trial.

    Until the chief doctor said he should be banned from cultivating, all his activities were forbidden by his father (to protect him). He could see the reluctance in his father¡¯s eyes. He slowly started distancing himself from Long Tao.

    The same went for his mother too. Even his sister was barred from meeting him. It was termed as a waste of her time.

    Clutching his fists, he marvelled at the fact that he was still alive even after the fall from the cliff. As he recalled the new memories, he got from the ident. The three ancient arts that were in his mind. He condemned his fate. If only he had these arts before the Bai Family attack, he might have been unbeatable among his peers.

    .....

    But suddenly, a spark of desire arose from the bottom of Long Tao¡¯s heart. It urged him to give onest try at cultivating Qi. Clutching his teeth and gathering all his courage, Long Tao began his final trial on cultivation, chanting the sutra he was given in the n.

    He thought of himself as a failure, but to his surprise, he was able to circte his blood ording to the sutra. Visible tears appeared in the eyes of Long Tao as he gathered himself up ¡°the world has not forsaken me.¡±.

    A thought urred to him as he remembered the three sets of Sutras present in his memories.

    He immersed himself back into his memories. Three sets of bright light sources were visible (red, golden, and blue). One could see three books-like figures present in these sets of light.

    As Long Tao urged his mind to concentrate on the set of red lights, a flooding set of memories came into existence. ¡°Hell, forger art: The art of devil gods. He is cultivating the body to create hell within oneself. To dominate heaven and the underworld. One stomp gives rise to cmity; one roar destroys the universe.¡±

    Long Tao was shocked to read those words. What arrogance? The art spoke as if its practiser was invincible within the world. As Long Tao continued concentrating on the skill, he saw the book¡¯s first page was opened. It read, ¡°12 forgings of death¡±.

    The contents were the chants of a sutra, simr to what his n gave him and described as follows ¡°The foundation is the source of everything. Only by putting a great foundation can great cultivation be built. Forge the body 12 times with the aura of hell. Go through death ande back with tenacity. They were tearing the earth and sky apart, stomping on everything in your way. Create an absolute foundation. ¡±

    As Long Tao continued to study the scripture, he found that 12 forgings were a self-destruction and re-creation art where the practitioner needs to go through torment 12 times with the help of hell¡¯s qi (the method to invoke which is given in the art) and hence set up a solid foundation.

    Long Tao was shocked to know of the 12 levels. Ordinary arts only had nine stories in the foundation-forming realm. It signified that contemporary art was not only dominant but miraculous. It was the pathway of the renegade( someone who derailed from the traditional path)

    Long Tao immersed his mind into the other set of bright lights; he saw a group of simr manuals. The one in the golden light stated, ¡°99 stances of Beast god: Render the body through sheer will and hard work, to shed the body of a mortal, be the demon that reign upon all beings.¡±

    The first section of this manuscript read of a form that helps in the cultivation of blood called the ¡°blood tempering form¡±. It requires one to take the blood essence of beasts and convert it into his bloodline. It involves the blood of beasts to practice and can help form a perfect foundation with the help of 10 steps-another renegade path.

    Thest one was The blue light signifying the ¡°omnipotent soulw¡±, which was rted to the soul cultivation of a martial cultivator.

    The first part was named the ¡®Heaven pestle art: grinding the soul nine times to reach the next level. Destruction and creation go hand in hand.

    Going through each art, Long Tao began generalizing what he understood and gradually putting them in line. He was given a second chance at cultivation. He will use this opportunity to prove himself in this world.

    The first was the cultivation of Qi. The second cultivated blood, while the third was for soul cultivation. Long Tao decided to practice all three of them.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4: 12 FORGING OF DEATH ¨C

    Within the ravine, one could a brief outline on the side of the mountain. The cliff ends with a shallow base. Amid the structure at the bottom, one could see the shape of a cave.

    Darkness engulfs the interior of the cave. A faint outline of a figure could be seen. It was not moving. An asional creak could be heard within the area.

    It was non-other than Long Tao. It was the second day after his recovery. He engrossed himself in cultivating the first two arts. He found both of these arts to be much above the mantra his n had provided.

    He decided to cultivate the 12 forges because it was the one with the least requirements. The blood tempering art required the blood of a beast. He needed to go on a hunt. But his present strength was not enough.

    As he surfed through the content, Long Tao came to find out the mantra to invoke, attract, and absorb the hell Qi. The origin was still a question for Long Tao. But he started invoking it right away.

    There was a set of instructions about both the best cultivation environment and precautions to be taken while cultivating this particr art. The art¡¯s origin would be the best ce to improve. But he didn¡¯t have a choice.

    Long Tao chose the cave for its remote location and dark environment. He found a stonerge enough nearby to cover the mouth of the cave. Long Tao was astonished by the changes urring in his body. Although he was yet to start cultivating, he was already able to lift this weight.

    .....

    The instruction stated the procedure of practice. Long Tao followed the invoking sequence and started cultivating. There was a clear description of how to rotate the Qi around the body.

    Each revolution will restructure the body frame, muscles, meridians as well as bones. It was breaking and forming the body with Qi. The process repeats for each of the 12 stages.

    The first level would require one to revolve the qi once. With each improvement in stage, one would need to undergo double the amount of rotation. It was more of a self-torture technique. But Long Tao was hell-bent on practicing this influential art. His will didn¡¯t falter.

    Long Tao heaved a colossal breath, focused himself, and started enchanting the form. ck Qi began to originate in the surrounding, and fill the cave. He then absorbed the Qi inside his body as per the instruction and started the cirction.

    The previous phenomena which healed Long Tao¡¯s body were due to the ck and gold fluid. This ck fluid was realpatible with Qi. But the golden liquid began to automate. A new type of Qi started appearing too.

    It was as if both the variants were pr opposite, but somehow they came into harmony within the body of Long Tao. As the cirction process began, one could hear the cracking of bones, tearing of muscles, and the body frame was shaking.

    An unimaginable amount of pain started to originate, and Long Tao howled in damnation. He was on the verge of copse, but suddenly remembered the words written on the manual. He couldn¡¯t lose his consciousness, or the art won¡¯t be sessful.

    He remembered himself being a genius who was crippled. His n members were looking at him with disdain. His brothers were avoiding him, even his father leaving him for good. Long Tao hated the feeling of helplessness. He clenched his teeth. A sudden desire to be the strongest arose from within.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want the heavens pitying me. Living at the mercy of others, being helpless, and pitied upon. I will write my fate and destiny with my hard work. I will conquer and y all my enemies. From today onwards, no one can look down on me.¡±

    As these thoughts reverberated in his mind, Long Tao persevered through the pain of his body being destroyed and re-forged by the fluid mixture of ck and golden Qi. Veins could be seen to pop out on his face, his eyes being bloodshot.

    His body is bing deformed and reformed with the Qi. A mild roar of pain could be heard outside the cave. After the whole day, silence descended upon the interior of the cave as a figure could be seen lying unconscious on the floor.

    ............

    Long Tao¡¯s face was filled with a smile as he lost consciousness after the sessfulpletion of the first revolution of the Qi. He was now on the first level of foundation, forming as per the sutra.

    Although there were instances when He nearly lost himself, ultimately, he persisted through the process andpleted the first step. After half a day went by, Long Tao gained consciousness and sat down. He could feel his body filling up with incredible strength.

    He spected his features by touch, and after an hour of movement, stretching, swinging, he came to find out that not only was his body structure improved and his height increased, even his flexibility, senses, and agility increased.

    He could feel his enhanced physical attributes. Inparison to the boost in strength provided by this art, the Long n¡¯s sutra was garbage.

    After experimenting for a short period, Long Tao found that his strength could already match an average practitioner at the 4th stage of foundation forging.

    He calmed himself down as he prepared for the second round of forging his body. The screams of agony reappeared. Long Tao¡¯s body started making a series of sounds. Bones were being reformed.

    ...............

    In another site, within the Long manor-

    A loud banging of fists could be heard, the seat on which Long Shen was sitting cracked. Tears fell from his eyes as he looked towards the sky¡± I am sorry my son. I bring your father, couldn¡¯t take care of you. It is the fate of someone who chose to sit on the seat of the n leader.¡± Long Shen decided to end the search operation.

    ¡°Damn these heavens. Even if you took everything from my sons, at least allow him to remain alive. ¡± Long Shen retired to his mansion, to see his wifementing the loss of her only son.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5: 12 FORGING OF DEATH ¨C

    After one month-

    A lone silhouette could be seen amid the darkness of the darkness within the cave, the roar getting louder and louder, but the process still going on.

    Long Tao was sitting, revolving for the 15th time as he groaned from the pain, but determination and perseverance concur all the obstacles.

    As the rotation started, the same phenomena of reforming urred again and again. Although the scripture mentioned that this method was that of a self-torture to forge the body with hell¡¯s Qi, it didn¡¯t say about the pain.

    Long Tao experienced a spike in pain after every sessive rotation.

    It was because each time the body was forged, it was perfected more and more.

    Hence, breaking it up would result in a much more disturbing experience.

    .....

    .....................

    It was the routine of his since the day he started cultivating in the 12 forgings of death art. Days continued to pass, and Long Tao slowly improved his cultivation.

    He was soon in the 5th level of Hell forge art, afterpleting 16 rotations.

    His body felt like it did when he was at the 8th level of foundation forging before the attack.

    ....................

    Long Tao was contemting what to do in the period of this break; he suddenly remembered the ¡®Heavenly pestle art¡¯ that he decided upon to cultivate it.

    How can one grind his/her soul with something created by their soul?

    If the soul power of a person is going to be the foundation of the pestle, no doubt it is difficult to form.

    The mysteriousness of this art was even more profound than the ¡¯12 forging art¡¯. Because also if the 12 forgings were torturous and painful to cultivate, at the end one uses hell and heaven Qi to practice it.

    As Long Tao was prying more into the art, a sudden st of memories urred in his brain.

    ¡®Soul replenisher mantra¡¯, a chant which could help one to recover his soul power. The urrence of the past few months has left Long Tao in a massive surprise as to pry his actual identity and the source of all these heavenly arts. But only when one is capable enough can one decipher the proceedings of this world, because ¡®strength is foremost of all¡¯.

    As he started to read through it, his understanding of the art began to rise. ording to his knowledge, he came to understand that the pestle to be formed needs to be made with the help of soul power.

    .....................

    The Diagram of the pestle was present in Long Tao¡¯s mind, and ording to the text, there were multiple types of grinders one could make.

    The most ordinary one being that of a singleyer on each side, and as one goes on increasing the number of decks, the pestle bes more and more tyrannical.

    Attached to the side was the fact that each addition of deck while creating the pestle would result in more brutal grinding.

    It would mean, each grind will be more painful and demanding. Consequently, the benefits were also quite ample for a higher number ofyers. Also, the number ofyers can only be determined at the starting of the cultivation of the Heavenly Pestle art, and once formed, no one is going to be able to change the structure.

    One should mark the fact that the omnipotence soul art was a fierce soul cultivation manual, and was already heaven-defying.

    But even with the cultivation of such a technique, there were different tier of cultivated souls.

    It depended upon the talent, soul size, and capability of the individual, to ascertain as to which level they are going to reach in the art. As, a cultivator Long Tao decided to give his best, as from the memories of his past life and all the fantasy he has read until now, only those who cultivated with an overall bnce in all aspects were capable enough toy a solid foundation and be a hegemon.

    Long Tao took a deep breath, calmed himself down, closed his eyes, and started chanting the mantra while visualizing the Diagram of the heavenly pestle.

    Initially, there was nothing present in his soul, but gradually one could see a formless aura slowly emerging from his soul world. ording to the scripture, this was the soul Qi of the cultivator, and this was the formless energy condensation state of one¡¯s soul.

    As Long Tao remembered the Diagram of the heavenly pestle, slowly the axle was being formed, the Qi materialized into forming the outer boundary of the shaft of the grinder.

    More and more aura of Long Tao was being consumed as the soul Qi present in the world began to deplete.

    .......................

    Finally, after the depletion of an unknown amount of soul Qi, arge Colourless rod-shaped axle could be seen in Long Tao¡¯s soul. Now, the initial creation was over.

    It was the time to form theyers, of the grinding b.

    After a whole day, one could see a total of two sets of decks being formed on either side of the pestle created by the soul Ki.

    One could say the creation of the Heavenly grinder was nearly over at the moment, but Long Tao looked at the Giant pestle formed with a bit of reluctance in his eyes.

    He wanted to create a higher number of decks because if he wanted to be able to surpass all, the foundation step would determine his growth in the soul arts.

    He reluctantly started to form another outline; one could easily see from the initial creation of the decks around that Long Tao¡¯s soul Qi was scarce to build another set ofyers. But stubbornly persisting, Long Tao didn¡¯t want to give up and create a higher number of decks. One could see that the talent of Long Tao in the path of soul art is not that great, but Long Tao didn¡¯t want to give up.

    Halfway through the creation, the process halted and wasn¡¯t able to proceed further, and Long Tao¡¯s soul qi was consumed.

    When he finally wasn¡¯t able to form more decks a was about to give up to fate, a sudden memory of his spiked back as he remembered ¡®Soul replenishing art¡¯. His gut feeling pointed out that this might be the only solution to his problem. He probed his memories, and a set of chant runes branded themselves in the mind of Long Tao.

    ................

    A mantra came into being, and as Long Tao began chanting it, soul Qi gradually started forming in his world. He became happy and thought of building more and more decks, but as he nced towards the pestle created, he was shocked to find that the final materialization was gradually urring. It only meant that once started the art can¡¯t be halted.

    It meant that if Long Tao wanted to form a higher number ofyers, he has to run both the arts simultaneously. He started the process. Gradually the third set of the floor came into being, and fourth was beginning to form.

    Long Tao unknowingly started infusing more and more Qi into forming, while simultaneously pushing the mantra of replenishing to the gather more soul Ki. The process continued, and after some time, Long Tao Gradually found that the replenish rate couldn¡¯t keep up with the formation rate, and hence the burden ion his mind started increasing.

    He tried to persist, but after some time, his consciousness gradually broke due to overexertion as he started to ckout. Long Tao¡¯s figure had already been exerted from the soul world of his.

    .............................

    One could see a magnificent site within his soul world. A bewildering nine deck pestle stood there. Its aura was giving a sense of destion, magnificence, power, destruction, and absolution. One couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how excruciating the training of grinding oneself is going to be within this pestle. Inside the cave, the body of a young man seems to lie, as the nightfall urred.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6: BEGIN THE TRAINING OF SOUL

    Finally, after resting for three whole days was Long Tao able to lift his body.

    In thest few days, Long Tao had cultivated arduously without taking even a single break.

    First, developing the 12 forges of death continuously until the 5th Forge realm, and nowpleted the creation of the heavenly pestle without cking off even a single day for rest.

    Ifpared to the first time when he started practicing the art, one would faintly remember that Long Tao physique had undergone massive changes.

    Now after the 5th stage forge wasplete, Long Tao¡¯s body was quite chiseled out.

    His height had grown by at least 2-3 feet. Every part of his body has been chiseled out in the perfect proportion. Even the faintly pale skin of Long Tao could be seen to have brighter and brighter.

    His strength was nearly that of a cultivator of the 8th realm of body forging. (Each realm of body forging ording to the n¡¯s method provided the power of 1

    .....

    The hell forge art could be said to be on a whole different level. The initial body strength of Long Tao before even practicing the art was around that of 1000 horses.

    Each level of hell forging arts seems to be adding the strength of 2000 horses, and after every two-stage, the power addition doubles. So currently, the strength of Long Tao was near to 21,000 horses that were already above what his n ¡®s training manuals could provide.

    His body has already be tyrannical, but there will still seven stages remaining before thepletion of his foundation forging.

    He couldn¡¯t imagine as to what level he could reach afterpletion of his foundation. He also started to contemte as to how powerful the ones might be, who got to cultivate this art.

    If one could peek inside the body of Long Tao, one could see various runes being imnted on every section of his body.

    They were maroon and golden runes all-around may be traced to the fact that the forged art which Long Tao practiced and the dualbination of Golden and ck Ki that carry out the transformation, after multiple cycles have advanced the characteristics of his body to an unprecedented level.

    These runes were the embodiment of the mantra he practiced.

    But one needs to specte that initially, the mantra was to practice with the help of only Hell Ki. But due to the unknown phenomena, the golden Ki also got automatically absorbed, entering the body, reforming it the same way hell¡¯s Ki did, and then the formation of runes.

    One could call this a miracle and, at the same time formation of a new type of incredible art. It cultivated the body in the same way that the hell¡¯s Ki did, but at the same time, with the help of the Golden Ki.

    ......................................................

    In another ce-

    Long Shen sat down on the couch in his manor with his depressed wife. After the death of their son, he and his wife bothmented their loss, and often the sounds of crying could be heard among this section of the manor.

    His heart couldn¡¯t find peace with the fact that he will never be able to see his son again in the future. But after a period of istion, Long Shen forced himself back to reality.

    In addition to being a father who lost his son, he also had the identity of the n lord of the Long n. He couldn¡¯t whimper back from his duties and was required to work for the betterment of his n and n members.

    After a day or two, he called upon the meeting of elders again. ¡± I hope you people know about the forting annualpetition to be held at the royal Jiao city. Did you manage to make the list of candidates.¡±

    An elder like a figure came forward, bowed, and greeted Long Shen And said,¡± We have chosen a group of 10 individuals to be nurtured by our n. They are Long Bao, Long Shi, Long Zhen, Long Si, Long Mengchen, Long Ti, Long Hua, Long Zhenyue, Long Duanren. Thest individual, Long Zhengyi, has been with her master and practicing there. We decided to send her the cultivation resources and finance required for the expenditure, Long Zhengyi, and Long Duanren are the people with the highest strength. Long Mengchen is the most talented one among the bunch. ¡±

    ...............................................

    Long Shen glimpsed at the reports, and after brief scrutiny of all the details given, he nodded his head and ordered the meeting to be conjured and disperse the elders.

    Only A little more than a year remained in their hands. They must do their best to cultivate the younger generation and enable them to win the battle in the royal city at the event of celebration.

    It was to shut the mouths of their opponents and stabilize their stand in the empire.

    ......................................

    Unknown to all this Long Tao, who was currently seated in the dark cave, was lost iprehension. Before he immersed himself in the cultivation of the ¡®Heaven Pestle art¡±, he wanted to confirm for onest time, all the rules, instruction, and precautions mentioned in the manual.

    The optimum instruction was to immerse one soul in between the pestle and allow it to rotate and crush the soul, grinding it continuously. One has to let the pestle grind and mold the soul into a more substantial level. After every five rotations, one can go to the next level.

    It made Long Tao contemte the fact that since the pestle was created with the help of a limited amount of his own soul Ki, wouldn¡¯t it be unable to grind his soul after some time.

    The answer popped up into his mind and was that the grinder after creation be the center of the soul world of the person. It connects with the origin of the whole world, and as one increases the level of his soul, the might of the heavenly pestle also increases with them. Therefore, after each round of grinding, the power of the grinder will rise to a whole new level. And as the Soul power of one goes on increasing, the pestle crush would be more and more difficult as well as more tormenting.

    .......................................

    When Long Tao entered his soul world, he could feel an aura of deste, majestic, oppressive, and destructive might rushing towards him from all directions. As he looked forward, a nine decked grinder floated in the center, extruding an aura of majesty.

    As per the cultivation manual, Long Tao now had to immerse his soul body into the pestle, and as soon as he starts reciting the mantra, the grinder will start grinding automatically. All Long Tao had to do after that was to bear with the pressure, not letting his soul disperse as the churning is in process.

    Long Tao rxed his state, and his soul body entered the pestle. He then began the chant avable in his mind.

    A set of runes after outside of the grinder and an aura of light ced itself on the body of the gigantic structure, as the decks start a uniform opposite motion.

    ......................

    The grinding process has begun.

    Just as Long Tao thought, what could the pain amount after he cultivates the 12-forge art, his soul body start cracking.

    An unbearable amount of pain started urring in the soul of Long Tao. As the soul was slowly fragmented into smaller and smaller pieces due to the movement of most massive bodies one could imagine, Long Tao¡¯s soul was being crushed into bits.

    Long Tao continued to persevere, but the consumption of his soul aura the grounding proceeds started bing scarce. He again started chanting the ¡®Soul replenishing mantra.¡¯

    The process of materialization of slow manifestation and absorbing of soul Qi started again. Long Tao gradually started to feel overwhelmed by the method as his consciousness was being grounded to tiny fragments bit by bit.

    As he thought his soul was about to be dispersed into nothingness, one could see the pestleing to thest part of its cycle.

    .................................................

    As it stopped, the light shone again, and the enhanced soul fragments got released in the soul world, which then started to manifest as the soul body of Long Tao. After the gradual re-formation, finally, after some time, Long Tao¡¯s soul was restructured into his original shape, but one could feel the difference visibly.

    Long Tao¡¯s soul, this time, gave off a much stronger sense of aura. As Long Tao exited his soul world and returned to his physical body, opening his eyes, he could feel the absolute difference in his current state.

    His senses of that of the previous stage were heightened; even more, he could now capture even minute things in the atmosphere. All his body had gained a new sense of feeling as if his current soul form was much more substantial. After feeling happy for his hard work to have paid off, Long Tao soon calmed himself down. The road ahead was still long, and he couldn¡¯t help himself in momentary satisfaction.

    After all, he has decided to walk on the path of the most significant obstacles, to be the dominator of all world, the most powerful being of all.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7: THE TRAINING-

    Long Taopleted the first grind, ording to the manual in ¡®Heaven Pestle¡¯ art.

    Out of the three manuals he had in his memories, he managed to practice two of them to sess until now.

    Thest manual, ¡®The blood tempering method, ¡®remained. Long Tao was excited to try out its benefits.

    ........................

    The ¡®Blood Tempering method was also known as the devouring art of heavenly glutton. ording to this form, one has to get the corpse, blood, and cores of demonic beasts to practice the tempering.

    One has to start devouring all of the items, one by one, while training in the mantra and cirction art of the body.

    The introduction stated that not only will this art temper the blood of the practitioner but also, it will take the blood essence of the beast, and assimte it into the body of the practitioner.

    .....

    Hence, an advancement/ enhancement in the bloodline of the practitioner took ce.

    .....................

    It was surprising to see such an art present in the universe as, no none has ever heard of the usage of beast essences of other demons, to enhance and create the bloodline of one¡¯s own.

    A bloodline was something that was nurtured through generations of martial practice, even within beasts.

    The practitioner of this art also gets some of the base strength of the beast into his body.

    In rare cases, the practitioner may be blessed with the heaven-defying luck; monstrousprehension might be able to retrieve the ancient bloodline memories of the devoured species and learn their art.

    It was likely the only form present within the memory of Long Tao, which seemed to bepletely unlocked and had no restriction as it was only to teach and continuously enhance the devouring power of the practitioner.

    ................

    One could quickly gain insights into multiple types of divinities, while simultaneously gouging the benefits of the body growing more tyrannical. Long Tao went through another round of cross-checking before he wants to head towards starting the cultivation of ¡®Blood tempering art.¡¯

    Exiting the cave, for the first time in 3 months, Long Tao was finally was at the realm where he can start the hunting of the beasts.

    As he proceeded towards the forest, he started looking out for traces of beast presence in the nearby area. Soon he found evidence of footprint, and as he followed it to the end, he could see a wolf drinking water.

    Long Tao alerted himself and slowly started approaching the wolf from within the bushes.

    As he made sure that he got the exits of the wolf covered and was at an approachable distance from the wolf, he suddenly leaped out from the bushes,ing face to face with the wolf.

    Alerted from the sudden movement, the wolf hurriedly turned towards Long Tao and started staring at him with a ferocious re. A Human dared to stand in its way. As the wolf proceeded towards Long Tao, he gradually stiffens his body, bringingplete harmony in his movements.

    Although Long Tao knew that his physical properties were extremely high, he still chose to be alert when facing an enemy.

    ¡®When facing one ¡®s opponent, even a single mistake or moment of ignorance could im their life.¡¯ Long Tao understood that fact, and slowly proceeded towards the demon wolf with caution.

    ..................

    The wolf bared its fang, and conjuring the strength of his legs, sprinted towards Long Tao, to bite his head off. In the Demonic beast world, power matters. It was always a game of survival of the fittest.

    Long Tao, clenched his fist, and as the teeth of the wolf were just about to fall on the skin of Long Tao, he smashed the face of the wolf with his strength. All these days of continuous training haveid a perfect foundation for Long Tao, and his current bodily power was unimaginable by conventional logic.

    An example was the fact that the wolf, which attacks them a little while earlier, was currently sted through the air, as its face was bloody, with a loud crackle of bones urring.

    After being smashed into the ground, the demonic wolf couldn¡¯t even gather a little bit of strength to lift its body. It knew it was on the verge of death due to the earlier strike of the human standing near him. Giving ast loud Howl, it died.

    Long Tao was shocked, observing his fist; even in his wildest imagination, he would not have thought that his strength has grown to such an extent that a single punch from him enough to kill the demon wolf.

    As he went near the body of the wolf, he decides to carry it back to the cave, before starting to cultivate ording to the method of the Blood tempering form. But just at the moment when Long Tao was about to carry the corpse at his back, he heard the howling of a bunch of wolvesing from the nearby area.

    ck lines urred onto the face of Long Tao, as he recalled thest howl of the wolf before dying. It was as if he warned the members of his pack, and attracted them towards Long Tao.

    .....................

    Soon a whole bunch of wolves arrived at the location of the fight, and upon seeing the corpse of their pack member, all of them growled towards Long Tao and rushed towards him.

    Baring the initial thoughts of nervousness, a faint excitement urred in the mind of Long Tao as he wanted to ascertain the current limits of his strength.

    The pack slowly started to surround Long Tao and proceeded towards him together.

    Wolves were known to hunt their prey in a pack, giving it no chance of life. A fight was imminent. Long Tao shed a determined look on his eyes, and the battle began.

    ........................

    It was close to nightfall now; alone, a silhouette could be seen lying on his back in the dark cave. Multiple dead bodiesy around him.

    For Long Tao, this one was the first battle experience afterpletion of his initial training. He was tired due to thest fight. After lying for a few hours, Long Tao moved and gathered the corpses around him.

    He dissected them with his bare hand, devouring the part of meat removed. He then started cultivating the art.

    Long Tao¡¯s blood was starting to get infused with the abundant blood essence from these corpses. It was a leap in the quality of bloodline.

    Long Tao continued to devour more quantities of meat as the bodies started disappearing.

    .......................

    The next morning ¨C

    Long Tao could be seen practicing the form of Blood temper. The process was nearing its end as the corpses have vanished due to the devouring practice of Long Tao. Only now, Long Tao came to realize that he is required to huntrge numbers of demons if he wan to cultivate the art.

    After thest set of meat was entirely consumed. He stood and started analyzing his body for the difference gained. He could feel his body being more potent than before. Growth could be seen in his muscle density and power output.

    One could easily think about how tyrannical and strength boosting this whole art was. Long Tao was satisfied with the result, and this was the only part that didn¡¯t require him to go through the hellish pain, again and again, to grow in strength.

    But the effort required to hunt the materials was present as well. Canceling it one could say that the Blood Tempering art was a very satisfying art to cultivate in.

    .......................

    A huge sound of bones cracking and skin being torn apart could be heard, apanied by the Painful howls of Long Tao.

    Long Tao decided in his mind that form now on his schedule would include the cultivation of 12- forging art while simultaneously grinding his soul in the heavenly pestle and hunting beasts for the cultivation of the blood tempering form.

    Long Tao had Long Since understood the idea that only with a great amount of hard work and constant tempering could one be able to meld themselves in bing the true expert who stood above all.

    .......................

    Closing his eyes, he immersed himself again into the hellish torture of the forging art. There was no requirement of food to practitioner since they absorbed the natural energies.

    The pain was endless but he results obtain at the ned were worth every effort he has put into cultivating this set of art.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8: THE TRAINING-

    Two monthster-

    A figure was currently dashing through the forest at top speed. It was a boar type beast of 1st level.

    These were known for their enormous bodies, thick reinforced skin, and ferocious temper due to which they were able to roam freely without any barriers amid these forests.

    They were some of the apex being in the 1st tier demons present in the forest. Although they didn¡¯t infringe humans outside, upon being disturbed, they instantly assume a ferocious stance and attack with the motive to kill.

    ............................

    Currently, a boar demon was running at a fast speed. If looked at carefully, one could see the fear in his eyes, as if he was running away from something or someone.

    Tears could be seen in its eyes. Scars and wounds dripping with blood could be seen covering its whole body. The boar was running away from an enemy, someone /something that was far powerful than it.

    .....

    Suddenly someone was in the way of his escape route; it abruptly halted itself. A looked of bewilderment could be seen in its eyes. A ck silhouette was standing in front of it, looking at it with the eyes of a predator.

    Who else could it be except Long Tao? In these two months that he has started the training in Blood Tempering Form too, Long Tao would continuously go on to hunt arge number of demon beasts of the 1st level with which he continuously cultivated.

    It took him two months to reach the 9th level of 12 Forges art, which amounted to an addition of a tremendous amount of strength to his body. One should have known that Long Tao had far surpassed the body limits of ordinary Foundation experts of the n when he was just at the 6th level of forging. Hence the current realm of his strength was at an unprecedented scale. He could hunt a vast number of beasts without even feeling fatigued from the exertion of force.

    With the addition to the already powerful physique due to the Hell forging art, the Blood Tempering form, added an endless amount of strength to his body, with the addition of giving his body another massive boost in its abilities as well as some additional benefits.

    Long Tao would have already hunted more than 1500-2000 demon beasts of the 1st level. He stopped counting after the mid of the first month because he knew it was useless.

    One should know that the practice of Devouring art results in the tempering of the body with the help of essence from demons, to obtain the properties of others, and to add it to one¡¯s benefits.

    Long Tao¡¯s senses have grown quite a bit since hest tested. This result was because of his progress in heaven pestle art. Currently, Long Tao has already undergone the grinding for the 4th time.

    One could say that Long Tao, although howling in more and more pain, has started to get ustomed to feeling it sooner orter. It has given an enormous boost to not only his soul strength but also tempered his will and strengthened his Dao¡¯s heart.

    One should always aim to increase his power and start to gain insights into the higher realms.

    .........................................

    Long Tao finished the fight with boar, he approached its body and was about to lift it. At first, Long Tao could easily hunt beasts one after another, but the monsters soon realized that someone was trying to take their lives and started roaming around inrge groups.

    Long Tao was not bothered by the fact because this was an even better way for him to train and temper his physique As well as improve the battle instincts.

    This solo vs. group battles led Long Tao to gain vast amounts of battle experience and improved his instincts to a considerable extent.

    Long Tao had hunted a vast number of beasts, which included boar, bear, jackals, pythons, even poisonous toad, and snakes.

    He could devour everything with the help of the blood tempering form. It was as if the method allowed him the power to gulp everything into himself.

    At first, he was scared trying out poisonous demons, and the initial bites have left him paralyzed and on the brink of death, but as he continued to practice the blood tempering form, faint runes present in his blood started glowing, and the effect of poison started reducing bit by bit. It was soon that the poison soon could even affect him, and his body has already begun to immunize him against the poison of this level. Long Tao had heard that the ability of poison Practioner is quite scary. They use poison to kill their enemies and practice the storing and usage of poison in it.

    There was also rumor of there existing a unique body that is immune to poisons called the 100 poisons body.

    Wielders of this body were not affected in the slightest by the poison and even could covertly poison into cultivation materials to aid in their practice and strength improvement.

    Long Tao has nevere across such art, but one thing he can know for sure that the immunity gained by the practice of the blood tempering art was quite good.

    Maybe, if he cultivates with arge number of poisonous demons, he would be able to gain this heaven-defying body. Picking up the boar¡¯s body Long Tao proceeded towards his cave.

    ..........................................

    It had now be a routine of Long Tao. His clothes were heavily tattered now, and his body has features of barbaricmunity due tock of personal grooming on his behalf.

    Long Tao passed near a river; he decided to wash himself up, as well as wash the beast of the body because he didn¡¯t want to leave a trace of the path taken by him to reach his cave as he proceeded.

    He proceeded, but just as he was going to leave for his cave, he saw a bunch of silhouettes following him.

    These were of the same variety as the wolf killed by him for the first time. This situation left Long Tao in the sense of bewilderment.

    This number of wolves moving around was a matter of grave concern. Long Tao prepared forbat, as he readied his posture a took an offensive stance. However, Long Tao¡¯s n had multiple attack arts that can be practiced in the Foundation realm.

    Long Tao, after long hours of discussion with his father, already knew that these were just minor forms of attack styles and didn¡¯t hold much of a use.

    If one wanted to start practicing real arts, it was possible only after reaching the Qi child realm, only then could one be said to have stepped into the real art of cultivation and understood what Qi was.

    So even if Long Tao knew many arts on foundation level due to his previous training in the n, he didn¡¯t bother to practice them and left the fighting style to be that of brute strength and instincts.

    The wolves had surrounded Long Tao as they prepared to attack him. ¡®shew¡¯ the wolves sprinted towards Long Tao together to finish their enemy.

    Long Tao started bashing his fists and injuring multiple opponents at the same time. But no matter how powerful he was due to therge number in the pack of wolves, he was still wounded with some minor injuries now and then.

    The fight continued; a higher number of wolf corpses could be seen lying on the ground, but the attack didn¡¯t end.

    ..............................................

    They continued more and more scars started to appear on the body of Long Tao. It could be said that he began to look miserable.

    Long Tao started getting severe as this fight prolonged, but the rush in his excitement also grew because this was his hardest battle since he started cultivating.

    He was sure after the battle ended, he would be able to practice the blood tempering art for a Long Time, due to the number of ughtered demons.

    It had already been several hours since the fight started; the number of wolf corpses can now be counted up to 1-200.

    Even the wolf pack had a look of fear and caution in their eyes. They were slowly retreating due to the ferociousness of the enemy they encountered this time.

    It could be said that this time they had kicked a steel te, but there was no path of retreat now. How could Long Tao give them the chance to retreat and give up on the colossal nourishment in front of his eyes, which could aid in his cultivation for a long time?

    Long Tao had long since reached the 5th level of Blood tempering for foundation; these nourishments can sustain him at least till the 8th level.

    How could he give up? He started to get more and more frenzy and ughtered all the wolves present. Some managed to run away. This time was a massive harvest for him.

    He started the transportation of these corpses to his cave. Soon nightfall urred, and most of the battlefield was already cleaned up.

    Long Tao soonpleted his transportation.

    .........................................

    It was a very tedious day. He instantly started devouring the beast corpses to recover his lost strength. Only after simultaneously eating about 20 bodies and cultivating the blood tempering method was Long Tao finally able to regain all the lost power due to the fight.

    Afterpleting a little bit of rest, Long Tao again resumed the Blood Tempering art and soon finished the 6th and 7th level of his Blood tempering art.

    The cultivation of Blood Tempering artplemented the 12 Forges of death perfectly, and the corresponding level of one was easy to reach if one has already reached the level of the other skill.

    Hence afterpleting the 7th stage, he decided to retake a short break. Just as Long Tao was about to close his eyes after lying down, he suddenly got a horrible feeling, a sign of evil omen.

    ......................................

    Something was not right. All his instincts were indicating aing danger to his life. Suddenly the ground shook, and a loud bang could be heard on the walls of the cave, entrance. ¡®BOOM¡¯ the cave entrance exploded, as a loud howl was heard. Long Tao was sweating profusely now.

    Every pack of the demonic beast seems to have a leader who is more powerful than the rest of the group. The wolf king always heads the wolf pack.

    It was a second-grade demonic beast, one that can only be contended by the Practioner of Qi Child realm; it was not something Foundation forging expert could imagine of defeating.

    It was said that once one rises to the Qi child realm, they will be able to sense the Qi of the world, absorbing it into their body, strengthening it, and then projecting it out in forms of various art.

    Qi was the source of all the power a cultivator willed to project out, and only with the help of that can one cultivator be said to have embarked on the path of cultivation.

    Although Long Tao couldn¡¯t sense Qi and store it, the brutal forging art had already exposed him to it. Also, due to the continuous forging and tempering, he was already more potent than foundation forming experts.

    Currently, the wolf king was standing before Long Tao, growling with rage. Long Tao knew that today was not going to be peaceful enough for him to be able to rx.

    A fight was imminent.

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9: FIGHTING WITH THE WOLF KING, COMPLETION OF FOUNDATION FORGING

    Long Tao already anticipated that today was not going to be peaceful. The Wolf King Bared its white fangs, growling in anger as it red at him. The wolves that managed to escape the ughter seems to have alerted the wolf king about his existence.

    Initially, the wolf King would not go out of his den. He would wait for his followers and pack members to bring up the hunted food. The wolf king would devour most of the part.

    It only gets moving in case of big hunts conducted, or another opponent of 2nd level appeared in the vicinity challenging its authority.

    It was still resting in its ce when suddenly a group of minor wolves¡¯ came running. It could see that the majority of the group sent out was nowhere to be found.

    It enraged the king. Somebody dared to kill its pack members. It immediately set out to the location of the fight with the pack members. He decided to kill the one who hunted them.

    .............................................

    As he reached the spot, he could see the faint traces of battle which urred here.

    .....

    Blood was everywhere. It was enraged, and following the smell, it started tracing the path of Long Tao, ultimately reaching outside the cave he resided in.

    A thick smell of blood was smeared in the atmosphere, and as he broke through the stone wall blocking the entrance, he could see a silhouette of a human standing in front of him.

    The figure was smeared in blood, and he could see numerous wolf corpses lying beside the spot. These were the members of his pack that didn¡¯t return from the previous hunt.

    Anger and madness started consuming within him. A mere human who had no fluctuation of Qi around dared to kill his subordinates. It was genuinely courting death in his eyes.

    Seeing the wolf King staring at him, Long Tao began to sweat profusely. The situation has created a death grudge between him and the Wolf King.

    .............................................

    Long Tao focused all his mind on the situation. Standing in front of him is the most powerful enemy he had faced until now.

    He straightened his back, assume the normal battle posture of his, and was concentrating on the movements of the wolf king.

    The wolf king dashed towards him at full speed. It was far above in strength and abilitiespared to the wolves he had killed previously.

    The previous wolves were not even a bitparable to the figure in front of him. It was already near Long Tao in a blink of an eye and raised its paw as it ruthlessly mmed Long Tao, towards the wall of the cave.

    ......................................................

    Long Tao¡¯s body was sent flying around. It was the first time Long Tao had experienced an attack of this might, which wounded his body in a single strike.

    As the dust settled, even the wolf king had a look of surprise in his eyes as he saw Long Tao standing up with just a minor injury.

    It didn¡¯t expect Long Tao would be able to ward off the attack from earlier. It clearly showed the might of Long Tao¡¯s strength. He stood up, and a brawl began again, as he advances with his full force towards it.

    ................................................

    The scene continued as the wolf King continuously strike Long Tao, and Long Tao would return, trying tond an attack on the wolf king.

    Many bruises can be seen on the body of his, but he continued to attack without stopping. He was now getting ustomed to the enemy¡¯s power.

    It was astonished now. He hadn¡¯t expected that this small creature would be able to fend off so many attacks of it.

    It was indeed a miracle. Long Tao, continuously advanced, and finally as his speed got ustomed, he managed to get near to the face of the wolf king, he clenched his fist, and with all his might, he shot a fist towards the wolf king¡¯s face.

    The attacknded, and it was a heavy blow. The strength of its opponent now enthralled the wolf king, and it was able to hurt him. He started taking Long Tao seriously now.

    It started utilizing all its strength towards fighting Long Tao. The physical fight between the two continued in the cave.

    ......................................................

    It was already morning now; two figures were constantly shing with each other as the cave reverberated with the sound of the sh. A loud boom urred, and these two silhouettes backed off from each other. Long Tao ¡®s whole body was now marked with colossal w marks and scars.

    Wounds were all over his bodies as blood was dripping out of them. On the opposite side, even the figure of the wolf king was extremely vignt as it started towards Long Tao.

    The character which he thought he could easily crush by its paw, had managed to hurt it. It no longer dyed, as it opened its mouth, and slowly a small ball of energy started forming in between its jaws. Long Tao nced with a vignt expression.

    It was what one could call coagtion of Qi within its body which can be projected out to attack its opponent. As the ball of energy proceeded towards its target, Long Tao hurriedly dodged to the side.

    It didn¡¯t give Long Tao a chance to rest. It again barged towards him with full force and triednded his w attacks. Long Tao reciprocated equivalently. Within the middle of the fight, the wolf king had again started gathering qi within its mouth.

    Long Tao was long awaiting this opportunity, and as the wolf king slowed down to gather, Long Tao attacked towards the eye of the wolf king, directly piercing it as blood rushed out.

    As Long Tao rushed backward, a painful howl could be heard from the mouth of the wolf king. Long Tao didn¡¯t give the wolf king any time to recuperate, as he again attacked aiming for the other eye. The battle continued further and further.

    .....................................................

    It was nightfall of the second day of the fight between the wolf king and the human. Inside the cave, a massive corpse of the wolf could be seen with both of its eyes pierced and its heart ruptured.

    A small human figure was currently lying beside the body, breathing heavily, not being able to even move to the slightest.

    Finally, after a long, arduous battle between the two Long Tao had managed to kill off the wolf king and gain victory.

    He had no strength remaining after the fight as he had a satisfied smile on his face.

    Not only has this fight tempered Long Tao a lot, but now he doesn¡¯t have to bother about the cultivation resources for the Blood Tempering art to bepleted for the foundation level.

    ........................................................

    The current fight gave him an idea as to how powerful the beings who can utilize qi can be. His aim was now toy the foundation correctly and step into the Qi child realm before long. Only then could he freely hunt for the beasts of the wolf king¡¯s level.

    After resting for some time, he got up and decide to fist practice his 12 forges of death to the next level beforepleting the equivalent level of the Blood Tempering Art.

    Long Tao first attempted to cultivate the Heavenly pestle form because his soul advancement had given him the feeling of being a littlecking. Once again, he appeared before the grinder as the 4th grind started and his soul was crushed.

    ..............................................................

    3 monthster:

    Long Tao was sitting inside the cave mansion of his practicing the 12 forges art. Loud sounds of bone crackling could be heard along with the roar of pain from the mouth of Long Tao.

    Long Tao continued to bear with the pain he felt. Although he thought that he was now ustomed to the pain, he was surprised and sent into a state of extreme agony every time he tries a new set of forge cycle.

    It just can be attributed to the fact that Long Tao¡¯s body was growing more and more brutal day by day, and breaking it was tougher with each passing day.

    .........................................................

    Long Tao breathed a massive gust of air as he opened up his eyes and stretched his body. Finally, he has wholly cultivated the 12 Forges of Death to its highest stage andpleted the 12th stage of re-forge.

    As he felt his body being filled with an unimaginable amount of power, Long Tao could now think that if he fought the wolf king for the second time, he could quickly kill him.

    Maybe, afterpleting the foundation art of the Blood Tempering, a new set of memories to step into the Qi child realm starts urring. Soon hepleted the ten stages of Blood Tempering Art/ The devouring art of heavenly Glutton, and the runes in his blood were also shining as a change of his bloodline started urring.

    It was a qualitative change, and the blood inside him was being converted to something more powerful. It would benefit the cultivation while also boosting his speed.

    But as Long Tao waited for the new set of memory to ur, he still didn¡¯t get any response.

    ......................................................

    As Long Tao started contemting why this was happening, he remembered there was still an art he was practicing that didn¡¯t reach the highest extent, The heavenly pestle art. Long Tao sighed in helplessness as he took a short break before, sitting back in his position and started cultivating from the 7th grind and decided to end the seclusion only after hepletes the ninth grinding.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10: ANCIENT CRIMSON LORD WORLD

    tLong Tao¡¯s figure was starting to extrude a considerable amount of pressure to the surrounding. Veins could be seen popping out of the face of Long Tao as he continuously practiced the ¡®Heaven Pestle art.¡¯

    He was amid the 9th grind, but the pain was unbearable.

    One should know that soul is the most crucial element of existence in the world, and once Long Tao¡¯s soul failed to reform, his will is going to perish from the world altogether.

    Even if minimal harm came into being to the soul of Long Tao, it¡¯s going to turn him either mad and useless or highly limit his martial path.

    The grinding continued, and as it approached itsst stages, the pain started bing somewhat unbearable.

    One could say that this was the reason, Long Tao could quickly gather loads of soul Qi, never having a scarcity or need of any soul Qi infused material.

    As the process continued, the runes continued to provide a vast amount of Soul Qi, and finally, thest stage of the Heaven Pestle form was reached. Long Tao¡¯s back was covered with sweat at this time. He just came out of death¡¯s mouth.

    .....

    Finally, the ground soul, started coagting, as Long Tao continued to chant the mantra, and a towering transparent figure was created in the soul world of Long Tao.

    It was his soul avatar. Finally, Long Tao heaved a sigh of relief. He eventuallypleted thest stage of Heavenly Pestle Form. The nine grinds wereplete, transforming Long Tao¡¯s Soul figure to that of a soul avatar.

    Finally, he could step on to the Qi child realm, stepping into the way of martial arts.

    .............................................................

    As the final stage of soul training concluded, inside the cave, a faint glow started permeating the whole space. The locket that Long Tao has worn since he was a child started showing unusual activity. It started vibrating and glowing.

    Suddenly it floated in the air, and a light beam was projected onto Long Tao¡¯s body as he was absorbed within. The figure vanished with nothing remaining inside the cave.

    ..............................................................

    Seven months have passed since the assassination attempt on his life. He has returned, got a massive fortune in the shape of the three sets of extraordinary manuals present in his memories, which led him to practice and set an incredible foundation.

    It was a miracle within itself. Long Tao could decimate the wolf King if they fought now.

    Long Tao decides first to take a short break, resting and roaming outside, contending against powerful 2nd level beasts in the forest and estimating his realbat prowess.

    Only after that would he start training in the new set of techniques that he will obtain from the collection of manual presents inside his mind. As he gradually opened his eyes, a shocking scene appeared.

    .............................................................

    A majestic mansion, giving away a feeling of an ancient and powerful vibe, was present amid a vast space ofnd.

    It was floating mid-air, with a peculiar gateway present Infront, dragon, and phoenix being carved on it. There were multiple statues present in the vicinity of the mansion; there were huge snakes, figures of humans carrying a variety of weapons, and so on. One could say that there was an army of stone statue present.

    Standing outside, one couldn¡¯t even see what¡¯s going inside the boundaries. There was a majestic hoarding spelling ¡°Ancient manor.¡± Besides the edges, one could see a multitude of stretches of water, with different properties.

    One was sparkling clear and giving up a feeling of freshness. There was another stretch of liquid; what looked like Lava, another for clear blue water, then there was a pool with lightning sparking all over it.

    There was a substantial rugged path ofnd with multiple sizes of boulders present, and there was a forest present nearby. Also, one could see a tiny patch ofnd towards another side, covered all around with two gigantic trees and many different types of herbs, it stated herb garden, on the board outside this plot ofnd.

    .........................................................

    Long Tao was shocked by the view in front of him. His first reaction was that he was in some sort of dream or illusion his mind created. He pinched his shoulders, applying a substantial amount of strength, and the result was a sharp pain he felt near his shoulder.

    So, this was all real. Long Tao started to panic. How did he appear in this world? This majestic world was out of his imagination level. Long Tao was shocked to see how vast and magical.

    He had never heard of a piece ofnd being able to float in the air. All he could imagine was that this is somece in a different dimension, and he was transported here by mistake.

    He was scared about being stuck in this world, not knowing how to return. He started moving aimlessly and was slowly getting more and more bewildered. As despair reached its peak in Long Tao¡¯s mind, he tried to calm himself more and more.

    He sat down, took a deep breath, and correctly re-positioned his thought. He has seen so many miracles happening, his life getting saved due to some unknown phenomena, him getting three sets of what would be called immortal/divine manuals which provided him with heaven shaking strength.

    ...............................................................

    As he finally calmed himself down and started getting his thoughts towards how to get out of this world, he heard a mysterious voice in his ears.

    ¡°You are at this moment given an allowance to enter the world of the CRIMSON LORD, thest will of ancients. ¡°Long Tao was taken aback after hearing the voice; he started looking all around to see where the sound was originating from. But even after a long inspection, he was not able to find a single living being around him.

    He started to think that this might be a slight delusion his mind has created.

    ¡± I am the keeper of this world, you idiot. Stop inspecting aimless around you. I didn¡¯t expect the visitor this time would be this weak in his mind. It is a huge joke¡±.

    ¡± Maybe if you were not ying around and directly spoke to me, I would not have been in such a surprise.¡± ¡°trying to be cocky in front of me, we will see how you y around in the uing set of events, as I torture you and make you go through hell.¡±

    ¡± I will not bother arguing with you. You are to take the uing test that I will, at this moment, assign to you. The current you is not worthy of me talking to. If you can remain alive, we shall see talk further¡±.

    ...............................................................

    The scenery in front of Long Tao changed immediately. He was currently in what could only be described as arge hall. In front of him was standing a singr, humanly figure, but as Long Tao was gradually nearing it, he was shocked; this was not a human.

    ¡°This test will have three-stage; a test of will, a test of soul, and a test of strength. Beginning with the test of will,¡± without even a warning, Long Tao¡¯s body was lifted, transported to another room.

    One could see a pool of brimming, shining red liquid present in the middle of the room. Long Tao was directly thrown into it. The liquid starteding in contact with this body; he started feeling the temperature around rising.

    The liquid started getting absorbed into Long Tao¡¯s body, and his body was again being restructured and crushed by some force, a pain in the simr category of when he practiced the forging art started urring in his mind. ¡°Let see how long you canst, boy. The longer youst more will be the benefit you obtain from the restructuring. ¡°the puppet smirked and vanished from sight.

    ............................................................

    ¡°How long do you think this boy couldst.¡± ¡°I expected some amount of perseverance, at least. Otherwise, this will simply be a waste of time. As per the gradation, being able tost for 7-10 hours is considered a pass, being able tost for one day is considered an average talent. If hests up to 1-3 days, his talent can be said to be above average, 3-7days could be said to be a good talent. From 7-10, it would be a genius; 10-13 days would be the limit of real heaven chosen. The highest record until now is that of 16 days, a demon level character with unseen talent in a martial way.¡±

    Hours passed, and gradually time came to the end of a day ¡°at least he is an above-average talent. Otherwise, I would have already thrown him out of the realm and vanished to find another inheritor.¡± The puppet smirked again.

    .....................................................................

    Soon the second day ended too, and Long Tao didn¡¯t even know. He had already left all other thoughts to a side and concentrated on the process going on.

    The tempering he gained from the torturous art of 12 forges wasing into y now. Soon the 3-day passed, bright light could be seen in the eyes of the puppet, sighing in relief. ¡°At least he is something worth nurturing, ¡°but when he saw the calm face of Long Tao, he had an unknown feeling.

    ¡°Let see how long you can persist.¡± He honestly expected Long Tao to be one of heaven¡¯s chosen ones. He closed the view and retired into nothingness. A figure still sat amid the pool and the liquid within gushing in and out of his body-tempering and purifying it.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11: DEMON

    The process continued, and time flowed in the same manner, not waiting for anyone.

    ..........................................

    It has already been eight days, and Long Tao had persisted in the test until now. The puppet was now on the continuous watch of how Long Tao fared in the trial.

    One should know that even more than power, talent, background, what indeed is required to achieve greatness is an iron-d will to seed. Only with an unbreakable will can a practitioner continue to pursue his path of martial arts and excel in it.

    Suddenly a voice of the will reciprocated into the notice of the puppet.

    ¡°I hope with an above-average talent, he would at least have a good set of instinct to battle. ¡±

    The puppet had an expression of a loud gig as he stared into the void and proimed,¡± why don¡¯t you see for yourself.¡±

    .....

    ........................................

    An illusionary figure suddenly appeared in front of the screen. As it turned to look at the view, a sigh of surprise escaped its mouth.

    ¡°He managed to survive the test of will until now.¡±

    ¡°Heaven defying geniuses are supposed to survive until now. Otherwise, how can they be called so.¡±

    ¡°Are you implying he can survive past the 10th-day line and step into the category of the heaven-defying. Let¡¯s hope he makes it.¡±

    ¡°What if he manages to do it?¡± the puppet smirked and asked with a provoking nce.

    ¡°If he manages to step into that category, I will not only open the whole ancient inheritance for him; I will nurture him to a great extent, solving his doubts and also provide him with guidance. However, the inheritor is to climb up by themselves and have their achievements. I will not only be his mentor to some extent but only his servant and partner, if he was fortunate enough to remain alive until the time¡±.

    The puppet showed an expression of shock. This guy was willing to go to such extents to nurture talent. But when he introspected, he knew that he would do the same.

    It had been a long time ago; they have toplete the task the previous master has assigned them. Only then can they continue on their further journey.

    As time continued to pass, as per expectation, Long Tao persisted, and the 10th day came into being.

    ¡°hope you remember your words,¡± but the other figure didn¡¯t even bother to reply.

    Their eyes were glued to the figure below. The 10th day passed, so did the 11th and 12th days.

    .......................................

    A stern look started appearing on the faces of the two figures. Can this brat truly step into the realm of those demons?

    All they could do now is anticipate the oue. A silence descended on the area. The 13th day came into being, the pain was rising more and more, and an unsightly look of agony could be seen on Long Tao¡¯s face.

    He didn¡¯t even imagine what the future was going to hold for him. Only the present mattered. He wanted to push beyond his limits.

    He didn¡¯t want to ever return to the helpless tiny existence he was before now, living on the mercy of others. He willed to be powerful enough to break all his limits and capture the heavens.

    ...........................................

    The 13th day finally passed. Long Tao finally stepped in the category of demons. His body was restructured, even more, the skin glowed brighter than before. His height has increased, and Long Tao now gave off a feeling of novelty and majesty.

    If seen in proper attire, one would easily take him as a member of royalty. The aura around him has started getting ethereal.

    The two figures had a massive smile on their faces. Finally, a worthy sessor came into being in their realm. Now it was time for Crimson Lord world to start paving their way back to the top of the world.

    They thought how long can Long Tao persist in the forge, and how high would the change in his body be. Unknown to them, Long Tao has already started getting ustomed to the pain. It was as if the benefits and changes that this pool can give him have begun to diminish. Slowly time passed, and the pain got less and less.

    As Long Tao finally opened his eyes and walked out of the pool, 20 days have passed. He had broken through the highest record of the Will test. He managed to persist an overwhelming four days more than the previous record holder.

    ..........................................

    Long Tao felt that this pool could no longer provide any more changes or benefits to his body, so he walked out. The puppet was standing right outside of theke.

    ¡°Congrattions on passing the test. You are now eligible to take the test of soul talent for us to verify your talent in the matter of soul.¡±

    The tone was polite, a total opposite of how the puppet talked with Long Tao in the past. Long Tao couldn¡¯t understand what had fuelled the change of attitude. Heplied with the instruction of the puppet and moved around to the second area.

    ...........................................

    ¡°We shall now start the test. Put your palm onto the stone b in front of you. Your soul will be transported to another ce. As you reach into the other world, you will understand what the rules for this test are going to be¡±.

    Long Tao did as ask, and as soon as he ced his palm on the b, the view Infront of him changed. He was now an illusionary figure, in a different world. He was forced to the ground due to the sudden emergence of pressure on him.

    The pressure continued to increase.

    Long Tao finally understood the rules of the current test. The will was slowly squashing his soul; he had to resist and persist in this process.

    ¡°How is the current situation of the brat?¡± the will asked.

    ¡°his soul is already as powerful as that of a 3rd level soul disciple. It is good considering that the world he resides in doesn¡¯t put importance on the practice of soul arts. I think he is already qualified from his past performance. Is there even a need to continue with this¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just hope he can show another miracle.¡±

    Time passed, and the light on the b continued to glow brighter. As the process continued, the puppet was shocked and started shivering with excitement.

    ¡°his soul is already in the peak of soul disciple realm, and he has yet to even step into the Qi child realm. This soul talent was never heard before. As he looked, the bright light suddenly changed its color and was now red.

    Silence permeated as he sends an urgent message to the other figure. As the number presents itself, he sees the look of awe, excitement, and shock in the other¡¯s eyes. Looking towards the view, even he was shocked speechless.

    ¡°His soul is at the ¡®Soul Master¡¯ level. We finally managed to gain a worthy sessor. Do we continue with the next test.¡±

    The Keeper decided to continue with the next test. He wanted to have a clear assumption regarding Long Tao¡¯s strength.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12: PASSING THE TEST

    Long Tao soon exited the monument and proceeded towards the third test area of the hall. He hoped that his performance was good enough to gain the praise from the Keeper.

    He soon entered a mysterious space that looked more like an old battlefield. The puppet appeared once again¡± We shall start the test of strength now. Try to sustain here as long as you can. I hope you manage to surprise us.¡±

    ..............................................................

    Long Tao anticipated some weights to be lifted; suddenly, a silhouette appeared before his eyes. He grimaced with shock. So, this was his test.

    The fight continued, and as Long Tao defeated more sets of opponents, the number gradually kept on increasing. The puppet was ncing at the battle from time to time.

    He hoped Long Tao managed to showcase a result satisfying the same level as the previous two. It was clear as a crystal that Long Tao was undefeatable in the same realm, no matter how high the numbers were.

    Suddenly another lone silhouette appeared before Long Tao, but this one was different. It could use the Qi flow to augment and enhance the damage provided by its attack.

    .....

    Long Tao didn¡¯t hesitate even a little, and soon the previous status quo of him being crushing his opponents with ease urred again. The level was increased once more; the new puppets were of 2nd level of Qi child realm, but Long Tao still didn¡¯t feel ant difficulty.

    .........................................................

    ¡°As expected, it is already possible for him to fight Practioner of 2nd level Qi child realm easily. Increase the level again. Although this guy is heaven-defying talent, I didn¡¯t expect him to have such tyrannical battle instincts too. Start sending the specialty puppets now, let¡¯s see where his limit lies currently. Soon dolls that were categorically proficient in different aspects started appearing in front of Long Tao.

    The battle got intense. Long Tao proceeded to overwhelm with his brute strength. The battle continued on a don, and finally, the same condition was again reached.

    The level of difficulty increased again. This time 3rd level practitioner started appearing and trying to kill Long Tao. ¡°This should be his limit as per my estimation. It is already incredible that he managed to contend with warriors three-level above him, belonging to a different tier¡±. But the scene shocked them again.

    Long Tao continued to gain an advantage in the fight.

    ............................................................

    ¡± Is this still not his limit. Should increase the level to the 4th stage, you should know that there is a massive gap in the strength for every threeyers. ¡±

    The figure shook his head and asked the puppet to continue the process. Soon Long Taopleted the battle and wiped the field clear of all the enemy puppets.

    Suddenly he felt an intimidating figure in front of him, extruding an incredible might. Although the technique used by the dolls were the same but their ability to perform enhanced with increase in level.

    ........................................

    ¡± We need to stop. He has already proven his ability to us. There is no need for any further examination.¡±

    The figure nced over and said in a shrill voice,¡± Didn¡¯t I tell that we need to estimate the exact limit of his current strength. Only then can we n and pave a proper route from him. ¡±

    ¡± The stress of fighting an opponent with such a big gap in strength might prove to be adverse for his mental condition.¡± The Keeper didn¡¯t bother and kept testing Long Tao.

    ........................................................................................

    The difficulty continued to increase as finally, after a hard battle, Long Tao was able to defeat opponents at the 5thyer of the Qi child realm. If one could see the current view, they would be shocked by Long Tao¡¯s achievement. As the battle ended, Long Tao directly copsed under fatigue.

    Opening his eyes, Long Tao found himself amid the samerge hall where he first appeared. Standing up, he could see two silhouettes staring at him. ¡°you have sessfully passed the test. You are now eligible to be the inheritor of the Crimson world. Do you ept?¡±

    Long Tao spected; all the life incidents that happened to him have led him to obtain an incredible set of fortune. One of which lies right in front of him.

    ¡°I ept the inheritance.¡±

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13: THE QI CHILD REALM

    In Long Manor, the atmosphere was getting tenser and tenser as the deadline for thepetition was approaching. Only ten months remained until the tournament.

    Due to the recent pressure from the n and huge investments, the younger generations were improving at a reasonable speed. It was as if all the n¡¯s younger generation became very determined after the incident with Long Tao.

    All of them continued to cultivate and improve their levels.

    ..............................................................

    Long Duanren was already a Qi child 1st stage practitioner, and Long Zhengyi had already stepped into the realm of Qi child, given her extraordinary talent.

    Also, to be noted was the fact that among the youngest members, Long Mengchen was the practitioner who was nearest to the Qi child realm.

    The bait and greed of the position of Young Master of the n were alluring to all the younger generations.

    .....

    ..............................................................

    In a courtyard of the manor, sat a youngdy. Her silhouette was that of a lonely person, as she trained harder and harder without stopping. It was none other than the youngest of the n member, Long Mengchen. She was an orphan of the n who was found by Long Tao and epted in the family when she was young.

    She was closest to her big brother Long Tao and his parents. Her personality was that of extreme joyfulness and yfulness. But as she heard the news of Long Tao passing away, her character changed.

    She had seen both her uncle and aunt crying day and night, every day since her brother went missing. Her personality became colder and colder.

    She gave her all to training and was improving her strength. Whenever the thought of Long Tao dying came into her mind, she would give out a murderous aura all out.

    Unknown to people, the aura given out by her was that of a Qi child 3rd realm.

    ................................................................

    ¡°I insist little miss to calm down. I understand the feelings of young miss, but the current you are not powerful enough to take care of the Bai n. The only thing you can do now is to train harder with full concentration, and then only you would have the strength to gain authority in the n and be able to avenge that brat.¡±

    No one could be seen in and around the room, but one understood the fact that the real background of Long Mengchen was not small.

    As soon as she heard the voice, she controlled her aura and closed her eyes. She had to train harder and harder to be strong enough to avenge her brother.

    ..............................................................

    Unknown to all of this, Long Tao was currently in a pavilion with the illusionary figure and the puppet standing in front of him.¡± Since you have epted the inheritance and passed the test by just a small margin (bragging in front of Long Tao), you are at this moment regarded as the next inheritor of the Ancient crimson world. It is an independent world created by the ancients. You will be allowed to ess all the facilities and functionality present in this dimension, and this will help you to forge the pathway into the future road of martial arts.¡±.

    ........................................................

    Long Tao looked at the figure and said,¡± doesn¡¯t that mean I am your master from now onwards, and you have to follow my orders. ¡±

    Hearing Long Tao¡¯s words, both the figure and the puppet became silent and burst into loudughter at the same time,¡± Our master, an insect-like you are not worthy of us even bat an eye. You want to be our master. Let¡¯s hope you can be powerful enough to subdue us; We might have this talk then. Until that timees, you are just a brat and will have to train.

    ............................................................

    The puppet looked at Long Tao with excitement and said,¡± although you qualified the test, before essing any of the facilities present here, you first need step into the Qi child realm. Only then can you ess any of the facilities avable for you.¡±.

    Before Long Tao even got to say anything and ask his doubts, the figure said:

    ¡± But before we tell you the way to step into the qi child realm, I first want to know, with what art did to practice your foundation forging.¡±.

    Long Tao looked at the figure with some caution now, while deciding whether or not to speak about it.

    ¡°There is no need to be on your guard against us. Even though we are powerful than you, we won¡¯t harm you. After all, you are technically still our master,¡± the puppet spoke.

    Long Tao¡¯s guard lowered a little bit as he looked towards the figures and spoke about his strange encounters and the three set of manuals present in his mind.

    ¡°Can you tell us the name of the three manuals?¡±

    ¡°The Hell Forger sutra, The 99 stances of Beast god and Omnipotent soul art¡±. as they heard the name of the three arts, there was shock on the faces of both the figures as they looked at each other.

    After silently talking between them, the Keeper turned towards Long Tao and said,¡± It is a real good fortune of yours to be able to practice the Hell forger art and 99 stances of beast god. Although you are not yet eligible to know the origin of these arts, you need to know that each of the respective art is extraordinarily precious and heaven-defying.¡±

    ¡°As you practice further in the arts, you will understand how heaven-defying each of the art is. As regards to your 3rd art, we have never heard of it before, but from the name and your description of the training in it, I can say that it would at least be as heaven-defying as the other two.¡±.

    Long Tao was shocked to hear the thoughts of the figure. ¡°as of now, let¡¯s first make you train to get into the Qi child realm.

    ............................................................

    The foundation forming realm is to make the body of a healthy organism to be able to sense Qi in the surrounding.

    After one can sense Qi andplete his foundation forging, the next step is to start to store the Qi around you into your body. It is called the Qi child realm.

    As you improve your capacity of Qi storage, slowly, your realm starts growing bit by bit. It signifies the improvement of stages in the Qi child realm.¡±

    ¡°What is the stage after the Qi child realm.¡±

    ¡°After the Qi childes to the Qi master realm, here the martial artist can start liquifying his Qi And properly projecting it out. Thenes to the Qi general realm. The stages above that are not for you to know, given your strength. First, train and be stronger.¡±

    ..............................................................

    Long Tao nodded his head and asked the process of how to start storing Qi. The figure instructed him to say that first, he needs to sit, concentrate, and feel the Qi around him.

    Long Tao understood the concept and sat down, closing his eyes and feeling the Qi around. As he continued, he soon sensed the Qi around, and as instructed, he started absorbing the Qi into his body.

    The scene outside changed. As in addition to the standard Qi of the atmosphere, a reddish-ck Qi, and a golden Qi also started to originate and absorb into him.

    Seeing the scene, the first impression of both the figures was that of absolute awe as they didn¡¯t expect the origination of Hell¡¯s Qi while Long Tao steps into the Qi child realm.

    It showed that his body was already able to form a connection with the hell world and directly summon the Qi from there and practice it. But since they were in another world currently, the amount of origination was slow, inparison if Long Tao was able to train in hell.

    Both the figures knew that even if they helped Long Tao go to the hell world, he would instantly die there. Hence, he could only train here. But what shocked them more was the golden Qi. It was the Qi from the heaven world.

    ................................................................

    Also, the standard Qi was being devoured both by the body and mostly by the blood flowing within long Tao¡¯s body.

    The figure decided to inspect the interior of Long Tao¡¯s body. He found multiple brandings of runes inside it.

    He could understand the presence of the ck and blood runes, but what the figure can¡¯t guess was the origin of these runes.

    He also saw three sets of bright light, but the prohibition on them was so strong that the instant his will came in touch of the light clusters, it was shattered and destroyed.

    Only Long Tao could ess these light clusters.

    ..........................................................

    ¡°Seems like the future inheritor of the ancient realm is a real mysterious character. His body has such heaven-defying secrets, each of which cloud creates massive bloodshed in all domains if exposed.

    I can¡¯t fathom some of the secrets, like the soul arts and the origination of the golden runes of heaven. It seems like we have to wait for him to grow strong and find out the source of secrets by himself¡±.

    .................................................................

    Soon three days passed, but Long Tao was still absorbing Qi. A normal Practioner, if given the environment of this realm, the density of Qi and the purity would reach their limit in hours.

    Long Tao was still absorbing after three days. It didn¡¯t even shock the two figures, because, given the crucial secrets in the body of the inheritor, this phenomenon was normal.

    Finally, at the end of 5th day, Long Tao reached his limit and opened his eyes. He sessfully set foot upon the Qi child realm.

    ...............................................................

    ¡± Congrattions on stepping into the martial road. But don¡¯t be ted right now. The road ahead of you is quite long. And now that you are the inheritor of this realm, you are destined to be heaven-defying. Finally, you are now allowed to use the facilities avable in the realm. I will slowly introduce you to various grounds, locations, and their use. Also, this realm can be used primarily as a storage treasure by you.¡±

    The figure gave him a short introduction and then instructed Long Tao to first go into the main pavilion where he will formally assume the position of the inheritor.

    Long Tao proceeded and stepped into the manor. The manor was like another grand world by itself. Not giving him time to see around, Long Tao was directly transferred to the main pavilion in the middle of the mansion.

    ................................................................

    In the main hall, there was nothing except arge hall and a massive throne in the middle. Long Tao proceeded towards the throne, but as he moved, pressure started applying on him.

    It was a test by the throne. Incapable peoples were not even allowed toe near it. Long Tao clenched his teeth and proceeded.

    Finally, after exerting massive efforts, he was able to reach near the throne.

    ......................................................

    ¡°You are now the inheritor of the title of Crimson Lord, thest will of the ancients, the highest beings in all heavens.¡±

    Long Tao first looked at the throne. Then he kneeled before it. It was a show of respect to all the figures who sat on the throne before him and to the throne itself.

    ¡°It seems like the character of the new lord is perfect. Even after seeing the throne in front of himself, he controlled his urges and showed his respect first.¡±

    Long Tao then proceed towards the throne, finally sitting on it. As he sat, the scene in front of him changed again; he was now on a battlefield, where two figures were fighting.

    The battle destroyed everything around it. Suddenly a silhouette appeared aside one of the figures, and they started bullying the other character. After fighting for some time, as the character was slowly oppressed, he summoned a creature.

    ............................................................

    Shockingly this figure was the same as him. Both of them now fought together, and their strength was far more robust than the other two. Finally, both the simr-looking figure chanted sets of mantras.

    One locked their two opponents and the other, attacked with incredible might, and annihted them.

    Long Tao was shocked, and soon realization dawned as to how insignificant his existence was.

    The scene changed, and Long Tao was back at the throne room. Only two sets of new art were in his mind. ¡°Crimson world scripture¡± and ¡°Origin avatar art.¡±

    .....

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14: THE TWO CORE ARTS

    Long Tao was shocked to find another two sets of arts in his mind. He now had a set of 5 skills that were of extraordinary origin.

    It made him excited and enthusiastic, and at the same time, increased his caution. If even one of these arts were to be released to the outside world, it would create a massive blood bath.

    He can¡¯t allow anyone to find out his secret; otherwise, his life will never be peaceful. Keeping his thoughts aside, Long Tao decided to verify the contents of the art.

    ..............................................................

    ¡°Crimson world scripture: The ancient core cultivation art of the crimson ancients. It is a highly coveted art among the upper heavens of this world due to its distinct property, which allows it to make the body capable of cultivating all types of elemental Qi or also called the Omni-elemental body.¡±

    ¡°The cultivation of art¡¯s real benefit is known after one reaches the realm of Qi master, where they will start liquifying their Qi to have more affinity towards a primary element. Still, Crimson world art enables one to have all elements as their core type. ¡±

    .............................................................

    .....

    Long Tao could easily understand why people would like covert such an art. If a cultivator has more number of core elements, he would not only be able to use them for attack and defense but also be able to merge different types of elements and create a new kind.

    As Long Tao was cultivating the previous voice from the throne sounded again as it informed him that the Crimson world art was the first core art the Crimson ancients need to practice to gain the Omni-elemental body.

    Only then can one practice the next set of arts of the Crimson ancients, which will open after one reaches the peak of the Qi master realm.

    Long Tao contemted for some time and then moved on to the next set of art he got.

    ¡°Origin avatar art: The technique which allows the user to create an avatar of themselves. The pre-requisite of training this art is for the practitioner to start cultivating it in the Qi child realm and have a powerful soul. The user will follow the instruction of this art to slicing his soul into several parts, each then taking the shape of an avatar of the original one.¡±

    ¡°The avatars will all have the same conscious but have different souls. The benefits are increasedprehension speed and attack boost. But these avatars will now also act as several pure bodies of the same conscious.¡±

    ¡°Even if one¡¯s original body is destroyed, the rest of the avatars will remain intact, and the part of the soul in the other entity will again be dispersed into the rest of the souls.¡±

    ¡°One can also givemands for the destruction of any of the avatar bodies anytime. The difference with cultivating this and creating a separate avatar by using external material is the fact that these avatars will have all the properties of all the seven bodies.¡±

    ¡°They have the same amount of potentials as all the avatarsbined, unlike the creation of external avatars, where the potential is limited to the materials used.¡±

    ......................................................

    Long Tao was shocked upon hearing these words. What sort of incredible art is this? This like the art that Naruto cultivated in the world of Long Tao¡¯s previous life. Wouldn¡¯t it meant that his cultivation, improvement, andprehension would be multiple times that of an ordinary cultivator?

    Long Tao was getting more and more excited upon hearing it. Also, the art enlisted that one would be able to create an additional avatar for every new realm one enters in his cultivation.

    But the talent of the cultivator present will be shown by the number of avatars they can create while first practicing the Origin avatar art.

    ............................................................

    Long Tao had a conjecture that not only would he be able toprehend the same art more efficiently, but he could also do multiple works at the same time, and all his avatars, including the original one, will gain the total experience of each other.

    If that would be true, Long Tao didn¡¯t dare think how heaven-defying he might be able to be. He had a faint feeling with there being a connection between the Omnipotent soul art and the Origin avatar art.

    He couldn¡¯t make out the difference, but he decided to try it out and see what the connection between both of them was.

    Long Tao again started contemting as to how the next step in his cultivation is going to be.

    He decided first to verify the other three manuals present in his memories and see what he can find among them. After that, he decided to n it out properly and progress into his path correctly.

    ¡°Let us begin my journey down the martial path.¡±

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15: THE NEW MANIFESTATIONS

    As he read about Origin Avatar art, he got to know that each of the avatar created will have a zero initial cultivation base, and he has to cultivate back from the mortal level.

    He inspected his memories to try and find any new gains from the three manuals.

    ..........................................................

    As he approached the ¡®Hell-forge¡¯ manual, he got two new sets of arts called the ¡®Weapon tempering technique¡¯ and the ¡®Hellspawn sutra.¡¯

    The ¡®Hellspawn¡¯ art was the cultivation art using the hell¡¯s Qi to cultivate to the apex of the Qi child realm. It came with a mantra to invoke the Hell¡¯s Qi and a cirction chart for cultivation.

    Generally, the Qi child was also divided into nine realms, but the Hellspawn sutra had 12 levels to reach the apex.

    It was already clear to Long Tao that the best ce to practice this art was in hell itself because this originated and manifested from hell only.

    .....

    As there was a scarcity of hell¡¯s Qi, a way of gathering Hell¡¯s Qi with formations was included in the manual.

    This formation was something that could be engraved by a formation expert, but its level was unclear.

    It enabled one to create a connection to the hell world, directly summoning its Qi. It, along with the new sets of mantras that Long Tao got was able to boost the amount of hell¡¯s Qi being gathered and enhanced the absorption rate, to increase the proficiency of the training.

    ...............................................................

    The mantra helped enhance the runes present inside Long Tao¡¯s body from his previous practice in the foundation-forging realm.

    Its work was to teach and characterize Long Tao¡¯s body to be able to absorb hell¡¯s Qi automatically.

    The next part of the Hellspawn art was a detailed description as to how he was going to circte the Hell¡¯s Qi around, store it in which roles and how to enhance to the next stage.

    It detailed on each step he needed to take on various levels and concluded with 12 levels of Qi child realm.

    One could already imagine how majestic this art was just by sighting the achievements of Long Tao in the foundation forging the realm.

    ........................................................

    The other set of art, the ¡°Weapon tempering technique,¡± was having a unique definition.

    It was not a cultivation art, but an auxiliary art that increased body strength, absorption rate, and many more things. This art had the characteristics of the Heavenly pestle form; The weapon so formed grows with the user.

    The first step in practicing the form was to use the hell¡¯s Qi, to open up the meridian channels of the practitioner.

    One needs to know that after foundation forging, the Qi cultivation arts don¡¯t concentrate on the cultivation of the body anymore. It is just that as one continues to step up in the Qi cultivation, one body also gains benefits and changes ordingly.

    But the body cultivation realms were different.

    .............................................................

    There were Qi arts that could increase the properties of the body, but these were at the end, Qi cultivation arts. Body cultivation was a whole path to take, and these were independent of each other. If one wanted to go ahead into body cultivation realms, one first had to open the meridian channels of his body.

    There were eight primary meridians; one need to open, and then there were 32 secondary meridians and 108 tertiary meridians, to be opened.

    The next part was to open up the acupoints that were in between these meridians, and the number of actual acupoints present in the body was unclear ording to the art.

    The higher levels of body cultivation were long lost now, and only one reaching the apex of the acupoint opening, are said to be eligible to search for the lost arts.

    These figures are incredibly brutal, each of whose names are radiant throughout the history of hell.

    ............................................................

    If Long Tao wanted to cultivate the ¡®Weapon tempering¡¯ technique, he first needs to clear the primary meridians.

    Only after the clearance of primary meridian could one start sensing the location of acupoints and start opening them. It was also the reason that many cultivators stop the opening of meridians after central is opened and directly jump into the acupoint opening part.

    Also, the first part of sensing an acupoint wasplicated. Still, after opening one, the ability to detect the other ones bes easy, whereas, at the same time, the opening bes more difficult.

    One could say that due to theck of body cultivation techniques, the process of body cultivation was a prolonged one.

    But the power increase, if practiced parallelly to Qi cultivation, was evident.

    Only after opening an acupoint, can the practitioner start practicing the ¡®Weapon tempering- form.

    Long Tao just remembered the flow of Hell¡¯s Qi to open acupoint and rested the art, because he didn¡¯t want to waste time on something which can only be practiced after some achievements in the future.

    ...............................................................

    The ¡°99 stances of beast god also spewed two sets of manuals, both of them attack types.

    One was called ¡°the five animal stances: tiger, bear, crane, snake, and turtle. These were the set of attack and defense techniques derived with the animal¡¯s movements and arts in mind.¡±

    Each of the categories, e.g., tiger, had a different set of postures.

    ..........................................................

    The other set of art was the ¡°Berserker technique¡¯. After practicing the Blood tempering form, a new type of bloodline had been developed in Long Tao¡¯s body.

    It was evident from the runes present in his blood. The berserker art was to summon the power of bloodline at critical instances and gain temporary power of great might. After the use, Long Tao again has to practice the blood tempering form to nourish the bloodline and then improving it.

    ..............................................................

    After the reading, Long Tao had a conjecture that the 99 stances of beast god were an attack-type art and which except for foundation forging, concentrates on attack arts, not focus on the Qi cultivation realm of the cultivator. But Long Tao also knew that it affected the bloodline of the cultivator, enhancing it.

    ..........................................................

    The omnipotent soul art manuals also produced a new set of a technique called ¡°soul manifestation.¡±

    It was an art that concentrated on coagting the soul energy, on projecting various types of items and use it to attack the opponent.

    It was an extraordinary art too, given in the current cultivation art, where the soul of martial artists is weak; this type of attack art is hugely advantageous and incredibly efficient.

    One could quickly kill numerous opponents of a low level than themselves with just the manifestation of their soul.

    ................................................................

    Long Tao started grading them; in terms of cultivation, he had the Hellspawn art, the Crimson world art, and the Origin avatar art.

    Attack and defense: 5 stances of animals, Berserker art.

    Soul cultivation and attack: Heavenly pestle, soul manifestation art.

    Body tempering art: Blood tempering / heavenly glutton art, The 12 forges of death, weapon tempering form,

    ...............................................................

    Now he had to streamline all these art into the proper pathway to achieve the result.

    He decided to cultivate the Origin avatar art first as the requirement is ¡®after the break-through of a realm.¡¯

    It was because of a gut feeling that this should be the first step.

    After the creation of his avatars, he will be able to divide the work amid them and design the cultivation framework, so that the most benefits and utilization of the avatar art¡¯s specialty can be done.

    ................................................................

    He decided to experiment on the various arts and attack methods after he creates the avatars. He needed more hands at work.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16: AVATAR FORMATION

    As he epted the inheritance and initial set of memories, an invisible connection was established between the two.

    A projection of the whole realm was now present in his mind. Long Tao got to see the visualize every single corner of the world and had ess to everything.

    There were also ces, which were specifically designed for the practice of the Ancient crimson arts.

    He needed to talk with the manager and the puppet master for more verification. He came to understand that although he is the inheritor and the current young master of his realm, he didn¡¯t have any authority on any of the members currently present in the domain.

    Only after he bes powerful enough will he be able to sit on the throne.

    The throne itself was one of the biggest centers ofprehensions and memory storage, a vast sea of knowledge.

    .........................................................

    .....

    Long Tao, if he wanted or needed to understand someplicated things, cane and gatherprehension and memories from the throne artifact. Long Taoplied with the wishes and went outside the throne room.

    Seeing Long Taoing out, both the figures approached him.¡± I suppose you were sessful in obtaining the inheritance and have been briefed about the whole location.

    You can summon both the person and me besides, if you need ess to anything, or clear your doubt about anything. What do you desire to do next?¡±

    .............................................................

    Although Long Tao wished to move around the whole space first and look into all the pavilions, he suppressed it and asked the puppet to take him to a cultivation cave first.

    The figureplied, and soon Long Tao was in- front of the cave. Long Tao had the whole ce to himself. So, he decided first to cultivate the Origin avatar art and see how many avatars he can conjure.

    Long Tao sat down in the cave, closed his eyes, and then began chanting the mantra enlisted in the origin avatar scripture.

    ording to the description, the first step was to build a powerful soul. Long Tao had long achieved it with the help of heaven pestle form. The next part was to sh, tear, and divide your soul into a fine number of pieces.

    One would know the number of parts and the limit of his soul division because, in the end, any further divide will lead the soul to get harmed.

    ................................................................

    The next part was to create bodies, with the help of one¡¯s blood essence, and hence required a considerable amount of resources.

    Long Tao had already consulted about it with the figure, and the figure assured him that the Qi would be sufficiently provided by the formations present in the room. The treasury will provide the other resources for consumption and recreation of blood essence.

    Soon lots of beast corpse of second-level beasts started pilling up beside Long Tao. He thanked the figure and noted that, even if space had an enormous amount of stacked resources that can support his cultivation ceaselessly, he will still start gathering his supplies and create and a new set of ware and storehouses of his own.

    ..............................................................

    The realm, which was within an artifact whose level Long Tao was not able to gauge, can be utilized as a storage space. Also, one can even store living organisms in the area, like nts, demonic beast mounts, and other stuff.

    The Qi here was far purer, concentrated, and mightier than the outside. Hence the quality of the beasts which will grow in these environments or the nts which are nted here will have a much higher quality than the outside (be it strength or the effectiveness).

    The artifact was now a life source treasure that had bonded itself with Long Tao; he can quickly enter the space with just a thought and also bring with him other things.

    The artifact grew alongside Long Tao, and his strength develops, more functions would be open. But he knew the fact that, unless he has invincible power, and even he has it, this world, the artifact will not be disclosed.

    ......................................................

    Long Tao soon started cultivating, and as the chants proceeded, his soul begins to tear. The pain was iparable to anything he ever had experienced.

    Even the Heavenly Pestle was not this painful to bear. It was physically tearing his soul into pieces. But Long Tao knew he couldn¡¯t stop now. If he wanted to achieve invincibility, he had to make sacrifices and go through the experience of hell.

    He concentrated, clenching his teeth, biting his lips, blood started dropping out, but it kept him aware and conscious.

    ..............................................................

    The process continued, unknown to Long Tao, the heaven Pestle present started glowing, and an invisible form of energy started flowing into the process. He persisted, and soon it came to an end.

    Long Tao steadied himself and took a break. He soon slept for some time. Waking up and readying himself, he started to introspect and evaluate the results of the chants.

    Inside Long Tao¡¯s soul space, nine distinct parts of the soul were radiantly visible. The heaven Pestle as a result of this was glowing ceaselessly.

    ..............................................................

    Long Tao saw the resplendent Pestle nearby he concluded his previous conjecture that both the arts, ¡°Omnipotent soul form¡± and ¡°Origin avatar art,¡± were somehow connected.

    He wanted to experiment on the co-rtion between these two. He decided to set-up a trial where he will see the effectiveness of the Omnipotent soul art on the soul fractions.

    The most desired result was that he could grow these souls to their original state soon.

    But he didn¡¯t go deeper into his thoughts, because he knew that he first had to gain enough amount of strength and only then will he be able to uncover the truths regarding his identity and the arts present in his mind.

    ..............................................................

    Long then sat back, he was finallypleted the first of the three sections of the Origin Avatar art.

    The next part was to materialize them into reality, creating the bodies for each of the soul fragments. He proceeded, going ording to the process, gathering Qi ad using his blood as the foundation started creating the bodies for the souls.

    Just the first creation took out every ounce of essence strength of his body. Then he proceeded to circte the heavenly glutton art and devouring the 2nd level beasts¡¯ corpses.

    After some time, he gained his peak form, and the process continued.

    He went through the process with the contemporary practice of either of those arts, which proved to be effective.

    There were still some tests remaining, which could prove the regtion of efficiency while creating the avatar.

    He hypothesized that the creation of these avatars might help fasten his practice in Blood-Tempering art and also increase his resistance to a blood-essence drain.

    .............................................................

    After lots of time passed in the realm, finally one day, one could see nine figures sitting together within the cave.

    Long Tao proceeded towards the second segment and started infusing the nine souls formed into each of the bodies.

    Another ten days passed, and finally, all the nine figures opened their eyes for the first time. He was encouraged on the sess of formation. Now he evaluated each of his newly created bodies and found out that the current body that he possessed was that of a mortal, the initial stage when he started cultivation.

    .................................................................

    Long Tao¡¯s nine bodies now had to re-cultivate and achieve his realm. His ten consciousness gathered. One thing to notice was that all ten of Long Tao¡¯s souls were now in the initial mortal stage.

    Although his original body, sustained the cultivation level, his Soul strength was resettled back into the initial stage.

    Long Tao again began his training of foundation forging (12 forges of hell and blood tempering art) and soul cultivation (Heavenly Pestle) of the nine new avatars of his and restarted his cultivation.

    ..............................................................

    His true self started cultivating the Heavenly pestle art again, and he wanted to bring all his bodies to 1st stage of the Qi child realm, as he was before he epted the inheritance.

    One has to notice that all his nine additional avatars already had a nine decked grinder in their soul worlds. It was an unprecedented urrence for Long Tao and further deepened his contemtion that the two sets of manuals were somehow connected.

    ..............................................................

    Another incredible part was the Soul Nourisher forms, which again helped Long Tao in his training. It was something that was not part of his memories and was obtained from somewhere else.

    But Long Tao¡¯s original body soon realized that after stepping into the qi child realm, the efficiency and amount of soul Nourisher form have highly increased.

    It was as if the soul Nourisher form increased in power with each increase in soul power. The night fell as the training continued in the fixed pathway.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17: THE PLAN

    It had been a month since Long Tao since the avatar formation art was cultivated.

    All the avatars of Long Tao have reached the peak level of foundation forge, as his own body and currently undergoing the Heavenly pestle grind for thest time before advancing into the new realm.

    Long Tao¡¯s real body had long since achieved his previous peak soul state again and was currently observing and supervising all the avatars.

    One should know by the miracle of the Origin avatar art; he now had ten true self. Each of the figures present was like an alternate body for Long Tao¡¯s consciousness and hence will help him a lot in his martial practice.

    Due to the increased speed, the avatars soon entered the Qi child realm too.

    ..............................................................

    Long Tao currently started feeling the changes after cultivation. He was surprised to find out that the current him had higher Qi reserves and more strength than the previous state of being a single entity.

    .....

    It was precisely why the art was heaven-defying. All of Long Tao¡¯s avatars were now interconnected. Except for the physical strength, be it Qi, soul power, efficiency, ability to do multiple works went through a boost.

    Didn¡¯t this signify that Long Tao was invincible in the same realm?

    He already had unnatural cultivation strength due to the simultaneous cultivation of the three arts, but now he was even more powerful.

    Didn¡¯t it mean that he could now easily fight against cultivators of higher realms?

    ...............................................................

    The Keeper of the realm was shocked to see the avatars of Long Tao. He had seen the previous masters of the crimson world, and the highest number of avatars ever created at the start of cultivation were 4.

    That figure in the past was a tremendous talent in terms of soul power and had an inherent great soul and soul body. But the new master in front of him far surpassed the previous records.

    The facts told by him were regarding the highest record holder, and he honestly didn¡¯t know the limits of the current inheritor.

    Long Tao looked at him and asked him to brief about thendscape of Crimson world so that he could start defining his path and then divide the various works and pathways between the 11 figures.

    ............................................................

    ¡°The Crimson world has many pavilions, organizations, and other ces, and your current view in front of you is not the total one. As you step into higher realms, the Crimson world will keep on expanding, and new ces wille out of locked.¡±.

    Long Tao was shocked. It meant that the current world was not even a considerable part of the actual realm. Putting aside the shock, he continued to listen,¡± The world has multiples critical zones. Still, significant zones of the manor are ssified into seven types: Art and scripture library, cultivation caves, formation lodge, weapon pavilion, pill hall, battlegrounds, and Throne room.

    The library held a multitude of attacks, defense, movement, auxiliary, and variety of arts scriptures, secret arts, and many more the library was separated into eight floors, each corresponding to a different realm of cultivation.

    Long Tao could now ess only the first floor. He could choose and practice the techniques. As per the cultivation arts present, he is not required to read those because except for the core cultivation art of crimson ancients, He already possessed another four extraordinary cultivation scriptures.

    ..............................................................

    The ones present in the library can be used for recruited outsiders once he bes stronger and establishes his force.

    The scriptures here can also be used for references, through which not only can he gain insights into his core arts, but he may get additional inspiration for creating a new set of skills.

    The creation of new art was quite tricky and required extensive research and experimentation. The base form can be inspired by one of these, while others will help him upgrade and shape the base form into aplete skill.

    ..............................................................

    The cultivation caves where the cultivation took ce, and the Practioner cultivated and advanced his martial stage and realm.

    Long Tao has long since used these caves and was satisfies with it. Due to arge number of caves present, all the ten avatars could practice simultaneously.

    Long Tao decided to divide work between the avatars and have them conduct it in their cultivation caves.

    ..............................................................

    The formation hall was the holy ground for the Practioner of formations and puppetry, while the weaponry was the storage and forging area of weapons.

    The people interested in the Dao of weapons and formations could train here while meditating on the scriptures present and the previous recorded insights and experiences of the prior practitioners of this hall.

    ................................................................

    There were two parts of each hall, one being the creation, cultivation, and forging part and the other being the storehouse where the previously created formations, weapons, puppets were stored.

    Long Tao was allowed to ess ording to his cultivation realm.

    ...............................................................

    The pill hall was the same as the weapons pavilion, but it was the cultivation ground for pill Practioner and had a multitude of recipes and stored pills.

    Also, it had another area called the herb garden, and there were multiple varieties of herbs nted in these are.

    However, this was outside the manor. The primary restriction Long Tao faced was that his essibility was limited t his realm of cultivation.

    But if he wanted to get his hands on the higher-ranked products, he has to cultivate and advance in the individual sectors.

    .............................................................

    It meant he had to startprehending various Dao¡¯s, crating his resources and equipment¡¯s and have a new storage area for gathering.

    It was to collect more and more resources that will be required for the development and nurturing of the force created by him.

    The battleground was the area forprehensions and fighting with customized opponents present in the Crimson Realm.

    The overseer of this area was the puppet who guided Long Tao through his test. He invited Long Tao to fight and start to gain practical experience in these battle areas.

    This area could be used as a trial ground for his creations.

    ................................................................

    Long Tao contemted, nned, and decided upon a proper action scheme.

    He now had ten true selves. Hence, he decided that two of his avatars will always immerse themselves in the cultivation.

    One true self each will go to all the different pavilions and start simultaneously gaining insights and cultivating each of the Dao.

    He wanted thest true self to walk on the path of dominance and ughter and alwaysprehending and gathering experience in the outside world.

    .................................................................

    One should know that it had already been two months since Long Tao came into this realm. But to his disbelief, he found out that only a single month had passed in the outer world.

    Time ran differently in this dimension (faster than the outer world). Long Tao also gainedprehension that he advanced and stepped into higher realms; the time limits will change and run even fasterpared to the outer world.

    Long Tao didn¡¯t specte on this fortune of his as he immersed himself in cultivation and research.

    ...............................................................

    Long Manor-

    The atmosphere was still busy. It was the monthly meeting of the elders again. Barely ten months remained, for the date of the gathering to be held in the capital city.

    Long Shen looked into the reports back as an elder briefed about the current statistics¡± We have already got the information that Long Zhengyi has stepped into the Qi child realm. She will continue to cultivate in her master¡¯s manor. Also, those present in the n, except for Long Dingtian, Long Mengchen, has stepped into the Qi child realm. We congratte the n lord on this asion.¡±

    Many silhouettes congratted Long Shen. After all, Long Mengchen was his foster daughter. ¡°If we want to win the championship, at the very least, we require a n member to step into the 4th stage of the Qi child realm. Our mainpetitors will be the geniuses of the other four ns as well as members of the royal family. ¡±

    The elders then proceeded to discuss their action n for the future. The three members to be concentrated on were Long Dingtian, Long Zhengyi, and Long Mengchen. Little did they know that a storm was going to clear away the whole gathering in the capital.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18: CULTIVATING-

    Six months passed:

    A figure could be seen dashing behind arge ck color leopard. This species of a leopard was called the night devil species.

    The leopard was a 2nd level demonic beast, but currently, the whole of his body was covered with huge scars, blood dripping out of them. Terror of life could be seen in its eyes.

    Earlier that day, the leopard proceeds to the riverside during its hunt, and as it was drinking water, suddenly, a strong smell of blood hit his nose.

    Attracted by the smell, the leopard came near the spot and saw a man and a white rhino fighting. White rhino was also a second level beast with an insanely strong defense.

    The leopard tried to be the fisherman in these troubled water and attack and devour both of them after they are injured and exhausted from the fight.

    The rhino and the human shed, and both of them were pushed back. It just showed how powerful the body strength of the human was.

    .....

    .........................................................

    He was able to not only contend but even overwhelm the rhino. The sh continued, and as time went by, the rhino sustained more and more injuries.

    Even with a beast of such strong defenses as well as Qi being utilized to reinforce the body, the other figure imparted lots of damages on the rhino. The astonishing fact was that the human was not even using any Qi. It was shing with just body strength.

    The rhino, after some time, gradually understood that this is not someone he can defeat and prepared to flee away from this enemy.

    The figure saw the fear and hesitation in its eye. The rhino gathers all the Qi he could and taking a step back, and he started barging directly through the enemy line and fleeing for its life.

    ¡°So, you want to make onest desperate attempt to flee from the spot by barging through using all your power.¡±

    ...............................................................

    The figure sighed; this rhino was not hispetition at all. It was just too easy and boring.

    ¡°Let¡¯s finish it then,¡± he took a fighting stance for the first time since the fight began, and as the rhino came near to him, he gave a forceful punch directly to the region behind his horn.

    The rhino was smashed into the ground, and its head had a massive hole on top.

    The corpse then vanished from the spot, as if absorbed by something. The leopard saw the scene and taking a step back, ran away for its life. This was not even an enemy; it was a monster.

    ¡± How could I let you go now that you delivered yourself to me? He directly punched through and killed the leopard. ¡°The same scene happened again.

    Long Tao collected the corpse and then went inside the Crimson Lord realm.

    One could see a massive pile of bodies lying around, and all of them were that of level 2 beasts. If sold in the market, this could make a considerable fortune. Because, when a demonic beast steps into 2nd level, they be capable of gathering and practicing Qi.

    It leads to the development of spirituality, and hence they are a crucial resource in the eyes of martial cultivators.

    The meat of the beast is highly nutritious, while the bones can be used to make weapons for Qi child stage cultivators.

    The blood of this beast was also used by practitioners to concord pills and sometimes used for weird methods of cultivations.

    But all of these corpses were utilized by Long Tao for practicing the Blood tempering art.

    ................................................................

    It had been six months since Long Tao started cultivation ording to the n he formted. Inside the realm, a whole year has passed.

    Long Tao¡¯s several figures were practicing their respective duties.

    HE chose to use the respective areas to practice and experiment on various kinds of Daos.

    In the pill hall, he was first met by the Keeper, who instructed him to undergo a soul test and affinity test first.

    ........................................................

    Upon finding that Long Tao had such a great talent, the overseer¡¯s eyes are shown with bright light.

    He instructed that Long Tao was to first read the basic knowledge books about the pill cultivation, various hers and theories, about pill mes and other things.

    Initially, Long Tao thought that the knowledge that was to be imparted would be small before the actual pill cultivation begins. But when he saw the primary scripture¡¯s area, he was shocked.

    It was to be known that the beginners only need to have some basic knowledge before they could start pill Dao cultivation in the outside world.

    But to his shock, Long Tao found that the stacks were enormous, and this was just the introduction.

    The main reason behind this was the fact that this was the Ancient crimson lord manor. Its existence was unparalleled in the heavens. Hence their training method would also be extraordinary.

    ................................................................

    After seeing the current soul stage and efficiency of Long Tao, the overseer was amazed by how big the current inheritor of Crimson lord was.

    Hence, he decided to impart all of the knowledge present in this pavilion to Long Tao.

    One couldn¡¯t even start to imagine how extensive the knowledge was. Even with Long Tao¡¯s capabilities, he still required a whole half-year toplete the entire set.

    But Long Tao was satisfied with what he had achieved. The overseer was happy with the result achieved.

    ...............................................................

    He instructed Long Tao to start the pill cultivation from the next day. As he came back, he found that the overseer was standing near a massive door. As he approached, the overseer informed him that this was the Fire training area of their pavilion.

    The first step to being able to start pill cultivation is to have talent in fire control, an affinity to wood elements, high soul power, immense willpower, and patience.

    As Long Tao practiced the Crimson world form, he had an affinity with all the elements. When Long Tao stepped into this room, he was hit by a massive wave of heat.

    ..............................................................

    Cultivators can cultivate their life mes only after they reach the Martial Emperor realm, and hence, the Practioner of the pill Dao needs to practice fire control with the help of an external source.

    The seen in front of Long Tao was a colossalnd of fire. ¡°there are various types of mes present in the world. The first and most basic one was normal mes.

    The first step towards pill cultivation was to have control over this elemental me.

    Thenes Beast mes. These are obtained from the cores of beasts who cultivated in fire Dao. It has its own set of rankings.

    Next in the line are Earthen mes, which are nurtured in the epicentral regions of the earth where fire particles gather and coagte to form a fire.

    Lastly and the most potent category was the Heavenly mes, these were natural oddities formed by long years of coagtion of high fire energy.¡±

    ..............................................................

    ¡°The current Crimson world storage has a vast set of Beast mes, and also have earthen and even Heavenly mes, but you won¡¯t be able to ess them until you reach the martial king realm.¡±

    ¡°The throne monitors all the resources, and only when it sees you worthy enough will present to you with mes.¡± Long Tao listened and began his fire training.

    ................................................................

    In the weapons pavilion as well as the formation halls, the overseer tested Long Tao, and all of them were astonished to find out that the current heir of theirs had a supreme talent in all of the areas.

    Long Tao simultaneously startedprehending all the Dao¡¯s.

    There was considerable simrity between pill, weapon forging, and formations.

    The weapon cultivation and forging required purification of the materials to be forged, and hence the Practioner has to have an affinity to metal and fir attribute.

    Afterprehending a whole lot of basic knowledge manuals, Long Tao was provided by the first set of forging arts, The hammer form, and a set of hammers.

    But as soon as he tried to lift it, he was taken aback by its weight. It weighed more than a top-ss 2nd level demonic beast. He first had to swing the hammer.

    ...............................................................

    Long Tao was then instructed toprehend the teachings and start drawing formations.

    The formation would help him a lot in his path of cultivation. He also needed to practice it to learn about the formation present in Hell-spawn sutra.

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19: CULTIVATION-

    Currently, Long Tao was deeply immersed in theprehension of the Formation arts.

    One could see that Long Tao continued to draw all the formations that he has learned again and again.

    It was something that the overseer didn¡¯t expect. He couldn¡¯t understand the reason this young ruler of theirs is drawing all the formation that he learned again.

    The throne allowed Long Tao to utilize the resources and supported him in his pursual.

    Each level of formation master was divided into three stages, early, middle, and peak.

    Only when a formation artist could sessfully draw the peak stage formations of any level, are they qualified to try the standards above.

    Long Tao was currently in the middle phase of the 1st level. Although he can call himself 1st level formation master, he was not satisfied, because he still couldn¡¯tprehend the formation from the hellspawn art.

    .....

    HE decided to grind some more time in here and take trials on multiple formations simr to the Hellspawn formation.

    ...............................................................

    In another space of the manor, one could see Long Tao practicing a set of fist techniques. This space was none other than the Martial arts library of the mansion.

    It had arge set of rows, all having techniques, skills, and secret techniques.

    After going through the art, Long Tao decided to divide his day into two parts. One was to practice the technique she got from the ¡¯99 stance of Beast God ¡®scripture and the other part on the methods of the Martial arts library.

    Within the library, Long Tao saw a multitude of techniques, but he understood that he couldn¡¯t concentrate on learning all of them.

    He needed to choose wisely, the set of techniques he can cultivate while within the Qi child realm.

    In the end, he chose a whole lot of 20 techniques that were suitable for him. Fifteen were attack arts, two movement arts, two were defensive arts, and thest 1 was an assassin art.

    ............................................................

    As per the movement art, one concentrated on pure speed, while the other focused on agility.

    The defensive art was both arts of tempering the skin and using elemental earth force for defense. Thest one was an assassin¡¯s art, which concentrated on the Assassin Dao.

    Long Tao chose to learn and concentrate on these skills for a varied reason. The first one was, while he already posses¡¯ various immortal arts, he wanted toprehend the sourcews behind them and hence increase his core power.

    The next reason was theprehension of more types of power in front of a multitude of angles helps in a better understanding and perception of new art.

    ............................................................

    Long Tao wanted to do this so that he would be able to create his own set of arts. The only way to do so is to research,prehend, and modify various techniques into a unique skill.

    It was the path that Long Tao chose to walk. He would continuouslyprehend, practice, and better his art.

    After some months passed by, they sometimes even tried to merge ideas from two arts and would fail continuously. After training for a whole year, finally, Long Tao managed to create the first stance of his first self-created technique.

    It was a fist technique, which he named¡± Dominator¡¯s fist.¡± It took essences to form both the arts from the martial library and the five animal stances and was sessful in merging them into one stance.

    ................................................................

    Long Tao now understood that the creation of his set of art would take a very long time.

    In the battlefield space, Long Tao was continuously battling the puppets and utilizing theprehensions of other true selves, while improving his instincts.

    Lastly, hisst three true selves were immersed totally inprehension and cultivation.

    One avatar was always in the throne room, practicing his arts, clearing his doubts, learning the essence of techniques, asking for guidance, and continued.

    The other two were the figures that werepletely immersed in the cultivation and improvement of the realm.

    .................................................................

    After cultivating for a whole year, Long Tao was currently in the 5th stage of the Qi child realm. Other than that, he was able to open the 3rd primary meridian in his body with the help of ck and golden Qi.

    Long Tao could be said to improving in an all-round manner. It was all possible because of the Crimson Lord world.

    ...............................................................

    In the Long Manor, Long Mengchen was currently in her mothers¡¯ room. Her mother was still in the trauma of her brother¡¯s death.

    All she could do was to see her mothermenting daily, pitying herself, and getting paler. Even her health condition was not good.

    Long Mengchen would continuously support her, and as she saw her conditions getting worse each day, the anger within her got higher and higher.

    After she left the n lord¡¯s manor and came into her courtyard, she looked into nothingness and asked, ¡°Have you collected the information I asked for?¡±.

    ¡± Yes, mydy. I went and uncovered all secrets of the Bai n. It can be safely assumed that the strength of the Bai n is no weaker than the Long n. There seem to be experts hidden within, might be an old expert of the Bai n. Of course, it is just an ant-like existence in front of our power. But for the Long n, it might be a hurdle.¡±

    ¡°Also, I saw people from the five sectsing in and out. The Bai n ¡®s young lord seems to have some good talent and has attracted their attention. Of course, he can¡¯t bepared to the young miss¡±.

    ¡°When can I start the extermination n.¡± There was silence in the surrounding, then a sudden voice said

    ¡± Informing the miss, the lord has denied interfering in this matter, but if they miss can reach the peak of Qi master soon, the n can be taken as a gift to Young Miss on her achievement. Then we will instantly give any end to the Bai n, as per Young Miss¡¯s desire¡±.

    ................................................................

    Long Mengchen closed her eyes and released a sharp aura. 8th level of Qi child realm.

    The Figure was shocked ¡± Congrattions to the young miss. You will soon enter the Qi master realm.¡± He didn¡¯t expect that the death of Long Tao would affect their miss like this.

    Anyway, this was a good sign. He needed to inform the n lord about this. Long Mengchen, came into her room and started cultivating again.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20: THE GATHERING

    The whole of Jiao¡¯s country was in a huge rush, as the preparation of the genius gathering was going to take ce.

    It was now amonly known news that the five sects are going to observe this gathering and take in disciples.

    These five sects were incredibly famous. The sects were known for their vast line-up of powerful cultivators.

    ...................................................

    Jiao n had a god-like position in the Jiao country, but whenpared to the sects, they were the small fish.

    The royal n also had its military academy. It was a ce where nobles, along with the royal descendants and the soldiers were trained. It helped in the training most of the royal-guards and n forces too.

    ..............................................................

    .....

    The Long and Bai n were a part of the four families. The other two were Shi and Tu.

    The rivalry between the two ns was well known, but they were banned from acting against each other publicly. Hence, they used underhanded methods to deal with each other. The incidents with Long Tao was due to this enmity only.

    ........................................

    The ns were preparing for the uing events. Only four months remained until the gathering.

    ¡°Reporting to the n lord. This time our preparations are ample. Long Mengchen and Long Zhengyi have both stepped into the 3rd stage of the Qi child realm, and Long Dangtian is nearing the peak of the 3rd stage with hope to improve to the 4th stage by the time of the gathering. ¡°.

    Long Shen was satisfied. He had his hopes for the younger generations, especially Long Dangtian, to clear the shame of their n.

    ................................................................

    Long Mengchen was currently practicing in her room. She was already in the 8th stage of the Qi child realm at such a young age (She was four years younger than Long Tao).

    She was trying her best to step into the Qi master realm.

    Long Dangtian, who was Long Tao¡¯s cousin from his uncle, was currently in his courtyard.

    ¡°You need to practice more and more. Only if you show proper talent and get into the five academies will you be able to take the mantle of the n¡¯s young master.¡±

    Long Dangtian nodded his head; he had ess to the best resources in the n as well as the arts in the n library. His talent and prowess were second to none.

    Little did the n members knew that the young master who was rebuked by them would return and create a storm in the capital city.

    ........................................................

    Long Tao was immersed in the training. While he was training and experimenting with the arts, he decided tobine the hell-forging art with the opening of meridians. It would give a massive boost to his body.

    ¡± Are you sure about going on this path. The twelve forges take a lot of time toplete. Body cultivation is, in whole, a prolonged process. It would slow it down even more.¡±

    ¡± We can control the number of forges I am going to practice. I will continue to practice it till it¡¯s no longer of use.¡±

    ...................................................

    It resulted in Long Tao¡¯s body bing scarier and scarier. The 12 forges, forged the body into a newer, stronger one every time it was practiced in the foundation forging.

    Long Tao noticed that the change in the Qi child realm was even more prominent, due to increase efficiency of the hell Qi absorption. It helped in the opening of his meridians.

    ..........................................................

    Having nine avatars increased Long Tao¡¯s prowess. After cultivation for a whole year, his current cultivation stage was at the 5th stage of Qi child. He was able to contend against peak Qi child realm puppets.

    His hypothesis projected that his prowess would reach the Qi master realm when he steps into the 7th level of Qi child. He could easily defeat hordes of practitioners at the early Qi master stage.

    The experiment onbining the methods of training was underway. The Qi training was proceeding at a stable speed. He had to do some weapon training now.

    He referred to the Keeper while choosing the arts, and charted out a n to first practice them. The next step would be intermixing to form a more lucid andpelling skill.

    .............................................................

    Long Tao was practicing saber and sword arts. In the beginning, they were practiced separately.

    But when he kept digging deeper and deeper, he found that practicing both of them together was much more efficient due to the simrity between their uses.

    .........................................................

    Three monthster:

    Long Tao finally finished his cultivation today. The 7th stage of the Qi child realm was subsequently achieved. It took him a year to cultivate from Qi child 1st stage to 5th stage. But in the 8th months, the upgrade was of only two realms.

    The reason was his research on the various arts and trying tobine the. It consumed a lot of time. The Crimson world enabled him to gain a constant speed.

    He stretched his arms, looked around, and proceeded towards the depth of the forests. He had long killed many peak 2nd level demonic beasts. He wanted to contend with a 3rd level demonic beast.

    .............................................................

    Long Tao proceeded towards the depth of the forest and continued the killing of the beasts. But as he got deeper into the forest region, he found there to be less and less beast roaming around.

    It signified that a powerful beast marked the area here. He was in search of such creatures. He soon came in front of a cave. He heard a ferocious roar while a towering figure came into his view.

    It was a stone bear king, a 3rd level demonic beats, which was rarely seen in the outskirts of the forest. A sh soon urred, and he was forced to assume a defensive position. It was the strength of a beast that was a Qi master¡¯s equivalent.

    ............................................................

    The bear started using the Qi and attacked with its ws and jaws. Long Tao first contented with the fundamental arts and used this fight to see how far he can push the beast. A stalemate was reached between them.

    He attacked with the same style again, and as the bear confronted it, he reached for his sword behind him and stabbed at the bear¡¯s eyes.

    The bear failed to guard itself. Its eyes got pierced, and blood was flowing, pushing it into a disadvantage. Long Tao used the opportunity and jumped atop the bear.

    ...........................................................

    He smashed the sword tip into the bear. The sword pierced the neck of the bear, and soon, life started draining out of it. He continued to stab until the bear finally fell dead.

    Long Tao wiped the sweat out from his face as he stored the body in the Crimson world realm.

    ¡± I can finally make my appearance in the world. Its time to go to the capital city. It should be time for the gathering.¡±

    ..............................................................

    Within the Long Manor-

    The elders and younger generations were also making preparations. All the younger generation who were going to participate in the gathering were informed and ordered to get their belongings ready.

    Long Shen went together with them to the royal Jiao city. The same scenario could be seen in every n.

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21: THE ROYAL CITY

    The location of the Jiao capital was designed to be at the core of the whole Jiao country. A vastmercial hub whose grandeur was much more splendid than any other location within the state.

    The Royal n along with the nobility resided within the city.

    Every aspect of it was enhanced to suit the tag of being the most prominent city in the Jiao country. Every major organization had an office in here.

    .......................................................

    The city was getting busier due to the uing event to be held here.

    The city started preparing for the amodation of all the guests, participants and spectators.

    It provided a massive opportunity for all businesses to make a sweet profit.

    .....

    ...............................................................

    The Royal Jiao n-

    Within the throne room, a man who looked like to be in his mid-30s governed over the meeting currently going on. It was Jiao Sheng, the current generation emperor of the Jiao country.

    ¡± What is the current status of preparation?¡±

    ¡°Reporting to his majesty, the preparation is well off on their proper path and will be ready by the time of gathering. The amodation has been prepared. The examination ground is ready. The Arena is already set up. We are finishing the final touch-ups as of now.¡±

    Jiao Sheng nodded and proceeded to discuss other matters along with the nobles. The meeting was adjourned after some time.

    ..............................................................

    The King was known to be a cultivator at the peak of Qi master realm. There was no hard evidence to say otherwise.

    ¡°You shoulde out now¡±. A young boy d in luxurious clothes came into view.

    ¡± I suppose you have already overheard the discussion. What is your current status?¡±

    ¡°The peak of the 5th stage of the Qi realm, I will be able to step into the 6th stage anytime I want.¡±

    ¡± I hope you manage to win thispetition. We need to establish our authority over the nobles and the four families.

    The figure¡¯s name was Jiao Shen, the third prince of the Jiao n. He was the descendant with the highest talent in terms of martial cultivation.

    Jiao Sheng wanted this royal gathering to be his son¡¯s stage to prominence. He wanted the five academies to see the power of the royalty.

    ....................................................

    As the days passed, more and more people started gathering in the royal city. Soon the four vassal ns arrived into the city and were shown into their respective lodgings.

    It was a crazy matter that the Bai and Long n were allotted adjacent manors. A sh between the two n¡¯s younger generations becamemon.

    ..........................................................

    The list of the most talented candidates for the gathering was already out.

    Long Dangtian, Long Mengchen, and Long Zhengyi were the most talented characters of the Long n. Simrly, the Bai n had Bai Zhong and Bai Shengyi.

    The Tu n had Tu Lao, Tu Shen, Tu Zhi, Tu Ren. The Shi n was represented by Shi Lao, Shi Teng, Shi Ting.

    The figures chose to stay in closed-door cultivation and didn¡¯t bother to make an appearance.

    ......................................................

    The elders of both the ns silently supported the sh between the younger generation. It helped in warming up the crowd and showcase the quality of training each family has provided its people.

    There was a local arena where people often use to exchange pointers. Betting houses were set up for gamblers to put their money on potential candidates.

    The royal academy even released information regarding the strength of the participants.

    ..........................................................

    It was thest day before the gathering. A man ds in ck with his features covered entered the gates of the city.

    He entered one of the inns in the outskirts of the city and as soon as he reached his room, he summoned six other silhouettes around him.

    ¡°Start gathering the information. I want every possible detail about, all the participants, groups, and members of the ns assembled.¡±

    ¡°Prioritize the four big families, the royal n and the five sects.¡±

    ¡°I want to know their faces, their interests, their behaviours, their fetish, their ambitions, and even their personalities. Price is not a matter of concern. Gather as much as you can. We will meet in the room after nightfall.¡±

    The n needs to be properlyid. Only then can ite to fruition. All the figures nodded and left.

    ..........................................................

    The guy in ck then proceeded towards the bar and ordered a table and big servings of food. There was no better ce to learn about the local news then in these brothels where bickering is regr.

    A hiss there and a word here revealed information about the ongoing situation of the city.

    ¡°Have you heard about the recent rankings? There is a lot of conjecture, but the rankings released by the Dragon auction house is urate due to their extensivework spread throughout the Jiao country.¡±

    The figure nced at the table where this conversation was going on. He got up, proceeded towards the table.

    ¡± Bring my brothers here another set of jars.¡± He instructed the bartender.

    ¡°The night is still lively. Nice to meet you, my friends. I am a wanderer who recently got into the city and got to know about the uing gathering at the royal capital. Would be kind enough to include me in the conversation.¡±.

    ........................................................

    The peopleughed looing at the figure ¡°It would be foolish to let down someone¡¯s kindness like this. Do join us¡±.

    They chatted for a long while. The ranking was soon a topic of discussion and the figures named were Jiao Shen, Long Dangtian, Tu Lao, Shi Teng, and Bai Zhong being the top contender of this year gathering.

    Especially the youngest prince who was proimed to at the peak of the 4th level ¡®Qi Child¡¯ was a hot topic of discussion.

    Some even said he was at the Qi child 5th realm now. But no one could confirm that information. He was undoubtedly the biggest contender of this event.

    ..................................................

    Soon night fell, and the figures gathered in the room again. The n was to be formted with the help of the collected information.

    ¡± Hope they don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22: COMMENCEMENT OF THE GATHERING

    The gathering of the genius of the whole Jiao country was about tomence. In front of the Royal manor, was therge arena where all the practitioners of the young generations gathered.

    The gathering was filled with loud chatter, discussion, and talks. Soon the trumpet sounded, and the arena felt quite as the n lords and elders of various n slowly started appearing.

    ......................................................

    The n lords made their appearance. Formal greetings were exchanged. Tension could be felt in their conversations.

    The courtier announced the arrival of sect representatives. The five sects were quite famous in these regions.

    They were The Thundergod hall, Pill pavilion, Green cloud pavilion, Firmament hall, and the Star emperor academy.

    They were greeted by the n lords and then sat into their position. Thest to arrive, with a considerable grandeur, was the king, Jiao Sheng.

    .....

    ............................................................

    All the audience, the n lords, and the representatives got up, saluted the king.

    ¡°Please be seated, dear guests. It is a grand asion for my Jiao n, and all of you were kind enough to grace it with your presence.¡±

    The courtesy was understandable because of the position the five sects held.

    Each one of them was an existence above the Jiao n.

    ............................................................

    The Thunder God hall was a sect that specializes inbat strength, thunder attribute cultivation, and body refining. The figures graduating from there were known to have enormous body strength and high offensive capabilities.

    .............................................................

    Pill pavilion, as the name suggested, was a sect proficient in Dao of Alchemy.

    ........................................................

    The Green cloud pavilion was an all-female institute and specialized in teaching all kinds of arts.

    It was adies-only institute that had high standards for epting disciples.

    .....................................................

    The Firmament pce was a sect that was highly efficient not only in martial arts but also in the Dao of formations.

    It was a heaven for the pursuers of the Dao of formations.

    ........................................................

    The ¡®Star Emperor¡¯ academy was ranked number one among all the academies. Each member had heaven-defying talent and capability. The star emperor academy was the oldest of all the sects present.

    The exact lineage of it was unknown to the people.

    .......................................................

    When all the spectators were seated, Jiao Sheng looked towards the enthusiasts on the ground and spoke.

    ¡°I see the youth of this age in full bloom. It¡¯s our pleasure to host a gathering for your people. Every single one of you is here for the title of the best of their generation. You are requested to perform your best in the uing event. May the best one win.¡±

    .........................................................

    The elder in charge of presiding over the gathering announced:

    ¡± The uing test is divided into three segments. The first one will be the testing ground in the middle of the arena. The b there tests your martial cultivation and soul realm.¡±

    ¡°The second one tests will, and the third will be the duel round. The participants are requested to register their names and prove their talents.¡±

    .........................................................

    Although there was a difference between the abilities of n persons andmoners, the actual difference would be visible only when the real heaven chose to step forward.

    Among the heaven chosen, the Tu and Shi n stepped forward first. Both Tu Lao and Shi Teng had a talent of 5 stars and the cultivation of the 4th step Qi child realm.

    Next stepped Bai siblings. Bai Shengyi had a talent of 5 stars and the cultivation of 3rd step Qi child realm.

    Bai Zhong had a cultivation of the 4th step Qi child realm and the talent of 6 stars.

    Long Zhengyi stepped out first, and she showed her talent of 5 stars and 3rd stage Qi child realm, but her soul power was the strongest until now.

    .............................................................

    The Pill pavilion expert grazed at Long Zhengyi; this was a right seedling. Long Dangtian stepped out next, and he was the same as Bai Zhong.

    Both of them had astonished the whole crowd. Next, before Long Mengchen could step out, the prince took the initiative. Since all hispetitors had stepped out, he naturally needed to show his mightiness.

    When he put his palm ion the b, a shining seven stars urred, and the cultivation of the 5th step Qi child realm showed. His soul was also at mid Soul child realm.

    The crowd gasped in astonishment.

    .......................................................

    The crown prince lived up to his name. Jiao Shen came down the floor and looked at Long Mengchen with an apology.

    ¡± I am sorry to steal the light of Junior sister. Hope you won¡¯t hold against me¡±. Long Mengchen didn¡¯t even look at him and proceeded towards the pir. She put her hand on the pir, and a shocking site came into being. Although the cultivation was at the 3rd stage of the Qi child realm, the martial talent was of 10 stars, Advance soul child state.

    All the sect representatives stood up in shock.

    ......................................................

    It was a once in a millennium, talent. Even Jiao Sheng was shocked. He didn¡¯t expect there to be such a presence present in the Long n.

    Long Mengchen looked at the prince with disdain and said,

    ¡°A frog in the well has a limited perspective of how vast the world can be.¡±

    ck lines were visible on the face of Jiao Shen. But he was too thick-skinned.

    ¡± Junior sister is a heaven-defying talent and has truly opened my eyes to the vastness of heavens.¡±

    ................................................................

    Seven figures stepped out at the same time.

    ¡± The prince seemed to establish his supremacy too fast.¡±

    Jiao Shen¡¯s face was unsightly as he looked at the figures¡± What do you mean?¡±.

    ¡°Is the prince going to block me from taking the test. Is this how Jiao royal family treats its participants and citizens.¡±

    The host interrupted and asked the figures to take the test.

    A ck figure stepped out and put his hands on the b: 10-star talent and peak Soul child realm. The whole stadium was standing in silence.

    .........................................................

    Before anyone can even say anything, the rest six figures proceeded to test, and each of their talents was better than Jiao Shen and cultivation between the 4th and 5th Qi child realm.

    Most of their souls were in advance soul state like Long Mengchen. The audience was shocked.

    The seven masked figures were each demon level talents. Jiao Sheng had a stern expression. Currently, there were eight figures with higher ability than his son.

    .............................................................

    All the sect¡¯s representatives were currently concentrating on the eight figures. They wanted to ept talented disciples in their institution.

    Each of these eight figures was less than 16 years old, Long Mengchen being just 12 years. It was a huge gain for them.

    ..........................................................

    ¡°I hope the prince isn¡¯t unhappy for me stealing your glory,¡± the ck figure replied and didn¡¯t bother with the prince any longer.

    Jiao Shen wanted to retaliate but managed to control his anger.

    .........................................................

    Another hooded figure approached the prince and said,¡± I hope the prince can pardon the work of my friend. I am Di Tao and am hoping to be a student at the military academy.¡±

    ¡± I hope we can have a good rtionship.¡±

    Although Jiao Shen was angry till now, seeing talent like Di Tao was too precious to miss.

    ¡± There is no need for a brother to apologize for the actions of others. I hope we will bepatible with each other.¡±

    ....................................................

    The host stood up and announced the names of the top 100 participants, ¡± The names announced are requested toe forward.¡±

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23: THE TEST OF HEART AND WILL

    One hundred people were gathered in the arena.

    ¡°We congratte all of you to be able to reach this round. It shows that your talent is above average. The next round willmence tomorrow. We expect you all to be present in the earlier hours after sunrise.¡±

    ..................................................

    The seven figures, along with Long Mengchen and Jiao Shen, had the highest talent and prowess. Many people started enquiring about silhouettes.

    Only the figure d in ck robes was known to be living on the outskirts of the royal city. The nobles, as well as sect representatives, sent their spies to monitor and gather information about the other party. Every power wanted to recruit him.

    ...........................................................

    In the royal pce, the spies sent by Jiao Sheng returned with no new set of information.

    .....

    ¡°Sir, except for the man d in ck, no other figures were visible in the city anymore. All of them are most probably living in the city under a disguise. All except the ck figure.¡±

    Jiao Sheng dismissed the servants, and after the room was empty, the prince came into view.

    ¡± What are your thoughts on the matter?¡±

    ¡°Replying to the royal father, the ck hoodie is going to be the biggest obstacle. The other one was the figure who approached me. He was trying to curry favour with me. Most probably because, as he proimed, he wants to join the royal military academy.¡±

    Jiao Sheng nodded, ¡°Make sure to have a good rtionship with the figure. Given his talent, although his cultivation base is lower than yours, I think his prowess is at least equivalent, if not more than you. You should try and be a good friend of him.¡±

    ...........................................................

    Jiao Shen¡¯s thoughts were the same. A talent such as that was worthy of befriending and wille into y when the need arrives. Jiao Shen left. ¡°What are your thoughts on this?¡± Jiao Sheng asked.

    ¡°I think all of the figures are somehow rted. Also, from what I see, although their bone age is not high, their talent and cultivation state is not limited to what any of the seven silhouettes showed.¡±The minister beside Jiao Sheng replied.

    ........................................................

    In Long n¡¯s residence, Long Mengchen was currently in her room cultivating. Suddenly she opened her eyes, and said: ¡°What have you found out?¡±

    ¡°Each of the seven figures has more talent and cultivation state they are showing. I didn¡¯t think that people who are that talented would be present in this ce. Also, each of them has a masking treasure of high grade. It shows that their origin is not ordinary. But they still pale in-front of Little miss¡±.

    .............................................................

    The next day arrived soon enough, and all the chosen 100 participants were currently gathered in the trial grounds.

    ¡°Today, the second round of the gathering will ur. This round is the test of your martial heart and will, and the further details will not be exined to you.¡±

    ¡°As soon as you enter the trial, you will be notified as too what you have to do. The rest is upon yourprehensions.¡±.

    ...................................................

    The host waved his hand, as the 100 figures were transported from the area. As the view in front of them became clear, they were in a massive valley with both sides having high mountains.

    Embedded within those mountains were Caves.

    ¡°The next test will ur here. You will be entering these caves, and as soon as you enter, the trial would begin. The ones to get out first will be ranked ordingly.¡±

    ¡°There are two phases. One is that of martial heart and the other being the test of Martial will. The first round will chart out fifty candidates, and the next round will give us the top thirty-two. The trial will end after only thirty-two candidates remain¡±

    ..........................................................

    The participants proceeded towards the caves, and as soon as they entered the scene in front of them changed:

    ¡® a strong martial path requires a strong will to be forged.¡¯

    The participants started facing their heart demons, and soon people were ejected out. The test could strengthen the martial heart, or crush it to nothingness.

    .........................................................

    Night dawned, and only 50 figures were remaining.

    The scene changed once again. They were standing amid a field full of blood, as they tried to move around, an invisible pressure started bowing down on them.

    Soon these figures were ttened to the ground, and their bodies were entangled and tied with manifested ropes.

    A sword suddenly fell and pierced their bodies. Miserable cries sounded from each of the caves. It was the trial testing the will and martial heart of the candidates. The longer they persist, the higher is their determination and surety in themselves, and more durable is their martial heart.

    ......................................................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡± The illusion is quite useful for Long Tao¡¯s cultivation. He could use it to temper his martial will. Although, I doubt the amount of benefit it might provide.¡±

    The Keeper was analyzing the situation along with the puppet. Long Tao was immersed in this illusion.

    ..............................................................

    The cries continued on and on. If one tried to look into the scenes ying in the minds of these individuals, one would see multiples weapons being embedded continuously into their bodies. The participants were soon being eliminated.

    Although these people had above average talent in terms of the gathering, their martial hearts were too weak. These people couldn¡¯t rise to the top of the martial way and won¡¯t be able to go far in their Qi cultivation realms.

    ...........................................................

    In the world the prince was in, his face was now ashen, but he persisted, and will continue to endure till the end urs.

    The geniuses from the four ns also had the same situation. But how could they bepared to the earlier ones?

    Long Mengchen had an expression of pain, but she too decided to persist. She couldn¡¯t give up so easily.

    ........................................................

    Long Tao and his avatars also persisted until the end of thepetition. It was too easy for him.

    Soon the view vanished as the figures slowly exited their caves. ¡°Congrattions. You 32 peoples are the chosen ones of this gathering and willpete for the title of the supreme genius of the country. I hope you take a good rest and bring yourself to your peak conditions. The 3rd round willmence tomorrow. ¡±

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24: THE LAST ROUND

    The participants retired to their mansions. The test they just undertook had taken quite a toll on them.

    It was the first time for some. After reaching the lodgings, each of the figures went into closed-door training, for recuperation and processing the insights gained in the test.

    The test could break one¡¯s Martial heart to pieces or could forge it to be a lot stronger than before. The benefits gained by the top 32 peoples was undeniable.

    ........................................................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡± Did you manage to get some gains from the test?¡±.

    ¡± The test was just too easy for me. Having gone through the Heaven Pestle art and the ¡¯12 forges¡¯, it failed inparison.¡±

    .....

    ¡± I do gain some idea for research. The illusion this time was quite realistic. Does the manor have somece like that.¡± Long Tao was anxious to know the answer.

    ¡± I am sorry to inform you that we don¡¯t have such facilities.¡± The puppet said.

    ¡± I need to learn and research into the illusion formations and arts. If my imaginationes true, it will help in improving my martial will and Dao-heart.¡±

    ........................................................

    At night the announcement regarding the next round was made:

    ¡°The next round, also the final one is going to be one on one duel. The lots will be drawn randomly.¡±

    ¡°All of the chosen participants are required to be present on the grounds in the early hours of dawn. The event will proceed until we get our top 8 and at, he ends the top 3 contestants.¡±

    ......................................................

    Hearing the announcement, the participants who were qualified for the next round got more and more excited-looking forward to what they will gain.

    Every single one of the Top 32 participants was one of the top geniuses of the younger generations in the Jiao country. The aim of every participant was the number 1 position.

    3rd day of the martial gathering:

    The participants were standing in anticipation of the event. The elder responsible for the gathering soon stood up.

    ¡°Congrattions to all the participants who managed to reach this position. The next round as announced will be on one fight. The lots will be drawn randomly, so could all the participants pleasee forwards ording to their name being called. ¡±

    .........................................................

    Soon two figures were standing on top of the arena. They were called Di Tian and ng Huang and were from minor ns in the Jiao country.

    The continuous sh of the two figures resounded through the arena. Both were proficient in fist arts.

    The fist art Di Tian practised was called ¡®stone first¡¯, and the one ng practised was called ¡®rage fist¡¯. Both were having good attack power if considered in the eyes of the people of Jiao country.

    ..........................................................

    Although ng Huang¡¯s Rage fist was good with explosive power, it consumed a significant amount of Qi. Di Tian¡¯s stone fist was much more economical in terms of Qi expenditure, and hence Di Tian won at the end.

    Jiao Shen, Long Mengchen, the seven silhouettes, Long Dangtian, and the other heaven chosen managed to pass and quickly get into the top 16.

    ...........................................................

    The next phase soon started. One of the silhouettes was matched against the heaven chosen of Tu n. Tu n always concentrated more on defensive arts, and the current genius was proficient not only in defence but also in attack arts.

    Tu Lao stepped forward, but before he could move the silhouettes said:

    ¡± You are not a match of mine, kindly get down the stage. Otherwise, you will get hurt.¡±

    Tu Lao was stunned for a moment and then with his face bubbling with anger said:

    ¡± Although your martial talent is higher than me, did you think that you would scare me. Let me show you that talent doesn¡¯t signify everything about an individual.¡±

    Tu Lao barred his feet to the ground, took the stance of attack, and barged towards the Silhouettes.

    ....................................................

    Thie attack art concentrated on the speed of one¡¯s attack on the opponents. The practice of the defence arts resulted in a lowering of Tu Lao¡¯s movement speed.

    It waspensated in the preparation of the Lighting fists. Tu Lao attack was getting nearer to the silhouettes, but to the astonishment of the spectators, he didn¡¯t even bother moving away or dogging.

    Tu Lao¡¯s Punchnded solidly on the figure and the crowd expected for the fight to be over.

    ¡± Overestimating oneself¡± was what the n lord of Tu n was about to say, but then an astonishing scene appeared.

    The silhouette hadn¡¯t even moved from the position he was standing at, with Tu Lao¡¯s fist on his chest. He looked at Tu Lao and said:

    ¡± Is this all you have got. Let me show you what real power is¡± the figure lifted his fist, and made a move towards Tu Lao with pure physical strength.

    .........................................................

    Tu Lao circted the Grand earth art but to no avail. His figure was sent flying on contact. Tu Lao was now on the other side of the arena, coughing out blood from his mouth. The crowd was shocked as were the judges.

    What high physical strength! How did he train in to get such a monstrous body? He slowly walked towards Tu Lao, looked at him with pity, and asked:

    ¡± Is this good enough or do you want another go. This time I will not restrict myself to just physical strength, I will use Qi too.¡±

    Tu Lao looked at the figure with despair in his eyes. He was ashamed of his earlier words and was getting out when he heard:

    ¡± Although you are defeated by me, as you said talent isn¡¯t everything. Get better and start improving your strength. We can save a fight for the future¡±

    ............................................................

    The depraved look on Tu Lao¡¯s face vanished, and he became resolute, turning and bowing to the silhouette he said:

    ¡°I will follow the advice and continue to hone myself. I will be sure to win the next fight we have.¡±.

    There was a look of appreciation appeared in the eyes of spectators. He showed respect for his opponent even after winning.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25: PRINCE VS THE BLACK SILHOUETTE-

    The next match started soon. Another silhouette and Shi Teng stepped up the stage. The Shi n was known for its movement techniques.

    Shi Teng was naturally proficient with those skills. Rumour was that he had taken tutge under an elder of the five sects and will be joining that respective sect after the gathering ends.

    This bout of good fortune enabled Shi Teng to obtain a set of useful attack arts, whichplemented the movement techniques.

    He gained the favour of that elder and hence was awarded treasures for defence. It enlisted him as one of the top contenders.

    ...................................................

    The two of them nced at each other as Shi Teng proimed:

    ¡± I will let have the first strike and show you that you don¡¯t get to mess around with us.¡±

    .....

    The silhouette stared for a moment, ¡°You want to give me the first strike. I thought of showing you leniency and letting you stay in the arena for some time.¡±

    ¡°But I think, the characters of Jiao country¡¯s younger generation has the inherent character to be proud of their petty abilities.¡±

    Shi Teng¡¯s face had ck lines appearing on them. He took out his weapon. It was a short sword, a weapon thatplemented his attacking and movement styles.

    ¡°No need to make an effort. I am feeling disgusted. ¡°The figure raised its hands, the middle finger showing up.

    ¡± One move will be enough to fuck you up.¡± He unsheathed his weapon.

    ..............................................

    It was a sabre. The attack arrived soon enough. Shi Teng just had the time to raise his weapon to block, but when the sabre touched the short sword, ¡®Bam,¡¯ a loud sound was heard.

    Shi Teng was sted out of the arena, into the field. His figure was ashen, blood dripping from the injuries.

    His short sword, which has apanied him ever since he began training, was broken in pieces. The Shi n patriarch rose from his seat and appeared in front of Shi Teng, monitoring his conditions. Shi Teng was his son, who he doted most on.

    ..........................................

    As he checked his body, his expression changed, Shi Teng seemed to have umted internal injuries due to thest attack. He looked towards the silhouette with ill intentions and said:

    ¡± This is just an exchange of pointers. You didn¡¯t have to be that ruthless¡±. The silhouette looked at him in disdain.

    ¡± A frog in the well. I don¡¯t even know who is this guy master, to have taught such a crap disciple. Honestly, I pity him. His student is so unfilial.¡±

    Shi Teng coughed out blood because of this. It was a severe bacsh to his martial heart.

    ..............................................................

    The shock that the crowd experienced was quite significant. The next round was between Long Dangtian and Another silhouette. Long Dangtian had long since learned his lesson from the previous two bouts and knew he had to take his opponent seriously.

    Before Long Dangtian could even say something, ¡°You are not my match.¡± Long Dangtian gulped back his anger and said with a friendly tone:

    ¡± The talent of the fellow practitioner is better than me, but I would like to take the chances.¡±

    Long Dangtian, bared his sword and attacked directly. He was proficient Practioner of both sword and fist arts and was nurtured by the n.

    The silhouette dodged continuously, and then the sh started. Long Dangtian starting exerting more and more efforts into the fights, but this sword seems to be too slow.

    ................................................

    Long Dangtian began taunting the silhouette:¡± Seems like the only thing fellow Daoist know is dodging from enemy attacks. From your words back then I thought you would have quite some capabilities.¡±

    The silhouetteughed and unsheathed his sword. Long Dangtian was pushed back in a single sh.

    As the battle continued; incidentally, Long Dangtian¡¯s movement got more and more refined. It piqued the interest of the hooded figure. The guy was improving amid battle.

    ¡°Ha, interesting. Finally, someone worthy of my attention. Let¡¯s see how much you can improve.¡±

    Even Long Dangtian found himself immersed in a strange feeling. He could feel his movements and strikes getting more and more urate. His understanding of his art was improving at a massive pace.

    .....................................................

    The sh continued, but the figure made no movement to defeat Long Dangtian. It was as if he was training a future rival so that he could find more interest in the battle.

    Finally, Long Dangtian got defeated. But there were noints in his heart. He could already understand how high the prowess of the man in front of him was.

    He left with a satisfied smile on his face, and when his father saw him, he was happy too. Seem like his son has made significant improvements in this fight. He had a look of gratitude towards the figure.

    ¡°I hope the next time we fight, you will be able to make me battle seriously.¡±

    ....................................................

    The next battle was of Long Mengchen and Long Zhengyi. Both of them were members of the Long n with the same cultivation base. Although Long Mengchen showed her talent to be better, no one could predict the oue of a fight before its end.

    Long Mengchen had the initial advantage. But soon, a standstill was reached. Both have been trained in the arts of the Long n and were proficient in them.

    Soon enough, they started to disy their ultimate techniques. After a long, hard-fought battle, Long Mengchen managed to win due to her higher stamina in a fight.

    ......................................................

    The next fight was between Bai Zheng and Another of the seven silhouettes. The silhouette attacked immediately, without bothering about any exchange of words.

    Bai Zheng was instantly overwhelmed and was about to fall. The figure curved his body and gave a deadly kick to Bai Zheng¡¯s abdomen, and forcefully threw him outside.

    Bai Zheng was poorly hurt. His internal injuries being substantial. It was as if the guy had a death feud with Bai Zheng, and if not for the rules, he would have gone for the kill.

    ........................................................

    ¡°Trash,¡± a loud promation left the figure¡¯s mouth. Veins were bulging on the face of Bai n lord ¡®s face but managed to control himself.

    ........................................................

    Thest fight remained between the ck silhouette and the prince. It was the most awaited show.

    The ck Silhouette was one of the most influential people in both the talent and the cultivation sector.

    ¡°We meet again. I hope your power is as loud as your words.¡± The ck figure didn¡¯t even bother replying to the taunts of the prince.

    Both of them took their respective stances and readied themselves for the battle. It will decide thest participant in the top 8 positions.

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26: PRINCE VS THE BLACK SILHOUETTE-

    Both the figures were now confronting each other. The earlier confrontation led to the formation of hostility between the two.

    The prince wanted this bout to help him regain his face back. ¡± I hope you are ready and no reason to show me any leniency.¡±

    The princeunched an attack. The ck silhouette decided to dodge before returning the favor.

    Jiao Shen was proficient in an art called the ¡®Crazed dragon fist¡¯. It was characterized by unpredictable movements and sudden outbursts of power.

    The silhouette decided to use his own set of fist arts to match against Jiao Shen.

    ...................................................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    .....

    ¡± Is there a way to record this fight. The art would provide a great reference for me while developing ¡®Dominator¡¯s fist¡¯.

    The Keeperplied with Long Tao¡¯s request. The Crazed dragon fist was abination of power and precise hits, with uneven projectiles. IF the dominator¡¯s fist managed to absorb some of the characteristics, the effectiveness would increase.

    ...................................................

    ¡°The royal family lives up to its name.¡± One of the sect representatives said.

    The silhouette was also observing this fist art. As the fight proceeded, the prince started gaining an advantage. But the silhouette didn¡¯t panic.

    As it was about to be pushed off the stage, the silhouette suddenly changed its trajectory and dodged, dashing towards the center.

    Jiao Shen¡¯s confidence rose due to thest chain of events. If he could overwhelm the figure once, he could do it again.

    ......................................................

    Jiao Sheng had a stern look on his face. The elder beside him asked,¡± Your majesty is there a problem with the fight.¡±

    He looked at the elder and said: ¡°Who is going to win ording to you.¡±

    ¡°From the advancement of the event until now, I think it is the prince who has the advantage.¡±

    Jiao Sheng replied¡± The other guy is the astounding one. He is not even seriously fighting yet ¡°.

    The elder was stunned. It would be too monstrous if that were true.

    .........................................................

    Jiao Shen began to mock his opponent, ¡°You are still trying to act tough. The only thing you are good at is dodging. Why not try to attack me for once.¡±

    ¡°So, you still haven¡¯t noticed. However, I couldn¡¯t me it on you. A frog is, after all, a frog in the end.¡±The silhouette attacked immediately.

    The prince was astonished by the sudden urrence. His dominance vanished instantly. His fist arts were not able topare with the opponent anymore.

    ..............................................................

    Long Mengchen heard a voice in her head¡± The figure is quite the capable. That art isn¡¯t any weaker whenpared to the n¡¯s core martial arts library.¡± It came as a surprise to her. The power she belonged to was a hegemonic existence.

    ¡± Where is this guy from?¡±

    ...........................................................

    Jiao Sheng himself was someone who adept in sword and saber arts. The sabre-sword King as the title given to him by the opponents. The n naturally had a set of art for his son.

    Unlike his father, Jiao Shen¡¯s weapon of choice was spear was what he chose to master at the end. The Jiao n provided him with the best resources he required to learn and master the spear. The spear he currently held was one that was gifted to him by his grandfather. It was a treasured item within the Qi child realm.

    He continued to pierce his spear in the direction of the silhouette, utilizing his best understanding and the arts he had mastered. But even then, the ck silhouette managed to contend with his bare hands.

    As time passed on the prince confidence started wavering more and more. Finally, the ck figure managed tond a hit on the prince¡¯s body.

    Jiao Shen again initiated another attack, but the effectiveness began to decrease.

    ................................................

    Jiao Shen suddenly roared out loud. The qi released this time was more robust. He managed to break through the 6th stage of the Qi child realm.

    The fight was now taking an interesting turn. Maybe the prince is going to win the round for sure. But just as someone expected the conclusion, the ck-d figure said:

    ¡± So youpleted the breakthrough you were so desperately trying to suppress. Good. Give me your best shot. The fight is getting boring.¡±

    Jiao Shen looked at his opponent and replied:¡± I won¡¯t be needing my spear for the movement, I can match you with my fist art¡±.

    ¡± Still trying to act mighty and arrogant with a little bit of strength.¡±

    ........................................

    The ck figure moved and barred his fist towards Jiao Shen, and a scene repeated itself. Jiao Shen was forced to cough out blood. He was left bewildering:

    ¡°Can I not defeat him even after I breakthrough¡±.

    The figure mockingly said,¡± The glorious prince should fuck down the stage, you are not my match ¡°.

    The ck silhouette turned around and was about to leave when he suddenly heard ¡± I refuse to ept the oue.¡±

    ¡°Well, your refusal or not doesn¡¯t change it, prince.¡±

    .....................................................

    Jiao Shen closed his eyes. Soon the Qi around him started to swirl madly. Jiao Sheng was stunned speechless and was not able to say anything.

    ¡± Congrattions to your majesty, the prince has managed to awaken the ancestral bloodline power.¡±

    Jiao Shen slowly opened his eyes and looked at his opponent.

    ¡± Has the bloodline awakening suddenly given you confidence, prince. Hehe! Man, it must be a massive asion for the royal n, visible from the reaction of the elders and your father. I just imagine what will happen if I cripple this pre-mature bloodline of yours ¡°.

    Jiao Sheng had ck lines on his face after hearing this. He wouldn¡¯t be able to interfere with the fight unless Jiao Shen admits defeat himself.

    Hence if the prowess of the guy were higher than Jiao Shen now, he would be left at his mercy. He instructed his servants to fetch valuables from the treasury. He needed to preserve the bloodline no matter what the cost.

    ................................................

    Jiao Shen was aggressive, and his power enhanced. He utilized the full extent of his means, not holding anything back. HE began gaining an advantage.

    ¡°Interesting, the bloodline does give you a good boost in strength. But as I said, extremely weak and pre-mature-mature. Let me show you what a mature bloodline limit power will produce.¡±

    The ck figure¡¯s qi got disrupted and turned violent. The fluctuation was getting bigger and more violent. He too had a bloodline ability.

    He lifted his fist to attack Jiao Shen.

    ................................................................

    Jiao Shen was crushed onto the ground from the earlier impact. The oue has been decided.

    The hooded figure moved towards the pale figure of Jiao Shen. The ill intent in his eyes was visible.

    ¡°Can you please spare him.¡± The audience looked stunned. The king was pleading with the figure.

    The awakening of the ancestral bloodline was a very crucial matter within the n.

    ¡± What benefit would I obtain in that case.¡±

    ¡± State your demands.¡± Jiao Sheng was hell-bent on saving his son.

    ......................................................

    A smile urred on the face of the ck silhouette as if the earlier actions were all an act. The hostile intent vanished.

    Jiao Sheng was stunned. He fell into the trap set by this boy.

    ¡± I want a peak grade saber and sword set made for myself¡±.

    The audience gasped cold breath. They were expecting to hear a cold refusal.

    ¡°The weapon will bemissioned, and you can check the quality and personalization yourself¡±.

    ¡± Many thanks, your majesty.¡± The figure got down with a smirk.

    ...............................................

    Soon healers from the royal n carried away the injured Jiao Shen inside the manor.

    ¡°He has some internal injuries, but the bloodline is intact.¡±

    Currently, thest fight between the top 16 came to an end. The final top 8 were the seven hooded figures and Long Mengchen.

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27: LONG TAO¡¯S GRAND PLAN

    After Long Tao started training, he got to know how difficult cultivation was. The resources consumed by the avatars were enormous and will be more and more in the future.

    He required a lot of sources and a vast depository. Fortunately, he had the Crimson Lord realm. He started the venture by killing arge number of beasts. But only killing the monsters won¡¯t be able to finance the whole thing. He needed another way.

    The Keeper saw this contemtion and said,¡± You don¡¯t need to worry about the re-establishment of the force. The resources can be collected once you are powerful enough.¡±

    ¡°Is there a path which the ancient crimson lords followed.¡±

    ¡°Only when you have enough strength can you have absolute control over everything. You would be easily able to collect the resources required for your use.¡±

    ..............................................................

    Looking sympathetically towards the figure, Long Tao said, ¡°No doubt the race was wiped out. I pity you¡±.

    .....

    The figure gave Long Tao a stern look. It was the first time he had felt anger by Long Tao¡¯s action.

    ¡°Oh! Are you angry now? Narrow-minded beings who don¡¯t even have a tinge of foresight. No doubt, the lords before me all died without even being invincible in the World.¡±

    ¡°I am not ming then for it now. After all, they didn¡¯t have the capability of forming nine avatars when they started training. But I do. And I am going to make the perfect use of it.¡±

    ....................................................................

    Long Tao soon proceeded towards the city. He asked for items that could help mask his cultivation level. Hoods of different types and masks were present within the manor.

    They could help mask the cultivation level. He took out seven sets of things and called out seven of his avatars.

    He asked them to wear this and programmed it to show different cultivation levels, soul power as well as different faces.

    Long Tao asked them to move out, and search for all the information they could gather on the gathering, the sects, the royal family, and the participants.

    He had paid out a considerable sum of money to gather all the information on all information agencies in the Royal city.

    ..........................................................................

    In the crimson World-

    ¡± You want to take part in thepetition and be the disciple of a sect. I guess you want multiple avatars of you to be a member of a sect so that you could gather more amount t of resources through them.¡±

    It was a great idea. He would be able to gather resources for himself and the force.

    The day of the event soon appeared. Long Tao proceeded towards the location of the gathering.

    ................................................................

    The arena-

    Long Tao could see his fellow n members. His father and sister were among them.

    For a moment, a sudden spark of desire to meet them urred. But it was soon extinguished. The memory of being left was fresh in his mind. The n didn¡¯t deserve his presence.

    Long Tao decided to concentrate on the gathering. If the n was sessful, he would be able to achieve the objective he came here for.

    ..................................................................................

    ¡± The girl is interesting,¡± the Keeper¡¯s voice sounded.

    Long Tao was surprised by this analysis by the figure,¡± Why do you say so.¡±

    ¡°Well, considering the girl¡¯s possession of treasures like you, she is not something your n can nurture.¡±

    Long Tao was surprised by this too. Mengchen had such a secret.

    ¡± Also, looking at her age, her talent and origin are much better than you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that? What is her real cultivation level?¡± Long Tao enquired.

    It will be no fun if I tell you about it. Why don¡¯t you find out by yourself? Also, The girl is protected by someone. The man in the shadows is quite powerful.¡±

    ................................................

    The fight continued, and Long Tao proceeded with the flow. He decided to show varied talent and cultivation levels for all his avatars. He also made sure each one of the avatars showed a different kind of personalities.

    ........................................................

    The next round started, and as he appears in the test, he was surprised by the change. For him, the heart demon was the pity and disgust other people showed him, and the sense of powerlessness he felt when he tried to confront any of them.

    All seven figures were going through the same trauma. He had suffered so much in his life just because of some petty rivalry between two ns. But even after all the facts were aligned, he still decided to stay in this ce and train, steadily rise in both cultivation and power. ..............................................................................

    His determination managed to push him through the test of heart. Then came the test of will. Long Tao expected it to be harder than the previous one. But to his surprise, it was just pain.

    The only thing that he felt was pain, which was gradually increasing. He was practicing a cultivation method that based its whole thesis on pain, destruction, restructuring. How could this insignificant amount of pain take any toll on him?

    ................................................................

    After the test ended, he instructed all the figures except one to go into the Crimson world realm. As expected, many had started to track his movement and pried on his origins.

    The next day soon arrived and marked the beginning of the third round. The Keeper informed him about the talent and cultivation levels of the opponents. He easily defeated them while holding back his strength.

    The fa?ade of humbleness was continued until Bai Zheng stepped out. Long Tao remembered what his opponent¡¯s family had done to his life, and his first instinct was to crush this opponent. But he held himself back.

    He knew this was not the time to act on his revenge. Hence, he finished the fight with a single massive blow.

    .....................................................

    Long Dangtian¡¯s case was different. His ability to adapt and improve astonished Long Tao. But what shocked him was what the voice told him afterward.

    ¡± Your n is a fortunate boy. It has someone with a natural body. The boy has an innate battle body type. Such type of individual is crazed to battle and never miss an opportunity to fight.¡±

    ¡°If possible, you should consider him as a potential future subordinate. He can prove to be of great worth.¡±

    It was that reason why Long Tao battled for a long time with Long Dangtian, controlling his strength. Only after he saw some improvements in his body did he finally take the initiative to defeat

    ................................................................

    The same case scenario happened with the prince too. He had some sort of bloodline which was currently dormant.

    ¡°The bloodline in that brat¡¯s body is also dormant. It is also in a sleep mode. We can¡¯t know for sure how many times he would manage to wake and evolve his bloodline.¡±

    The battle urred, and Long tao defeated him too.

    ................................................................

    Finally, after thepetition, Long Tao again entered the Crimson lord Realm and started analyzing the information gathered.

    ¡°Which sect have you decide upon to join. From my conjecture, the star emperor academy had the richest history and the most power. So it is the best choice.¡±

    ¡± Do you know what my current aim is, besides the improvement of cultivation. It is to gain full control over the World.¡±

    ¡°This will be the first stepping stone towards my real aim for the World. And it has to start with the conquer and control of Jiao country. Do you think the star emperor academy would be enough to satisfy my appetite?¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do then?¡± The Keeper was anxious to know his objective.

    Long Tao sighed on hearing this. He smiled at the sky and said, ¡°I will infiltrate all the forces.¡±

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28: THE FINAL ROUND

    The quarterfinals ¨C

    The seven unknown silhouettes and Long Mengchen were present in the arena.

    ¡°We congratte you and expect a lot from your future achievements. As said earlier, starting from the top 8, all the participants have the benefit of acquiring prizes. We initially thought of keeping it a secret, but we were instructed by his majesty to reveal them.¡±

    ¡°The top 8 positions, will receive not only huge financial resources for them but also they will be allowed to go into the royal treasury and choose one martial arts scripture.¡±

    ¡°Of course, the sequence of choosing will start from the top and end in the 8th position. The top 3 has few extra prizes- a martial master realm level weapon forged by the best cksmith in the country. They will also be allowed to train in the royal forbidden area.¡±

    .........................................................

    A huge gasp left the mouth of the audience upon hearing that.

    .....

    ¡°The first position also gets an additional benefit- a short tutge under one of the ancestors of the royal n. ¡±

    There was silence permeating the air. The ancestors were all at the Qi General realm.

    The slots were drawn once again, and the fight started. After four consecutive rounds, only four figures remained on the arena tform.

    .................................

    Long Mengchen and three silhouettes were the semifinalists. Long Mengchen was surprised in her earlier match. The opponent admitted defeat without even exchanging pointers with her.

    The semi-finals continued, and the scene appeared again. Long Mengchen¡¯s opponent admitted defeat once again. It was as if the participants were voluntarily giving up on the fight.

    Thest round finally dawned upon them.

    ..............................................

    Long Mengchen concentrated on the final round. She desired to win the gathering; it was the first step in her revenge against the Bai Family.

    She needed to increase her cultivation and had also heard that the ancient grounds of the royal family were quite full of Qi. It could help her quickly break-through the Qi master realm.

    Soon, she was confronting the ck silhouette. This guy had easily crushed the royal prince. ording to her informer, this guy¡¯s origin should be a grand one.

    ...............................................

    ¡°So, what are you going to do. Admit defeat just like the others before or at least put up a fight.¡±

    ¡°Given your age and your real cultivation, you are quite the talent, are you not? Let¡¯s see how much power you have got¡±

    Long Mengchen frowned because of the words spelled out by the silhouette. Her ¡®real cultivation,¡¯ he said. The gong sounded just then.

    The ck silhouette was casually standing in the arena, not even bothering to make a move or even a stance to fight.

    ¡°Allow me to proceed then.¡± Long Mengchen dashed towards the figure, executing the famous fist art from the Long n, the stone breaker punch, but the ck silhouette quickly swept it apart and pushed her back.

    He tricks didn¡¯t have any effect against him.

    ............................................................

    Long Mengchen unsheathed her sword and swung it towards the ck silhouette. But he easily dodged.

    The act continued for some time. ¡°Boring,¡± the silhouette punched against her sword. She could feel her hands shaking from the impact. The physical power of her opponent was quite shocking.

    .......................................................

    ¡± You won¡¯t be able to scratch me with these puny techniques. Unleash your real power.¡±

    Long Mengchen breathed and took an unfamiliar stance, and then she swung her sword again. It was a whole new type of art. The swings were extremely fluid, and the power within them increased with each strike.

    Another critical aspect of the technique was the random trajectories of her sword.

    The sh continued, and the ck silhouette continued to dodge while carefully observing Long Mengchen. It was as if he was trying to analyze the art while defending.

    ........................................................

    A fair distance away, two men in their mid-thirties were ying chess.

    ¡± The guy was able to make the young miss use the moon sword form. It is interesting. But I didn¡¯t understand the motive of the guy. Does he think he could gainprehension into something.¡±

    The other man looked at the board and asked: ¡± What if he does?¡±.

    The other man was taken back.¡± You don¡¯t even have faith in the art that your master created.¡±

    ¡± You didn¡¯t answer my question. What if he does gain aprehension?¡±. ¡°Then we have to agree that even a backward area like this little hell of a country is also capable of giving rise to heaven-defying geniuses.¡±

    ...............................................................

    Back in the arena, it was a long time, the sh continued.

    ¡°I do understand a little about your sword art. Let¡¯s verify my theory, shall we.¡± The silhouette tried to interrupt the flow of the Long Mengchen sword.

    Although the initial trials were futile, as time passed on and on, he came to find out that he was approaching the real flow of the sword. As the hours passed by, Long Mengchen¡¯s art seemed to be disrupted. The silhouette managed to gain the upper hand.

    ..........................................................

    At the location of the two men-

    ¡°How did he manage to understand the flow of the moon sword? It is one of the most difficult arts, something that the moon maiden created herself.¡± The other guy seemed to be at ease.

    ¡°You knew he would be able to understand. I just don¡¯t know why and how?¡±.

    ¡°Honestly replying, I didn¡¯t expect it in the least, but I do have a theory that might exin the event. He managed to notice the pathway of the sword. Although the movements are randomized and never the same movement before, the way of progressive change is still present.¡±

    ¡°The brat was able to understand that process and then took his time. Until he finally managed to understand the path, guess the next sequence, and then interrupt the flow.¡±

    ¡± But even if he was able to do it, he needs to have some experience in the random sword theory and how to do random swords arts work. He needs to be practicing simr techniques, or he needs to have fought multiple opponents who use sword arts like this. ¡±

    The other guy was also puzzled due to the same reason. He couldn¡¯t understand what background this guy had to be able to have such exposure.

    ....................................................

    Back in the trial arena-

    The spectators were spelled bound. Even some participants were able toprehend some insights from the fight. The ck silhouette was able to break the flow of the sword.

    Even Long Mengchen was astonished by the urrence, and she thought this was just out of pure coincidence, but as she continued to attack, the art was continuously broken down.

    ¡°You need to do better than that if you wish to fight me and win. ¡±

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29: REVELETION

    ¡°You have to do better than that if you wish to defeat me.¡±

    Long Mengchen was not an opponent of the silhouette with the current set of skills she was showing. Even if her sword art waspelling, she was not able to match in power to the ck silhouette.

    The audience began to sympathize with Long Mengchen. Her talent was top-notch, and all the sects were trying to recruit her. The matriarch of the Green cloud pce wanted to recruit a personal disciple to be a sessor. She was a candidate.

    .........

    Long Mengchen continued her attack pattern. The ck silhouette kept disrupting her stance, injuring her.

    ¡°Even after knowing that she couldn¡¯t injure me, why is she continuing with the same set of attacks.¡± It is what gave rise to a gut feeling, and he dodged back. ¡®Swish,¡¯ a sword attacknded and ripped a piece off its hood.

    The masters were trying to make sense of what just happened.

    .....

    ...............

    ¡± So miss managed to understand the real meaning behind the swordy. That¡¯s good news.¡± The other figure nodded too.

    They knew the profoundness of the moon sword art. It was something that the moon fairy created with her life experience in conjugation with all the skills she learned in her life.

    The first stage of the art was the progressive randomization of one¡¯s movement. It would never be the same as the strike before, but even that will have its limits somewhere.

    This limit marked the end of the first part of the moon sword art. The next part was the level of differentiationprehension.

    ..............

    It was where the user needs toprehend different growth pathways, which leads to a whole new set of random arts and thenbine all them into a singr technique.

    It was a formless sword art. What they wanted to know was how many pathways could the little miss of theirsprehend.

    ¡± How many did you manage toprehend until now¡± Even after his cultivation realm being so high, he was still just in the second level. What sort of art was this?

    ......................

    ¡°Such a talented girl, she was able to step into the second step of the formless. Good going. I wish she were one of the inheritors.¡± The Keeper said. It was all true.

    It was also an opportunity for him. He could use this girl to deepen his insights and then better his understanding of the sword.

    As he continued to fight, he started getting more and more inspired by the usage of the sword by his enemy. He managed to understand the flow once more and disrupt the flow of her sword.

    Long Mengchen had a look of absolute helplessness. She had managed to gain insight into the fight and was able to create andprehend another growth way, but it, too, was seen through her opponent. It was frustrating.

    She couldn¡¯t find an inspiration or a breakthrough anymore. She already understood that if she wanted to defeat her opponent, her full power needs to be utilized.

    ...................................

    ¡± You are the younger sister of that disabled person from the Long n right. The one who was mercilessly killed. I didn¡¯t expect much from a n so weak that they couldn¡¯t manage a payback. But you managed to surprise me. ¡±

    After hearing these words, the people of the Long n had raged on their faces, but they couldn¡¯t retort the fact in the least. Long Shen was the one whose mood was the least good. It was his son that he lost, and he was helpless to do anything.

    ..................

    Long Mengchen was a small child when she was first epted into the n. She was wondering in the wilderness when she first encountered a demonic beast and started fighting.

    When another two beasts joined in the fray, she was at a considerable disadvantage. Just as she was about to lose, a boy emerged and started shing with the monsters along with her.

    It was none other than Long Tao. He was wandering around when he found that this youngss was being attacked and wanted to protect her. Long Tao asked her if she would like toe to his n.

    The girlplied and followed him back to the Long Manor, where Long Tao introduced her to Long Shen and his mother, Bi Luo.

    ............................

    When the couple saw the young girl and understood her situation of being an orphan, they instantly thought upon adopting her as a foster daughter.

    After that, Long Mengchen and Long Tao were continuously together, training, and ying with each other. Long Tao was the nearest to her heart, one she could never forget.

    But then the incidents happened.

    .............................

    When she heard the words of the hooded figure, she was enraged. It didn¡¯t matter if he mocks her, her n, but the one sore spot was her brother.

    She dashed and attacked the figure, but rather than dodging the attack, for the first time, the silhouette used a fist art. She was sent flying to the edge of the arena and blood flow to her mouth.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I said before if you want to defeat me, you need to use the full power of your body at least.¡±.

    Long Mengchen rose, wiped the blood, and closed her eyes. Her aura was retracted; it was as if she had no fighting intent for a second. The ck figure stood there in anticipation of what was about to happen.

    He had huge expectations from thisss. After some time, the atmosphere seems to have changed. A colossal pressure started building on the arena as long Mengchen opened her eyes.

    She looked at the ck figure with icy cold eyes, released her breath, and the aura inside her gushed out.

    ....................................

    All the guests invited, even the king and the n lords, stood upon their seats from the view of what they could see in front of them. ¡°Ninthyer of Qi child,¡± Jiao Sheng gasped a mouthful of cold air.

    How could this be? The youngest participant present in the whole gathering had the cultivation realm of the 9thyer of Qi child. Only a step away from the Qi master realm. What sort of monstrous talent was this?

    ¡°Good. Finally, you are willing to use your true power against me. Now that you have shown you true power, I need to show some of mine, too, don¡¯t I.¡± Saying that the hooded figure too started releasing his cultivation. ¡®7thyer of the Qi child¡¯.

    ......................................

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the little miss to be triggered by those words. Although it is good news for us that little miss is already at the peak of the Qi child realm. She can have a breakthrough now that she will get to cultivate in the forbidden zone of the royal n. ¡±

    The other guy didn¡¯t even lookup. ¡°Let me correct you a bit,¡± an aura was released by the other guy.

    ¡± We are just servants of little miss. The most we can do is advise her, as long as she stays within limits decided by his majesty. Neither I and especially you are not worthy enough to order her around¡±.

    The other guy broke in a cold sweat and cursed himself of what he said earlier.

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect the memory of that boy to be so impactful for the little miss. It might be a blessing in disguise.¡±.

    ................................

    Two of the most dazzling people of the younger generation were fighting on an equal basis on the arena. The audience was silent and watched without a blink.

    The silhouette didn¡¯t block the attacks or dodged them. Long Mengchen was continuing to attack with her sword and fists simultaneously.

    But the figure opposite to her was also matching her power with a simrly exquisite attack style. It was another incredibly insightful art.

    ¡± Did you think you could win just because you have arger Qi reserve than mine¡± The figure smiled and taking a step back, and concentrating his power, assimting it to a considerable amount, attack Long Mengchen at her chest?

    She was thrown away again, and this time massive injuries were inflicted on her. But how could she give up? She stood up, gathering all the strength, and decided even if she has to pay the price, she will defeat the opponent in front of her.

    ¡°This is bad. The miss is going to use her bloodline power. It has not awakened fully. We can¡¯t let her use it now¡±. The two figures instantly stood up and disappeared from view.

    ............................

    In the arena-

    The silhouette looked at his opponent.

    ¡± You have grown Mengchen, being able to take one of my punches at full power ¡±

    Long Mengchen ¡®s figure, stiffened. Not only her, but even Long Shen also stood up after seeing this. This voice was something both of them were familiar to.

    The hooded figure stood there and slowly took off his hood. A boy of around 16 years came into view. This figure would be ignored if seen walking around in the street, but here he had an immense significance.

    It was one of the finalists. But he had another identity. He was the crippled young master of the Long n, Long Tao.

    How could he still be alive after the attack on him at the range? Long Shen and the people of Long n were spellbound.

    Long Mengchen was already a shining star, but the other figure who was also a finalist and more potent than her was theirte young master.

    Just because he had a disability, no one even bothered about taking any revenge for him. But the scene in front was a massive p on their faces.

    ...................................

    ¡°Honestly, I expected you to be more talented and will be already thinking of leaving the n, given your great background. But you chose to stay in the n of utter cowards. I pity you.¡±

    ¡°Your mentality betrayed the expectations I had from you.¡±

    Long Mengchen had tears in her eyes. Tears of joy initially upon seeing her elder brother who she loved dearly. But his words shocked her. The figure before her didn¡¯t resemble the brother from her past.

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30: THE END OF THE GATHERING

    ¡± You let me down, Mengchen. You have such a good cultivation talent, your secret is quite obvious, but you chose to be stuck with these cowards. Even after you saw how spineless they were, you represented them in thispetition.¡±

    Long Mengchen was spiritless at the moment. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes that her elder brother, whom she loved dearly, was still alive, but instead of weing her into his arms, he despised her.

    He was her most beloved kin, and she stayed at the Long n, taking care of Long Tao¡¯s mother and father, just because of her rtions with him.

    She couldn¡¯t let the family break apart after his death. But now he was standing before her and loathing her actions towards the matter.

    ...................................................................

    ¡°I give up,¡±

    Long Tao forfeited thepetition. He could win the championship, but he voluntarily gave it up.

    .....

    ¡°As your elder brother in the past, I could at least give you a parting gift.¡±

    He looked towards the chief organizing elder of the gathering and said:

    ¡± Shouldn¡¯t you dere the results now that thepetition is officiallypleted.¡±

    The elder broke out of the surprise and asked,¡± Are you sure young man. You very well know the benefits of the first ce.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already epted my loss. It is a parting gift to someone, reminding them of my disappointment.¡±

    The elder took time to process this and then gulped a big breath of cold air before looking at Jiao Sheng for confirmation.

    The king didn¡¯t understand the action either, but since Long Tao voluntarily gave up, he could onlyply with it. He nodded his heads towards the elder, and the results were dered.

    .................................................

    Back in the Crimson lord world Long Tao and the Keeper of the realm were arguing among themselves.

    ¡± I didn¡¯t expect you to give up on the first prize. I don¡¯t understand your thought process. Although I can see that the so-called younger sister of yours has a bloodline ability and that bloodline ability is stronger than yours, but it is still immature. She will not be able to sustain herself for long.¡±

    Long Tao interrupted in-between,¡± And she also will hurt herself in the process will she not.¡±.

    ¡± I didn¡¯t expect you to recognize that. Yes, the bloodline of hers is no doubt of higher grade than you, but it is still dormant. If invoked, it will hurt the host¡¯s body more than it will bring benefit.¡±

    ....................................

    ¡± She is my sister. I don¡¯t want topete her over the chance of getting directed in cultivation by some Qi general. We both know he can provide me with absolutely nothing. The minimum requirement of someone to be the master of my real body is a Qi emperor, or at least a Qi king, and that too a talented one if he wants me to stay under his tutge for a long time.¡±

    The Keeper was in deep thought now. He didn¡¯t expect Long Tao to have thought this out so thoroughly.

    ¡°But even then, I don¡¯t believe it to be the reason behind you giving up so easily.¡±

    Long Tao sighed, ¡± You are inquisitive and have a good instinct in the most unwanted areas. Yes, it wasn¡¯t on that whim. I gave up because the royal n is aware of my identity. Don¡¯t you think they would want to investigate the matter.¡±.

    ¡°Also, it is as I said, a parting gift for my beloved little sister.¡±

    ......................................................................

    The gathering-

    The result was already set, and the participants were called above by the king to have their prizes.

    The names of the top 8 were called one after another to approach the stage. The 3rd position soon came in¡± Di Tao, ranked 3rd, unassociated with any n, please step forward.¡±.

    The king had a look of appreciation for this man. After all, he was the guy who had approached the prince to befriend and curry favor to join the royal military college.

    He wanted to recruit for his side.¡± I have high expectations from you, boy. I hope you to be a pir of the country in the future.¡±

    Di Tao proceeded to bow and after obtaining a spear from the king as the first set of gifts.

    ¡± Long Tao, position 2nd from the Long n of Jiao country¡±, and before the speaker could say anything Long Tao interjected:

    ¡± Did I associate my self with any n or groups in my registration. I don¡¯t belong to groups of spineless cowards. I am an independent cultivator, as of now.¡±.

    The speaker was taken back by the promation. The people of the Long n had a pitiful look on their faces.

    Long Shen didn¡¯t even have the guts to stand up and say. It was as if he had aged too much in a short period. His son has abandoned him.

    .........................................................

    The speaker corrected his mistake, and then Long Tao proceeded to obtain his prizes along with the two Qi master realm weapons, which the king had promised him.

    The set included a sword, a saber, and a halberd.

    ¡°I have high expectations from you too, child.¡±

    Long Tao proceeded to bow and then looked towards Jiao Sheng and said:¡± I would like to ask his majesty for a favor.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I would like to work for the country¡¯s military after I conclude my training in the royal forbidden zone.¡±

    ..........................................

    Jiao Sheng was shocked initially but soon had a massive smile on his face. Working for the military meant this guy would be a member of his fraction. Di Tao and this guy seem to havee from the same sect, being martial brothers. Hence this will bind either of them more to his faction.

    ¡°This one is easy to grant. Which zone do you choose to go to?¡±

    ¡± Can your majesty ce me in the North-eastern regions.¡±.

    ...............................

    The north-eastern regions of the Jiao country were the most chaotic one, the one they shared with the Chu nation.

    But it was a great ce to earn military merit. Also, the general of the forces present in there was said to be the most powerful of the eight generals of the Jiao country, someone whose status was the same as Jiao n ancestors.

    It was evident by the fact that he was able to secure the region for such a long time. Jiao Sheng was surprised at first but soonplied with the position and granted it to Long Tao.

    ..................................................................

    Next came Long Mengchen, who had an unsightly expression. She was weed by the king and given the title of first in the gathering.

    After the ceremony was over, the five hooded figures also proimed the sects they want to join. Incidentally, they were going to different factions, two being admitted into the star emperor academy and the other going to the rest three forces.

    The firmament pce wanted to recruit Long Mengchen but asked for some time being given by her.

    ¡°The top 3 are to proceed to the royal forbidden zone tomorrow, after which they will be in seclusion for the next month. The rest five could proceed to the n depository to choose their prizes.¡±

    The gathering finally came to an end.

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31: LONG MENGCHEN¡¯S BACKGROUND

    Long Tao, Di Tao, and Long Mengchen were the top three participants. The rest hooded figures who were in the top 8 only get to choose a technique of Qi master level in the royal treasury.

    The top 3 gets to not only choose a technique but also get a personally tailored weapon for themselves, built by the Iron hall, along with a chance to train for one month in the forbidden ce of the Jiao n.

    It was after all a ce where the Qi general realm members and the king of the royal n trained. It was said to have some particr types of energy.

    The 1st rank holder also gets a chance to be under the tutge of a Qi general ancestor of the royal family. If impressed by the performance, he/she might even be epted as a disciple.

    .........................................................................

    The night soon came upon, and Long Tao was preparing to retire into the Crimson Lord world for training when suddenly the bar-keep of the inn, approached him and informed that some people havee to meet with him.

    Long Tao could already decipher who they might be, and as his expectations were on point, two members of the Long n were standing outside the inn.

    .....

    Incidentally, it was Long Dangtian and his fathering to see Long Tao. They were waiting in the lounge. Long Tao approached them and seeing himing towards them, Long Dangtian stood up and greeted

    ¡± Its good to see you again, brother¡±. His father nodded too. Long Tao cast towards them and said:

    ¡± I thought I made it clear that I do not belong to any n or group and also didn¡¯t have a family.¡±.

    ¡± Denying the obvious truth doesn¡¯t change anything, boy¡± Long Ten spoke out loud.

    ¡°you are and will always be a member of my Long n. You like it or not, the more you prosper more will be the name of Long n do with you. So, it¡¯s best if you return with us. Your father and mother love you, dearly. But after what you said out loud, he didn¡¯t have the guts to face you. Hence he sends me.¡±.

    Long Tao was calmly looking at Long Ten, with zero change of emotions. It made Long Ten even more apprehended of how deep the hatred between Long Tao and their n has grown.

    ¡°I know this is our fault. Your father did everything in his limits to find you. Even till he finally arrived for the gathering, he still ordered down servants to search in the valley. All your mother do all day is crying out loud. It was the elder council that decided on not concentrating on his matter, because of obvious reasons.¡±

    ...................................................

    ¡± Because the grand Long n couldn¡¯t be bothered because of a crippled child.¡±

    Long Ten couldn¡¯t find an objection to this. He had supported this motion. But if they knew of his talent, their actions would have been quite different from what it was now.

    ¡± Leave now, and I will spare you, next time this won¡¯t go so peacefully¡±.

    The 7-silhouette appeared at the same time, and for the first time Long Ten even after being at Qi master realm, was feeling the lingering sense of mortality and death.

    Long Dangtian was thrown to his knees by the pressure exerted by the silhouette.

    ¡°Return to the Long n and tell this them, especially my father, don¡¯t ever try to bother me again.¡±

    ¡°There will be some dire consequences otherwise.¡±,

    Long Ten knew that he couldn¡¯t face the assault of these eight at the same time. He knew each one of them held back during their fights, otherwise each of them will be as powerful as Long Tao now.

    Both of them left, and so did the seven other silhouettes. Long Tao again ordered a meal and had his fill, before he retired for the night.

    ............................................................

    In the crimson lord world, the two avatars in the training section had never moved from this ce since the beginning and were continuing their cultivation. One was focusing on the Qi realm cultivation while the other was cultivating the body.

    The sixth meridian was almost broken through after so long in training. He decided to open up all his primary meridians and before going for the acupoints.

    In another section, all the avatars have returned now, and we¡¯re continuing in their respective training sections. Long Tao had decided that he will try to break through the Qi master realm, with the help of the ancient forbiddennd, and then proceeds towards training in the sects and location she had chosen.

    ................................................

    His avatars will join star emperor academy, thunder god hall, firmament pce, and the Pill hall. One will join the military academy under the name of Di Tao, and his true self will enter the north-eastern army region.

    Hence, seven will always be out of the realm from now on. Each of the avatars could ess the domain individually and independently ande to recuse instantly given the other fell in a dire situation.

    He first asked the keeper to apany him and be alert when he is choosing a technique so that he could provide some advice.

    The only thing that was putting an invisible hurdle was that Long Tao had yet notprehended the formation. He was already a 1st-grade peak weapon grandmaster and alchemist. But he still couldn¡¯t understand the array for Qi gathering that apanied the Hellspawn art. He estimated that this was only possible when he knows the 2nd level of formations.

    .....................................................

    The keeper was watching the whole training session. He was also impressed by how far-thinking this inheritor was. The training would have continued when suddenly, the keeper said:

    ¡± You have some guests. From what I can see, these are the same people we felt while in the arena. These should be the ones who protect that little sister of yours.¡±.

    ¡°Can you confirm their cultivation level?¡±

    ¡°One is a Qi general peak cultivator, just a step away from the king realm. Surprisingly the other is already a Qi king realm level practitioner.¡±.

    Long Tao was shocked. Mengchen had a Qi king cultivator protecting her in the dark. Was this her father or something?

    ..................................................

    In the room, Long Tao slowly opened his eyes, reached out to the kettle and poured 3 cups of tea and sat on the table, and with an expressionless face.

    ¡± shouldn¡¯t the two guests show themselves. Although this one is short on financial resources, I am capable enough to show basic hospitality.¡±

    Two figures appeared in Long Tao¡¯s view. They sat on the chair and grabbed the cup of tea served to them.

    ¡°May I know who the guests are?¡±

    One of the figures retorted with aggressiveness: ¡± You are not eligible to know that yet brat. What you need to inform us about first is how did you manage to sense us and who are you?¡±

    Long Tao showed an incredibly calm smile on his face and replied:

    ¡°Senior is already so aplished in Qi cultivation, reaching Qi general Peak realm in such an age. Your aggressiveness scares this youngling, and I beg your pardon for all mistakes caused by me.¡±

    The figure was surprised don Long Tao¡¯s words but before he could say anything:

    ¡°But of course the real guest of honor is you, sir. A Qi Kinging to visit me is a huge event. To what do I owe such grand luck. Honestly, my appetite is not thatrge. Also¡± turning his head towards the other Daoist.

    ¡± I am sorry for this offense, but as per the question you asked before, you too are not eligible to know the answers¡±. Then he again faced the Qi King, lifting his cup in honor of the man and drank it up.

    ..............................................................

    ¡°I would like you to apologize to our young miss. You have broken her heart,¡± The martial king didn¡¯t waste time directly stating his aim.

    Long Tao smiled again and said¡± What Daoist said is wrong. Mengchen was no doubt hurt in the process, but she has nobody to me but herself. I honestly expected more given her talent. Also, this should provide her with the motivation to be stronger.¡±.

    ¡°How dare you?¡± the Qi General wanted to attack Long Tao but was stopped.

    ¡°Your words might be true. It could prove to be a good motivation for her. As her servant, I humbly thanks you for what you have done.¡± Long Tao was shocked. A Qi king was merely a servant of Mengchen, just how big was her background.

    .................................................

    The two then stood up and vanished from sight. Long Tao sighed a breath of relief. It was a situation he hated the most. He was feeling helpless.

    He needed to get back and increase hi straining speed. If it was real and Long Mengchen had such a background, then he couldn¡¯t just waste his time in the real world and continued his training.

    .....................................................

    At a faraway ce, two figures re-appeared, and the Qi general asked:

    ¡± Why did we let him go?¡±

    The other guy sighed and said¡± Even with your cultivation realm so high you still are so impulsive. Did you see the guy, he was not even panicking after seeing us. And how do you think he knew our realms. He has a backer in the dark too, and I couldn¡¯t sense him. Means his backer is more potent than either of us¡±.

    The Qi king contemted and nodded.

    ¡± Also, what he said did have a reason behind it. It is a good test for young miss. Only by gaining proper motivation can she reach the true height of power.¡±

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32: THOUGHTS OF REGRETS

    After Long Ten returned to the n, he called forward a meeting of elders. Long Shen, of course, didn¡¯t meet up because of him being in the process of handling his own emotions.

    After the n members were informed of what Long Tao¡¯s reply was, the elders were regretting their actions in the past. It was their own collective decision to give up on Long Tao, and now their karma hase to haunt them back.

    The most talented genius of the younger generation in the Jiao country just publicly denounced them and gave up himself from being a nsman.

    ...............................

    ¡°This is too overbearing of Long Tao. How could he do this after all the n had given him? I know that we have our differences, but he can¡¯t just deny and abandon his origins.¡± An elder said.

    ¡± You should be grateful that you said the words here and not to him; otherwise, your body will be lying in the street, headless.¡±

    It was time Long Ten has ever shown such an aggressive side of him to the nsmen.

    .....

    ¡± We are the one who betrayed his trust in the first ce, and we no longer have any control. From now, no one in this n is to provoke him actively. As he said from now on, he is no longer a nsman of ours. Is it clear?¡±

    .......................

    In a separate room, Long Shen was sitting there with a dazed expression. His son abandoned his own family. He no longer had the guts to face his son.

    The n decided to give up on Long Tao¡¯s matter, and even after being the all-powerful n lord, he still couldn¡¯t force them to continue on this road. Long Shen himself was the youngest n lord in history.

    In just the age of 35 years, he managed to reach the Qi master realm 6th rank. He always put the n¡¯s need ahead of everything else. Yet the family couldn¡¯t even support his venture to have revenge for his son.

    Maybe Long Tao was telling the truth, he was born into a n of spineless cowards who see nothing but their profits. But it was already toote. The tone, his son, addressed him with was pretty clear in its implications. Long Tao was formally done with the Long n. Just the Long ten stepped into his room and was about to say something when he nced at him with hostility¡± silence.¡±.

    .....................

    Long Ten stood there saying nothing. For the first time in his life, he could see hatred for himself in his brother¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°I denounce my position the n lord form now on. My family and I will leave the n. It is up to the new lord of the n to see to its well being¡±.

    Long Ten was about to refute when ¡± Don¡¯t speak you vile creature. Do you think I don¡¯t know your schemes? I have already sent my wife out and informed Long Mengchen about the decision.¡±

    ¡°My family no longer has anything to do with your n. Don¡¯t dare to even think about interfering in my matters from now on.¡±

    Long Ten gulped into a cold breath. The murderous instincts of his brother were now up. The Long n has just lost its backbone. Two of its heaven-defying geniuses gone, and so is the former n leader who was at the 7th stage Qi master realm.

    ........................

    Initially, Long Tao¡¯s mother was extremely happy for the news of her son being alive. But then she heard about Long Tao abandoning his n and family.

    She couldn¡¯t stop crying andmenting her fate. ¡°Mengchen, promise me you wouldn¡¯t leave me too. Please¡±.

    Tears were flowing down her cheeks, and every drop was like a scar on Long Mengchen¡¯s heart. She still didn¡¯t understand her brother¡¯s attitude towards them. But she also didn¡¯t have the guts to go and face him at the moment.

    She knew what her brother had been through. How he was bullied for something he had no control over, and this made him so distant from his own family that he now disgusts their existence.

    When she saw Long Tao, alive and kicking back on the stage, it was as if she had got hold of the greatest joy in the world, but when the real situation came into being, she was shocked into disbelief and self-introspection.

    ¡°You have betrayed my expectations from someone of your background and talent¡±.

    The words her brother said back then, were still ringing in her ears. She decided to confront long Tao about this. She had to know what her brother meant by those words.

    .....................

    In the Bai family residence-

    There was a n meeting going on at the moment. Bai Tong (the n leader) was preceding the meeting, and the topic of discussion was Long Tao.

    ¡± What are your thoughts on this matter?¡±

    ¡°Although there is no visible proof in front of their eyes, the Long n and Long Tao already know that we are to be held responsible for what happened to him. Hence we need to prepare for war.¡±

    ¡± Long n won¡¯t be stupid enough to wage war now, just because Long Tao returned, as he has already publicly denounced them.¡±

    ¡°But n lord you need to understand the fact that, the Long n may decide to have our answer for the incident, just pull back Long Tao into their court¡±.

    ............................................

    Just then a messenger came in and informed something to Bai Tong. Bai Tong smirked after hearing it and looked towards the nsmen and said:

    ¡°Long Ten visited Long Tao¡¯s inn but was threatened not to appear before him again. Also, there seems to be some grievous misunderstanding between Long Shen and Long Ten. Hence now the conjunction that Long n might attack us is non-existent. The only thing remaining is how should we deal with Long Tao.¡±.

    ¡°Long Tao belongs to the royal faction now. Hence he can¡¯t be touched here. We can only act after he leaves for the North-eastern borders. Send the message to that organization. They have failed to deliver what they requested, and the boy has returned,¡±. The elder shook his head, and the meeting was dered over.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33: THE FORBIDDEN TRAINING ZONE

    ¡°All of you will now be proceeding towards the library. You need to choose one skill after reading upon the description of them, and it will be imparted to you.¡±

    The elder came out and then signalled them to follow him. Soon they came into the vast library of the Royal n. Long Tao was impressed by the collection of skill manuals here.

    But he knew that these techniques were not on par with what he had at crimson lord world. After all, it couldpare to the vastness or the level of sophistication of the techniques present in the Crimson lord vault.

    ........................

    In the crimson lord world-

    The keeper asked as to why he wanted to do this because he already has the crimson lord vault. But Long Tao insisted.

    An avatar of him was always immersed in the research, understanding, and practice of various skills. It was a primary reason why no one in the gathering could rte the seven figures as one because the skills used by each one of them was so different.

    .....

    Long Tao didn¡¯t even disy the skill he had created on his own. He was sure that if he had used that skill against Long Mengchen, she would still lose in one move.

    But that was all. It was the only move that he managed to create even after so much time.

    ¡°I need arge number of skills to continue my research. Creation of a new art requires insights into the domain. I am researching the flow of various techniques.¡±

    ¡°I need to identify the mainponents of art and iste them. They can be fused to form my desired art.¡±

    The more techniques he learned, the more insights he gained for the ¡®Dominator¡¯s fist¡¯. The skill began to evolve into a more potent form as the research continued.

    Hence, he wanted to collect and learn as many techniques as he could. He aimed to be superior to everything in the world.

    The keeper finally agreed to this idea.

    ¡°I will help you copy the skills into your inventory.¡±

    ...................................................

    The Qi concentration in the library was different than the outer world.

    ¡°You must be the 8 top rankers of the gathering.¡± An older man appeared. He was like a harmless elderly, who was in charge of taking care of the books.

    ¡± A mid-Qi general realm practitioner.¡± Long Heard a voice in his head.

    The elderly turned his head towards Long Tao suddenly and after looking for some time, turned back. Long Tao¡¯s back was drenched in sweat. The real power of the royal n was quite vast.

    They had a time of half-a-day to choose from the various martial arts. No rules were spoken, but the meaning was definite. Only one technique could be taken back.

    ..................................................

    Long Tao proceeded in his way, to find Long Mengchen following him. He stopped, turned around, and was going to say something, when suddenly Long Mengchen hugged him, tears flowing from her eyes.

    Long Tao felt a string in his heartbreaking. Seeing Mengchen crying was a very taxing and painful scenario for him, but he remembered his objective clearly.

    He was not going to show his familial feeling for now. He had to cut ties with them.

    The disgust he felt for the n was real. He separated himself from the girl.

    ¡°May I know why miss has approached me?¡±.

    Long Mengchen continued crying and said¡± Why are you like this brother, please return with me. Our family needs you. Mother is crying the whole day. She was delighted when she learned about you being alive, but the following fact shocked her. Father needs you. I need you.¡±.

    ..........................................................

    Long Tao¡¯s heart was filled with sorrow, but he didn¡¯t give up.

    ¡± Miss I already said that I don¡¯t have any family or belong to any group. Also, I am not interested in talking with someone weaker than me.¡±.

    Long Tao was turning around when a cold voice sounded¡± If power is everything to you, will you return with me if I defeat you?¡±.

    Long Taoughed ¡± We can talk about that when you can beat me. If it is your bloodline power that is giving you this confidence, drop it. I¡¯m not particrly eager to fight someone, whose bloodline has not even awoken properly yet. You cane to contend me with your bloodline power once it fully awakens. Until then fuck off¡±.

    Long Tao left after saying these words. Long Mengchen wiped the tears on her face, her attitude much colder than before:

    ¡± Then I will awaken my bloodline power and be, strong enough to beat the hell out of you and drag you back to the n.¡±

    ....................................................

    Long Tao was able to take quite a lot of art into his pocket. Long Tao¡¯s main character chose ¡°Rotary dissipation¡±, a technique which could divert the power of the enemy attack.

    Due to some reason, he felt that this was an incredible technique. Di Tao chose spear art. Long Tao had already gathered around 200 techniques.

    It was a massive gain for Long Tao¡¯s research and addition to his power as well as resources on which he will build his future force. The guardian was eyeing the movements of Long Tao most of the time.

    Soon all the eight came out, holding their choice. The guardian verified and started recording the arts that have been taken out. When it was the turn of Long Tao, and he saw the decision, a light of interest passed through the eyes of the guardian.

    He looked at Long Tao for some time again and then handed it back to him. Soon the 8-silhouette disappeared.

    .................................................

    Another old guy appeared beside the guardian.

    ¡°What are your thoughts.¡±.

    The guardian broke into a smile and said:¡± There was one guy who piqued my interest.¡±

    ¡°Who was that?¡±.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember his name, but incidentally, he chose the art on the third shelf.¡± The expression of the other guy changed. If it was that art, then this guy sure is entertaining.

    .....................................................

    The top three were staying behind to avail the rest of their prizes. Soon the weapons from the cksmith association arrived.

    Di Tao stepped forward first. The king gave him a Long, heavy box. Upon opening, Di Tao found a fiery looking spear. He bowed in gratitude and returned to his position.

    Next, it was Long Mengchen who stepped out, and was presented with a rtively thinner but long box. Opening it a sword came into view.

    It was a beautifully designed, thin two-edged long de, which suited Long Mengchen¡¯s sword y style very well. She too expressed her thanks and returned to her position.

    Lastly, there were a set of three boxes of different sizes, and Long Tao stepped out. The first two boxes contained a collection of swords and sabre, and thest one had a halberd.

    ...........................................................

    ¡± It is time for you all to proceed to the forbidden grounds of the Jiao n. Please follow me.¡±.

    The three rankers stepped on the transfer array. The view in front changed. They were standing amid an ancient area.

    The Qi concentration was something Long Tao had only felt in the Crimson lord world¡¯s training caves. It was where the Qi general realm cultivators of the royal n came for training.

    All three dispersed and found a location to start their training.

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34: OPENING OF THE MERIDIANS

    Location of training-

    Long Tao found out that the crimson lord world was absorbing the energy present in the royal forbidden zone. The Keeper informed him that the energy could help in mending the crimson lord world¡¯s dimension.

    Long Tao didn¡¯t understand at first, but he realized that the current crimson lord world or the treasure in which it resides was damaged or notplete.

    It was because of a battle that the previous master. It requires various kinds of natural resources and energies to rebuild and restructure itself.

    .......

    The Keeper said that the treasure would independently roam in this dimension while absorbing the energy, and the function will continue to exist in Long Tao¡¯s body.

    If it found something, it will alert Long Tao. So he could stay and concentrate on training. Long Tao was going to get a surprise when he ends the practice here and goes out.

    .....

    Long Tao inquired that it would not be efficient if he trained inside the crimson lord world while it was absorbing the energy of this forbidden ground. It would enable him to have twice the training time. But the Keeper said it would not be ideal because the Qi absorbed would be directly imnted into the world treasure, and nothing will be present for him to cultivate in.

    ...........................

    The treasure left Long Tao¡¯s body and vanished. He sat and started immersing himself in training.

    Long Tao¡¯s training in the hellspawn sutra has gone to a great extent, managing to push him to the 7th level. It had 12 stages, and Long Tao was long away frompleting it.

    His training was rtively slow, not because of the many arts he practiced but because of the 12 forges of death that he continued to practice even after reaching the Qi child realm.

    Long Tao¡¯s instincts indicated that this path was the best. It was something that was going to shock the whole world in the future.

    What Long Tao wanted to do now was to cultivate and open all his primary meridians with the help of the mixture energy-containing hell¡¯s Qi, Heaven¡¯s Qi, Crimson lord world Qi as well as Qi from the Forbidden Land.

    ...................................

    The mixture of various energies took quite a high toll on him. It was the first time his body was exposed to such a densebination of pure energies together. It took Long Tao a whole day to get acquainted.

    After he got acquainted, he began to circte and break through the 6th primary meridians. The continuous barging and shing with the barrier continued on and on.

    The avatars who were currently in the Crimson lord world were trying to understand the techniques, and trying to break through the 2nd level formation master. Only then will he be able to understand the first formation given to connect and gather the hell¡¯s Qi from the hell world.

    ................................

    Long Mengchen, on the other hand, was concentrating on her Qi cultivation. She was out here to train and cultivate while gaining experience for the first time.

    She would be able to return to the n once she is a Qi master realm practitioner. She wanted to break through the Qi master realm as soon as possible.

    Only then will she be able to defeat Long Tao and bring him back to her family here. She started to absorb the Qi in the ancient world, trying to awaken her bloodline for the first time.

    The talent of the individuals in the ns would be seen as to how many times they could awaken their bloodline limits. Each awakening gave a new set of restrictions and techniques to them.

    Long Tao¡¯s words still rang in her ears, ¡°You are not the only one with a bloodline limit. Come battle me when you manage to awaken the bloodline properly.¡±

    Long Mengchen knew that Long Tao had awakened his bloodline. She couldn¡¯tg behind him in terms of power.

    Inside Long Mengchen¡¯s body, the blood was absorbing all the energies around and had started giving a strange mellow glow.

    ......................

    Long Tao spattered blood on the ground. Finally, he managed to open the 6th primary meridian.

    It was a big step in the body cultivation, and Long Tao assumed this has already improved his strength by 50%. It was the miracle experienced by those who managed to open the meridians of their body.

    He had to concentrate on breaking through all the meridians. It was already five days. Even with the mixture of such powerful energies and the contemporary work of his seven avatars, he only managed to open a meridian after five days.

    Only 25 days were left. He had to step up the process. He concentrated in cirction and searching for his 7th primary meridians.

    ....................

    Finally, after an unknown amount of circtions, he managed to find the doorway to the 7th meridian. It took him three days to locate it, and he started the process of barging instantly. His aura spiked up, and the first sh was done. Long Tao face paled by the encounter.

    The opening of each meridian was an arduous process in the cultivation of the body. One would require to barge through his own body to clear the blockage, and each sh took a significant toll on the body.

    Generally, those who concentrated on the opening of the meridians would prepare instant Qi replenishers, healing medicine, and herbs, because if they wanted to train continuously, they would have to heal up first and then continue the process of barging.

    But thanks to the Qi practice methods that Long Tao had practiced and was practicing, his body would heal up quite fast without any outside assistance. It was the reason Long Tao had the confidence to open the meridians before he steps into the Qi master realm.

    He wanted to see what changes his body would have once he opened all the meridians. He continued the process on and on.

    ...........................................

    In an unknown site of the forbiddennd, a circr disc was currently lying embedded in the core of the area. It was continuously absorbing the energies around it.

    Long Tao¡¯s avatar inside could feel a change in the Qi density and aura within the realm. It was growing more durable and more robust, just like the Keeper said. The artifact was trying to heal itself.

    The cultivation realm of the silhouette was already in the Qi child 8th stage and continuing to grow. Unlike other martial arts cultivator, he had four additionalyers to ovee before he would be able to step into the next realm.

    Long Tao could not even start to assume the stacked-up power he possessed due to the many arts he was practicing.

    .......................................

    After around 15 days had passed in the forbidden world-

    Long Tao was sitting within Crimson lord world in his cave when he felt the same type of ancient Qi in the forbidden zone, appearing here.

    The Keeper reported that the possible mending was already done. Currently, the treasure was absorbing more and more ancient Qi from the world, which would help in the further cultivation of Long Tao.

    ..........................

    Outside, Long Tao had already managed to open his 7th meridian and was already on his way to barge in the 8th meridian.

    He wanted to break as soon as possible and start opening the acupoints in his body. The bodies began simultaneous cultivation. The barge was painful, but he persisted. For some reason, he began to have a feeling of rushing the process more and more.

    On the 20th day-

    ¡®Crack,¡± a big crush of bone could be heard. Long Tao managed to open thest primary meridian. The increase in body strength, Qi sensing, and power was far from what it was in the past.

    Suddenly Long Tao¡¯s bodies, even the avatars, were paralyzed and were out of their control.

    .......................

    The puppet appeared beside him¡± What do you think of this situation?¡±.

    ¡°I think after the opening of the primary meridians, his body is undergoing a morph. It is restructuring the inside. It is an incredible set of fortune for this guy. I don¡¯t know what sort of body he will acquire.¡±

    The process continued, but Long Tao was currently not conscious. His interiors, the runes on his bone and blood, all started glowing at the same time, and he was continuously absorbing the massive amount of Qi. It was as if his body was being forged into something very different.

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35: THE ANCIENT¡¯S WILL

    Long Tao¡¯s body was continuously being forged and cast. The runes were absorbing Qi consistently, and the skins, bones, muscles, and meridians were steadily formed again and again.

    It was a bit different from the general 12 forges of death art. The new morph was a qualitative change. Impurities were starting to get cast out of his body. The primary cause of pollutants was Blood tempering art.

    If left unchecked, these would cause the downfall of a genius. One generally requires a lot of heaven borne resources and herbs to cast out the impurities.

    The umted impurities were cast out, while the expansion of his body continued. Long Tao even spat out ck blood. Coming to the ancient forbiddennd of the Jiao family was worthwhile.

    ....................

    Long Mengchen was currently sitting with closed eyes, absorbing a considerable amount of Qi. All the Qi that she was absorbing was being sucked dry by her blood. Its glow was highly resplendent now.

    The bloodline within her body was starting to awaken. The initial fluctuation had already begun.

    .....

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect thisss to have such a high-grade bloodline. I can¡¯t put my hands on it but, I am quite sure that this is at least a level 7 bloodline. It is not something that should be found within this small ce.¡±

    The puppet too nodded. If the Keeper was saying that this was a grade 7 bloodline than it has to be. Bloodline was divided into various levels.

    Although the Crimson Lord world¡¯s real origin was something unfathomable, and they had seen bloodline far tenacious then this but, to find it in this world was something even they didn¡¯t expect.

    The artefact kept absorbing the ancient Qi within itself. Even if the mending that was possible with this was over, Long Tao could use the old Qi present here.

    Soon the aura in the forbiddennd started thinning out. It alerted the elders of the royal Jiao n too. But when they saw what was going on with Long Mengchen, they decided not to interfere.

    .............................

    When they experienced her bloodline power, their bloodline shook with fear. It already showed how powerful the origin of Long Mengchen was.

    Long Mengchen¡¯s body made a huge sound. As soon this aura was released, the two men who were guarding Long Mengchen had a big smile on their face.

    ¡± The miss seems to have finally awakened the bloodline inside her. Her body will now be transformed. I need to report it to the elders.¡±

    Even the Qi King Was surprised that Long Mengchen was able to awaken her bloodline before stepping into the Qi master realm.

    He thought of a certain someone, who had told him that his action might provide the necessary inspiration and motivation to the young miss, which would help her in the awakening of her power. It was a huge blessing in disguise, and he was grateful for it.

    ............................

    Long Mengchen¡¯s bloodline finally calmed down as she settled down on the ground and opened her eyes. Her eyes had a sense of frost and serenity in them. He aura now given out by her was that of a distant person.

    ¡°I am going to defeat you and take you to our parents. I will make sure to keep my promise to her and my father. It is thest thing I could do for them before leaving this ce.¡±

    Long Mengchen knew she could no longer stay at this ce with her mother and father. She now has to return to that ce.

    ..................................

    Unknown to this, the process going on with Long Tao finally came to an end. His body was shinning like a hot piece of iron. His skin was much brighter than before, and it had a white lustre to it.

    His body had grown in size, and his features had turned more mature and manly. The power contained within his body was not imaginable. It was a stacked effect of all the arts he had practised.

    His body type can¡¯t be described from the records of the past, as it has never urred before. Long Tao slowly opened his eyes and felt the miraculous effect brought to his body after he managed to open all the primary meridians. He could feel his body to have qualitatively changed.

    .................................

    Long Tao tested his power for some time, before wanting to back to concentrate gain into his training.

    ¡± After all these years of waiting, finally someone worthy arrived here.¡±

    Long Tao jumped from his seat out of shock and began to verify his surroundings, to find nothing at all.

    ¡± You don¡¯t need to look around anymore, boy. You won¡¯t be able to find me, because I am only a remnant will now.¡±

    Long Tao calmed his nerves down and asked in a respectable tone¡± May I ask who senior is?¡±

    ¡± You have a good state of mind to be able to calm down so soon. Let¡¯s see, and there is another one here who is just as eligible as you are, if not better.¡±

    Long Tao thought about the persons present here and remembered about Long Mengchen. ¡± But you are more suitable. Good, but we still need to see if you are eligible or not.¡±

    ..........................

    Strange energy enveloped Long Tao as he was dragged into the core region of the Forbiddennd. He reached into the depths near a cave. He suddenly heard a creaking sound, as the rock structure in front of him split, and he was pushed into the interiors.

    The ce had a den-like structure with the interior having a high condensation of the ancients Qi.

    Suddenly the voice of the Keeper was heard, ¡°Ancient Qi pool, this is a great material that can help to mend further some of the damage to the crimson lord world.¡±

    ................................

    ¡°What you in front of you is the Qi pool that is condensed out of ancient Qi. Its main characteristicse in handy when one practices Body cultivation with this Qi. Boy, could you tell me why I chose you?¡±

    Long Tao was sent into deep thought to reason with himself as to why he has been chosen. What did he have better than Long Mengchen? Although his power is higher, ording to the news given by the Keeper, she has already stepped into the Qi child realm.

    In terms of skills and techniques, he wasn¡¯t above her yet.

    In terms of the martial realm, he is still inferior.

    In terms of bloodline, he is inferior too. But then suddenly came the thought of what he recently obtained-his progress in body cultivation. Long Mengchen didn¡¯t have that with her.

    Long Tao¡¯s eyes shone with a sparkle.¡± You seem to have understood the reason. Good. What is the future path you are going to take in body cultivation?¡±

    ¡°Replying to senior, I have decided to simultaneously cultivate in opening my meridians as well as the acupoints.¡±.

    The voice was silent for some time¡± You do know that it will take a long time.?¡±

    ¡°I do have my ways¡±.

    ¡°Oh, I forgot, what was it called again, that avatar art was it?¡±.

    Long Tao was surprised and immediately contacted the Keeper and was on his guard now. If the voice knew about the origin of avatar art, then this might not be good for him.

    ¡± No reason to be on guard boy. Do you think you are the first cultivator of that art in this world? There were people before you. It does give you a lot of benefits and advantages. But it will still take time.¡±

    ¡°What do senior suggest I should do?¡±

    ¡± I am not here to manipte the path you will walk in. It is for you to choose. All I could do is to shorten the period. Summon all the avatars here. And start cultivating your body in here. You have one month.¡¯

    ¡°I will be back by one month and see how much you have progressed. If you can step up to my standards, maybe you can finally inherit my legacy.¡±

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36: FINDING THE ACUPOINTS, OPENING THE SECONDARY MERIDIANS

    Long Tao agreed and summoned his clones out. There were 6 of them.

    Although he had three more avatars of himself, he didn¡¯t bring them out this time, because as per the analysis of the Keeper, the artifact would require the rest energy for mending itself.

    Long Tao put up the artifact first into the pool. The device needs to be mended first. He was content as long as he managed to open some acupoint s and meridians in either of the body.

    But for the treasure, it is a resource that could mend it. Hence, he had to take the chance.

    ...........................

    As expected by Long Tao, the will was shocked by the sight of 7 avatars standing.

    ¡± I didn¡¯t expect you to have seven avatars. Go ahead and start practicing the body cultivation.¡±

    .....

    ¡°You seem to have idea about the pathways to acupoints and some secondary meridians beforehand.¡±

    A new set of scripture was passed to Long Tao. There were urate drawings of skeletal, meridian structure, and acupoints of human beings.

    ¡± This is theptions of the pathways known to me after practicing multiple body cultivation art and my research. But even then, I was only able to find 100 secondary meridians and 30 acupoints in my life.¡±

    ¡°Even if you are not able to inherit my legacy here, I expect you to practice this pathway and continue your research, finding new meridians and acupoints.¡±

    Long Tao held the scripture with care. It was an essential piece of cultivation manuscript. Even the weapon tempering form didn¡¯t mention so many acupoints, at least not until now.

    ¡°You should start the cultivation boy. I will be observing you. If you manage toe up to my basic requirement level, you will receive a fortune you will never forget.¡±

    ......................................

    Long Tao proceeded into the pond, and the liquid started seeping automatically into his body. Out of the seven silhouettes, three were devoted to searching the acupoints, and four were divided to the barge and search for the secondary meridians.

    ording to the form, Long Tao soon arrived near the 1st secondary meridian and started barging in it. Soon the first acupoint was found.

    Long Tao didn¡¯t know the requirements of bing the inheritor of whatever the will wants him to inherit, but he didn¡¯t want to give up on a chance that would let him pick a significant pace in the body cultivation path.

    ........................

    In the crimson lord world-

    Long Tao was currently talking with the Keeper.

    ¡± Do you have anything to say? About how the person got to know about this technique or he knew about the presence of a treasure that can help me summon the avatars.¡±

    The Keeper replied in a calm voice: ¡± The voice you heard is a remnant will.¡±

    ¡°As per it knows, its real body has quite great a cultivation base, to enable him to have such knowledge. Also, he doesn¡¯t know about the Crimson lord world.¡±

    ¡°You should take the opportunity provided to you thoughtfully, boy. The world you are currently cultivating in runs in a 1:6 ratio time. It is a massive benefit to you if you ask me. ¡±

    ...............................

    Finally, he reached the 8th level Qi child realm peak, only a step away from breaking through the 9th level.

    Long Tao persisted on his belief and decided to level up the realm only after reaching the maximum level of all the art he has in this particr realm.

    But he also couldn¡¯t have a significant difference between the cultivation of the avatars (Like a difference of a whole realm). It might result in backflow of energy and him being forced back, rather than him moving forward in the area of cultivation.

    Hence, he couldn¡¯t take chances.

    ...............................

    Long Mengchen was currently sitting, legs-crossing at her training spot. She was absorbing energy to have a breakthrough in the Qi master realm. It was the only way she could defeat Long Tao.

    If one wanted to break through the Qi master realm, they have to create a Qi sea.

    Qi child realm required the body to get amodated with Qi and then use it to store Qi and utilize it.

    After stepping into Qi master, there will be a Qi sea created by the practitioner in their bodies that will work as a storage medium for the Qi. It was the next step, the establishment of the Qi sea.

    Long Mengchen was long since assimting energy from before she participated in thepetition. The size of the Qi sea determined the potential, talent, and future of the martial artist except for their apparent fighting power.

    Hence, the martial artist would train harder and harder and break their Qi sea multiple times, to create a good Qi sea over a long period.

    Long Mengchen was doing it too, and now the power hase to a saturation level, which meant she had neared the perfection level of Qi sea for her body.

    ¡°I will defeat you for sure this time, Big brother.¡±

    ..............................

    Long Tao was busy barging into the meridian and acupoints, ording to the diagram present in ¡®Hell-forger¡¯ art.

    The major problem while opening any meridian was to locate it first. Only after one can identify his/her meridian can they proceed further.

    The next step is barging into the blockage, hindering the meridians, and sessfully entering the blockage.

    The next step was to cleanse the meridian with Qi and blood and then temper it with a continuous cirction of Qi through it. It takes arge number of circtions to bring the level of the opened meridian to the level of the present meridians.

    ...................................................

    Once it finally reached the level, can a meridian be said to have sessfully opened? This process was not only long in terms of time consumed, but also very painful during the opening and the tempering part.

    The opening of acupoint required the same practice as the meridians. The only difference has been that the after-work was even longer than that of the meridian.

    The reason for this was the fact that meridians work as a channel for the flow of Qi, but acupoints work as storage areas for both blood energy and Qi.

    Hence after the tempering of each opened acupoint, continuous filling and expenditure of blood energy and Qi are needed to be done before reaching the saturation capacity for that acupoint.

    One can conclude from this, as to how tedious and lengthy the process is going to be.

    .....................................................................

    Long Tao finally managed to open up a secondary meridian and the acupoint in the center of the right palm sessfully. He started the tempering part instantly and continued the process to the end.

    Although Long Tao wanted to research on the power output and the percentage growth he had achieved over the opening, he knew that now was not the best time to indulge in his regr habits of studying each improvement and change in the minute level.

    He only had one month until the sanctioned period is over. He wanted to open as many pieces as possible.

    .......................................................

    ¡°This boy brings a light of hope to me. Let¡¯s see how much he can improve before the energy here is consumedpletely.¡±

    ¡°If he canplete this phase and bear whates next, my objective will finally be achieved. The will of the dragons needs to remain burning forever.¡±

    The voice was talking to himself silently. Unknown to all this, Long Tao was still sitting in the training position and practicing.

    ................................................................................

    Outside the forbidden zone-

    Jiao Sheng was consulting with various elders of his n about the activities in the royal grounds, regarding the three youngsters that had gathered.

    ¡°Reporting to majesty, Long Mengchen had caused amotion in the period between, what the upper echelon said to be, the awakening of the bloodline.¡±

    ¡± The elder said that we are not interfering in the activities of this child. Her origin seems to be extraordinary. The elders ask his majesty to build good rtions with her. ¡°.

    Jiao Sheng silentlyprehended. ¡°What about the other two.¡±

    ¡± There is a continuous absorbing of the ancient Qi in both the regions, and they seem to be improving at an incredible pace too. There is a high chance that both of them will reach the peak of the Qi child realm soon. ¡±

    Jiao Sheng asked,¡± I am happy about Di Tao since he is going to join the military academy, but what about Long Tao. He is going to join the north-eastern frontier; you know that is the only part we have no control over right.¡±

    ¡± even if you don¡¯t have full control, that still is on our side at the end. Hence, he is a member of our camp.¡±

    ¡°On top of that, a very talented and important member. He can prove to be a great asset if the right conditions and situations areid down.¡±

    Jiao Sheng nodded.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37: THE DRAGON SCALE

    Long Tao had experienced that with the opening of each new meridian, the efficiency of absorbing Qi, as well as the overall amount of Qi storage had increased by a lot.

    It helped him in tempering and filling of the acupoint much easier. One could even say that the various parts were interconnected and linked with each other.

    Each opening gave a qualitative change to Long Tao¡¯s body. He didn¡¯t bother about the benefits he might have got; neither did he tried to experiment.

    Time was the essence at the moment, and he had to utilize every bit of it to the fullest.

    The liquidized energy that he has got his hands on can help him enhance his body¡¯s potential. It cut on a lot of training time and resources.

    He needed to pick the pace up, and as a tinge of luck to his actions, every new opening gave him a boost in the speed.

    .....................................................

    .....

    The Crimson Lord realm-

    Long Tao¡¯s avatars were training continuously while the artifact continued to absorb the energy. Soon enough, there was a change in the atmosphere of the realm.

    It was not prominent at first. But soon enough Long Tao felt different while training in this realm.

    He opened his eyes, looked around the ce, and tried to verify the area for any noticeable change, but he couldn¡¯t find any. Something has changed about the realm for sure.

    ................................................

    ¡°You seem to have noticed the changed boy. Took longer than I expected.¡±. The Keeper¡¯s voice sounded.

    ¡°You should calm yourself before analyzing the situation and giving an ample viewpoint as to what had changed.¡±

    Long Tao calmed down and started to feel the atmosphere around him, asionally taking in some amount of Qi and circting, while trying to reach a particr conclusion.

    ¡± The time seems to have slowed down. It is as if it was flowing faster before thispared to the real world, and it is flowing slower now.¡±

    ¡°The artifact was able to restore a minute amount of damage. The time ratio has changed from 1:2 to 1:3 now.¡±

    ¡°Also, the Qi within the Artifact now contains the traces of ancient Qi, which seem to boost up your cultivation speed.¡±

    It was great news for Long Tao. He insisted on the artifact to continue the absorption. If the ratio could further be decreased, he would gain even more advantage in his training speed.

    ..............................................................

    20 days into the training:

    Long Tao was currently sitting cross-legged amid the liquidized pool. A massive amount of the liquidized Qi had already vanished from the ce. It had half the amount of Qi since the start of the process.

    ¡± I didn¡¯t expect the boy, even with seven avatars to be able to consume half of the Qi pond in such a short time. It seems like his improvements are going to be immense.¡±

    Long Tao was able to open five acupoints and seven secondary meridians in his body by consuming half the pool until now. Every sessive opening required a much more considerable amount of energy than before.

    When he looked around the pool and saw the Qi to have halved; it was getting scarier with every opening.

    He continued his practice. It was a race to push his limits.

    .............................................................

    Long Mengchen was currently residing and building her Qi sea. After another day, finally, a vast gush of energy was sucked into her body.

    The suction was significant enough to empty the surrounding, making it devoid of any qi. Long Mengchen took a small breath. Inside her body, a massive Qi sea was currently being filled to its limit.

    After some time, no more Qi could be inserted in, and the surface of the Qi sea waspletely calm. A massive disturbance urred, and a tremendous amount of qi gushed out of the body of Long Mengchen, breaking and puncturing the walls of her cultivation cave.

    Finally, she had achieved the realm of Qi master.

    ......................................................................

    28th day in the secret space:

    Long Tao finally stopped his practice because the Qi pool was now empty, with not even a tinge of liquidized Qi remaining anymore.

    Long Tao opened his eyes and started stretching his bodies out. Eight acupoints and ten secondary meridians.

    Thinking about his future cultivation ns made his head reel around and hurt. ¡±

    So how many did you manage to uncover boy. ¡°. The voice asked with interest.

    Long Tao reported his advancement to the will, and even though it was prepared for the answer, it was still shocked by the amount.

    ¡± Only managing to open eight acupoints and ten secondary meridians. It is too little. Your body is still a little on the weak side of talent.¡±

    Long Tao was smirking inside. It was not that his body was unable to open more meridians, or his talent is less. The artifact absorbed half of the liquidized Qi while mending itself.

    Long Tao was happy that the voice didn¡¯t manage to find out about the artifact. Long Tao preferred to keep some cards hidden. Only then will he be able to have a trump card at a crucial time.

    .......................................................................

    The artifact was able to go through another upgrade and the time ratio increased from 1:3 to 1:4. It was a massive blessing for Long Tao.

    Also, the Qi concentration and quality inside the crimson lord world seem to have increased too. The elemental Qi of the crimson lord world was now abination of elemental and ancient Qi.

    Long Tao was ecstatic. Although the instant benefit was not much, in the long term, this was going to help Long Tao more. Hence, he believed that he made the right choice.

    ¡°You have managed to pass my test. You are as a result of this given a choice to ept my inheritance. Are you willing to ept it?¡±

    Long Tao respectfully bowed ¡°I ept senior.¡±

    ¡± Good. Now that you have epted it, you will call me master.¡±

    Long Tao kowtowed ¡°Disciple greets master.¡±

    ¡± Good child. Although your master is not able to provide you with much guidance, he will still provide you with some gifts.¡±

    ............................................

    A ring appeared infront of Long Tao. When he tried to probe inside, his will was bounced back.

    ¡± It is sealed. You will need to reach a certain amount of power before you can ess the resources within it. I assure you will be satisfied with the contents.¡±

    Long Taomunicated with the Keeper regarding the opening but was denied. He was to open it by himself.

    ¡°The next set of things is true inheritance.¡± A huge casket and another ring came into Long Tao¡¯s view.

    ¡± This is the two-piece of inheritance which I left for you. The casket contains, vials of apound blood mixture that I created, which will help in strengthening your body.¡±

    ¡°It was created by me with the umtion,bining and purifying the blood of multiple beats of varied stages.¡±

    There was an unusual pause ¡± the main thing I will leave for you is in the other ring.¡±

    Long Tao tried to probe this time and summon the contents out. The contents were a set of books, a strange sword-scabbard set, a manual, and a massive piece of ck that look like the scale of an animal.

    .............................................................

    In the crimson lord world-

    The Keeper was looking at the contents with wide eyes. ¡°How can this be. How does it have something so heaven-defying?¡±

    ¡± What is it?¡± The voice didn¡¯t even bother to look towards Long Tao.

    ¡°The first set of books is a collection of the best arts I had practiced in my lifetime. All of these arts can be practiced once you step into the Qi general realm.¡±

    ¡°The sword is my partner in the whole life. It was damaged in myst fight, and I hope you manage to repair it. It is an emperor level weapon.¡±

    Thest set of things is my most prized possession. The ck mass is what is called the reverse scale of an actual dragon.¡± Long Tao was shocked on hearing it.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know what it is now and will get to know about it as you grow stronger. But in short, it contains the blood essence of a true dragon. The manual beside it is a skill that can only be practiced after you sessfully manage to absorb a singr drop of blood essence.¡±

    ........................................................

    ¡± These two resources are linked with what is called as the body cultivation. The instruction as well as order for you is to practice continuously with the vials present in the casket to modify and strengthen your blood.¡±

    ¡°A warning for you. It is just the pre-requisite for the training in the blood essence of the dragon. I managed to absorb a singr drop of blood essence even at my peak of body cultivation.¡±

    ¡°Even at my peak, I was about to burst and die just from the injection of a single drop. But for you, I can¡¯t point the realm you need to reach, due to your cultivation of the avatar art. Hence my only advice is don¡¯t hurry.¡± Long Tao was shocked by the history, and the value of the ck piece of scale seem to hold.

    ¡± May I ask senior, what was your peak Qi cultivation realm before you died?¡±

    The willughed with interest, but a chill suddenly permeated the whole environment.¡± The peak of the Qi Emperor realm.¡± Long Tao was scared shitless.

    The peak of the Qi Emperor. What sort of existence was that?

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38: THE METHOD FLESH TEMPERING

    Long Tao was staring at nk space. He couldn¡¯tprehend the power of the voice. The guy was a Qi Emperor before dying.

    ¡°So, he was a peak Qi Emperor. That describes his knowledge about the arts. I suppose he was very near to breaking through the Qi Monarch realm.¡±

    ¡°Your luck is quite a good brat, for the guy to leave you those set of arts and especially the treasure.¡±

    Long Tao looked at the keeper and asked,¡± So you do know what the origins and significance of these things are. Why don¡¯t you tell me?¡±

    ¡± First, finish the business here, then we can talk about your future path.¡±

    ..................................................

    ¡°I was about to die of explosion just by intaking a single drop of blood essence. You need to be careful while practicing this art.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Also, you need to use the manual present within the casket to practice the intake of the bloodposites more efficiently. It was an art that gave me a huge boost in body strength and defense.¡±

    Long Tao picked up the manual, written above the manual in grand letters were the words¡± Flesh tempering method.¡±

    Long Tao started reading the text. The Flesh tempering method had an origin in the experiments of inserting beast properties into humans. It was already a fact that human s were more on the intelligent side with ways to create more techniques to use their Qi and gain higher control over their energy flow.

    Another reason humans had the upper hand over the beasts was their procreational ability. But nature did give the animals some perks too.

    They had the highest affinity with the Qi in the atmosphere, more muscr, more durable bodies, better bloodline powers, and more robust in the same realm. It made them faster, stronger, and better.

    Hence since long-time humans have tried to inherit and practice like them. A result of this was the interbreeding between high-level beats (that could take a human form) and humans.

    These species were termed as beast-men. But it was soon found that the beast¡¯s characteristics always overpowered the human side. This effect could be attributed to the more potent bloodlines of the beasts.

    Also, the beast-men tended to side with their beast ancestors and looked upon them as their source. It could even be said that they despised their human side. Hence, humans started to develop methods for human practicing beast powers.

    The flesh Tempering method was a pinnacle example of it, and the same was the blood tempering form.

    .........................................................

    While the blood tempering form that Long Tao found in the 99 stances of beast god concentrated on using the blood essence of organisms to increase their bloodline power, the ¡®Flesh tempering method¡¯ tempered flesh and skin of the body via using the blood essence of beasts. It was like aplimentary art to the blood tempering form.

    ¡°The Flesh tempering method you see is a technique that would help assimte the bloodposites with a lot of ease.¡±

    ¡°If you were to inject the bloodposite and try to assimte with just your blood, the energy might be too much for you to handle. It would result in the bubbling up and bursting of your body.¡±

    ¡°That is something I don¡¯t want to see. The flesh tempering method ys the role here. This method was something I obtained in a dungeon I was exploring and thest possessor before I was a Qi Dominator.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you should understand the importance of it. With this method, you could use the energy obtained from the bloodposites to temper, restructure, and harden your flesh and skin.¡±

    .........................................

    ¡°This method not only allows you a far more improved defense, but it also increases the attack potential of each of your muscles. It, as a result, propels you to a much stronger offensive state.¡±

    ¡°Also, the blood energy in the flesh and skin would improve, and they would also start gaining automatic and fast recovery ability since the tempering makes them automated to absorbing Qi and mending themselves. ¡±

    Long Tao heard the whole introduction given by the voice and was shocked upon knowing the origin of this art to be a Qi Dominator. That was a step away from the saint realm.

    Long Tao recently noticed that his luck has been quite good. The number of good opportunities he was able to get his hands were quiterge. It was one of them too.

    .....................................................

    ¡°You need to train with the injected bloodposites with the help of the flesh tempering method and start practicing it. Completely devouring the whole rack is only the first step that you need to take before your body can handle the energy from the Reverse scale.¡±

    ¡°I hope you will keep in mind the history I told you about. It was the absolute truth, and you need to take some teachings from it. That¡¯s all master can provide you with.¡±

    ¡°Although the connection between you and me has been a short one, I want you to remember that I hope for the best future for you. Now I will send you back to your ce. You need to get stronger.¡±

    Long Tao had a tinge of sadness in his heart. The first master he took had already left him.¡± Master, can you at least tell your name to this disciple.¡±

    ¡± I don¡¯t know if I am still remembered among the masses now, but I was once known as the White Dragon Emperor. That¡¯s all I can say to you, boy.¡±

    ¡°If someday you be powerful enough and get to know the other twin dragon, the ck dragon, please kill him for me. Your master is giving you onest task before departure,¡±

    Before Long Tao could reply, he was already dragged out of the secret ce and back to his cultivation cave.

    Reaching the ground, Long Tao didn¡¯t go back to training. He first kowtowed to the ground three times.

    ¡± Once a master, always a master till the end of life.¡± It was the honest respect Long Tao was giving to the man who was his first master.

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39: EXITING THE FORBIDDEN LAND

    The 30-day training period finally came to an end. Jiao Sheng and about 3 elders were standing outside the gate of the forbidden zone. Three figures soon came into view of the group.

    Their aura had a huge difference to that of what was before in a month. It was obvious how much they have improved in thest month. The ancient aura was something that was beneficial for the training of even Qi general realm practitioners. .......................

    All three of them bowed to Jiao Sheng and the elders.

    ¡°Stand up proud. You three are the pride of the Jiao Country and I have huge expectations from you. I hope all of you have huge improvements in thest month.¡±

    Long Mengchen raised her hand ¡°Your majesty, I have a request.¡±

    ¡°Do state your desire.¡±

    ¡°Would it be possible for me to have a training arena in the royal manor for use.¡±

    .....

    ¡°You surely can.¡±

    ¡± Are you ready for the fight big brother. I hope you haven¡¯t forgotten the stakes?¡±.

    Long Tao, with a look of disgust ¡°As I said before, you are not capable enough to have a talk with me.¡±

    ¡°We would never know before we have a try at it.¡±

    ¡± Fine¡±, Long Taoplied with a deep breath.

    .......................

    If he backed out now, all his act until now will crumble to nothing. He already knew that Long Mengchen had Awakened her bloodline which also enabled her to break through the Qi master realms.

    Long Tao would have been nervous with his previous power to take her on but now the conditions were different. Not only did he advance to the 9th stage of the Qi realm, but additionally, he has opened 8 primary meridians, 10 secondary meridians, and 8 acupoints.

    His body has gone a qualitative morphosis at least three times. He had also mastered 2 arts which he got from the royal library. Long Tao couldn¡¯t even start to estimate the improvement he has achieved in thest month.

    The group proceeded ording to the direction of an elder and soon reached an arena that was built within the manor. The elder requested both of them to proceed towards the arena and asked about the rules of the match.

    ¡± No barriers to use of any technique, power or weapon. Thest man standing will be the winner.¡± Long Mengchenplied with a nod. Both of them stood opposite each other and took the battle stance.

    ...............................................................................

    ¡°Who ording to you is going to win?¡±. An elder asked Jiao Sheng.

    ¡± As per thest match between the two, Long Mengchen was at the peak of the Qi child realm but was still defeated by Long Tao who was at the 7th stage of Qi child. ¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t predict the future this time as we know that Long Mengchen has already awakened her bloodline and probably already had a breakthrough to the Qi master realm.¡±

    The two of the elders nodded. The third elder didn¡¯t say anything for some time and just looked at the two participants:

    ¡± The boy will win the match.¡± Jiao Sheng and the two others were surprised

    ¡°Although he is going to be one of your group, you don¡¯t need to be so supportive of this brat.¡± one of the elders said with augh. But the facial expression of the elder didn¡¯t change. He didn¡¯t bother to reply to thement.

    Even Jiao Sheng was surprised at the deration. He knew the character of the elder. He was not someone who would proim something without absolute certainty. Has this brat gone through some insane improvement too or was he hiding his power?

    ............................................................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°We need to get more data on the art practiced by her. It would be vital in the development of my understanding of the sword and the creation of a technique.¡±

    ¡°I have already recorded your previous fights. You can review those to get more ideas on the arts.¡±

    LonG tao thanked the Keeper. He needed toe up with a solid hypothesis to build his technique on. This art could be the base.

    ................................................................

    The arena-

    Long Mengchen had absolute confidence that she could defeat Long Tao now that her bloodline is active and her break-through into the Qi master realm. She barged towards Long Tao raising her fist to bash him, and the same scene as in the previous match appeared again.

    Long Tao simply dodged the attack and started observing the rhythm. The tackle continued until Long Tao came in between the steps and broke her rhythm, hence breaking the attack pattern.

    Long Mengchen didn¡¯t stop and unsheathed her sword and started attacking. Too. After a period of time, Long Tao was actually having multiple bruises on his body, while he was unsessful to break the rhythm.

    Long Mengchen¡¯s talent was really scary. She managed toprehend another pathway while in training. Long Tao calmed himself down and was starting to get him. After gaining multiple injuries, he was finally able to force her back and break it.

    ............................................

    ¡°Even if you managed to learn a new pathway, it¡¯s still insufficient.¡±After exactly 3 strikes, Long Tao was hurt once more.

    ¡± Thisss is really talented. She not only learned a new growth path but now is able to simultaneously use multiple growth paths. She is switching gears.¡±

    The next scene astonished the audience even more. Long Tao was being grievously wounded. He was not able to put any defense. Long Mengchen stopped after a series of attacks:

    ¡°Are you knowingly showing sympathy to me and not putting a fight. Show me your battle strength. I don¡¯t require your pity to win a fight against you. I have not even utilized any real amount of power yet.¡±

    Long Mengchen released a furious offensive aura, and as predicted by the elders, she was already at the Qi master realm.

    ¡°Are you sure that the boy is going to win even now?¡±

    ¡± You want to make a bet.¡±

    ¡°Why not, do you think I am scared of you?¡±

    ¡°Fine then, let¡¯s bet on a weapon of Qi general grade.¡±. An awkward silence permeated the whole viewer¡¯s stand.

    A Qi general realm weapon was no joke. It was something very precious. Even Jiao Sheng only had a single set poof those. But the guy insisted on betting a Qi general weapon on this fight whose results were this obvious.

    ¡°Are you scared?¡±

    The elder clenched his teeth, ¡± Fine ¡°, he took out a staff.¡±

    ¡°This is my tempo staff. What are you going to bet¡±.

    The guy waved his hand and a sword came out¡± It is called the ck demon sword. ¡±

    Even looking at them from far, the quality of the ck demon was greater than the staff but, both were ultimately Qi general level weapons.

    ..........................................................

    Long Tao looked at the offensive aura spewed out of Long Mengchen¡¯s body.

    ¡± So, I was found out. I was just giving you some satisfaction of hitting me because otherwise, you will never have the chance.¡±. Long Mengchen¡¯s face was red with anger.

    ¡± Fine since you don¡¯t want my pity, I shall go on the offensive. Let¡¯s see. What should I use? You are not powerful enough yet for me to use weapons to fight. Fine, my fist will do.¡±

    Long Took a step back, used the sh step, and dashed towards Long Mengchen. This technique still mesmerized the audience and shocked Long Mengchen as to how fast it was, but it was a unidirectional speed art, and hence Long Mengchen decided to dodge.

    Long Tao, changed his footwork, instantly to use the movement of flowing water and rammed Long Mengchen¡¯s body with a punch. The audience was shocked. How could Long Tao be so powerful and skilled? Just one attack sent Long Mengchen flying and her body was actually caved in.

    ........................................................

    ¡°I used too much power¡±, Long Tao was concerned internally. He didn¡¯t want to inflict any grievous damage to Long Mengchen. Long Mengchen managed to stand up.

    Her clothes were torn, and the spot where the punch hit was caved in. But she didn¡¯t give up on the brawl. She didn¡¯t dare to hold anything back. She utilized the full limits of her power, but Long Tao was now on the offensive and his aura was already at Qi child peak.

    He kept barging at her with attack and wasn¡¯t even inflicted by any damage from her. After they separated, Long Mengchen was spewing blood from her mouth. She was ncing at Long Tao with huge trepidation. Even now she was not his opponent in a frontal confrontation.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you. You are not worthy of talking to me.¡± Long Tao said with a mocking tone and was beginning to leave. But suddenly the atmosphere changed. A weird aura started spewing out of Long Mengchen¡¯s body.

    ¡± I want you to be a careful boy. She is starting to activate her bloodline power now. Its time you get serious.¡±.

    ¡°I will say this once. She is still not worthy enough to talk to me.¡± He was so confident in his strength. But Then he analyzed the power andughed. What Long Tao had shown until now was just the tip.

    His Qi reservoir was immense due to the Origin avatar art, which allowed him to draw Qi from all the 9 avatars. He had his own bloodline power. He had his immense soul power and the attack method that he trained in (The one he got when he stepped into the Qi child realm from the omnipotent soul art).

    He hadn¡¯t utilized his weapons yet. And was still not utilizing the power of acupoints. He began to understand what gave Long Tao such confidence. After all his power was easily able to rival the mid-Qi master realm and even a high-grade Qi master in a death fight.

    ............................................................

    ¡°Bloodline activation is it. Let¡¯s see how powerful you be.¡± Long Mengchen opened her eyes. They were now shinning with golden and blue light. Her aura was now releasing a frosty and a dominant feeling.

    ¡°Dual bloodlines. The mystery around her grows stranger as time passes. ¡±

    She approached Long Tao and attacked with a simple fist. Long Tao, for the first time in a fight, was sent rolling to the edge. His skin was ruptured and some bones disced.

    He was shocked. His earlier thoughts were now gone. If it was before with his earlier cultivation, he might have died due to the attack. Long Mengchen looked like a war goddess.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40: THE 2ND CONFRONTATION

    The Keeper would always ask Long Tao to concentrate on information regarding martial art, skills, bloodlines. He wasn¡¯t allowed to read about world history or the topography of this world.

    The reason was Long Tao¡¯sck of power and experience. Long Taoplied with his decision. Hence, he concentrated on the important subjects to improve his strength.

    In the duration of his studies, Long Tao often came across the various types of attack styles, strategies, bloodlines. The strange thing was when he read about bloodlines, he came to understand how much benefit one could get by having one.

    Bloodlines were like sleeping power with limiters on them. ording to the theories, everyone has a bloodline. What they differ in was the quality of it. Blood essence could be burned by a martial artist in a time of danger to get a huge spike in power for a short time.

    But as one¡¯s bloodline improves in quality, the spike in power that was provided increased with it. That is why, those with higher bloodline grades had higher talent,prehension as well as an offensive power.

    In a fight, the one with higher bloodline power would often win over the one with the lower one. There were multiple grades of bloodlines, starting from 1- 8, above which was mortal grade, king grade, emperor grade, earth grade, and heaven grade bloodline.

    Long Tao didn¡¯t have ess to this information. In Long Tao¡¯s research, he found out about the various properties of the bloodline. Some gave strength, some special abilities, elemental control powers, physical enhancement, and many more.

    .....

    ................................................................

    When the keeper said that Long Mengchen had a mixture of two bloodlines, Long Tao was shocked at first. But then he looked with appreciation towards Long Mengchen.

    It made his heart ted that she possessed such power, but he had to put an end to what he started. Long Mengchen gave a cold and dominating aura at the same time. Her power levels were spiked to arge extent, which were practically unbelievable. Even the three elders were shocked.

    ¡°Her bloodline actually puts pressure on our bodies. Just how high grade is it?¡±Jiao Sheng unconsciously murmured to himself.

    It was an unprecedented event. Such high-grade bloodline which can put pressure on those of higher realms war rare. Even the one who had bet upon Long Tao to win was looking at Long Mengchen with seriousness.

    It was an unknown variable. Just how could there be such a high-grade bloodline in the kingdom of Jiao. But he still held his patience. The boy didn¡¯t seem to have used that yet.

    ............................................................

    Long Mengchen was looking at Long Tao with a murderous look now. Although she knew that it was Long Tao standing before her, she just couldn¡¯t let go of the hatred she felt.

    Never in her life has she been insulted to this extent. She was the youngdy of gigantic power, hadrge resources to train in and fantastic skill topped with exceptional masters, but she still couldn¡¯t defeat Long Tao.

    She had made it her mission to bring Long Tao back with her to the family, but it was now a matter of her pride as a martial artist.

    ¡°I hope you take me seriously now Long Tao. I won¡¯t hold back anything now and will attack with the intention to win or even kill.¡± She lowered her body, concentrated power upon her calf muscles which resulted in them being strained. It was one of the movement techniques she had trained in.

    Long Tao suddenly had a bad premonition, but at the same moment, Long Mengchen released her power and appeared before Long Tao in an instant. It was a skill simr to the sh step that Long Tao had learned.

    Its unidirectional dashing capabilities were exceptional. Before he could dodge, a series of fist and palm attacks had already fallen upon his body. Long Tao¡¯s sleeve was now torn. Injuries were starting to be grievous.

    It was the first time for Long Tao to feel trepidation. ¡°You should start using your reserve powers brat. This girl is not kidding anymore. Her bloodline had given her significant improvement. There is no need to hold back so much.¡±

    Long Tao continued the sh. The air around them started to churn violently. The attacks that both of the people did upon each other were extremely offensive. The sound of fist shing was loud.

    More injuries were being inflicted on Long Tao¡¯s body. His body was not able to keep up with the burden of attacks. He wanted to know how far he can push it with just that.

    ..........................................................

    Long Mengchen unsheathed her sword again and started swinging it at Long Tao. Her skill was now more sharp and agile. Each strike was now extremely precise and powerful.

    The strikes may have been the same, but the execution was getting more and more perfect. She was able tobine multiple sword arts. The strikes were even more random executed. It was a scene to behold.

    ¡± So this is my limit. I can¡¯t keep up with her now.¡± Long Tao started using the power of his acupoints now. The reserved, body strength was slowly released now. The elder who had betted on Long Tao was now concentrating on him.

    ¡± So the boy is going to use his power now.¡± Long Tao¡¯s body started to expand a little. Even if the expansion was very small, the power output had been enhanced to a high level.

    He started to pick up his pace. Barring his fists against a sword was difficult. He enhanced the physical protection of his hands with elemental Qi, using metal and earthen. At the same time, he started covering his body with a thinyer of Qi too.

    But his Qi reserves were full. Long Tao had the biggest advantage in terms of Qi capacity. In a fight like this, he had to expend Qi in terms of a single person, but his reserves and replenishing speed was that of 10.

    He started using the acupoints to use the full potential of his body and better Qi regtion. The fight continued.

    ................................................................

    The activation of the first acupoint did enhance his physical capabilities, but he still couldn¡¯t keep up with Long Mengchen. So, he kept on opening. After opening 5 acupoints, he was able to fight her at equal standing.

    ¡°Five acupoint sin just Qi Child realm, this boy is surely a talent.¡± The elder who had previously betted on Long Tao winning proimed to himself. He too was a body cultivator, and he familiarized with Long Tao on that basis only.

    Both of them were cultivators of the path of the body. But still, Long Mengchen seemed to have the upper hand due to her weapon. Long Tao began to think about what he should use now.

    Should he open up more acupoints to confront, or use the hell-heaven Qi topensate the Qi power. As he was processing his thoughts a sudden idea sparked in his brains.

    There was still power that he had never used before. His own bloodline ability that he gained after reaching the Qi child realm. He always wanted to test the berserker powers his bloodline granted him.

    ...................................................................

    Long Taonded a blow with some concentrated power and both of them separated. Long Tao drew in a sharp breath, closed his eyes. A simr phenomenon like that of Long Mengchen urred again.

    Long Tao¡¯s body was now greatly erged whenpared to the previous enhancement. His body grew in size and slowly his eyes turned bloodshot. Long Mengchen was shocked to the core after seeing the scene.

    How could this be possible? The Long n didn¡¯t possess a bloodline. Howe Long Tao possessed one. Up in the stands, the group of 4 were shocked too.

    Long Tao possessed a bloodline and could use the bloodline limit too. It was an unprecedented phenomenon as even Jiao Sheng knew that the Long n was not a group that had the possession of bloodline limits.

    ...................................................

    Long Mengchen raised her guard as she knew that the situation is serious now. Long Tao could match her current state equally before he had used up his bloodline limit. He was even stronger than before.

    Long Tao turned his bloodshot eyes towards Long Mengchen and dashed towards her. Before she could even react, Long Tao¡¯s fist has already made contact with her lower abdomen, and with a huge force, Long Mengchen was thrown towards the wall.

    Her body flew out and embedded itself in the wall. He then fell down, spurted out arge amount of blood, andy there immobile. Long Tao managed to gain control of his body but was exhausted.

    It was a really lethal double-edged sword. Although the ability just now gave him lots of power, it actually taped into his beast instincts and overwhelmed his sanity. He was slowly losing control over his own body and was taken away by bloodlust. If he hadn¡¯t control it just now, Long Mengchen would be dead.

    Long Tao walked towards her body, made her face him with his legs, and looked down on her.

    ¡± As I confirmed before, you are unworthy to have a conversation with me. Your measer power is just a piece of shit. Next time you meet me, I hope you can at least make me this serious and entertain me. Otherwise, you will die at our next meeting.¡±

    Long Tao turned around, and went toward the exit, leaving the wounded body of Long Mengchen in the middle of the field. The medics of the royal n soon rush to her aid and she was shifted to the hospital.

    ...............................................................

    Back in the throne room-

    Jiao Sheng weed the two youngsters. He looked at Long Tao with appreciation as well as some apprehensions.

    ¡± You have really mesmerized us all with your performance. You just proved how talented you are, and how powerful you will be is still something that we can¡¯t imagine. Since you want to join the north-eastern frontier, I would like you to meet someone.¡±

    Beside him the elder who had made a bet on Long Tao appeared.

    ¡°You have impressed me brat. Your prowess is quite amazing.¡±

    ¡°A mid-level Qi general. This man is likely a core member of the upper echelon.¡± The keeper said to Long Tao.

    ¡°Since you wanted to join my regiment, I have a wee gift for you. The elder took out the ck demon sword he had put up for bet. It shocked Jiao Sheng. This was Qi general level 3 weapon. He was going to give it to Long Tao.

    ¡± I hope I can rest the hopes for my country on your shoulders.¡±

    Long Tao was informed by the keeper that this was a Qi general realm weapon. The guy was willing to hand a Qi general level weapon to him. Although it was a good fortune, no meal in this world is for free. Long Tao wanted to know the true meaning behind this act.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41: THE CITY OF TAMAR

    Long Tao nced towards the man who just gave him the precious weapon. It was the real deal. It was a genuine grade 3 weapon that is sought after by cultivators. It was not amon urrence.

    There was no free meal in the world and hence, this gift came with a certain price on Long Tao¡¯s behalf. Long Tao wanted to know what that price is before making any rash decision.

    ¡± Many thanks for the elder¡¯s favor, but I couldn¡¯tprehend the reason behind this favor.¡±

    The Man looked at Long Tao with lots of interest now. Generally, when handed over such precious things, people tend to lose theirposure. But not only is the boy calm, but he is trying to scourge the reason behind the act.

    It signified the mental capability of thed. He was a seed worth nurturing.¡± I have seen your prowess, and I am impressed by it. The sword is a reward on behalf of the general, who is not present at the moment.¡±

    ¡°It is a price served to gain your loyalty to the military.¡± Long Tao didn¡¯t take it into the heart. It was clearly not a reason for this familiarity, but since he was being provided such free lunch for hispliance, why would he not agree.

    He bowed and saluted the elder, thanking him for the present. The elder signaled him toe over for a private conversation and both of them proceeded towards a solitary room.

    .....

    ............................................................

    The guy took out a slip from his ring and handed it over to Long Tao.¡± This is your appointment letter. You are to follow the orders mentioned in the slip. It is an ime use only and will tell you about the location of the regiment you are going to join.¡±

    ¡°Report ASAP. Since I have seen your power, I will grant you the rank of vice-captain of a small group and will be working under a captain. The rest details, shall be left for your joining the military.¡±

    ¡°I would be careful if I were you. ¡°The elder said in a low tone.

    ¡°A briefer description of those words will be highly appreciated.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not put a facade boy. Both of us know that the situation of yours was caused by the Bai family. They were the ones who caused your supposed death due to the vengeance between your families.¡±

    ¡°But now you have returned, stronger than ever, winning the second rank in the gathering. One of your friends crippled their descendent. For all they believe, you are also a threat to them.¡±

    ¡°At the same time, your fight with the 3rd prince leading to his defeat. All of this puts you in a targeted position. I would like you to be on your guards. You are the most tangible target due to your allotment in the north-eastern region.¡±

    ¡°So, make your move wisely. You will understand the true meaning of my warning once you sessfully report for duty. I have a lot of expectations from you boy.¡±. The elder didn¡¯t wait for Long Tao¡¯s reply and left the room. Long Tao was left thinking.

    ..................................................................

    In a small courtyard-

    A couple could be seen sitting together. It was Long Shen and Si Zhenyue, Long Tao¡¯s parents.

    ¡°I have failed your expectations. I couldn¡¯t defeat my brother and was not able to bring him back.¡± Long Mengchen said with a lowered head.

    Both of them were perplexed by the news and somewhat sad. But soon both of them walked towards Long Mengchen, held her hands¡± You don¡¯t need to be sorry my child. It was our fault that had led to this situation. We failed to understand the misery our son had gone through all those years.¡±

    ¡°The embarrassment that he had gone through all those years while still having a smile on his face when he confronted us. It takes a toll on you. I failed to understand that.¡± Long Shen was crying.

    ¡± Maybe your brother did that for all of us. He knew that his father was not in a position of taking revenge for him, so he just made it seem like the life of his was ok. He had faith in his parents that even if he was a cripple, we would not stop our love for him.¡±

    ¡°But I alienated him more and more. I was so engrossed in my duties that I left my son alone to bare for his difficulties. He still sustained through the process. But when the assassination happened and he was nearly killed, he had at least expected me to show some emotion and take revenge for him.¡±

    ¡°But I was not able to do anything.¡±

    ...................................................................

    Long Mengchen¡¯s heart bled as she saw her father like this. But she knew he was telling the truth. The hatred her elder brother had was not because he was not avenged, but because nobody even tried to do it.

    ¡°I think I could tell why he said those words back in the assembly.¡±. Si Zhenyue was holding the hands of Long Mengchen now.¡± Promise me you are not going to leave, me too.¡±

    ¡°She will have to leave with us, madame.¡±

    Two silhouettes came into view of the couple. They were the servants of Long Mengchen who guarded her.

    ¡°Did I ask you to show your face here.¡± The aura changed as Long Mengchen looked at them with cold eyes. Both of them bowed and said:

    ¡± We are sorry young mistress but we are ordered to take you back with us.¡±.

    Long Mengchen spoke: ¡°Dogs are not allowed to bark orders at me. Fuck off and tell the council, I am not going.¡± The martial general was feeling nervous. He knew the position of the youngdy within the n. She was not something they could actively provoke.

    But just then an aura of oppressiveness blurted out of the other guy:

    ¡± This dog has been ordered to take you back, whether you like it or not. Also, my leash is not yet in your hands.¡±

    ...............................................................

    Long Mengchen looked at him and said¡± I may not have it now, but I will in the future, and at that time I will not only behead you but torture the whole lineage of yours to absolute death.¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter whose favor you have in the n, if anyone shows their support to you, they will be killed and wiped out too.¡± The martial general was sweating profusely now.

    ¡°Orders are meant to be followed. Pleasee with us.¡±

    Long Shen suddenly rose and held Long Mengchen¡¯s hand:

    ¡± No need to me those who are not responsible for the situation, my child. You should go.¡±

    Long Mengchen looked at them, sighed, and said:¡± Can I ask you for something?¡±.

    Long Shen looked at her. This was the first time their daughter demanded something from them in all these years.

    ¡± As long as it is within my capacity, I will grant it.¡±. Long Mengchen held both their hands and pleaded ¡± Come with me. At least don¡¯t leave this child of yours alone.¡±

    ........................................................................

    Long Tao was currently in the Crimson world realm nning his next move: the clones which were about to proceed towards respective forces and start their training.

    The objective was simple. Resource gathering, and enhancing the power. That is why Long Tao made 7 avatars of his join the forces. Because he needed to build the base for his force and in the long run, he nned to take over all these forces.

    He already knew that this country was a backward region and he will not be staying here much longer. Soon 7 figures appeared in the room after which they set out in different directions. The n of domination was on now.

    ................................................

    In the city of Tamar resided the first check post of the North-eastern region.

    The guard was lying in position monitoring the overall situation around. Within the counter a man was standing verifying his identification:

    ¡± Long Tao it says here. Are you the new recruit who won the gathering in the royal capital and asked for the position in the north-eastern army.¡± The guard asked.

    Long Tao nodded his head.

    ¡± You are to stay within the quarters for now and will be ryed the further message about your reporting.¡±

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42: REPORTING AT PILL HALL

    The Pill Hall was a solitary force that stood as the biggest shareholder in the pill market. Pills, elixirs, liquors, were all necessary resources for cultivation.

    It was a solitary force whose members dedicated themselves to alchemy while there was another group that concentrated on martial cultivation. The one thing both the groups had inmon was their exceptional control over either fire or wood elements.

    The fire Elementalists were the offensive force while the wood Elementalists were healers. The members who had incredible control on both were the ones practicing alchemy.

    The benefits one would get on joining the pill hall was massive, even if you are not an alchemist. The resources pill hall provides are top of the line too. Also, there was amon belief within the folks that alchemy was a side path.

    Hence there was a constant sh between the offensive and the alchemy group. But still, the upper management hade together to make such a giant force. The regtions were quite capable in that aspect.

    ............................................................

    At the grounds of the entry to the hall a set of guards, also called outer disciples were standing. Suddenly a hooded man appeared in their view. The guard signaled him to stop.

    .....

    ¡°Identify yourself¡±, A slip was passed to the guard.

    After browsing the content, the guard¡¯s face took upon a drastic change.

    ¡°So, it is brother Lu Ming. It is great to see you. The elder has already instructed upon the process of receiving you. If you would kindly follow me, I would lead you to the induction hall.¡±

    The hooded figure bowed ¡°Thank you brother for showing kindness.¡±

    The Guard had a satisfactory and proud smile on his face. The pill hall was like a huge organization spread across arge stretch ofnd. Soon enough they passed through a series of passages and finally reached in front of a door which spelled¡± Hall of test¡±.

    So, this was the induction program the guard was talking about. They were going to test his capabilities and attributes before admitting him to any particr hall.

    .........................................................

    ¡± I beg the pardon of the elders to have interrupted the discussion of the elders. This was the order of the 3rd elder to test Lu Ming Here as soon as he reports to the academy.¡±

    The elders looked at Lu Ming with curiosity. Someone who was valued by the third elder. They need to conduct the exam fast.

    One of the elders came forward and said¡± You must be the one from the Jiao royal gathering. Since you chose toe to Pill hall, we wee you.¡±

    ¡°But before you are admitted to any division you are to first undergo a series of tests which will test your attributes, talent, fire and wood control, knowledge about alchemy, andstly soul power.¡±

    ¡°Only then will the report be made to the higher authorities and a suitable section would be referred to you for joining.¡±

    Lu Ming (Long Tao¡¯s avatarplied with a nod). But just then another servant arrived with a set of disciples.

    ¡± Sir these are the disciples chosen from the Chu country. The one in the front is Chu Rudao.¡±

    Two outstanding geniuses having rmendations of inner elders appear at the same time.

    ...........................................

    The sects seem to be the hub of training for multiple countries. The local belief of the royal n is more powerful than the sects was false. The sects had too deep a foundation.

    Each of the sects is supposedly more powerful than the royal ns of the countries. Otherwise, why would the n members be sent to sects to train? Chu Rudao( the third prince of Chu country) looked at Lu Ming with a provoking nce.

    Lu Ming and the other group of people proceeded towards the testing hall. The first test was the elementalpatibility. Lu Ming knew that hispatibility with all types of elements was exceptional.

    He would equalpatibility with all elements and that would garner him a huge response from the elders. But there were 6 of them present across the other institutes. He didn¡¯t want to show simr characteristics for all of them.

    ¡°Do you have a method of cloaking the test results?¡± he asked the Keeper.

    The keeper replied in a deep tone¡± This will be thest favor I will do before you reach Qi master realm. You can¡¯t depend on me for all your needs.¡±

    .......................................................

    Lu Ming understood that the keeper was not to interfere in the martial path of the sessor. He was to increase his cultivation speed, otherwise, this guy will continue pouting.

    Within no more than 2 years he had already jumped from being a mortal with crippled meridians to a Qi child peak realm practitioner. If it were to be known anywhere in the world, they would be shocked, but apparently the keeper was still dissatisfied with his achievements.

    Long Tao just couldn¡¯t estimate how big the talent of the previous master was. He needed to increase his cultivation to shut this guy¡¯s mouth. But he knew that he didn¡¯t have time.

    He was willing to stay in this zone for not more than 3 -4 years at first, but when the crimson lord world got a big upgrade and the time ratio changed from 1:2 to 1:4, his time period of staying decreased to 2 years at max.

    ording to real-time cultivation, Long Tao estimated that with his speed he would require 8 years at maximum before he could step into the Qi general realm if all things were certain.

    ¡°You are to mask the elemental capability of elements except for fire and wood by at least 2 points down. Am I clear? And you are to do it in the other academies too.¡±

    ............................................

    ¡± Kindly line up and proceed one by one to the b. It will test yourpatibility with the respective elements and signify if you have a special body.¡±.

    The disciples of the Chu country proceeded one by one. All of them had goodpatibility with either fire or wood. Some even hadpatibility of 9 points in a particr element. But none of them had both.

    Long Tao understood the grading from 1-9 points. Above it was special bodies that had incrediblepatibility with singr elements while having special properties too.

    ¡°Would you like to go first, or shall I?¡± Chu Rudao asked Long Tao.

    Arrogance was one of the characteristics Long Tao hated in people who were inferior to him. If Long Mengchen or someone with her talent would have said this he would have taken it lightly, but this guy.

    A cruel intention urred in the mind of Long Tao.

    ¡°I Lu Ming am not willing to sully the pre-show of brother Chu. You may have the first attempt.¡± He smiled and said.

    Chu Rudao arrogantly snorted and proceeded towards the pir. As soon as he put his hands, the 11th mark was hit in the fire region and the 10th mark was hit in the wood element region.

    The group of elders was shocked. They immediately reported to the Higher-ups. This was a special elemental body. Soon enough various powerful auras started appearing in the test halls.

    The news of someone having a grade 2 elemental body in fire and, Grade one elemental body in the wood was a huge subject. This was a precious talent. Many elders started piling up.

    ......................................................

    ¡°Boy, can you put your hand on this b and release your aura.¡± Chu Rudao did as he was asked.

    The old man who examined the b dered ¡°This a Fire Dao body of level 2 a harmonic wood body of level 1.¡± It was a great mixture. This boy is highly suitable for alchemy.

    ¡°I am the 4th elder of the inner academy, are willing to take me as your master boy.¡± Chu Rudao was taken aback. The 4th inner elder himself came to take him as a disciple. It was a huge opportunity.

    But soon the 2nd and 3rd elder arrived and gave him the offer to be their student too. Finally, Chu Rudao chose the second elder as his master. He bowed and greeted him.

    ¡± Congrattions senior brother to have taken another incredible disciple. Our Pill hall is quite blessed this time to have a person with dual elemental bodies.¡±

    Lu Ming was forgotten in the process and no one was even putting him in their eyes now that Chu Rudao showed his talent.

    The elder was all about to exit when suddenly another elder appeared. The faces of all changed upon seeing him. It was the first elder.¡± The test didn¡¯t seem to have ended yet.¡±.

    The elder in charge remembered that there was another guy from the Jiao country. All of them turned to Lu Ming.

    .........................................

    ¡°Have the first elder arrived here to see the test of this boy. I don¡¯t think he will perform better than Chu Rudao.¡±

    The third elder recognized this guy to be the one he had invited to the academy. He too wanted to see his talent and elementpatibility.

    ¡°We won¡¯t know until we see it to the end will we.¡± Lu Ming proceeded towards the b and as soon as he put his hands on the b, the scenario that urred shocked the whole group present.

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43: TALENT

    13 points on both fire and wood and the rest of the elements were at 10 points each. Even the first elder¡¯s eyes were bulging.

    The elders were shocked to even reply. What kind of talent was this? A grade 4 elemental body of both fire and wood and elemental bodies of the rest 3 elements at level 1.

    This was talent rarely seen in 100 years. Such a talent was actually present in Jiao Country. But before anyone could say anything, 3 more auras showed up. As soon as they arrived all the elders except the first bowed and greeted.

    ¡°We greet the 3 vice-principals.¡± But the 3 of them ignored. The b was soon passed to Long Tao. Soon enough his body was found. Berserk fire body and harmonic wood body of 4th grade.

    ¡± Boy, we are the 3 vice-principals, Vice- hall masters of the academy. Would you like to take us as your master.¡± The offer was direct with no additional offerings. But it went unsaid what the profit of taking any one of them as the master was.

    ¡± I too would like to take you as a disciple.¡± The first elder¡¯s offer was even iner. The first elder actually wanted topete with the vice-headmasters. But those inner elders knew the reason quite clearly.

    They also knew that the prowess and methodology of the first elder were unknown. Only the vice-headmasters and the headmaster knew the actual prowess of the third elder. But upon hearing his words the vice-headmasters didn¡¯t oppose the idea. Lu Ming was left in a dilemma of whom to choose.

    .....

    ................................................

    ¡°You should go with the old guy.¡± The Keeper pointed out. Long Tao was surprised. The positions of the two parties were quite clear, why would the keeper want him to go with the first elder.

    The Keeper showed an amused smile: ¡± You don¡¯t believe my judgment now that you have gained a puny amount of strength.¡±

    Long Tao looked ashamed of his actions. It was true. The Keeper¡¯s foresight and power were far above him. He was acting too arrogantly before. He asked for forgiveness.

    ¡°The 3 younglings are just high-level Qi general, that old man is a mid-tier martial king.¡± Long Tao was shocked. A mid-tier martial king. What sort of cultivation was that? It was tiered above the one who was guarding Long Mengchen.

    ¡°That is not even the real reason why I asked you to take him as a master.¡± The Keeper said. At the moment the administrator of the pill pavilion of crimson lord manor appeared. This shocked Long Tao. It was the first time he had seen this guy stepping out of pill pavilion.

    ¡°The guy is in possession of an Earth me. He long since awakened his true me.¡± It shocked Long Tao.

    He remembered the ss he had undergone in the pill pavilion. He knew the lowest mes were fire, then beast me, after which came earthen me and the top was heaven¡¯s me. The 1st elder had an earthen me as his primary me. This was truly resourceful.

    Long Tao was now convinced of the idea.

    .......................................................................

    Lu Ming bowed to the 1st elder¡± Disciple Lu Ming bows to Master.¡±

    The spectators were shocked. ¡°Are you sure about that boy?¡± One of the vice-principals asked aggressively.

    ¡°Replying to senior, I choose benevolence before position and power. The 1st elder came and supported me before I even had shown my talent, while everyone had long forgotten me.¡±

    ¡°Unlike the group which shows favoritism only when they see the benefit, I would like to choose someone who beliefs in potential.¡± The vice-master was shocked, but soon turned around and left.

    The 1st elder was quite impressed. He asked Long Tao to follow him. The one who had apatible spiritual body were no longer required to undergo other tests.

    The same was for Chu Rudao. He too followed the second elder. It was a huge blow to his pride. Lu Ming knowingly let him step forward first and show his pride, after which he trampled it under his foot.

    It was a direct p on Chu Rudao¡¯s face. He clenched his fists, gave a hostile look to Lu Ming, and left. The test hall was soon empty.

    ..................................................

    At the residence of the first elder-

    ¡± Why did you choose to be my disciple boy?¡± The question had aplete set of hidden meanings. Long Tao thought the various appealing answers he could have given that would impress the elder. But in the end, his gut told him to go with the truth.

    ¡± I find a martial King more capable then Qi generals, don¡¯t you agree?¡±. The 1st elder had a change in his eyes but he remained silent indicating Long Tao to continue.

    ¡°Well let¡¯s just put it in this way, I find you a suitable candidate to be my master. Your prowess spoke the loudest, in addition to the favor you have shown to me in the test hall, it was a good choice to choose you.¡±

    The 1st elder had a nk expression for some time before he burst out in loudughter.

    ¡± You are quite a character boy. You must already have a master to haveid such a good foundation for you and he even gave you a great treasure that let you gouge my cultivation level. He must be quite capable.¡±The elder¡¯s impression of Lu Ming improved quite a lot after seeing his honesty.

    ¡°Since you epted me as your master, I would try my best to assist you in your path. Which path do you want to follow? Choose one among the three paths best cultivated in the pill hall. I will guide you ordingly.¡±

    ¡± Why can¡¯t I cultivate in all three paths?¡±

    ¡°The cultivation in each of the path is quite long. Each would not only take a huge amount of resources but also a lot of time.¡±

    ¡± Master doesn¡¯t need to worry about my speed of cultivation, as per my path in alchemy, I am already a bit aplished in it.¡±

    ¡°You being a beginner level, or even an intermediate level pill alchemist of 1st level wouldn¡¯t change the scenario.¡± But just then Long Tao released his soul power. The 1st elder was shocked by the scene.

    How can this be? beginner stage of 2nd level pill alchemist and soul master level soul. The 1st elder¡¯s face changed into that of pure delight. It was a heaven bestowed gift.

    The achievements at such a young age made him perfect for alchemy. He couldn¡¯t let him walk three parallel paths.

    ¡°I hope master is sure about myprehension abilities. Hence, I would require you to give me permission to practicing all three paths.¡±

    ...................................................

    The 1st elder was put in a dilemma. This brat was really headstrong about practicing all three paths. The only way remaining now would be to show him practically how his talent would be wasted if he practiced all three paths.

    ¡± If you go in the path of alchemy, I am sure you reach the pinnacle of the second-level alchemist by the end of 2 years. I cannot allow you to practice in all three paths.¡±

    Long Tao was really in a tight spot now. He knew that the elder wanted the best for him. But how could he stray away from the path he had chosen for himself.

    ¡°Master, what if I manage to reach the advanced level of 2nd tier alchemist by the end of the first year while simultaneously practicing the other two paths, Will you allow me to continue my path?¡±

    He knew he couldn¡¯t force a particr path on his disciple, it was toe to him naturally. But he was astonished by the confidence shown by this disciple of his. He could only leave it on fate now.

    ¡°Fine.¡±. The 1st elder gave him a ring.

    ¡± These cultivation resources would help you break through the Qi master realm. Breakthrough first then we will talk about the next proceedings.¡±

    ¡°You are to stay in my quarters for the current period of time. You can pick a courtyard and start cultivating. Only after you break-through the Qi master realm, will we have a further talk in this aspect.¡±

    ¡°I hope you can break as soon as possible.¡± Long Tao was soon assigned a courtyard and he started his cultivation of Crimson world scripture with the help of the resources presented to him.

    ..............................................................

    It was Long Tao¡¯s aim too to breakthrough fast. He had also managed to open another meridian in this period. He wanted to start practicing the weapon tempering form as soon as he enters the Qi master realm.

    The slowest cultivation speed was in the soul. He had justpleted the 5th cycle. He needed toplete it too before breaking through the Qi master realm.

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44: ENTERING THE THUNDER GOD HALL

    Outside the country of Jiao there lies a high-risend/ mountain range which stands alone and majestic whenpared to its surrounding. The most distinctive property of this region was the thunderstorm which was always present above the skies of this particr mountain range.

    It was as if a natural lightning oddity region was created and was enriched with the aura of thunder and other elemental Qis. This was the perfect region for the establishment of the Thundergod hall.

    It was said that the founder of the Thunder God hall was a student of some world-renowned power and while he was traveling, he came across this particr ce which was rich in thunder Qi. Being a Thunder element cultivator himself, he trained here for a long period of time and established his own independent power here.

    That power was now one of the hegemons of this area called the ¡®Thundergod hall¡¯. The hall had stood here for centuries and developed the whole mountain range into a sacred ground for cultivation.

    The founder is said to have left after gaining huge benefits in his cultivation and while leaving he left his will in the hall which would allow the geniuses of the Thundergod hall and those who have done a lot of service to it, to go to the original academy/ sacrednd and train there.

    It was the reason that the thunder god academy had such a huge amount of application each year.

    .............................................

    .....

    A man was standing within the waiting lobby of the entry post. He had been informed that he was to wait until the conveying of the message to the elders isplete. This man, Li Meng (Long Tao¡¯s avatar, who was selected by the representative elder from the thunder god hall at the royal gathering) was here to report and get admitted into the sect.

    Soon enough the guard was instructed to take him to the nearby induction hall where his test will be happening. The elder present there instructed him to start from his elemental testing after which he will be going through the test of will and a talent test.

    It will decide his position of depute. Li Meng did what was asked to done and soon enough the same scenario as that of Pill hall urred. His Thunder and metal attributes were both at the 13th level. The elder present spat out cold air and rushed out to inform the elders.

    It was a huge event. A grade 13 elementalpatibility was likely from a grade 4 body and that too was of the thunder variation. This was a huge fortune for the thunder god hall. Soon enough the test of the will and talent came out too and they were both heaven-defying.

    A huge group of elders rushed and offered to take Long Tao as a disciple and in the end, he was admitted as a disciple of one of the vice-masters, the leader of the punishment hall. Among the people present, this person had the highest cultivation of the peak Qi General realm. Hence Long Tao¡¯s choice was quite obvious.

    ..................................

    ¡°Disciple greets master.¡± Long Tao bowed before the vice-master. His name was Bu Puti. He was quite impressed by Long Tao¡¯s demeanor and was quite ted to have recruited such a talented disciple.

    ¡°Your talent is much higher than mine and is not going to be limited to this region. You are to give your best. Tell me your current cultivation and don¡¯t hide anything.¡±

    ¡°Reporting to master. I am a resident of Jiao country and was chosen by the sect representative present during the royal gathering. My current cultivation is the 9th stage Qi child which I attained recently.¡±

    ¡°My age is 16 years as of now. The body type as described by the elder at the hall was Thunder cmity body of level 4 and Golden dawn body of level 4. I am proficient in both offensive and defensive arts.¡±

    ¡°My primary weapon of choice is a hammer and a sword since they suit my elemental attributes. My primary elements are Thunder and metal. I have also realized the beginning of Sword intent.¡±.

    Upon thepletion of the description, Bu Puti was left astounded. Compatibility with dual elements that two a set out of which are good in both offensive and defense. Also, the primary weapons were sword and hammer.

    This was the characteristic that appealed most to Bu Puti. He himself was a pioneer and a dedicated cultivator of Hammer. Hence his disciple being proficient in them was actually a blessing for him.

    ......................................................

    Within the realm, the Keeper was eyeing Long Tao with curious nces.

    ¡± I don¡¯t remember you ever cultivating the path of hammer. Why did you say that you are proficient in hammer use and also a cultivator?¡±

    Long Tao smirked¡± When you want someone to invest heavily in you, you are to impress them as well as possible. From what I had gathered before entering, the Vice-principal of the punishment hall was an adept user of the hammer. Hence, I need to make him believe that I too was a fellow hammer user. Only then would he give it his all to improve my power.¡±

    ¡°Another reason behind my wish to learn hammer from him was to analyze my proficiency with it. I don¡¯t have a primary weapon of choice and it would help me broaden my perspective. If I decide to have a primary weapon in the future, I would be able to decide properly.¡±

    The Keeper didn¡¯t say anything. He already knew that Long Tao had a great advantage due to the origin-avatars of his. All the previous masters of the crimson world realm were having no more than three avatars and hence the pathway they choose was limited too.

    But Long Tao had a total of 10 avatars. Adding another set of weapons is still perfectly within the limits. Also, the hammer was really well suited for a body cultivator like Long Tao. He had been instructed by the throne spirit to not get involved in the path that Long Tao was to choose.

    ¡°I won¡¯t dare manipte the path you walk on. It can only be forged by you.¡±

    .....................................................

    ¡°So, you are a dual weapon cultivator. Sword is a greatplimenting weapon to your metal element and since I am your master, I will help you train in the hammer arts.¡±

    ¡°I see that you have not yet broken through to the Qi master realm. You are to first go to the thunder pool and cultivate there while cleansing your own body for a whole month before trying the breakthrough to the Qi master realm.¡±

    ¡°Since you have realized the beginning of the sword will, your metal attribute should already be at a higher grade. You need to use the cultivation time in the thunder pool to forge and cleanse your body.¡±

    ¡°It will also help improve the thunder element in your body. Here is the token of mine. After you sessfully break-through the Qi master realm, I will guide you into what to do next. Remember, the path you will walk in can only be decided upon by yourself.¡±

    Bu Puti passed him a token, with the sign of a hammer on it.

    .....................................

    Li Meng proceeded towards the pool area and there was a huge line in front of the entrance. Ignoring the crowd, Long Tao soon reached the guards but was stopped and rebutted by them.

    Before he could say anything, the guard forcefully attacked him to discipline him for his misconduct. This was a guy with a cultivation realm of peak initial stages of Qi master. He had nothing to fear.

    ¡± Senior, is it the teaching of the academy to attack your fellow disciple before listening to what they have to say?¡±

    ¡°Shut up trash. You are to get in the line and wait for your turn if you want to ess the thunder pool. A Qi child realm practitioner daring to break the rules and trying to rebuke me of my actions.¡±

    Li Meng was pissed now. He already knew that strengthmanded everything in the world, and his ultimate goal was to gain control of the academy by pure strength, but he didn¡¯t expect to have to exert it so soon. He got up and patted the dust off, proceeding towards the guard, and before the other party could react, threw a punch with full force.

    ¡°What are you-¡±

    before the guard was to say something, his face was again crushed under Long Tao¡¯s feet. He continued his series of attacks. Soon enough the backup arrived as two more presented themselves, but Long Tao didn¡¯t bother to exin his actions, he bashed them too.

    Soon enough a total of 3 people of the Qi master realm were lying on the ground beaten by a Qi child realm practitioner. The crowd sucked cold breaths. What kind of insane strength was this? But soon enough the group of managing elders came.

    ..................................................

    When they saw the three people lying there injured, they were quite angry.¡± Who did this?¡±The crowd looked at Li Meng.

    ¡°Are you the one who dared to break the rule of the academy? Do you know your mistake?¡±

    But suddenly the elder beside the guy who spoke had a change of expression. He suddenly remembered a face he had seen just earlier today in the test hall, the guy who was epted as a disciple of the punishment elder. His legs started shaking.

    It was a huge mistake. Li Meng looked at the elder who spoke with disgust. He then threw the token he was given by his master. The elder picked the token and as he saw it, his expression also changed.

    It was the token of the punishment elder. Long didn¡¯t bother to stick around and proceeded towards the spring.

    ¡°Who was he?¡±

    ¡°He is the newly epted personal disciple of the punishment elder. Li Meng¡±. the elder sighed a breath of relief. It was good that he was not impulsive and act on his guts, otherwise, he would have paid a huge price.

    ................................................

    Long Tao reached the location of the thunder pool soon. He was surprised to see the view in front of him. The pool was literally oozing out thunder. It was as if somebody had fluidified lightning.

    ¡°This is impressive. There is actually a thunder gathering array upon which the pool is built. The water itself is made up of various natural oddities and the thunder Qi is infused by the array.¡±

    ¡°It is highly beneficial for you. It is good for me to absorb it too. It can heal some of the damage. Also, this water can be collected into the crimson lord realm. As it is a replenishing array, and of such arge scale, we could collect quite an amount.¡±

    ¡°It might have a good effect on the body cultivation too. You might want to think about what you want to cultivate in for this month.¡±

    Li Meng soon came up with a n. Since he was collecting the pool inside the crimson lord world, he could concentrate on the cleansing part anytime, but he didn¡¯t know how much energy would be required in the opening of the meridians and the acupoints.

    He didn¡¯t want to miss the opportunity. He soon jumped into the pool, as the artifact separated itself from Long Tao¡¯s body and started absorbing the aura. Long Tao began the cultivation of his body.

    He soon took out the manual of the weapon tempering art and the personal note of the ck dragon. Soon enough he was on his way to open the 7th acupoint. This month was crucial. He wanted to have the same result as the Royal forbiddennd.

    It was a rare opportunity and he had to make the most out of it. His body started circting the Thunder Qi along with the other, as they continued to temper his meridians, acupoints, and finding their way to new ones. He had to open a greater number of acupoints before he steps to the Qi master realm as the cultivation of the Weapon tempering art will begin then.

    The artifact soon started absorbing more and more thunder Qi, although the change this time was not visible, the elemental Qi of the crimson lord world was getting denser and denser. Also, soon enough a pool started emerging in a region of thend.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45: THE FIRMAMENT PALACE

    Currently standing amidst the test hall was Qin Weng (Long Tao¡¯s avatar). It was the test for the first incubation of the sect. From his long years spent inside the Crimson Lord realm, within the forging and weapons pavilion, the one thing Long Tao understood was that there was no particr essential element required for forging except the element of metal.

    The other elementalpatibility just helps in dictating which attribute weapon are you more profound in forging and hence, he had decided that the attributes he will be proficient in would be Metal and water.

    Long Tao needed to get to the best avable facility and masters because he needed to upgrade his level in this area fast. It was one of the areas he was not well proficient in. Long Tao¡¯s test proceeded in the same way as the previous academy and this time he got chosen as the disciple of the grand elder of the academy.

    It was a piece of good fortune for him. Long Tao had made the choice based on the prowess of the person who was willing to take him under his/her wing. He didn¡¯t care for whether they were good or evil, as long as they were prepared to deliver their best support, he would pay them back in the future.

    Long Tao had a clear view of what his pathway is going to be. His ideas didn¡¯t allow him to hurt the innocent but he didn¡¯t care a little bit about the enemy. Those who oppose him could only die.

    .......................

    The grand elder was a well-known figure in the forging world. It was said that both the sect master and Grand elder were fellow sect mates of transcendent prowess and came here together to set up the sect

    .....

    Both of them traveled around the world and were not present in the sect most of the time. Also, the disciples of either of them were also geniuses from varied fractions of cultivation. Qin Weng was currently proceeding towards the dwelling of the grand elder.

    Soon enough he reached the mansion and entered it. Within the mansion, there was a set of simple courtyards and a figure was standing in the middle.

    ...................

    ¡°Another variant figure to have appeared in this backward ce.¡± the Keeper said. Long Tao had guessed the meaning behind these words. The only other time he had shown such a reaction was when he saw the 1st elder of the pill hall.

    ¡°The man is also a Qi king of middle grade. Howe this backwater has figures like them in here. Also, this one is even more special than the previous guy¡±.

    ¡°How so.¡±

    ¡°If I am not wrong this guy is only in his early thirties at the moment. To be able to reach mid-level Qi King at such a young age ismendable.¡±

    Long Tao looked at the camouge his master was currently showcasing. It appeared as if he was trying to hide his true appearance from the rest of the world.

    ..........................

    The grand elder was known as Qin Wentian which made the surname of both the parties to be the same.

    ¡°Have you tried metal forging before?¡±Qin Wentian asked in a cordial way.

    ¡°No sir¡±

    Although Long Tao had tried it out before, he decided to keep on the low side. He didn¡¯t want to surprise the guy and be forced by him like he was done by the 1st elder. The man sighed and took out a book

    ¡°It is the 100 strikes refinement method. The most basic requirement of being a metal forger is your ability to have synchronization with the metal attribute, your strength, your technique, and at the end, your imagination.¡±

    ¡°To be a metal forger, you first need to have good proficiency with metals and have knowledge about them. The special body type of yours is already good enough to have a response with the metal attribute, what you need at first is to know the knowledge required to go with the forging.¡±

    ¡°The next part is the strength. Metal forging requires a huge amount of patience as well as strength. The basic requirements are going to be 1000 catties which only a beginner Qi master is capable of having, but you seem to have better bodily strength and a cultivator in the path of the body.

    ¡°You should have already opened some of the primary meridians right boy.¡±

    Qin Weng was now acquainted with the fact that there were cultivators of the path of a body in this region too since he met the vicemander of the north-eastern military region.

    ¡°I have opened the whole set of primary meridians master. I am now concentrating on opening the secondary meridians too.¡±

    For the first time in their conversation did the expression of Qin Wentian changed. He expected the boy to have opened 3-4, but this one haspleted the whole set and was still in the Qi child realm.

    ........................

    It was an embodiment of good talent. He smiled and took out a ring and forwarded it to Qin Weng

    ¡°This ring contains the necessary resources that would sustain you for your cultivation in the body path for some time. This is the only gift master will give you for now and the resources required in the future have to be acquired by yourself.¡±

    Long Tao understood meaning. After all, this was the same reason why he decided to hunt for his own resources not utilizing those in the crimson world realm. If he concentrated on just cultivation and didn¡¯t understand the struggle of the real world, it would affect his state of mind and heart.

    Also, he didn¡¯t want to be some silk-pants guy with a silver spoon in his mouth. He wanted to earn his belongings by his own capability. It was the reason Long Tao had joined the sect in the first ce.

    .....................

    ¡°The book I have given you is the first-tier refinement technique you will practice. The first step towards forging is to refine the metal well. This will help you do that. ¡°.

    Qin Wentian also took out a slip¡± You are to go to the weaponry and pick a suitable set of hammers for yourself. The choosing of a hammer should be done based on your raw body strength. If you apply Qi to lift it, the hammers will get only heavier. Based on my knowledge of your raw strength, you would be able to get a good pair.¡±

    Long Tao epted the slip. ¡°You will apany the disciples to the sses. The resources you require to start forging will have to be earned by yourself. I am not going to interfere or show any favors to you. I will be roaming around the world and will not be present in the sect all the time but you need to continue learning and tempering yourself.¡±

    ¡°The rules will be known to you as you get acquainted with the rest of the neers. You are to be assigned a beginner¡¯s courtyard. You have my slip and will be able to contact me through it. You will practice the 100 strikes refinement first till you master it and only then are you allowed to contact me.¡±

    ¡°With the slip of mine, you can go into the various libraries without any restrictions but I would suggest you have some caution in your action. Weapon forging is still considered to be a side job, your strength is still the primary goal. From here on you are to divide and concentrate your time between forging and cultivation.¡±

    ¡°The quota of resources for cultivation and forging are given out every month and any more requirement will have to be fulfilled by yourself throughpleting the task on the task boards and gaining merit points.¡±

    ¡°The level of your forging capabilities and cultivation decides the number of resources you are allotted. You are to go with the servant and first settle in the quarters provided for you. After that, you can decide when to go to the various ces you are to visit.¡± Qin Weng nodded and left with the servant.

    .................................................

    Looking at the departing figure of Qin Wen, Qin Wentian was still smiling.

    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t betray my expectations brat. You are the only person I have put my faith in for a long time.¡±

    His past was something he had buried long since. He didn¡¯t find a beacon of hope he could put his faith upon in these years until now. When he saw the body talent of the boy, it was already exceptional that he had such a goodbination of elements. Metal and fire were the two basic requirements in metal forging.

    He decided to take him under his wing and train him properly for that event. But he was still not that optimistic since he knew what kind of talent usually participate in thatpetition. But when he verified a little more carefully, he discovered that his new disciple was a body cultivator.

    He expected him to have opened some primary meridians, but when he heard that his disciple had already managed to excavate all of it, he was truly ted. His hope rose to new boundaries now.

    Initially, all he decided to do was to give his disciple a set of techniques, but this event changed his thoughts. He gave a set of resources to give Qin Weng a thrust. This would enable him to open at least 5-8 secondary meridians too and if he was sessful in opening those, he will continue to provide the guy with cultivation resources of the body path.

    If Qin Weng was able to open all the secondary meridians by the time of that contest, he didn¡¯t dare to imagine what stage he might obtain. But not in his wildest thoughts had he ever thought that maybe Qin Weng was holding back.

    If he knew that Long Tao had already opened 12 secondary meridians and 9 acupoints, he would have been shocked to death. Only 16 years of age and already stepping into the Qi master realm with such achievements in Body cultivation made Long Tao an ideal candidate to be trained for thepetition.

    But Qin Wentian didn¡¯t want to spoil his disciple. That was the reason he held back his generosity and provided only the bare minimum essential to Qin Weng.

    Just then his messaging insignia shined and a voice presented itself

    ¡± Brother Wentian, are you present in the academy?¡±.

    ¡°What matter does brother Bu needs to talk about. You seem to be quite ted.¡± The call was from none other than Bu Puti, the punishment elder of the Thunder-academy. One master of Long Tao was contacting another at the moment.

    .................................................

    ¡°I have a great reason to be happy. After all, I just undertook an incredible seedling as my disciple. The boy has a grade 4 elemental body of metal and thunder. Also, he is a dual Sword and hammer cultivator. Do you understand my tion brother Qin?¡±

    Qin Wentian was also shocked. A dual body of Thunder and metal, this was on a simr stage as the disciple he undertook. Also, the guy was a dual sword and Hammer cultivator. Hammer was the primary weapon of Bu Puti. He understood the tion originating from someone on the same path. He too had experienced it when he saw Qin Weng due to his Body cultivation.

    ¡°Would you mind forging a set of Hammer and sword for my disciple? This would be my gift to him for sessfully entering the Qi master realm.¡±

    Qin Wentian asked with a curious tone ¡°When does brother Puti require the weapon delivery.¡±

    ¡°He has gone to the thunder pool for tempering his body. I would like it to be delivered by the end of the month.¡±

    Qin Wentianplied with Bu Puti on the matter and set on to the forging hall.

    ¡°I should prepare some gifts for my disciple too. When he reaches the second-grade refiner, I will present him with some useful gifts.¡±

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46: CHOOSING A TOOL

    Qin Weng was asked to apany the servant of the mansion. Soon enough he came to the outer disciple area. Qin Weng didn¡¯t expect that he would be shifted to the outer disciple area after being epted by the grand elder of the sect.

    The servant handed him a slip that had his name on top of it.

    ¡°This is the identification token that you have to carry around the sect to avail the various facilities. It will also act as the merit storage system, and if you became an elder in the future, this will work as a slip of yours.¡±

    ¡°It has recorded ser of the rules and guidelines listed in it. Make sure to read them before doing anything else. It concludes my work for the time being.¡±

    ¡°As per the weapon choosing and the library, you can go there yourself and show the slip to gain the facilities that are allotted to you by the grand elder. ¡°The servant left.

    Long Tao entered his dwelling and saw that it was no different than a normal cottage, except it had a forging station installed in it. This amazed Qin Weng. To think that the sect would be so generous.

    ¡°They have provided you with a forging station, but if you look correctly there is no me in it. A forging station without a refining me is just a piece of garbage. It looks like you have to earn your merit points and get a me for yourself.¡± The Keeper remarked.

    .....

    Qin Wengid down his luggage and sat down to go through the list of rules provided to him by the sect. As expected, the genuine rules apart, a person needs to get merit points if they want to buy a me, materials, equipment, or even get a weapon forged. The prices varied and the disciples need to obtain the merit points by doing various tasks appointed by the sect. the task included forging, helping out the various elders in their activities, outer sect mission, various chores and even bounties, and special tasks. Even if the firmament pce was known for its forging arts, cultivation was still the primary goal of all the practitioners. The same went for forgers too. If you want to be able to forge something of a higher grade, you need to upgrade your cultivation likewise. After going through all the rules and regtions, Long Tao finally settled down in the room. He verified his contents and then saw the resources of body cultivation that his master has given him. The simultaneous cultivation at the thunder pool was helping Long Tao open more and more meridians. He had already managed to open the 17th secondary meridian. Given the miraculous effect of the thunder pool, Long Tao was certain that he would be able to open all 36 of the secondary meridians in this months¡¯ time.

    As per the pill hall, Lu Ming was currently busy cultivating in the Body realm too. Long Tao knew he couldn¡¯t just start absorbing hell and heaven Qi just anywhere. Hence only the figures that were within the Crimson Lord world were going to cultivate in the Hellspawn art and the 12 forges of death art. Currently, the things that were obstructing the path of Long Tao were the Hellspawn sutra which was in its 11th rotation now ( He was undergoing the 12 forges before he starts the revolution art.) and the Heavenly pestle art which was at the 6th grind. He needed to concentrate more on the Heavenly pestle art and hence what Long Tao decided was that as soon as he gets out of the thunder pool, he is going to concentrate most of his avatars in the heavenly pestle art.

    Back in the Firmament pce, Long Tao had to decide whether he should first do a roundabout of the whole academy or he should first go to the weapon hall and collect the set of hammers. After weighing both the ideas, Long Tao decided to go to the weapons hall first, after which he would go for a roam around the sect.

    ¡°Weapon hall¡±, arge board was hanging outside the building. It was quite majestic from the outside, and why not, after all this was the storage area of the best products from all over the sect. Long Tao was allowed to go and choose a set of hammers ording to the limits of his physical body. There was a long queue of people looming inside the hall waiting for their turn to sell their craft, buy material s, weapons, and other things of the necessity for forging. Long Tao directly proceeded towards the counter. He didn¡¯t want to waste time and he wasn¡¯t scared of the guards here. He had the slip of the grand elder, which itself was a statement. Long Tao didn¡¯t even look at the guards and the queue when he approached the counter and directly showed his slip. At first, the people present there wanted to stop him, but when they saw the slip, all of them drew in a cold breath. A personal slip from the Grand Elder. The person in front of them must the newly epted disciple of the grand elder. The man at the counter asked Long Tao to follow him into the treasury. Crossing various passages, the finally reached an exquisite hall.

    There were racks of weapons lined up in here. Although Long Tao was prepared, he was still shocked to see the number of weapons that were present in this ce. The hall lived up to its name as the treasury of the Firmament pce. The racks were differentiated into different sections each having a signboard on top of it. ¡°Since you havee here for choosing a hammer, lets directly go that section.¡± Both the servant and Long Tao reached the section where it was written hammer. Long Tao saw arge range of hammers being present there. The hammers were divided into section s, each having its own special properties.¡± You are to choose a hammer ording to your strength.¡±. Long Tao noticed that the servant didn¡¯t point out the fact that the hammer¡¯s weight is affected given someone utilizes their Qi to lift it. It was probably for the disciple to understand for themselves.

    Long Tao started verifying the hammers one by one. Soon enough he picked up the first hammer and found it to be very light. This was not the one suited for his use. He went to the next one. This one was easy too. The servant was standing to the side, ring at Long Tao. Suddenly his message token started vibrating and he picked it up ¡°What can I help you with?¡±. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so cold to me Junior brother¡± surprisingly, it was the grand elder on the other side. This servant was a junior brother of the Grand elder and he was disguised as a servant in the weapon hall. ¡°I guess I need to congratte senior brother on taking a new disciple. Sorry for not being interested in showing any favoritism to him and not giving him any first time meet gift. Also, I don¡¯t think you needed to send your only disciple of the present to my hall, because you can give him a pair of hammers yourself. Or, is the weapon refining prodigy now no longer interested in refining hammers because that is too beneath him?¡±. On the other side, the Qin Wentian sighed. ¡°He needs to earn his own weapon. I don¡¯t want to spoil him by providing him with a superior set of weapons or tools. I sent him to the hall because I knew that even after knowing that he was my disciple you won¡¯t show any favor and just have him undergo the test. That is what that brat requires.¡±. ¡°As the elder responsible for the hall, I will allow him to get what he deserves and won¡¯t stop even if he was able to take away my greatest creation, given he is eligible to take it away.¡±. The servant than closed the Messaging token. Qin Wentian sighed. At least the junior brother of his not going to make it difficult.

    As Long Tao was busy selecting weapon the keeper¡¯s voice sounded out in his head ¡°This sect seems to be even more secretive and special than the pill hall. In a single day, I have met two QI Kings who are of such a young age. And the talent of this QI King is even higher than your master.¡±. Long Tao looked around just to see the servant looking casually towards him. He then tried to find anyone else in the room¡± Is that senior looking towards me from some other space, or have covered his location with some skill.¡±. ¡°Idiot, I am talking about the so-called servant who apanied you here.¡± Long Tao was taken back. A Qi King was acting as a servant in the Weapon hall. This was a ridiculous piece of news. The guy saw the change in Long Tao¡¯s expression but decided to ignore it. ¡°This guy is just in histe 20s, and he is a peak initial Qi King. He can break through the next stage within a year at most. He will then step into the intermediate Qi King.¡±. Another voice sound in Long Tao¡¯s mind ¡°Looks like Young Master has a really good piece of luck. I was not going to interfere with your activity, but I have seen two good seedlings in the weapon forging area and couldn¡¯t stop myself.¡± It was the keeper of the weapon hall of the Crimson lord manor.¡± What do you mean by good seedling?¡±. ¡°Just like cultivators have natural bodies which characterize their talent in the cultivation area, Weapon master also has, what you call as, an aptitude that decides their talent in this area. Both of the people you met before have saint grade aptitude for weapon forging. They can easily advance given the facility. If master takes them under his wing and allows them to enter into the weapon hall of ours, I can teach them to be incredible refiners.¡±. ¡°I will do ept them when I reach the QI King realm in the future given, they are ok with it. But for now, let¡¯s concentrate on picking a weapon for myself.¡±. The weapon hall master ¡°But why does young master need to choose from the weapons present here, you can choose from the ones in the weapon hall of the crimson lord world. The previous masters have left huge amounts of resources for you to cultivate in. You don¡¯t need to waster your time in a sect.¡± Long Tao sighed again. The temptation was good, but he knew he couldn¡¯t ept it.¡± I thank you for the advice but for now, only the avatar present in the weapon hall will practice with one of the hammers from the hall. Also, I need to build a force remember. I want to build it with my own efforts.¡±

    Long Tao had gone through a lot of hammers but couldn¡¯t find one suitable for his strength. He even went ahead and tried the best ones present. Although they were quite heavy, but not good enough for Long Tao.¡± Does the elder have any more sets of hammers for me to choose from? I couldn¡¯t find one which is suitable for my strength.¡± The guy was shocked. he then verified the body of Long Tao applying some special methods and that¡¯s when his eyes went out to open with realization¡± Bastard, so you deliberately sent him to extort from me.¡± He muttered to himself silently. He then looked at Long Tao ¡°Follow me.¡±. The tone was no longer polite as before. It was quite imposing as if he was talking to someone who was below him in position. Long Tao didn¡¯t mind as he knew the true cultivation of the guy. Soon enough they came across another small room. Entering it, Long Tao found something incredible. There was a whole bunch of weapons present here. The Quality was far superior then what he had seen before. This was supposedly the private collection of the elder. ¡°How many meridians have you opened brat?¡± The elder asked in a rigid manner. Also, before long to could answer his question¡± Don¡¯t even bother to lie. I am not like your master who can¡¯t gouge your real body cultivation realm. Tell me truthfully about your age and the body cultivation realm. Long Tao was silent for some time, deciding whether to give away the details or not when he heard the voice of the keeper ¡°You should tell him the truth. From the looks of it, he is also a body cultivator and an aplished one at that. Also, he is using some sort of ocr technique to gouge the situation and condition of your current body. You won¡¯t be able to hide it after some time.¡±. ¡°Can¡¯t you veil it.¡±. ¡°I could have, but the one standing in Infront of you is a Qi King. He could sense my existence, especially if I tried to mask the stage of your body.¡±.

    ¡°I have opened all the primary meridian, and am on the way to open my 18th secondary meridian.¡±. The servant was nked out for a second. Then he started to maniacallyugh and then cried and got frustrated.¡± Why does that bastard have such a good fortune? Why was I not present in the hall where your talent was being gouged? Damn this fate bitch.¡± He looked at Long Tao and asked¡± Will you ditch that useless crap and ept me as your master. I will make sure to nurture you properly and flood you with a great number of resources. Your life is not going to be good enough with that cheap stake. Also, my talent is much higher than your master¡¯s. So, my capability goes without saying.¡± Long Tao was silent for a period of time. He then lowered his head and said¡± I am sorry elder, but I will not abandon my master. He who bes a master also bes a parent for the disciple. I can¡¯t ditch my parents just because someone gave me more facilities and resources than them.???. The man sighed, but soon a look of appreciation appeared which as soon changed into that of a strict attitude. ¡°Although I will not leave my master tutge, I can ept elder as a master of mine too.¡±. Long Tao said with a smug expression.¡± You just demeaned every bit of appreciation I had for you. You have inherited that bastard¡¯s greedy characteristics as well.¡±. He took out a huge box and handed it to Long Tao. You can have it if you are able to hold it brat. He threw it at Long Tao. Long Tao picked it up, but he was being crushed by the weight. He started applying the power of all the primary meridians and soon enough the secondary meridian. He was finally able to hold it out barely utilizing all of his strength. ¡°Good. You can hold it out. That boy is my greatest creation until now. That not only is the most fearsome set I have created; it also contains the depth of my understanding of forging. This is like a set of inheritance for you. Breakthrough Qi master and then start practicing with this hammer.¡± The scene suddenly changed and Long Tao was standing outside the weapon hall with a ring on his finger. As he installed his Qi into it, he found the box. Long tao turned around and bowed with respect towards the weapon hall. The passer-by started making fun of his actions. ¡°Good child. Let¡¯s see how far you can go, boy.¡± The elder was watching from inside the hall.

    Qin Wentian was also watching the actions of Long Tao from his residence and was surprised by the action Long Tao did. But then he smiled ¡°Seems like the brat was able to impress him.¡±. he picked up his messaging token¡± Junior brother, please tell me that you didn¡¯t steal my disciple for yourself.¡± The servant in the hall ha da pissed expression his face.¡± Fuck you bastard. I tried, but that boy insisted on you being like a parent to him and told me he wouldn¡¯t leave you I face of more resources. What kind of dark spell have you cast on the child that he didn¡¯t even want to try? Fuck you. ¡°Then he sealed his token. Qin Wentian was having a satisfied expression. He had managed to choose a good disciple.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47: STAR EMPEROR ACADEMY

    The Jiao country was surrounded by multiple nations having their own imperial ns and royal lineages. The Royal n of any country was poprly believed to be the most powerful group in the nation.

    But what people don¡¯t know clearly about are the powers that are set amongst these bunch of countries, the sects. These sects were holy cultivation grounds, where cultivators from all the surrounding nationse to gain knowledge and cultivate the martial way.

    The group of countries are said to form a prefecture and each prefecture has these hegemonic existences called the sects. The Jiao country was situated in the Ling Prefecture.

    The Ling prefecture had 6 top powers namely the six sects. But there was a difference in actual prowess even within these sects. The hegemon and assumed ruler of the prefecture was the Star Emperor Academy.

    It was the strongest force and was famous not only in Ling but the nearby prefectures as well. Its heritage was said to be the most ancient among the sects present, and the true power was quite tyrannical.

    Unlike the other academies, Star Emperor Academy was not famous for any particr trade. It had the pinnacle workces and facilities of all the practices in the Martial world. Its pill cultivation and weapon smiting were said to be equivalent, if not greater than the pill hall and firmament pce.

    It was the real dream zone of the cultivators.

    .....

    ......................................

    Currently, Sheng Wanglong (Long Tao¡¯s alias) was approaching to report for joining. It was thest sect he was reporting to. Long Tao had a proper exnation prepared for the dy.

    He first trained for a whole month within the forbidden zone of the Jiao n, by which he didn¡¯t actually join any institute because of not having to give an exnation for the fast growth.

    He decided to join and see the general sect scenario in all the institutes before joining in the Hegemon power. He was estimating the amount of potential he was going to show in the incubation test.

    He had seen the reaction of the various elders to his potential and also seen the hidden monsters of the various academy. The Star Emperor sect being the most ancient one is sure to have officials who are in Qi King Realm.

    Otherwise, it is was quite difficult to hold your position as an overlord of the region.

    The incubation test of the Star Emperor academy was way different from the other ones. The test was to be sealed unless the participant has notpleted all of it. The path of admission was not going to be short this time. Long Tao proceeded towards the b of elemental testing.

    He asked the keeper to showcase 3 elements this time. Water, Fire and Thunder. These are the three elements that Long Tao decided upon for showcasing. Fire and water were two mutually opposite sets of elements. That made the body with both the affinities quite rare.

    Also, such a body was fit to cultivate the Yin-Yangws. The opposing forces were after all the most basic form of Yin-Yang. Thunder on the other hand was an element that promoted speed, and power. This was a goodbination of elements.

    The next test was the talent test of the martial artist. There were rows of martial Steele containing the Dao understanding of the ancestors and previous cultivators of the Star Emperor academy.

    The greater number of Steele one was able toprehend, the more his talent in a martial way. Long Started theprehension. The first Steele was that of a peak Qi child realm practitioner. The essence was soon gasped by Long Tao.

    A faint intent was emitting form the Steele. Upon feeling it multiple time, Long Tao was finally able to understand what it was. Although he had gasped the teaching, the intent emitted was of a Qi child realm practitioner who had managed to gasp Saber intent to small aplishment even before entering the Qi master realm.

    Long Tao was shocked by this. There was actually someone present who was able to gasp intent, that to the peak of smallpletion before entering the Qi master realm. Although Long Tao had been able to gasp 5 types of intent, namely, sword, spear, sabre, halberd, and force, he had not managed to take anyone for them till the small aplishment level.

    It was a great opportunity for him. If the first Steele was already containing an intent in it, the Steele that was going to follow up had to have contained intents that were of peak advance 1st level or even perfection.

    Long Tao was ted by this. He instantly called upon half of the avatars within the crimson lord world toprehend the intents at the same time. Now the avatars were divided intoprehending intents and the rest cultivating the body and Qi.

    Long Tao now started to temper his intent with the help of the intent from the stele. His intent was tempered again and again. And soon enough a set of moves began to show up in his mind.

    The first step that came into being was a simple horizontal sh. Long Tao started practicing that in the room. Slowly he gasped the move and finally was able to reach a perfect execution. Soon enough the next move showed up.

    It was a vertical sh. The same procedure followed until he reached the perfect execution. The moves that were next soon came up one after the other. A diagonalsh, quick stab, back sh.

    Long Tao (and the avatars) took some time to master all these steps into perfect execution. After thepletion of thest sh, a step originated. Itbined the intricacy of back sh and diagonal, but the footwork was that of straight sh.

    Finally, there was rotation footwork and the execution came atst. This was the most difficult move. Long Tao took a while toprehend it and was able to execute it finally.

    A single execution took almost the whole Qi of Long Tao. Thankfully he had suchrge Qi reserves. He then started to extract Qi from the avatars while replenishing it with the help of pills, medicines and the Crimson world Qi.

    The practice continued. Only after the 20th execution waspleted was Long Tao able to master the step toplete perfection. As Long Tao ended his practice, unknowingly his sabre intent had already reached the smallpletion level. A technique appeared in Long Tao¡¯s mind ¡°Star saber¡±.

    Long Tao then moved up to the next stele. This time it was spear intent rather than saber. Long Tao repeated the same training methodology, and after another long period of time, he was able to advance his Spear intent to a smallpletion peak.

    ¡°Star Spear. ¡±

    The process continued until Long Tao was able to have

    ¡°Star sword.¡±

    ¡°Star halberd¡±

    ¡± Star hammer¡±

    ¡°Star force.¡±

    Thest one was the one that amazed Long Tao the most. he never expected there to be an art that could enhance his attack power. he understood that force intent multiplied the power output, but if the art wasbined with it, an additional set of force was added to the attack.

    Long tao knew that there was more to the arts which he obtained. All of them were incredibly powerful but felt iplete. The stele must contain a part of the whole art.

    There were intents of other weapons in the proceeding steles, but Long Tao choose to ignore them as he was not adept in these fields.

    Finally, Long Tao reached the 10th stele. By now he hadprehended and advanced all 6 of his intents to peak small aplishment level of the 1st stage.

    The elder in charge was initially not showing any interest to Long Tao, but when he saw him being able to not only sense the intents but alsoprehend, cultivate and perfect each of the intents to the small aplishment levels, and learn the techniques, he was shocked.

    What shocked him, even more, was that Long Tao actually did the same with 5 more steles. It meant that the brat had managed to not only learn 6 intents before stepping into Qi master, but he also upgraded all of them to peak small aplishment level.

    Even if the test was supposed to not end until all the stages arepleted, he decided to inform all the elders. Soon enough arge group of elders arrived. They started monitoring the test of Long Tao.

    ¡°5 intents into the peak small aplishment level. This is probably the most monstrous talent to ever have stepped into the sect.¡± One of the elders said,

    ¡± Let¡¯s not forget about the top 5 of the younger generation. Each one of them hadprehended multiple intents to small aplishment before they stepped into the Qi master realm. Some evenprehended intermediate intents.¡±

    The elder who had said the words before took this as a negative remark to his statement and said¡± Do you want to bet on how far this child can go?¡±.

    The other elder threw a look ¡°Why not?¡±.

    ¡°Then I bet that he will be able toprehend all his intents to the peak of intermediate aplishment level.¡±. All the eldersughed together.

    ¡°Are you insane? He has already proved his worth but we should not over-estimate his capabilities.¡±. The elders giggled and bickered within themselves.

    Long Tao was standing in front of the 11th stele now. As heprehended the understanding and felt the intent, his blood started boiling and his skin was scratched slowly. This was intermediate level intent of sword. The tempering continued.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48: STAR EMPEROR ACADEMY -

    The intermediate level sword intent of the first level was much more ferocious than one could think of. To understand it, a general martial artist has to be at least a QI master realm expert.

    But Long Tao was trying to temper his abilities with the help of it now.

    ¡°Boy, you need to be careful. An intent is a special kind of power realisation into a particr portion of martial art. When you try to advance your intent, the safest way is to train it, again and again, using techniques and learn more skills, meditate etc.¡±

    ¡°But the fastest way is what you are trying now. To temper your intent with the help of intent that is already more advanced than yours. Although it is a faster way, ites with a lot of risks the greatest of which is the user¡¯s physical body and soul being harmed.¡±

    You are to be careful. I would rmend you to have all your clones¡¯ practice alongside you in this area. It would be much easier to understand it then.¡± Long Tao understood the concern, but how could he miss two god-given opportunities like this.

    The stele was good for his martialprehension and improvement of understanding, but the thunder pool was extremely helpful in his body cultivation. If given a choice, Long Tao would choose body cultivation above the tempering of intents, because it was the difficult one of the two.

    ............................

    .....

    In the thunder god academy-

    Long Tao had already managed to open his 19th meridian. It had been half the time he was allotted by the elder.

    The Crimson lord Artifact was madly absorbing the power of the pool. As the keeper had said, this won¡¯t be able to give much of a qualitative enhancement to the Crimson lord world, like increasing the time ratio, but it could densify the Qi in the crimson lord world.

    The continuous absorption had resulted in the formation of a thunder element pool inside the Crimson lord world. Long Tao verified it. Although the quality of the liquid was not like the one in the thunder-god academy, that was made up of natural oddities, but rather, was liquified lightning concentrated to a huge extent.

    Long Tao was surprised by the phenomena, but the keeper said that this was just a minor benefit in front of the real treasures of the Crimson lord world. He asked Long Tao to concentrate on his cultivation.

    When his cultivation grows to a certain extent, new areas will start to open up in the Crimson lord world. It was a treasure that was linked to the body of the user. The more powerful the user is, the more will be the utilities of the Crimson lord world.

    Long Tao saw the pool being created and estimated that, after another 15 days, the power that was concentrated here would be able to help him break through around 3 more meridians. So, he concentrated on the breaking through of the 20th secondary meridian.

    15 more days to go.

    .................................

    Standing in front of the stele-

    Long Tao took a long time to calm his berserk Qi down and slowly approach the stele. He meditated and tried to get closer. After an unknown period of time, Long Tao was finally able to have a seat near the stele.

    He began to use his own intent topete with the stele. His intent was been broken again and again. But he would re-forge it and startpeting again. ZIt was a tiring and painful process.

    The intent was abination of both Qi and soul power. With each break and re-forge, huge amounts of Qi and soul power was being consumed. Thankfully Long Tao had the avatars, hence Qi wasn¡¯t a problem.

    The real problem was the soul power. After around 3 times of breaking, his soul power was wholly consumed, and Long Tao had to halt and recover his soul power. The Soul Nourishing Form was automatically working and Long Tao began to chant it too, facilitating the speed of replenishment.

    The recovery was slow, and it was even longer for Long Tao who had such a powerful soul. Finally, after he managed to recover all his soul power, Long Tao saw that the capacity of his soul world has changed and had be much higher than before.

    The same went for his Qi. Ifpared to when he started, the Qi capacity of his individual body had increased. This was the benefit of consuming and replenishing while tempering with the help of stele.

    Long Tao started the same set of actions again, but the limit this time had increased to the 4th try before being consumed. Long Tao was ted. He had initially thought of not showcasing too much talent in front of others, but this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for improving his limits.

    There was no way he was letting go. He continued the process, until finally after an a picture began to form within his memories. It was the image of a sword sh.

    This sword shbined not only the principles of thest one he had experienced but even added the element of speed and agility to it. Long Tao started practising it, and slowly was finally able to grasp the art.

    After multiple executions, finally, the realm of perfection was achieved. A name appeared within his mind.

    ¡°Sword hack. ¡°was the name of the sh, and it was the only move of the stele. There was no name for the skill. But when Long Tao tried emitting his intent, he found that he had sessfully managed to enter the intermediate level.

    He moved on to the next stele, and afterprehending the learning, a sword move directly appeared in his mind. Long Tao was surprised that this was also a sword move and the intent was at an intermediate level.

    ¡°Sword stab¡±, ¡°Sword thrust¡±, ¡°Sword guard¡±.

    Finally, afterprehending 4 steles, Long Tao had a new skill named in his brain ¡°Basic Sword¡±. He managed to learn all theponents of the skill.

    Suddenly Long Tao had a premonition and a weird idea. He practised the multiple sword art consecutively, one after the other. After a period of practicing, Long Tao stopped and slowed his movements, bringing more fluidity into them. The fluidity continued to be more and more visible and speed was increasing little by little too.

    Finally, Long Tao was able to merge the fluidity and speed into a perfect level and suddenly his intent was released unconsciously.

    ¡°Peak of intermediate sword intent of the first level.¡± The elders present were gasping for breath. They had expected him to be able to rise his intent to the intermediate level, but this boy was able to rise to the peak level.

    Something unexpected has happened. Wouldn¡¯t it mean that this boy would be able to rise all his intents to this level with the help of the stele. The elder in charge of the examination found that his message token was shining and as he picked it up, he heard the voice of one of the vice-leaders.

    ¡°The people who havee to test for the entrance have been lining up into a long queue now, why haven¡¯t the test hall opened yet.¡±

    ¡± Master, the boy who is currently taking the test is stillprehending.¡±

    ¡°That bastard is taking so long. He is disqualified from the examination.¡±

    ¡°You misunderstood master.¡±

    ¡°Has he passed the test?¡±

    ¡°Yes, master.¡±

    ¡°Then kick him out and give him a token¡±

    ¡°Reporting to master, the boy is having some unprecedented level of result.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    The elder reported the event to the vice-leaders and when he heard about the exploits of Long Tao to be able to get his intent from beginner to peak of intermediate level. The vice-leader was shocked on hearing such exploits.

    He rushed out. How could he leave such a good seedling? He appeared before the examination hall and was now looking at Long Tao. Soon enough the other vice-leaders appeared too.

    Long Tao had managed to alreadyprehend the sabre intent to the peak of intermediate level and was now trying out the spear intent.

    The process continued. ¡°Basic sabrew¡±, ¡°Basic Spear¡±,¡± Basic hammer¡±, ¡°Basic Force¡± and ¡°Basic halberd¡±. Soon enough he was able to learn all the six techniques. All his six intents were now at the peak of the intermediate stage of the 1st level.

    ¡°Incredible, this is the greatest talent to have appeared in our institute. To have managed to not onlyprehend six intents but raise them to the peak of the intermediate stage of the 1st level, while still being at Qi child realm, this brat is a gem.¡± One of the vice- leaders said.

    ¡°I would like to take him as my inheritance disciple. Hope all of you will not interfere in this regard.¡±, a vice-leader in red spoke. The elders were silent but another vice-leader said with a mocking voice.

    ¡± I don¡¯t need to give you face. This brat will be my disciple,¡±. The vice-leaders started arguing within themselves.

    Suddenly a loud gasp of shock left the mouth of one of the elders, and everybody stared at him. He was petrified, and when all of the others looked at what he was looking at, they were shocked to a standstill as well. Long Tao was moving towards the advanced steles.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49: ADVANCED INTENT OF THE 1ST LEVEL

    Long Tao was actually proceeding towards the advanced stele. There was no record even in the star emperor academy for people who were able to even confront Advanced stage of 1st level intent in the Qi child realm, much less understand it. This was a something so heaven defying that it can shake even martial kings to the core. To be able to learn advance level intent of the 1st stage while in Qi child realm would mean that the cultivator would just be a step away from the 2nd level intent. Even Qi General were lucky if they were able to gain insights into the 2nd level, and this one would be just a step away from it even before entering Qi master. This would be something never seen before in these regions. The elders chose silence, and were now whole-heartedly viewing the test of Long Tao.

    At the moment Long Tao was sitting in front of a huge stone stele. Looking around he could only see simr types of steles, present beside this one. These steles marked the end of the room. This must be thest stage of testing of talent for this test. These steles should be the ones having Advanced 1st level intent in them. Long Tao was not even 20 feet away, when his body was swept by a tyrannical force. It was as if the surrounding and changed into swords and were stabbing at him. ¡°So, this is the advance 1st level intent of the sword.¡±. Long Tao kept proceeding towards the b in front. How could he give up now? He had to take this opportunity and pred. He started making a Qi barrier around him and kept on proceeding. The sword intent started to barge on these Qi barriers. This increased the consumption of the Qi of Long Tao¡¯s body, but it resulted in the expansion of his Qi capacity. Long Tao now had to have two of his avatars concentrated on healing and recovering Qi and soul power, rather thanprehending intent. As he approached the te, he was more and more gullible to the consumption. Finally, he was able to gain a foothold near the te and startedprehending the intent. The intent was quite aggressive in damaging the Qi barrier, but Long to started to regte his breathe and Qi functioning, while adjusting to the physical conditions near the te. Soon enough the intent became more powerful, and now the barrier couldn¡¯t be maintained in many parts. The invisible swords, started tearing Long Tao¡¯s skin, and blood flow out of them began. The blood was slowly flowing out, but Long Tao didn¡¯t bother to heal up at the moment. The most important job now was to get acquainted with the atmosphere and temper his Qi regtion and discharge to maintain a barrier in this force-field. Long Tao took a lot of damage, before the barrier started to slowly recover.

    Theplete recovery of the barrier was nearly done when another figure appeared in the observation dais. ¡°We bow to the Dean.¡± All the elders and vice-leaders bowed to the figure. ¡°No reason for you people to do this. We have been acquainted for such a long time.¡±. He then turned to face Long Tao¡¯s figure and asked ¡°How is the test of this child proceeding?¡±. Th elder in charge gave the details of the trial until now to the Dean. ¡°Would sir be thinking of taking the boy as his disciple?¡±. The Dean turned around facing the Vice-head who just spoke, and said with a reclusive smile on his face ¡°Are you desiring to have him as your disciple?¡±. The vice-head lowered his head in embarrassment and said ¡°I don¡¯t dare to, if master is willing to. This boy is the greatest talent I have seen, and I am saying it just from his previous achievements. If he bes sessful in what he is trying at the moment, then I would insist that you take him as your disciple. This is someone, I would be proud to call as junior brother.¡±. The three vice-heads were all the students of the dean. The other two agreed with his opinion and shook their heads. ¡°In my eyes all of you are of the same talent as him until now. Also, he is not the greatest talent I have seen until now. There are two juniors of yours that I have undertaken as disciple. One has a Yin-Yang physique, and the other has already managed toprehend the peak-advance intent of 1st level in sword and saber. In these terms he is just barely passable. ¡°. He then again looked at Long Tao and said¡± The most important base of martial artist is his will and heart. This test just showcases his talent, but the next test will showcase his willpower. That is most important out of all.¡±

    Long Tao by now was able to already maintain the barrier. But he knew that maintaining the barrier would just help him temper his Qi efficiency, it wouldn¡¯t help in theprehension of intents. He had to let go of the barrier and feel it with his body. Long Tao had already managed to open his 20th secondary meridian by now. Just by using the power of the newly regted primary meridians, he would be able to take the intent, due to his tyrant body, but he wanted to temper his body without the meridian power. This was a good way to do that. Long Tao slowly stared creating small gaps in the barrier and started tempering his most powerful body regions first. Seeing the activity, the Dean eyes sparkled with a shine. This boy was really a genius. He found a way to temper his body first and then startprehending the intents. The body which was confronting the intent first hand was busy in tempering the body, while the ones who were apanying in the cultivation were busyprehending the intent. Slowly Long Tao was expanding the gaps and exposing more of his body to the intents.

    ¡°How can this be?¡±, the dean muttered under his breath. ¡°has master stuck upon something?¡±. One of the vice-leaders asked respectfully. ¡°This boy¡¯sprehension is surely the top among the ones I have seen until now. Maybe it is the best of someone who is still in the Qi child realm.¡± The vice-leaders asked ¡°What makes you say that now master?¡±. The dean smirked and with a strict face said¡± That is why I told you all to raise your cultivation fast and break through the Qi king realm.¡± The vice-leaders lowered their heads. ¡°Initially I thought the way the boy was going was to temper his body to a particr extent first before starting toprehend the intent, but I was wrong. Try to feel his intent.¡± The three did as they were asked and were astonished ¡°He is capable of increasing his intent power too simultaneously.¡±. They now understood what their master was trying to say. This was monstrous. How was he capable of such a feat. This would require one¡¯sprehension abilities to be at an insane level.

    Long Tao finally managed to expose his whole body to the intent. His body was now powerful enough to bear the force of the sword intent. He started concentrating on theprehension now. The avatars that were busy in the replenishing job were also beginning toprehend side by side as the Qi was no longer required. Soon enough Long Tao began to attack the intent with his own and was shattered time by time. The same process as the previous time repeated. Long Tao was drained after just one try. This showed the difference between the intermediate and the advance levels. He started to again assign a set of avatars on the replenishing job, while he was continuing his activity.

    ¡°How can this be.¡± For the first time the dean face had a visible changed in it.¡± Not only is this brat¡¯s power ofprehension so high, he even had such a capable body toplement the job. His body must be of a very high grade too. His Qi replenishing ability is quite exceptional. Let see if he canprehend the intent.¡± The phenomena just now had finally piqued his total interest.

    .....

    Long Tao was finally able to increase his intent to the maximum level of intermediate. Just a step more and he would step into the advance level. He continued the barging again and again. His intent got shattered countless times, he even spilled blood from his mouth, but he didn¡¯t give up. He held. Finally, on the hundredth confrontation, he managed to tackle and negate the power of intent. Suddenly all his intent was absorbed back and after a short break, it was released incessantly. The Dean had a smile ¡°He managed to step into the advance intent level. Exceptional.¡±

    Long Tao remained motionless, only radiating intent from his body. ¡°Advance level intent.¡± A face full of joy was disyed to all the viewers.

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50: THE TEST OF WILL

    Long Tao finally stepped into the Advance level intent. This was a huge breakthrough in his path of martial arts. Long Tao was ted by this achievement, when the sudden appearance of a certain thing brought him back to the reality. The picture was that of a cultivator who stood in the middle of an open area. He swung his word and just kept swinging. Long Tao didn¡¯t understand why the b had such a normal movement recorded in it. But he still looked and concentrated on the movement. Suddenly a weird thought came into Long Tao¡¯s mind. When he looked at the sword movement from the changed perspective, he found out the difference. Each sword movement, although followed the same path and procedure, had different characteristics to them. One was fast, the slow, then medium. One had fluidity while the other was rigid. The swings continued. But after a period of time the swings seems to have changed. The pattern was same. Long Tao didn¡¯t understand the difference at first, but when he saw the whole figure and the body actions he understood. The factor that had changed now was the force behind the swing. This was another great insight for Long Tao. First there was change in speed. Then there was the change in direction and fluidity. Now it was a change in strength. Long Tao understood the essence, and the strength behind the swings began to alter and change in strength. Soon enough the artist was using the maximum output of strength, his body could produce. After a continuation at the maximum output for some time, the body began to change the strength input again. He began to go in the reverse path, decreasing the amount of strength he fitted into each strike, until the only thing remaining was the bare swinging of the sword. The whole cycle was repeated in the head of Long Tao multiple times. Long Tao now started to involuntarily practice in the real world, while still visualizing. At first it was difficult for him to match the speed of the figure in the projection, but as he put in more and more efforts, the swings grew up to flow in coordination of the movements of the figure.

    ¡°This boy is really talented.¡±, the only one speaking now was the Dean. All the others were long mesmerised by the actions of Long Tao and chose to see the activity with absolute silence. The Dean too became to introspect his ability to see through the child. This child had monstrousprehension abilities, was having a very high natural body type and his Qi and Soul power capacity were high too. Also, the genuine thinking of this boy was quite intelligent. If he was able toprehend the true essence of the sword move that he was currently practicing, he would have to showcase the test video in the core hall. This kind of talent was capable enough to be mentioned within the core hall. Only after that will the decision regarding the child¡¯s future can be taken. He hoped that Long Tao would be able to understand the essence.

    Long Tao was finally able to synchronize with the movements, but he found out soon enough that there was something missing in the feeling. He continued the swings. 10 times, 20 times, 30 times,100 times, 200 times, 300 times...1000 times, 1500 times. The cycle continued, but Long Tao was not able to feel the same feeling he got when he watched the figure. He was stuck at the moment. He started analysing the moves andpare them to the figure in the memory. The movements were all simr, then what was making the difference in all of it. He continued the cycle. A day passed, then two. After 7 days, finally Long Tao managed to understand what the missing element was. He halted his movements. ¡°Had he ended hisprehension.¡±, the elders began to specte. But Long Tao was not moving. The impatience in the hall began to rise as more and more wanted to know whether or not Long Tao had finished his cultivation. But soon enough Long Tao started showing activity. The cycle was again continued, but this time there was an additional ingredient in it.

    ¡°So, the brat managed to understand it. Good for him??. The Dean said in an appreciative voice. He turned to the elder in charge¡± You will give me the video of his whole test. I need to show it in that ce.¡± The vice-leaders understood, what the phrase ¡®that ce¡¯ meant. They were not surprised. The talent that Long Tao had shown in the exam was eligible for such a show.

    5 days to end the period-

    Li Meng (Long Tao¡¯s alias) , who was cultivating in the thunder god pool , had 5 more days in here. He had managed to open 22 secondary meridians with the help of the thunder pool, and his body was being continuously baptized by the aura in here. He opened his eyes¡± So the missing element was the integration of the sword intent into the sword.¡±. He then closed his eyes again and concentrated in this training. But suddenly an idea crossed his mind.¡± What if I do it that wat? The thunder pool¡¯s effectiveness has long diminished now, and the only thing it is providing me at the moment isrge amount of Qi to be used. What if I use the Qi with integration of the sword intent to barge into the meridians? Wouldn¡¯t that be more effective.¡± Wouldn¡¯t that be more effective. Long Tao tried it out. The Qi rushed up in a much higher aggre4ssive mode and hit the meridian blockage. The impact caused Long Tao to nearly lose consciousness. He spurted out a lot of blood. This was a dangerous move. As he spected the inner of his body he was shocked by his discovery. His meridian blockage was quite open now, but his meridians suffered damage due to the sword Qi. He needed to heal first and then try again. This was another kind of tempering.

    Star Emperor Academy-

    .....

    Long Tao now started integrating his intent into the sword movements, and started picking up pace slowly. This was the real essence behind the sword movement. The movements began to align again with the pace of the figure. Long Tao continue the cycle of execution. Finally, he managed to reach the perfection stage execution level of the cycle. This time no name originated in the mind of Long Tao, but the images were gone and he was back to reality. He sat down, recovered some of his energy and then proceeded towards the next te. Soon enough he hadprehended the rest of the wills to the advance level. Long Tao now had not only 6 intents, but all of them were in the advance stage of 1st level. All of them could be integrate with weapon or body, released along with the flow of the movement. Long Tao took the highest time period toprehend the hammer intent, because it was the one, he had used least out of all. The event marked the end of this phase of the incubation test. Long Tao knew that his action must have created argemotion within the inner circle of the academy. He didn¡¯t regret his decision as he wouldn¡¯t get such a good opportunity in the near future, so why not make the best use of it.

    Thunder-god academy-

    Li Meng hadpleted his seclusion, managing to open 3 more meridians. The total meridians now stood at 25. He was confident that with the resources given to him by Qin Wentian, and the thunder energy collected in the Crimson Lord world, he would be able to break through in the body cultivation and open up all the meridians. He exited the pool, seeing his master standing just at the exit.¡± How was your cultivation brat?¡±. Long Tao bowed in respect and reported¡± I have managed to temper my body to a very high extent. I feel I am ready to start the gathering of Qi and be on my way to break through the Qi master realm.¡±. Hearing this Bu Puti¡¯s eyes shinned with bright light. He had indeed made the right choice to let the brat cultivate here. He gave a ring to Li Meng. ¡°take these resources and go to your residence. You are start the break-through immediately. Long Tao bowed again and proceeded towards his residence.

    Star emperor-

    ¡°You havepleted this level. Proceed to thest phase.¡± The voice of the elder in charge was heard by Long Tao. Heplied and proceeded to the next hall. This hall was a big one, with numerous seats surrounding a stone monument in the middle. ¡°You are to sit on any of the seats here and as soon as you do the trial will start. This is thest phase of the incubation test. ¡°THE TEST OF WILL¡±.¡±

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51: COMPLETION OF TEST

    ¡°The test of will¡±. This sounded like something interesting. Long Tao was really mesmerised by the whole test hall. Th structure in the middle was like a source or examiner of the test while the people can sit in the respective seats and face the test that was before them. Long Tao chose a seat at the farthest end. He wanted to test the theory of whether or not there was a difference in intensity of the test of will. He had undergone a simr test during the royal gathering and knew that the content will be an illusion that would affect he mind. HE was pre-prepared for the scenario. The test began.

    The Scenario was somewhat simr to the to the royal gathering back then. The only difference being in the fact that this time Long Tao¡¯s figure was vertically bound by a huge wood pole and there were lots of people surrounding him. As long Tao precedented as to what the attack was going to be like, one of the figures took out a whole set of atone and began to throw it at Long Tao. The first stone hit, then came the second. This was a continuous barrage of stones being thrown at Long Tao. But Long Tao was long ready for this and this pain was something he could easily cope up with. He tried his best to remain conscious while the barrage was continuing and huge amounts of blood started flowing out of his body. Long Tao suddenly heard a shout. The people who were throwing stones were now bad-mouthing him. This was a change from his expectations but he could still cope up with it. The scene continued and the pain started increasing more and more. But he was still easily conscious. This was going to be an easy test. But suddenly the scene changed.

    Long Tao was now in his own childhood. The story of his yed back in front of his eyes. He grew up. Showed talent in cultivation, began practicing. He could see his elders appreciating his efforts everyday and his siblings looking up to him. A sense of pride instilled in Long Tao¡¯s heart. But The unfortunate event urred soon enough. The Bai Family¡¯s attack arrived in time, and he was crippled. He could see his whole world changing. The appreciation was now changed into sympathy and the sibling s started to distance themselves from him. The feeling of disgust towards him soon appeared. His whole life was now destroyed so to say. The peerless genius was now a trash whom no one want to have a connection with. Long Tao¡¯s heart swirl up in anger and he even tried to suicide. Just when he was about to give up on his life, he suddenly reached an enlighten stage. He threw away the knife. His whole back was now covered in sweat. This was his heart demon that he had never thought about before. He needed to ovee this. Long Tao closed his eyes and realised his whole life scenario. He was fortunate enough to be attacked on. Otherwise he would never have gotten the treasures and the manuals that he practiced now. He would never have gotten the passion for cultivation if not for the humiliation he had experienced. He wouldn¡¯t have desired to walk on the path of hegemony if not for the experience. He was now really appreciative and thankful for the past he had experienced. The scene in front of him vanished. He had managed to give up on his hatred and find the light in his darkest days.

    The scene now was a lot different from before. This scene was within his own family. His father and mother started hating him for his inability. They started ignoring him for his crippled meridians. The only one who was always with him was Long Mengchen. They used to be together all the time. But soon enough Long Tao began to see that some changes had urred. Long Mengchen no longer had a good heart towards him. She began treating him as a servant and would order him around. She started showing disgust to his face. Long Tao wasrgely taken aback, but he had just defeated a heart demon, would he be affected by something he had voluntarily crushed beneath his feet and threw away. He picked up a knife, Berated all of his family. Killed all of them and during theirst breath, looking at their eyes, he said with a strict voice ¡°Your participation is not required in my life. You pathetic losers are not even worthy enough of me who had gained everything of hard work, not because of the free loading the n would provide. You are unworthy of me.¡±. he then turned around to face Long Mengchen , stabbed her twice more and as blood flowed out he said with a mocking voice¡± With your pitiful talent andprehension, not being able to even hurt me after you broke through Qi master realm, what gave you the pride to even look at me. Scum like you who has the fortune of having arge backing and unlimited resources, could only be crushed under my feet. Last time I thought of actually providing you motivation, but this scene right here reminded me something that I have long since kept hidden inside me. The truth was that I disgust you three more than anything. All I wanted to do was not to think in the way, but it is now established that you are beneath me. The next time we meet, you wont even have a tinge of hope left in the path of cultivation. I will make sure to destroy you.¡± Long Tao slit the throat of his dreams.

    Outside, cracks began appearing on the stone b. ¡°Stop the test immediately. This brat will destroy the will tower otherwise. Stop it.¡± The deanmanded in a hurried voice. The test was stopped instantly. Long Tao opened his eyes to see arge crack appearing on the device in front of him. He stood up and bowed to the device.¡± Even if you are some thing animated, you still made my feelings clear to me.¡± He then turned around and started staring at nk space contemting the whole scenario that just now passed in front of his eyes. So, these were his true feeling towards the so-called family he had.

    ¡°You have sessfully cleared the test. You are now to wait in the residence you will be allocate before we will inform you of the further proceedings. The test result needs some time to be verified.¡± The elder in charge of the test said out in a loud voice. Long Tao proceeded towards the waiting area.

    Thunder-god academy. ¨C

    .....

    Long Tao was now using the resources given by Qin Wentian to break through a greater number of meridians. He had to break through 12 more toplete the whole set. He decided to breakthrough it first. Thest cycle of the Hell-spawn sutra was remaining and there was onest grind of the heavenly pestle art before he could step into the soul master realm. He had to fasten his cultivation speed to match up with the pace. He wanted to break through Qi master with his whole set of secondary meridians opened up. The process started. The 25th meridian was broken through, then came the 26th, 27th...32nd, 33rd. Long Tao had to stop now because the whole set of body resources were now long since consume. 3 more and the set would beplete. The 12 forges of death for thest cycle was long sinceplete and it was now time to have thest cycle of rotation toplete the hell spawn art to the peak level. Long Tao¡¯s major head ache was the 3 remaining meridians now. He had to break through them if he wanted to have the whole set before Qi master. Long tao wanted to be able to start training in the art given by the will before even stepping into the Qi King realm. This was a fool¡¯s dream as of now. But Long Tao believed in himself. He believed hew would be able to do it, if he concentrated on the total development of his body. Long Tao knew that if he wanted to break through the remaining 3 meridians with just the thunder Qi collected was going to be difficult with just the application of sword intent. SO, he decided to merge his sword, saber and spear intent together and apply it along with his blood stream and Qi to barge into the closed meridians. He had to bear with the pain if he wanted to open them up fast. His body was injured, blood flew out of his mouth. Long Tao still decided to persist in his path. Cultivation was a path that defy the way of heaven. If this minor injury and pain were to get in his way of having invulnerable power, then he should stop now. He had decided to be the hegemon and conquer of the whole world. He was required to have to bear with this agony. The cycle continued side by side with the opening up of the meridian. Huge number of pills and recovery potions were consumed by Long Tao. Finally, he managed to knock on the doorstep of th 36th secondary meridian. This was thest one.

    Long Tao knocked, got injured, recovered, knocked again, Cycle after cycle continued. Finally, after an unknown number of trials and injuries he managed to open up thest secondary meridian. The phenomena that urred thest time reappeared this time too. He lost his consciousness. The body of his was shining brightly, as cracking could be heard. The Qi within his meridians, started flowing around. Soon enough a vacuum space was created around him and all the Qi of the surrounding was absorbed into his body. The cracking continued. This was Qualitative restructuring that urred after one opened up a whole set of meridians. Long Tao¡¯s body was now visiblyrger than before and was radiating a great might. If one were to see the scene now, he or she would have been shocked by the phenomena. The re-structuring was of a simr kind, when Long Tao was nearly dead due to the attack. It enhanced all the frontiers of Long Tao to another stage. After around 10 days of continued re-structuring, Long Tao finally opened his eyes. He got up and tried his new strength within the Crimson lord world. The output achieved now was something that even QI master at the advanced stage would be afraid to face. Long Tao was now confident to be bale to defeat a Qi master at the advanced stage due his tyrannical body. He was certain that the time when he steps into the Qi master realm, he would be invincible under Qi general. This was the benefit one would get after opening up all tehri secondary meridians.

    Long Tao sat down and began gathering the QI. It was now time to break-through the Qi master realm.

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52: REPORTING

    Long Tao was currently sitting within the residence after he got assigned here. He was to wait for a day until the next order for him arrived. The rest of the avatars have left to join up in the respective academies. Long Tao chose this ce so that he could gain live experience and train his skills against real enemies. Soon enough the tabloid of his arrived and he put his Qi into it. The rules enlisted were soon disyed to him. This was genuine information about the north-eastern military. The north-eastern military region was said to be the most chaotic region of the whole Jiao borders. That is the reason, the most powerful troops were stationed here. There was a direct confrontation with two countries with equivalent power to that of Jiao in this frontier and this was the perfect training ground for Long Tao. Long Tao chose this region for the varied regions. He knew that he was not going to stay in the Jiao country for more than 2 years from now and his aim by the time he gets out is to reach mid-Qi general realm at least. Only then with Long Tao¡¯s power growth scenario will he be able to fight with Qi Kings. That would be enough to at least get out of the region into the broader world. He would love to pick up the pace even more if he was able to do it. Although he gets to experience in tempering himself by fighting the puppets in the practice arena of the Crimson Lord world he needs to fight real-life opponents. The basic difference one could see instantly between fighting a puppet and a real person of the same realm is that the puppet is pre-programmed to react in a particr way during a fight whereas humans aren¡¯t. The human mind is always a mystery and there is no clear definition for the path he/she would follow up during a fight. That is why their actions were unpredictable. Being able to predict the next step for a human mind¡¯s thinking is a great feat and can only be achieved in a controlled environment. Long Tao thought the north-eastern region s to not only be a good training ground but also a pathway of exposure for his future nning. The tabloid that was handed to Long Tao mentioned the basic situation of the northeastern regions, the conduct rules of soldiers, the map of the region around the Jiao nation, the troop strength of the Jiao country, the forbidden zones near the Jiao country, the various ranks within the army, the reward system, the major missions, and vision. The overall point of the whole thing was to provide the required information to the soldiers so as to avoid any confusion from the beginning. The north-eastern military was the most active war zone of the country the location to gather the maximum rewards points too. Therefore, lots of people joined the north-eastern military.

    The ranks were divided into Foot soldiers (until mid-Qi child realm), vice-leaders (high-grade Qi child realm), Leader ( Qi master preliminary), Sergeant ( QI master intermediate), Lieutenant ( Qi master intermediate with contribution point), Wing Commander ( Qi master high grade ), Squadron leader ( Qi master high grade with contribution point), Vice- Generals ( QI general realm), General ( The strongest QI General in the camp). The division was rted to the strength of the practitioners. Each grade had its own set of benefits. Be it monthly ration quota, reward points, resource allocation, and other situational benefits too. The most important thing in the military was the strength and how useful you prove yourself to the higher-ups. Long Tao, with his current strength, could easily have a rank of Wingmander while still being at the Qi child realm. But he decided to be low key. He would start with the position that rted to his cultivation level. Not only would it not attract any attraction to himself, but he would also be able to have a conflict for some time. Soon enough the call for his presence was sounded and he went out to see a soldier standing there.¡± Are you Long Tao, who decided to join the military after the royal gathering?¡±. Long Tao shook his head in agreement.?? You are toe with me to the reporting station.¡±. Long Tao followed the soldier to the reporting station where another man was sitting on the counter. ¡°State your name and cultivation level.¡± ¡°Long Tao from the royal capital. Cultivation level at Peak Qi child realm.¡±. The man got the information jotted down, and soon enough handed over an identity token to Long Tao.¡± This is the identity token that identifies you as a member of the Jiao military. It will record the number of kills you obtain along with all the details regarding the cultivation of the enemies you slew etc. You can get it verified to obtain the contribution points you would obtain from killing. It is also the media where you would receive the mission details that are allocated to your group. The genuine details about your allocation are already listed in there. You should now pour a drop of your blood and bind the token with a blood contract. No matter what happens, don¡¯t lose it. With it will go away your identity and contribution points, which in these regions could get you killed. The rest of the functions are listed below. The guy with you will be responsible to make you acquainted with the region and leave you at your group¡¯s residence area.¡±. Long Tao did as was instructed to do. The token shinned up with a glow and his name shinned upon it. As he put his consciousness inside, he got to know of the various information that was stored in it. The solider asked Long Tao to apany him. They moved around the campsite first, viewing the location.

    Crimson Lord World-

    Long Tao was currently sitting within the cave. his final rotation has formally beenpleted. It took nearly 8 months toplete thest 5 cycles of the hellspawn sutra withplement to the forge of death. Long Tao was currently concentrating on the learning of formation and upgrading his level to the 2nd level formation master. He wanted to set up the formation before entering the Qi master realm. It was because he knew that the requirement of the hell Qi is going to be very high after Qi master. He was going to continue the 12 forges of death even after entering the Qi master realm. This was because the 12 forges gave a huge physical boost even in the Qi child realm. He was sure it would provide the same benefit in the Qi master realm too. Long Tao decided to continue practicing the 12 forges until the time where it gives the boost. The formation was difficult to understand, but Long Tao still continued the study. He had to arrange the formation anyway. After around a whole month ofprehension, Long Tao finally broke through the 2nd level formation master and understood the gathering formation that was given with the Hellspawn sutra. The formation was a diagram that helps provide a linkage to the hell realm and absorb Qi from there. ¡°Hell, the realm was one of the upper realms, ording to the Keeper, Long Tao was not eligible to know about them yet. He decided to put up the formation fast. Now the drawing formation didn¡¯t require any materials like traditional formation. It required the drawer¡¯s blood and Qibination to draw up the whole diagram. Long Tao understood the basic procedure of drawing it out and then asked the keeper to allocate an isted space within the realm to him where he will draw the formation. Long Tao¡¯s n was quite clear, the formation to be drawn will e isted from the rest of the realm. It will be concentrated upon in a particr spot. What Long Tao wanted to create was the same type of liquefication of Hell¡¯s Qi as there was in the thunder-god academy and the forbiddennd. Only such an atmosphere would be suitable for his requirements of Hell¡¯s Qi. The Keeperplied with the idea and created an isted region within the open grounds of the Crimson world realm. Long Tao started drawing the formation. The blood QI along with the hell-heaven Qi started drawing out of Long Tao¡¯s body as he continued the process of drawing the formation. As expected by Long Tao, the lines created were of the mixture of both Hell and Heaven Qi. Long Tao expected that not only hell, the formation would be able to create a link to the Heaven realm also, drawing the aura from there too. Only then could he still maintain the bnce of the two auras in his body. The figure was finallyplete after a long period of hard work. The formation was finally ready. Thest step was to drip the blood essence to invoke the formation. Long Started dropping his blood onto the formation and it started working. The aura was faint but slowly it was starting to gain a link with the realm. The one thing that ted Long Tao was the fact that it was invoking to establish a connection to both Hell and Heaven realm. This was a major achievement for him. Soon enough the Formation had started to stop absorbing any more blood essence, and the auto-working schedule started itself. The isted space finally started having Hell and heaven Qi. The Qi was slowly filling up space. Long Tao knew that it would take a bit of time even with the formation working continuously to reach the level of density Long Tao was expecting. SO he left the area and proceeded toward his dwelling to continue his cultivation, forgetting about the isted space as of now.

    Tamar-

    Long Tao reached at a shabby looking building at the outskirts of the city, towards the enemy territory. This was the residence indicated in his tabloid. This was supposed to be the dwelling of the group he was assigned to. He opened the gate and proceed towards the inner building. But just as he was about to enter.¡± Who are you, trying to sneak into our squad house?¡±. A figure showed itself in front of Long Tao. It was a man in his middle twenties. He had a cultivation realm of Peak mid-Qi child. ¡°Are you a member of the ckbuck squad.¡± The man arrogantly showed a disgusting face and said:¡± You are not to ask the question¡±. But then suddenly, he felt a p on his face as his body was sent flying, breaking up the wall in front and embedding itself on the floor. Long Tao took out his sword, pointed its edge at the man¡¯s neck, and asked:¡± Final chance, are you a member?¡±. The man was too scared and injured to say anything. ¡°Times up.¡± Long Tao raised his sword and swung it down, but at thest moment it was stopped by someone.¡± You are not to harm members of my squad¡±. A female voice sounded in Long Tao¡¯s ears.¡± He is a member of the ckbuck squad and this is our territory, behave.¡±. Long tao took his sword back and asked the female. ¡°Who might you be?¡±. ¡°Mengdi, vice-captain of ckbuck squad.¡±, but before she could say another word, her lower abdomen suddenly hurt and she was sent flying too.¡± Good enough. I am the new joining Vice-leader. And I don¡¯t take orders or opinions from weakling like you. Now where the fuck is the leader of this squad?¡±. Mengdi was not even able to move from thest attack. This guy was a Qi child realm practitioner just like her, but she was not his match. Long Tao proceeded to keep his luggage on the couch and waited. Soon enough another female appeared. The batch of captain hanged on her belt. She saw the scenario and was angry with it when she saw the figure of Long Tao rxing on the couch. ¡°Did you do this to them?¡±. ¡°When subordinates don¡¯t understand how to respect their superiors, they are to be punished.¡±. Thedy seems to realize something and said ¡°You must be Long Tao. Although I understand if they show you some disrespect, you need to show them some care as being the leader of their squad.¡±. ¡°Everything in this world is based on strength. These weaklings have no strength but are arrogant. The same goes for you. Report your damn name.¡±

    Thedy was astounded. She was the squad leader and a vice-leader was not giving her face. She released her aura and proceeded towards Long to. But when Long Tao just turned around and nced at her, the whole aura released waspletely suppressed and wiped out, as if it was not present in the first ce. The pressure in the atmosphere brought Su Menqi (the squad leader) to her knees. ¡°Weakling.¡±. Long Tao adjusted his throat, gasped some air, and with a loud roar said ¡± all the squad members of the ckbuck squad, report immediately at the lobby within 1 min, or you will be dishonorably discharged from duty and executed right here.¡± The roar reverberated the whole building, making it shake. Soon enough multiple figures were visible within the lobby.

    .....

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53: Di Tao

    The royal n of Jiao was itself a very proficient ad powerful ruler of this region. It was visible from the years of rule Jiao n was maintaining with absolute hegemony. It could be said that the Jiao were sessful enough to maintain their sovereignty over the country with their strict and efficient conduct. One of the major backbones of such a long rule was the forces that the n had under control. The Jiao n made sure that royal family members were at the top positions in the military. The only exception to this case was the north-eastern regions. The chaos present in there just deemed the most powerful as the master. That was the only region that Jiao had no control over. But this was not enough to maintain an efficient rule. Hence what the n required was a private institution to train a personal force for themselves. This was the origin of the Royal military academy of the country. It was established by the n in thoughts of training both the descendants of the royalty and nobility as well as, creating their own force. The Royal military academy was something that was totally backed up by the Jiao country¡¯s royal n. But of course, the most important was given to the imperial people. Themoners who joined, unless very highly talented were not given many benefits rtive to what the royalty obtained. Long Tao¡¯s main motive behind entering the royal military academy was to gain knowledge and control of the Jiao country¡¯s core people. For this, he needed to gain control of the Military academy first. Hence, he not only needed to show his talent but start establishing his own prestige soon enough to gain some control over the governing situation of his life in the academy. It was this reason whichpelled Long Tao to create a rtionship and familiarity with the third prince. He required to have some sort of backing first, before taking over the whole region. He knew his time within the Jiao country was very limited and the minimum amount of strength that was required to dominate the country, even without the sect¡¯s interference was mid-level Qi general for Long Tao. But of course, this was just a rough estimate. If the current trend of power growth continued, then his estimate was the mid-Qi general realm. But he knew that there were many other factors that affected his strength. It included the meridians, Qi points, the 12 forges, the body that would be provided when he steps into the Qi master realm, and the Weapon Tempering art was something he hadn¡¯t even tried. There were also a bunch of defensive arts he was going to practice simultaneously from both the crimson lord world and the royal treasury. And the most important changing factor was the set of Blood tempering art and Flesh tempering art. These two were kind of special variables. The blood tempering art gave him a bloodline ability when he stepped into the QI Child realm. Long Tao was expecting another ability to pop up when he steps into the QI master realm. Even upgrade in the cultivation realm, with the practice of the blood tempering art, gave him new abilities. As for the flesh tempering art, it condensed, reformed, and tempered the outer flesh of the practitioner. This resulted in Long Tao having such a thin and sleek figure even after devouring such a number of beasts and pills. The flesh of his was condensed.

    The flesh tempering art gave Long Tao, not only a different set of technique which buffed his power to an insane extent but also it opened up new horizons for thinking into the development of a new set of techniques. Flesh tempering helps upyering the flesh one over the other and condense it. Each, tempering, not only restructure, but the biggest function is the condensing and densifying ability of the flesh tempering method. Now Long Tao desired to use the same theory to the Qi in his body. He wanted to condense and densify QI originating from his body. The benefit of this particr process, if sessful were unlimited. But it had a long way to go. Now entering the Royal military academy. Long Tao soon enough reported to the incubation center where he was instantly recognized as the third seed of the royal gathering held some days back. He was someone who was in the good books of the king and the third price¡¯s friend. Hence, he has weed Long Tao went through the scrutiny process as usual, and he showed the thunder and firepatible natural body of rank 4 and small aplishment level of 1st stage spear will. This was enough to create an uproar in the upper management of the academy. This was one of the biggest talents that could be found in the whole region. Soon enough the peoples started flooding in, but the highest cultivation of the elders who offered him to be their disciple was mid- Qi general. This was just too low for Long Tao. Hence, he rejected the offer and decided to stay as a normal disciple who justplete tasks to get sect points for exchanging his requirements. Although the elders were upset about this action of Long Tao, no one tried to object his action in a forceful way because they know that he was someone valued by the king himself. Long Tao left after being appointed as an inner disciple and soon reached his dwelling. This was a normal quarter. Long Tao kept his luggage away and was about to go into practice when there was a loud bang on his door. Long Tao proceeded to open it and found that a group of people was standing outside the door. ¡°Are you Di Tao?¡± , Long Tao didn¡¯t say anything and just nodded. ¡°You are toe with us to meet the boss.¡± Long Tao, verified their cultivation, and it was just beginner levels of QI master.

    ¡°Tell your boss, whoever he is, toe to visit me himself.¡±, Long Tao was about to enter his house again when one when suddenly one of the people in the group,unched an attack on him. Long Tao simply avoided his attack and kicked the guy in the abdomen with just 30% of his physical strength. The guy was sent flying, broke away the stone wall nearby and heavily injured, unable to even move. Long Tao didn¡¯t bother with the injured guy, turned around, and faced the rest of the group¡± I will give you insects onest chance to fuck off from my face. Don¡¯t dare to open your mouth while leaving, and pick that bastard up while you screw off. You have 10 breaths to do that.¡± The group was scared by the amount of power Di Tao disyed. They didn¡¯t expect him to be so powerful. But how could they give up so easily when they have been ordered by the boss to bring him in to meet. The leader (The one who was the most powerful among them), raised a finger and pointing at Long Tao shouted ¡°How dare you to hurt the underlings of the Boss. You will pay up for it.¡±. ¡°Your time is over. None of you walk out of here on your feet.¡±. Long Tao attacked instantly. He kicked the face of one of the members while punching another. As per the one who had raised a finger against him, he grabbed his fist and broke it. Then he held the should and dislocated it instantly. Mad howls of pain started to gush out of his mouth. Long Tao then serially broke the leg of each one of them, making them incapable of even running. He then individually started pping the face of each one of them, until they were unrecognizable. The loud noises soon attracted the attention of the nearby students and when they say the harsh situation at hand, they chose not to interfere. The whole group was beaten shitless, not even able to oppose the beating. Finally, they were thrown out of Long Tao¡¯spound. Long Tao looked around and entered his house. Entering, Long Tao sat down ¡°It is hical to enters someone¡¯s house without their permission. Unless you want the same ending as the people outside, you should get lost now.¡± A sleek figure soon appeared in the view of Long Tao. This was a beautiful woman in a red dress. The dress was a bit revealing andplimented the girl¡¯s figure well. ¡°You are quite the perceptive one. To able to identify me while I was hiding my aura, you are quite capable. No doubt my brother is impressed by you.¡± A sweet voice sounded. Long Tao looked a bit seriously at her and asked ¡°Who might you be?¡±. ¡°Jiao Lengruo, I am Jiao Shen¡¯s elder sister and your senior here. You should show me some respect.¡± Long Tao looked at her and said mockingly ¡°Seniority is decided by power, a peak mid-level Qi master like you don¡¯t deserve my respect, your highness.¡± Lengruo was shocked by seeing the casual behavior of Di Tao towards her. What shocked her, even more, was the fact that Long Tao could gouge her real cultivation level. This was something unexpected. ¡°You are quite gutsy; I will give you that. Are you sure I am not powerful enough? You might have defeated that guy outside, but he was just a peak 3rd level Qi master. I am at the peak of the 6th level. I can easily crush you.¡± Long Tao gave maniacughter before looking her into the eyes and said¡± I would have already thrown you out if you were not one of the royal n members. Regarding the strength part, I suppose you didn¡¯t see the earlier confrontation properly. Try to visualize it properly and you will understand the situation. Now kindly get out of my dwelling.¡± Long Tao showed her the way out. Jiao Lengruo nced icily towards Di Tao and left with her face red with anger.

    Getting a little instance away, Jiao Lengruo was pouting and stomping her feet on the ground.¡± How dare he show me such contempt. I will make him pay.¡± ¡°Who has made my disciple react so violently. ¡°an elderly figure appeared before Jiao Lengruo. ¡°I bow before master.¡±. This elder was none other than Lengruo¡¯s master and one of the grand elders of the royal academy. A core member of both the academy and royal n. ¡°It was that dimwit whom my younger brother and father appreciated so much, the third ranker of this year¡¯s royal gathering. My brother asked me to take care of him while in the academy, but that bastard is quite ungrateful. Although he has quite some talent and was able to defeat Qi master 3rd realm peak, this is the royal academy, where dragons roam hidden. He had offended one of the bosses of the inner circle. Let him be. When I was about to offer help, he not only rejected me but actually looked down on my strength, asking me to contemte over the fight he just had.¡± Jiao Lengruo was fuming with anger at the moment. Her master sighed for some time and then said with a strict voice¡± He did say the right thing. You are not capable enough to provide him support with your strength. Jiao Lengruo was taken back by what her master just said. ¡°What do you mean by that master?¡±. ¡°That boy is quite the hidden mystery. In the fight earlier he didn¡¯t even use any Qi or soul power. He beat them with pure physical strength alone. And from what I see, he didn¡¯t even utilize all of his strength. Maybe 50% at best. You should be able to understand his power now, don¡¯t you. I suppose if you had a fight with him, the probability of you winning is very low.¡±. Jiao Lengruo was shocked to the core. If what her master said was true then, Di Tao did say the right thing. She was beneath him in strength and he didn¡¯t require to show her respect of any kind. ¡°You should try to have a good rtion with him. He rejected all the offers given to him by the academy elders. It shows not that he thought less of himself, but rather that he looked down on the elder¡¯s strength. Your Younger brother and father have good eye for talent. ¡°Jiao Lengruo was standing there in a daze. ¡°Good news for you. Your father has managed to break through the Qi General realm. And is starting to train in the royal forbidden zone from now on.¡± This brought Jiao Lengruo back to reality, and the news was quite rejoicing.

    Di Tao was back in his apartment, sitting down and starting to cultivate Qi. He had started his break-through into the Qi master realm, by gathering up the ultimate amount of Qi he could. Soon enough he was expecting to step into the next stage. Qi master.

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54: Meaning Of Qi Master

    Long Tao was currently on the verge of breaking through the Qi master realm. He hadpleted the hell spawn sutra along with 12 forges to the 12 rotations. Hepleted the Blood tempering method until the 10th rotation and the Crimson world scripture till the 10th rotation of the Qi child realm. He managed to learn all the animal stances given by the 99 stances of beast god as well as the movements and sword arts of the crimson lord world and the royal treasury. As per the Heavenly pestle art, hepleted all 9 rotations and the soul manifestation art of soul child level, the soul spike was also perfectly mastered. He had managed to open both the primary and secondary meridian sets of his body and he also opened up 10 acupoints. Long Tao knew he could have opened more acupoints, but he decided to open the meridians first. Currently Long Tao had also managed to master the Berserker ability of his bloodline limit. He was ready toprehend and practice the Weapon Tempering arts and was also anticipating what new arts and ability he will obtain after entering the Qi master realm. Long Tao had many secrets within his body. The greatest of them being the Three grand scriptures and the Crimson Lord world. These were the three things that gave him his extraordinary abilities. Long was now ready to proceed and break-through the next realm. Qi Master realm signified the liquification of the whole Qi in a cultivator¡¯s body into Qi Sea. For this, the cultivator first had to absorb the maximum Qi possible ording to his capacity. The nest case is to condense and Liquify it. This liquified Qi is theponent that creates the Qi sea in the body of a cultivator. The next step after the liquefication of the Qi is the stabilisation and the rotation part, where the cultivator has to first stabilise the Qi sea and then circte the liquid energy through his body to finally step into the Qi Master realm. The real reason why Qi master were more powerful than Qi child was because of theirrger qi reserve, and better Qi output, since the Qi utilised here is the condensed liquified Qi. Long Tao wanted to step into the Qi master realm first before doing anything else. The n of domination was along staged n, with the limits being the whole of heavens. Long Tao needed to take proper steps.

    Long Tao started absorbing the normal QI. ording to Long Tao, no matter what type of QI a practitioner practice, he can absorb all types of energy. Long Tao wanted to verify and experiment whether this was the case with his body. He started absorbing the energy form the surroundings and take in pills provided by his masters and the disciple quota when he joined along with what he looted from other disciples. Long Tao ingested a lot of Qi and soon enough all 10 of the avatars were full of the normal Qi, but incidentally Long Tao found out that his body was not yet full. This rified Long Tao¡¯s suspicion. His body had been practicing a lot of types of energies and each type of energy had a different storage space in his body. He was full of the general QI. Then he started ingesting the Crimson World elemental Qi. It was a long process, but Finally Long Tao hit a limit with that too. Then next came the Hell-heaven Qi. Long Tao had managed to create the formation and isted it in a space so as to concentrate the Qi. Now was the time to verify whether or not his efforts pay off. As Long Tao entered the isted space, his body was shit by a powerful wave of Qi. As his vision cleared, he could see what can be called as a pool of Hell-Heaven QI mixture, perfectly co-existing and thriving together. The rate of draw was so high that arge pool of QI was already created in Just 4 days of time. Long Tao anticipated that when he enters the Qi master realm, he is going to need a lot of Qi. This might seem to be abundant at the moment, but it will soon feel scarce as he progresses. Long Tao sat down and concentrate don absorbing the hell heaven Qi now. he expected this absorption to be thergest as the Hell-spawn art had the highest number of realms. It totally deviated from the regr cultivation path and concentrated on body strength and Qi power. Long Tao couldn¡¯t even start to imagine how powerful the beings of hell would be. Soon enough Long Tao reached the saturation point of the Qi. This was his limit, and as expected it wasrger than any other QI reserve. Long Tao thought that this was it, when he felt that something wall still missing and his body was not exactly full. Long Tao started to contemte what might be the missingponent here, and tried to remember the arts and sutra he had practiced until now. He had managed to absorb the max. amount of all the types of Qi. But he suddenly remembered that he had another art, which didn¡¯t rely on Qi to practice. This was the Blood tempering Method. Long Tao took the reserve bloods of beast and the blood coagted powder and started absorbing the essence and energy form them. Soon enough even that reached a saturation limit. Long Tao was happy to finally reached a limit in this too and started to try upon the liquification process. But even after a long time it didn¡¯t progress any further. This was the first time Long Tao was tuck in a particr real. He tried to contemte over the reason looking for possible answer. He had filled all type of Qi reserves,pleted all arts to their max. level. What was the left-out part now? Suddenly an idea sparked him.¡± It can¡¯t be that right.¡±. He closed his eyes and concentrate on his soul Qi. He found that it was still quite empty. He then started to chant the soul replenishing mantra, and gather the lost soul Qi. Soon enough the limit of what it could hold had reached. Long Tao¡¯s body finally felt to bepletely filled with energy. All 10 of his avatars had reached their max. limit of absorption of all types of energies. Nowes the real part. The real break-through to the Qi master realm. Long Tao started the condensing process.

    Tamar-

    Long Tao had disciplined all the members of the group in a unique way. After he forcefully summoned each of the members, he forcefully crushed and defeated all of them. At the end, injured bodies were lying everywhere. ¡°I am the new vice-leader of your group. I don¡¯t care what your thoughts about me are. I am amoner by birth, who believe sin achievement defining the person who you are. If you want to live a sone of my group members you have to follow 3 set of rules. First discipline and cultivation to improve your power. Second, you are to always stick together with each other and never abandon your teammate. Third, betrayal is absolutely prohibited, and there is only one result for it. Death.¡± Long Tao un-sheathed his sword, put it facing downwards and resting his body on it said¡± I am officially appointed here by the king and the vicemander of north-eastern military. I already know who the spies are in my group. I will give you ten breaths of time to get out and identify yourself and your master. After 10 mins if you fail to ept it publicly with prestige, I will cleave your heads.¡± Long Tao waited, not even sparing a nce. All the injured members were nervous now. If what Long Tao said was true, there were traitors among them. While all were waiting, three brothers came out and identified themselves to be the part of the Lieutenants groups. Also, the man who was beaten by Long to first also reported as himself being the member of the vicemander¡¯s group. Another girl came out and identified herself as the members of a rival group. Soon enough ten minutes passed and the people who had identified themselves decided to leave when suddenly Long Tao moved and attacked. The three brothers were cleaved first, the man was stabbed directly in the heart as per the girl, her chest was cut out first, and then limbs, finally beheading her. This act of Long Tao shocked the other members, who were scared shitless to even move. Some even puked directly after seeing the bloody scene. ¡°I told before-hand what the ending of the traitors was. The earlier words of mine were a total bluff and I know some of the traitors are still hiding. I don¡¯t know your origins, but the act in-front of you just now was to warn you of the future you will have if you continue your acts. Hence this is a good time to rethink your priorities.¡± Long Tao cleaned his bloodied de¡± You are free toin if you want to, but the ending you will meet will be the same as them. Also, I want tehri heads top be packed in a gift wrap and sent to the groups they came from with a message of mine.¡± The groupplied with Long Tao ¡®s orders and started the work. Long Tao signalled thedy captain to follow him for a talk.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55: Qi Master

    Su Menqi followed Long Tao into the nearby room. After they were alone, Long Tao closed the doors and asked Su Menqi to have a seat.¡± Tell me the general situation of the squad.¡±. Su Menqi told Long Tao about the details of the working of the squads in the military. Then she stated upon the situation of the ckbuck squad.¡± This squad is currently ranked the lowest among the squad rankings in the north-eastern military zone. The main reason, behind is the people in here. The core members of the squad are all outcast of great families. Their families have pressured the military to continuously give us meagre jobs and hence, our rankings never rise above the level. Also, since we don¡¯t have backing, the sergeant behaves rudely to us and oppress us every time they get the chance. Also, we get multiple shit jobs to do every time, not allowing us to increase our strength, hence the scenario.¡± Just as she was reciting the condition, there was an announcement outside, stating that the sergeant hase to visit the group. This was one of the lead oppressors of the ck-buck squad. His name was Lin Zhao. Long Tao looked at Su Menqi and ordered the members to not let them disturb the conversation. Su Menqi was shocked. Long Tao wanted to make the sergeant wait until they finish the conversation. Whatever may be the reason, he was still a superior. This was insulting him directly on face. Long Tao looked at her and said¡± Did I ask you to stop?¡±. Su Menqi continued with the description.

    Lin Zhao was waiting for Su Menqi to appear before him, when suddenly one of the members of the ck-buck squad appeared and reported that the sergeant is to wait till the conversation of the Squad leader and the new vice-leader ends. This blew Lin Zhao¡¯s mind. She dared to insult him and make him wait for her. This was p on his face. He directly pped the members away, and barged into the discussion room. Breaking apart the door, he saw Long Tao sitting, while Su Menqi described something to him. Long Tao looked at him and then turning around shouted for the servant toe ¡°How did he enter?¡±. The servant, injured due to he earlier attack described the actions of the sergeant. Lin Zhao was ignored the whole time. This fanned the mes of anger in him. He looked towards Su Menqi¡± How dare you defy a superior of yours. If you don¡¯t provide me with an exnation today, I will level up this building of yours.¡± Su Menqi had a difficult expression her face and was about to say something when Long Tao interrupted.¡± Did he attack you?¡±. The servant nervously nodded. Long Tao turned to Lin Zhao then and walked towards him. ¡°Who gave you the permission to interrupt the conversation>¡± Lin Zhao was about to spout something angrily when his face was pped so hard, that he flew away, breaking the wall, and fell outside of the building. Lin Zhao was shocked by the attack. His jaw was dislocated and his teeth were gone. Blood was flowing from his mouth. Long Tao appeared before him. ¡°I will ask again. Who gave you the permission of interrupting my discussion with the squad leader.¡±? Lin Zhao was unable to speak due to the injury. Long Tao kicked him in the stomach, which made Lin Zhao spew even more blood and then kicked him in the head. Lin Zhao¡¯s body flew away again. This time his face was totally messed up. What he couldn¡¯tprehend until now was, how could a vice-leader do something like this. Never had he expected that a Qi child realm expert would be powerful enough to crush a mid-level Qi master like him. Long Tao picked him up by the hair and then pulled him towards the military hall. The on-lookers were shocked by the scene. Soon they recognized the figure of Lin Zhao and identified Long Tao as the new Vice-leader of the ck-buck squad. This scene surprised and shocked them How could this situation be possible. The receptionist was also shocked of the view. Lin Zhao was beaten shitless, and nearly all bones of his body were broken. It was unknown if he was still alive after the treatment. He was nearly crippled at the moment. He looked at Long Tao and before he could say anything ¡°I am here to report the felony that sergeant Lin Zhao dare tomit in the ck-buck squad¡¯s dwelling.¡± The receptionist was shocked at first but soon calmed himself down. He knew that this situation was out of his power limits. This man in front was a Qi child realm expert but his power should at least be that of a Lieutenant. ¡°What is the crime?¡±. ¡°Property damage, felony tomit treason and disrespect to the squad leader and attempted murder of one of the ck-buck members.¡±. The receptionist looked at Long Tao awkwardly. What he was seeing in-front was the true resemnce of attempted murder. Bu t He sighed. ¡°I will report this to the superiors.¡±. Long Tao interrupted the receptionist.¡± I don¡¯t have the time for that. I will be seizing all property and belongings of the Sergeant as apensation and all the squad under him have to pay, the price to keep him, alive. The payment should be at the ck-buck¡¯s door within 1 day, or I will publicly execute him.¡± This shocked the receptionist again. Publicly executing a sergeant was a huge piece of news and would cause chaos in the military. ¡°Also, thepensation amount will be listed in this note. I am here to report that I will be going to seclusion now and, my squad will not be epting any mission until I exit. Are we clear?¡±. The receptionist felt an aura of murderousness and pressure. This vice-leader was too overbearing. But he was weaker than his rival. Hence, he had toply. He nodded and left.

    The news of the incident caused huge uproar in the whole military. Bu8t soon enough another piece of news circted. Many group were delivered with heads, shaved of human body to their doorsteps, with what looked like a note attached. It is to be noted that the leaders of the groups instantly closed up after reading the notes. Looking closely these were heads of the members of ck-buck squad. But no ne could understand who had did that, and why deliver it to the groups rather than the squad itself. ¡°This Long Tao is just too much. How dare he insult us.¡± This was one of the sergeants who also oppressed upon the ck-buck squad. The reason ck-buck squad was targeted so much was because of the wingmander who was above them. The wingmander had taken a liking to Su Menqi and because she didn¡¯t respond to his advances, he decided to force her this way. But Su Menqi was a stubborndy and did not give up because of this. Various Lieutenants and sergeants often harassed the members of the ck-buck squad. The current discussion was held between the various lieutenants to n the action ahead. But none of them even tried to support the idea of directly attacking and oppression in public. Because a message had arrived to their doorstep this evening. Not just one, but each of their dwelling were delivered to by a head, which belonged to the spy they had stationed in the ck-buck squad. This just exemplified how ruthless Long Tao was. Also, he had the power to be arrogant. All of them had seen the status of Lin Zhao after Long Tao did a work on him. The doctor reported of uncertainty when asked about whether or not Lin Zhao could heal up. ¡°We should keep our tabs to ourselves. Lin Zhao is the younger brother of the Wingmander. Naturally when he returns, the wingmander will take care of it himself. We will apany him to crush that Long Tao . Also these heads belong to people who we don¡¯t know, Am I clear?¡±. The meeting was adjourned.

    In another space, two old men were having tea together.¡± Are you one of the backers of Long Tao?¡± One of them asked.¡± OH, brother Long is just a fellow cultivator who cultivate in the same path that I do. Hence it is natural to have some familiarity with each other.¡± The other old manughed¡± That brat is quite daring to directly challenge the authority of my son. ¡°. The other old man was the vicemander who invited and deputed Long Tao himself. It was his idea to station Long Tao in the ck-buck squad. ¡°I just hope you won¡¯t interfere, otherwise you know the consequences.¡± He said with a casual tone. The face of the man smiling changed to seriousness.¡± So, you do support him. I will not interfere, but I hope you won¡¯t. That brat is going to have short day in this world.¡±. The manughed and said ¡°we will see about that.¡±.Long Tao returned back to the dwelling and sealed the entrance of the ck-buck squad. ¡°You people are going to start cultivation and each one of you should have raised by two levels when Ie out of seclusion. The consequence of not fulfilling the criteria is death. As per the resources, the treasury is filled up with the treasure I seized. Fasten your cultivation. I don¡¯t care if you don¡¯t rest these days. 2 levels or death remember.¡± He looked at Su Menqi ¡°The same goes for you. 2 levels.¡± Each member was handed a set of resources that was enough for them to train in. ¡°After Ie out, the ck-buck squad is going to go on a long set of mission. I have already picked up the aim this time. The brief will be given after I end my training and break-through the Qi master realm. My aim is to push my squad to the top of the food chain. Also, I will not be in these pitiful regions forever. By the time I leave, all of you should have broken through QI general. I will give my full support. Train like you stake your life on it. Your hell had just begun. Are we clear?¡± Each member was shocked and sweating. Raising two levels was no joke and the time period was indefinite. It means that they have to break-through ASAP, otherwise they die. ¡°Do you feel miserable. This is what happens when you are weak. Your life is in the hands of someone who is stronger than you. IF you want to be free of the shackles, be stronger than you are.¡± Long Tao retired.

    Back in the training room, Long Tao started the process of Liquification. The max. Qi absorption was reached. Now was the time to liquify the Qi. The process, started and after a long time, and spending a lot of efforts, finally drops of Qi began to originate and started forming a liquid body in Long Tao¡¯s. The one which Liquified the fastest was the normal QI. Then came the Crimson World elemental Qi and after that came the Hell-Heaven Q mixture. Long Tao saw three sets of bodies of Qi Sea. One was ethereal and bright in colour. The other was a mixture of colour and rainbowed in appearance. Thest one was mixture of Maron-gold colour. These signified the three Qi groups Long Tao practiced. Soon enough Long Tao¡¯s body was shining brightly as he began the cirction of the three Qi liquids. The body began to change as the rotations continued. It flowed throughout the body, into the meridians and acupoints and dantian area. Long Tao continued the cycles as more and more Qi was absorbed from the surroundings. Finally, Long Tao¡¯s body shook as a burst of energy got radiated from his body. He opened his eyes, which were having a special glow at the moment. ¡°So, this is Qi master realm.¡± Finally, the break-through wasplete.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56: NEW DISCOVERY, WEAPON TEMPERING ARTS

    Stepping into the Qi master realm was like a new world to Long Tao. His abilities changed drastically. It was as the keeper has said that when one steps into the Qi master realm, his body changes ording to the QI the practitioner has cultivated. The first improvement to body was the achievement of the omni-elemental body type. This was a body type that one could gain upon cultivating the crimson world scripture¡¯s omni-element Qi. The crimson lords were proficient practitioners of all elements and hence the body type one could gain was something that waspatible to perfectness for all elements.

    The next was the hell-Heaven body that Long Tao achieved due to cultivation of the mix Hell-Heaven Qi. Long Tao didn¡¯t know of the body types that one could achieve when cultivating hell or heaven Qi. And he was even more of an exception to generality keeping in mind that he cultivated both these types of Qi. He might be the first practitioner to have such a body type. Long Tao utilised his Qi flow and he could see that the physical buff given by the body type was quite big. Also, after entering the Qi master realm Long Tao was sure that his Qi flow and maniption has gone to a whole new level.

    The third Qi ocean didn¡¯t have a character, and for Long Tao this was the primary usage one. Long Tao had not faced any life crisis against any human to use the other two types of Qi and he wanted to continue doing that until the extent he can. He only needed to use the other two types of QI when necessary. Long Tao didn¡¯t want to draw any attention to himself. To be bale to freely use all types of Qi, Long Tao first wanted to raise his cultivation to the Qi King level.

    The next new thing was Long Tao¡¯s Bloodline. Every time he raised a realm, his bloodline changes and gave him new type of abilities. A new type of mantra originated in Long Tao¡¯s mind.¡± Blood drain¡± was the name of the ability. It allowed Long Tao to soak and absorb the blood essence of his enemies. Blood essence was one of the life essences of a practitioner and losing even a small amount of it affected the practitioner highly. This ability can be use against all living things and even near dead ones. Long Tao could use the ability to drain blood from his human opponents. This was a secret weapon of huge advantage. Long Tao was really surprised over the new ability. He needed to practice it to be proficient. This blood drain ability also helped to heal up faster against an opponent. He could suck their blood essence and convert it into his own power. A wild range of thoughts began to run across Long Tao¡¯s mind. If he could raise the efficiency to a particr level, wouldn¡¯t he be invincible in Warfield. Long Tao couldn¡¯t find it to much use in one on one fight with an opponent of higher realm, but or a battle field where blood flows like water, he had an unlimited amount of energy to soak with this ability. He needed to polish the execution of it fast. This is going to be huge buff.

    The next on the line was the gain from the 3 scriptures:

    Hell-solider art, the Qi master level cultivation technique was presented by the Hell Forge manual. Hell-solider art also had 12 levels in it and was the art for Qi master realm, like Hell-spawn was for Qi child realm. Long Tao still decided to practice the 12 forges of death along with the revolution art. But the consumption of Hell Qi was going to be something un-precedented. Hence, he needed to find a way to upgrade the Qi absorption ability of the formation. Another thing he got after the upgrade was the ¡°Hell Wings¡±. This was a art that one could practice with the help of the Hell¡¯s Qi. It was a movement art and a art of levitation too. Long Tao was surprised that these were the only two things avable, but of course he also had the Weapon Tempering form that he hadn¡¯t practice until now. He had to start practicing it soon.

    The next set came from the Beast God manual. ¡°Beastification¡±. It helped the practitioner to practice and obtain the body type of a beast. This enabled the practitioner to practice beast arts. Long Tao was surprised by this, but it was another addition to his arsenal too.

    .....

    The Omnipotent Soul form, gave a new set of art called the Soul search. It enabled one to peek and control another person¡¯s soul, given they could overpower it. Currently Long Tao had a soul manifestation art and the heavenly pestle form, but this was great addition to. This would help Long Tao obtain important information from the enemies. The Heavenly pestle form was still the core soul cultivation art. Also Every time he broke through he would be able to form a new avatar as per the Origin Avatar art. Long Tao was eagerly waiting for it. He soon enough started the process of avatar creation and soon enough another avatar of Long Tao was standing Infront of him/. He was sent to train and raise his cultivation to QI master soon. This was the eleventh avatar of Long Tao and added too his Qi reserve. Long Tao was now extremely powerful. If one added the progress of strength after breaking Through and the avatar into count, Long Tao didn¡¯t fear a squadron leader now. Squadron Leader was a Qi master high rank senior official. It was the third ranking position in the north-eastern military and Long Tao was already as powerful as that. But Long Tao didn¡¯t expose his strength. He wanted to improve his cultivation to peak Mid-level Qi master before stirring aplete massacre of his enemies even within the camp. After all, once he reached peak Qi master, he was sure that he would be able to fight with Qi master realm practitioner. Only when he had that kind of power could he move freely in the army camp. Long Tao no longer cared about lieutenants or Wingmanders. He was now busy in cultivating the long-awaited sutra. Weapon Tempering art.

    The Weapon Tempering art was a miraculous art that could only be practiced once a practitioner opens up his acupoints. The key theory behind the practice of this art is to create weapons with concentrated Qi and blood essence of the practitioner and store them in their acupoints. This reformed the acupoints and also strengthened it. They reinforce the power of the acupoints and constantly get tempered when a practitioner practices Qi cirction. The Weapon draw Qi and blood essence and is always in a constant state of refining and strengthening. It could eb said that, stronger the practitioner, stronger will be the weapons. Also, these were the life weapons of the practitioner and had an innate link with him/her. This gave it not only many magical properties, but also the weapon is also able to showcase any bloodline power if the practitioner had any. Also, these weapons were made of pure energy and were indestructible until the practitioner is alive. These also helps in enhancing the Qi capacity of the body and also densify the Qi. It is because eteh basic requirement of creating a weapon using the blood essence and QI is to be at the advance level intent of 1st stage of that weapon. Long Tao was d he waited till the break-through to the Qi master realm. Also due to the constant refinement of the Qi by these life weapons, even the normal Qi starts to acquire the property of intents in them. Long Tao already understood what that meant. He was never so much excited about practicing an auxiliary art.

    Long Tao sat down and started practicing the art. The first step was to densify and fill up the acupoint with Qi. Then came the moulding part, where you give it a shape. Then was the materialisation part, which requires the infusing of Blood essence of the practitioner. Thest part included thepletion which involved the infusion of Intent in to the weapons. The first few steps were easy. Long Tao soon achieved them in his first acupoint. The part which was difficult started on the third step. The third step was a very difficult part as one had to spent tremendous amount of blood essence to materialize the sword. It was simr to the creation of an avatar. Long Tao had to spend huge amount of blood essence and time. Finally, the sword took shape and materialized. It had multiple glows due to the three different kind of Qi in Long Tao¡¯s body. The final part was now upon Long Tao. Infusing the intent into the materialized sword.

    An intent was the visualization of the depth of understanding of a cultivator towards a particr weapon. Long Tao¡¯s intent were already in the materialization state, which started with the entry into advance realm of 1st stage. He started the infusion process. He first had to realize the intent to, flow with his Qi and slowly get infused into the sword. The process was to be continued until The sword radiated autonomous intent by its own mean, upon which it would have reached the highest realm. That would be the perfection stage of the sword creation.

    Long Tao continued the process and finally a mult6icolour sword appeared before him. The real sword manifesting itself was a view to be held for. Long Tao as delighted on his first productive oue of the Weapon Tempering art.

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57: Lin Zhong

    Long Tao was ted to be able to create his first life-weapon. The sword was radiating a dominating might and Long Tao was quite sure that it was stronger than the set of Level 2 weapons he got from the royal n. Incredible, it was to see such a miraculous art which could give rise to a weapon that was in exhaustible and indestructible too. Long Tao sure as hell wanted to see what the real power limit of this weapon was, but when he tried to rise up, he felt a sudden extreme tiredness and his body jolted down. The task of this creation was extremely tiring. Long Tao¡¯s face was also pale due to the utilisation of suchrge amount of Blood essence. Long Tao took out the resources, bloodposites and numerous bodies of grade 3 beast, which he then used to start recovering his blood essence. Long Tao calcted a rough estimate of resources required and he was quite sure that he won¡¯t be able to create more than 5 weapons. Any more than that and Long Tao would have to use resources from the Manor vault of the Crimson lord manor. He didn¡¯t want to use it at the moment because Long Tao followed a path of calctive consumption and renewing of resources. Long Tao was to save up for the creation of his own force and he was to start saving up. Long Tao was creating his own separate reserves that he creates by his own efforts. Long Tao managed to recover his blood essence and Qi fats enough with the help of the QI and bodies of beast with addition to the bloodposites. The bloodposites were a great resource for Long Tao¡¯s path of cultivation. After recovering, Long Tao took a short break. His power is being increasing at a steady pace and hence he wanted to rest and re-capitte the whole situation of his.

    The next weapon he started creating was Saber. Saber intent was also on the advance level and it was also a weapon that Long Tao practiced for a long time. Now saber intent can be infused and used ording to the shape of saber Long Tao wanted to create. What Long Tao needed to decide now was the shape of the saber. The generally t and straight, but some time a curve is present. What Long Tao was to create a saber which matched his usability. Hence the saber he designed had a long, slightly curved de, which had a varied wideness to itself. Long Tao¡¯s estimation stated that this shape would be the most efficient to give out the maximum output of power from Long Tao. After the diagram was formally present, Long Tao started creation process of the saber. The first thing done was the QI concentration. The shaping came next and then materialisation. The saber was a bit bigger z, volumetrically, than the sword and hence took more amount of Blood essence to get created. This time, Long Tao¡¯s face was visibly pale. But he knew he couldn¡¯t stop at the moment. So, he started the infusion of intent into it. After a long period of time he was finally able toplete the process of creation. Long Tao now had managed to obtain his second life weapon. This time Long Tao lost consciousness on his own. He was too exhausted, both physically and mentally due to the continuous creation. He woke upter and resumed the creation process. Long Tao had to create the first five weapons before exiting the retreat.

    Currently outside the ck-buck squad¡¯s dwelling, three lieutenants were roaming. They wanted to test the waters at the moment by sending spies into the dwelling of the ck-buck squad. But to their astonishment they found out that none of the people they sent were able to evene out alive. This was not because of the killing of the new Vice-leader of the squad, but because of the formation that suddenly appeared outside the dwelling of the ck-bucks. The formation was a killing /defence formation with automated frame work. No figure was visible to be operating it. That meant that it had the ability to self-rejuvenate itself. How could the ck-buck manage to get such a powerful formation built outside their squad house. There was no news of a formation master appearing in these regions, which meant that someone from the squad drew it up. The back-ground check of all the members was thoroughly done and none of them seem to have knowledge of formation. Which only left one option. The formation was drawn by Long Tao himself. This was bad news from them. Long Tao being this capable was not expected. He was already as powerful as a peak of mid-level Qi master. He was now breaking through to QI master. In addition, that he was so proficient in formation, that was able to fend off and kill Qi masters. It meant that the formation was of 2nd level at least. Soon enough the capabilities of Long Tao wille to light before the top brass and a formation master is a very respected and sought-after job. He could even be recalled by the royal n to help them with their formations and could even be appointed to a special position in the military so as to make use of his abilities. They needed to finish this threat now or in future, they wouldn¡¯t even have a corpse remaining. But they couldn¡¯t do anything. They didn¡¯t have the required power to break through the formation. They could only wait for the Wingmander to return.

    In a separate region, a young and old man couple was sitting opposite to each other having food. ¡°You are to remain alert of the new brat of the ck-buck squad. If he got the support of that man, he is surly quite powerful, capable and resourceful. Don¡¯t be overly arrogant. Although I can stop that man from interfering, he does the same to me. I won¡¯t be able to interfere with the tussle either. I don¡¯t know why he was assigned to the ck-buck squad even after having such great capabilities, but whoever did it was at least higher in authority than me because I couldn¡¯t uncover the order format.¡± The young man stayed silent for a period of time but then said in a n aggressive tone¡± Is father implying that I have to let go?¡±. The old man sighed ¡°Boy. Your talent is much higher than mine and hence I gave my best to raise you with every resource you could possibly need. You need to understand that I am not willing to lose you, now that I have lost your mother already. You are safe as long as you are more powerful than the enemy. But the brat who is your opponent is no small matter. I have already seen the visual reports of all the observers. He beat your cousin without even utilising his Qi, just by his physical strength and he was still in Qi child realm at that time. From the description, I also deduce that he didn¡¯t sue the full power of his capabilities. Which meant that physically he is able to contend with a peak Mid-level Qi master. What happens when such a figure start using QI. He could at leastpete with High level Qi master while still being in Qi child. Now he is breaking through and the lieutenants are not being able top even disturb his process due to the formation he drew. It means that he is even adept in the art of formations. Do you know the amount of importance he will get soon enough from both the army and the royal n? Handle the matter carefully.¡±.

    Long Tao was now busy with the creation the spear. With the spear, the requirement of essence was even more, and Long Tao copsed instantly after the creation. He had justpleted the third weapon. The next two were going to use even more quantity of Blood essence and Qi. Long Tao continued with his creation and Soon enough he was onto the next weapon.

    Long Tao was going to make the halberd next. Long Tao designed the shape of halberd to be more like a scythe. What Long Tao did this time was curve the end of the halberd to a real long and broad shape. The strike from such a weapon as going to be lethal. The next one on the line was off course the hammer. Long Tao wanted to make a big hammer with long handle, which can be used in both forging and fighting. If made well Long Tao would no longer have to worry about getting a pair of forging equipment and will be set for life. The two weapons were made after a pro-longed process. Long Tao was now extremely weak and asked the keeper to help infuse Qi within his body. After such a continuous drain and replenish, Long Tao¡¯s lifeforce had grown up to a very big extent. Long Tao was very proficient in the QI utilisation now due to the continuous creation. Five weapons were floating in front of him. Long Tao first recovered his lost blood essence, before he did thest phase of the Weapon Tempering art, which was to infuse the weapon into the acupoint. This was going to be very painful and torturous, because the amodation, and continuous refining due the first infusion is going to be hellish. But Long Tao was not scared of pain. He was someone who had practiced the 12 forges of Death, throughout his cultivation path until now. Just how tyrannical was his real body. He couldn¡¯t even start to imagine that. The infusion process started, and loud screams were beginning to leak out of Long Tao¡¯s room. But who would dare disturb the tyrannical dictator of the group? They were scared of death due to the interruption. Long Tao clenched his teeth and bared with the process. HE was not even sitting, lying in pain while the process continued.

    Currently outside of the Dwelling, a group of people appeared. This group was led by none other than the young man who was conversing with the old guy. ¡°You guys are to start attacking the formation. I will break it at the perfect moment. Let¡¯s see how capable this new Vice-leader of the ck-buck squad is.¡±. the group of lieutenants started attacking the formation. Finally, after a long period of time, a zone of less concentration was created where Lin Zhong attacked and finally the formation was busted into. But just t as the formation was busted a figure came into view of the whole group. Long Tao was currently standing in front of the entrance and said with a calm voice¡± To what do I owe the pleasure of visit by Wingmander Lin Zhong.¡±

    .....

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58: LONG TAO¡¯S POWER

    Seeing Long Tao standing in front of them, many were surprised, but soon enough they were showing up a mocking expression.¡± You must be Vice-leader Long Tao. We havee here to pay a visit to the ck-buck leader. If you may report it to her, then we will have the conversation.¡±. Long Tao didn¡¯t bother even looking at the person who spoke. He just started inspecting the formation. The people around started to get angry due to Long Tao¡¯s arrogance. But before they could step forward to take action, Long Tao turned and looking whimsical said: ¡°Who among you were involved in the breaking of the formation I had built?¡±. The people were shocked, but just then Long Tao continued. ¡°It is just for research. Sir what attack may you have used do attack the Qi barrier. The person who spoke earlier said haughtily.¡± I used the tiger tail whip kick.¡± ¡°Would you mind showing it to me again?¡±. Seeing Long Tao¡¯s approach and the confidence he had due to the group behind him, he stepped forward and attacked Long Tao with the technique. Long Tao, caught his leg, twisted it to the extreme, breaking it up and then he took out his sword and shaved it off. The whole group, Including Lin Zhong, were shocked. Long Tao dared to do this. ¡°with how weak your attack was, this won¡¯t be the only thing that was involved in the breaking. It means there were multiple people involved in the breaking of the formation. Who else was there please step forward¡± The half-shaven body of the lieutenant who spoke was still lying on the ground bleeding? If not tended to soon, he will die of excessive blood loss. The lieutenants who apanied Lin Zhong to the dwelling, all step forward at the same time. ¡°How dare you injure your superiors?¡±. ¡°Shut the fuck up, weaklings. You would be killed by me blindfolded. I will ask again, who were the ones involved in the breaking? Step forward fast.¡±. ¡°All of us were involved, what are you going to do?¡±. ¡°That is going to be a drag. Fina¡±. Long Tao began calcting the resources and then he said¡± this is the budget of making the formation that you have broken. Multiply it by a times hundred, is what each one of you is going to pay me. You have one-month time to gather the payment, each one of you.¡± He looked at Lin Zhong when he said that. The lieutenants started tough¡± What are you going to do if we deny the payment.¡± Long Tao, moved and shaved the limbs of the guy. Another one of them was lying in a pool of blood. This time the whole group attacked ta the same time, hoping to pin Long Tao down. Long Tao moved and attacked each one of them simultaneously. 1o minutes into the fight, all of the attackers were lying in their individual pool of blood, not being able to move. Long Tao then started walking towards the Wingmander. Lin Zhong was shocked by the events proceeding. He never imagined that Long Tao was so strong that he could easily take down the whole group.¡± What are you doing vice-leader? You do know that what you just did could be treated as the betrayal to the military and you could be kicked out of the north-eastern regions forever?¡±. Long Taoughed at him and said ¡°I have visual proof of who attacked first. So, this is just self-defense¡±. Lin Zhong was shocked and impressed by Long Tao¡¯s preparation. ¡°Now they are going to pay 150 times the cost of the formation and they have 20 days to gather the resources. It is that or their lives.¡± Lin Zhong walked towards Long Tao and said with a serious tone¡± You should be too arrogant vice-leader. There are some people you can¡¯t afford to offend.¡±. ¡°I do know about that fact and don¡¯t worry, neither them, nor you are that sort of person to me. Now before you leave. You are to answer my question, but let put it in a different way. What gave you the damn guts to break into my mansion?¡± Lin Zhong was shocked by Long Tao¡¯s mockery and cold attitude. He was pissed. He gathers Qi and attacked Long Tao with it. How could a beginner Qi master realm expert even bother Long Tao? Long Tao dodged the attack and started on the offensive. He didn¡¯t hold back even a little. Long Tao used the dominator¡¯s fist to attack Lin Zhong in the chest. The whole area was caved in to and Lin Zhong spewed blood. He was looking shocked at understanding the power of Long Tao and from the looks of it, he wasn¡¯t even giving it his best.

    Long Tao managed to not only break-through Qi Master at such an early age but was also so powerful that Lin Zhong couldn¡¯tpete with him for power. Long Tao suddenly called a person from inside and asked him¡± If we were to calcte the number of resources that the ckbuck squad would make in case they wouldn¡¯t have been halted due to the action of the Wingmander, how much do you think we could have made by now.¡±. The person gave a rough estimate.¡± Around 2000 low-grade spirit stones sir, from the resource allocation and another 4000 from thepletion of resources. Hence the total amount would be around 6000 low-grade spirit stones.¡±. Long Tao nodded and then turned over to the Lin Zhong and said ¡± If you had enough power I would have dropped it, but you are just a spoiled piece of weakling shit and hence, you are going topensate my squad he damages you did to them. The number of times 100 should be avable in addition to the charges due to the formation by the end of this month. Now fuck off.¡±. The person beside Long Tao was scared shitless. The vice-leader was asking 100 times the amount. It would be around 600,000 low-grade spirit stones or 600 middle-grade spirit stones. That was a very big amount.

    Lin Zhong was bubbling with anger. This guy dared to look down on him just from a single confrontation., He drew out his sword and ran towards Long Tao. Long Tao didn¡¯t even flinch. He decided to try one of his arts, that he haven¡¯t really utilised until now. It was called a diversion. Just as the sword was going to hit his body, Long Tao took a stance and misdirected the sword, along with Lin Zhong¡¯s body, throwing him in the other way with zero efforts. The skill basically used the opponent¡¯s power against him, thus nullifying the threat. Long Tao used to practice is daily, but never did ite to use. Lin Zhong here provided to be the perfect target. From what Long to could see of the results, it was really effective. Long Tao continued the deflection and Lin Zhong was continuously being, thrown here and there. Soon enough even Lin Zhong¡¯s Qi reserve started to deplete. Recognizing his condition, Lin Zhong stopped for a moment. He needed to calm himself down and work his wits up. He looked at Long Tao and then changed his stance. This stance surprised Long Tao. Deflection used the rule of reading an opponent¡¯s movements from their behavioral stance and then deflect them with the help of rotation. But Lin Zhong¡¯s current stance was like that of Long Mengchen. It didn¡¯t give up any pattern of movements and hence Long Tao couldn¡¯t think of a way to deflect. No deflection also utilized thew of rotation and Long Tao didn¡¯t just concentrate on the deflecting part of it. He developed a new type of change. So, he wanted to experiment on a subject. Lin Zhong was proving to be the best one as time went by. Long Tao was surprised to see someone so talented appearing, that he could adjust to the scene so quickly. Although it was still a no bother for Long Tao¡¯s current power level. But how could he leave such a good subject back.

    The brawl was about to resume again. Lin Zhong was gratified to see that Long Tao was not able to take a stance now. His assumption was right. Long Tao¡¯s technique depended upon the prediction factor of opponents¡¯ movement and then deflecting them. He then used the randomized sword that he practiced and attacked Long Tao. True to his assumptions, Long Tao decided to confront him now. But he still didn¡¯t use Qi. All he did was to confront with just his body. The fight continued and eventually, Long Tao ¡®s body got hurt. Lin Zhong was visibly ted to see his attack actuallynd. But he soon realized how na?ve he was. The opponent was not even using Qi and he was already using his wits to the end. As the fight continued, he started feeling awe of Long Tao¡¯s prowess. Although the guy was an enemy, he still deserved his respect as a warrior. Long Tao too got surprised by the injury. He startedmending Lin Zhong¡¯s adaptability skills. Thest time, he was bruised by an opponent, it was Long Mengchen. None were able tond a blow on him.

    The next thought in Long Tao¡¯s mind was to primarily evolve the usage of the theory of rotation. It gave an additional, momentum to the attack making it higher in power. What Long Tao wanted to do was to experiment with how he could inculcate this. The basic of inculcation was already present as he used his body¡¯s hip rotation in all types of weapon art, but it is difficult to think of a new approach. The fight continued and Long Tao was confronting the weapon with his bare hands. Just then, due to a small movement, the confrontation between the hand and the weapon gave a surprising result. Due to the tinge of turn, the weapon slipped by the hand, negating its effect. This sudden oue gave Long Tao a huge insight. A theory started to generate in his mind. This can be a way to do it. The next confrontation saw something miraculous. Long Tao started to deflect the sword attacks with just his hands. This resulted in even more injuries, but soon enough Lin Zhong began to feel that his attacks were bing ineffective. Soon enough aplete deflection was seen. Lin Zhong was shocked. How could this be? Lin Zhong was shocked and just in this moment of carelessness, he let his guard down, which resulted in Long Tao giving him a power-packed blow in the gut, sending him flying to the ground.

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59: COMPENSATION

    Lin Zhong was lying, in a pool of his own blood. The moment of hesitation resulted in him experiencing an extreme injury at the moment. This attack was infused with Long Tao¡¯s Qi. It hence resulted in a lot of internal injuries in Lin Zhong¡¯s abdomen and chest parts. Long Tao saw that this bastard was actually providing it with a gap and took it. As expected, Lin Zhong was shocked by the new move Long Tao showed. Even Long Tao was surprised by the effectiveness of the technique. He never imagined that the addition of power by including a simple rotation rule would be so much. The rotation not only helped with minute deflection of the attacks, but the counter was also even more robust and power-packed. It could be seen from Lin Zhong¡¯s injury. The boos to the power, although not too high, were visible. This was enough for Long Tao to continue his research on the subject. Long Tao wanted to broaden his application of the theory of rotation. If he could include the theory into the arts and inculcate in weapon attack, he could not only improve the attack part, but the defense will rise to another level.

    Lin Zhong lifted himself up and ate a pill. Instantly his Qi started to recover. The viewers of the fight started berating him, but to their surprise, Long Tao didn¡¯t even interfere with the healing process. What was even more astounding was Long Tao didn¡¯t even bother to look, as if he was ignoring the act of Lin Zhong. This further added to his embarrassment. His opponent actually allowed him to recover. It just showed how he was looked down upon. Lin Zhong didn¡¯t rush this time. His previous acts had already resulted in injuries and embarrassment. But he really liked Su Menqi. He couldn¡¯t back down now. His reputation as the Wing Commander was at stake now. Although he wanted to have Su Menqi, he didn¡¯t even try to harm any members of the ckbuck squad. It was his underlings that caused this. He didn¡¯t interfere with this. But looking at them now, they have paid a precious price because of it. Most of their cultivation were destroyed and they would need a long time to recover. Long Tao had caused a huge problem for the whole military, but no one could do anything about it because they were the ones who attacked first. From what Long Tao had shown him, the only ones who could scare him are those who are at Qi General Realm or above. Qi master is beneath him. He wanted to strike a deal with Long Tao and was about to put forward his proposition when he was confronted by the figure of Long Tao moving towards him. The aura of Long Tao was no longer peaceful or collected as it always was. He was extruding a dominance at the moment. ¡°Shall we continue our little experiment. Long Tao started attacking Lin Zhong merciless and soon enough Lin Zhong was not able to resist. He was about to say wait, but a kick from Long Tao broke his jaw and swell his mouth up. Lin Zhong was lying there unconscious. Long Tao approached the body and started carrying it inside the dwelling.

    ¡°I suggest brother Long wait.¡± A voice sounded from behind. Long Tao turned around and saw a guy walking towards him d in regal robes. This man extruded a powerful aura, a peak level Qi master who was stronger than Lin Zhong. Long Tao didn¡¯t bother to reply and continued walking towards the house. This shocked the man. He didn¡¯t expect Long Tao to ignore him, but he also couldn¡¯t do anything. He had seen the fight. Long Tao was ying with Lin Zhong. If he had been serious from the start, Lin Zhong would have been taken out from the first strike. It wouldn¡¯t be necessary to continue the fight for such a long time. It was just as Long Tao had stated, he was experimenting on Lin Zhong. ¡°are you going to deny the request of your superior just like this vice-leader Long.¡±. Long Tao turned around, threw out a sigh and said¡± Man you people have it too easy in here. You don¡¯t even know about your real ce and dare even ask me the silliest question of today even after viewing the fight from the beginning. This is a north-eastern military zone, not your home turf insect. I will behead you and no one would be able to save you. Fuck off¡±. The guy was shocked to hear the reply. He was starting to lose his control but something reminded him that what he was told just now was true. This was the north-eastern military. Capability and strength decided who the king was in here. Although he came to promote peace between the two parties, this man seems to be a difficult character.

    ¡°I am here on behalf of someone to plead peace between you and Wingmander Lin Zhong.¡±. Long Tao turned around again and said:¡± State your rank and name¡±. ¡°Lin Hao, Squadron leader.¡±. ¡°So, you must be the dog of this guy¡¯s father. Good. Tell him to initial his son was going to pay me 600 middle-grade spirit stone sand I was thinking of settling. Now he will pay me 6000, for wasting my time among other reasons and I want thepensation today itself. I don¡¯t want to hear the reason. Just tell him not to bothering here, because then I will surely behead this guy. Next, I will start breaking limb by limb of this guy¡¯s body every 1 incense stick. Starting now.¡± Long Tao broke the arm he was carrying Lin Zhong by. A loud howl of pain and misery was heard.

    Long Tao then entered his dwelling and sat in the middle of the entrance hall. Lin Hao was left standing astounded by what just urred here. The guy didn¡¯t even fear his uncle¡¯s influence. That is some serious guts right there. Also, 6000 medium grade spirituals tones, were like his life savings but that brats want s to be paid today. Also, he dared to break Lin Zhong¡¯s hand even after knowing the background he was messing with. This means this kid is quite confident in himself. Now he realized why his uncle told him to manage the situation carefully. It looks like someone of the same level as uncle is involved. He needed to get back and report it to his uncle and decided what to do next. He left soon enough.

    Long Tao currently ordered all the members to appear before him and show him their progress in the given period of time. The members came into view and due to the pressure on them, they actually had managed to break through two levels of cultivation. Su Menqi was Qi master level 3 now. Mengdi was now a Qi Master. The rest of the members were all peak Qi child realm already. Now, this was a good enough start for his n. The members saw a body lying at Long Tao¡¯s feet. When they recognized who it was, each one of them was shocked speechless. Wing Commander Lin Zhong was currently lying badly injured at Vice-leader¡¯s feet. Every one of them wanted to know about the current situation, but who would have the guts to actually ask Long Tao to exin. With the ruthless nature of their captain, it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if he decides to kill them all. They stood there in silence.¡± I see that you have managed to achieve the aim. Good. Within the next two days, thepensation of the lieutenants will be arriving and each one of you will have an equal share in that. You are to continue training and be ready for my orders. We will be leaving the zone, for carrying out a series of missions that I will choose for us.¡±. The squad was dismissed form the mission hall, except for Su Menqi and a stubborn Mengdi who insisted on staying behind. ¡°Do you have any questions captain?¡¯. Su Menqi picked her guts up and said with a serious tone¡± I would like the vice-leader to brief me about the situation that is in front of me.¡±. Long Tao looked at Su Menqi for some time. A smile broke out. Thisdy actually managed to pick up guts and ask for a briefing from me. ¡°reporting to the captain, the Wingmander, and the lieutenants dared to attack my formation and are currently injured due to my self-defense approaches. They are going to lie here until thepensation arrives. As I said you are to divide them equally within the group and prepare yourself to not be a burden and push over for this squad. ¡°You may leave now. I will give you a call when the resources arrive.??

    Su Menqi left with a sad expression. She knew that all the hardship that the ck-buck squad was going through was because of her. The Wingmander had taken a liking to her and wanted to bed her. But she didn¡¯t want to give her chastity away and hence resisted the advances. It resulted in Lin Zhong¡¯s ego getting hurt and his group started pressurizing the ck-buck squad. She had always been the ck cloud that restricted the advancement of the whole squad. But she couldn¡¯t do anything. But just then Long Tao arrived. And within just a matter of a month, all the members of the squad had managed to rise up by two levels. Something she could never have achieved. Long Tao ¡®s word hurt her feelings deeply. She knew that she was useless in this aspect, but hearing it from Long Tao¡¯s mouth, made her even more disappointed in herself. As she went and sat down for cultivation again, she determined to increase her cultivation by leaps and bounds so that she would be able to support the squad.

    .....

    Lon G Tao was still sitting in the entrance hall, and as he said, he was breaking limbs of Lin Zhong every incense stick. A painful howl escaped and reverberated throughout the nearby streets. Long Tao was actually doing what he said. Lin Zhong was currently suffering a miserable fate. Lin Hao arrived nearly 4 incense stickster directly in front of Long Tao¡¯s entrance.¡± You can enter the Squadron leader. ¡°Lin Hao appeared in front of Long Tao. The view that weed him was a miserable Lin Zhong lying, injured with four of his limbs broken. Lin Hao was really disturbed upon seeing the current condition of his cousin, but he couldn¡¯t retaliate or take revenge for him. He directly passed Long Tao a ring. ¡± It contains all the resources that wouldpensate for the damage caused by Lin Zhong. Thepensation of the lieutenants will be arriving tomorrow. Hope that brother Lin would be able to allow me to take Lin Zhong away.¡±. Long Tao nodded and threw Lin Zhong¡¯s body with a kick. He spouted blood upon experiencing this. ¡°Make sure to let him know that there are some people whom he shouldn¡¯t mingle with.¡±. Lin Hao kept his emotion sin check and said to Long Tao ¡± Vice-general Lin Bao has asked brother Long to visit his manor for having tea. I hope brother Long Tao would not reject his offer.¡±. Long Tao turned around and said with a cruel smile¡± I don¡¯t work under him and am currently busy because my squad will be leaving tomorrow toplete multiple tasks. As per the invitation, I might be able to visit after Ie back from the trip. Hope Vice-general won¡¯t mind a soldier doing his duty for the camp. Also, send my regards to him for providing me with these great cultivation resources. I will keep them safe and use them to advance my cultivation level by a good range.¡±. Lin Hao almost spouted out blood in a rage after hearing this.

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60: MISSIONS

    Long Tao returned to his room and into the crimson lord world. The exploits this time were quite profitable. He got 6000 middle-grade spirit stones from Lin Zhong. Given his expenditure levels, these wouldst him until he reaches the advanced level of Qi master. He couldn¡¯t wait to start the training. The avatar of Long Tao that was newly formed had already broken through the Qi master realm. It was shocking to see how efficient one would be given they have the experience of higher realms of cultivation. Long Tao now had to think of the new distribution system of the avatars. He had six clones allocated in the different academies and powers including the military. Now he had 5 clones remaining. Of these 5 avatars, 2 were already allocated. These were the skill set and the fighting experience with a puppet. The remaining 3 Long Tao wanted to concentrate totally on cultivation. So, he decided upon the pathway. He had three pathways to follow and he decided to allocate the three to these 3 different pathways. The first one was going to cultivate the Qi realm. The second was going to cultivate the body and the third one was going to cultivate the soul.

    Long Tao decided that soul training will be divided into three parts. One would be cultivating using the Heavenly pestle. The second part will be practicing the soul replenishing art, and the third would be the usage part of the soul. Long Tao decided that Heavenly pestle was to be given a lot of time because it was the slowest and the most torturous cultivation technique he was practicing. The Soul replenishing art also had volume but he couldn¡¯t open them. Long Tao came upon the fact that it might not be because of his realm, but because he didn¡¯t master the easiest volume yet. So, he was going to give time for that. He needed to uncover the second volume fast. The next part was the soul control art and the soul manifestation art. Long Tao decided to increase his efficiency in these two because they were the offensive soul arts he was practicing. Long Tao needed to increase his soul offensiveness in addition to the manifestation he was able to produce by the soul Qi. The soul spike was the first manifestation. There was the soul sword, the soul scythe, and finally, the soul is. The soul being would mark the optimum level of the soul manifestation art.

    As per the body cultivation path, Long Tao decided that he would still continue with the opening of tertiary meridians. There were 108 tertiary meridians and these would result in the finalpletion of the meridian set opening of the body. Long Tao decided that he will majorly concentrate on the opening of meridians while he will also open some acupoint sin between. What he nned up for the future was to open around another acupoint while within the QI master realm. But he wanted toplete the total opening of the meridians. ording to the ancient will¡¯s memory and manual of experience, he had managed to open around half of the tertiary meridians and around 60 acupoints but was still nearly killed by the drop of blood of a true dragon. He told Long Tao that unless he reaches at least his level, he was not to try the thing out. Upon consulting with the keeper, his ideas came up to be true. The blood of a true dragon was something very precious ording to the keeper. Also, each drop of blood holds immense power, and hence, it also warned Long Tao about the precautions he needs to take before starting the cultivation. Long Tao has decided that he would open all the tertiary meridians and as per the number of acupoints, it will be the number he manages to achieve, by the time he reaches the Qi General peak. So, meridians were the primary goals for now and the second avatar had already retired to the training grounds for beginning the practice of opening. With the practice of the Weapon tempering art, it was much easier for Long Tao to open up his meridians with the help of the intents of the life-weapon he created. All the cultivation art that Long Tao practiced was somehow interrted.

    Thest part was Qi training. He had three arts to cultivate and he currently didn¡¯t have the resources to practice the blood tempering form. He had to wait till he goes to the missions to gather a lot of level 3 beasts for cultivation. Until Then Long Tao decided to cultivate the Hell more solid art and the Crimson world scripture of Qi master to their best possible levels. He decided to break his time equally. He knew that the Crimson world scripture is going to advance the fastest, but he still decided to give it an equal time period. Now the most important work to do was to raise his cultivation by leaps and bounds. He decided that he will have to at least break-through the intermediate Qi master level by the time he returns back to the camp. He had allocated two months for this training and they were going toplete missions while also training in these months. Long Tao, as said before wanted to control these regions and it required absolute strength. He wanted to raise a group of followers and who better than the ck-buck squad. Long Tao had long decided upon the missions they were going toplete. When he informed the mission hall about it, they were scared shitless. Long Tao had basically applied for a ton of missions. On average each member would have toplete three missions toplete the whole set and he had asked for just two months. If sessfullypleted, the ck-buck squad may rise up to be the number one squad. That was exactly what Long Tao had in mind.

    Currently, in the military infirmary, a group of people was standing beside an injured person lying on the bed. This person was none other than Lin Zhong. The group standing beside him had an old man standing in the middle. This was none other than Lin Zhong¡¯s father and one of the vice-generals of the North-eastern military, Lin Bao. He had bloodshot eyes when he saw the current condition of his son, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. There was another vice-general who as involved as a backer for Long Tao and he was stronger than him. He could only manipte the scene from the shadows. ¡°What is your opinion about Long Tao?¡±. Lin Hao stepped forward and said¡± ording to me, that man is not only strong but extremely ruthless. I suppose uncle has already received the reports of what he did to the spies we have sent into the squad. None of them were left with an intact body and their severed head was delivered to the groups they originally belonged to. Also, all the lieutenants were nearly crippled and lost a lot of their cultivation. We can¡¯t have disciplinary action taken on him, because he must have proof that we were the ones who attacked first and he was the singr opponent who took down a group of people who were of much higher-level cultivation than him. This would not only demote our reputation in the military but most probably would result in action taken on our group. Also, he most probably is as strong if not stronger than me. If you would ask me, I would request you not make an enemy out of him.¡±. Lin Bao listened silently and he understood the logic behind Lin Hao¡¯s words. But how could he let go of the person who nearly killed his son? ¡°What is the news regarding him as of now?¡±. ¡°He has taken a set of missions from the mission hall. What Ie to understand from my contacts, he had allotted himself an impossible time frame toplete it. He had taken around 50 missions and asked for 2 months toplete all the missions. We would have an opportunity to get him when he returns after failing inpleting those missions.¡± Lin Bao agreed. He was under heavy scrutiny by that person, and he would allow anything to happen to Long Tao. But if he could show how reckless Long Tao was, he could bring him under punishment in the disciplinary hall and as the manager of it, he would have the perfect opportunity to exact his revenge at that time.¡± You are to also take steps to sabotage his mission. Don¡¯t interfere with the mission directly. If he has an ambush mission, you are to inform the party beforehand. I want him to incur losses as well. Are we clear?¡±. The group of people nodded. Lin Bao looked at his injured son and vowed that he would have Long Tao pay back 100 times more grievously than the condition his son was currently in.

    Long Taopleted his nning and once again ordered for all the members to gather. ¡°This is a briefing before themencement of the 2 months of mission training. I have undertaken 50 missions and each one of you is toplete a total 3 missions on average to be able toplete it. The aim of this session of training is that I will be allocating all of you an equal amount of resources before leaving for the mission. Each one of you has to break-through three more levels of cultivation before we return while simultaneouslypleting the mission which I will assign. The criteria are the same as before. Those who dare to take my resources and are not able toplete the task I give them are going to be executed. I will be true to my words as I have already proved to many of you in the recent set of events.¡±. Each of the members was given a storage ring.¡± We will be proceeding together and you will be separating at the time I will ask you to. The rings contain the allocated resources and the mission slip you have been assigned. The resources are enough for you to cultivate up to the intermediate Qi master realm at least. On sessfulpletion, another space ring will be assigned to you which will hold the rewards that will help you in your cultivation further. Now the mission is divided into three groups. The first one is the resource collection. The second is scouting and the third set id ambushing and killing. Each one of you has been assigned a collection and scouting mission, while collective ambush missions are assigned. All the ambush mission will be carried out by the whole group. I will be supervising all the groups and how you conduct yourself in these two months. I want the squad to achieve the top ranking by the time we return back to the camp. Also, you are to improve your team skills. Failure will not be tolerated.¡±

    After the briefing about the mission, the group was given half a day time to prepare. The next day the whole ck-buck squad went out together towards the enemy borders. Each one of them was nervous. Not because of the enemy but because of the tyrannical vice-leader of theirs who would kill them for sure should they fail. This was a race against time

    .....

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61: 9 Thunder body art

    Li Meng (Long Tao) was currently residing in his mansion. He had already broken through the Qi master realm and it was time to go meet his master, but he wanted to dy it a bit. He needs to make sure that his body-nature is not exposed. Long Tao currently posed the omni elemental body. It was one of the mortal rank bodies in the world. Mortal rank bodies are what came after level 6 of natural body. They were high affinity body types with special powers that their body provides them. Also, he needed to think about, what level of proficiency is he going to show Bu Puti. He knew that his master appreciated him dearly and will stop at nothing to help him grow in cultivation. Currently what Long Tao needed was attack and secret arts from the thunder-god academy. It was the reason he had shown the body type that was intimate with the thunder element. Long Tao had already managed to get hold of lot of techniques and he got them from the Crimson Lord world and the three scriptures along with what the will provided him. But What he wanted to experiment and be proficient in were the arts of normal people. He didn¡¯t want to unnecessarily expose his true strength.

    Li Meng proceeded towards his master¡¯s dwelling. Upon reaching the door, he bowed down and asked for permission to enter. The gate opened and Li Meng was walking inside the dwelling. Bu Puti was seated in the middle and there was another figure beside him, seeing whom, Long Tao was shocked. His master Qin Wentian was here. But why? Long Tao tried to calm his mind down upon seeing his other master and approached Bu Puti. Upon Reaching in front of him, he bowed in respect¡± Disciple greets master¡±. Bu Puti showed appreciation in his eyes and then pointed at Qin Wentian and said¡± Come greet my brother Qin. He is a Weapon forger and you might be knowing the force he belongs to. He is the grand elder of the Firmament pce.¡±. Long Tao looked surprised and then bowed to Qin Wentian¡± Junior greets senior Forge King.¡± Qin Wentian was surprised to see someone knowing his title out of the persons who were close to him. ¡°No need to be surprised senior. You and I have quite a rtion, which you might not be aware of.¡± Both Qin Wentian and Bu Puti looked curious about the topic.¡± Senior is the master of my elder brother.¡±. Qin Wentian was shocked as he didn¡¯t know any person who fit the description of Li Meng¡¯s elder brother, but suddenly he remembered a silhouette who was recently epted in his apprenticeship.

    ¡°Qin Weng is your elder brother!¡±. Li Meng showed up a smile and nodded.¡± He and I along with another 4 people are brothers by death. We have ovee hardships together and are also very close to each other. Brother Qin messaged me about senior epting him as his disciple. I am very thankful of senior to have shown such favour to my brother. He really is a genius in forging.¡± Qin Wentian understood where this wasing from. He didn¡¯t expect that Qin Weng had such rtions here and the person in front of him was also quite talented. Bu Puti had told him about his disciple and it was no less adequate than Qin Weng. No Doubt theyplement each other so much and were brothers by death. He was even more excited now for the presentation of what he had brought with him. This was a kind of nephew of his and also the disciple of his friend.

    ¡°Haahaha, I never expected us brothers to have epted disciples who were so lose to each other. Fate really ys a great game.¡± . Qin Wentian was also in a good mood. He took out a storage ring and gave it to Li Meng.¡± Your uncle here has forged you a set of weapons. Hope you like it.¡±. Long Tao put his aura into the ring and the content poured out. Arge Hammer and a breath-taking sword came into view. Both of these weapons were of level 3 (for Qi generals). He didn¡¯t expect his master to have prepared such a gift and the one who forged it was his other master. This really helped the case a lot. Long Tao was trying to find a source for his weapons. Now he had a great set. At the moment, Qin Wentian again noticed something. ¡± you are also a body cultivator like Qin Weng.¡±. Li Meng had forgotten to hide the aura and hence was caught. He smiled and said¡± Replying to senior, all six of us brother have cultivate din the path of body. We even have a ranking of who have reached the highest extent. Our eldest brother has the highest achievement in this realm.¡±. Qin Wentian was shocked. All of the six people were body cultivators too. This was like a highly talented group. ¡°May I know the name of your eldest brother?¡±. ¡°His name is Long Tao senior. He is the second ce of the royal gathering. He is currently stationed in the royal army of the Jiao country and had joined the North-eastern region.¡±. Qin Wentian was silent for some time again ¡°North-eastern regions you say. Then I might have a meet with him in future.¡±. Li Meng said ¡°every year we brothers gather together topete within ourselves. Our talent in cultivation is quite simr and all of us have different elemental affinities. All we could do is improve on the skills we learn. The winner of the yearly event of ours, taken with him half the possession of the rest of the 5.¡± Qin Wentian and Bu Puti looked at each other with surprise. Suddenly an aura ofpetitiveness arose from both of their eyes. Li Meng¡¯s back was now drenched in sweat. He might have created a ground forpetition this time. After a short conversation, Qin Wentian got up and left.

    Bu Puti and Li Meng were left alone in his dwelling now. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your elder brother to be the student of Qin Wentian. Boy when is the next annual meeting of yours?¡±. ¡°It is in 6 months ¡°. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to fare it, but you need to crush your brothers and win the meeting, Am I clear?¡±. Long Tao nodded. Bu Puti then asked him to sit on the couch beside him.¡± You have sessfully managed to break-through the QI master realm, which is a great news. I am going to tell you about something and you are going to listen very carefully. You should have already guessed that thunder-god hall is not a power from these regions. We are the subsidiary power of a greater organisation. The name will be enclosed to you in due time. The power that we originate from, holds a yearly conference, for the subsidiaries, where various fractionpetes with the main fraction¡¯s disciples. The rankers of the gathering are highly rewarded and get a chance to win not only cultivation resources but a chance to be the disciples of the elders from the main branch. Also, the next gathering is also marking a great asion and the main branch is going to increase the resources by a hell lot. I want you to be one of the rankers at least. Since thepetition has started the minimum cultivation of the one who rank high is at the peak of Mid-level Qi masters. Lets not even talk about the top 100. All of them are said to be monsters of peak Advance level Qi master. The top 10 are generally QI generals. Thepetition is set up so that only those under 20 can participate. You should be able to understand what a under 20 Qi generals signify right. That is how advance the cultivation practices of the main branch are. You need to prepare and give your best in the next 1 year. I will provide you with all the resources you will require. You are to break-through at least the advance level Qi master in the next 1 year.¡± Bu Puti handed a book to Long Tao. 9 lightning body art. ¡°This is a body refining art that you need to practice. The details are provided inside. I hope you will not let down my expectation from you. The following body refining art uses the thunder energy to forge your body again and again. The basic requirement to practice it is to bepatible with Thunder element and the practitioner should have refined his/her body in thunder once. The body art is something that was taken from the core section of the force we belong to. You are to not only practice it, but before thepetition finallymences, I want you to havepleted 2 to 3 rotations. Practicing it requires a lot of thunder energy. From what I expect, and my estimation given your results in the thunder pool, you would be able to reach the 3rd rotation while training in the thunder pool. After that you will require a more powerful thunder energy source. How far do you think you can go in this particr art.¡± Li Meng studied it for sometime and found it simr to the 12 forges of death? The only difference was the fact that 12 forges use Hell Qi and this art used the thunder Qi. He was confident ofpleting it to at least 4-5 cycle before entering thepetitions.¡± I am confident inpleting it but I don¡¯t understand the things I will gain after practicing it master.¡±. Bu Puti sighed. His disciple was a really greedy one. ¡°first of all, if you manage toplete it, you will attract more attention of the elders of the power I belong to. Secondly, I want to propose a bet with you.¡±. Li Meng¡¯s eyes shone with brightness. ¡°If you are able toplete the 2nd cycle, I will give you a set of body refining and cultivation resources. If you manage toplete the third cycle, I will give you another 10 thunder pills along with the body refining resources. If you were able toplete tit to the 4th cycle, I will add a weapon to thebo. Complete 5th cycle and you will get another 20 thunder pills.¡±. Li Meng¡¯s eyes shone. Thunder pills were the resources that were perfect for the cultivation of innate thunder element and are quite potent. If he gest his hands on those, he would be able to fasten the cycle ofpletion of the 9-thunder body art. ¡°Master I have query.¡±. ¡°what is it?¡±. Long Tao in a serious expression asked ¡°What if I manage toplete 6 cycles or more?¡±. Bu Putiughed out loud. ¡°The fastest cultivation ever recorded in the history of the art within a year, was a genius of the force who managed toplete 6 rotations within a year. He managed to break-through 6 cultivation realms within that year too. The person is the current Sect master of that power. If you, by any chance, were able toplete the 6th cycle within this year, I will add a set of 10 mad thunder pill and another Qi general rank weapon. Also, if you do manage toplete the 6th cycle, you most probably will be directly epted as the disciple of an elder and even attract the attention of the sect master.¡±. Li Meng was silent now. 1 year from now meant a total of 4 years for him. He had already managed to achieve omni-element body. He was confident that he could break-though Qi general in a year and his master was making a foolish bet now.¡± As you wish master. Any further instruction for this disciple.¡±.

    BU Puti handed another two manuals to Long Tao.¡± You have a good affinity towards the thunder element and are adept in both swords and hammer. I don¡¯t have any particr insights in swords; hence you can choose an art yourself from the sect¡¯s library. As per hammer, I will personally guide you. You are to practice with me from now on. These are a set of hammer arts and movement art. The most deranged part of any hammer user is their decreased speed. They are not fast enough due to the characteristics of their weapon. Hence you are to learn a movement technique. This is called the shadow steps. Itpensates for ourck of speed while using the hammer. The hammer art in your hand is called, Thunder smasher. You are to learn these two arts asplementary to each other. Also, it would be better if you start the cultivation of these two together. The schedule you are to follow is to be decided by you, but I would ask to bnce all three as theyplement each other perfectly and make aplete meal. The 9-thunder body provides defence. The shadow step helps in movement and you have thunder smasher as the attack art. What is your currently level of intent in Hammer? You are to practice until you reach at least intermediate of 1st level.¡± Li Meng smiled.¡± I have a surprise for you master.¡± He closed his eyes and a aura radiated from him making the whole atmosphere incredibly happy. Bu Puti was petrified at first. Then his expression changed from shock to that of extreme delight. ¡°Advance level of 1st stage Hammer intent, I have no been let down by the heavens. ¡°He instantly took out another small box from his ring and handed it to Long Tao.¡± Take this brat. It is the reward for your cultivation achievements until now. ¡°Li Meng opened the small container and found 10 pieces of stone. He was shocked to see it.¡± Top grade spirit stone.¡± Each top-grade spirit stone was equivalent to 100o middle grade spirit stones and Bu Puti gave him 10. He instantly bowed to Bu Puti and said ¡± I will not let master down in the uping year.¡±

    .....

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62: ALCHEMY

    Lu Ming was currently in his teacher¡¯s dwelling. The first elder was the most mysterious character in the sect and Long Tao could easily understand why. A mid-rank Qi king was a huge power figure in these back-ward regions. As dictated by him, Lu Ming came back to meet after he had broken through the Qi master realm. Seeing Lu Ming, the first elder was shocked at first. He felt a sense of power when seeing Lu Ming, something that Qi masters who has just broken through don¡¯t radiate. His disciple was someone who was d in mystery, and he let him be. ording to their bet, he had one year to prove his efficiency while practicing all the three paths of healing, offensive and alchemy arts.¡± So, you have managed to break through the Qi master level. But you took more time than expected.¡±. Long Tao was silent the whole time. He knew his master was going to persuade him to focus solely on the path of pill-making. ¡°This is just the truth of the cultivation world. Even genius might run into a wall sometime and it is better if you walk just a single type of path.¡± Although he wanted to try and persuade Long Tao a little bit more, the expression Long Tao showed forced him into a helpless situation. This was the first disciple of his who was so troublesome. ¡°Master I know that you want the best path for me, but I too have my own ideas of paving a path for myself. If you want to force something on me, although I won¡¯t be able to resist, you will be undermining my future. Please let me decide on the path I will walk, and find my own martial way.¡±. The first elder sighed a long breath and asked Long Tao to sit.

    ¡°Since it is your choice and one you are supposed to make, I wouldn¡¯t interfere in it. The pill hall is a power proficient in three primary areas. Pill making, offensive fire arts, and Healing arts which requires one to bepatible with the wood element. Since you want to walk on all three paths, you will need to havepatibility with two basic elements, fire, and wood. Your natural body type is a pioneer in both the types and hence you are eligible to walk on these three paths. If you ask about the path of healings and wood type energy is not my strong ground, and hence the best person to teach you that will be someone else.¡±. ¡°May I know the person¡¯s identity.¡±. The first elder nodded¡± You will in the near future, but now we are to concentrate on the other two parts. The path of offensive fire arts and Alchemy.¡±

    ¡°Both the path has amon first step, that is an affinity towards the fire. The second step is crucial and alsomon. It is the control of fire. Fire is a fickle form of energy. Under perfect control, it can do wonders, but it is also a catalyst and medium of destruction once it leaves your control. So, you need to establish good control of the fire energy you use. Now the most basic me is the one we normally find. You will begin with that. You are going to try to maintain the me¡¯s power first.¡±. Long Tao saw a normal me appearing in front of him. ¡°You will start injecting your Qi into it and will try to maintain it to as long as you can. Now before starting to perform the task, I first need to know your basic limits. You will do a test run first and we will see what the amount of your Qi capacity is.¡±. Long Tao felt a little awkward this time. He knew that he basically7 had an upper hand in this region due to his Origin avatar art, but he didn¡¯t want to cheat. He wanted to improve the individual avatar¡¯s ability. Hence, he decided to use the single avatar¡¯s Qi storage to the max. expenditure. Now Long Tao¡¯s achievements and body type already had him have an advantage over the cultivators of his stage. He was sure that his ability was at least equal to that of 4 to 5 peoplebined. This was because of his body, and the arts he practiced. The process started.

    The first elder was watching the whole scene from a distance away. Suddenly a beautiful figure appeared beside him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you toe and watch the initial test like this.¡±. The figure gave out a smile and said¡± I had to because this event here is going to let me have a glimpse of the present achievement of my junior brother. ¡°. The figure was a disciple of the first elder. One would not be surprised by that. The real surprising matter here was her cultivation. It was at the initial Qi King Level. The first elder had a disciple who had such an aplishment. It showed the abilities he possessed. ¡°The boy is the one I stake my reputation onst bit of hope upon.¡±. The figure was surprised on hearing this¡± What made you ept him as a disciple. I do know that your standards are sky high, and even they fail to live up to your expectations. But you are pitting yourst hope onto him means he is somewhat special. What made you so sure about it.¡±. The first elder looked at the figure and said¡± Do you know what his current cultivation level is¡±. ¡°He had just broken through the Qi master level.¡±. ¡°Can you guess his current achievements in soul state and alchemy.¡±.¡± The first stage of alchemy is all about mixing some pills. The real things start in the second stage. You training him means that he is currently in the beginning of the second stage alchemists, which is impressive, but not umon. As per his soul stage, I think it would be in the second stage beginning, the soul child level.¡±. The first elder remained silent throughout the assessment of his disciple. Then he gave out a shortugh when he heard thestment.¡± The boy was in advance level soul child realm when I hadst checked. After he broke through, I think he is already in the soul master level.¡±. The amount of the figure gaped upon hearing this. Soul master level, when he just broke through the Qi master. This was unknown to the world until now. ¡°Seems like you picked up an alchemy genius¡±. ¡°He might have the capability of a genius, but his mindset is something that would hinder his future if you might ask me.¡±. ¡°What does the teacher mean?¡±. ¡°Your junior brother informed me that he is going to walk all three paths. He wants to practice alchemy along with healing and firearms.¡±. The figure showed a disgruntled expression.¡± This is bullshit. You need to force him to the right path.¡±. ¡°First thing, forcing him will limit his future and harm it in a very negative way. Second, your brother is not as simple as you assume. His backing, if I assume correctly, should at least be a high-level Qi king or even a Qi Emperor. The figure looked at Lu Ming with interest now. So, this junior brother of her was not a simple figure at the very least. He wanted to uncover more about her junior brother from her master, but an idea suddenly hit her mind.¡± Master, want to bet as to how long Junior brother can hold the me for with his Qi¡±. The first elder was watching Long Tao¡¯s current situation at the time and said¡± what the all-time record of the alchemy¡¯s history.¡±. ¡°For the first trial, it is around, 2 days for a practitioner at QI master realm, and he was at 2nd level of Qi master.¡±.¡± Then I would put my stakes on your junior brother surpassing that time.¡±. The figure giggled at the mention of the record. The one that held the record was a genius pill cultivator who is currently the leader of the grand power that backs Pill hall. That figure is a power that has unknown origins as well as power which can¡¯t be estimated. It is a legend among the alchemists to be able to surpass the achievement of that figure. ¡°Then I would bet the me dragon cauldron that I obtained from the ancient ruins.¡±. ¡°What do you want in return?¡±. The figure spected the details about her master¡¯s belongings and said¡± How about the map regarding that thing. I always wanted to have one for myself. Also, you have two. I think the map is worth to be betted against my cauldron.¡± The map that the figure was talking about was for a me, whose power was unknown to date.

    ¡°I would ept the bet if you add one more thing to it.¡±. The figure¡¯s interest was intrigued. ¡°You will have to marry him in case you lose. What do you say.¡±? The figure was speechless, and suddenly an irritated blush appeared on the face. ¡± Too scared to bet are you?¡±. ¡± Fine let¡¯s watch the process. My requirements for a groom is very high. Her need tost at least double the time of the record if he wants to have me.¡±. The first elderughed and said,¡± epted.¡±. The figure got a feeling that she might have fallen into a wellid trap. Although she couldn¡¯t discern what the feeling was about, she started watching the process carefully.

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63: me Control

    Long Tao was starting the process now. He saw that the mes, when not provided with sufficient power were starting to blow out. Hence, as his teacher said, it was a very difficult job to keep it from blowing out. There was a requirement of continuous providing of Qi into the me and only after the consumption does the me manages to stay. Long Tao was providing continuous energy and soon realized that the energy expenditure rate was a little higher in this case then what he recovers. It meant that he would besting for a long period of time before going out. Long Tao couldn¡¯t pinpoint the exact interval of time when he would run out of Qi. He just wanted to test the limits of a single avatar and improve it by another level. Long Tao continued the process and soon enough a whole half-day passed.

    ¡°The junior doesn¡¯t seem to be bad. He managed to pass through the minimum threshold while his mes are quite constant. But the record is still a far way to go.¡±. The first elder knew this, but he had faith in Long Tao¡¯s power. Long To was like the most mysterious and talented character he had seen until this time, with an insane body type. He had also noticed that Long To had managed to open his acupoints, and although he wasn¡¯t a body cultivator, he knew it added up to his Qi reserves. He hadplete faith, that his pupil will be able to break the record easily.

    North-eastern regions-

    The Chu, Jio, and Mo countries were bordering each other in the north-eastern regions. As the border area was shared by three countries, it was known as the most chaotic region among all the borders that the Jiao country had. The region was prone to wars and all the countries had ced their most capable general in these regions. The ce was mostly covered in forests and within these lurked dangerous beasts, that no country dared to face single-handedly. Hence it remained a region tat was shared among all three. These were also the regions where constant conflicts, fights, and even mini-wars urred. These regions were that of abundant natural resources and the powers were eager to inculcate those for themselves.

    The ck-buck squad was currently on the move in these regions. The missions long Tao picked up amounted to 50 and they included lots of things. The first type was that of resource collection. There were areas marked on the maps that the squad had to go and gather resources from. Long had spent thest 15 days in the collection and hunting and collecting all the resources. This was a task to be done as training for all the team members. He wanted all of them to have broken through the Qi Master realm by the end of two months and each current QI master to have advanced by at least another two levels. But a cultivator often encounters a bottle-neck if they just concentrate on cultivating. Hence, they require to have the practical experience and fight their way through the journey. This was what the missions were all about. Cultivation as the primary goal and the missionpletion was second. They managed toplete one-third of the whole set. All they needed to do now was to concentrate on fighting and cultivating. Long Tao divided the time into 4 parts. 2 parts were always assigned to cultivation, 1 part for fighting and offensive training, and thest part was reserved for missionpletion. Also, some of the missions was to bepleted by Long Tao himself. Long Tao had decided to do some mission himself. These were the top of the most dangerous list. These included assassination tasks of Qi master realm practitioners and the squad didn¡¯t know how many Long Tao had chosen. He would just disappear in the night and return with blood on his clothes. But Long Tao didn¡¯t even bother to change clothes. 15 days, his clothes were drenched in blood. He was sitting at the top of a tree with the captain beside him, overlooking the squad as they fought a peak initial stage 3rd tier demonic beast. None of the practitioners were even having as much cultivation level as the beast, but Long Tao managed to instill a unique characteristic within them. It was called teamwork. They had to work together now, or they won¡¯t be able to survive the current scenario.

    ¡°Are you sure they will survive this?¡¯. Long Tao looked at her and said¡± If they can¡¯t, they shouldn¡¯t. They are cultivators, notmon people. The while motive of it is survival of the fittest. If they can¡¯t be strong enough, they will end up being devoured by others. They have to train themselves and continue to improve their strength.¡±. Su Menqi didn¡¯t like Long Tao¡¯s method due to the extremity, but she couldn¡¯t deny the obvious results that they manage to disy at the end. The squad continued to fight and the current leader was off course Mengdi. She was the strongest among the members except for Long Tao and Su Menqi. Her leadership qualities started to disy itself out and she was bing more and more proficient in it. The opponent was a bear demon who was massive in size. Although its body intimidated the group, its mobility was limited. Hence if the n of execution was good enough, it could be easily taken down by the squad.

    ¡°Here is the mission for you.¡±. Su Menqi took the slip given to her and the description of the missions surprised her.¡± The stone boar is a rare species of demonic beast and one was sighted near this region. It is estimated to be in the initial stage of 3rd tier beats and you will go and hunt one and bring it to me. You have two days toplete it and return, after which you will be given another mission by me.¡± Su Menqi soon disappeared from sight. Long Tao was still overlooking the fight of the squad.

    .....

    Unknown to the ck-buck group, the assassination mission that they had undertaken was sabotaged by the people of Lin Bao. The targets got to know about it and startedying down traps for any iing attacks. Even then, the enemy camps were shocked. Assassination was continuing to happen and a total of 30 practitioners of Qi master realm were already killed. This was a huge blow to them and the traps beingid out were getting more and more intricate by the second. But somehow, they weren¡¯t even able to get a glimpse of the assassin. Long Tao didn¡¯t want to involve the squad in the assassin missions because he felt that they stillcked the spirit and teamwork for it. He wanted to train them in a pretty hardcore way for the first missions and then they have multiple missions which include sabotaging the enemy supplies and attacking the bases of the enemy. Also, Long Tao was preparing them for another important job that put his resources for future cultivation strategies at stake.

    Lu Ming was already a day and a half into the process. He was nearing the all-time record every second. ¡°He is quite capable.¡±. The figure standing beside the first elder said,¡± but will he be able to beat the all-time record of that man.¡± Both of them were standing in apprehension. Soon enough, the second day passed. Long Tao had managed to break the record of the control and was still going on. The first half of the second day was over and traces of exhaustion finally started to appear on the face of Long Tao. He continued and the third day passed.¡± I suppose I am going to win the bet¡± The first elder said with a smile on his face. ¡°Do you not see the exhaustion on his face, he is nearing his limits. This boy is an incredible prodigy who had never appeared in these regions, but if you want to talk about the bet, he won¡¯t be able to make it till then. The first half of the third day passed too. The figure started to get nervous now, and as she peeked to her side, she could see the perfectly calm face of the first elder staring at Long Tao. This was bad. Where did the confidence of her mastere from? Also, the brat was performing miracles after miracles in continuation. Could he reallyst till the end of the 4th day?

    Long Tao was concentrating on the process. His Qi reserves as well as mental energy was actually starting to near its end. He didn¡¯t dare estimate how much longer he could continue but he was going to give his best. The fire that Long Tao was trying to support consumed both the Qi and the mental energy of the user. This was because the control demanded both the constant supply of energy/Qi and also mental energy to maintain its form. Although the consumption of mental energy was much slower than the Qi, simrly the mental energy reserves were much smaller than the Qi reserves too.

    Thest hour of the fourth day arrived soon. Long Tao continued to give his best. The feta continued. The fourth day passed. Long Tao finally stopped and copsed to the ground on his knees, after around an hour of the fourth day. Both the figure and the first elder were standing at the space in awe and shock. Truth to be told, even the first elder didn¡¯t expect this disciple to be able tost for even 3 days, but he managed tost an hour more than the 4th day. He had sessfully won the bet with his disciple. He turned his head and spoke in a yful tone ¡°I hope you won¡¯t go back on your words.¡±. the figure gave out a nervous sigh.¡± Junior brother is exceptionally talented, outshining mine to arge extent, but if he wants to have me, he will have to possess that much power in his grasp. Otherwise, the power behind me will crush him while he still is immature.¡±. The first elder became silent on hearing this. The truth came back to him. This disciple of his is not a small figure. She had quite the backgroundbined with exceptional talent. It made him remember another tragic incident of his life. He looked at Long Tao and said¡± This brat is thest beacon of my hope. I will give my everything in training him. I hope he won¡¯t let me down. He has promised something to me in return for mypliance with his path¡±. ¡°What is it?¡±. ¡°he said he will reach the advance level of the second-level alchemist by the end of the year and also reach the Soul general realm.¡±. The figure stood there shocked.¡± Although Imend the talent of Junior brother, the reality is quite cruel. Gaining the stage, he promised you to take at least 3 at least, even with his talent he will need to concentrate solely on alchemy and might be able to achieve it in two years. How could you allow him to d od this?¡±. ¡°I can¡¯t interfere with his choices. Also, the event I want him to participate in is after 2 years. I believe in him being able to at least raise his level to intermediate level of the 2nd tier alchemist by the end of the year. I want to ask a favor from you.¡±. The figure didn¡¯t look at the elder¡± I want you to train him in the fire arts.¡±. ¡°Why did you make such a decision.¡±. The first elder nked out for some time when suddenly the figure remembered something. She realized the decision of her master and didn¡¯t pursue the matter.

    Long Tao was lying on the floor. So, this was the limit of his body¡¯s reserve. He was contemting on ways to evolve his Qi and mental energy capacity when the first elder appeared before him¡± Your limit is the four-days on the first trial. It¡¯s good but not umon.¡±. The figure in shadows smirked on the remarks of her master. She knew that he was incredibly happy on seeing the capability of Long Tao, but wanted to be strict with him. ¡°you will start training in the fire control for the first month. Your work is divided into three parts. First, you will practice the temperature control for your oven. Then you will learn how to manipte the fire and wood energy together. Thest thing will be improving the capacity of your QI and mental energy. As per the training in fir arts and wood arts, I want you to divide your remaining time in training them. I will introduce you to your master tomorrow.¡±

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64: FIRE AND WOOD ARTS

    Lu Ming started to follow the nid by his master. He divided his time into the three sectors. The first elder gave him an old roughed out cauldron. The cauldron was quite worn out and very old, rusty. The amount of energy required to heat it up was quiterge than the new ones.¡± This is an old cauldron. Although doing alchemy in this is far more difficult whenpared to performing the same thing in the new ones, but this is also an exceptional practice material. You will practice alchemy in this cauldron. Your aim is to outshine those who use a much better cauldron than you. This is a task that will take a long time to achieve. I will start training you in alchemy as soon as you are able to maintain the guidelines, Iid down for your using this particr cauldron. Start practicing immediately. The first half of the day will be spent with me, while the second half, I will introduce you to the teacher who will instruct you in the path of fire arts.¡±. Long Tao bowed in agreement and started practicing using the old worn out cauldron.

    The cauldron, due to it sold nature and worn-out situation took a lot of time to get heated up. Now the difficult part was maintaining the heat. The heat dissipation from the cauldron was muchrger than that of the normal ones. Hence The practitioner not only has to exert more effort in heating it up, but more efforts and energy was going to be wasted and consumed to keep up the temperature. The task took a lot of concentration and diligent efforts. The main reason behind the elder using the old cauldron to teach Long Tao was due to its characteristics. If Long Tao was able to perform alchemy to a good standard in this old worn out cauldron, he would perform exceptionally well with a good one. The days were being spent using the old worn out cauldron and maintaining heat.

    The next part of training was fire maniption. It was the same exercise as the beginning one. Long Tao had to maintain the me to a certain intensity and regte as the first elder asked for/notified. It regted Long Tao¡¯s control over the fire and the ability to manipte it to various projection limits.

    The third part was the refining of materials. Long Tao had to first go through the manuals containing information regarding the ingredients to be used. The next step was to memorize what they act like and their medicinal capabilities. Thest part was the refining process. Before thebination of ingredients to perform alchemy, they first have to be purified with fire. Only after the purification process ispleted and the liquidposite of the ingredients is drawn out, can thebination and further steps be carried out. In initial days Long Tao concentrated just on the purification process. But as time went by, he got better at a visible speed. Both the first elder and the figure, who was watching over Long Tao from shadows were scared of his improvement.¡± This is a genius in making. We need to speed up things ording to his pace. From tomorrow onwards he will be apanying me in pill making. Also, you will introduce yourself to your junior brother. He needs to start his training in the offensive fire arts from tomorrow. Also, I will allocate him to the pavilion where he can see the process of upgrading his training and capability in the wood element region.¡±. The figure nodded in agreement. The current work given to Long Tao was like wasting his time and letting him ck off on work. They needed to use the maximum capability of him to get the best results.

    Northeastern regions-

    The first month of allocation was nowplete. Each individual of the ck-buck squad had managed toplete at least 2 missions. These included resource collection, demonic beats hunting, spying, assassination, the ambush of supplies. The ck-buck squad has managed to score a perfect record until now. Long Tao was satisfied with the result. He himself had managed toplete 25 assassination missions which included killing individuals, whose cultivation ranged between the first level to the 6th level of Qi master. He took all their personal possession and had made quite a fortune until now. He had lots of space rings in his possession. But he knew that this was just a small amount of resources in the real-world. He needed to kill a greater number of enemies and collect more amount of resources. This battle-field was a good ground for resource collection. He also managed to collect 3rd level demonic beats corpse and was able to practice the Blood Tempering method quite proficiently at the moment. Long Tao¡¯s cultivation was already at the 2nd level of Qi master as 1 month outside meant 4 months in the Crimson Lord world. His Blood tempering art, Crimson world scripture, and Hell solider sutra were all in the 2nd cycle. He also managed to open 5 tertiary meridians in the time period. After each level of cultivation upgrade, the life-weapon of Long Tao went a round of refining. That was the reason for his cultivation speed decreasing. Thankfully he had the Crimson Lord world topensate for that. He was also practicing the 12 forge of death and the flesh tempering method side by side. Long Tao knew that he needed to pace up his cultivation speed. But if one doesn¡¯t temper themself after breaking through, they might start to encounter a bottleneck after a period of cultivation and sometimes even give rise to a heart demon. Long Tao decided that he will start confronting enemies, both directly and in the assassination. He had undertaken around 50 assassination missions and was sure toplete them. On the side, he wanted to kill as many enemies as possible. This helped his training in the blood tempering form due to his new ability called blood to drain. Also, the huge amount of blood essence required by the weapon tempering form to refine the life-weapons was alsopensated by killing practitioners and demonic beasts.

    He had one more month before he was going to return back to the military base. He needed to kill as many enemies as possible in this time period. He called Su Menqi and handed her a list. ¡°This is the list of missions that the squad willplete in the next month. It also lists the training regime they have to follow for the next month and the individual mission and groups that were assigned. You are to supervise the sessfulpletion of these. Also, I have listed the set of missions and goals for you to achieve in the next month. Make sure to fulfil them. You are to break-through 5th level of Qi master before we return to the base.¡± Su Menqi returned with the squad and Long Tao proceeded in another direction. His aim was to wipe squads of enemies this time. He encountered small squads and groups of spies, who were instantly killed by him. By the end of the first day, Long Tao¡¯s tally of victims was 50. All of the victims were in the initial stage of Qi master. Long Tao didn¡¯t pause at night. By the next day, the tally had already increased to 100. This time it included Qi master of the intermediate level also. Long Tao alreadypleted all his assassination missions. He was now concentrating on tempering his mind and killing more opponents to gather information and gain resources. The soul search method had helped him a lot. With the help of it, he managed to get the location of the nearby members and was also able to pinpoint the location of his targets. This enabled him to gather a lot of information.

    .....

    The Chu country¡¯s military camp was in a state of panic at the moment. Reports of 100 deaths of practitioners of Qi master level was already being reported. They started to formrger groups and send a greater number of squads, which included high cultivation practitioners among their ranks to hunt down the enemy. But again 100 kills were reported in the next 3 days. Another set of reports told that around 4 ambushes happened, which recked the supply of resources and supplies in many strongholds. This was reported to be done by a squad called ck-buck. The upper echelon started to gather to have a meeting regarding the action to be taken in this situation.

    Pill hall-

    Lu Mingpleted his daily practice when suddenly his master appeared with a figure beside him. Long Tao was spellbound when he saw the figure for the first time. It was as if God had carved a figure out of beautiful jade. Thedy in the front was like a perfect species and gave rise to his inner thoughts. Thisdy was someone who gave rise to a natural sense of getting her in the heart of men. Long Tao was silent for a long time. Even the first elder didn¡¯t speak as he was enjoying the moment. The figure initially didn¡¯t mind the action, but she started to feel shy and irritate as Long Tao continued to view her.¡± What are you looking at you imbecile?¡± Long Tao was taken out of his fantasy thoughts. The first elder coughed in between to resolve the awkward situation and said ¡°This is your teacher rf or the fire arts. She will guide you in it and will also introduce you to the ce where you can start practicing the healing arts. You are to start training from today. Don¡¯t ck off.¡± The first elder turned around and left the two of them alone.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65: PRACTICE

    ¡°You are to listen to my instruction carefully. I don¡¯t care about your background or talent, my instruction is absolute. Since you have decided to walk on the path of offensive fire arts, then I will teach you the way to do it. The basic practice that you will be practicing is the same as alchemy and doesn¡¯t require much effort from you. The important part is the art part and your efficiency in using them. You are to first practice this art and master it. I will return to tutge you every two days and you will inform me about your doubts regarding the arts. ¡°me manifestations: Beginner guide.¡± This was an at that helped the practitioner to manifest mes out of his body utilizing his Qi. He read the book and found out that the basics were the same as the one he practiced in alchemy. The next step was the formation of me through the utilization of his Qi. This was a difficult process to achieve. But Long Tao was no ordinary guy. He had the support of an incredible treasure and had the Omni-element body. He was sure that the results would be visible after a few days of practice. His aim was to master the second step within the next two days and show it to his instructor.

    Long Tao first calmed himself down. The state of mind affected the output of any effort that the cultivator puts into his practice. Hence a calm state of mind is a big requirement for good cultivation practice. Cultivating without a calm state could result in self-harm rather than good. Hence, Long Tao¡¯s first priority was to achieve an equilibrium state of mind. After a period of time, he was finally able to do it. The only thing in his mind right now was the training aspect. He had forgotten about the world around him and delved into the arts.

    Fire manifestation art, as it suggested, was to help cultivator turn their spiritual Qi into the fire first. Apparently, this was also a requirement for alchemy and hence Long Tao was toplete training it as fast as possible. The basic requirement for practicing the art was to be acquainted with the element that you are going to turn your Qi into. Now Long Tao had already managed to cultivate the Omni-element body and had peak possible affinity with all the elements. Hence the basic requirement was easily met. Now the fire manifestation art dictated that the user has to first regte his breathing process. The next step was to imagine your Qi to smolder while trying to increase the temperature of a particr spot where the manifestation was going to ur. Then the first sense of energy woulde and after that regte the outflow of Qi from that spot. The fire will be manifested. Long Tao took an hour or two just in regting his breath to the proper rhythm. The imagination was the difficult part and hence took a lot of time. Finally, after the end of the first day, a sense of smolder finally urred and as he regted his QI through it, an explosion urred. This was the first sessful manifestation, even if it was not well controlled.

    Northeastern military-

    Long Tao was moving through the forest now. In thest ten days, Long Tao managed to kill another 300 Qi master cultivators who were in beginner to intermediate level practitioners of both the enemy countries. An atmosphere of extreme fear and restlessness was created amid both the enemy camps as they were unable to ount for the death of their soldiers. The only description provided by the spies who managed to get a short glimpse was a man wearing a demon mask and killing mercilessly. A bounty was already put on Long Tao¡¯s head. Due to the constant killing, long Tao has managed to gather lots of information and load of resources which can be exchanged forrge sums of resources. He could easily nurture the ck-buck squad on his own from the number of resources he had collected until now.

    Currently, Long Tao was heading towards the deeper regions of the forest towards the Chu country. From the souls he had searched until now, he managed to gather information about a power stone mine near this area. Long Tao wanted to collect QI stones from there. As Long Tao neared the region the voice of the keeper was heard in his head. ¡°There is a huge pool of natural energy gathered in the nearby ce. There should be a mine nearby and from my initial examination it¡¯s a multiyered mine.¡± Long Tao reached a spot where he could see a huge amount of guards stationed nearby.¡± Boy, the mine at the surface, which these people are excavating at the moment is only a low grade one. The better one is right below it, and although its not thatrge, the resource is substantial. It can be used to heal the Crimson Lord artifact. I will be leaving you and going inside to absorb the power. I suggest you think of a way to make chaos in this region, otherwise, when I am nearing half-way, I suspect they will be able to sense the medium grade stone mine below and I won¡¯t get time to absorb it totally. ¡°Long Tao nodded¡± How much improvement can be achieved if you manage to absorb the whole mine?¡±. ¡°as I said to you earlier, after a certain amount of absorption, no further substantial recovery would be seen in the artifact. The rest of the stone will be taken in for your use. As per the improvement, I hope we are able to change the aura and make it around 10 times denser. As per the time ratio, it may be able to reach 1:5 or in rare cases even 1:6. But I will say this to you. The process is going to be slow. Topletely consume half of the mine, I will probably take 15 days. You have that amount of time to think of a way to create chaos and scene in this region. If we are found out by a Qi general level practitioner, snatching the mine will be difficult.¡±. Long Tao was ted to hear this. He would be able to sacrifice the resource if he can sessfully upgrade the current level of the Crimson lord artifact. The artifact left Long Tao¡¯s body and soon buried itself into the ground.

    Long Tao was left thinking about how to create havoc in this area. Suddenly an idea crossed his mind. He disguised himself and approached a guard nearby. Taking him by surprise, Long Tao took him out and changed into his appearance and clothes. He then soul searched the guard, knowing all about him and the region. He then proceeded towards the inner area and neared the mine entrance.¡± Hey brother, how is the work going on inside?¡±. He asked a guard nearby. The guard replied in kind. This mine was something that the Chu country discovered during their exploration process and began to excavate. They brought in ves from the nearby areas and began excavating the miner. Long Tao¡¯s n was quite simple. He divided it into three phases. The first phase was to create havoc in the worker¡¯s conditions. The next stage was to force these workers to go into protest and act against the guards present here. The third and final phase is the attraction of the nearby beats to this region. Long Tao had already picked a target for the third stage. There was a level 4 beast pair, the thunder skrk, living nearby this area. He could use any solider, whom he can use soul control on, and attack the skrk¡¯s hideout. It will gather the beasts nearby and attack the mine. Long Tao started working on the n immediately.

    .....

    Pill hall-

    Lu Ming was currently able to freely control the manifestation limits and power. After continuous trials for a whole day (4 days in the crimson lord world), he was finally a bel to grasp the meaning behind the art and was able to master the control over the manifestation power. After being able to control the output rate of Qi and regte it properly, he was finally able to draw out the real me energy. Finally, heid down and eased his nerves. There was still some time before the arrival of his master and he could use the time to rest for a bit. After around 2 incense stick time, the first elder arrived and began to guide Lu Ming in his training of fire control and oven temperature maintenance. Lu Ming finished the training for the day and then proceeded towards the area where thedy was going to guide him in the offensive fire arts.¡± You seem too rxed for someone who should give their sweat and blood to training. I want a report on your progress in thest two days.¡±. Lu Ming greeted her with a bow and then began regting the me manifestation art. Soon enough a powerful but calm me appeared in the hands of Lu Ming. The figure was shocked upon seeing this¡± You managed to conjure me after just two days of training.¡±. ¡± I had some difficulty while imagining and controlling my Qi Flow to thebustion outlet, but after multiple failures, I was finally able to attain the state where I was able to regte and control the fire energy.¡±. Thedy was shocked on knowing Lu Ming¡¯s experience. What sort of talent was this? Never had she imagined that her junior brother would be able to master the me manifestation arts within just two days. She needed to fasten up his training. His talent was just too monstrous. They needed to pace up his speed so as to make the best of his talent.

    She took out another two books.¡± me sword¡± and ¡°me burst¡±. ¡°These are the two offensive arts that you will practice from now on. The me sword works on the same principle as the me manifestation art, but the technique and Qi output, along with regtion levels are a bit different. As per the me burst, it is also a manifestation offense art, but in this case, you eject the me outwards, away from your body. You will be practicing these two art forms now. You will divide the time between these two. I will be returned after 5 days. I want you to have learned these arts by then.¡± Sweat appeared on Lu Ming¡¯s back. He might have shown his talent a bit too much. This resulted in a backfire, and now the master wants to have him work his hardest and make the best of his time in practicing more offensive arts.

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66: THE REBBELLION

    Long Tao was now assuming the identity of a guard andmunicating with the workers about the conditions. At first, none of them were willing to talk with him regarding this case, but after a day, they started reciprocating their feelings somewhat actively. Long Tao got to know about the miserable conditions within the mine and the cultivation levels of the workers. Incidentally, the workers were on the verge of starvation, but the cultivation resources were avable and hence they had decent cultivation levels. The only region, they couldn¡¯t break out was because of the devices used to suppress them. This mine was kind of a prison operation that was going on within the borders of the Chu country. All the criminals that were captured were sent to this location to mine for the royal family. Now Long Tao himself was a 2nd-grade weapon forger and was able to find decoding and disabling method for the chains. He needed to put forward his ns.

    Within the mines, the workers had formed a group and their leader was known by the name of sable. Sable was one of the more powerful prisoners with a cultivation base of the mid-Qi master realm. He was held here as a prisoner was the boss of the workers stationed here. It was a general day of his work when a guard suddenly approached him and said¡± You must be sable right?¡±. ¡°Yes, I am. How may I help my lord?¡±. The guard took him off to the side and said¡± I have an interest in the activity you people are nning.¡±. Sable gave an innocent expression ¡°What operation sir.¡±. Long Tao smirked. If there was a gradation of acting, Sable would be one of the top listers.¡± I know about the rebellion you are nning. I am just to inform you that I will away be of some help in those matters. ¡°. Sable expression suddenly changed as he threw his ax towards Long Tao. But it hit empty air. By the time he realized what was happening, he was already on the ground, contained.¡± Listen up, man. I can help with your venture. The main reason you are not able to continue with your ns is because of the chains that bind you. I can send you the decoder and help you free yourself. Currently, there is no QI general present in the regions. I can help the stage of the coup and free yourself. All that remains is whether you will ept it or not.¡± He let sable go free and watched his actions. Sable got up, looked at Long Tao for a period of time, and then said¡± I am listening.¡±. Long Tao went on with his ns about the whole procedure. In the end, he gave Sable a ring of holding and said¡± This is the preliminary nutrition supplement for the workers. They need to recover before the staging. Ask them to maintain their appearance and cultivate simultaneously. The coup will take ce 10 days from now. I will help you with the elimination of the top brass. The rest of them are left to you. I will also suggest that you get out as fast as you can because what wille next is going to be even more dangerous. You will have 1 day to evacuate and clear the area and as a favor for letting you go, you will clear the nearby spies and more solid holdings, within the capacity of your power. To we have a deal?¡±. Sable thought for a moment and then nodded. This was a huge opportunity for them.

    Long Tao exited the cave and proceeded towards the guard check post. The guards stationed here were mostly in the beginner level of the Qi master realm. THE practitioners of intermediate and advanced levels were also stationed but were scarce. The main reason behind this was the fact that the instruments that were used to contain the prisoners, reduced and limited their cultivation levels and hence were enabling the guards to control them easily. Long Tao was out to find the details about all the guards and then he would decide to wipe those of the intermediate and advance level Qi master out. Now, he started to slowly make way, by gaining control over the soul of the guards at the beginner Qi master level. Soon enough he was having 10 guards under his control. Now was the time toy a trap for hunting other guards. He decided that he will slowly clear the group until it is visible enough and then he will wipe the top brass in an instant.

    The process of clearing and killing started. The causalities started to ur, but the region was too busy and chaotic for somebody at the top to take notice. Long Tao took advantage of this situation to proceed in his ns. Soon enough the guard¡¯s casualties were visible. Long Tao had alreadymunicated with sable regarding the coup being staged today itself. He told Sable that they have to stage the coup today itself. He will send the signal when he kills the top brass and they are to hurry up and clear the whole area. The next step was the escape that they had to make, which otherwise will lead to their death.

    In themander¡¯s office, the top officers were gathered for a meeting.¡± Sir, there has been a massive disappearance of guards in this region for thest few days. The numbers are already halved. Although we had some spection about it happening, the situation now is bad.¡±. Themander was very angry at the current situation and the carelessness of his underlings that allowed the matter to escte to such extent.¡± The blood general ising in short notice. He will be arriving within 2 days. What am I going to give him as an answer tot eh current scenario?¡±. All the underlings were silent, but suddenly all of them heard footsteps approaching them. A man soon came into their sight. From what they could feel, this was 3rd level QI master.¡± Who allowed you to enter the meeting? Don¡¯t you know this is a meeting of top officials about the administration, you are not to interfere. Get out, before we decide to execute you.¡±. The figure continued to walk up, ignoring the shout andmand and proceeded towards the throne. As he stood right n in front of it, he looked up towards themander of this area and said¡± You must be the in-charge of the mines. ¡°Themander was silently observing, not replying to his question.¡± I take your silence to be yes. It was a great pleasure to meet the lordmander of this region. I am a nobody, who goes around the world, providing individuals with their deepest desires. I was passing by when I realized a group of people wishing to get something and am here to fulfill it.¡± Themander was having a serious expression on his face now. ¡°I will be direct with you. The workers within the mines have decided to stage a coup and attack you, people. No, their request to me is to take care of those, who they are unable to match.¡± Looking around ¡°That would be this group right.?¡±. themander along with the group of underlings gave out shortughter.¡± You think you will be able to handle all of us. They will die for sure, and the first body to be falling on the ground would be yours.¡± Long Tao raised his hand, and indicated for silence.¡± Since I took the job, you all are not going to leave this tent alive. But before I kill all of you, I would like to know about the blood general. So who among you will be giving the information? I promise an easy death for him, and I will bury him too¡±. Long Tao stood there. The man who had shouted, rushed toward him, brandishing his sword at him, but before he could reach even 10 steps near, his whole body was burnt to a crisp by mes. The underlings were shocked, but the lordmander had a different expression on his face. As if he recognized the art used just now. Before he could remember where he had seen the at before, the underlings decided to rush towards Long Tao and capture him. But the scene that followed but bloody.

    Out of nowhere, a sword appeared in the hands of Long Tao, and the ones rushing at him were killed one after the other. They were sliced like a knife went through butter and blood started spraying all around. Within moments, the whole ground was blood red, which was slowly disappearing, it was as if the sword was absorbing the blood essence out of them. The sword was none other than the one Long Tao hand forged using the weapon tempering form. This was the first time he had used. And he got to know the benefits immediately. The absorbed blood essence, not only provided more strength to the sword, but the Qi and blood energy within them were constantly being supplied to Long Tao also, replenishing him. This power was incredible. Wouldn¡¯t it mean that he would be undefeatable in a one vs group fight because he is never going to be exhausted or out of Qi and energy?

    Within the mine, the holding ring that Sable was having within his pockets started to vibrate. He knew that this was the signal for starting the coup. He searched inside the ring and found there to be a book. This as the written procedure as to, how the decoding and dismantling worked. The workers were soon free of the shackles and had gained the ability to use their original Qi bases. The crowd rushed outside with a disy of brute force, killing each and every guard in their way to find the exit. Sable knew that Long Tao would be fighting the top brass now and hence decided to check on him. When he reached the tent where the meeting was being held and managed to secretly peek inside, he was met with an incredibly astounding scene.

    .....

    The tent¡¯s floor was dyed blood red. There were multiple bodies lying inside with blood spraying form them. The confrontation that took ce was a heinous one, and no mercy has been shown. The only people remaining were Long Tao and the lordmander of the mine region. The lordmander was the most powerful practitioner present in the area, but even he was shocked by the scene. His underlings were cut down mercilessly as If it was nothing. The whole process that just went out in front of his eyes was absolute dominance. He looked at Long Tao and asked¡± Who are you? What is your conflict with the Chu country? Don¡¯t you know what sort of power you have just offended? The blood general ising. You will cease to exist when he arrives.¡±. Long Tao proceeded slowly. The lordmander took out his spear and rushed towards Long Tao.

    The lordmander was an adept in spear use. He had practiced the rat of spear and his intent was at a second level intermediate stage. Long Tao knew he couldn¡¯t confront themander with pure intent and would have to utilize all his strength. He too took out his spear and the sh began. Initial slow-paced shed was beginning to speed up, until an extent that they were no longer visible to Sable. The lordmander realized that Long Tao was no match for him in direct intent confrontation, but the QI density and body strength shocked him. Long Tao was over-powering him slowly. He had to use his special methods, if not he will meet his end. He concentrated his qi into the spear and densified it. After that, he used his arts and attacked at Long Tao. This time Long Tao used the redirection method and as he closed to the lordmander and he used the fire manifestation art. Themander realized what the art was.¡± You are someone from a pill hall. Why are you interfering in the business of the Chu country? ¡°But he was slowly being burnt ck. He lost consciousness after some time. Long Tao approached the body and used the soul search method on him. He got the information about the general procedure and the situation of the army, as well as information regarding the blood general. After that he burnt the body to ash and so was done with the tent too. The Chu country¡¯s garrison in the mines waspletely wiped out by now.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67: THE BEAST TIDE

    Long Tao had sessfully managed toplete the first phase of his ns, which was to stage the initial Chaos, with the help of the worker¡¯s rebellion. The next two stages were important. For ten days has already passed, the artifact had already signaled Long Tao that it had consumed half of the mine already and ording to the growth in its devouring speed, he would be able toplete the mine within the next 5 days. But the upper mine was starting to breakdown and the mine below was going to be surfaced to the world soon enough. He couldn¡¯t risk, an army being called into this location and has to escape.

    The second phase was a simpler one. He had to stage the whole region into a situation of total chaos. The means that Long Tao had decided upon to execute this phase was a beast tide in these regions. The first thing to be done was to evacuate the prisoners here to safety. He didn¡¯t want any causalities and the prisoners were going to serve another purpose of his. They were going to be the scapegoat for attracting the beast tide into the mines.

    The n for phase two as quite simple. Long Tao called upon the soldiers who he controlled. There was a total of 10 operatives, Long Tao took into his group. He decided to scout the area first. There were 10 covert operatives and, 3 avatars of his who were training within the Crimson Lord world, were sent in different directions. The work assigned to them was quite simple. The operatives were going to search to find the spies and messengers within the search radius. The avatars were going to execute them. Long Tao had already done more than he had decided upon when he first took on the mission.

    Within the two months, Long Tao has led to the death of around 500 enemy practitioners of the Qi master stage. Most of them were in beginner and intermediate, but a handful of high-value targets were of the advanced Qi master realm stage. Long Tao had already cleared up a dozen enemy names and will be awarded a huge amount of contribution points in the army. The resources he got from the people he had killed were even more valuable. He managed to gather lots of normal and intermediate-grade spirit stones and hordes of weapons, which when sold would itself outweigh the benefits he would get from the contribution points he would gather from the military.

    The biggest gain was of course the mine the artifact was currently absorbing. ording to the keeper, the artifact is to absorb around 70% of the mine and the rest was going to be belonging to Long Tao. He was going to get the benefit of increased Time ratio and he hoped that it would be 1:6, which would help Long Tao a lot. And the remaining amount was going to help him increase his cultivation to a big extent. Long Tao was getting more and more excited about the fact that he was going to get hordes of intermediate grade Qi stones. He was positive that it would be able tost until he gets to mid- Qi general realm. Although he couldn¡¯t predict the future, he was sure that, by the time he gets to the Qi general realm, he would have at least one other encounter like this. Long Tao also concentrate don collecting the locations for any other mines that were being regted, but most of them were situated within the Chu country and each had a Qi general guarding it.

    The important task was to power up now. Long Tao wanted to enter the 4th stage Qi master realm by the time he returned to the camp because he knew that he was going to face some difficulties when he gets backs. The biggest threat was Lin Bao. From what Long Tao had heard he was a second stage Qi general. Long Tao needed to enter the 9th stage (of the 12 stages) QI master at the very least to fight someone like that, but it was some distance away. Even if Long Tao went into full retreat, he would require at least 2 months in the real world to get to that stage, which originally would mean to be around 10-12 months in reality. Although the talent and cultivation speed of Long Tao was increasing every day, the main reason behind him consuming so much time would be the practice schedule he goes through.

    The situation, in and around the mine region was disyed within a piece of the map that Long Tao managed to get his hands on. The dangerous areas were marked properly in and around it, and the potential targets f Long Tao were three in number. All three of these regions had the 4th-grade demonic beast within them, who were not disturbed by the countries. Once disturbed and awakened, these beasts would cause a huge amount of damage to the country that they were directed to. Long Tao counted on that fact and decided upon three beasts that were supposed to be provoked. The first one was a Metal wed bear. The second one was a silver winged condor and the third one was Slytherin. All these beastsmanded their respective regions.

    .....

    The Chu Country, Sami city-

    The people of Sami always had a busy lifestyle, because it was not only a trading region, but it was a military base camp of the Chu country. Like the Jiao had the City of Tamar, Sami was the city of Chu that led to the North-eastern chaotic regions. Hence the military set here was the strongest in the country. Another reason for this area to be so heavily crowded with military power was the presence of various mines that the Chu country controlled in the chaotic regions. There were a total of three mines in the region and all of them were big ones. The Chu¡¯s got lucky within the borders and found these three mines.

    The inspection team that visited the mines on a regr basis was always apanied by a Qi General. This time it was assigned to The Blood general, known as Lingshan Yu. HE was known to be the most ruthless pawn of the Chu country. The reason of dispatch was the fact that a spy had reported them about a potential coup to be in y and someone the workers. But recently no news was being transmitted to them. So, the Blood general was in a hurry to reach the location. The procession would require two days to reach the location. He took a small army with him for the suppression.

    Long Tao¡¯s three avatars were now scouting the three potential regions. The Iron wed bear was a ground type beast who had a strong defense and incredible speed rtive to the weight it carries. The deadlybination makes it one of the most dangerous beasts out there. The winged condor was an aerial type beast and long-range attacks were its specialty. The most dangerous of all was the Slytherin. Thebination of agility, strength, and strong defense was just the surface of its ability. The most dangerous attribute of it was the poison. It was an animal that was adept in the use of poisons.

    Long Tao started to monitor their habits for half a day and listed out their activities. From his perspective, the iron-wed ear was an easy target due to its aggressive nature. The winged condor was also someone who can be attracted, but there were some efforts taken into ount. The most difficult attraction was Slytherin. It was like a double-edged sword.

    1 dayter-

    The iron wed bear was resting in its cave when suddenly a huge explosion took ce near it. Normally it wouldn¡¯t bother, but soon enough the area was on fire. The fire had grown to arge extent and it was disturbed and forced tor rush out. It saw a group of people attacking its domain. A thunderous roar was heard and as soon as the humans saw him, they began to rush in opposite direction, towards the mine. It gave out another angry roar and looked round the destruction to its adobe. It was pissed and began to follow up on the humans. It was hell-bent on taking revenge on them.

    The winged condor was on its way to returning to its nest when it saw a figure which was rushing out, holding its eggs. The figure dashed with incredible speed towards a certain direction. The condor screeched and then followed up behind the figure as it rushed towards the mine.

    The hugemotion attracted the beast nearby. The beast was the overlords of their respective regions and they followed their kings to attack the region where the imposters were going to. They were going to kill all of the people who would be caught within the way. There were going to be arge number of causalities. The two groups were proceeding towards the mine at an astonishing speed. Within moments, the countries especially were alerted of the iing beast tide. Arge tide was approaching the Chu country¡¯s mine and the blood general was soon enough made aware of the situation. This was bad news for him. He needed to approach the region fast and guard the mine. The Chu couldn¡¯t let this resource pit get destroyed. The blood general sped up in front of his men, towards the mine.

 Chapter 68

    68 THE BLOOD GENERAL

    The tide was slowly approaching the mine region. Long Tao got lucky6 this time. Not only was he able to attract the silver winged condor to the mine region, from the looks of it, if the process went well, but he will also get the eggs. Those eggs are quite valuable. Given Long Tao managed to get away with those, he would be able to sell it for a hugemission in the ck market. Especially if it was the silver-winged condor. Flying beasts got more attention then the normal ones due to aerial mobility and if it was put up for auction, the amount received would be quite generous. Long Tao decided to keep the eggs quite safe. He had to wait till the Crimson Lord artifactpleted its upgrade and store these pieces inside.

    The silver-winged condor was even more enraged then the metal wed bear. Its children were taken away. It ordered all the beasts within the area to follow up the trail of the man. He had to get its children back and would take revenge on the person. What it didn¡¯t expect was that he would be confronting the metal wed bear as it reaches the rendezvous point of the avatars. It was just above the mines. The time was of the essence here as three enemies were approaching at high speed and Long Tao had to lure the trap to put them against each other.

    Nearby the mine regions-

    A group of figures could be seen dashing at high speed towards the mine. It was none other than the Blood general and his group. The blood general was a known figure in Chu country and its surrounding. His story was filled with bloodshed. No one knew the origins or the parentage of the blood general. The first record of his started when he first joined the Chu army at the age of 15. He cleared his way through brute force and ability to get a position in one of the squads that belonged to the north-eastern Chu military. The group he was assigned to was sent for multiple reckon missions which involved spying, massacre, and assassination. The blood general began to outshine his peers soon enough, due to his ability, bloodthirst, and talent. Soon enough as he entered the QI master realm, he was given the charge of the group. It was the beginning of his rise.

    The group started out working day and night to fulfill missions. There was a rumor that the blood general never once stayed within the barracks, always on the move doing some mission until he became a Qi general himself. The reason behind these actions was attributed to the rumor that he might have killed some family member of a high-ranking official and was hence trying to protect himself from being killed by avoiding to stay within the camp. The rumor was proven true when he returned after formally breaking through the Qi general realm and massacred the whole lineage of one of the previous Qi generals.

    The Chu country began to value his abilities and his blood-thirsty attitude with a tendency to massacre got him attributed with the title of Blood general. After taking the mantle, he moved to many other regions and had fought on many fronts. The Jiao listed the Blood general on the top rankers of the bounty list as he has killed a greater number of soldiers than any other enemy general. But no one knew his actual cultivation. Some said that he was at the 2nd level of Qi general, while others said that he was at first. He was proving to be the most disturbing obstacle for Long Tao¡¯s n. He didn¡¯t expect the Chu to dispatch the blood-general to these regions. The whole group that was apanying him was dangerous. Although they were in the Qi master realm, the experience was vast and had brawled with Qi generals in the past. Long Tao was currently trying toe up with a n.

    The mine region-

    Long Tao was trying tomunicate with the artifact about its progress in absorption. The QI in the area was changing just like the artifact had said. Now that the surface mine was aired absorbed and the intermediate level mine was surfacing into the environment, the Qi concentration was bing denser and denser.¡± How much longer will it take to absorb?¡±. The keeper¡¯s voice sounded¡± 70% has already been absorbed. We require a little more than 1 day to absorb the whole mine, but the QI radiation had already started. I hope you have made the proper arrangements for escape.¡±. Long Tao was satisfied with the speed. The environment began to shake as huge roar and rushing sound could be heard. The Beast tide finally reached. The show shall begin.

    .....

    The metal wed bear and its group reached here first, but the man they were chasing ad vanished into thin air. Soon enough they heard a screech, and when they looked upwards, they could see arge horde of Flying beasts approaching the area. The two groups confronted each other and suddenly a particr object made its projectile towards the Metal wed bear. The bear smashed it. From what could be seen it was kind of an egg. When the silver-winged condor saw this, his eyes became blood-shot and screeched madly, after which it rushed towards the bear at full force. The sh began.

    The Blood general reached near the location, just to find it overturned by beasts. There were hordes of beasts shing among themselves everywhere. He could see the corpses of the Chu military guards lying all around. The Chu general didn¡¯t manage toprehend the situation at first. This location was quite far from the beast¡¯s dwellings. Howe so many beasts attacked the camp here. He himself with his teams couldn¡¯t control the situation. The number was just toorge. He then sensed a huge amount of power being radiated from some area. ¡°I will be following up with the brawl. You people are to scout the location and take into custody any remaining survivors. I will personally interrogate them to find out what went down here. Also, one should proceed to the main camp to report the situation and dispatch a force to handle this. We can¡¯t lose this mine.

    He is managed to reach the location where the bear and the condor were confronting each other. He was surprised to see the two overlords of the region shing here. From what he couldprehend, the horde was thebination of either of their armies in confrontation. But the scene also provided a rare opportunity. The two beasts were going to be injured after the fight. It didn¡¯t matter who won, the victor would be grievously injured too. The blood general wanted to make use of the opportunity to get his hands on the corpses of both the beasts. A level 4 beast corpse was like a huge treasure trove. Even he was excited about it.

    The underlings were currently busy searching the whole locality. They wanted to find and take in any survivors. They decided to split up and search the surroundings. Each of the people went separate ways. It hadn¡¯t been even 10 minutes since the search began when they heard the shout for help from one of theirrades. When they reached the location, one headless corpse was lying there, blood flowing out of it like a river. They verified the surroundings and from what they could tell, the guy who just died was no match for the enemy who ambushed him. They instantly reported the situation to the blood general. It seemed like this beast tide was nned and not by coincidence. The situation demanded immediate attention from the general.

    The blood general was surprised to hear this. The beast tide was nned by someone. What would their motive be, by attracting the beats tide here? Soon enough another report came, about another ambush. The situation was getting more and more perilous. His squad was being hunted down by unknown entities. With passing time, more and more members were being killed, and the only headless corpse was being left behind. The blood general decided to proceed towards the location and verify it himself. He couldn¡¯t take any more chances with the current scenario. The reports came in more frequently than before. More and more people were being killed. His squad was about to be wiped clean.

    Long To was executing the group which was searching the location of the mines. He wanted the group to stay away from the mine. The atmosphere¡¯s QI was getting denser and denser by the second. Any high ranked cultivator can make out the presence of a natural resource in this region. The absorption was now at 80 %. Log Tao was currently tagging behind a group of two men who were proceeding towards the mine entrance. He summoned his sword and cleaved one of them clean. A hand brawl began with the other guy. The fight continued, and he was finally overwhelmed by Long Tao, who then caught his head and ripped it apart from his neck. A huge fountain of blood came rushing out of the body, and Long Tao was about to leave when he saw a figure approaching. It was the blood general.

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 Chapter 69

    69 ESCAPE

    The blood general was standing right in front of Long Tao. Long Tao was shocked upon noticing that the general managed to catch up to him. The blood general on the other hand was shocked to see an insect of Qi master level 3 standing in front, and even more shocking thing was that he just killed one of his men who were at advanced Qi master right in front of him in an effortless manner. It was as if the Qi master advance level practitioner was some weed being cleaved out by a sickle. And the show of brute strength, as he crushed the other guy was even more astounding. The blood general had never seen such a practitioner in his life. Although he was familiar with skipping levels to fight, fighting with a difference of 6 levels and overwhelming the opponent was unknown even to him.

    The general calmed himself down as he looked at Long Tao and asked¡± Who the hell are you and why did you kill my people?¡±. Long Tao was nervous at first but then he remembered that the blood general was still new to this region and didn¡¯t know what actually urred¡± I am an independent practitioner and I am here to hunt beats in the beast tide. Your men attacked me first and tried to capture me. When asked about my crime, they were adamant. Being arrogant with this small amount of power lead to their deaths. Who the hell are you?¡± Feign an act was the first idea that came into Long Tao¡¯s mind. He wanted to see how it would y out with the general.

    ¡°Independent cultivator with such great skills doesn¡¯t exist. I am impressed by how easily you managed to kill all of my people, but you will have to pay for your crimes. My people are not something you can hunt as you like.¡± Long Tao gave out a serious expression. It was as if he was in some sort of dilemma, as to what to do. The Blood General was not a fool. His gut told him that the practitioner in front of him was not an ordinary one. He needed to capture and excavate the secrets that this boy holds. It is the only way to find a reason for his feelings. He took an attack stance. The motive was clear, he was to capture the boy, and do minimum harm in the process.

    The Blood general moved and threw a punch at Long Tao. Long Tao took the stance to guard against it and was pushed far behind. This was an effortless attack from a Qi general and Long Tao couldn¡¯t even take a single punch. He spewed blood on the ground. This was the first time that Long Tao has been injured since he started cultivation. He believed in the meticulous nning of his path of martial way and had never ceased to ovee a difficulty. This was the first time that he felt his enemy was someone he couldn¡¯t beat. From his estimation, he has to reach the 9thyer of Qi master just to take the previous punch properly. ¡°Can you tell me his cultivation.¡±. The keeper was silent for some time and then irritatingly said¡± The guy¡¯s cultivation is at intermediate Qi general, level 5 most probably. You are no match for him. You need to hold via some means. The absorption is already 85% done, just 4 hours more and we will be having the whole mine for ourselves. ¡°.

    ¡°Prepare yourself. I don¡¯t care about mine anymore. You will abort the absorption when I say and we are going to teleport out of here. This is not something I can hold without the two beats, and they are busy fighting among themselves.¡± Long Tao was now searching for a way to get out of This ce when suddenly Blood general gave out theughter of surprise.¡± You are able to take a hit of mine while staying conscious. Your body seems to be hiding multiple secrets. You are on my must capture list now. ¡°Another punch was thrown at him. This time long Tao used all his power into guarding but was still thrown far away by the impact. Although he didn¡¯t spurt out blood, his organ was shaken a bit. The reason he was able to hold was because of the body cultivation he had reached.

    The Blood general was shocked. He was quite sure that he used more power in this punch than the previous one, and the boy before him didn¡¯t seem to be injured heavily. Just how tough was this guy¡¯s body. He wanted to continue, but suddenly a loud hiss was heard. Arge shadow threw itself at Blood general and he was pushed back in the sh. Looking at the clear picture, a new entity had entered the brawl now. It was the Slytherin. It had been attracted by the fight of the metal wed bear and the silver-winged condor. The guy was a huge one and all the things which it crawled upon began to decay from the poison on its body. This beast was one of the dept users of poison. Even the blood general was rmed.

    The Slytherin crawled towards the blood general and began attacking him. As a beast that had been out in the wild for a long period, it instantly recognized that the bigger threat was the Blood general. It first decided to take care of him and then would devour Long Tao too. The Slytherin started to attack the general with its body. It was to be noted that the scales on the body of the Slytherin were quite hard and it had been naturally modified to act as a perfect defense mechanism in case of needs. The other fact that one needed to take an ount for was that the Slytherin was still not using venom, one of its most lethal weapons of use. The Blood general was aware of it and hence had his guard up while shing with the Slytherin.

    As the brawl had started, Long Tao made a run into the mines. Neither the general nor the Slytherin were concentrating on him as they knew he couldn¡¯t run away from the mines and began shing at its entrance. Long Tao was already inside the cave by now and was on his way towards the artifact. He knew that he couldn¡¯t waste any time, because the duo shing outside may change their minds anytime and decide toe into the mines. Soon enough Long Tao was at the core of the upper mine. He could see cracks on the ground and natural energy gushing out of it. The artifact was nowhere to be visible, but Long Tao decided to make contact.

    ¡°Where are you¡±. ¡°The absorption is at 90% now. I am about to be finished. You need to hold for another 2 hours and we can go out.¡±. Long Taoughed nervously. Another 2 hours. He would be dead/captured at any moment and this guy wanted him to be calm and hold for another 2 hours. Long Tao started to think about what he could do for the next period of time. Then he looked around and an idea struck his mind. Due to the continuous mining expedition of the Chu country, the walls were shallow now. If he were able to copse the whole floor, then even if the two entities outside didn¡¯t die, they would be stuck here. He could take that chance and escape. The next thing he needed to do was to find a way to copse the whole floor. Long Tao had drawn lots of exploding talisman when he was learning both in firmament pce and the crimson lord world. But the amount that was about to be used was substantial.

    .....

    Long Tao did the economics and found out that the loss incurred would worth the gain received if he managed to take the whole mine. The puppets and controlled soldiers were summoned and handed with the talisman. Long Tao already knew the structure of the mine and hence, he identified the weakest spots avable for the attack to be sessful and result in the absolute copse of the mine. The talisman was stacked out and just as the n was about to end, the fight outside stopped. He could hear shadows approaching the interior of the mines. Both the Blood general and the Slytherin decided to explore the interior, giving up on the fight outside.

    The Qi in the atmosphere had already pointed out that there was a natural resource here. They needed to snatch it. Long Tao asked the keeper again¡± How much longer?¡±. The keeper said ¡°98%, just some more time.¡±, but just then two figures appeared before Long Tao. Both the Blood general and the Slytherin reached at the same time and were eying the surrounding. Even the Blood general could tell from the cracks in the floor that there was something below, but the QI was beginning to disappear. Both the figure looked at Long Tao who smiled and said:¡± You two seem exhausted from the fight, why don¡¯t you rest for a bit and then we can continue the conversation¡±.

    The Blood general began to advance towards Long Tao, but the Slytherin sounded a loud hiss as if proiming that Long Tao was its prey. ¡°Are you going to heckle with me for this brat. I will have him no matter what the consequences would be.¡± The Slytherin gave out a loud hiss, but suddenly Long Tao gave out augh.¡± None of you two seem top ask for my opinion. I am not your ve to take possession of. If you ask me, I would like you two to be buried down here.¡±. Long Tao put up a hand sign, and a loud bang was heard, apanied by multiple sts. The mine began to shake and copse.

    The artifact came out at the proper time, and Long Tao was absorbed into it. Then it disappeared, leaving the blood general and the Slytherin confused in the mess. The roof shook and copsed on them. Long Tao was out now and started to escape when the keeper¡¯s voice sounded¡± You should go in the direction of the fight. They are already dead due to the confrontation. You are a lucky brat, to get your hands on the corpses of two level4 beasts.¡±. As Long Tao appeared at the scene, he found out that the keeper was right. There were two corpses lying in here, dead. He collected them in his case, looked towards the mine one more time, and then escaped towards the Jiao country. The adventure this time was breathtaking and took him near to the end of his life.

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 Chapter 70

    70 RETURN

    Tamar-

    Lin Bao was sitting in his room when Li Hao entered and reported to him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter for you to b in such a hurry?¡±. Lin Hao had a serious expression on his face. ¡°The report from our spies came back. The ck-buck squad had returned and it is going to be bad for us.¡±. Lin Bao didn¡¯t interrupt, indicating him to continue.¡± Apparently, they managed toplete all the missions that they undertook, perfectly. Also, ording to the report, the very least all of them had already stepped into the Qi master realm. The ambush region, where we tried to disrupt and sell them out, were taken out by extreme ease, and multiple prisoners were captured. We fear that some of our people are among them, and those that know we were the one who gave up the information, are also within the group.¡±

    ¡°What do you suggest we do to prevent the worst.¡¯. Lin Bao ¡°The disciplinary hall can move in when they go in to report about the prisoners. From what I know until now, Long Tao is not within the group as of now. Hence, we can forcefully snatch the prisoners, saying that they are under our jurisdiction and kill them of torture after we interrogate about what happened in thest few days. We have to know about what they told to ck-bucks.¡±. Lin Bao thought about it for some time, and he had to agree that Lin Hao¡¯s n was actually efficient. They needed to work ording to it, and snatch the prisoners.

    The ck-buck squad came within the boundaries of the city but decided to stay within the borders. They didn¡¯t go directly to report their arrival and inform about the prisoners. The torture that the prisoners went through, had already given them the required information about who gave up on the information about the ambush. It was someone from Lin Bao¡¯s camp. Long Tao told them not to act rashly and wait for his arrival at the camp. He will take up the case and decided what to do with it, once he returns.

    The ck-buck squad had one of the members to scout the inner matter of the borders and collect information about the current proceedings of the camp. The spies were dispatched to make contact with Long Tao too. They needed to hold for the sometimes top have a sessful appeal before the court. Su Menqi herself went in to apply for a court appeal on a public demonstration of the prisoners while questioning them. The court judge asked for some time to get it registered and epted by the upper brass. Su Menqi knew that she didn¡¯t have any backing except for Long Tao, and she needed to be patient for his arrival. The prisoners were secretly moved to another location on the outskirts, while the report said they were being held in one. This was the trap to catch anyone who wanted to threaten the public appeal.

    Forest regions-

    Long Tao was traveling fast now, while his avatars within were conversing with the keepers and verifying their gains this time. ¡°How much has the artifact managed to recover this time.?¡±. The keeper showed a smile on his face and said¡± We were able to increase the time ratio to 1:6 of the original. This is a huge breakthrough, and also a huge barrier. Any further improvement will require arge number of resources. If I may say, the next point will require the whole mine to be absorbed. You need to find more resources like these if you want to heal the artifact. Also, the Qi density has changed and the crimson lord QI river has started to form now. Theke will get bigger and bigger every second until it is basically a river. It will help the cultivation of the Medicines you decide to grow in the crimson lord world. Also, there has been a change urring in the hell-heaven QI area. The change and improvement in the artifact have led to a power increase in the formation. Qi absorption has increased by 50%. More amount of Qi will be avable from now on. Also, around 20% of the mine is remaining. You can easily cultivate until the Qi general level with the help of these stones. ¡°.

    One had to know that, given the size of the mine, 20% would be able to help a Qi general of the first level to reach the pinnacle. But Long Tao was different. The amount of Qi he requires to rise up by one level was humongous. The estimation predicted that he would be able to train until the 2nd level of QI general at most. Long Tao was still thrilled by the gains. The risk undertaken was worth it. He decided that his two avatars were to concentrate whole-heartedly on training and the rise of the cultivation level. The next n of his was to stay within the military camp for a month to improve the cultivation level by at least 2 stages. Only then would he undertake the next assignment. The beast bodies of the two-level 4 beasts wouldst him for a long time, at least for 8 rotations. He currently had the resource to cultivate the Weapon forging art and forge weapons for all of his present acupoints. But he decided to cultivate the Blood tempering art to its peak first.

    As Long Tao was nearing the city of Tamar, the copse of my region suddenly heard another st, as a figure got out from the debris. It was none other than the Blood general. His body was badly riddled with injuries. The fight with the Slytherin was already exhausting, and the copse of the mine in the consecutive time period resulted in the bad muttion. His mind was filled with hatred for Long Tao. That bastard was able to trick him into this situation and even got away with the resource. ¡°Who are you? Raise your hands and kneel on the ground¡± a voice was heard. These were te4h men of the Chu military who came up after the incident. When the man turned, the one who just spoke felt his soul escape its body. The Blood general. It was him.

    .....

    Tamar-

    Lin Hao once again entered Lin bao¡¯s retreat. ¡°What is the matter now?¡±. Lin Hao bowed in salute and then reported¡± The ck-buck squad just appealed for a public hearing and they are not registering the captured peoples. They have decided to hold them within a ce near their own dwelling. They know about it¡± The situation was against them. ??What do you suggest then?¡±. ¡°I suggest we send assassins to execute them, and if not possible, we can think of a way to forcibly take possession of the prisoners and kill them with torture.¡± Lin Bao ¡°Sending assassin would be insufficient. You can¡¯t contract an above Qi master grade assassin, not worth the risk and payment. As per those in Qi master, they will just get ughtered. Think of another way.¡± Lin Hao was thrown into deep thought about the matter. What the general said was true. Although, no visual of Long Tao was present what if he is waiting in shadows. He was a scheming person.

    The ck-buck had sessfully moved the prisoners and were celebrating their return in the nearby restaurant. The previous two months were filled with extreme peril and hard work. There were many near-death situation urring and although they were dissatisfied with the method, the increase in strength was undeniable. The boost was something they never expected. Long Tao managed to convert the whole squad into that of Qi masters. All of the members were eligible to be squad leader now, but who would dare leave the squad. The benefits they obtain here were undeniable. Just the amount of resources they obtained from thepensation the lieutenants paid was enough for them to be mesmerized.

    The dishes were being served when suddenly an unwanted guest arrived. It was none other than Lin Hao.¡± If it¡¯s not the ck-buck squad. I heard of you guys returning. Congrattions on the finish of all the missions. The squad is officially the rank 1 as of now. The leader had done great work.¡± He looked at Su Menqi. The expression of the member was icy. They knew that the one trying to sabotage their mission was none other than Lin Hao and his aplices. But Su Menqi still showed an unwavering expression¡± To what do I owe the pleasure of visit form Squadron leader Lin.¡± Lin Hao was surprised by the calmness and icy attitude of the whole squad. He knew that he had to snatch the prisoners.¡± I havee here on behalf of the Disciplinary hall master to take the prisoners of war.¡±

    Su Menqiughed¡± there are no prisoners of war with us ¡°. Lin Hao¡¯s expression changed. He knew that the ckbuck hadn¡¯t registered them. But how could he give up.¡± I already know of the appeal you submitted to the judicial hall this morning about a public hearing. May I know what the matter is about to be discussed. The disciplinary hall is responsible for the holding and interrogation of the prisoners.¡±. Su Menqi gave a thoughtful expression and said¡± That would be true officially, but I haven¡¯t registered any prisoners in the judicial hall. So, nothing to take. Please leave with your subordinates. ¡°Lin Hao¡¯s patience was starting to reach its limit. Such disrespect from someone like Su Menqi was uneptable.

    ¡°I would like to meet the vice-leader of yours for a talk then.¡±. Lin Hao was hell-bent on taking the prisoners, even if he had to brawl for it to happen. He couldn¡¯t let them go into the public hearing the next morning. ¡± I am afraid the vice-leader is not present at the moment. We can talk once we reach the public hearing tomorrow. Something tells me you two will get lots of time to talk with each other after the public hearing.¡± Su Menqi said with a thoughtful smile. Lin Hao¡¯s face was filled with popping veins. ¡°Then I will have to search thepound personally and see whether there is no prisoners. You know just to be sure.¡± He had said that, and the whole ck-buck squad was in possession of their arms, facing them towards Lin Hao¡± Don¡¯t overstep your boundaries Squadron leader¡±.

    ¡°I see that you have got something to hide. Guards¡±. Lin Hao signaled for the capture and forceful entrance, when suddenly the guards who stepped forward, were ripped apart. Blood flowed everywhere, and a figure came into view. It was like a devil incarnate had just appeared. Long Tao came forward and said with a sympathetic voice¡± I suppose, crippling the son of your general was not enough. I need to kill all his subordinates to teach him how to behave.¡± The guards were scared shitless. When Lin Hao took many steps back, by pure instinct. A feeling of death prevailed the atmosphere.¡± Vice-leader, this is not allowed ording to the ethics of the army. You aremitting a big amount of sins. Long Taoughed¡± I suppose you forgot, why I crippled your brother. Trespassing into my territory is strictly prohibited.¡± Lin Hao knew that he couldn¡¯t take the prisoners, now that Long Tao is here. Any further advances would result in the massacre of his people. ¡°I would require you to submit half of this year¡¯s earning for this disrespect. You have two days to submit it. Otherwise, I would pay a visit to you.¡±

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 Chapter 71

    71 HALL OF MIGHT

    Li Meng was currently sitting within his pavilion practicing the 9-thunder body art. Bu Puti had asked him to practice it the most, and his bet lied in this art. The art was one of the core practiced mantras in the force which the thunder god hall belonged to. ording to Bu Puti, thepetition for the entrance into the core force would happen after a year, and Li Meng was to prepare for it. He wanted Long Tao to be a seeded participant. To at least rank in the top 100. Li Mengughed within himself after listening to his master¡¯s expectation. He knew that his master didn¡¯t know about his true prowess. Also, he was going to rank on the top if he was to participate in the test.

    The current objective of Long Tao was to improve his strength as fast as he can. The encounter with the Blood general reminded him of his powerlessness. He needed to enhance every bit of his strength to the best of his capability. The resources for Qi cultivation and Blood tempering art were already enough as of now. The rest requirement would be fulfilled by the army and the sect. Now the only thing remaining was to devote time to cultivation and learn more attack style. The other thing that he needed to concentrate on was on the intents. His intent was already on the advanced level of the 1st stage. To move to the second stage required more in-depth realization of the weapon. He needs to practice the arts that he had acquired in the royal library, the sect library, and the crimson lord world. Also, there were some attack arts from three manuals.

    The concern now was how to get enough thunder power to cultivate it at its maximum speed. The 9-thunder body art was a little bit simr to the 12 forges. While it didn¡¯t re-forge the organ after nearly destroying them, the art reinforces the organs and changes the body¡¯spatibility with the thunder element. The process was every bit as painful as the 12 forges. Long Tao ¡®s body was bing more and more strong with every additional art he was practicing. Currently, he had the ovep of three arts namely 12 forges, weapon¡¯s tempering art, and 9-thunder body art. That along with the body cultivation realm he had reached made a deadlybination, which made him very scary. If the same trend continued, Long Tao had some assurance of facing the blood general after he reaches the Qi master¡¯s 9thyer.

    The problem Long Tao was currently facing was the proper offensive elemental training that he needed. Most of his fights until now were abination of all his powers and hence single attributes were not developing at the proper speed. This was also the reason that his speed in cultivating the 9-thunder body art was so slow. He consulted Bu Puti about it.

    So, you want a location where you can practice your offensive elemental arts. Bu Puti asked Long Tao.¡± I do have a location in mind. Go to the Hall of Might within the academy. You can consult the keeper about the problem. The Hall of Might is the practice ground for Thunder arts in this academy. You will challenge the disciples of the academy from now on, and you are only allowed to use your thunder rats or your body strength. Also, choose some suitable thunder arts from the library for yourself.¡±. Long Tao bowed and left Bu Puti¡¯s pavilion. The Hall of Might was his first to visit list and after that, he would visit the art library.

    Tamar-

    The public hearing as underway now. The judging panel was sitting around the pavilion, Lin Bao was one of them and so was the person who had invited Long Tao to the north-eastern military regions. The hearing was about tomence within an hour. The appeal was made by the ck-buck squad to discuss an urgent matter with the whole camp of Tamar. The appeal was epted because of a special reason. It was because of the fest that the ck-bucks have just achieved. They managed to climb to number 1 from thest position within the squads within just two months of training andpleting missions out of the camp. They managed to achieve the unachievable. The credit of course went to the vice-leader of the ck-bucks who was quite famous in the north-eastern regions.

    After the tribunal and all the soldiers sat, the ck-buck squad presented themselves one after the other. Long Tao came up too, but much to the audience¡¯s surprise, he sat down. The oneing forward was the squad captain, Su Menqi. ¡°She bowed to the tribunal and all the soldiers presented and then started¡± This hearing was invoked by the ck-buck squad for multiple reasons. The first one of them is to showcase the result of the two-month-long venture that the squad took¡±. She then forwarded all the documents and ring of holdings to the panel, who sent it to be verified. Soon enough the keeper of the mission hall came and reported that all the items were in excess and all the missions werepleted as per the schedule. ¡°Now along with the achievements we gathered, we are also here to report some news about our enemies. The Chu country is probably nning something, most probable cause being, to have a partnership with our other neighbor, which would soon lead to war if made into existence.¡±

    One of the panel members objected¡± How are you so sure about that?¡±. Su Menqi forwarded another set of documents, among which was an imperial edict stating the intention of the Chu emperor, who forwarded a hand of friendship to the Mo emperor. This was a serious matter of allegation, as well as a threat to the Jiao country. ¡°Any other pieces of evidence that you would like to prove.¡± Long Tao stepped forward at this time and said¡± I have something to report your honor.¡±

    .....

    Thunder god hall-

    Li Meng was instructed and directed towards the Hall of Might. It was a grand hall, which was divided into two areas, one was the practice area, and the other was the arena. The practice area, constituted the practitioner to use the arts against a generated shadow who could use the art they have chosen to practice. The arena was to fight against other practitioners in terms of strength. Long Tao did choose art from the library when he first entered into the tutge at the thunder god hall. It was called ¡°Lightning w¡±. He wanted to practice it in the Hall of Might, and once learned perfectly, he would use it to fight against opponents in the arena.

    As Li Meng approached the counter, he was met with the receptionist who asked for his purpose of visit. Long Tao forwarded his identification b, along with the te belonging to Bu Puti and informed about the purpose here. The receptionist was shocked to learn that the grand elder¡¯s personal disciple hade here to train. She asked Long Tao abut the room he wants to book. Long Tao told her his preference and that he wanted one that represented the w arts section. Long Tao took the room key he was allocated and went in search of the room. Soon enough he was in front of the door and just as he was about to enter, he was abstained by a certain voice.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can you hand the key to me brother.¡±, A man in a regal outfit came forward, leading a group of people, towards Long Tao. ¡°I am sorry brother, but it is necessary that I train for the moment, otherwise my master is going to spank me to death.¡± Long Tao gave a polite reply in return. The expression of the guy changed.¡± Are you sure about your decision brother.¡±? Long Tao knew that the current approach was not friendly. This guy was trouble. But since when did he start to fear of having trouble. ¡°Fuck off¡±, Long Tao said in a in tone, which was extremely cold, unlike his previous polite attitude. The man and his group were surprised to see the change of personality. He had never been insulted like this by a student of the academy. One of the members of the group came forward.

    ¡°How dare you speak to young master like that. Do you know who he is.¡±, then the guy turned to the person who spoke and said,¡± Should I break his legs or cut his arms.¡±. The man was about to speak when there was a sudden sh, and there was blood everywhere. A loud shout of extreme agony could be heard from the guy who just came forward. The guy was lying on the ground. Rather, just his main body was on the ground. The legs and arms were now severed and thrown elsewhere. The group could see Li Meng carrying a bloody sword in his hand, a bloodlust spread throughout the area. Li Meng turned to the group and said¡± Who was the one who was going to confirm his action. Please step forward.¡±

    The man who previously spoke was extremely nervous now. Not only the person in front of him was not weak, he was extremely ruthless. Just a single sentence led him to decapacitate the man. Who is this guy? How dare he show such disrespect to him? He was the brother of the sole disciple of the Sect Master, how could a disciple be so merciless when dealing with him, even if they are stronger.¡± You just wait. My Sister wille forward to avenge my man. You bastard, don¡¯t you know who I am¡±. The man was rushing off when Long Tao spoke¡± Tell your sister, if I see her showing support for you in front of me, I will send her your decapacitated head.¡±.

    Li Meng entered the room and saw that the peripherals were quite good. He decided to get some more skills and train for a month in here. Long Tao asked his master to suggest some more offensive skills for him, and Bu Puti told his servant to get him three more sets of skills. They were Lightning trail, Lightning pal, and lightning burst. One was a movement skill and the other was two beginners¡¯ offensive arts, that Bu Puti wanted him to practice. Although Long Tao didn¡¯t understand the reason, his master thought the best for him. So he followed the path shown.

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 Chapter 72

    72 THE HEARING

    Long Tao came forward to the tribunal and presented himself. HE first gave the ritual salute to all just like Su Menqi did some time ago and then proceeded to the center of the stage. One of the tribunal members said, ¡°You are allowed to continue¡±. All of them knew about the new vice-captain of the ck-buck squad. The incident that urred just after Long Tao reported for the first time was known to all. Around 11 lieutenants were crippledpletely and the wingmander Lin was seriously injured and nearly crippled in the incident. Thepensation that was asked in return of their lives cost the lieutenants their whole life savings and as per the Wingmander, thepensation was so high, that he would have gone bankrupt twice or thrice. Fortunately, the payment was transacted by his father, one of the generals, Lin Bao.

    ¡°I am the new vice-leader of the ck-buck squad. As you may already be knowing, it was I who forcefully undertook all the missions that the ck-buck squad has executed and managed toplete within thest two months. I would like to beg for pardon from any inconvenience I have caused for the rest of the teams.¡± Although it was illegal to do so, no what the superb result has been disyed ho could say anything about the act being wrong. The ck-bucks have managed to carry out some impossible number of missions within these two months. It was amendable act. The ask for forgiveness just now was just a sarcastic appeal to appease the rage and shame of the upper echelon. The tribunal nodded and said that although the act was quite unfair to the other groups, the benefit the ck-bucks have mange to bring for the camp wasmendable.

    ¡°May I know what is the number of contribution points to these tasks?¡± The tribunal asked for the final report and soon enough the result was dered to the audience. Due to thepletion of all 50 missions, the teams have been assigned a total of 200,000 contribution points, which would be added up with another 50,000 points from the military camp as a show of appreciation. So, the result stood at 250,000. Envy could be seen in the eyes of all the other soldiers of the camp. Long Tao agreed and thanked for the additional gift. ¡°My lord, I would like to suggest a distribution pattern for the points that we gained, if you may allow.¡±

    The tribunal agreed to hear the idea of Long Tao. A list was taken out, where the amount was listed against all the names. ¡°I would like the leader to get 50,000 contribution points and the rest of the points will be divided within our members equally.¡±. The judges were shocked after reading the list, as there was no mention of Long Tao¡¯s name in there. ¡°Why are you excluding yourself?¡±. ¡°I haven¡¯t participated in any of these missions. It was all carried out by the members themselves. Also, I have my own points to care for. I wouldn¡¯t be requiring the points of my team. I would like to have an ountant called along with the bounty list of our camp.¡±. Soon enough they arrived.

    Long Tao, took out a set of 20 spatial rings and then poured out its content. From far it looked like a small hill, but only when onees near the thing, do they realize what the mound was made up of. The whole audience, along with the tribunal, even Lin bao and the one who invited Long Tao, sat up straight by the disy. Lin Hao¡¯s body was soaked wet with sweat and almost lost the sensation of his legs. The whole audience gulped a breath of cold air. There was an enormous mound of heads falling out of the twenty storage rings. ¡°I would like the ountant to see for the members who are mentioned in the bounty list and reward me ordingly. As per the rest, they are the soldier of the enemy and I suppose the military has a quota of contribution point to be handed when you kill an enemy of a certain cultivation base. Kindly give me the points likewise¡± Long Tao said with a smile.

    Thunder god hall-

    Li Meng was currently sitting within the practice room. He was concentrating on the Thunder w first. The art was described in a general fashion, along with the Qi flow to be maintained and way to eject the thunder from the user¡¯s body and form a w-shaped aura around your hand. Once mastered, the thunder w could help the user tear through metal like it was water, and the attack efficiency increased. Once long Tao got the form right and managed to execute the art in the proper way, a shadow showed itself within the room. This should be the inherent function of the Hall of Might¡¯s training hall. The shadow self which could use the technique that the user wanted to practice. Long Tao proceeded towards the shadow and the showdown started. Long Tao ¡®s body was pushed back, more like thrown, with blood flowing. He was defeated in an instant. He got up and moved towards the shadow again.

    In another region of the thunder god hall, a magnificent pce was present. If one could visualize properly, they could see the hall to be the most magnificent building of the whole Thunder god hall. The building of course belonged to the sect master of the Thunder God hall. The Sect Master was said to be of a secr personality and avoid public apparencies. The only other person present was the disciple. It was a girl who had amazed the whole academy, just like Long Tao. Her talents were exceptional and were epted as the disciple of the Sect Master. Her name was Ming Ruo.

    Currently, Ming Ruo was in a meeting with someone else. It was none other than the man who had shouted and tried to snatch the key from Long Tao. ¡°Elder sister, you have to get revenge for me. That guy was so gutsy, that he dared to cut all the limbs of my followers and the recipients didn¡¯t even bother toe and help or get justice. You need to get the answer for my follower, otherwise who would associate themselves with me. He dared to touch your younger brother; you need to get revenge. Please.¡±. Ming Ruo asked her brother to calm down and exin the whole situation, after which she reminded him that it was his fault to try to snatch it first. She asked him to stay put and give her some time to finish training, after which she would take care of the matter.

    .....

    Ming Shen left, after which Ming Ruo came into the inner chambers, just to find her master sitting there in meditation. The figure was a beautiful woman who would have been a pinnacle beauty at her prime. Although the age has increased slightly, the natural beauty was still mesmerizing and lively as always. ¡°what is the request of your useless sibling this time?¡±. ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience caused. He was having a conflict with some new guy called Long Tao. He wanted me to take care of him and settle the shame he had brought upon his reputation.¡± Upon hearing the name, thedy opened her eyes and looked at Ming Ruo. ¡°Isn¡¯t it surprising. Enemies do often cross paths. The boy is the new disciple of your martial uncle, Bu Puti. You know what to do right.¡± Ming Ruo was shocked and then nodded.

    Tamar-

    The ountant finished the counting and erased lots of names from the bounty lists. The number of enemies killed by Long Tao alone was enormous. The corpse list didn¡¯t seem to end. It was going on increasing. Finally, it waspleted, and the report was submitted. Even the member who was responsible for reading out the data was shocked by the number of contribution points assigned. ¡°Counting and taking into consideration all the factors, the total number of points that vice-leader Long Tao has managed to earn from the killing has summed up to be at 400,000. The military tribunal will be adding another 50,000 as a token of appreciation.¡± The audience was shocked. 400,000. Even squadron leaders like Lin Hao didn¡¯t have that many points. Long Tao gained this within two months.

    ¡°I would also like to discuss a new event. I and my team would like to refrain from the next two months from taking any missions. I suppose given our contributions until now, I would be eptable by the tribunal. The same event as of thest two months will be repeated. My Team requires some time for rxation and recuperation.¡± The tribunal epted the proposal and the verdict was passed. ¡°didn¡¯t vice-leader have some witness to be presented to the court.¡±. Long Tao looked at Lin Bao and his group first, who were tensed in the situation. Then he simply gave another smile and said¡± there is no witnesses as of now, but I will soon capture and present them in the tribunal.¡± The group rxed and didn¡¯t understand this move of Long Tao. But the tension for the current scenario was somewhat gone.

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 Chapter 73

    73 THE INNER COUNCIL

    Lin Hao was still not able to understand the reason behind Long Tao letting them go. ¡°He has the prisoners for sure. What I don¡¯t understand is why did he didn¡¯t show them up for public hearing.¡±. This question made the whole group immerse in deep thought, as they tried to reason for the real motive behind Long Tao¡¯s act. Seeing his underling so engaged in discussion, augh let loose from Lin Bao¡¯s mouth. These morons. Can¡¯t they still see the motive? He looked at his underlings and said¡± Tell me, who would have been benefitted if our work would have been exposed to the army?¡±. Logically, the benefit would go to no one, as they wouldn¡¯t gain anything. Just some of the underlings would be executed. ¡°I can¡¯t think of a particr name/person at the moment who would gain from the befall of some of our men.¡±.

    ¡°Might I ask, will Long Tao benefit, in any way?¡±. All of them nodded in a no. Although the following might be a little weak, but in the broader picture, he got no benefit.¡± Then why might he stay his act and hid the prisoners somewhere else?¡¯. Lin Hao started to answer¡± There are only two possible reasons in this case scenario. The first one is the unavability of enough evidence. Which is highly unlikely to be possible? I have confirmed that the asset that was captured, knew about the core pieces of information.¡±. ¡°What is the second reason?¡± Lin Bao asked in an inquisitive tone.¡± He wanted to let us know that he has leverage against us, an upper hand. He would use it to not only keep us at bay but might as well extort us from the event.¡±. Lin Baoughed¡± Exactly. Go visit him and learn of his demands.¡±

    Long Tao was sitting in the lounge of the dwelling as if he was waiting for someone. Soon enough, a figure appeared within the dwelling entrance. Lin Hao arrived at time, just when Long Tao was about to lose patience. ¡°It seems like the old man still keeps his wits together to have sent you. Honestly, I was about to go into training but decided to wait for some more time. You did manage to show up.¡±. ¡°What do you want in return of the exchange?¡±. Lin Hao was currently facing someone who had proved themselves to be extremely scheming. Even more than him. A strong opponent was still manageable. The biggest threat always is the opponents who are clever. Long Tao fitted that profile perfectly. ¡°I want the same amount ofpensation that the general paid to release his son, sent to me every day for a whole 6 months. Also, this is not an exchange, I am extorting you.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane, that is not possible. The amount you are asking for is incredulous. The ones you have in custody are not worth the effort of continuous payments. The best I can offer is a one-time payment and you will give all of them to us. ¡°Long Tao showed a smug face, and asked the people nearby to show Lin Hao the way to the exit. Lin Hao was starting to get nervous now. He had to make a deal stick. ¡°we would give you the same amount for each of the prisoners. 2000 middle-grade spirit stones for one witness. And you handover them to us. How about that.?¡±. ¡°I hope you didn¡¯t forget whose mission you just tried to sabotage. 4000 middle-grade spirit stone for each of them, fuck off otherwise.¡±. Lin Hao was in a bind. All he could do was to ept the offer given to him. He left to deliver the message to Lin Bao. The price this time was going to hurt, and very badly on top of that.

    Star Emperor academy-

    Long Tao was currently staying with the temporary dwelling which he was assigned. He had already broken through the third stage Qi master, but the invitation from the sect was still not arriving. If they were not going to ept him as a disciple, he would better leave. He didn¡¯t want to waste his time sitting in this room. Long Tao decided to stay another month, and if the invitation didn¡¯t arrive within that frame of time, he would take his leave and go elsewhere, doing practical training and gathering beast corpses, so as to practice the Weapon tempering form.

    Unknown to him, in a certain secret location of the Dena was currently standing in the middle of a whole assembly. Every person present in here was a powerful entity, at least at par of the dean. This was the elder council of the Star emperor Academy. This constituted the most powerful cultivators of the star emperor academy. The Dean was currently standing in the middle of the meeting, which was presided by a shadow figure sitting on the high throne, in the middle of the room. ¡°You managed to get all of us in a hurry back to the academy, this better is good.¡± One of the elders spoke to the dean in a calm but cold tone. ¡°I apologize to madame for her inconvenience, but even if you are pissed, I couldn¡¯t care less. Attitude without an ample amount of power is pitiful. Don¡¯t show your baseless pride here.¡±. Thedy who spoke just before started to emanate an aura of dominance. ¡°You managed to break-through 6th level of Qi king, good for you¡±, The dean said. The audience was surprised too, by the speed of cultivation.

    Just then the dean emanated an aura. The aura ovepped andpletely suppressed the aura being emanated by the woman. ¡°Peak Qi King.¡± The audience gasped cold air again. The Dean of the academy was now at the pinnacle of the Qi King Level. Extremely near to the Qi Emperor. This was a great news for the academy. Maybe another 50-100 years, the academy would have another Qi Emperor.¡± Congrattion to the Dean to have arisen to such a high level. Could I ask the two of you to let go of each other¡¯s throat ande to the topic behind the call of this meeting.¡± One of the elders said.

    The dean calmed and retracted his aura back and then looked towards the central seats.¡± I bow and salute the elder protectors. I have called this meeting here because of the recent set of discoveries that I have made. As you all know, I am traveling around the world searching for talents to be enrolled in our institute. I managed to discover two of them on my trip around the world. Another variant case has arisen. Another candidate hase to take the entrance induction test of our academy.¡± He passed a stele to the center and then the figure of a female was shown. ¡°This girl¡¯s name is Xiao Shi. She is was a cultivator within the ghost regions and the girl is in possession of the Ying-yang body. Thepatibility of the body is with fire and water, as well as good proficiency with thunder and gale. The rest of the things won¡¯t be necessary.¡± The video yed. All of the elders were watching it carefully.

    .....

    ¡°The next candidate is a boy named Boudin. The boy is a special case he managed to gainprehension into the advanced level intent of sword and saber and possesses an inherent battle body that I couldn¡¯t yet identify due tock of evidence. The boy managed to show a special ability, berserk when faced with a much stronger opponent. The rise in cultivation for a short time was five levels. I think all of you would agree on the quality of the battle body from this feat. He is an inherent strength type practitioner, and I would like you to see the fight after which I decided to nominate him.¡± The video yed and the whole assembly saw3 the fight. It was incredibly impressive, with many elders, getting interested.

    ¡°what about thest person?¡¯. The person in the central seat asked. This was the first time the man sitting there has opened his mouth. There was absolute silence in the hall now, all attention is concentrated on the dean. ¡°The third person is a bit of an anomaly. He is a new case about whom I was not positive at first, but the boy overcame my expectation in such an incredible way that I was forced to leave him for thest contestant.¡±. the dean forwarded the record te that was given by the incubation hall keeper. The test of Long Tao started.

    For the next few hours, no sound was heard, except for the surprised gasp at what Long Tao achieved within the test. Specifically, when he went to the advance intent steel and managed toprehend it with the technique that it had installed. ¡°The boy managed to grasp all the 7 types of intent to the advance stage of 1st level. Who is he? Also, his body type is at mortal rank with three-elementpatibility. What about the test of will.¡±? The next scene shocked the elders present. One of them said in a shaky voice¡± He broke the will te with his own will power. Monster!!¡±. The person sitting in the middle seat asked the dean about what his ns for these three were. ¡± I would like to take this brat as my disciple. As per the other two, you people could decide among yourself. I don¡¯t think anyone would have any objection.¡±. thedy that had previously threatened the dean rose up and said¡± I will take the girl. I will train her to crush all her opponents, including the boy. She then left the hall without waiting.¡±.

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 Chapter 74

    74 A MEETING WITH MASTER

    Long Tao was residing within his quarters and continuing his training. The month-long training schedule that he nned was a very simple one. He did the same with all his avatars. They were all going to secr training or for a mission for the whole 1 month. The objective that Long Tao wanted to achieve was to level up his cultivation to the 6th stage of the Qi master realm. The other objective was to open up another 5 of the tertiary meridians. He was currently standing at 20 tertiary meridians. His objective was to open up all the tertiary meridians before entering the Qi general realm. At the Qi general realm, he was going to concentrate on the opening of the Acupoints. He had to start training in the method of dragons before entering the Qi king realm. He wanted to achieve the feat which the voice wasn¡¯t able to achieve. The assuring factor was Avatar art.

    Soon enough a guard reported himself at the door of Long Tao. HE informed that Long Tao has been summoned to the inner hall. He was asked to follow him. Long Tao did as he was asked to do. He was already a 3rd level Qi master and has recently managed to horde quite arge amount of training materials. He was eager to take in a tutor who belonged to the top academy of the region. Star Emperor academy, as some might say, was the oldest and currently most powerful academy of the region. Long Tao asked the guard to make him acquainted with the region. The guard happily epted for a generous price that Long Tao offered. Most of the things were already known by Long Tao, but some special information about the terrain, the various fractions, and the inner power scenario was given by the guard. Long Tao thanked him upon reaching their destination.

    Entering the meeting hall, Long Tao saw a group of people. All of them were wearing the robes, simr to the one worn by the keeper of the Incubation hall. These were the elders of the Star emperor academy. Long Tao came forward and bowed.¡± Junior pays his respects to the seniors. May I know what is the purpose of you calling me in here?¡±. One of the elders came forward and said¡± The vice-master has asked for your presence within the inner hall. You are to proceed and behave while you are in front of the vice-master.¡± Long Tao followed the instructions and entered the hall, where he could see three figures residing in a round table manner. The elder who brought Long Tao in said¡± These three are the three vice-masters of the Star Emperor Academy.¡±. Long Tao bowed again and paid his respects. The vice-masters asked the elder to return and they were left alone with Long Tao.

    One of the vice masters indicated Long Tao toe forward and asked¡± You must have broken through the Qi master level by now right.¡±. Long Tao nodded and released his aura, the three vice-heads were shocked. Level 3 Qi master. What sort of speed was this? It had just been little more than 2 months and the boy had already broken through the QI master realm. Their junior brother was a monster for sure. The three of themughed together and said¡± Congrattions on breaking through the Qi master realm. We are to inform you that our master the dean is looking toward you as a prospective candidate for his future disciple.¡±. Long Tao was surprised.

    Within the Crimson Lord World, Long Tao was with the keeper. ¡°These three people re quite talented too. The one on your right is at the 6th level of Qi general, the one on the left is at the 7th level, and the one at the center is at Qi general peak. Their master is a Qi King of the same realm as the first elder at least. You just got lucky brat. A Qi King is willing to take you as their student. You should coax these fellows in case they would be happy to pass down some resources to you.¡± Long Tao understood the meaning of the words. He gathered his fists and bowed to the three of them ¡°Junior greets senior brothers.¡± The three of them fell silent and had an amusing look on their face. ¡°This boy is quite cunning. Master hasn¡¯t epted you as his disciple. The minimum requirement is getting into the Qi general realm before 20 years of age. What is your age as of now?¡±. ¡°I am nearly 18 years of age.¡±. These three were surprised again.

    The condition they just said was something their master wanted them to say. They weren¡¯t even atte QI master when they were 20. Their master wanted a junior brother to break through QI General within the age of 20. ¡°Would you be able to achieve it, junior brother?¡±. Long Tao wanted tough. 2 years in the real world just to enter Qi general. He would be at mid-Qi general by the time he was 20. He wanted a year to get there. ¡°I would like senior brothers to inform the master that I would be meeting him within one year.¡± The vice-heads didn¡¯t react for some time but were about to say something when a message came forward. ¡°The master would like to meet with you.¡±

    Long Tao was grabbed hold by some sort of energy as he was transitioned through space to a different ce. This was a separate Hill, with only an old hut standing in the middle. Long Tao proceeded towards the ce and he was surprised. The Qi density here is many times higher than the Crimson Lord world. This was the power of a Qi King. Long Tao reached the entrance and was met with a voice ¡°Enter¡±. The voicemanded. Long Tao opened the door but it didn¡¯t budge. He started applying more force and QI, but all his Qi was absorbed by the door. The only way to open it was from pure physical strength. Long Tao started applying the power of his primary meridians. The Door budged a little but was shut down again. He then applied the power of all his secondary meridians and some of his acupoints. Finally, he was able to open the door just to see a middle-aged man sitting there.

    When Long Tao finally entered the hut, the door closed behind him and the old man opened his eyes. ¡°So, you are a body cultivator too, and you seem to have opened your secondary meridians. That is quite an achievement when still at the Qi master realm.¡± Long Tao was surprised about thement. The old man was a body cultivator too. He tried tomunicate with the keeper but was met with silence. It was like the keeper has gone into hiding. Long Tao looked up and bowed¡± junior greets senior. May I know if senior is the Dean of the Star emperor academy.¡± ¡°Tell me about your current stage in body cultivation.¡± Long Tao¡¯s question was ignored. Long Tao looked at the guy and knew that his cultivation is unfathomable as of now. He decided to tell the truth. ¡± I have sessfully opened all my secondary meridians and am at the 20th tertiary meridian of my body.¡±

    The person¡¯s eye shone with a bright light. 2oth tertiary meridian, no doubt the speed of Qi cultivation is so fast. This boy might be the right choice for thatpetition. ¡°I heard that you predict yourself to have broken through the QI general realm within the next year, am I correct. ¡°. Long Tao nodded. He was confident in his talent. ¡°If you are so confident, want to make a bet with me. Even if you managed to open the tertiary meridians, your speed wouldn¡¯t be enough to break-through Qi general. If you are able to break through it one yearter, I will personally give you a Qi King rank weapon, along with all my attack arts of the Qi general realm. I would also fulfill 3 of your requests for resources, no matter what they would be. But if you are unable to do it, you will have to follow my n for your future, forget about your independence, until you be as strong as me. Do you dare?¡¯. ¡°I ept.¡±.

    .....

    ¡°Good boy. You are quite the daring one. I will ept you as my disciple as of now.¡±. Long Tao knelt in respect.¡± Disciple greets his master.¡±. The dean asked Long Tao to raise his head up. ¡°Since you are proficient in three elements. I will give you a meeting gift.¡±. The Dean passed Long Tao three vials.¡± One of them is the Beast me rankedst, Burning smander me. The other is rose thunder, a thunder type essence. Thest one is called heavy water, a water type natu8ral oddity. You are to inculcate these three by the next time I see. How you do it is upon you. These will help in improving your elemental abilities as well as your attack power and utilisation capability.¡±. This was the first time Long Tao was getting his hands on a natural oddity, and three at once. He thanked his master dearly.

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 Chapter 75

    75 ELEMENT ODDITIES

    ¡°These three will be the first gift to you. Since you will be in a hurry to advance your cultivation, you will be given an additional benefit by me. Every time you manage to ovee a level in this one year, you will be awarded by me, which will reach you through your senior brothers. There will only be two items, what would you like to get.¡±. Long Tao savoured this opportunity, but he knew that his master was doing this just to be supportive. After all his freedom was on the line. Getting into Qi general within a year was no small matter even for Long Tao. He took 2 years to reach the 3rd level Qi master from being a mortal. But as one¡¯s cultivation grows; the speed of improvement decreases. It was the same for Long Tao. His continued consistency was because of the resources he obtained, and the changes in his body that improved his speed.

    After thoughtful considerations, an idea stroked Long Tao¡¯s mind. He wanted more powerful natural oddities. Why not extort his master for them. ¡°How about master providing me with improved natural oddities every time I improve a level.¡±. The man opened his eyes and looked at Long Tao carefully. This disciple of his was really greedy. Natural oddity was no small matter, and his disciple wanted him to provide him with a better one every time he improved a level in Qi master. But the challenge this boy has epted, was unheard of in these regions. 8 levels in a single year was beyond monstrous. ¡°fine by me. The prize you are asking for is going to cost quite a bit. Hope you would be able to live up to my expectations.¡±. Long Tao was quite sure about his abilities and agreed. ¡°Since you are here, hurry up and start absorbing the three natural oddities. I want to see the efficiency you are able to obtain.¡±.

    Long Tao became nervous instantly. Just now his master said he didn¡¯t care how he was going to absorb them, but when he said that he requires more oddities, his master want to see the live process, that too now. He cursed his fate, and sat down in front of his master. He had read in the scriptures, that the way to absorb the natural oddity was done in three steps. The first one is, ingestion. The practitioner needs to ingest the oddity into his body. This require the body strength to be high for it to be sessful. The next part was the battle of will. Even if the me is taken from a beast, it still has a remainder of its consciousness imnted within. The user needed to destroy the imnted consciousness. Only after breaking it there is a chance of absorption.

    Thest step was rotating the power of the natural oddity through the body and get familiar with it. The riskiest part was off course the second, then the third andstly the first. The first step was easy and less painful. ¡°I advise you to ingest the heavy water first. It is the least aggressive natural oddity of the three.¡± Long Tao did as he was advice and ingested the Heavy water first. As expected, the first step was quite easy, but what came next was surprising. Long Tao lost consciousness. Soon enough he was in his soul sate, and in front of him was a spiritual materialisation. It was like a water body. The water body began to struggle with his spiritual body. Long Tao knew he had to start attacking. The first impact was quite strong.

    Long Tao took some time to get acquainted with the impact. It took him multiple impact to get his power level to that of the manifested body. The struggle continued. Long Tao began utilising his soul power and draw Qi from his soul ocean. Slowly he started to gain the upper hand. The outer expression of Long Tao was that of pain and intense struggle. The figure was watching Long Tao¡¯s action. ¡°How much time would this boy take to absorb it.¡±. the three vice-heads had also appeared before the dean.¡± How long would junior brother take to absorb the first oddity. It took me 2 days toplete the first absorption. Senior took around one day. From Junior brother¡¯s talent, he would take half a day at most.¡¯. But suddenly Long Tao¡¯s aura began to spike. The Dean was surprised.¡± Soul master level soul strength. Who is this boy? Who was his previous master? To be able to train such a monster.¡±. Long Tao opened his eyes soon.

    The three vice-heads were shocked. Such powerful talent. He was able to do it within two josh-sticks of time. Long Tao sat down and rested for a bit. ¡°master I am ready for the second absorption. Which one should I try this time.¡±? The person didn¡¯t reply, but one of the vice-leaders said¡± Try the fire one first. It is the less aggressive one.¡±. Long Tao took the fire vial and ingested it and began the process. The Dean opened his eyes and looked towards the vice-leader with a strict face. Then he turned towards Long Tao ¡°This second absorption is going to be the real test of your talent.¡± The vice-leaders didn¡¯t seem to understand at first, but then suddenly a thought came to their mind.

    The heavy water oddity that their junior brother just absorbed has be the part of his body. It would now repel the fire oddity, which was its fundamental opposite. So, the process of absorbing the fire oddity was going to be the more difficult part. The same theory applied to Long Tao¡¯s condition now. He was feeling a genuine repulsion from the fire oddity at first, but then almost involuntarily, a power began to rise from Long Tao¡¯s body, which was released both within and to the surroundings. The power was like a mixture of all attributes.

    The dean opened his eyes. At first there was shock, then anger, and atst an ecstasy filled his eyes.¡± This bastard. He dared to hold back information from his master. Let hime to his senses and I will spank his ass off. The vice-leaders were also surprised after feeling the power. They couldn¡¯t understand the words of their master, but from the delightful expression he showed, it must be something quite good. As soon as the power appeared, the fire affinity of Long Tao¡¯s body improved exponentially. The beast me ¡®s power was being absorbed, and the will was getting weaker. Long Tao managed to defeat the beast¡¯s will, and incubate the fire within his body. Finally, after the rotation wasplete, he opened his eyes to see his master standing in front of him. The expression on his face was that of a cruelughter, and Long Tao felt bad about the situation.

    He lifted Long Tao by his neck, turned him and started a literal spanking session. Long Tao¡¯s body was still shivering from pain after the session was finallyplete. His senior brother was unable to hold theirughter inside but they felt bad for Long Tao.¡± Wanglong When were you going to tell master about your real abilities. Or did you deem master unworthy of knowing your true powers.¡±. Long Tao didn¡¯t understand at first. ¡°Will you be kind enough to tell me the truth about your natural body type, or shall be go for another round.¡± The Dean asked with another smile. The expression sent chills down Long Tao¡¯s spine. He wouldn¡¯t be able to sit down at the moment form the pain he just felt. Another round would mean death for certain. ¡°I have a good elemental affinity with all the elements master. So, the process was quite easy to go through.¡± The vice-leaders were shocked, but the Dean raised his hand and started walking towards Long Tao, with his smile broadening.¡± Is that all boy.¡±. He again picked up Long Tao and turned him. He was about to start spanning again.

    .....

    ¡°I have the Omni -element body.¡± Long Tao shouted in desperation. He could ¡®t go through another round of beating. After hearing Long Tao¡¯s words, the dean let him down. Long Tao sighed a breath of relief. ¡°So that is why you were so sure of your ability to increase your cultivation to the Qi general level, within a year, and wanted me to give you natural oddities. You are quite greedy aren¡¯t you boy.¡±. another round started all of a sudden. All that was heard is Long Tao screaming. After a day. Long Tao was sitting at the same ce. His body deformed by tall the beating he received from his master. He was now in process of absorbing the thunder seed. His master had presented him another two vials containing an earthen pit and a wind stone. He was on his way to all round element practice. Although the punishment was hard, but he had struck it rich.

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 Chapter 76

    76 100 STRIKES OF CLEANSING

    Qin Weng was currently in is dwelling. He managed to get under the tutge of Qin Wentian, but his master had denied any sort of favoritism to him. This put Qin Weng directly from being the Grand elder¡¯s disciple to being an outer disciple of the sect. Even the servant that apanied him was surprised on knowing Long Tao to be starting from the outer sect. The master could have at least settled him in the inner sect. He didn¡¯t think about it any longer and bid farewell to Long Tao as soon as he dropped him at the location of his dwelling. The cabin was the one Long Tao¡¯s being allotted. Long Tao settled down and took out the manuals given by his master. The basic manuals were, of course, the knowledge about various types of metals found in nature. The encyclopedia had the information regarding, material, natural oddities, and general knowledge one should know about the art of forging.

    The first month went by reading the encyclopedia and training in cultivation. Qin Weng broke into Qi master after opening all the secondary meridians and went to visit his master after the break-through. Qin Wentian was sitting in his original seat, in meditation when the guard reported that Qin Weng has arrived. Qin Wentian allowed the entry and seeing the figure of Qin Weng, he was satisfied. His disciple broke-through the QI master realm. This was a great piece of news. Now he could start training in the art of forging metals. But as Qin Wentian pointed out before, the cultivation and forging should go side by side. As Qin Weng took his seat, Qin Wentian started the conversation¡± I Hear that you have a senior brother who is the disciple of Bu Puti, The discipline/punishment hall elder of the Thundergod hall.¡±.

    ¡°Yes, master. My elder brother Li Wentian is the disciple of the Thunder God Hall elder Bu Puti. How did master get to know about it.¡±? ¡°Me and Bu Puti are old acquaintances and hence he asked me to forge a set of weapons for his new disciple. I went to deliver the sword and hammer set for your elder brother. Qin Weng nodded in understanding. ¡°I also got to know about the 1/2 year agreement between you brothers to see who grew the strongest among you three.¡±. ¡°The agreement was a simple one. The winner takes half of the belongings of the losers. Since we are 6 people, the fight was a simple even one, and thest showdown would be a triple threat.¡± Qin Wentian managed to understand the whole arrangement. He had his own pride regarding the disciple he take. Although e was not going to give out any resources, arts and cultivation tips were something he would provide.

    ¡°What set of hammers did you choose in the weapon hall.¡±. Long Tao took out the huge casket which was given to him by the servant at weapon hall, his other master. Seeing the casket Qin Wentian was shocked. Junior brother gave his most precious invention to you. What sort of spell did this boy manage to cast? He looked at Long Tao and said¡± tell me the truth of how you managed to obtain this hammer from that guy. ¡°. Qin Weng said¡± The elder asked me to tell him my body cultivation realm, and then he asked to try and lift this. He said if I could manage to do it, he would let me have it. Fortunately, I was able to lift the casket and hence he gave it to me.¡± Qin Wentian introspected, and ran the analysis in his brain. He knew how much power one would require to lift the hammer. ¡°You are to tell me the truth. When you went to get the hammer. What was your realm in body cultivation?¡±. Qin Weng was ashamed to hide his from his master, but he decided to tell the truth.

    ¡°I was at the opening stage of my 20th secondary meridian.¡± Qin Wentian was spellbound. This bastard was already so proficient in body cultivation when he took him as his disciple and he didn¡¯t think of reporting it to his master. ¡°What is your realm in body cultivation at this moment?¡±. ¡°I have opened all the secondary meridian and am at the opening stage of the 5th tertiary meridian.¡± Qin Wentian was silent for a period of time. He was ted, that he managed to take in such a talented seedling. A horde of thought ran in his brain. Maybe he had hope for his disciple winning thatpetition. Only when he manages to do that will Qin Wentian return to that ce. He waited for such a long time to find a good seedling, and just got one, who was monstrous. Just into the QI master stage and at 5th tertiary meridian. He struck gold this time. ¡°you will continue the body cultivation. Here is another set of resources. You cane to me when your resources of body cultivation vanish. I will give you more. As per your training. A little more proficiency and you would be able to lift the hammer easily. ¡±

    ¡°You will start training with the hammer after today. For some time, until you are able to lift it up even in your sleep, you will carry it with you, tied to the back. You will eat, sleep, walk, run, bath, all with this hammer. After you manage toplete the training, you will start training in the arts that I gave you. Come to me after you are able to master the 100 shots of refinementpletely. ¡°. Qin Went left the dwelling, leaving a lonely Qin Wentian tied within his own thoughts. I hope this boy manages to stand up to my expectations. I will give him all kinds of help and resources; all he has o do is advance in the way of forging. There is still a year until thepetition at that ce begins. I will have him participate there if he manages to enter the 2nd-grade advanced refiner.

    Qin Went started his training ording to the instruction of his master. He started to eat sleep and live with the hammer tied to his back. He continued his reading and cultivation. By the time he reached the 20th tertiary meridian, he was able to lift the hammer with ease. He could finally start the training in the set of arts his master gave him. He started to read the 100 shots of refinement technique.

    The 100 shots of refinement started with the user practicing hammer shots first. The user needs to get acquainted with the motion of the hammer and strike on the metal as per the instruction of the manual. Long Tao took a lot of time just to get the strikes proper. Sometimes it went awry. Sometimes it was too heavy, sometimes too light. To get to the perfect stage, Long Tao had to spend a lot of time within the refining section of his room, just beating the metal with his hammer. Finally, after around 5 days (20 days in the crimson lord world), he was able to get the strike right. The next section was even more difficult. He had to regte his breathing when he was striking a piece of metal for refining it. The breathing regtion technique was provided, with some handwritten tips from Qin Wentian. The keeper of the weapon hall also tutored Long Tao a lot, correcting his mistakes.

    After a whole 10 days (40 days in crimson lord world) Long Tao got the rhythm correct and managed topile it with the hammer strikes. The next part was called the 10 shots of refinement. It was the intermediate level technique where you have to do 10 strikes with a perfect breathing rhythm in a single instance. It took another 10 days to get it right. Finally, Long Tao was able to get the 10 strikes to happen perfectly in the same instance. The piece of metal gave out a purified luster. This was an incredible achievement on Long Tao¡¯s part, who basically had no talent in the forging area, but wanted to learn it. The next stage was like the final act/phase topletely master the technique properly. Long Tao rested for a bit before getting up to start the final phase of training.

    .....

    Thest part, 100 strikes in the same instance, with breathing regtion. Long Tao was a step away from getting to the endpoint, but the step was like a huge mountain, difficult to cross. He started training within the crimson lord world. A month went by inside. Long Tao was at 40 strikes. Each increasing strike made it more difficult. He continues the endeavor. Finally, at the end of 1 month in the outer world (Nearly 4 months in the Crimson Lord world), Long Tao finally mastered the 100 strikes to refine a metalpletely. He was formally able to start the metal refinement training with his master.

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 Chapter 77

    77 FIGHTING ARENA

    The conditions in and around the Hall of Might have gotten active. The major reason behind the activity being rising was the incident that took ce, around a month earlier. It is said that a new disciple of the academy offended the brother of the head student, Ming Ruo. Ming Shen warned the guy that his sister wille for revenge, but he was not taken seriously. It has been a busy month, and the day of the vacancy of the room wasing near. The disciple would be revealed soon enough to the crowd. There were numerous admirers of Ming Ruo within the Thunder God hall itself. Many people had visited in expectation of fighting Long Tao and trying to catch the attention of Ming Ruo. The door opened and a figure walked out.

    Li Meng (Long Tao) breathes the fresh air outside. He had been within closed-door cultivation for a whole month (meant that he was training in the Crimson Lord world for six months.). All the concentrated was on cultivation, 9 thunder body art, and the set of skills he took from the Master and the library. The skills were Thunder w, Thunder sword, thunder Palm, Thunder kick, and Lightning Trail. The skills were easy to learn for Long Tao because of his research and practice of various techniques since he began his path of cultivation. Long Tao was getting better and better with every passing day and his prime motive was of course the creation of his own set of techniques from all the essences he grasped. The only technique that Long Tao managed toplete was not even a whole skill but only a single move of a skill that Long Tao called the Dominator¡¯s punch.

    After learning all the skills that he could possibly get his hands on, Long Tao understood that a single move of his can be enhanced to a new level entirely when tried with a proper procedure. The single move was already enhanced to another level by now. What Long Tao desired at the moment was practical training here he can improve his power and skill level continuously. That is the reason Long Tao decided to walk out as soon as the one-month period ended. He wanted to test his capabilities in the arena of the Hall of Might. Just as he got out of the room, Li Meng was met with a surprising situation.

    ¡°Are you the new disciple who dared to challenge the prestige of Ming Ruo. You dared to challenge the princess with your puny stature. Do you even know the real power that the princess holds in her hand. ¡°. Li Meng wanted tough. Piny strength. He managed to break-through the 5th level of QI master in the one-month closed-door cultivation he was in. The 9-thunder body art was at the 2nd level max. and he was about to go to his master to get the rewards. Li Meng couldn¡¯t estimate the rise in his strength, but a weakling like a guy in front wanted to ask him about his stature and called him incapable. Li Meng wanted to crush the guy, but he controlled his instincts and waited for the situation to y out.

    ¡°I am. What business do you have with me challenging anyone., Mind your own business?¡± Li Meng turned to leave but was stopped by a huge crowd. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about leaving with giving us a proper answer. Li Mengughed¡± So I have to answer you because a bunch of cowards have gathered together and are nning to gang up on me. Howughable. Does your princess depend on his bunch ofckeys to protect her and fight her challenges on her behalf? I don¡¯t mind killing you all though.¡± The crowd grew angrier due to Li Meng¡¯s taunt. They wanted him to be humiliated just like they felt. One of the guys came forward and said ¡°I my-self am enough to beat you down. Others are not required.¡±

    The arena-

    Li Meng and the other guy were standing within the arena. The challenge was about to begin. The referee came up and asked the two to sign the agreement and then the fight was dered to have started. The guy ran towards Li Meng, trying to overpower him. Li Meng just dodged the attack and began taunting him further. The brawl soon turned into the figure being toyed with. The audience begins to belittle Li Meng, but they missed an important bit. Bu Puti who was far away watching this show began tough.¡± The boy took my advice. He started training with only one skill. Good. You will soon see the result of your training boy.¡±.

    The fight finally came to an end when thepetitor was exhausted due to out of his QI being diminished dangerous levels and just then Li Meng came forwards andnded a heavy punch on his face. The figure was thrown flying to the edge of the arena, unconscious. The audience was silent. Li Meng looked upwards and said with a smug face¡± Continue. Today I will crush all of your hopes and trample on your pride. I will be epting all the challenges from now on and let¡¯s see which one among you manages to beat me.¡±, The next challenger came forward and the fight continued.

    The challenges were continuously thrown and ten rounds were over. Each of the opponents was defeated because of the depletion of their Qi reserves. Also, with passing time Li Meng seemed to get faster. The ten opponents were stroked unconscious. The injury was lethal to their future. They were near to being crippledpletely. It was because of the depleted Qi, which disables them to maintain a Qi barrier to guard against Li Meng¡¯s final attack. The next challenger came forward. The outer disciple seems to have given up on the hope of challenging Li Meng as the top 10 were already defeated. This challenger was someone from the inner circle. The practitioner was somewhat experienced. He didn¡¯t attack directly but waited for Li Meng to go on the offensive.

    .....

    Li Meng was impressed. Finally, someone to have used his brains. Li Meng took the attack stance and rushed out. Within no time he was directly in Infront of the challenger and used his attack technique. The lightning w stroked into the chest of the guy and his condition was the same as a result. Thrown to the edge unconscious. The audience was silent. Li Meng directly defeated his opponent. But the opponents were not someone who wanted to ept defeat. The nest challenger began to appear.

    Half-dayter-

    50 rounds had passed. Li Meng was standing in the middle of the grounds unscathed. Z50 practitioners were all gravely injured and all Li Meng used to defeat them were two types of technique. One was the Lightning trail, other being the Lightning w. The new opponents tried various methods but none were able to defeat him. Li Meng was beginning to get bored. ¡°You peoplee in pairs. One of you is too weak for me. At least you might have a fighting chance if youe at me, two at a time.¡± The people-watching was shameless enough to ept the proposal. Li Meng was ganged up by two practitioners at a time, but all he took out was another technique, called Lightning palm to attack this time. The opponents were beaten to near death from the attack impact. Li Meng finally started to enjoy the feeling of beating these clowns to a pulp.

    Another half a day passed-

    The crowd was not even cheering at the moment. They were not able to even demotivate Li Meng. The initial tide had turned in an unexpected manner. Li Meng was still standing. Even his breaths were constant, with no rush in them, he wasn¡¯t even exhausted from a whole day of fighting. The count of victims was nearing 150 by now. The normal disciple didn¡¯t even dare to step up at the moment. Li Meng even asked them toe at him three at a time, but the lesson was learned. The mediator asked Li Meng to rest for a bit but was rejected. The opponents that dared to step up now were all on Li Meng¡¯s cultivation level, inner disciple rankers. The brawl continued.

    Li Meng was starting to feel more and more absorbed within the technique as he frequently used it. He was not only beginning to understand the essence but was actually getting better at it by every passing second. The Qi flow was far more efficient now. But he didn¡¯t feel any exhaustion. The Origin Avatar art and his body¡¯s natural recovery speed were far more than the usage speed of his. The speed increased with every passing period. The opponents began to get devasted by him instantly. Another day passed, and the win-loss ration stood at 300-0. The elders were gathered at the arena now. The fight was bing a sensation.

    The top ten inner disciples finally began to stand up.¡± You should rest for a bit and recover your strength. I don¡¯t want my win is attributed to the fact that I overpowered an exhausted opponent.¡±. Li Meng looked at him, and with an unwavering tone said¡± I just defeated 300 opponents. You people won¡¯t evenst until 50. You have got guts tomand me. I am bored by you people steeping one by one. I suggest you all step at the same time because if anyone dared to step singrly, I will cripple hi this time.¡±. The one ranked 10th went up and started to use the best technique she had. He was someone with a lot of pride and didn¡¯t want to have a handicap in his fight. True to his words, Li Meng destroyed him. The fight resulted in an extremely grave injury. The medical examiner ruled it to be near death and he was rushed. He was in aa now.

    Li Meng looked at the gathered people and said¡± I will give the top 9 one chance. Step up at the same time. You people are not worthy to fight me one by one. I will make your final; result much worse than this.¡±. The student body decided upon this matter and finally, 8 people stepped forward sat the same time. ¡°The rank 1 is not here at the moment so we 8 will ask you for teaching.¡± Li Meng finally gave out a happy expression.

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 Chapter 78

    78 1 Vs Seeing the 8 people stepping in, the audience began to shout voices of appreciation. They wanted Li Meng to get defeated, the winning streak that Li Meng just showcased was too big. 300 Wins in line, without even taking a single break, continuously fighting. This was simply crushing every bit of pride each of the students in the Thunder god hall had in themselves. The elders couldn¡¯t even interfere due to Li Meng¡¯s identity and the current situation. Li Meng didn¡¯t even have an upper hand. He was letting 8 peoplee at him at the same time after he defeated 300 opponents in 2 days of time. They reported it to Bu Puti asking him toe up with a solution. Even the headmaster was reported. This couldn¡¯t go unchecked.

    ¡°The child overdid it this time. 301 students beat near to death and almost crippled from the path of martial arts, the boy is really too deep into testing and enhancing his skill. But the odds this time may be a barrier. There is also that guy. Maybe he can stop the boy at his path, given this bout ends in the defeat of the 8.¡±. Bu Puti wanted to know about the limits of his disciple as well. The results until know shocked him because Li Meng had only used 3 skills to defeat all of them, but no one could even keep up. Given the uses all his power, the results were unimaginable. The 8 people stood forward and the fight was about to start.

    The referee came forward and gave the two teams a contract to sign. This was the agreement to no killing on the arena. This was the reason the 301 opponents of Li Meng were able to stay alive. The groups signed the contract and the referee signaled the fight to begin. None of the two parties moved. ¡°It is a matter of pride that we got to have a fight with such a strong opponent, May I be allowed the pleasure to know your name?¡±. Li Meng looked at him with curiosity. This man had a natural sense in the matters of leadership. He seemed to be ranked at number 2, which made Li Meng wonder, what the number 1 be like, but that thought could wait forter. ¡°take your fighting stance, the brawl is about to begin. As per the question earlier, if you people manage to make me fall in any different condition than I am in, maybe I will tell you my name.¡±

    The 8 people raged upon hearing this. The guy didn¡¯t even show them the courtesy of introducing himself. They decided to go heavy on him. This behavior is not to be tolerated. Everyone knew that Li Meng was more powerful than them, but how could they allow their pride to be trampled to dust. They surrounded him in a pre-decided pattern and began to advance towards him together. In the previous matches, Li Meng manages to defeat the opponents given there was a difference in approach time in between them. The first wave of the attack arrived soon enough. It was a fourfold long-distance attack executed from 4 different directions. The tactics were simple. The long-range attackers would keep Li Meng busy guarding, while the other 4 will do the offensive part. The first wave of attacks hit and Li Meng was forced to be on the defensive.

    He had to give it to the nner. The n of attack was quite good. But its fault was visible quite clearly. Given Li Meng was able to avoid the first line, and take care of the long-range attackers, the tactics will be harmed. Li Meng began to utilize the Lightning trail and began to look for breaks. The offensive artist began to get more and more aggressive. They began to converge towards Li Meng form the other 4 directions. Virtually it didn¡¯t have an opening. Li Meng jumped upwards and thought of getting out from here. A smile appeared on the face of theirs. Li Meng looked out and say 8 attacksing at him at the same time. This was an unavoidable attack scenario. The attack hit and Li Meng was thrown out. But then another scene appeared.

    The flying figure of Li Meng was now flying towards one of the long-distance attackers. Soon enough he was near the guy and just then he twisted his body and attacked the person in his chest with a ferocious Lightning palm. The person was sent flying, spewing a lot of blood in the process. The first among the long-distance attackers were eliminated and Li Meng didn¡¯t stop there. It wasn¡¯t until another one of the long-distance attackers. The audience was watching with silence. 2 of the 8 people were already eliminated. There were only 6 people remaining after the brawl. Li Meng was ferocious in this regard.

    The impressive thing to watch was the fact that they manage toe up from the shock and reassemble properly. The group had a good experience in fighting an opponent who was far more powerful than them. The fight continued. Li Meng as impressed but the fight continued as usual and again another two of the long-range attackers were eliminated by the hand of Li Meng. Only the top 4 of the 8 remained. Each one of them was a cultivator of Qi master 7th realm. It was the first time a team of Qi master realm practitioners was bale to hold Li Meng back for such a long time. Li Meng was impressed. The sects were different. The capability difference between the military and elite from the sects was quiterge. Li Meng was beginning to n as to finish the fight fast, but suddenly the four of them stopped in their tracks.

    ¡°Impressive. You are quite powerful. It seems we have to use the full limits of our capabilities if we want to hold you back. ¡°They released their auras. 2 8th level Qi master and two peak 7ths. They were hiding their real strength until now. Li Meng¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. The fight started to turn into its final phase. The 4 remaining started using their most powerful movement and attack techniques. Li Meng continued the defensive and asional attacks but they were not enough for defeating these people. Finally, when the group approaches together, Li Meng shouted a new technique ¡°Thunder sword.¡±. An illusionary sword made up of the thunder element formed and shed at the practitioners while they were mid-way of attacking. The group was pushed back and everyone had a cut on their body. This was the most ferocious technique Li Meng has used in the fight.

    ¡°Li Meng¡±, Li Meng introduced himself to the people. They were happy that their opponent finally introduced himself to them. Just then the leader of the group remembered something. It was amotion that urred within the incubation hall. He bowed to Li Meng and spoke with respect¡± We are happy to get taught by senior brother Li Meng. If I am not mistaken, you are the new disciple of elder Bu Puti of the punishment hall, are you not?¡± Li Meng smile dan didn¡¯t reply. The answer was quite obvious from the expression which Li Meng gave. He didn¡¯t expect the students to know about his identity.

    .....

    The audience sighed in shock. So, this guy was the disciple of the vice-master Bu Puti. But still, the ability that was shown by him was quite incredible. Their senior brother was quite powerful. The group who were fighting LI Meng also bowed and showed respect. The cultivation level didn¡¯t matter. All that matters is strength and reputation. Li Meng had both of them.¡± Showing respect won¡¯t help the cause. I will beat the pulp out of you people no matter how respectful you are. My peace was disturbed by you folk. You will have to pay for that Li Meng rushed out. He was concentrating on the pure offensive this time. He didn¡¯t even give the guys time to breathe. Soon enough another guy was thrown out from the sh, badly injured. Then came another and another after that. The only people left were Li Meng and the one ranked second. The guy was having a nervous smile on his face, they have managed to piss off a figure like Li Meng for no particrly valid reason. His prestige is the same as Ming Ruo.

    Before he could say anything, Li Meng grabbed him by the cor and threw him with brute force towards the boundary, where he broke the wall and bounced off, fell down. The 8 vs 1 has resulted in the unanimous victory of Li Meng. He turned around ¡°What pitiful pride you people have to showcase it in front of me, with the measured strength you hold. I just crushed all your stars under my feet. Rank 1 has an instant of time toe here. I wouldn¡¯t wait for him. I know you are here. Come down, get defeated, and fuck off. After all, you are thest bit of hope, and I have fought 309 opponents. I will till continue. I hope you can even push me somewhat and save some pride.¡±

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 Chapter 79

    79 RANK Bu Puti wasughing within his pavilion at the moment. He was quite ted with the battle proficiency of his disciple. He knew that his disciple was just using the four-thunder element attack skill that he learnt while in closed door cultivation. He didn¡¯t know how to ask him to stop. ¡°The brat really overdid it this time. He needs to stop. I won¡¯t be able to stop him with just my words, as he wouldn¡¯t care for them if he is too much into practicing the techniques he wanted to perfect. I was the one who asked for it in the first ce. I suppose we need to let him step in.¡± Bu Puti took out his token and said¡± First elder are you in.¡±. ¡°I am brother Puti. What I the matter?¡±. ¡°I am sure you have heard about the ruckus my disciple has created in the academy. I need the help of that brat under you to stop him.¡±.

    ¡°Brother Puti, I am not being humble but I suppose we both know that your disciple is a monster, and he hasn¡¯t even used anything other than the 4 techniques. I suppose brother realize he isn¡¯t even using his full power. That brat might be able to push him to his limits, but defeating him is unlikely. Even I don¡¯t know the limit of my disciple, but even he couldn¡¯t stay standing after fighting 310 Qi master practitioners, who are the same level as him, nheless fighting 1 vs 8 at the same time.¡±. ¡°Brother doesn¡¯t need to worry. I suppose, your disciple is also in search of a worthy opponent. This would eb the perfect chance for us masters to get to know the real limits of our disciples. What do you say?¡±.

    The arena-

    Li Meng was standing there bored by now.¡± Looks like the top rankers of thunder god hall are just cowards. Bad for me. Is there anyone unsatisfied with my stature at the moment? If there is please stand up to the stage. Better yet, I will allow all of you toe at me the same time. The number doesn¡¯t matter, just defeat me once.¡± Most of the audience were sitting with their heads down with shame. They didn¡¯t know what to make of the situation in front of them. The top rankers were crushed like bugs, not bale to even retaliate properly. He is even allowing any number of people to gang up at him at the same time. A group of shameless individuals did stand out. ¡°I know its not my ce to speak against the eligibility of senior, but if you think that you are unsurmountable, then you are wrong. Let us teach you.¡± 50 peoples, attacked Li Meng at the same time. But the results were even more scary than before.

    50 unmoving bodies were lying on the floor after an incense stick of time. Li Meng didn¡¯t want to usepassion against anyone, whom he didn¡¯t think to be eligible. The 50 peoples were just victims of his rage. The crowd was devastated after looking at he strength of Li Meng. They didn¡¯t even have the guts to vice their opinions. Li Meng got down the stage and walked toward the door. On the way he got to see the guy who stopped him initially asking what his stature and strength as in front of their princess. Li Meng pointed at him and called him to the grounds. That guy came down nervously, his legs shaking violently from the fear he was currently feeling.¡± I suppose I satisfied your craving for looking at my strength mister. Anything you might want to say at the moment.¡± The guy fainted out of fear, wetting his pants in the process.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t leave if I were you. Didn¡¯t you want to fight the rank 1? Here I am epting your proposal.¡±. A tiny figure appeared before Li Meng. This guy was the number 1 of the thunder-god hall, someone who was deemed to be at the same level as Ming Ruo. Li Meng didn¡¯t notice anything special about the guy except for his short height and smug face, which started to irritate even him. Li Meng walked back to the stage with a smile on his face and said¡± Should we start then?¡±. This boy bowed and paid respect to Li Meng as well. After all Li Meng¡¯s identity as the disciple of the vice-master made his status to be at the same height as of elders. ¡°Futu Xuan pays his respect to elder brother Li. I would like to ask for your teaching. Hope you won¡¯t go easy on me.¡± And so the fight between the two people started.

    Li Meng began using the same set of technique. He was nearing the perfection stage with very passing second. But what shocked him was the fat that Futu Xuan was also using the same technique to confront him. The brawl continued as the two-adversary fought with each other. The power output of both were same and Li Meng felt himself to be pitted against the perfect person to practice the skill. They fought and li Meng didn¡¯t put any excessive power in his attack. He used the same amount of power as Futu Xuan to counter the skills and learn from the bout. The elders watching were also learning new things about the skills being used and the way of execution.

    Futu Xuan was shocked after each confrontation. When he heard his master saying Li Meng¡¯s act until now and came to watch, he already had him in high regards as someone who was better than him in fighting, but when he confronted, he came to find that Li Meng wasn¡¯t even exhausted. Just what kind of monster was this guy. He fought 300 fights and is still not even breathless. Also, with every passing strike he came to understand that Li Meng was using him as a test subject to perfect his skill. He isn¡¯t even using a single ounce more of power than require to perfectly counter the skill of his. He was getting more and more excited about the fight. He wanted to fight Li Meng seriously now.

    Just then Li Meng stopped and got down from the stage¡± You are a worthy opponent. Thank you for helping me to perfect the skill I have been practicing since thest month. I believe this would be enough to thank you.¡± Li Meng threw a ring towards him. When Futu Xuan looked inside, he was shocked. 2000 intermediate grade spirit stones. This was a huge amount of cultivation resources and Li Meng just give it to him for free. ¡± I suppose brother li is exhausted of all the fights he underwent today.¡±. Li Meng who was about to leave turned and clenched his fist. A crushing sound was heard throughout the hall. His QI began to regte and then he executed Thunder punch on the ground. Then he turned around and left. Futu Xuan gulped a huge mouthful of saliva and was sweating profusely. The audience began to mock Li Meng¡¯s show, but just as he disappeared, another set of cracking sound began to a appear.

    .....

    The ground where the attacknded, began to crack, and it spread until it reached to every corner of the field. The crowd was pped into silence. Futu Xuan looked at the departing figure and murmured to himself¡± So this is the answer to my question.¡± He was scared for the first time while confronting Li Meng. His suspicions were proven to be absolutely right. Li Meng didn¡¯t even use his real power into those attacks. He was just practicing the attack skills trying to perfect them. Theughing figure who just departed had just created a history within the Thunder God academy. He was a matter of reverence within the academy now.

    At the mansion of the first elder, three figures were seated. Futu Xuan entered the pavilion and was surprised to see the two figures beside his master. ¡°I pay my respect to sect leader and senior sister. ¡°Futu Xuan bowed. The two figures were Ming Ruo and her master. ¡°you must be exhausted from the fight. Do sit down and recover. We would like to ask you about your fight? How was your new senior brother in terms of strength?¡±. The first elder spoke, but just then the sect master interrupted. ¡°Let him rest for a bit and clear his mind. Use this for getting back to your top stage.¡± A panacea was handed to Futu Xuan who dly epted and drank it. His Qi was instantly replenished.

    ¡°I thank the master for her kindness to me.¡±. ¡°Just tell me your unbiased opinion.¡±. ¡°My new brother is a bit mysterious and a loner for sure. As per his strength, I don¡¯t have word to describe.¡± Then he looked at Ming Ruo and said in a serious tone.¡± He would crush both of us at the same even in his sleep. That guy can be described with only a single term, Monster.¡±. ¡°Why do you say that?¡±. The first elder asked in a hurry. Even Ming Ruo was a bit shaken. ¡°The reason is simple. That guy didn¡¯t even tried to fight me. He was using purely a singr skill in confrontation with the exact amount of power as I put in those skills. He didn¡¯t try to overpower me, neither let me overpower him. Basically, he was toying with me.¡±

    ¡°I found my Qi reserves to be decreasing at a rapid rate after each fight, and his reserves were not even manipted. It was as if he didn¡¯t even put pressure eon his QI reserves during the whole fight. I hope you can estimate the strength of such a person. You should forget about getting the rank 1 position in the Thunder-god hall. Most probably you will be struck at 3¡å. He looked at the sect master and said¡± I suppose you remember our deal. I was to take the second position given there were only two contenders, but the 1st rank is already taken by that bastard. SO, your disciple will not be attending the selection this time around. ¡°.

    Ming Ruo looked at Futu Xuan and said ¡°you shouldn¡¯t be so sure. I will easily beat you.¡±. Futu Xuanughed¡± With what, your level 9 cultivation.¡± He released his aura. The three people were shocked again. Futu Xuan was also a Qi master pinnacle stage practitioner. But he was still crushed by Li Meng¡¯s abilities. Just where did this brate from. Ming Ruoughed too and released something else. Futu Xuan was the one surprised this time.¡± SO, you managed to awaken your bloodline. Maybe you will eb able to beat me after all. But better watch out for him¡±. Ming Ruo said¡± OH! That I will.¡±

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 Chapter 80

    80 THE SECOND ENDEVOUR

    Long Tao justpleted his month-long training in a closed door. Coming out he called out for a meeting with all the squad members. The ck-buck squad arrived soon enough to report to the vice-leader. Although there were still miss-giving regarding the vice leader¡¯s way of doing things, they had profited quite a bit from the adventure with Long Tao. The main benefit beings their progress in cultivation and better teamwork. It was the reason that no one wanted to leave the squad even after attaining the Qi master stage where they can be squad-leader themselves. Another reason as of course fear and loyalty to Long Tao. After the 4 months of Long Tao being here had passed, each one of them had huge respect for him. They were ready to follow him to death.

    Long Tao looked at the squad and a smile appeared on his face. These morons did follow his training schedule and managed to improve their strength. ¡°We will be going for the next mission day after tomorrow. You have two days to prepare and enjoy your holiday. The schedule of training starts from the day after tomorrow. If the leader would be kind enough to follow me.¡±. Su Menqi went to the private meeting room with him. ¡°What stage are you at the moment, Miss Su.¡±. Su Menqi reported her strength. ¡°4th level of Qi master. The vice-leader has any matter to discuss with me.¡±. ¡°I do as a matter of fact. The next training period will be longer than thest one, and I have prepared a special schedule for each of you. What I can tell you is the fact that you and the team members will have to break-through two levels at the very least to even survive this training. Be ready for my call.¡±

    Su Menqi was shocked upon hearing. Jumping two levels in Qi master was no small thing, and Long Tao wanted them all to do that. Also, the training schedule he had prepared was so dangerous that without powerup, they won¡¯t be able to even survive. Just what did he want them to do? She stopped Long Tao in his tracks and asked him¡± Why are you doing this? Training the squad, still being a vice-leader, gaining resources for us, forcing us to power up. What do you get from all of this?¡±. Long Tao looked amused upon hearing this question, but all he did was tough ¡°If you manage to enter advance Qi master stage by the time our training ends, maybe I will tell you.¡±, He neared Su Menqi which led her to take a few steps back and just as they were close to the door, he opened and left. An embarrassed Su Menqi was left behind, a red glow all over his face.

    Out in the hall, he called all of them to tell about the briefs of this time¡¯s special training regime and that they will be headed and supervised by Su Menqi as usual. She was the most powerful practitioner after Long Tao after all. ¡± I will be going to the mission hall to pick up the next missions we are going on. I must remind you that the mission tally is going to be double of what you didst time. Now your training goals remain the same asst time, so you better be ready, otherwise, you might not survive it¡± Long Tao spoke with a smile on his face. The members looked at the smile of the devil that made their lives miserable every time it shone.

    Mission Hall-

    Lin Hao was here to take upon some new missions to make up for the loss he had sustained in the previous incidents. He needed to work twice, or even thrice as hard to get back on his financial track. He wanted to undertake the best missions avable for his position and level in the army. He was near the board choosing when he heard someone entering. When he looked, his emotions took a violent turn instantly. Who else could it be except for Long Tao? ¡°if it is not Squadron leader Lin Hao. Did youe here to pick a task for the squads under you? You must be in a rush. After all, due to some unfortunate turn of fate, your financial condition doesn¡¯t seem to be right. Would you be in need of any help? I would love to provide you with some, after all the various benefits our cooperation has provided me.¡±. Lin Hao was biting his lips wanting to pounce at Long Tao, but he managed to control his urges.

    ¡°It¡¯s kind of vice-leader Long to be avable for me when I am in a bad condition. But taking help from you would put our rtionship under strain when I don¡¯t even require it. But if I do need something one day, I would approach you for sure. Hope vice-leader Long wouldn¡¯t forget the favor he promised me¡±. Long Taoughed out and assured him he wouldn¡¯t after which he ignored and proceeded towards the mission board. He picked up a horde of missions from the board. It included catching criminals, solving mysteries, resource collection, terrain supervision, and identification and even assassination of some high-ranking enemies.¡±. A total of 90 were taken out and put up on the counter.¡± I would like ck-buck squad to be assigned to these missions. We would like to ask for a duration of 4 months being assigned to us for the task.¡±.

    The man at the counter knew who Long Tao was. How would he dare to say no to the most blood-thirsty military leader within the north-eastern region? He immediately assigned the missions to the ck-buck squad and reported to his superior who obviously gave a thumbs up for the venture. Long Tao got the whole package carrying the details regarding the mission specification and waved Lin Hao bye-bye on his way out of the mission hall.

    Long Tao was now back in the squad house and soon enough started to distribute the mission ording to person and group. He also made a custom list of the training schedules and offering each and every member had to do within these 4 months of training. The schedule would rule out any sense of causality they would have inculcated within this period of break they had. Each member was assigned a different set of missions, which included all types, including assassination. The squad members got the briefing regarding the future meetings and how to divide their schedule between training and missions. Finally, Su Menqi was called for an overall briefing. ¡°I woulde in between to verify the advancement of each member. The ones who are unable to attain would be punished ordingly.¡±

    .....

    The tribunal¡¯s meeting hall-

    There was a raging discussion regarding the military policies and current welfare of the military organization. Lin Bao and the other generals were currently sitting together for decision making. Suddenly one of the mission hall servants came and gave the leader a piece of information. ¡°I suppose the ck-buck squad is about to set out for another venture of theirs. This time the number of missions undertaken is double and the time requested is 4 months. The mission tally includes assassinations, resource collection, capturing, ambush among others.¡±. There was another uproar in the assembly. Lin Bao tried to argue that the ck-bucks shouldn¡¯t be given this amount of privilege under any condition. But the motion was denied by the rest of the generals, as they saw the efficiency of the ck-buck squad to have a great value. Especially Long Tao¡¯s achievements in thest venture. The motion was passed and the time period was sessfully assigned to a squad, the ck-bucks formally left.

    The destination this time was stretch over a vast topography. There were multiple rendezvous points and the duration of the missions was going to be spent over multiple locations. An initial tally was done, and Long Tao asked each of the members to first proceed andplete their individual missions first. After which they were to gather and proceed for the group ambush missions. The n was quite a simple one. Each member was assigned a resource collection, one assassination, and a scouting operation. After the set wasplete, the group ambush mission and beast hunting will start. Long Tao gave each of them one month toplete all their personal mission, after which they were to gather right at the rendezvous point.

    The members were asked to concentrate on training too because the aim within these four months was to increase cultivation by 2 levels again. Long Tao himself undertook the mission to increase his cultivation from the 5th level to the 8th level. The time was too small. Long Tao had not more than 9 months to attain the level of Qi general. He wanted to step at least into Qi general level 2, before thepletion of the year.

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 Chapter 81

    81 The Mountain Ridge

    Long Tao was into various traditional missions. He kept the bounty list aside and decided to concentrate on the mission he decided to undertake for himself. The mission was ranging from multiple sections, starting from inspection to the resource collection. Hence, he set out for the first destination on his list, The Tengo range.

    The range was quite famous within the Chu country for the various abnormal sightings sin this location. There was never a formal investigation of the whole range as the royal n decided that it was just a waste of resources, but the vigers nearby sighted multiple monsters, beats, and even phantoms sometimes. This alienation has also resulted in the conversion of the Tengo range into a good Bandit stronghold. Now the tasks list was quite long for this location.

    The first list of tasks included the collection of herbs which ranged from rank 1 to rank 3. Rank 3 was something that was involved in the creation of level 3 medicine, refined by a tier 3 alchemist. Getting them was quite rare. Long Tao epted this mission because he was cultivating an herb garden of his own. He was trying to find multiple stalks which would help him get some sample too. This would help him get a personal supply for his future venture. Also, if he was really lucky, he might strike it rich and would be able to get multiple varieties of level 3 and even level 4 herbs, which would then be transported to the Crimson Lord world and he would then be a supplier. This was an easy way to get rich. The dream was a good one, but it requires arge amount of collection.

    The first 10 herbs on the list were level 1mon herbs, which Long Tao managed to find soon enough after scouting the lower range for around a day. After the first et wasplete came the second set. This included a list of second-level herbs to be found within the range. This required him to travel into the upper region of the mountain. The major risk here was the presence of beasts. Soon enough Long Tao¡¯s assumption came true as he was facing a level 2 boar. The fightsted a short while after which Long Tao managed to kill it. Due to the blood, a lot of beasts began to get attracted to this region. This was good news. Unless it is a level 3 beats which were only found within the uppermost regions of the mountain, Long Tao could easily get a greater number of beats corpses to practice the tempering arts.

    The next beast he had to face was an iron ox. The fight this time was a bit stretchy due to the oxen¡¯s naturally defensive body. The fight continued for a whole day. For the first time, Long Tao¡¯s normal attack strategy didn¡¯t work and he had to y out multiple varieties of attacks to prate its skin. The iron ox was lying on the ground covered in blood. Long Tao decided that he would use these beats to practice his set of arts and perfect them one by one. Each corpse was collected within the Crimson Lord world, where it was delivered to the avatar in the training of the tempering art.

    Next came the horde of Night foxes, which attacked during the peak of nightfall. Long Tao was just about to sleep, but the attack arrived very swiftly and he even got injured due to thebined attack. A level 3 monster was actually able to hurt him. The massacre began. Soon enough painful howls of the wolves reverberated throughout the forests. The horde which attacks this time was quite generous from Long Tao¡¯s inventory. Just as he was about to leave, another figure appeared. Who could it be other than the Night wolf king? This beast was having a natural feeling of leader and imposing demeanor. This fight just got a lot crazier and exciting. Long Tao proceeds. He used the me arts and some of the movement art which he stole from the royal library. After a long brawl, the night wolf king decided to use Long range attacks, while trying to recover. Giving him a proper distance would be a huge mistake and hence, Long Tao switch to sh-step and directly attacked, giving the final blow on his neck. The night wolf king was defeated.

    Long Tao proceeded to do further bidding. He started to go into the deeper regions. He managed to collect some herbs required for tier-2 medicines, all of which he nted in the Crimson Lord world. The Hunt continued in it sown way too. The next in the line was a berserk tusker that Long Tao had to fight for another day to finally defeat. As his power grew Long Tao began to concentrate on his skill proficiency. He knew that in a desperate time, the skill can do what power can¡¯t, help take out an impossible opponent. The tricks that he managed to master began to rise in counts, and he continued to apply those skill¡¯s theories to create new skills. The dominator¡¯s punch was the first item in Long Tao¡¯s inventory that he created himself, he had managed to level it up substantially for 10 times until now. He recorded each theory and started building up his skillset. The lightning punches were also one of the theories he included. The beast was proving to be the best guinea pigs.

    Long Tao had managed toplete around 15 of the mission since he arrived here. The only resource collection remaining now was the herbs that go into the making of tier three pills. Long Tao had only faced Qi master intermediate level beasts until now. The next destination would bring advanced level 3 beats even level 4 ones who reside in the deepest regions. Long Tao began to go into the deepest regions of the mountains. Soon enough he was confronted by powerful opponents.

    The Tengo range was a residing ce for the beats, and hence it was an incredible ce for adventurers and robbers. There were multiple reports of robberies and the killing of high-rank adventurers. The robbers here were getting more and more active. Long Tao took upon the mission of handling the situation. The reward was quite big with not only a base amount but an additional amount corresponding to the cultivation of each head Long Tao brought. This is what made the job more lucrative. Long Tao was sure of wiping the stronghold as long as there were no Qi generals in the region. He went deeper and hence managed to meet a member on the way.

    .....

    The bandit covered h Is face and carried a blood-red saber with him. Even though these were bandits, theposition was made of fugitives from the countries who had fled to this region and hid here. The guy in front was a master in saber arts, visible from the intent he was giving. Advance level saber intent in Qi master was thought to be good. Long Tao showed a relieved expression and asked with a pitiful tone ¡°Atst, I managed to find someone. Brother can you direct me in the right direction in which I could follow to trace the path back. I am an adventurer lurking here to kill the beast.¡±. The man decided to test the waters first.¡± Where are you from?¡±. Long Tao was quite cheerful¡± I am an outer disciple for the Pill hall. I came here to gather herbs. What are you here for?¡±.

    The man let his guard down.¡± I am here for hunting beast and collection of herbs too. I can help you get to the vige below. My troop is stationed at some distance. Would you like to follow us on the return? We have needed the hunt too. We would be returning at day time.¡± Long Tao agreed and both of them proceeded to the campsite. There were simr figures like the man in the group. The strongest among them was a one-eyed man named Nemek. The man introduced Long Tao to his group and then the meal was set. The people began to ask Long Tao about his adventures.¡± I hope the visit to the mountain resulted in good gains for you brother.¡±. ¡°it did. I managed toe across hordes of herbs and even managed to kill some intermediate level 3 beasts. The gain was good.¡± The conversation continued.

    Soon the dinner ended and all of them went to sleep. Long Tao felt dizzy for a moment. So, they did mix something with the food given to me. Rather clever. The avatar got unconscious soon, Long Tao didn¡¯t have much of an exposure to poison and hence it took effect immediately. The rest of the avatars were still watching from the crimson lord world, waiting for the bandits to take him tot heir stronghold. The leader signaled the rest of the team and Long Tao¡¯s whole body along with the possessions were taken into the stronghold.

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 Chapter 82

    82 THE BANDIT STRONGHOLD

    Long Tao was being carried to the stronghold by the bandits. He decided to not interfere. Although one of the avatars was still unconscious from the poison, the other avatars can easily wipe the current group. He could use the soul scourge method, but it was better to get to the stronghold directly. The proceedings forwarded as Long Tao had predicted and he was transported to the stronghold soon enough. Long Tao had to give it to the bandits, because the ce where they had positioned the stronghold was so covert., that they could manage to easily avoid detection from any foreign forces entering the region from inspection.

    The stronghold was essentially built within the ridge of two mountains, dug within them. So, on the outside, it appeared to be no different than an ordinary mountain., but in actual, there were hordes of people who were hiding within these mountain spaces. They soon reached as what might look like a hidden cave and stood in front.¡± Password¡±. ¡°Let red light cover the entire sky and bing the heavens themselves.¡±. ¡°Pass. Identify yourself and the number of your group¡±. ¡°14, Blood de.¡±. The messenger saw the box and asked about it. The box was opened and Long Tao along with his belongings was present inside.

    The possession was taken and long Tao was transferred into what can only be termed as a prison for captured individuals. Long Tao¡¯s avatar was still unconscious because of the poison¡¯s lingering effects, but he was getting better. He decided toe out for an inspection. The first ce to go was to top a nearby guard and use his ability to control the person¡¯s mind. That is the way Long Tao was going to wipe the stronghold. He was going tomand these people to kill themselves.

    Two avatars appeared simultaneously. One transferred the unconscious avatar to the Crimson Lord world while taking his position in the process. The other hid in the shadows, waiting for the guards to approach. Soon enough two figures appeared outside of the cell.¡± This guy seems to be still asleep. The possessions obtained from him are quite precious. The boss asked us to interrogate him about the location. Let¡¯s enter and get hold of him¡± They entered and were approaching Long Tao. Just as they stood in front of him, a shutting sound was heard and a figure just closed the cell¡¯s gate. Both of them were up in arms when one was attacked from behind where the figure was lying and the other guy was taken by the one in front. Soon the two people were already down and their memories scourged through. Both of their souls were in Long Tao¡¯s control now.

    Long Tao¡¯s two avatars followed the trail as per the guard¡¯s memories and began taking down more and more men in the process. Essentially6 within an hour, the whole prison facility was taken into control by Long Tao. He had 15 people under soul control as of now and more were to go. They had to wait for someone to scout the location outside and report the positions of the guards and the rest of the men. If he was going to take down the stronghold, he had to wipe each and every one of them. Hence this was a good opportunity for Long Tao to get the memories of the bandits as well as their treasury. Soon two people were out and scouting. The general location of the rest of the people nearby was soon reported and Long Tao set out for capturing more individuals. He couldn¡¯t let anyone getaway. Hence, he was required to take control of the souls of most of the men.

    The next part raided by Long Tao was going to be the entrances and exits of the whole area. ording to the memories of the people, there were around 20 people who were always assigned to the guard post. These people being the first line of defense were capable too. Taking them down was not going to be easy. Hence divide and rule policy was to be used. The first capture was one of the people who was going to the toilet. The next two captures were of the same situations, peopleing out to attend to some emergencies. The next stage was grouping upon individuals at the same. To keep an individual from making any kind ofmotion, atst, five people were required to be ganging upon him. The first guard post was taken out just like that.

    Long Tao moved along the border, capturing and controlling all the men in those areas. The benefit of this way was that the information about both the insider and outsider would be present in Long Tao¡¯s hand. The next part was moving in and allocating some guards who will take care of those who would enter at other time intervals. Long Tao decided to take upon the mess and the living quarters of the bandits next. The two avatars divided the people in control into two groups which followed up on two different trails. The first to be captured was the mess as this was not the time, and most individuals present there were prisoners taken from before. The living quarters were soon taken too. Now the only thing remaining was the treasury and the main meeting room where the leaders were currently residing.

    The meeting room-

    The Bandit was meeting up together to n out the next great loot scenario that they were going to undertake. There were drinks being served around and a lot of shouting and apuse. ¡°What are we going for this time leader?¡¯ a murky man asked the person sitting at the center seat. The leader was veiled and had his body covered in ck cloth. Until now no one had seen her face. The members were dying to see it but they were not good enough to ask and never powerful enough to force. A hoarse voice replied¡¯ I heard we have a pill hall outer disciple as prisoner now. We could loot some of the supply chains of the pill hall. That would provide us with a good source of cultivation and pill material.¡±. ¡°I am afraid you all won¡¯t live past the day to actually ask anything from me.¡±. all the figures turned just to see Long Tao entering. The guards were called but no response was obtained.

    .....

    ¡°you shouldn¡¯t bother. They are all under me now. The moment any of your steps will be thest moment in this beautiful world of ours.¡±. Long Tao was chilled out andughed. He proceeded to the center of the room and then said with a gleeful voice¡± So who wants to die first?¡±. The leaders present hereughed loudly.¡± Boy, you will not live to see another day, and even as yourst struggle you are asking who among us is willing to die first. Are you genuinely insane?¡±. A figure appeared before the speaker and grabbed his face. After which a loud cracking sound was heard. Blood spurted out of the body as the skull was crushed with pure physical strength. ¡± the first volunteer is out. Who is going to be the next one.?¡± The hall was silent now. The body of the deceased was lying on the ground with his crushed skull ripped apart from his body.

    The atmosphere was extremely serious and still now. The bandit¡¯s leaders signaled each other and then attacked Long Tao at the same time. The next scene was multiple bodies lying on the ground, the same as before, headless. But The skull was not crushed this time. The head was stored to get the bounty on their identification. The rest of the bandit leaders were confused about whether to run away or fight Long Tao. They knew about their leader¡¯s power. If they managed to gang up on Long Tao, they could secure a victory. Some decided to run out, but soon screams were heard outside. Those people were ambushed by the puppets stationed by Long Tao. The group remaining inside began to plead to the leader but were ignored. The leader was still seated on his chair unmoving and not bothered by the scene. The bandits then chose to ask Long Tao for mercy but he didn¡¯t show any of it. All of them were killed.

    ¡°You are quite confident in your strength to be unbothered by the scene in front of you. May I ask what will your next move be?¡¯. The leaderughed and ten said¡± Killing ants proves nothing of your strength. Unlike them, I am quite sure of my chances against you boy.¡± Long Tao was really amused by the talk. How could the figure be so confident? He raised his hand and provoked the leader toe at him. The leaderplied and soon a collision of both their punches urred. The two were indulged in their fight when the other avatar opened up the treasury of the bandit stronghold.

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 Chapter 83

    83 THE SECRET DOOR

    The main hall-

    Seeing the leader being so confident Long Tao continued to brawl with the figure. True to his words, he was quite powerful. Long Tao still couldn¡¯t guess the facial structure under that scarf but the strength was undeniable. ¡°What is this guy¡¯s cultivation level?¡±. The keeper beside him seems amused. Heughed for some time and then told an incredible piece of information to Long Tao.¡± The figure in front has the cultivation of QI general 1st stage peak. She will be crossing the threshold soon enough and entering the 2nd level Qi general. This fight is going to be a bit challenging.¡±. Long Tao was about to get back to the fight when he suddenly realized something. ¡°The figure is a woman. Are you sure?¡±. ¡°Why don¡¯t you find out yourself boy. I am sure you will be interested in the results. Defeat her first. I will tell you the future nster.¡±

    Long Tao was shing with a consistent strength until now. He decided to use his physical strength. The first application was off course the primary meridians. The figure replied in kind. She too increased the power output through the attacks. Thedy behind the scarf was starting to get paranoid. She never expected someone within the Qi master level to be so powerful that they could contend against her. On the surface, Long Tao was showing QI master level 5 cultivation which was his reality, but his strength often made people to assume otherwise. The next part was simple. Long Tao began to use the secondary meridians. Every 4-5 attacks he would start adding a new meridian to use. The figure did the same. The fight was still continuing. Both were holding back their real techniques. Long Tao didn¡¯t want to give the figure clues about his sect techniques.

    Treasury-

    The other avatar was currently busy verifying the contents of the bandit treasury. Except for the contents of all the rings obtained after killing the bandits, the treasury was quite filled up. The first thing Long Tao could see was currency. He started ounting and putting these in the Crimson Lord world. The gold was quite sufficient to buy a good amount of materials from the pill markets and weapon markets. The next section as the cultivation resources section. The first thing toe into the view of Long Tao was the mountain of beginner grade (the lowest) spirit stones. These could be exchanged for a good amount of middle-grade stone. As he proceeded, he found another stockpile of idle grade stone having around 10,000 pieces. It was a good amount of wealth right there. He took these and stored within the Crimson Lord world. Long Tao was increasing his wealth before setting out of these regions.

    The next stockpile that Long Tao got to see was herbs collected from these mountain regions. What shocked him was the quantity. The Bandit really lived up to their name of being scavenging on adventurers. But the terrain was best for herb collection, and that proved to be true in this case. The herb collection was quite vast. Long Tao took out the list and all the herbs listed at level 2 were present in excess. Long Tao managed to strike it rich this time. Even some herbs that went into tier 3 medicines were present. Long Tao collected all of the herbs and began to mark the number of missions he herbypleted. The tally directly rose to 30. Only one herb of tier 3 was remaining to b collected. All of these were nted in the Crimson Lord world.

    The growth for the herbs was quite fast in the Crimson Lord world. the reason as the dense QI as well as the Liquified Qi that was sprinkled on the herbs. The growth speed was shocking. If anyone knew about this treasure, Long Tao would be hunted till the end of the world to get their hands on this treasured artifact. The next line of ntations was set up and even Tier 3 herbs were growing in an extremely fast manner. The stockpile was quite big now. Long Tao was happy upon seeing the inventory growing. He was now having a basic herb farm which can facilitate the alchemy usage of herbs for his future endeavors.

    The next part was the Pills section. The pills present were not that valuable, the highest present being Tier two pills that Long Tao can refine already. They could still be sold for a good price. The storage of pills was done within one of the annexed storage rings. The weapon section was also so-so. The weapons present were not that valuable whenpared to what Long Tao had seen. The highest was a level 3 weapon for Qi general level practitioners which was a Bow set. Long Tao took it. Thest section of the treasury was a hidden door. Long Tao tried to open it, but there was some kind of advanced encryption that Long Tao needed some time to decode. He was currently at intermediate second level inscription master level, and hence required time to decode the advance level inscription. The procedure began, while the fight above was still continuing.

    Meeting hall-

    .....

    Long Tao and the hooded figure were still indulged in warfare. Long Tao was using general attack and movement arts and didn¡¯t use any of the core arts from his inventory. The only thing he was increasing as the number of meridians to be used in the fight. The whole set of secondary meridians were already active, but the figure managed to still keep up with him. Hye had to give it to the cultivators of the QI general realm. A normal QI master would have died by now. The one in a deeper dilemma than Long Tao was his opponent. She was shocked by the prowess of Long Tao. She was nearly using half of her strength but Long Tao was managing to stand on equal feet with her. She thought of the need to use her most powerful attack arts. The atmosphere around began to change. The first attack art she used was of ice type and her movement was shadow type arts. The fight began to proceed in a concluding direction. Long Tao too started using his tertiary meridians. Soon enough another stalemate was reached.

    Long Tao tried a trick at the moment. He suddenly used all his tertiary meridians and attacked the figure near the chest area. The figure was reflected away for arge distance and the hood covering her was destroyed. Long Tao looked at her now and he vowed, this was one of the most beautiful women he had seen in his lifetime. The face, grace, beauty, and demeanor were fairy-like. Long Tao was spellbound for a second and decided to control his urges. He couldn¡¯t lose focus at the moment. The attack continued. The fight was advancing. Long Tao was now using the full capacity of his body cultivation and the girl was beginning to get pushed away. Long Tao continued with the barrage of attacks and soon enough the girl was hurt.

    Treasury-

    Long Tao finally manage to decode and break the formations that were holding the inner doors to the treasury. Entering it he found a simple-le cabin, with not much of equipment. This room was filled with books, weapons, whose grade Long Tao couldn¡¯t discern even now. ¡°Level 4 weapons you are a quite lucky brat. Those are weapons of Qi Kings. Long Tao stored all of them in the artifact and then proceeded to the other resources. There was a heavy crate at the corner of the cabin. It looked old and rusty but Long Tao decided to open and see what is inside. When he tried to open it, another set of formation urred.¡± A blood offering formation. You need to refine the treasure box to open it.¡±. ¡°how do I do that?¡±. ¡°Start pouring your blood on it.¡±. Long Tao did as instruct and the blood was being absorbed. After a long time, he managed to reach the limit of absorption. The box floated up and a weird name appeared in Long Tao¡¯s mind. ¡°Casket of ninth dawn¡±, a storage treasure.

    Long Tao opened it and there were three things contained. The first thing was a long scabbard, a token with a strange symbol on it and the third was a piece of old paper. Upon looking carefully, a map of the mountain was drawn on it with a marking. Long Tao seemed to have found a treasure map just now.

    Hall-

    Two figures were now present. One was lying below, badly hurt. It was none other than the girl who Long Tao was fighting. The girl still didn¡¯t give up, but just as she was going to attack, her expression changed and she looked at Long Tao ¡± Somebody managed to open the secret door.¡±. Long Tao looked at her and smiled¡± So you were here because of the secret door.¡±

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 Chapter 84

    84 THE FIGHT

    The girl was lying there looking with hostile eyes towards Long Tao. She was using 100% of her strength but Long Tao managed to overpower her. Being a Qi general, it was a matter of great shame, but who could me her. Her opponent was Long Tao. She had set a sensing formation just below the casket in case someone was able to go through the door and open it. Although she was quite proficient in formations, he required time to decode the restriction present on the wooden casket. But before she could any of those things, Long Tao barged his way into the stronghold and wiped the whole ce out. He even managed to open the restriction on the door and reach the casket. The most surprising of all was that the guy who got his hands on the case was able to decode and open it instantly.

    ¡°Give me the case and its content and I will let you live.¡± Thedy stood up. Long Taoughed out loud. ¡°I suppose you don¡¯t understand the situation here. You will not live past today and you want to cut a deal as I you are the one showing favor to me. I hope the earlier fight didn¡¯t damage your brains.¡±. He was stillughing, but the expression on the girl¡¯s face didn¡¯t change. She closed her eyes and was trying to do something when another punchnded on her abdomen, hurting her so bad that she started to spew a high quantity of blood from the mouth. She looked hatefully at Long Tao. ¡°You don¡¯t need to judge. This is a fight to the death. You don¡¯t think that I would let youmunicate with your partners nearby or awaken some hidden bloodline ability of yours, do you?¡¯

    The girl was surprised again by how sensitive Long Tao was regarding this matter. He managed to notice the slight change and attacked her immediately upon notice. As a matter of fact, she was trying tomunicate with the peoples of her group who were nearby and the second part was also true. That was the next thing she was going to do. But it was unlikely that Long Tao would allow her to do that. She looked at Long Tao and said??? You don¡¯t even have guts to fight me at6 my strongest. Spineless coward¡± Long Tao looked at her amusingly.¡± It is not the bloodline ability I fear, It¡¯s themunication that you might do to your nearby peers attracting them here.¡± Suddenly a wave of energy passed both of them and Long Tao was relieved. ¡°Now we can fight. You should awaken your bloodline ability now.¡±

    The girl triedmunicating but found out that It was not working. She was surprised once again. Long Tao managed to seal the whole region to not let anymunication go out. She wasn¡¯t scared but was quite impressed by Long Tao¡¯s abilities. She sat down, recovered her strength. Long Tao didn¡¯t bother with her for the time being and decided to roam around the hall. Soon enough she was at her max. strength with the help of pills and medicines. She closed her eyes once again and her blood started churning inside her body. The power within her began to awaken. ¡°Boy, you need to take this girl as your servant. Ying body type, that to a growing one. She is the perfect species to practice dual cultivation with. Your realm can increase to a veryrge extent with her help. Make your decision. Take her in as a servant.¡±

    Long Tao wanted tough. A woman who has cultivated to this extent putting so many efforts wouldn¡¯t just be his servant. She had her own pride and Long Tao didn¡¯t want to destroy that, but the amount of pressure the keeper was putting on him was substantial. He pressurized him to subjugate this girl. Although Long Tao had no good feelings for his enemies, even he had a baseline. He wouldn¡¯t force the girl, although he would make her an offer. ¡°Yin body that can grow. You seem to be quite lucky in terms of cultivation talent.¡± The girl was shocked once more. Long Tao managed to verify her body type by just looking at it once. Before she could even reply, Long Tao offered her some terms.¡± Your body type is great for dual cultivation. How about bing my partner? You can have a part of the treasure for yourself and start to increase your strength by dual cultivating with me.¡±

    A red glow was all over the face of the girl and she was too irritated to even speak. How could this bastard be so shameless? He asked her to fuck him out of the blue. Doesn¡¯t this bastard have even a shred of human decency? She vowed to kill him. Her bloodline power was awakening. The spike that happened this time was quite substantial. Long Tao decided to use his core moves this time. He used sh steps to get near her and the fight began once more. Long Tao wanted to estimate the strength of the girl and the fact astound him. She was too strong now. The spike was of a simr level to what Mengchen got when she used her bloodline for the first time. Long Tao yed along for some time and managed to gouge the whole strength of her.

    ¡°You seem to have recently awakened your bloodline powers. Its good. But what made you think that the opponent you are facing doesn¡¯t possess a bloodline ability of his own. I could beat a Qi general when I am just at QI master stage 5. Give me some respect girl.¡±, Long Tao activated his bloodline. He used the ability of Qi drain. The defensive stance of Long Tao continued for some time, but the girl could feel her strength and Qi reserves being depleted very rapidly. Although the bloodline ability put a toll on the body¡¯s he didn¡¯t believe that the expenditure rate would be so high. It meant that whatever was happening was due to Long Tao. At the same time, she could feel long Tao¡¯s aura getting stronger by the second. It was as if he was absorbing her Qi. This was Long Tao¡¯s bloodline ability, Qi Drain.

    The girl tried her best to fight and even startedbining the Qi force with the bloodline ability, but the expenditure got faster and Long Tao became more and more powerful. The fight had taken an unexpected turn now. It was Long Tao on the offensive and the girl in the defensive. He looked at her and said¡± My offer still stands. Be my women and I will let you live. What do you say?¡±. The girl angrily spoke¡± never.¡±. Long Tao was helpless.¡± What iscking within me? I am strong. Hell, lot stronger than you are. I haven¡¯t even used all of my power yet and you are not even able to retaliate. My talent is higher than yours. I am handsome too. What is the missing condition which leads you to make that decision.¡±? The girl was surprised by Long Tao¡¯s outbreak.

    How could a guy be so self-obsessed? His pride knew no extent as he went on describing his qualities and he even wanted to question her judgment. Shamelessness at its peak would look like this. She had to think of a method of getting out and informing her group of the unfortunate event. Although Long Tao was powerful, if the whole group managed to attack at him, they could easily defeat Long Tao. She was trying her message te multiple times with absolutely no sess. Long Tao really managed to cover up and seal the whole ce. She was looking around and stalling for time, but Long Tao suddenly came up and stood before her. ¡°You seem to be waiting for someone toe and rescue you. I will ask once more, what do you think of my proposal?¡±. ¡°No.¡±.

    .....

    ¡®Good then.¡±. Long Tao took a weird stance in front of her.¡± I will show you the courtesy of getting the first-hand experience of art that I created myself. It is called the fist of the dominator.¡±. Long Tao took the stance and a punchunched itself at the girl¡¯s abdomen. She flew backward, breaking many obstacles in her way and getting banged up against a wall. ¡°you seem to be conscious, which proves your ability. I would allow you to use the message token now and try to save your life with the help of your friends. May we never meet again, or I will forcefully make you mine.¡± Long Tao exited the cave, undid the formation sealing the whole cave. He then used the me arts he had managed to master in the pill hall and burned the cave up. The fire was spreading everywhere. He looked back for thest time¡± If you managed to remain alive after today, maybe we will get to introduce ourselves to each other.¡±. the next destination was the marking on the map. A fortune was awaiting him.

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 Chapter 85

    85 THE INHERITANCE GROUNDS

    Tengo mountains-

    Long Tao was currently proceeding in the depths of the mountain range. He wanted to get to the inheritance grounds as soon as possible. Most of his objectives in the Tengo mountains were finished. He collected all the herbs except one which he would be able to get his hands on the way to the inheritance grounds. The bandit strong-hold was wiped out and all the bodies rted to the bounty were collected and would be deposited to get confirmation on thepletion of the mission. The only thing remaining now was to approach the inheritance and get it done. It hasn¡¯t even been a month since the mission started. The bandit stronghold managed to make Long Tao quite rich and resourceful. He managed toplete around 40 mission (including the bounties on the heads of bandit leaders.), and hence was ahead of his game as of now. This gave him a good amount of time to get to the treasurend.

    In between, there were many beasts who managed to interfere with Long Tao¡¯s travel and multiple fights broke out. He decided to clean up after every fight so that he would be leaving any trace of the path he had undertaken. He was taking every precaution to cover his passage. The next stop was going through the dwellings of some powerful beats and Long Tao didn¡¯t want to attract attention. So, he decided to cover his QI and covertly pass through these regions. Long Tao¡¯s n was good enough to let him pass through 3-4 regions, but when he came to open patches, his luck seemed to have the better of him. The first attack arrived soon enough. this was a level 4 beats, The # horned rhino. The attack was swift and to the point and as Long Tao didn¡¯t want to indulge in the fight for a long time, he decided to end the fight with his strongest move.

    The fight ended soon enough and Long Tao decided to cover the area with blood so as to attract more beast to this region and get on his way, untraceable. He did that and was on his way after taking the body of the horned rhino in. He followed the trail. Fortunately for him, there were many natural herbs of tier 3 pills on the way. Although these were not mentioned in the mission, these were still a big amount of fortunes for Long Tao. He absorbed then into the ring and then was on his way. The Tengo mountains was really a haven for natural resources. Long Tao managed to find the right trail and collected all the precious materials on the way. Finally, he managed to reach the region where the mark was present. Trying to uncover the secret passageway was going to be difficult when suddenly he felt something shaking and emitting power. He took out his storage space and the casket within, the te was emitting light and shaking.

    Bandit stronghold-

    The Bandit strong-hold was on fire when suddenly a group of people appeared in front of it. The power of this group of people was as strong as the Jiao country¡¯s military line up. There were 4 Qi generals and multiple QI masters. They got the help signal from the member of the cult here. When they saw the fire outbreak, they instantly broke into the cave and went towards the region where the signal was originating from. Coming to the meeting room, they saw the girl lying on the floor, badly injured, and unconscious. The group of people immediately took her up and escaped the cave regions to another secret ce. The girl was given treatment and 3 QI masters and 2 QI generals were busy infusing QI into her for rapid recovery. ¡°We need to use that. We can¡¯t take risks. She is the one responsible for the mission. If she didn¡¯t get what she came for all of us will be punished.¡±

    The other members who rescued her agreed. They took out a pill and ingested it into the mouth of the girl. The pill started showing its effect. The potent medical power instantly healed the injury and started replenishing the Qi within her body at a rapid rate. This pill was a top tier 3 pill that was given to be used in an emergency situation. The girl woke up just to0 see a group of people with 4 at the front staring at her. ¡°Who did this to you Liwen?¡±. One of the members of the group asked. The girl sighed first and then told the whole tale of misfortune. ¡°how can there be such a talented and powerful QI master around. He didn¡¯t even use his full power and you were beaten to near death. Did he take the treasure?¡±. Liwen looked at them seriously.¡± Tell me that you managed to find the location of the inheritance grounds.¡±. The group confirmed it. Liwen sighed. ¡°Not only ha she took the treasure case he managed to open it and obtain what is inside.¡±

    The group of people was shocked and angry at hearing this. It was their mission to enable Liwen to obtain the inheritance that was present here. How could they allow some outsiders to take the inheritance for himself? They would have to face capital punishment if they were unable to get the inheritance. The group immediately set out to the exact location that Long Tao was approaching. The two adversaries would be meeting. The girl just hoped that Long Tao would still be in process of opening the inheritance otherwise this chance would be gone forever. If Long Tao was able to get the inheritance inside, forget her group, even if they were ten times stronger, Long Tao would still wipe them out in no time. She was extremely nervous after getting to know the real strength of Long Tao. The group began to discuss counter-strategy to battle with him.

    The depth of Tengo mountains-

    .....

    Long Tao followed up in the direction where the vibrations were getting more and more and finally arrived at the bottom of a huge mountain. He thought that he might have to break into the mountains and tried to give it a strong punch, but not even a crack appeared. Long Tao was shocked by the resilience of the structure to be able to take one of his punches. He tried doing the same thing at different regions multiple times but still, no benefit was obtained. It was just then that he saw an engraving on the mountainside. He was surprised upon seeing it. It was of the same shape as the seal. He took it and kept it on the engraving. The mountain began to shake as a passageway appeared. Long Tao took the seal and proceeded inwards. The passageway leads him to an old gate. Looking at the top and engraving was present ¡°Heaven Cleaver sect¡±. What arrogance to portray oneself to be able to cleave the heavens.

    Long Tao entered the mansion. The first thing he saw was a garden filled with ethereal tress. These trees looked unreal to him and no QI wasing out o them. The keeper suddenly got agitated.¡± Elemental fruits, even space fruit, and fruits of strength. Boy, you stroked it rich. You need to take control of the mansion. If my assumptions are correct, this mansion is a treasure just like Crimson Lord artifact. Enter the pavilion fast. Long Tao entered the pavilion and just as he opened the door, his body was pulled in shutting the door behind him. Long Tao appeared in a different space, which was vast.¡± Wee to the Heaven Cleaver sect dome. You must be the next challenger for the position of the sect inheritor. You will now be transported to the first trial, The path of swords. If you are able to ovee it, you will be given a reward ording to your merit level.¡±

    Outside the pathway-

    A group of people arrived just now. They couldn¡¯t find the passage, but the girl was sure that Long Tao had already opened it up. Hence, she continued the search until she finally reached the feet of the mountain. The group saw the passage. One of them seemed to have noticed something, but they continue to search around. ¡°I remember it now; this passage was not present when I came here previously. This should be the passage to the inheritance ground of that power. We need to follow this path. The group arrived quitete, as Long Tao was already on thepletion side of the first level. They saw the engraving written on the top ¡°Heaven Clever sect¡±. The girl was ted. Long Tao actually managed to find the location of the inheritance ground. She needed to rush, otherwise, she won¡¯t be able to get her hands on the inheritance. The group proceeded inside, just to arrive at the garden. Seeing the tree, greed started appearing in many people¡¯s eyes and they tried to snatch it. The restriction yed out, and around half the people of the group were wiped out by now. These were some dangerous grounds.

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 Chapter 86

    86 TEST- phase Long Tao proceeded with the flow and started to appear in the first test. A new environment appeared before him. He was in the middle of a battlefield, the only thing present in there was a sword. Long Tao tried tomunicate with the keeper but was denied any help. He could only rely on himself for passing the test. An opponent soon arrived. This was the best who was at level 5 of the Qi master realm. The fight started. Long Tao was now immersed in the fight with the beast. Soon enough he killed the opponent, after which two beasts identical to the one before this appeared at the same time. Long Tao killed them too. The fight continued likewise. Each time he defeated opponents; an opponent stronger than the previous one appeared. The fight kept on escting. Long too started to use this process to hone his skills. After all, he didn¡¯t need to are about Qi reserves, the Origin avatar art took care of that. This was a good opportunity to understand his skills.

    The other group of people who were still arrive also proceeded to the pavilion. They went through the same transition as Long Tao and were transported to an independent location like Long Tao. The weaker members started to get killed after some time because they couldn¡¯t cope up with the increasing level of strength of their opponents. The girl and the Qi general s were able to cope with the levels. The fight continued. They didn¡¯t know how long it had been since they began the fight. The changes each time was drastic and one should be able to jump levels to cope with the fight. Even the QI generals were having a hard time, but they were trained veterans of their force and hence were able to hold out.

    Long Tao was currently testing his fire skills. The three arts were provided by the teachers. In addition, there were multiple elemental skills that he got from the Crimson Lord library. The skills he managed to master in the previous rounds were fire st and fire fist. He was currently practicing fir sword manifest and fire shield. The fire sword manifest was art that aimed at the manifestation of the fire into an illusionary sword. The materialization of such an elemental power was easy. The difficult part was to maintain the shape and power outflow. Long Tao was concentrating on how to control that properly. The fight continued and soon enough Long Tao was able to regte the length and breadth of the sword. The only thing remaining was the densification. Long Tao concentrated on the art and forgot about how many enemies he had killed until now.

    It took him around 10 whole rounds to get the densification into control. He finally managed to master the art properly. The opponents that appeared this time were of QI master level 9. The first battle was easy to win since Long Tao was able to kill him. But the quantity began to increase. Long Tao had to decide which art to master this time. He searched his memories and since this was a sword sect, he felt like he needed to use this opportunity to hone all his sword skills. So, he recalled the two sword skills he got from the training grounds of the Star Emperor academy. The first art was Star Sword. He practices the moves again and again against the opponent. Long Tao reached the small achievement realm within 6 rounds. The intermediate achievement in sword skill required substantially more time. He took around 10 rounds to get there. Thest part was thepletion of the sword /perfection level. It required one to be able to involuntarily use the sword.

    The arena became the training grounds for Long Tao to hone his skills. The constant ughter helped him raise the skill level to a new height. The opponents grew more and more strong. The final stage of level 9 Qi master was having a 100 of them. Long Tao decided to slow his pace and hone his skill more. The transition in the attack type this time was a very basic one. Long Tao decided to not take the help of his strength but just his skills. The opponents were not disappearing as fast. This roundsted quite a bit. Just as thest opponent grapples towards long Tao from the back trying to take him by surprise, an instinctive move of cleaving urred killing the opponent. Finally, the perfection of this technique was achieved. Long Tao was real exhausted this time. The efforts have paid up. He managed to reach the perfection level of the basic sword.

    The next opponent soon appeared. This time there was only a single opponent, of Qi general level. The fight this time was quite easy for Long Tao. He wanted to see how long can hest against such an opponent. It took him three rounds to getpletely acquainted with the basic sword skill. Long Tao was clearly very exhausted due to the expenditure of just the QI through the skill and not using anybody¡¯s strength. He had relied on his body to be invincible until now, but he seems to understand his weak points. He began to draw out the QI from the avatars and prepared himself for the next round. It was time to learn the Basic Sword. The next set of opponents arrived and Long Tao continued his battle. By the time Long Tao reached the small aplishment, his QI reserves of the body had totally depleted. He decided to trypensating with the draw rate from other avatars.

    ¡°I need to fight with my body cultivation for some time until I recover the Qi.¡±. This was the time that the other group just started their test. Long Tao was way ahead of them. The next few rounds were spent by using the body cultivation realm with the QI expenditure to kill the opponents. This time the draw rate manages to start replenishing the Qi in this body. After around 10-15 more rounds, Long Tao was finally able to feel full of Qi. The other avatars were starting to use Spirit stones to recover their QI. Finally, as Long Tao recovered, the cultivation of the opponents changed again. This time it was a Qi general stage 2 opponent. Long Tao was nervous. Except for the Blood general, he had never faced another QI general whose cultivation is above level 1. Long Tao had to use both of his powers to tackle and improve his skills simultaneously. The fight continued and Long Tao started having a very difficult time. Killing each opponent was extremely difficult.

    A round passed and then two. Likewise, the rounds were passing one after the other. Just at the end of the 5th round although Long Tao was able to reach the intermediate level, he could no longer cope with the strength of the opponents. Also, these were just mindless beasts and puppets. If it were a human or a wise opponent, Long Tao would be dead by now. Long Tao was about to give up when he remembered a certain skill of his. He hadn¡¯t used this skill since his fight with Mengchen. ¡°Bloodline limit ¨C berserker.¡±. Long Tao¡¯s power increased exponentially. The next few rounds went well. But even berserker failed to cope up after some time. Finally, Long Tao returned back to his original form. The berserker art came to an end. Long Tao ¡®s body was not able to move any longer. The next opponent arrived. This was Qi general level, 3 guys. He simply walked up and killed Long Tao. The world turned bloody and then ck. Long Tao was teleported out of the ce.

    ¡°Congrattions on being able to pass the first test with flying colors. Given your outstanding achievements, you are hereby allowed to have a prize for yourself. You have three choices. The first is a Qi King grade weapon. The second is an earth-grade skill. The third is a baptism in the blood pool. Choose your prize.¡± All three of the awards were good, but Long Tao already had a King¡¯s weapon and if he was able to win the inheritance all the weapons here would be his. As for skills, he had three incredible manuals in his mind. SO the best choice was the Blood pool. Long Tao had a gut feeling that this was the best option.

    .....

    Long Tao was transported to another dimension. In front of him lied a blood-red water body, which was quiterge. A high amount of Qi was being radiated from it. Long Tao was surprised. ¡°Boy, this is a blood essence gathering pool. It has gathered the essence Blood of not only beasts. Practice your Blood tempering art in here. You might be able toplete the art till the Qi master max. level. Hell, you can even practice the weapon Tempering art. This provides the perfect material to create life weapons for the acupoints. Go fast don¡¯t waste time.¡± Long Tao proceeded to the pool and jumped into it.

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 Chapter 87

    87 Test- phase Long Tao started his cultivation. As soon as Long Tao soaked himself in the blood pool, the pores of his body began to open and absorb the fluid inside. The first feeling of Long Tao was a warm heat which started to increase as time went by. It started to be unbearable after a period of time. ¡°Start to refine it using the blood tempering art or you will blow up yourself in pieces. The quality of the blood pool is quite good. I would also absorb some of It. It would be good for the growth of the herbs too. This pool can amodate the blood tempering art of yours for at least until the Qi king realm. You need to take possession of the mansion. Failure is out of question. Start the cultivation this instant.¡±. Long Tao started chanting the mantra as the blood energy that entered his body started to get devoured and refined by Long Tao.

    The blood tempering art continued to rotate and Long Tao was feeling more and more adaptable andfortable as time went by. The speed of Blood tempering art seemed to have increased due to the quality of Blood energy in the Blood pool. The fifth cycle ended and Long Tao stepped into the sixth. Long Tao closed his eyes in meditation and didn¡¯t worry about the outside world. Long Tao¡¯s body was feeling more and morefortable with the passing time. He even asked the keeper to help him absorb the blood pool into the crimson lord world. The keeper agreed. The amount of the blood energy within the pool was massive. Long Tao agreed with the keeper when he said that this pool couldst Long Tao until the QI king realm, may be even longer. Long Tao wanted to build a simr pool in the crimson lord world. He could use the hunted beasts blood essence to replenish it and grow it. Given he was allowed to stay here for a longer period of time, Long Tao was sure that he would be able to get to peak Qi master realm.

    The girl managed toplete the challenge and her limit was a Qi general level 3 warrior with her special bloodline. It was not as exaggerated as Long Tao¡¯s achievement but she still managed to fight with opponent that were two levels higher than her. She was then transported to a simr world that Long Tao was transported to and the voice sounded again.¡± Congrattions on passing the first test. You can choose a prize between a Qi king level weapon and an earth grade art. Choose fast.¡±. The girl weighed her choices and chose the earth grade art at the end. She was teleported to another location and in front of her was a stone Steele. A scripture was written on top of it. It was the earth grade art. The girl sat down and began meditating on the scriptures. The stele lit up and words began to flow out and enter the body of the girl. The art was being transmitted to her.

    Long Tao was currently at his seventh rotation. The blood energy was really potent. It elerated the speed of blood tempering art to an unknown level. The seventh cycle ended shortly and the eight one began. Long Tao wanted to make full use of the whole blood pool and cultivate the Blood tempering art to the Qi master peak. His wish as being fulfilled. The cultivation began to increase. The eight-cyclepleted and then came the ninth. The crimson Lord artifact managed to absorb quite a good amount of blood energy from the pool. A small reservoir was already visible within the Crimson lord world. Long Tao now possessed multiple reservoirs of energy. One was the diluted Crimson world QI, the other were hell-heaven QI, Thunder Qi andstly the blood pool. The herbs nted were constantly replenished by these diluted energies, raising their potency to the next level.

    The ninth rotation came to an end and Long Tao was just about to begin the final rotation when the voice sounded again. ¡°The time here ispleted. Proceed to the next zone.¡±. A door opened in front of Long Tao¡¯s eyes. He got out of the pool, dressed up and went into the door. He was currently in another domain. There was a mountain in front. ¡°The structure in front of you is the sword mountain created by the disciple and masters of the Heaven Cleaver sect in the past. You will hereby proceed to climb the structure and resonate yourself to one of the swords. The higher you go, the more difficult it bes. Your point will be defined by the hight you are able to reach and the sword you are able to resonate with. Long Tao proceeded after hearing themands and briefs about the test. He started climbing to the top. When stepped on the mountain for the first time, he felt a sword energy sting it self towards him. Long Tao started using his second level sword intent to pit against the iing energy.

    This sword mountain was somewhat simr to the stele grounds of the Star emperor academy. He could use this mountain to temper his intent. Long Tao continued to climb. After some time passed Long Tao finally met a wall. He couldn¡¯t proceed any further. He sat down and began tempering his intent within the mountain. Long Tao couldn¡¯t believe his luck. After the Blood pool, the second test was something so advantageous. Long Tao¡¯s practice began. He used the same procedure he used when he took the entrance test of the Star emperor academy. His will was shattered multiple time and Long Tao was injured continuously, but he still persisted. He could feel every sessive manifest of his will was more powerful than thest one. Hence, he continued the process. Finally, he was bale to take a step forward, but the intensity increased again.

    Li Wen was facing the same difficulty. She too was restricted in the sword mountain. Every step in here required one to meditate and adjust themselves to. Unlike Long Tao, Li Wen decided to push through with power and manage to beat Long Tao¡¯s current location. She was hoping to get as high as he can. She knew of Long Tao¡¯s talent and was very wary of it. She wanted to take the inheritance for herself and hence would have to force herself to some extent to reach higher than Long Tao currently was. One could describe her movements to be rushed while Long Tao was being steady, He was gradually raising his power. Given the current cultivation of Blood Tempering at, Long Tao could easily bet Li Wen would they have a fight again. The same went for the current situation. He could force his way through. But he decided to be steady.

    Long Tao¡¯s intent was growing continuously. He was gradually climbing the mountain. After going through a certain distance, the sword intents started taking shape. The first confrontation that Long ta faced was a illusionary figure. This was the preliminary manifestation of the sword intent. Once a sword user gets to advance level 2 intent, his intent starts to materialise and take shape. Some prodigies are able to so while they are in intermediate level of stage 2 intent. Long Tao was getting there. The materialisation started to get clearer and cleared as Long Tao climbed up. Finally, Long Tao managed to break through intermediate level of sword intent. The biggest advantage that Long Tao held over Li Wen in this case was theck of any time limit to climb the mountains. Given Long Tao¡¯s talent, this scenario was suitable for him to showcase his strong areas.

    Li Wen managed to climb up quite far, but she soon encounters a sword materialisation that was of the shape of a beast. The attacks collided and Li Wen couldn¡¯t hold any further and gave up at that position. She stopped at the level and found as word suitable for her and established contact with it. She hoped that this would eb able to defeat Long Tao. She looked down and saw Long Tao steadily climbing the mountain. At first, she was ignorant with the activity. She was confident that she will be the winner of this trial, but as time passed her confidence began to falter. Long Tao reached her position after a period of time, but he didn¡¯t stop there. He trained his intent and continued to climb. Long Tao¡¯s intent also managed to take shape of an illusionary figure this time and its was beginning to materialise as time passed. As he got further and further, Long Tao¡¯s intent got more and more solid. Finally, he fought with the beast and defeated him, and went to the next height.

    .....

    Li Wen hoped that his score doesn¡¯t surpass hers by too much, but he was soon out of the visible range. Long Tao was on the verge of advance realm of level 2 intent. His first intent as taking shape. It started to materialise as beast too. Long Tao¡¯s first sword materialisation was based on the swift sword arts, and hence the beats formed was agile. Finally reaching a certain level, the beats formed out fully. Long Tao finally stepped into the advance stage of level 2 sword intent.

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 Chapter 88

    88 TEST FOR CORE DISCIPLE

    After stepping into the advanced intent of 2nd level, Long Tao finally took a breath of relief and decided to take a bit of rest. Due to the advancement, his intent was able to ward off the pressure from the surroundings and Long Tao could use the Avatars to replenish his QI reserves. Long Tao quite depressed. Just the materialization of a single type of sword manifest was already so difficult. Long Tao had to climb the whole mountain using a single concept of sword usage, the swiftness, and only after so much workload, he manifests a single sword manifest. The mountain would no longer work for him as it did before and hence he was to realize and materialize the other types of sword intents on his own. This is what depressed him the most. Even after having so many avatars, he just had too much on his te. But he didn¡¯t give up. He recuperated and recovered to his peak condition.

    Some time passed and Long Tao managed to recover most of his lost Qi. He was now ready to climb back up. He manifested his sword intent and began to proceed. The path was easy as of now. Long Tao started to pit himself against all the sword wills present so that his ability to use sword manifest gets more refined. The unpolished diamond started to gain luster steadily. At first, Long Tao had to take multiple breaks, the QI utilization to keep up the manifest was so unregted, that it back-fired sometimes. but as he continued to climb up the stairs his manifest not only got more solid, the wastage of energy got lesser and lesser. Finally, he was able to control his manifest properly. It was time to pick up the game.

    The next stage he wanted to clear was a steep hill, that was very difficult to climb. He wanted to regte and automate his manifest. This was something that required training and continuous experiments in real life. Long Tao stopped at the point and began to practice his sword arts. The arts he considered to practice this time were mostly swift swords. These arts concentrated on the user¡¯s speed and reaction time. Long Tao practiced while maintaining the shape of his manifest. This job was even more tedious than the sword intent training. He Qi expenditure increased exponentially. What Long Tao wanted to achieve was very simple. He wanted to turn the sword art into a reflex action of his. It was muscle memory training. This stage was very difficult to achieve, but he persisted anyway. If he wanted to rise up in this world, he couldn¡¯t bear to give up on obstacles like these. Long Tao continued his pursuit of perfection, which finally ended in him being utterly exhausted multiple times.

    He started to alternate his approach. He practiced for a part of the time, while on the other hand got practical experience while pitting himself against the sword intents on the mountain. He continued his climb after this event. Long Tao could feel himself getting more and more powerful. With every step he took, his sword intent and energy got a boost upwards. Long Tao could finally see the peak. He continued his climb. Thest few sword wills and intent were heinous. Each one of them was more ferocious than thest. Long Tao continued to fight. The muscle memory training was finally showing its results. Involuntary senses were at its peak. Long Tao finally reached thest step, with a small t ground in front.

    There was a single sword present. It was carved into the ground and stood there alone. At first, Long Tao didn¡¯t feel anything, but as he took a step forward tond on this ground, a tyrannical force acted down on him. He felt like his whole body was about to be cut. The intent and aura around were simply like small swords. They pinched and stabbed his skin. He couldn¡¯t even bear to stand. He fell down. He started to regte his body¡¯s defense system, and gain some immunity to this. Slowly, he started to cope up with the sword qi here. Just who did this sword belonged to. He slowly rose up. Each step he decided to take, making it more difficult to bear. He used up all his capabilities. Finally, using all his body and intent and QI cultivation he managed to get in front of the sword, put his hands on it, and infused his aura into it. The instant he did that. The aura vanished.

    ¡°Congrattion to the new disciple for being able to get to the top of the sword mountain. From now on you are an official inner disciple of the Heaven Cleaver sect. Gaining the top possible score and mark in the exam makes you eligible to test for thest phase, the test of inheritance/ core disciple of the controller of this subsidiary house. Would you like to proceed?¡±. Long Tao readily agreed. Why would he miss a chance to get his hands on an inheritance? He had already benefited a lot, but his real aim was to take control of this treasure so that he could gain unlimited ess to the blood pool. He could use it until he reaches the Qi king level. He was instantly transported to the next location. This was another dimension with the same type of arrangement as Li Wen got her prize from. The stele had an art imprinted on it. ¡°The art in front of you is the creation of the master of this subsidiary. If you want to be the inheritor and the controller of this subsidiary, you have to pass thest test. You are hereby given 3 days to learn the art in front of you and gain as muchprehension as you could. The real test would begin after 3 days.¡±

    Li Wen was already transported out of the dimension. Before being transported she was informed that she qualifies to be an internal disciple of the Heaven Cleaver sect. Getting out she didn¡¯t see Long Tao anywhere. All her team members were within the garden. ¡°How far did you guys go?¡±. All of the membersy their heads down. Most of them were wiped out in the first test itself. Only one could make it to the sword mountain and was then wiped-out the moment he took the first step onto the mountain. He managed to rank third and got a Qi king weapon from the voice. This could still be considered to have made a fortune. He managed to gain a Qi King weapon of supreme quality that suited his arts. ¡°Has anyone seen a boying out of the region?¡±. The members nodded in denial. ¡°So, he is still inside. I suppose he is the one who got the inheritance. We are going to wait here till hees out. I won¡¯t let anyone snatch an inheritance like that from me. I will kill that boy and take the treasure for myself.¡±.

    Just as the eh group settled down; they heard another voice.¡± You are going to do no such thing sister.¡±. The whole team turned around. Even Li Wen was surprised on hearing this voice. She was too familiar to miss the person. After all, it was her brother by blood. The ck devil church had many prodigies within its rank, ultimately being hailed as one of the top evil powers. Within the hordes of genius, there are a pair of siblings who are quite famous for their talent. The sister of course is Li Wen. She had a premium high-grade blood lien with unseen martial talent. But there was someone whose talent didn¡¯t falter even a little bit to her. It was her brother Li Xuanfa. Among other things, he was also a Qi general level practitioner and one of the generals of the ck devil church. But the most interesting thing was that he was the one who ordered Li Wen toe here in the first ce. The reason as that he too was the inheritor and the master of one of the sword pces of the Heaven Cleaver sect.

    The whole squad bowed to Li Xuanfa. Li wen turned around and bowed in respect. ¡°What does elder brother mean from that?¡±. Li Xuanfa looked at his sister, although her achievement was quite good, she could be rather stubborn sometimes.¡± If the guy you are talking about managed to get his hands on the inheritance. I would be happy to not only greet a fellow disciple of the heaven Cleaver sect but would like to invite him into the ck devil church. ¡°. Li Wen was taken back. ¡°why would you do that? He took something that was mine.¡±. Li Xuanfaughed¡¯ It was not your property. You lost to him twice, both in strength and talent. If he could take the inheritance for himself, he would be more than able to wipe this group of yours out. So, don¡¯t push your luck. I wouldn¡¯t interfere, except to save you. Also, he would be your senior brother from Heaven Cleaver sect from now on. Show some respect¡±

    .....

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 Chapter 89

    89 GAINING THE INHERITANCE

    Long Tao was currentlyprehending the art in Infront of him. The art was something left behind for the disciple to take as a test. Long Tao was quite shocked after knowing this. He didn¡¯t expect someone with Heaven Cleaver Sect¡¯s capability would have such an easy test for the disciple. But he did it anyway. Long Tao had the art in his mind soon enough. The art was called ¡°The Heaven¡¯s canyon¡±. But what astonished Long Tao was that he didn¡¯t understand anything except the name itself. The art was a bizarre set of Qi rotations rule and then all it had was theories. Long Ta didn¡¯t concentrate on the theory but rather concentrated on the QI rotations first. When he began to practice the Qi rotations, Long Tao didn¡¯t grasp anything at first, but then something in his thought process changed.

    He used the Qi rotations multiple times, exactly like the artist mentioned and it backfired. Long Tao spilled a lot of blood, but he didn¡¯t give up. After an extremely painful et of repetitions, Long Tao managed to grasp something. Those sets of Qi rotations weren¡¯t random at all. Each Qi rotation gave rise to a different alternation to the Qi. The first alternation was Speed of Qi regtion. The second alternation increased the Qi volume rotating. The third alternation changed the density and concentration of the Qi rotating. The fourth one changed Qi quality. The fifth changed the Qi output. The sixth one changed the efficiency of the Qi expenditure. Six types of alternation, each giving out a different behavior. Long Tao continued his research and was finally able to find some alternations by himself. Long Tao then looked at the theories. The theories were in rtion to the alternations.

    They were essentially a way tobine the attack art with the alternations to get the modified results. This art was miraculous, but Long Tao had a gut feeling that this set that he managed to obtain was notplete. He continued the practice with the theories, but the output boost to power and efficiency of attacks were promoted to a good extent. But ording to the stele, the Heaven Canyon was art, and nothing that he learned felt like aplete portion of the art. It meant that the stele presents here didn¡¯t contain the whole art, but just the beginning of it. Long Tao continued the practice and soon enough the end of the three-day deadline was reached. ¡°The three-day limit given to the participant is over as of now, you will proceed to the testing part. A door opened in front of Long Tao. Long Tao went into the zone and appeared in a colosseum with an arena in the middle. He walked forward and climbed up the arena.

    A shadow figure generated in front of Long Tao. ¡°There are three opponents whom you need to defeat to pass the test. I am the first one. ¡°. It was amon man like figure who carried a sword with himself. The fight started. The sword art used was something Long Tao had never seen before. HE used his own sword art and a series of collisions of metal rang around the arena. The fight soon escted to a new level when both of them started using their sword manifests. The opponent had a simr type of sword manifest as of Long Tao. The fight continued and finally, Long Tao saw a variation. The opponent was using the same alternations of QI rotation, as in the scripture but he was using them one by one. Long Tao didn¡¯t need to use the art as he had another secret, his body cultivation. He utilized his meridian strengths. And as he reached the final usage of meridians, the opponent was defeated. The opponent stood there for some time.

    ¡°This wasn¡¯t the Heaven Canyon art.¡±. Long Tao smiled¡± I don¡¯t remember being instructed that I need to use Heaven¡¯s canyon to defeat you.¡±. The opponent had noeback for this. He too gave out augh, and vanished from the arena.¡± You have an incense stick time to replenish your Qi, we will start after that. The second opponent appeared after an incense stick time. It was a man, with a well-built d in body protections, just like mercenary use. Before Long Tao took the stance of the fight he suggested¡± I suggest you use the art against me, your body cultivation won¡¯t help you get through this.¡±. The man grabbed his sword sheath. As soon as the de left his scabbard, the atmosphere changed. The sword aura that came out of it was dangerous. The attack started and Long Tao still tried to use the same procedure, but he soon came to a realisation. Even after using the body cultivation, he could barely match up with this guy. He needed to use other powers. Long Tao decided to use the alternation theories of the Heaven Canyon. The Fight continued and the interesting part was that the figure started to use Heaven Canyon more efficiently.

    Finally, Long Tao had to use all the alternations at the same time to defeat the figure. He barely managed to pass the second part.¡± You have two incense stick worth of time. The next teste would begin after that. This would be the final test. Qualify through it and you will formally be the master of this house. Long Tao used up all his capabilities to soak as much power as possible from the avatars and the surrounding QI. He took all his stats to the max. level. Finally, he was ready to face the opponents. But he was extremely nervous. He used up all his understanding in the previous fight. He nearly used all his power and was just barely able to beat the opponent. This time his opponent would be someone who was more powerful than thest. He didn¡¯t know how he will cope up with the attacks of that opponent.

    The time of rest ended and Long Tao stood up, prepared to fight. A figure appeared. Long Tao was feeling this scared for the first time. The figure in front of him was a man d in pure armor, with an incredible sword hanging at its back. Long Tao felt danger just by looking at the figure. The voice came up again, this time from the knight in front.¡± You just need to take a single strike from my sword to pass the test. Remain alive after the sword attack and you are the future master of this pce. Prepare yourself for inbound. Long Tao used all his abilities. He prepared his body cultivation, his Qi rotations ording to Heaven¡¯s canyon for boosting his QI, and then used up all his physical strength and his sword manifest. But when the strike fell down, his hairs stood up in shiver. The atmosphere gave a single feel of death. Long Ta felt that this strike would take his life for sure. But then he used his berserk art, but still wasn¡¯t able to take on the sword swing. It started to cut through his sword slowly.

    In thest moments of near-death, Long Tao finally remembered one art that he had still not used, The demonification art. He instantly started chanting the mantra and released the demonic power of his blo9od line. Long Tao could feel his body shape changing, growing, and bing more demonic. Finally, he lost consciousness of it all. When he woke up, he was not able to move. This was the weakest moment of Long Tao¡¯s entire life. He didn¡¯t feel this weak since the days he was bullied. He literally had no power left in his body. But just as he was about to give up on hope, a voice rang up in his ears¡± Congrattions on passing the trial of core disciple, you are now formally the master of the 10th house of the Heaven Cleaver sect. You can now rest for a bit. We will start the induction program as soon as you heal up.¡± Long Tao finally let out a sigh of relief and closed his eyes to rest for a bit. He started to initiate the healing process.

    After a long duration of time, Long Tao formally opened his eyes to see a figure sitting on a throne in front of him. He wasying on the floor of the room. He got up and bowed in respect ¡°Junior pays respect to the senior.¡±. The figure looked at him for some time. ¡°You are now formally the owner of the 10th house of the Heaven Clever sect. This house would now be yours, including all the resources and everything within it, belonging to you. You cane to find the main sect, only after you possess the power of a Qi emperor, the basic requirement for entering the main academy. I hope we will get to meet face to face someday inheritor.

    .....

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 Chapter 90

    90 A BRAWL WITH THE EVIL CHURCH

    Long Tao was astonished upon hearing the guy. QI Emperor was the minimum strength one required to get into the main academy of Heaven Cleaver sect. Just what kind of power was it to be able to have such high standards for people who admit? He bowed down.¡± May I know who the senior is?¡±. ¡°I am the current Dean of the Heaven Cleaver sect. I congratte you on passing the test of a core disciple. You have 30 years to report intro to the academy and you need to reach the QI emperor level before being recruited. After 30 years you are no longer eligible to get admission to the Heaven Cleaver sect. Only after entering the Heaven Cleaver sect can you be considered a disciple in full.¡± Long Tao was shocked, but also quite surprised about the power of the heaven Cleaver sect. Every disciple is a Qi Emperor at the very least. The top disciple and elder would be monarch and even dominator could be possible.

    ¡°Is it possible for senior to answer a question of mine?¡±. The figure indicated Long Tao to continue. ¡°Senior, the portion of Heaven¡¯s canyon provided to me is notpletely right. I think I have got just a small part of it.¡± The figure in the projection was astonished. It looked at Long Tao and said with a smile¡± You are quite intuitive. It right. The one you read and practiced upon is just the 1st part of the 5-part set. You need to join the Heaven Cleaver academy to get the other parts. The Theory that you practiced forms the basis of the five-part of the Heaven Canyon. You are quite talented to be able tobine all theories into a singr attack and you even managed to take an attack of the figurine general. Your future is quite majestic. I hope you are able to get into the academy.¡± The figure vanished after saying thest part.

    Long Tao was transported to the core of the artifact where he refined it with his blood. The process was quite tedious and long. Long Tao had to spend lots of blood to finally manage to refine the house. As soon as he managed to refine the artifact, a feeling of being in absolute control of this space came into his mind. He got the information regarding the ouy, various sections ad all the things within this household. Long Tao soon saw the group of people standing outside of the house. If it had been before, he might have faced some problems while trying to solve these people, but now he managed to achieve the pinnacle of QI master in his Blood tempering arts. He could wipe the whole group out in a single swipe. He saw Li Meng standing within the group. Heughed out loud and transported himself.

    Outside the mansion of heaven cleaver sect-

    The group of people was standing in wait for Long Tao to appear. They couldn¡¯t let him walk away with the inheritance of the Heaven Cleaver sect. ¡°Why is that guy noting out?¡±, one of the members said out impatiently. Li Wen was meditating. ¡°Be patient and don¡¯t let your guard down. Even if brother says so, I won¡¯t let him walk away with my inheritance.¡±.¡± I would like to see how you achieve that.¡± A mocking sound was heard in the surrounding. Long Tao had appeared. Li Wen got up instantly. ¡°Hand over the inheritance in your hand boy.¡± One of the Qi masters present in the group said. Long Tao turned his head and pointed a finger at him, within a blink of an eye, his head was sliced apart by a thunder sword projection. The whole group was taken by surprise. The man didn¡¯t even get a chance to resist or avoid the attack. This Long guy was not only scary but merciless too. He didn¡¯t even blink while killing the guy.

    ¡°Surround him. We will take him on as a group.¡±. Long ta was soon surrounded by the group of people on all sides. Long Tao looked around him, and with an estranged expression said¡± Too weak¡±. He dashed toward the QI master practitioners first. The group executed abined attack, but not only were they not able to hit Long Tao, but a QI master also lost his life. The scene repeated until one after one Qi master were falling dead. The people couldn¡¯t manage to even obstruct Long Tao¡¯s attack trajectory, and all he was using to kill was the same thunder sword manifestation. Long Tao was wiping his enemy out one by one. QI master practitioners were like insects in front of him. They were just present to serve as cannon fodder. Long Tao cleaved the head of all his opponents. Only the three Qi generals of the group were remaining. The moral of the whole group was totally down after viewing Long Tao¡¯s power.

    Long Tao stopped when all the Qi masters were finally killed. 4 opponents were remaining, the strongest of which was Li Wen. Long Tao had to put some effort to beat her in their earlier encounter. Now he could crush her easily. But how could he let go of such enjoyment? He wanted to see his enemy suffer and desperately try to keep their life. Long Tao continued to y with the group. What made him upset was the fact that the highest cultivation of the people present within the group was 2nd level QI general. The two-1st level Qi general was killed after sometime when long Tao got bored of fighting them. Now Long Tao was pitted against two. One was Li Wen and the other was the QI general who got the Qi King Weapon as a prize for surviving the firstpetition. The guy took out the weapon he got. The power radiated from the weapon was quite immense. Long Tao felt the need to get a bit serious. He too had QI king weapons loaded in his inventory.

    He took out, what looked like a halberd. He had not used halberd in a long time. He wanted to practice his arts for some time. The halberd was in the shape of a scythe, with a sharp de at the end. It was giving out a sinister aura and was forged from ck iron. The weapon gave out a regal feeling. The QI general was surprised upon seeing the halberd. Long Tao used sh steps to get in front of the man and bared his weapon against his. The fight began. Soon enough the QI general was forced to use the arts he had learned. The Qi general had some talent a bloodline limit too. He used the bloodline limit and was granted with a boost in his overall stats. Long Tao shed with just his physicals strength and Qi. He didn¡¯t feel the requirement of using arts against a weakling like the one in front of him. The Qi general was soon forced into a dire situation and finally had to abandon his life. He dropped dead in front of Li Wen. Li Wen was shocked and scared at the same time.

    Liu Wen wanted to flee but how could Long Tao let her go away. In an emergency execution, Li Wen decided to use the earth grade art she got from the stele. The art was called Heaven¡¯s crushing finger. Long Tao was quite shocked by sensing the power of this skill. He never imagined that li Wen would have such a trump card. He had to use all his Physical cultivation along with Qi to stop the attack. The expenditure this time was quite big. But Long Tao had managed to take the attack of the puppet general and was still alive. The attack at the moment was nothingpared to it. One thing Long Tao was sure about was the fact that this skill must be the second prize of the first test. So, Li Wen was the one who got it. Long Tao was amused. He started walking towards Li Wen.

    .....

    ¡°I gave you a chance to be mine, but I guess you tend to be the stubborn kind of self-confident people, who don¡¯t even know their ce. Anyway, hard feelings aside, I would really love to break that pride of you with my efforts. After all, breaking a strong-willed person is very amusing. In one stage they don¡¯t give up, but as the time proceeds an instance urs when they start begging for mercy.¡±. Long Tao reached out to grab Li Wen when suddenly an attack arrived at his side. He had to dodge the attack. What surprised Long Tao in the whole event was the fact that the earlier attack had the Heaven Canyon theory in it. Who might this person be? He wasn¡¯t a Qi emperor so the only exnation avable was that the person before him was another Housemaster just like him. From the view of the situation, he was on Li Wen¡¯s side.

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 Chapter 91

    91 BLACK BUCK SQUAD IN PERIL

    Looking at the ck figure, Long Tao got a gut feeling that this was going to be a difficult opponent. His instinct warned him to stay alert of the attacks from the figure. He looked at the figure and was about to ask when suddenly augh escaped from the mouth of the figure.¡± I congratte brother to have sessfully gained the inheritance of the Heaven Cleaver sect. Might I have the luck of knowing the name of the brother?¡±. Long Tao replied in a calm tone¡± Long Tao.¡±. ¡°The name is totally deserving brother¡¯s demeanor of being a dragon among his generation. I am sorry to have forgotten to introduce myself. I am Li Xuanfa.¡±.¡± May I know why you interfered within my matters.¡±. Li Xuanfa looked at Long Tao carefully and said¡± Although I admire you, I can¡¯t let my sister die in your hands. As per the current situation, she is one of the sect juniors of yours.¡±.

    While the conversation with LI Xuanfa was going on, Long Tao was conversing with The Keeper to ask about his cultivation. The keeper said with a low tone¡± The one in front of you is quite talented. His bone age is 5 years more than you, but his cultivation realm is already at the 4th level of QI general. Be careful while choosing the next action of yours.¡± Long Tao had to calcte the situation properly. A single mistake could lead to disastrous consequences. The only person alive at the moment were Li Wen and Li Xuanfa. LI Wen couldn¡¯t continue the fight, but LI Xuanfa by himself was an opponent to be aware of. If the keeper is praising the talent then, he should be having some trump cards. But Long Tao was really interested in ying with Li Wen. He was not in a mood to just give up. He decided to take his chances and enjoy the fight with a good opponent.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like repeating my words. The only end which all my enemies meet at the end is death. It¡¯s their fate since the moment they choose to be my enemy. I feel a simr feeling from you, which makes me wonder you to be another one of the inheritors of the Heaven Cleaver Sect. Since you are my sect brother and a senior by experience, I would give you a chance to preserve your life, by running away. Leave this matter for us to solve.¡± Li Xuanfa started to grasp the general sense of the situation. The atmosphere turned serious the moment Long Tao spoke. He reached out for his sword. ¡°I would request junior brother to let this matter slip for a single time. I will make sure that she doesn¡¯t prove to be a hindrance to you in the future. Let me owe you a favor in return for your generosity in this matter.¡±

    Long Tao looked at LI wen and said ¡°You have to be my maid if you want to preserve your life.¡± You will be serving me till death for this act of yours.¡± Long Tao proceeded towards Li Wen. Li Xuanfa drew his sword out. The first sword sh was heard soon enough. Long Tao was pushed back. Long Tao was amazed by the attack. He didn¡¯t expect someone of his generation to be talented enough. The attack was a physical-based sword swing and he lost. Long Tao took pride in body cultivation but for the first time, someone near his age managed to show opposition. He started QI cirction through all the meridians. The sh continued. Either of the opponents was just using their physical strength to sh. Long Tao started to gain the upper hand after multiple bouts and finally managed to suppress the opponent. Li Xuanfa was surprised that the new inheritor of the Heaven Cleaver sect was having such achievement in body cultivation.

    He started applying QI in his attacks. He was a 4th level Qi general practitioner. He was confident of his abilities. Long Tao decided to continue with body cultivation. The fight started to turn serious. Sword sh was followed by an exchange of fists and kicks. Long Tao was using his acupoints now. His QI reserves were now in a process of perfect regtion. He continued the onught. The basic sword technique was being used by Long Tao. As the fight proceeded, Long Tao was forced to use his QI reserves. The fight was taking a bloody turn. Multiple injuries were visible on both sides. Long Tao¡¯s recovery rate was much faster than Li Xuanfa, but the cultivation difference made up for it. The final curtain was about to be drawn. Long Tao was using all his QI strength along with body cultivation to confront but was still not able to gain an upper hand. He was confident of his ability to cause harm, but the hidden cards of the opponent were still a mystery.

    Long Tao backed up a little bit.¡± Let send the brawl here. It was good to have a satisfying fight once in a while.¡± Li Xuanfa was silent. Long Tao chose to retire from the fight since a conclusion was very difficult to reach and killing Li Wen was not important enough to be paid such a high price for. He went on his way, disappearing with the mansion. Li Xuanfa gave out a sigh of relief. Li Wen thanked her brother for the help ¡°Why didn¡¯t you killed the bastard?¡±. Li Xuanfa looked at her with contempt in his eyes. ¡°I forgot how na?ve you can be. He didn??t use all his strength. The only reason why he gave up was the uncertainty of reaching a conclusion. He didn¡¯t think your life to be worth enough for him to use all his powers to fight against me. This is a sinister character at the very least. We need to be wary of him. Even I am scared to invite him to the church¡±

    Long Tao was back in his pce and was currently headed to the blood pool. Reaching there he immediately let go of his clothes and jumped into the pool. He started thest cycle of Blood tempering art. He decided toplete his blood tempering art and Weapon tempering art for all the acupoints before going back to the military base. He started the cirction art and drew in the blood essence. The cirction began and Long to was started thest round of refining. The final stage of refining ended after a period of time. Long Tao was current at peak Qi master stage considering the Blood tempering art. The three-phase remaining were Hell soldier sutra and Crimson World scripture. The next phase was the creation of Life weapon for acupoints, the Weapon Tempering art. Long Tao decided upon a variety of weapons to be created from the blood essence.

    The process started. It was as painful as the first trial was. The blood essence was drawn from Long Tao¡¯s body and the meridians were constantly refined with the essence energy. Long Tao¡¯s body was sucked dry with every refining cycle. He continued to absorb the essence of energy from the pool while the creation of the life-weapons was continuing. Long Tao decided to create more types of weapons of various shapes and the constant tempering as going on. He was confident to be able to finish the creation by the end of the month and return to the military base.

    Within the forest regions-

    .....

    The ck-buck squad was following the training regime given out by Long Tao. Most of the missions were alreadypleted and many of the group missions were being executed one by one. The first mission an ambush. It was plotted to stop and seize the grain supplies for the military camps near the borders. IT was carried out sessfully while the squad was posing as robbers within the forests. The soldiers guarding the supplies included beginner QI master along with some mid-level Qi masters and one advanced Qi master. The strategy of the ckbuck squad was to keep the advanced QI master busy while the rest of the group will be killed. Su Meng came forward to be the staller. The fight was gruesome. She had managed to reach the 5th stage QI master realm and was able to hold him until the rest of the squad was wiped out.

    The ck-bucks then shifted to a group attack strategy, which was sessful. Only a single member of the squad lost his life while fighting. This was the first time the squad has lost a member while Long Tao was present. The fight was won. In the process of taking revenge for their deceased team member, the ck-buck sessfully massacred opponents and managed toplete the rest of the missions. Long Tao had already asked them to proceed towards the base after thepletion of missions. Just as they were proceeding toward the base, they were confronted with multiple squads.

    Su Meng had a bad feeling about this event. One of the leaders came forward and showed a subpoena to the squad.¡± The ckbucks are hereby charged with treason and would be taken into custody.¡±

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 Chapter 92

    92 RETURN

    Long Tao was within the Crimson Lord world, where he decided to transfer the blood pool. Long Tao sessfullypleted the Blood tempering art. He was concentrating on Weapon Tempering art. Out of the ten meridians he had opened, he was currently standing at the seventh meridian. The time boost in the Crimson lord world was really helpful. He had 1 month to spare in the real world, which meant he had 6 months in the Crimson lord world. He was confident that he couldplete the Weapon tempering art within the 1 month. The rest 5 months would eb utilised to advance his Qi cultivation. HE had to upgrade by two-level. He was currently at QI master level 5, he wanted to be in QI master level 7 or even 8 if possible. The main requirement to be able to achieve that was sess in the three cultivation arts he practiced. He already managed toplete the Blood tempering art for QI master level. He had two more arts to practice rotations in. He concentrated on the Weapon tempering at the moment. Currently the coagtion of the 7th life weapon was taking ce. It was designed to be a dagger.

    Since Long Tao managed to create sword, saber, hammer, spear, bow arrow and halberd, he decided to go for the coagtion and creation of short ranged weapons. Daggers were inherently made up for close range fights and one of the prime weapons in the field of assassinations. Long Tao was practicing many assassination arts and the use of dagger in those arts was quite tremendous. Long Tao had got his hands on many techniques rted to daggers. Hence this was the weapon of choice for Long Tao. The shape of the dagger was set to be of crude outline. Long Tao decided on a length that was a littlerge than traditional weapons and the de was double edged. This was shape that Long Tao found to be most suited for his use.

    The shape was set up and the acupoints had already finished the tempering part. The next part was to start assimting the blood into the outline. This step required the imagination of the user to be vivid enough. Long Tao already had a clear picture in his mind and the dagger was formted. The next step was another set of tempering until the shape solidifies properly and is set within the acupoint. The process began smoothly and soon enough the blood crystallised into a perfect shape. A dagger was currently resting with the acupoint of Long Tao. The seventh life weapon creation as finallyplete. Long Tao rested for a bit and then started the replenishing process. 3 more acupoints were remaining. He decided the 8th weapon to be a rapier.

    The theoretical difference between a rapier and as word was the shape and the change in speed and flexibility that brought into the weapon usage. Long Tao decided on the rapier because of thepatibility it had with movement techniques like the sh step. He didn¡¯t require any art to practice his rapier. It simply went perfectly with the movement technique which Long Tao was most proficient in. sh step was Long Tao¡¯s strongest and fastest technique. It was a straight dash technique and rapier was the best weapon to be used in his situation as any other weapon would require an extra set of effort to execute with technique. The tempering started again. After a period of time Long Taopleted the shape forming and blood essence flow into the shape began automatically. Long Tao was now used to the pain caused by the Weapon Tempering form. The coagtion wasplete and the next set of tempering began. Finally, after a day¡¯s time, Long Tao sessfully held his 8th life weapon in his hands. The next two choices were also finalised by Long Tao by now. HE was going for a staff and a knuckle set.

    A monthter-

    Long Tao was sitting with 10 shadows rotating around him. These were the ten weapons he possessed after thepletion of the final two weapon creation. The list included a sword, saber, hammer, spear, halberd, shield, dagger, rapier, knuckles and staff. All of them had a bright red glow to themselves. This was the blood essence energy within the life weapons. These had the capability of getting stronger with the creator. Within the log list of extra features these provided, the main point was that these weapons could always be made more [powerful by feeding them not only blood but precious materials used to create these in real life as well. These can merge with real swords and devour them to create a more powerful version of themselves. Long Tao was starting to get amazed and he had barely even scratched the surface. He hadpleted the Weapon tempering form as of now. He wanted to concentrate on his QI cultivation as of now. Long Tao¡¯s cultivation in both Crimson World scripture and the Hell Soldier sutra was at the 5th stage. HE had toplete 5 more stages before the Crimson world scripture reached the QI master peak.

    As per the Hell soldier sutra, it had 7 more cycles till reaching the peak. Long Tao decided that he would practice these simultaneously and hence began the cirction of the crimson world QI. Long Estimate that he would take another 2 months in the Crimson lord world to reach the seventh level QI master. This was the benefit of natural bodies, especially high ranked ones like Long Tao. He had a Omni-element body along with Hell-Heaven body presented by the Hell sutra. Long Tao continued his cultivation. He was able to reach the sixth level within the first month but his expectation was betrayed while cultivating for the seventhyer. Each divisional jump from beginner to intermediate or intermediate to advance was a difficult one to make. Long Tao never face a barrier before but this time, he did face one and it took another 2 months to reach the seventhyer. Long Tao was left with a single month to end his seclusion and return to the base. The ck-bucks should already reached the rendezvous point.

    Thest 15 days was spent to open three more tertiary meridians within the body. Long Tao stood at 50 tertiary meridians. He was confident of being able to beat the helper of Li Wen if they fought again. Long Tao¡¯s prowess should be equal to a QI general of level 4 stage. Long Tao got out of his seclusion cave and exited into the real world. He started his return journey. There was some minor assassination mission that Long Tao took care of in his return journey as the main aim of this time were herb collection missions. Long Tao had to take help of another avatar to finally finish the missions set and proceed toward Tamar. Long Tao was resting within a merchant lounge when he heard someone talking¡± Did you know that the ck-buck squad had been captured on charges of treason. This time they hit the steel te. The news is that they would be executed in three days¡¯ time publicly.¡±

    ¡°May I have the pleasure to hear brother¡¯s information regarding the ck-buck squad.¡± Long Tao approached the table cing a jar of wine as an offering. The fellow talking just then was happy to receive it and gave out all the information he had.¡± It is a rumour that the vice-captain Long Tao, who is said to be invincible within the Qi master realm, has a bone with the Lin General. Lin Bao must have manipted the scenes from behind to put the ck-buck squad in this odd position. He wanted them to be executed. The backer of Long Tao seems to have gone silent. The ck-buck squad is being tortured as of now to get any necessary information from the. Long Tao seems to be in the wind.¡±. Long Tao thanked the person for his information and then came out after paying for another round of wine for the informer. He stretched out and then said to himself¡± The sky is going to be red soon.¡±

    .....

    Tamar, Prison cell-

    Su Menqi was been held captive. Continuous interrogation and torture were performed on her to make her turn on Long Tao. Lin Bao even send his assurance that she and the squad would be spared if they gave up on Long Tao and convict them. Su Menqi was in denial of the situation kept a nk expression throughout. The only sound heard from her mouth were screams of pain. This was the night before the execution. The soldiers entered her room.¡± This is thest chance for your crimes and switch sides.¡± Su Menqi didn¡¯t reply. The soldier bent down and stuck his tongue out. ¡± I should at least have a taste of the beauty before her demise.¡± HE was about to get near her when a sudden grab held his tongue tightly. He saw a ck figure, before his head fell down. The soldiers nearby saw the face of the figure and were scared to death. A devil was standing in front of them.

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 Chapter 93

    93 LIFE-DEATH ARENA

    Looking at the figure standing in front of them, the soldiers were scared shitless. Some even pissed their pants just by feeling up the murderousness of Long Tao¡¯s aura. ¡°One down. ¡°He walked towards the nearest soldier put his hands on his shoulders and said¡± If you would be kind enough to yourself, please tell me the names of those who took part in torturing my squad. I may let you be alive.¡±. The soldier instantly pointed at the other two. Long Tao smiled at them, sarcasm all over it. It was just as if a hunter was looking at its prey. The two soldiers tried to run out but were killed midway as for thest soldier remaining there, Long Tao used his soul scourging art to get all his memories and disposed of him too. He now had a long list of names of those he needed to kill.

    Long Tao went near Su Meng, unchained her, and fed her portion. He then used his crimson lord aura and bloodline power to provide her with the necessary energy to recover. Su Meng was stable within an hour and she started to recover. Long Tao needed to be careful, as his bloodline energy was too robust and Su Meng wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it properly. As she recovered around half her strength, Long TAO asked about the current scenario of the military and the events that took ce after their arrest. Su Meng told him about the soldiers, the scheme, the demands of Lin Bao, the members who had betrayed the ck-buck squad, and sided with the enemy. Long Tao nodded his head upon listening to the whole conversation, remaining silent.

    Except for ten members, all of the rest had betrayed the group- and sided with Lin Bao. They managed to be enticed by the offers presented by him and decided to go against Long Tao. These scums were not to be left alive. He left the room after giving Su Meng all the medicine she would require to recover her full strength. She was at QI master 6th realm. Her potential was quite high, and even the keeper had told Long Tao that she had a variable natural body type which he didn¡¯t recognize as of now but would be able to investigate in future. It was the reason behind Long Tao putting so much pressure on her to develop. She was already at the limit of the Qi master 6th level and could break through to the seventh level anytime. Long Tao asked her to breakthrough after healing herself. The events following would be too bloody.

    He proceeded towards the other prison location where the ten peoples were being kept. The first nine were rescued without any glitch, and Long Tao killed all the guards in his way. The floor was already dyed red by him. As he approached thest cell, he looked inside to find a woman being harassed by a group of men. It was none other than vice-leader Mengdi. She was one of the faithful peoples within the squad. What disturbed Long Tao was the fact that the people who were harassing her now were the betrayers of the ckbuck squad. ¡°How can we let you die, before having a taste of yours, vice-leader. This is a once in the lifetime opportunity. We couldn¡¯t approach the leader due to her superior cultivation, but you are just as delicious.¡± The men began to approach. ¡°All of you will die when hees back.¡±

    The soldiers knew who he was in the conversation. The person still gave them nightmares. Their vice-leader and the most powerful person of the squad, Long Tao. ¡°He would be taken care of by the Lin general.¡± The man raised his hands to p Mengdi. But when he waved it at her face, all he could see was blood stting on her face, He couldn¡¯t feel the sensation of touch anymore. He looked at his hand to find it cut into halves and his palm missing. A shout of agony left his mouth. Alerting all the surrounding aplices of his. When they looked behind the guy, they saw a figure they least wanted to meet. The figure held onto the ripped palm. The next thing to slide was his head. Long Tao subdued each of them, tortured their souls, and used his scourging arts. All of them died a pitiful death. Soon enough the whole of the ten remaining people arrived.

    Long Tao held out a huge amount of elixirs and medicines. ¡°You are to heal yourself as of now. Since this is the dungeon mange by the Lin Family, I want you to kill every single soldier within it after you heal up. Those who are nearing a breakthrough, may go through it before proceeding. You will wait till I give my signal, toe out of the prison. You are also allowed to release all the prisoners held here. I am going to a meet with our beloved friend, Lin Bao. Its time to teach him his ce.¡± Lon Tao went out on his own. He proceeded towards the residence of the generals. He already knew where Lin Bao lived. He was going to kill that bastard. But before it, he wanted to prepare a surprise for him. Just at the entrance, he turns around to go in a different direction.

    Lin Bao ¡®s residence-

    Lin Bao was currently having his dinner with his nephew Lin Hao. These two were very close and he saw Lin Hao as his own son. He was also his chief strategist. But recently a disharmony urred within these two. Lin Hao was strictly against the idea of convicting the ck-buck squad as a traitor. He knew of Long Tao¡¯s talent and it scared him. If Long Tao wanted to seek vengeance on them, they would be left open. HE wanted to employ stronger assassins for the job, but Lin Bao was against spending so much money just to kill Long Tao. He disregarded Lin Hao¡¯s advice and sent on an order to arrest ck-buck squad on the ground of treason. Lin Hao was confused on seeing the oue as he found out that Lin Bao managed to turn most of the squad against Long Tao. He just prayed nothing out of the blue happened.

    ¡± I know you are unsatisfied with my decision, but this was the right thing to do. Long Tao¡¯s only weakness is the weak members of his squad. They fear him, not respect. Their faith in him is very fragile and as soon as I showed hem my strength and reach, they gave up on him and came to my side. He doesn¡¯t have a chance to even put up a fight against me.¡± Lin Hao sighed and looked at Lin Bao.¡± I have met him on multiple asions. Do you know that in all our meetings I have never felt his nervousness? Even when he was just a Qi child, he possessed the same confidence. We don¡¯t even know what his real strength is now. He was able to beat all the QI master when he was at the 3rd level QI master realm. IF he reaches an advanced level, what makes you think he can¡¯t reach a Qi general in strength. ¡±

    .....

    Lin Bao understood Lin Hao¡¯s concern but he had already yed his move. He needed to wait for how it yed out. Would Long Tao stay within the shadows and wait for his turn toe, or he would take a rash decision, and killed. Just when they were having a conversation, a loud bang was heard in the east direction. Going to the window Lin Hao had a nervous look on his face. ¡± What happened?¡± Lin Bao asked. ¡°The sound came from the direction of the hospital your son is being treated in.¡± Lin Bao had a bad premonition. he instantly got up and rushed towards the hospital with Lin Hao. They couldn¡¯t dy a single second. A fire was visible on the boundaries of the hospital. Lin Bao rushed in to find numerous soldiers being engaged in the rescue operations. He grabbed hold of one of the soldiers.

    When the soldier saw the face of the person who stopped him, he instantly lost all his confidence.¡± What happened here?¡±. Lin Bao asked in a hurry. ¡± Generalllll, iiii ammmmm srr¡± he stammered. Lin Bao held his throat and asked in ana angry voice ¡°Say it clearly.¡±. ¡°The lieutenant is dead in his room hanging from a window. It looks like a suicide, but the message written on the wall is indicating otherwise.¡± Lin Bao lost all his strength upon hearing the news. He pushed away all the people in his way and rushed to his son¡¯s bedroom. Entering he found his son hanging from a window beside his bed, eyes open. They had fear in them. It was as if his son was scared of whatever he saw before dying.¡± Lin Bao looked in the opposite direction to find a message written on it. ¡°Life-Death arena, tomorrow at dawn. ¡± These words were written of the blood from his son¡¯s body.

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 Chapter 94

    94 FACING LIN-BAO

    Lin Bao¡¯s blood boiled high. A huge shout of agony and pain was heard. His only son, the one he doted most on, his future inheritor and the most talented member of the Lin family was killed by someone. The message on the wall was for him. He knew who had the vengeance capable enough for him to kill his son. It was none other than the one he was plotting about. Long Tao had already returned to the city and killed his son as an act of repayment for his actions. ¡°I will kill you and everyone rted to you¡± Lin Bao screamed with bloodshot eyes. He dashed through the wall, running towards the stronghold where the ck-buck squad was being held. Lin Hao followed him, but when they reached the scene, a drastic change urred on their faces. In front of them lied piles of bodies of those who guarded these cells. Long Tao massacred everyone rted to the cell where ck-buck squad was being kept.

    The scene was too bloody. Lin Hao wanted to puke after seeing at the scene, but he controlled it. They rushed into the cells to find all the soldiers present here killed mercilessly. All the criminals detained here were set free. Not a single one of them could be found. Lin Hao was starting to get nervous. Long Tao challenged Lin Bao for a life-death match at the arena. This was a bad sign. It meant that he was prepared for what was going toe next. Lin Bao¡¯s attitude took a turn to the worse, but the scene in front let hime back to his senses. He needed to think and analyze the situation.

    Long Tao managed to dodge the guards and surveince and free all the members of the squad who remained loyal. ¡± How could he take out all of them without alerting anyone else?¡±. ¡± He didn¡¯t do it alone. From what I presume, he killed the ones who were guarding the cells of the ck-buck squad. They must have managed to gather up some of their strength from the healing elixirs and helped him in releasing the prisoners in the other jails. This work is thebined doing of all of them. I also presume he must have taken some of the important jailers, included the head keeper here, to interrogate him. That is dangerous for our position. We must get him back.¡±

    ¡°What can the head keeper do?¡±. Lin Hao sighed. His uncle, although an incredible practitioner, didn¡¯t have amon sense regarding the normal working of the world.¡± Think about the scenario properly. You have filed a case of betrayal against him. He would require something as a backup for forcing you to y in his game. This is where the head keeperes in. The Head-keeper has been a member of this jail for a very long time and knows about all the dark secrets of this ce. If motivated to a good extent, he would inform about the events to Long Tao.¡±

    ¡°He would then have sweet leverage on you. If you don¡¯t agree on the fight and went to court, he would present the testimony of the head-keeper, which would result in shifting you to the position of a corrupted officer and betrayer and would have all the cases filed by you be invalid. He would win the situation and you would be executed under militaryw. The only option now is to follow his instruction and take your chances in the arena. Only if you manage to cut the head of the snake, would it stop moving? Even if they present the keeper after tomorrow, you could still pressure the situation into your favor by politics, but if Long Tao remains alive, the situation would remain inconceivable.¡±

    Lin Bao banged his fists against the wall and spoke¡± I will ept that brat¡¯s challenge. How dare he challenge me to a duel. I will kill him on the stage and use his blood as a farewell to my dear son. I want you to gather my favors from the other generals and prepare for the political warfare that is going to follow up on this event. I will take care of Long Tao. Send all our spies in search of the ck-buck squad. We will try our best to let the witness reach the testimonial grounds and even if he reaches, I will still be the ultimate winner. Prepare my battle suit and spear, tomorrow is thest day for vice-captain Long.¡± Lin Hao bowed and took his leave. Lin Bao was still murmuring on spot ¡± I would not let them have a chance to even show a witness.¡±

    The next day-

    The news of the vicar-general¡¯s fight with the vice-captain of the ck-buck squad was quite famous. The audience that managed to gather was quiterge. Soon enough the convoy of judges arrived. The whole military tribunal was present on the scene of. All of the vice-generals took their seats one after another. The audience was growing impatient to see the action of the sh and soon enough the first participant arrived. It was none other than Long Tao. ¡± I thank all the senior leaders of the military to have taken out some time off their busy schedule toe to watch the match of life-death between me and vice-general Lin. May you enjoy the match to the fullest.¡±

    ¡± I decline the offer vice-captain Long.¡± Lin Bao made his appearance. His eyes were blood-red from rage, but his words were spoken with a calm breath. ¡°On what grounds vice-general.¡±. Lin Bao looked ta him¡± You are charged with treason and felony against the military, involving in a conspiracy against the Jiao country. Your action is punishable by death if proved true and I don¡¯t need to have a one-sided match with a dead person.¡± He handed a case file to the tribunal. The evidence was judged and the tribunal did inform Long Tao that his situation was unfavorable. Long Taoughed out loud. ¡°I would like to present someone else in front of you as by defense.¡±

    .....

    The head-keeper appeared with a figure apanying him. Looking at the figure, Lin Bao got a huge shock. It was none other than Lin Hao. He was apanying the head-keeper.¡± This is the Head-keeper of the jail under the charge of vice-general Lin Bao. IF you may¡± The Head-keeper started telling the tale of all the illegal activities carried out within the jail and how Lin Bao manipted the whole scene into his favor. All the evidence was provided to the tribunal by Lin Hao. Lin Bao still looked shocked at the event. Long Tao walked up to him and said¡± Maybe you consulted with the wrong person. He leftughing.

    The tribunal verified the whole evidence lot and the faces of the vice-generals and the rest of the military changed instantly. The whole group supporting and in-charge of the jail were corrupted to its core. They instantly dered all the cases filed by Lin Bao as invalid and all the evidence to be forged. Lin Bao was charged with felony, treason, corruption, and undisciplined military behavior which vited the bottom line of the military code. He was sentenced to the death penalty. Lin Bao was shocked speechless. ¡± Did you expect that I would not dare to y this card so soon. I never let my enemies go. You will die a very improper death and now it is even justified by the court. You should have agreed on the advice of your strategist. You might have got a chance to prevent the whole matter froming into life and he wouldn¡¯t have betrayed you. But s, the vice-general has to die now.¡±

    The tribunal ordered on the arrest of the vice-leader and was about to take him into custody when a certain voice stopped them all. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to perform like this vice-general Lin.¡± The man who spoke was one of great built. The aura surrounding him was majestic and dominating. The amount of bloodthirst that extruded from this guy in a natural manner could be obtained only with the help of a great number of battles. All the vice-leader stood up and bowed¡± We greet the North-east General.¡± So, this was the in charge of the whole north-eastern region of Jiao country. ¡°Careful boy. This guy¡¯s cultivation is equivalent to your master¡¯s in thunder god hall. He is an 8th level Qi general practitioner.¡± The title was well deserved.

    The man looked towards Lin Bao then to the tribunal and finally, his eyes stopped on Long Tao. He gave out a curious expression from the behavior of Long Tao. He was not bowing. This was disrespectful to him, but he disregarded it. He looked ta Lin Bao again¡± How about I take into consideration your long years of dedication to the north-eastern military and let you have a chance at life. Fight vice-captain of the ck-buck squad. If you win you go out free. If you lose, he ims your head and everything you own.¡±

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 Chapter 95

    95 DRAGON

    The military leader around felt that this was unfair to Long Tao. He was still at seventh level QI master. How could he fight the former vice-general? This was a one-sided match that Lin Bao was sure to win. Even Lin Bao himself was quite surprised. He didn¡¯t seem to get it at first but the realization suddenly drew upon him. The leader actually asked him to beat Long Tao in return for his freedom and pardon. This was a golden opportunity. Although he would be ousted from the military, he could get revenge for his son by killing Long Tao.

    ¡°Are you saying that I need to defeat vice-captain Long to get my freedom from the punishment.¡±. The leader looked at him and said with a carefree tone¡± Is it too small. Fine, I will add something extra. You will get to keep your position in the military in addition to the above rewards if you managed to do that.¡±. Lin Bao was speechless. Why did such a one-sided opportunity appear before him? How could he let go? He agreed instantly but was then interrupted by a sharp voice filled with sarcasm. ¡°I don¡¯t need to have a fight with a dead man.¡±

    Long Tao spoke directly to the leader. Each of the members of the tribunal was nervous about this attitude of Long Tao. Although it was unfair, how could he berate the general himself? The general looked at him¡± Are you suggesting something to me?¡± Long Tao looked at him in amusement¡± I am just saying that the treatment here is unfair. He gets to keep so many awards by defeating someone of a lower realm, but What about me.?¡± The general was silent for the time being, but heughed out loud soon. ¡°Aren¡¯t you too greedy boy¡±

    Long Tao¡¯s expression remained unchanged. It was as if he made a natural request to the person in front of him and was not shameful of it. ¡°Fine. Not only will you get all his possessions, but your squad will also bepensated by ten times the points they would have earned out of theirpleted missions. As per your missions, you will bepensated with 15 times the total.¡±. Long Tao bowed instantly¡± I have long heard of your mighty name general¡±. Even the general¡¯s eyes were beginning to twitch from this event. This guy was too carefree and shameless. He managed to change his disposition so fast.

    Long Tao instantly went up on the stage and signaled at Lin Bao to get on. Lin Bao wasughing inside. How foolish can this guy be? He released his aura. QI general level 3. He managed to break-through recently and it gave him the confidence to act against Long Tao. The atmosphere changed instantly. The audience beganmenting on the bad luck of Long Tao. Although thepensation promised to him was quiterge, it was not big enough for him to put his life on the line for it. There was a discussion about how foolish Long Tao¡¯s decision was. He was berated multiple times, but Long Tao didn¡¯t care for the opinions of the others. He took the defensive pose to guard against Lin Bao¡¯s attack.

    ¡°I have to apud you for your courage, but your arrogance seems to have blinded your sanity. It¡¯s a matter of pride for you to die in my hands. Long Ta didn¡¯t answer the question. He didn¡¯t even move or change his expression. Lin Bao was irritated after seeing this cockiness of Long Tao. He instantly used his Qi tond a punch on Long Tao. The impact urred and Lin Bao was already confident of his victory by this when he suddenly saw the scene around him. The audience was silent. He tried to feel his fist and found it fixed onto something.

    Long Tao stopped Lin Bao¡¯s attack with bare hands, without even using his Qi. This result was within Long Tao¡¯s expectations. He managed to fight with Xuanfa when he was just at QI master level 5, but now he was at QI master level 8. 3 levels higher than his previous state. Li Xuanfa was at the 4th level of QI general and although he didn¡¯t use his full power, Long Tao would be short by a small margin of power. He was confident to match perfectly against Li Xuanfa, were they to fight now. Hence Lin Bao¡¯s action was like a joke to him.

    Lin Bao retreated instantly and looked carefully at his opponent. This time it seems that he had kicked a true iron te. This guy was not normal. The reports of Lin Hao were not made up. He would say that they undermined the true strength of Long Tao. Lin Bao took out his sword from the scabbard. He was a primary spear user but he had taken his training in swords when he was young. His sword intent was at beginner 2nd level peak. The attack came towards Long Tao but was instantly destroyed and overwhelmed. Long Tao sighed out of pity. He was a practitioner whose sword intent was at 2nd level advance peak. He would enter the realm of sword body next.

    Lin Bao was pushed back, thrown into a pitiful state by Long Tao¡¯s attack. He threw his word away. He could only use his most powerful weapons and Qi techniques. The spear appeared in Lin Bao¡¯s hand. He pointed it at Long Tao and closed his eyes. A projection appeared before Long Tao. He was taken back. Lin Bao was a genius in his own rights. He managed to climb to 2nd level advance intent and gain spear spirit level. The spear spirit projection of Lin Bao was like a small dragon. Its extruded a kind of dominance and strong prating power. Long Tao took a few steps back. He wanted to use his QI attack son this guy, but he chose to hold back his trump cards and real strength. He took out his word.

    .....

    A simr figure, like that of Lin Bao, appeared beside Long Tao. It was a speed type of beast spirit. Lin Bao was speechless. Even the rest of the tribunal was speechless. Long Tao was at 2nd level advance intent of sword, which most Qi general couldn¡¯t dream of achieving. He took one step after another in the direction of Lin Bao. It brought Lin Bao back to reality and he charged with his spirit¡¯s special ability. Long Tao used his ability too. Lin Bao¡¯s spirit ability was a boost in the pration power while Long Tao¡¯s spirit gave him enhanced agility as well as the flexibility to speed his way to the enemy. The fight continued. The game was of dodge and stabs. After a long time, due to theck of QI reserve, Lin Bao¡¯s spirit finally showed a fault, which Long Tao took advantage of and managed to stab Lin Bao¡¯s heart.

    Lin Bao¡¯s body was lying lifeless on the life-death arena, blood flowing from it continuously. The blood essence was being absorbed by the sword. The audience was mesmerized into absolute silence by the performance the vice-captain of the ck-buck squad has just shown. A huge shout of cheer was soon heard followed by Long Taoing down of the tform and going in front of the general of the army. The general was astonished as to how fast the match was finished. What surprised him, even more, was that Lin Bao lost due to depleted Qi reserves. This was a joke in case of a fight between a QI master and Qi general, but the miracle happened. ¡± I hope the general didn¡¯t forget about the promised prize to me. When will I be able to im my belongings?¡±.

    The general got up from his seat and looked at Long Tao and the rest of the ck-buck squad which gathered behind him. He had to keep his words.¡± As promised the ck-buck squad will get 10 times the service points than what they have achieved in this period of the mission. From the survey and reporting, The amount of adding the prize leads to a grand total of 4,000,000 points. You can proceed with the distribution as you wish.¡±

    He then looked at Long Tao and said¡± Your total stands at 8,000,000 which will hereby be presented to you. Also, as per the agreement you are to im all the properties of in Bao both within and outside of Tamar. You will be handed the deeds of the properties by tomorrow. I congratte you on winning.¡± Long Tao bowed in glee and was about to leave when he heard another sentence.

    ¡°I have another matter to talk to you about. Since you are going to inherit everything of Lin Bao, you will inherit his title too. Your title would general DRAGON which is in recognition of your abilities. You are to leave for the capital city of Jiao instantly. For the first mission of this post, you will have to take in an escort mission. You can choose your underlings. No need to report your leave.¡±

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 Chapter 96

    96 THE MISSION

    Long Tao was shocked by hearing the words spoken by the general. He wanted Long Tao to take the title of Dragon and assume the post of vice-general. What for. Long Tao didn¡¯t want to rise in the ranks of the army. He found it meaningless as he would leave the Jiao country within a year anyway. His strength as at 8th level QI master, and with thebined help of his avatars in cultivation, He was confident toplete his cultivation in Crimson lord art by the end of this month and take another month toplete the cycles of Hell soldier art.

    The next step was body cultivation and the slowest of all, the cultivation of his soul. His soul was at the 3rd level of QI master as of now. He needed to run Heaven Pestle art till 9 times for cultivation toplete. Each rotation was extremely painful and torturing but he had to go through it if he wanted to strengthen his soul. Long Tao wanted to have a perfect power base. He would break-through to the next level only when all his stats for the current level were at max. Long Tao didn¡¯t like the posting for that reason.

    He looked at the general and said¡± I beg your pardon my lord and am grateful for the favors you have shown me in this regard, but I don¡¯t feel I am capable enough to handle the post. My character doesn¡¯t suit that of a leader and politics is not one of my strong areas. I am sure young soldiers of Tamar would rise o the asion and the general would find a suitable candidate for this position soon. I would like to stay down and serve in my post.¡±. The general looked amused. He spoke to himself¡± Did you really think I would let you go so easily?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand the statement I said earlier Vice-general Dragon. I said you will hereby inherit everything rted to Lin Bao. It includes the title. Unlike your thoughts the most important thing to deserve this title is strength. You are stronger than Lin Bao and hence are totally deserving of this title. Also, wouldn¡¯t you agree you won¡¯t be able to define your current position properly.¡± Long Tao understood the point the general was trying to make. No new vice-general or even existing vice-general would try to order him given his disyed strength.

    The current strength of Long Tao makes his seniors be of fear of him. They have a junior that couldn¡¯t be controlled by them. This is a very dangerous kind of disruption especially in an army where orders were absolute. The absolution didn¡¯t apply in the case of Long Tao. ¡°Also, I wasn¡¯t asking for your opinion in this case. You will take the position. Its an order. If you dare to not except. Not only will I take back all the rewards presented to you, but you will try on the basis of militaryw.¡± The general said in a serious voice, which was betrayed by his expression.

    Long Tao was irritated, but what could he do but ept. This guy was much stronger than him and had the right to enforce his orders on him as he wanted. Long Tao decides to wait till his time came. ¡°I ept the offer general. I will first take possession of all the rewards given to me and then leave for the royal capital instantly.¡± Long Tao bowed. The general was still trying to stop hisughter from bursting out. He left the venue, leaving the spectators in awe. A new genius was born today. Many wanted to get a chance to work under Long Tao now. Many began to request the ck-buck squad to enlist them in it.

    Dwelling-

    Long Tao was resting in his room as of now. The cultivation speed of his was optimum at the moment and he needed to decide the future pathway he was going to take for the time being. He didn¡¯t want to involve in politics but was forced to, which may bring unexpected turns for him. The biggest resource collector for his cultivation were the avatars in the sects. Long Tao ¡®s biggest ie was from the star emperor academy. His master, the dean was providing him withy loads of natural oddities to cultivate with. This eased his path a lot. He was confident to enter the Qi general realm within the next three months. He needed to get hold of more resources and this mission might provide the opportunity for that.

    He called the member of his squad to group up at the meeting hall. All the members were present. The firstmand was to report the progress they have managed to undergo in this time period. After the reporting was done, Long Tao was happy to know that a big chunk of the talented members chose to remain faithful to the squad. The minimum cultivation of the squad members present was in the 4th realm of Qi master. The strongest was of course Su Menqi whose cultivation stood at the 7th realm as of now. She was appointed themander of the squad. Long Tao left the paperwork to her and asked the squad to prepare for the journey to the royal capital.

    .....

    They set out for the journey. The squad was currently consisting of 20 members. 10 were the original one and 10 were the recruits chosen by Su Menqi. The road to capital was a long one and ording to the caravan speed, they would reach that ce after 10 days. Long Tao didn¡¯t want to waste so much time. HE ordered that they would proceed at the maximum speed of the slowest person of this team. The new recruits were exhaust in the first half of the day¡± You have 3 incense stick of time to recover your lost strength. We won¡¯t dy any further.¡± Qi stones were given to the new recruits. The voyage resumed once more.

    The Jiao capital city-

    The soldiers were doing their morning duty. The night shift was just about to end and the soldier was retiring to their dwellings. Just when the shift was about to begin, a loud shout was heard stating a disturbance to have been noted in front. The soldiers readied their gear and took a position. Soon enough a group of people arrived, dressed in ck clothing, the fashion of which represented an army faction. ¡°State your name and purpose of visit to the Jiao capital.¡±. One of the figures walked towards the gate and handed a piece of document to the man at the entrance counter. The man opened and read the content, and he hadn¡¯t even gotten to the second line when he stood up and saluted Long Tao.

    ¡°I wee vice-general Long to the capital city of Jiao. ording to our information, you should be reaching here after 6 days. Kindly wait in the guest¡¯s dwelling of the military outpost. I will send a messenger to report to the ministry who will then send a guide to the royal court. You and your team can visit the city until then. I will report the news to you as soon as I get any update from the royal court.¡± Long To nodded and went on with the newly formed ck-buck squad to the military dwelling in the city. The allotted room was soon upied.¡± Refresh yourself. The guide of the court would arrive within some time and we need to set out for the meeting.¡±

    True to his words, a guard came to inform Long Tao that the guide has arrived. The person was of a decent stature. When he found Long Tao examining him with care, he proceeded toward shim and reaching Infront, bowed in respect ¡°I presume honor top have a meet with the newly appointed vice-general of the north-eastern military, Sir Long Tao.¡±. Long Tao nodded in agreement. He didn¡¯t need to show respect in return, because the only forcible bow of the vice-general was before the king or the general. The guide requested Long Tao to follow him.

    The court-

    The ck-buck squad reached the court amid lots of crowds. The throne was empty, but the guide bowed in front of Long Tao again.¡± I request the vice-general to take his seat. The Jiao king will join the court in short while.¡±. The king arrived, and all of the jesters, minister, and soldiers bowed during the arrival. The first matter of discussion was off course the matter of the capital¡¯s management and pce¡¯s regtion. After that came the matters of finance and military. One of the ministers stood forward and addressed the king¡± Your majesty, the newly appointed vice-general of the north-eastern military, Sir Long and his squad has arrived in the capital city.¡±. Jiao Sheng was instantly alerted by the news and looked at Long Tao with a cordial smile on his face.

    ¡°I hope your majesty is in good health since thest time we met.¡± Long Tao kneeled in respect in front of the king. ¡°No need for the formalities vice-general Long. I hope the journey was not tedious. The mission you are called here to handle is an escort mission. Hope you will take it.¡±

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 Chapter 97

    97 THE PRINCESS

    ¡°I will your majesty. May I know the person I am about to escort and the ce to which I need to do it?¡±. Jiao Sheng looked at him and said ¡°The details regarding the trip will be given to you in a personal briefing by the head minister. You will apany him to the private meeting room after this.¡± Long Tao nodded in agreement. The meeting seems to be a secret of the Jiao royalty. Long Tao didn¡¯t want to get involved in an apolitical fight, but it seemed that fate had other ns for him. ¡°I heard you got a direct promotion to vice-general from your position of vice-captain of ck-buck squad. I congratte you.¡±

    The meeting hall-

    Long Tao was currently seated along with the head minister. They were waiting for the arrival of Jiao Sheng. He arrived after some long hours. Long Tao rose from his seat, but the King indicated otherwise. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect for us to meet so soon. You are really the most talented person in the Jiao country. Just 5 months back you had just entered the Qi master, but you stand at level 8 of QI master realm now. Even more of a surprise is the fact that you could already defeat a Qi general of level three. Lin Bao was his name right.¡± Long Tao gave his approval to the statement by a silent indication.

    ¡°I am happy for you and hope you will continue to serve the country like this. The mission this time is going to be a dangerous one. Hence, we requested the help of the soldier form the best fraction of our country. As I said before it is going to an escort mission. But the stake here is extremely high.¡± The King pressured on the part of the stake. ¡°The person you are going to escort is my eldest daughter and one of the court¡¯s core advisors, Jiao Mingue.¡±. Long Tao was surprised, but he wanted to know about the other part.

    ¡°As per the where, you will be going to the Chu country¡¯s royal capital, for a talk of peace between our nations. The situation will be exined by the head minister.¡± The head minister rose up and drew out a map of the Jiao and chu country¡¯s border. ¡°The travel will be through the north-eastern outpost towards the secured path between the Jiao and Chu country that is used by the merchants. You will be apanied by a set of royal guards and some exceptional students from the royal academy. Your work is quite simple. Protecting the princess at all costs.¡± You need to escort her to the Chu capital and return with her. The talk would be handled by her.

    ¡°The reason for this visit is to bury the rising violence at the border of both countries. The Chu country is getting much more aggressive with the passing time. Especially after someone¡¯s activity of assassinating the top officials of the Chu country in bulk.¡± The minister looked at Long Tao with a serious nce. Jiao Sheng wanted to see the change of expression of Long Tao. He was surprised to see no change in expression. ¡°I suppose you know why you were chosen for this mission. There is also the incident of one of their crucial mines being seized and looted of all its content. The group which did it is still anonymous.¡±

    Long Tao understood which mine they were talking about. He still remembered the blood general. He was still not confident of facing that monster. There was also the Slytherin present in the vicinity. The path was naturally through its territory. ¡°You need to take care of the situation throughout. We suspect conspiracy trying to im the princess¡¯s life and incite war among the two countries. We would want to avoid it at any cost. I hope you understand the gravity of the matter. You are also to beg pardon for your doings if asked to by the royal Chu n.¡±. Long Tao understood the gravity of the situation, but he was not scared of the Chu country¡¯s royal n. He only needed to take care of his mission.

    ¡°The details of the route, the member apanying you and the time of departure will be provided to you at your dwelling.¡± Long Tao made some inquiries with the minister and Jiao Sheng regarding the procedures to be followed. ??You will be leaving after 10 days. You are wee to stay in the royal pce. All the members of this travel will be meeting you after 6 days. 4 days for nning the travel and various crucial points in travel. Please read the n for discussion. We hope nopromise of your abilities in this mission.¡± Long Tao assured them that he will give his best for this mission.

    ¡°How are your father and mother Long Tao?¡± Jiao Sheng asked to confirm his doubts. Long Tao gave a smile, which gave Jiao Sheng an ominous feeling¡± I don¡¯t remember having parents. It¡¯s better if we concentrate on the work before us, don¡¯t you agree prime minister.¡± The minister was sweating profusely now. He couldn¡¯t dare to go against Jiao Sheng, but Long Tao was giving out a murderous aura. ¡°I apologize for my loose behavior. I hope you will enjoy the stay in the capital. I invite you to tonight¡¯s party that is set for your wee. Hope you will honor me with your presence.¡± Jiao Sheng was a clever ruler. He knew when to step down.

    .....

    Dwelling-

    Long Tao was back carrying the map of the region. Soon the ck-buck squad was present in there. Long Tao discussed the necessities of the mission. He discussed the route they were going to take in this mission and the asset who was being protected. Although it was confidential information, Long Tao wanted the people on this mission to understand the gravity of the situation. The route was properly marked and the terrain analysis was done. The possible crucial points were found after a brief analysis. The next objective was to do a survey of these areas and find possible hiding areas.

    Long Tao pointed at the ten new recruits.¡± You will leave at the moment. You will use the same method we used to reach this ce. I want you to survey the points marked by me. You need to reach this area within the next 4 days. You will have 6 days to report the whole report to me. The crucial points are simple. You will find every bit of information regarding that area, the bandits, structure of viges, terrain, and geological cements, hiding areas, dangers, beats concentration, even the nearby forces present or sighted in that area. I want you to wait for our arrival at Tamar, which will be the first rest spot for the convoy.¡±

    The new recruits bowed to Long Tao and left for the mission. They took the resources provided to them by the ck-buck squad. It was arge inventory bought by the newly acquired wealth of the squad. He next set of mission allotted were to the members of the ck-buck squad to gather information about the royal capital and the situation of the country. Long Tao wanted to analyze the whole situation keeping all the facts in mind.¡± Be prepared for the party tonight. I will say this, you are my underlings and members of ck-buck squad. Have your pride in that. I am your backer.¡±

    Nighttime, party ¨C

    Long Tao was dressed ording to the nobles¡¯ fashion he had learned during his time in the n. He was waiting for the members to arrive one after the other. Soon the squad members arrived one after another. The attire was passable. Thest to arrive was of course SU Menqi. She was looking gorgeous tonight. Long Tao was stunned for a moment. He didn¡¯t expect such finesse from Su Menqi. It confirmed his spection that she was from the nobility. ¡°May I have the honor to apany miss to the venue.¡± Long Tao bowed in a gentle manner with his hands stretched in front of Su Menqi. She gave out a smile and held on to the hand.

    They entered the venue. They were weed by the members of the royal ns and the ministers themselves. A vice-general from the most powerful fraction of the country was a big deal. They wanted to make a good impression. The head minister soon arrived and introduced himself to the rest of the squad. The party was approaching its peak when Jiao Sheng made his appearance¡± I thank all of you to be present on this asion. As many of you might know this is to wee the newly appointed vice-general of the north-eastern military, titled Dragon, Sir Long Tao. As many of you may remember he was the winner of the royal gathering some time ago. ¡°The nobles apud on this and raised their sses in respect.

    A figure approached Long Tao. The beauty and graciousness of the figure promoted her to another level, separated from the rest of the crowd.¡± May I have the luck to get a dance with vice-general Long Tao.¡± Long Tao looked at her intently. ¡°I forgot to introduce myself. I am Jiao Mingue, the eldest princess of Jiao.¡±

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 Chapter 98

    98 CHALLENGE

    Long Tao agreed readily to offer. How could he say no the princess? The duo passed through the crowd into the center of the hall. The song began and so did the dance. Long Tao didn¡¯t have any formal training but he was a quick learner. It took him a little time to get a grip. ¡°I beg the pardon of the princess for my rough movements. Hope it doesn¡¯t embarrass the princess.¡± Jiao Mingue gave out a sweetugh. ¡°No need to panic vice-general. This is not the army. You being the vice-general and me being princess, who are the people who have guts to embarrass us?¡± Long Tao was impressed by the choice of words.

    Jiao Mingue guided his movements in the proper way. It took him a series of failures to get the trip going. ¡°I thank the princess to allow me the honor of dancing with you.¡±. ¡°I hope this damsel is lucky enough to get your protection in her trip to foreignnds?¡±. Long Tao gave out augh¡± It¡¯s a given fact, mydy. I am but a servant to the royal n. I do whatever the master desires. It¡¯s my pleasure to be given the opportunity to be your guard while you have the peace talks with the Chu royal n.¡±. Jiao Mingue was studying Long Tao for some ttering expression, but the whole sentence came out from a nk face.

    ¡°Your words are quite assuring sir Long. If you may be free could you apany me for the evening.¡±. Long Tao agreed with politeness. They moved out from one location to another, getting to meet new people and having some tit and bits as the evening proceeded. Long Tao was attending such a party after a long period of time. After being in the army for 6 months he now felt these herd of people to be of the inefficient andzy kind. They didn¡¯t have to worry about the matters of national security.

    The duo attracted the gazes of all kinds of people. There were some whomented on how good these two looked together. But good and ominous came together. Long Tao acquired the hatred of many young men and in some cases even old men at the party. There were many potential suitors of the princess in the Jiao country itself. Long Tao getting the favorable impression of the princess attracted lots of ill will. But these people were unable to show it publicly to him. But there are some, who couldn¡¯t control their urges and wanted to embarrass Long Tao, even if it were through other people.

    ¡°We can¡¯t let him get close to the princess. He needs to be shown his ce. How could an army insectpare to the nobility?¡± Many voices were heard. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the son of the finance minister. What is he going towards the group of brutes?¡± But suddenly their eyes fell on Su Menqi. She was a beautiful specimen and her regal etiquette gave her an additional set of charm which attracted others towards her. The guy came to Su Menqi and asked her out for a dance. She rejected the offer politely.¡± I am sorry, but am not feeling like its sir.¡±

    The man was getting insistent. Su Menqi soon realized that he was here to make trouble. Su Menqi continued the cordial conversation, but the man was getting more and more aggressive. The members of ck-buck squad were starting to get pissed off too. They didn¡¯t want to cause a scene here and embarrass their leader, but this guy is crossing the bottom line. ¡°How dare you military brutes reject this young master¡¯s kind offer to you?¡± The man shouted out loud. The crowd¡¯s attention was drawn towards it.

    Jiao Sheng was having a ss of wine with other senior ministers when one of his servants arrived and reported the situation. Jiao Sheng wanted to use the situation to test Long Tao out.¡± Let it y out naturally. We shall see how he reacts to this.¡±. Long Tao was having some bits on his tter when he heard the shout. He looked at Su Menqi and didn¡¯t act up. ¡°You seem to be careless about your subordinate¡¯s situation Sir Long.¡± Long Tao replied in kind.¡± I have told them a sentence beforeing here. If they act on it, I will intervene for sure.¡± Su Menqi tried to remain calm, but when the shout happened, the line was finally crossed.

    ¡®Pah¡¯ a sound was heard, of a crisp p to the man who shouted, sting him to a faraway spot. The audience watching this was shocked. How could Su Menqi act like this in the King¡¯s party? The man got up, blood flowing from his lips. He was shocked by the previous event. The attack just now was strong enough to crack his facial muscles. Any stronger and his skull would have crushed. He was embarrassed like this for the first time in his whole life. ¡°Don¡¯t take my silence as cowardice, sir. Choose your next words very carefully.¡±. The man was bubbling with anger now¡± How dare you?¡± Scum!¡± A direct kick to the chest.

    The guy was unconscious of the grave injuries he just incurred. The audience was scared of the brutality of this group of people. This time it was another member of the squad who gave out the kick. The finance minister appeared before his son. He was angry at looking at the condition his son was in. he looked at Su Menqi and said¡± Guards arrest her.¡±. Jiao Mingue was looking at Long Tao for the moment and the only thing she saw was a satisfactory smile on his face.

    .....

    Standing far from these two, Jiao Sheng was doing the same. Looking at the smile he got a very ominous feeling lingering in the hall. The smile had hidden cruelty and savageness to it. The guards proceeded towards the ck-buck squad. ¡°Stop them immediately.¡± Jiao Sheng ordered but the minister was toote. Just as the guards were about to reach the location, they were sted back just like the son of the finance minister. The attack was not as brutal or life-threatening, but the injury was still deep.

    While some chose to not intervene within the matters of the two groups, there were some noble affiliates who couldn¡¯t hold themselves back. They directly issued a challenge and a cock-fight began between the two groups. The winner was soon getting visible. Although the young generation of noble households had good cultivation, how could they match the tenacity and experience of soldiers especially from the most chaotic region of borders? Even moreical was the fact that the squad they were up against is ranked 1 among the north-eastern army for both its efficiency and brutality. The results were visible soon enough. The injured persons were lying all around, while the squad was still breathing out easily, having their dinner while beating the shit out of people.

    ¡°This is uneptable. How dare you cause a ruckus in his majesty¡¯s party. You will e charged with state crime and treason right here. Fellow nobles, apany me to subdue this group of rogues.¡± The finance minister soon gathered many people on his side. Long Tao was not worried for the ck-buck squad as long as their opponent was a QI master, but the finance minister¡¯s brother, who was also a royal guard, had the cultivation of QI general realm. How could Long Tao let him interfere in the fight. ¡°if the princess would pardon my ignorance, its time for me to make up my appearance, now that they have followed the orders.¡±

    ¡°I will take care of the one in the middle, you people subdue the rest of the squads.¡± The royal guard was making out strategies when he saw another figure approaching them. Long Tao didn¡¯t even bother to look down on the bodies and walked upon them to his group. Upon his arrival, the ck-buck squad bowed down ¡°hope that you like our way of following the orders vice-general.¡± Long Tao wanted tough, but he held back to control the situation. He replied in a calm tone¡± you did well. Now let me handle the matter and don¡¯t act out.¡±

    Long Tao turned around and looked at the group he was confronting. ¡°I suppose both the parties know whose fault it was. If your people are still insistent on getting a fight, I will apany you in it.¡± The royal guard looked at Long Tao.¡± Vice-general Long is wise. We know it the fault of the young man, but this is a little overboard. Your squad needs to be taught a lesson on moderance.¡±. ¡°If there is something to teach, I will take care of it. You are in no position to interfere.¡± Long Tao said with a smile. ¡°Then I will have to insist with force.¡±.

    Long Tao gave out a loudugh¡± My fights result in only one result. Death of my opponent.¡±. His aura released as the sword appeared in his hands.

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 Chapter 99

    99 The Group meeting

    The guard looked at Long Tao and started to analyze his opponent. He was a Qi general level 1 practitioner and had the experience of fighting in many regions for the military before his brother used his connection to get him allocated into the royal guards. He was thankful to his brother for this and would have to take action in his support. But the opponent in front was special. The rumors about the new vice-general being a Qi master was true. But the reason for him getting the position was because of his insane strength. The news was that Lin Bao, the former vice-general died in his hands.

    Being in the royal guard for such a long time didn¡¯t allow him to back off once the stage is set. He had to proceed no matter the consequences of doing so. ¡°Then I would like to invite the vice-general for a fight. I hope you will care to follow me outside; we shouldn¡¯t ruin this location.¡± Long Tao followed him, so did the ck-buck squad. The royal guard was the pir of confidence for these people. All they could do now was to hold back and see how the situation progresses. The fight needs to be won to establish their status.

    The two people stood confronting each other. The first challenge was the general fistfight. A sudden attack arrived before Long Tao. How could he say no to that? He replied in kind. The fight continued. The Qi general had a little bit of advantage at first, but as the fight progressed the scale began to tip-off from their ce. The fight shifted to being in favor of Long Tao, finally reaching a one-man show. A punch in the chest pushed back the man to a distance, making him spill blood from his mouth. He was surprised by the bout. He had given the fight his all, but Long Tao seemed to be ying. Even his breathing was stable.

    He had made a difficult opponent this time. The royal guard decided to use his weapon. The weapon was a saber. One had to look at it carefully to notice the beauty of this weapon. The craftsman who managed to make this is quite talented at the very least. The saber was a level 4 weapon, one for a QI king. Long Tao knew that his life weapons are only good against the nearest realm. Hence level 3 weapons were not a bother. But level 4 was different. He decided to take out one of the weapons he got from the Heaven Cleaver sect. It was also a blood-red saber.

    ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal. Since I can take your life in this battle, I will take the weapon you are holding.¡± The royal guard was surprised at first, but he soon organized his emotions. This spear was a gift from his master to him. He asked the guard toe to find him after he reached the QI King level. He was training arduously to reach that stage. ¡°You should rather take my life, but this saber Is not for cing a bet.¡± Long Tao understood that the weapon was a collection of some attached sentiment of this guard. He didn¡¯t¡¯ press on the issue any further.

    The second sh urred. Specialized techniques that the royal guard had obtained during his training were being used. Either one of them was having some hidden cards. Long Tao was ying defensive at the moment. All he did was to defend against the attacks at the most crucial points. He escaped injury by seconds, but that also showed his skill level. The same scenario continued for a while until the royal guard finally got the gist of the matter. At this rate, he will suffer from Qi exhaustion. Long Tao was stalling for time while provoking him to attack. This was humiliation at it speak.

    A sudden attack arrived, hitting the royal guard in his stomach portion, slicing through theyers of human tissue. He didn¡¯t expect Long Tao to change the tide so soon. He managed to switch from offense to defense at such high speed, that it astonished the royal guard. The injury incurred was a fatal one. He couldn¡¯t continue the fight. Long Tao proceeded, saber in his hands, towards the royal guard. He decided to kill this guy, as the final step of conclusion and make it clear to the capital, who was the backer of the ck-buck squad. ??Would sir Long be kind enough to let him go on my ount?¡±. Jiao Sheng spoke out.

    Long Tao wanted to conclude the matter to avoid future conflict. ¡± I would rather root out any future problem while it is still in its initial stage. I am not capable enough to satisfy his majesty¡¯s request.¡± Long Tao lifted the saber. But just then, Jiao Sheng released his aura. Long Tao¡¯s gut feeling was right. The first time he had seen Jiao Sheng, he was a top Qi master practitioner yet now, he is a Qi general level 4 cultivator. He must have used some kind of equipment to conceal his cultivation from the rest of the group. ¡°His true cultivation is shown now brat. What will you do?¡± the keeper was asking from within the Artifact.

    ¡°Is your majesty trying to make a point from his offensive aura. I hope you haven¡¯t forgotten who the initiator of this problem was. I am just concluding the matter ording to the terms agreed by this guy.¡± Jiao Sheng was in a tight spot. Although he knew his cultivation surpassed Lin Bao, whom Long Tao defeated by 1 level, he couldn¡¯t gather the confidence in a fight against him. ¡± I won¡¯t make the same mistake again.¡± The royal guard was pleading for his life at the moment. Long Tao looked ta him and said in a low tone¡± Rats hide in their hole, every time they are let go and when the time is right, they strike at the most vulnerable point. DO you think I am na?ve enough to pardon your activity?¡±

    .....

    ¡°I Will pay for the inconvenience caused by my disciple here. I hope vice-general Long is merciful and let him go.¡± Long Tao was ustomed to this familiar voice. It was none other than the guy who recruited him in the military. Jiao Bo was a cultivator of level 6 Qi general. Long Tao bowed in respect and sheathed his saber. ¡°I will await the arrival of the payment in my military dwelling in Tamar. ¡°He looked at the ck-bucks¡± Let¡¯s go.¡± The ck-buck squad left along with Long Tao. The party has lost its true star. This was happening while Jiao Mingue was trying to study Long Tao. She was amazed by the decisiveness.

    4 dayster-

    Long Tao¡¯s cultivation had entered the 9th level of Qi master. Thepletion of Blood tempering art provided him with the benefit of a faster cultivation speed for the other arts. 3 more levels and he could enter the QI general level. Long Tao trained day and night within the crimson world¡¯s arena with puppets. Today was the strategic meeting for the trip to Chu country. The soldiers and representatives who were going to apany the princess had arrived and assembled in the pce.

    Long Tao went on to showcase the map marked with their travel route. ¡°The general information has already been provided to you. Until we reach the very end of the Jiao country, we wouldn¡¯t be facing problems publicly. There is still a chance of assassins attacking covertly on the convoy. The real danger starts after we reach the Chu country. The problem lies in the terrain. The forest between the two countries is the dwelling of powerful level 4 beasts. If we are going to pass through this, we are to be careful to not disturb them. No causality is tolerated in this mission.¡±

    He then looked at the princess¡¯ my first priority is me and my team. Youe second. If there urred a situation when I had to choose between the team and princess, iwi l chooses my team.¡± These words shocked the group present. Even the minister and Jiao Sheng were shocked. How dares this guy? ¡°You are just one of the many descendants of the Jiao. We can go on with one less if it were to ur, but my team is one of a kind, trained by me. SO, they are my top priority. You have your own guard to look after the personal safety. DO you ept?¡± Jiao Mingue agreed.

    He next phase was the discussion about the terrain and the various powers present in that region. Long Tao listed out the strategy to be followed and then dered that the joint training of the troops will start from tomorrow. Their objective is to learn how to coordinate with each other in a fight. ¡°We will leave after three days, one day before the schedule. We will have another set of discussions at Tamar, our first checkpoint.¡± The meeting was adjourned.

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 Chapter 100

    100 THE FIRST SET OF ATTACKS

    The convoy was ready to leave after three days. After the necessary preparation was made the journey started. Within the first checkpoint and the royal capital, there were three critical points where ambush can take ce. The first point was just the outskirts of the royal city. The reason for this being the frequented route for merchants, which bares the soldiers to have proper barricades and check posts in this location. This one was overly crowded and the enemy can assume disguise to attack the princess. The strategy was quite simple. Long Tao asked the princess to allow the strongest people within the convoy to sit with her in the wagon for some time. The princess readily agreed after hearing the n of action.

    The next check post was a vige. The reason for this ce being a potential location of danger was the deserted situation of this ce. The vige was hit by serious disease some years back and all the people were killed with a small gap of time. The military didn¡¯t hold this ce as being important after the investigation was concluded. It was said that this was the location of two big groups of robbers. If the enemy dared to attack with synchronization with the robbers, it will be a grave situation. Long Tao had a battle n for that.

    Thest point was the mountain range between Tamar and the next city. The mountain range by default was a difficult terrain to travel in. Add therge vegetation and snow-covered capes, it provided the perfect heaven for ambushes to be nned. This terrain was the location where Long Tao expected an attack toe for sure. The other areas are on the in ground and would require arge number of people to ambush the party. But in this terrain, a natural phenomenon such as andslide could be caused by a single person. Long Tao employed the decoy tactics for this ce. The set of ns were given to the leaders of each group. The convoy formally set out for the journey.

    In the pce-

    The head minister was currently residing within a dark room. He was saying something, but no other figure was visible insight.¡± Have you got the pathway they are going to follow and the timings? ¡°. ¡°I do. This time tide seems to be in our favor. The one apanying the princess is more concerned about his group of people. He made it clear that he will choose his group over the princess given the situation urred. The convoy is made up of 30 people at the moment. 10 are from the ck-buck squad, 10 from the royal academy, and 10 from royal court and guards. You need to n the ambush properly. The information will reach you today.¡± Long Tao¡¯s battle ns were properly recorded by the minister. ¡°You will get your son back by today. It was a pleasure doing business with you head minister.¡±

    The convoy-

    The first checkpoint was already behind the group and Long Tao was quite relieved from this oue. The group was a bit relieved upon crossing it. But Long Tao¡¯s gut gave out a different signal to him. Although they have managed to cross the first checkpoint, which was a matter of dness, the path in front was too peaceful. This was like the silence before the storm. The night gradually arrived and the camp was set to rest for the day. The meal was cooked and dinner served. Long Tao drank up the meal and the group went to rest.

    ¡°Did you administer the drug carefully?¡± Somewhere near the camping site, two people were conversing. ¡°I am sure about the dosage. The soldier under my control did pour it proportionally. They should be unconscious by now. We can ask our men to attack. Even those with resistance to the poison would be unable to move for at least 1 incense stick. That is enough for us to carry out the assassination.¡± The group of people gradually proceeded and reached near the campsite. They were about to attack when they saw three figures proceeding towards them.¡± SO, the n was to attack us by administering poison.¡±

    The group was surprised at hearing these words, but the attack arrived suddenly. These people were not having high cultivation levels and were killed instantly. Long Tao¡¯s avatar made sure to scourge their souls before letting them go. The information collected was tits and bits. Finally, only two people were remaining, being surrounded by the 3 figures. These were the two people who were conversing earlier. They were shocked about the brutality of the killing in front of them. The enemy didn¡¯t give them a chance to negotiate. The two were killed and their memory searched.

    .....

    ¡°So, the news was provided by someone from the royal n. The only people who were aware of the n were the top ministers and the king himself. They may have talked about it with someone else, but this was unprecedented. The antidote was avable in the storage ring of the two people. Long Tao came back to the camp to find himself lying, unconscious. Even after multiple asions, how could he be so careless? The avatars returned to the camp after administering it to the main boy. Long Tao woke up with the memory and then gave the antidote to the rest of the people.

    The group gained consciousness after some time and when they heard what went through due to their carelessness, they were ashamed. The trip was instantly resumed in the night and Long Tao gave the order to not stop until they reached Tamar. Inside the main convoy of the princess¡± Someone from the royal court gave the information of the spot and the n. I want the princess to list out a group of potential candidates who could be responsible for this.¡± The princess tried her hardest, but couldn¡¯t gather anyone in particr who could have betrayed them.¡± We would know once I catch the mastermind behind the attacks.¡± The bodies of the attackers were burnt and their possession collected.

    The next spot arrived after some time. Long Tao asked the group to wait, and send a message through the tablet. Soon enough three figures appeared in the view. They came near the convoy and bowed to Long Tao. ¡®Have you gathered the information I requested?¡±. The men handed a set of booklets to Long Tao. ¡°As you predicted, there was a group of people present here too. I took us some time, but we managed to kill 3/4th of them before some managed to escape. These are the possession we collected from the corpses. The badge might attract your attention¡±. A half-moon badge was presented to Long Tao. The princess was shocked on seeing it.

    ¡°I presume that the princess knows which group this badge belongs to.¡±. The princess sipped a ss of water and said with a serious tone.¡± I belong to the shadow moon hall.¡± The name reverberated, giving chills to the people from riyal guards and court.¡± They are an infamous group of assassins who have killed many of the court officials and army before. They must have been contracted to take my head.¡± Long Tao revised the position.¡± We need a new n.¡± The new n was discussed shortly, after which the group of people standing there was dismissed.

    The journey resumed once again. The convoy didn¡¯t face any difficulty until they reached the mountain range. The terrain was steep. long Tao proposed a three-set convoy division. Now the three divisions were made, but no one knew which convoy the princess was in. The three convoys maintained a good distance between them and an enemy could only attack one at a time. ¡°I will get the results now. We will know whether there is a mole in the convoy or not. ¡°The three convoys were proceeding and just when the princess¡¯s convoy was about to pass, and attack arrived. The group of people, attacking were quiterge and it was a gruesome battle. The royal guard lost three of its soldier, but they managed to hold up

    The convoy managed to pass the mountain range with some causalities but was able to kill most of the enemies. It was because of the back-up provided by the other 10 new members of the ck-buck squad.

    Tamar-

    The group entered the military city and the princess was apanied to the dwelling of the ck-buck squad. The venue was set and soon, Long Tao called up a meeting of all the participants in the convoy. The princess, her maids, the royal courtiers, guards, ck-buck squad members, and finally the people of the royal military academy were present. ¡°I will say this only once. I already know who the mole in the convoy is. You have a chance to step up and agree to your crimes. If you give us the information regarding the attacks, I will spare your life. But if you dare hide, I will kill you. You have ten breathes of time.¡± Long Tao unsheathed his sword.

    ¡°one, two, three¡± just as seventh counting was reached, one of the maids took out a knife and attacked the princess. But before she could reach her target, her body was cleaved into half by Long Tao. The princess was shocked. The mole was an assassin hiding as her maid.

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 Chapter 101

    101 THE CHU COUNTRY

    ¡°There goes the first mole in the convoy. I hope the princess would be wiser when choosing maids next time. All of you are invited to rest in the quarters assigned to you. We will have the next meeting scheduled after breakfast. We will be leaving Tamar day after tomorrow. ¡°The meeting was adjourned and the soldiers along with the princess and her remaining maids went to their rooms for resting for the day. Su Menqi stayed behind to have a conversation with Long Tao regarding some of the passages they would be following in the trip. Long Tao confronted and cleared the doubts regarding the path. He asked Su Menqi to look after the princess¡¯s safety.

    ¡°Are you sure about all the spies and moles in the convoy being dead?¡± Long Tao chose to remain silent. SU Menqi didn¡¯t bother him any longer and went to the troop¡¯s rendezvous position to take care of some formalities and report to the general¡¯s office regarding their arrival at the camp. The news of the princess¡¯s arrival in the ck-buck dwelling soon spread. The vice-generals and even the general himself came to pay a visit. ¡°I hope my subordinate had been treating you well in this journey of yours.¡± The princess had a hearty conversation with the general before the dinner was served and all of them retired into their bedrooms.

    Long Tao was current in the general¡¯s quarter. ¡°What is your view regarding this mission.¡±. ¡°I am quite certain of a mole being present in the royal court itself. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there were more than one. The other thing which worries me is that this assassinations objective.¡±. The general was curious regarding this statement.¡± If you see the scenario properly, what is the motive behind the possible death of the eldest princess? One reason could be a personal vendetta. A political move regarding the royal court might also be an objective.¡±. ¡°The aim of inciting a war might also be an objective in this case.¡±.

    ¡°It¡¯s unlikely to be the case. If the motive was to incite a war, the assassination attempt should have begun within the Chu country, especially in the royal city. Because the Chu royal family would be in the perfect spot to be imed as criminals. But the attacks happened in the Jiao country.¡±. ¡°It might be the work of the Chu country to give the royal n a blow, by taking out one of the chief strategists. ¡°. ¡°The princess is on her way to the Chu country. If they wanted to kill a strategist, then they are sure about going to war. In which case, they would have allowed the convoy to pass through and killed her within the country. Why now? She can also be tortured to gather information regarding the military secrets and is a perfect hostage in times of war.¡±

    ¡°So, you expect some other y in this case.¡± Long Tao nodded. He was trying to point his fingers in another direction, but the picture was too blurry to see. Long Tao was not able to put his finger on. He had a gut feeling that the princess was hiding something. This mission¡¯s details haven¡¯t been provided in its whole. He had to n something in this case. A backup, which would also act as his trump card to y. He needs to surprise his enemies. His cultivation was going on well. By the time they reach the Chu, Long Tao was confident about reaching the 10th stage of Qi master andpleting the Crimson world scripture. The only thing remaining would be Hell soldier sutra.

    The next morning-

    The convoy set out on its trip again. The royal guards who were in were reced by a set of 4 new soldiers who were handpicked and allotted by the general himself. Although these people were capable, who in the north-eastern regime didn¡¯t have a dream to work in ck-buck now. The new vice-general was a powerful figure as of now. They greeted Long Tao as soon as they reached and the convoy formally resumed its journey. The border between Chu and Jiao was sessfully crossed and they were received by a messenger from the Jiao royal court, who left as soon as they greeted him. His work was to report the arrival in the Chu royal court. The convoy would be there in the next ten days.

    ¡°Princess we have sessfully set foot in the Chu country. We will be reaching the next checkpoint tomorrow. It is the regimen of the unrivaled general is the post we will be resting in. I hope the princess wouldn¡¯t mind the continuous travel since this is the location thates under the area controlled by the level 4 monster, the Slytherin.¡± Long Tao consulted with the group regarding their further passage. He needed to avoid the Slytherin at all cost, otherwise, it would turn into a messy fight.

    From what he knew the Slytherin was able topete with the blood general. It would have already healed until now. Beasts have an acute sense to recognize their prey. The Slytherin must have remembered him too. A useless confrontation at the moment would be bad, especially when he is still not capable enough to kill it. He convoy was heading towards the interiors now. They were in the location that fell in the direct territory of monsters. Multiple small confrontations took ce while on the journey. They finally managed to get away with it. Long Tao was breathing a sigh of relief when he saw this. They managed to avoid any necessary confrontation. The night stay was done in an open area under the sky.

    .....

    Long Tao already learned from his mistakes in the past. The reason he was still alive was because of the origin avatar art of his, which helped him create multiple true bodies and divide their consciousness. Long Tao used the night to practice his set of swords and saber arts. He needed to learn the Heaven Canyon perfectly until the first part. Only then would he be able to get another strong secret weapon. He also wanted to find out about the evil moon and the evil church. There were many potential cultivators who were eligible to join the Heaven Cleaver sect. He decided to join it only after he reached the QI emperor peak. Long Tao¡¯s training was going well and he managed toplete the Crimson world 10th rotation by a quarter now. He was confident to be able to reach the Qi master 10th stage by the time they reach the Chu capital.

    It was not until they reached and reported in the office of general unrivaled, that another attack happened. It was on the outskirts of the regiment. This was a critical area, due to the number of peoplemuting from this ce. Some assassins who were dressed as locals attacked the convoy from multiple directions. They were taken care of, at the cost of 2 more men. The princess was even more nervous as of now. These two were sent by the assassination cult too. Finally reaching in the office, they made their reporting.

    The princess and Long Tao were invited to the office of the general.¡± I hope your trip has been a good princess. We would like to beg your pardon regarding the incident on the outskirts of the regimen. I will make sure that the perpetrators who nned this operation pay for what they have done, given I am faced with them in the future. I will be providing you with an additional set of my men, who will be apanying you throughout your journey in the Chu country. I hope the peace talks would go right. As I am informed you are leaving tomorrow right.¡± Long Tao and the princess confirmed some of the information, and an exchange of dialogue took ce between the two.

    After retiring for the night, Long Tao continued his training. He couldn¡¯t let his guard down behind enemy lines. The blood general is still present as an obstacle should he recognize Long Tao. He didn¡¯t want any problem to ur while he has multiple burdens around him to take care of. The other suspicion he had was about the attack that might arrive in the future. He predicted the next attack to be mid-way or somewhere in the capital. The death of the princess at this point would surely incite war among the two countries. Long Tao wanted to avoid that at all costs. He couldn¡¯t remain chained down in this ce after he breaks through the QI general level. A war would dy his ns.

    The next day-

    A new squadron of soldiers, headed by the so of the general apanied the convoy which resumed its journey towards the Chu royal n. The new additions provided lots of information regarding the general situation of the military, the capital, and the country as whole. Soon enough a goodradery began to build up between the two groups. They had to face bandits and beats on the way. But the predicted attack didn¡¯t arrive.

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 Chapter 102

    102 AMBUSH ARRIVES

    5 days to reach the capital-

    The topology of the pathway was a bit irregr. The most dangerous aspect was the various blind spots it created, for possible attacks to ur from. Long Tao asked the group to halt in a particr region for some time. Walking a bit far from the group, Long Tao was sitting on a branch when a figure appeared before him holding a package.¡± The leader sends his wee regards to you.¡± Long Tao nodded. The figure soon faded from sight. Long Tao looked into the contents of the package and then returned to the group. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡±

    In some ce, within the mountains-

    Tiger Zheng was sitting on his throne, a ck figure standing in front of him. ¡°What do you need?¡±. ¡°Have you thought of the proposal that we have provided you with.¡± Tiger Zheng was left in a thought. Sometime ago a group of people approached the bandit stronghold asking them for assistance in an ambush of a particr group. Tiger Zheng didn¡¯t want to get involved in these matters as it attracts unnecessary attention. But the rewards offered were quite lucrative.

    ¡°Tell me the details regarding the group.¡± Tiger Zheng didn¡¯t allow his greed to ovee his sanity. He knew that one needed to be alive to enjoy the riches earned during their life. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know the details; we will give you the headcount and their cultivation levels. You just need to ward them off, until we seed in killing the target.¡±. Tiger Zheng looked at him¡± The deal is off then.¡±. ¡°How dare you ¡°A person within the group was approaching Tiger Zheng ferociously, but when Tiger released his cultivation, the person was sted back.

    Qi general level 3. Tiger Zheng was as powerful as Lin Bao was. Maybe even stronger. The figures took a step back.¡± There is no reason to get hostile. The target is the eldest daughter of Jiao Sheng, the king of the Jiao country.¡± Tiger Zheng was taken back. Sweating all around. What was he going to do? His whole group would be exterminated if this were to happen. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the consequences.¡±

    ¡°If you agree to help us, we will make sure that in addition to the riches, we will open the pathway for your group to a new distant location. You can open a new power there, and you will have all the financial backing you would need. Also, you will have our organization as a friend.¡± The words had some allure to them. He would benefit quite a bit if that were true. Recently the situation in this area was not profitable at all. He needed to open a new business somewhere else.

    ¡°I will wait for the arrival of information before the decision can be made.¡± The figures agreed. Tiger Zheng had a nervous feeling. Something in his instincts was screaming at him to not ept this proposal, but he went on with it after he saw the information. The convoy had as single Qi general guarding it and the rest were Qi master practitioners. ¡°I will take on the job. Prepare your men. A Qi general is not easy to kill. The pay needs to be doubled.¡±

    The n and the details arrived after some time-

    .....

    ¡°they will be approaching from this route. The barricades need to be put here and here, blocking all the pathways of getting out. These are the three directions, where the barricades would be a perfect fit. We need to iste them, and then the attack will arrive. You need to divide your people into four groups. The first three groups need to be consisting of hardly three to 5 people. These three groups are just to stop outside help and bare anyone forms getting out of the istion.¡±

    He then drew a bigger circle on the map.¡± This will be the area of ambush and the biggest group along with our people should be present. The general strategy remains the same. Form a two-line ambush formation. You need to surround them. Using random and multiple tactics is best. You should just take care of having them busy. The kill would be carried out by us.¡± Tiger Zheng scrutinized the n once more, before making some addition on the ambush. The nning was done, and the groups set out to formte battle tactics and traps.

    The convoy-

    Long Tao was within the princess¡¯s caravan. ¡°I have set up an inquiry and it looks like we would be surrounded as soon as we reach this location. My sources say that this area is controlled by a bandit organization led by Tiger Zheng, a QI general practitioner, and a known criminal. I suppose the assassins have reached out to them and asked for their assistance. This will be a difficult battle. We need to verify the location from the details given below.¡±

    Long Tao drew multiple positions where the ambush could ur. Looking at the marks the princess was quite surprised. Even the captains of the team apanying them were surprised. There were just so many spots.¡± I think these are the best locations for the ambush. Now if you ask me about my choice of ce, these 5 would be great spots. I would have the advantage of the terrain. What do you people suggest we do to get out of this situation.¡± The princess was quite impressed by Long Tao¡¯s preparation. This guy managed to send in spies so deep in the country and even have nned so ahead.

    It was the time she proved her worth.¡± I think there are two spots I would choose as optimum ambush locations. The specialty of these two paces is the fact that they have fewer exit routes, so the enemy would have the least chance to escape. Also, I think they would be having multiple barricades at these locations to prevent any direct escape of ours. We need to talk on team division. Also, there needs to be a call for back up from the other side. It would provide assistance on this situation.¡± The princess lives up to her name as one of the chief strategists of the Jiao empire.

    The group division was finally done and three groups were created. The best thing about the three convoys was their alike looks. Each of the convoys had a central cart, with a princess figure sitting in them. The first group moved out. The path of the three was the same, but the idea was the prevention of harm to the princess¡¯s group and the convoys were going to act as a back-up for the attacked group. Even the bandits were confused as to which group to hit. If they were wrong and let the group containing the princess go, their mission fail.

    If they attack a group that was not including the princess in it, they will make the other groups aware of it and the back-up will be requested. Either way, the mission will be a failure. They need to ward off any chance of that. ¡°What is our strategy going to be?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s attack all three of them. Although the collective strength would be divided, so is theirs. Hence will be on the same grounds as before. From my assumption, the princess¡¯s convoy should be in the farthest, getting the highest chance of escaping once the attack happens.

    The mountainside-

    The first convoy arrived in the pathway. The same arrangement was made by the troops surrounding the convoy. Just as they were approaching the exit, a vibration suddenly urred. Thend slid down and the path was blocked. The group of bandits showed up as nned. They surrounded the convoy. ¡°Please allow us to have your possessions. The ck-mountain bandits are here.¡±.

    ¡°Heed to the order. We will act fast. No need to show mercy to these people. Each one of them will be killed as of now.¡± The soldier nodded in return of the voice. Even the bandits were surprised, but the attacks happened soon. The bandits were being killed. A single figure was taking on and leaving multiple bandits at the same time. The soldier at the back was ganging up and killing those on the side-lines. The whole affair was a bloody one. The bandits were surprised by the merciless actions of the soldiers. They were not taking any prisoners. It was just killing.

    The prediction of the bandits was logical, but they missed on the specification that Long Tao was a part of it. Long Tao was part of the first convoy and the fight ended soon. As the princess predicted, they concentrated their major power for the groups that were behind. The thinking was based on the fact that the princess might be in theter caravans, but the use of reverse psychology worked. ¡°Take the princess to safety. I will go ahead and take care of the back-up for the other groups.¡± The soldiers proceeded with the princess to reach a safe hiding location.

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 Chapter 103

    103 COUNTER_THINKING

    After killing the first group, Long Tao proceeded backward. The bandit¡¯s n was good enough to take care of the situation, but what surprised him even further was the power distribution. The general distribution would be ording to the enemy. But this enemy acted upon some random intel to concentrate their power on the other groups. This was something Long To didn¡¯t feel right about. He let his avatar follow the princess¡¯s group while being in shadows. His gut gave him a feeling that something was off about this situation. Long Tao proceeded towards the convoy at the back.

    The fighting in those locations was a bit messy too. The leader of the bandit stronghold was not to be seen in this location. Also, this was the ce where the Qi general from the Jiao royal guard was stationed. The fighting in here was a bit on the one-sided part too. Long Tao decided to take a look at thest convoy, as the general looked like he can take care of his group and the fight on his own. Thest group was the strongest in terms of soldier cement. But the enemy they were facing was the most dangerous one.

    Just as Tiger Zheng was about to attack Su Menqi with his halberd, another weapon suddenly appeared out of nowhere to set up a resistance for the attack. Long Tao soon reached the location, to find the member of the Chu military already down. The only group of people remained standing was the ck-buck squad, and Tiger Zheng was now proceeding towards Su Menqi, who had the highest kills until now.¡± Why are you fighting someone, whose power is beneath you? I will y with you, my friend¡±. Tiger Zheng responded in kind. He continued on with his set of attacks. A major brawl started.

    Meanwhile, within the hidden location where the princess was currently stationed, the atmosphere was getting cold. Even the princess got a feeling that something was not right. The group reached the location safely, just to find a group of people already being there. It was as if they were waiting for the convoy to arrive here.

    ¡°We finally got to see her majesty. would you be kind enough toy down the weapons and surrender? I will be sure to be merciful and spare your subordinates. If you try to resist, we will have to get our hands dirty. The filth generated from violence is not a good view, is it princess Jiao.¡± Jiao Mingue was nervous. She couldn¡¯t have predicted this oue. How did they know that she was a part of the first convoy itself? Was there another mole present in their group? That was the only usible exnation for the current situation. Somebody informed them of her location.

    The guards arranged themselves into a battle position. They were ready to attack. The group of people began to move forward. They had absolute confidence in their power. The strongest yers of the group were already engaged elsewhere. They couldn¡¯te here to execute a rescue. ¡°I am surprised at your wits princess. You really are the top strategist of the Jiao country, to be able to predict our pattern of attack, and trying to use the reverse psychology, which would have worked, if not for our supporter.¡±

    So, there was a mole in the group still. ¡°I hope you will let me know the name of the person who screwed me.¡± The leader of the group was surprised by the calm shown by the princess. ¡°I will have tomend your mental stature, to be able to remain calm in a situation like this requires mental fortitude. Why do you think I would give you a name? A dead person would have any benefits on knowing the name anyway¡±. The princess nced at the leader and said¡± I would at least have peace with myself, that I know the cause of my death.¡±. ¡°You are quite an amusing person princess, to be able to act na?ve at this moment.¡±

    ¡°Would you please step up my friend. The princess wants to get a look at you.¡±. One of the personal guards of the princess stepped up. She was shocked by this revtion. Not only her maid, even one of her personal guards were involved in the conspiracy of getting her killed. This was set back. The conspiracy seemed to have involved people with a deep connection in the royal court, for them to be able to insert an assassin as one of her personal guards. ¡°Now that you know about who the traitor among you is, would you be kind enough to offer me your head.¡± The figure raised his dagger and attacked Jiao Mingue.

    ¡°It¡¯s appeasing, but we would like to deny your offer, sir.¡±. A voice sounded from somewhere, and just as the figure was about to reach the princess, the hand holding the sword was cleaved out. It was so fast, that he couldn¡¯t realize it until he waved his hands tond the strike. A loud howl of extreme pain was hearding out of his mouth, on finally discovering his missing hand. A man soon walked into the light from the other side of the cave. He was holding a whole arm, which was torn off.

    .....

    Walking up to the injured attacker, putting his feet on his face, Long Tao gave out a demeaning look of absolute cruelty and arrogance. ¡°I really am impressed by the series of events that took ce. You are one hell of a nner. You made a n which was the absolute best considering the situation. The same goes for the decision-making capability, to allow a simultaneous attack on all these groups, which would lead you to have lots of causalities on your side. But you took the decision anyway, which means that you don¡¯t care about what happens to your subordinates.¡±

    ¡°the next interesting piece was your n after getting to know what our design is to get the princess out of here. The fortitude of yours ismendable too. You didn¡¯t flinch from the original n. You stuck with the same distribution, while just disengaging your small group from the party which is attacking the third convoy and came here. You knew all of this might just be a hoax and your n would fail, resulting in the death of Tiger Zheng while he attacks the third party and gets overpowered. I hope my analysis was right now. But what actually provokes my thoughts is not your brilliant decisiveness.¡±

    ¡°It is the reason behind how you could make such a great decision. A person is having one of the three reasons behind being confident about acting under such low probabilities. The first way is a simple one, you have an incredible power distribution which would allow you to take the chance in a perfect way. Necessarily you should be confident about your power is greater than the enemy. But that is not the case here, because your second group is already annihted, and you know that too, which is why you got the best members of your squad to be here.¡±

    ¡°The next option is the fact that your organization would be having a solid back-up n, which allowed you to take your chances here. The basic requirement for this is the fact that your organization sent more than just you on the assassination mission and therade of yours has a solid, sure kill the n. But I think you won¡¯t be acting on that basis, as any assassination organization or a ck division in general acts on the merits of its members. You need to show your value to the organization. So, I am sure you aren¡¯t relying on that either.¡±

    The man lying was having a serious expression just now. The analysis that Long Tao provided was shockingly so detailed and reasonable, even he was surprised. ¡°No need to fake your surprised expression. I am yet to arrive on the real reason. The most promising reason is quite simple as well. It¡¯s the presence of a mole in the enemy ranks which provides the crucial information required to act on a particr pressure point so heavily. ¡°The princess knew that the analysis was good, but the reason was quite obvious. Why was Long Tao stating all of these?

    Just as the man was about to show a more reclusive expression, Long Tao grabbed his hair, pulled it up so that his face was visible to the eyes, and then said¡± But we looked at it in the wrong way. You have moles in our rank. And that is the point, moles. The one standing there is a mole without a doubt, but he is not the one who provided you with the information right. After all, only three people in the group knew, which convoy was the one, and he isn¡¯t one of the three.¡±

    ¡°Let me list the names for you.¡±. Long Tao looked at his expression quite carefully. ¡°Its the princess, the royal guard leader of Jiao country, andstly the captain of the squad which general unrivaled assigned to us.¡± Long Tao drew his face real close to the guy and said with an enthusiastic tone¡± Who do you think it was?¡±

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 Chapter 104

    104 THE TRAITOR

    Tiger Zheng was fighting with Long Tao for quite some time now. The attacks of wither one of them grew stronger as time went by. Long Tao had to appreciate the efforts which Tiger Zheng had put in his art practice. Although he was still in the 3rd level of Qi general, his strength was way beyond his level. Long Tao was facing this difficulty for the first time in his life. Lin Bao was of the same cultivation and so was Li Xuanfa, but this guy was quite skilled in the arts he practices. Long Tao could see that the reason for the strength was not cultivation, but dedication to his weapon. The mastery of his weapon was something Long Tao has never seen before.

    ¡°I have to say you are worthy of praise Tiger Zheng. You are the first person to have made me change my weapon in a battle.¡± Long Tao initially decided that he would finish the job with his halberd only, but after confronting Tiger Zheng¡¯s attack, Long Tao voluntarily drew back his halberd. He unsheathed his sword and saberbo. The opponent deserved this respect as the Practioner of martial art to such a level. ¡°Let¡¯spare our skills. I hope you won¡¯t disappoint me, Tiger.¡±

    The fight continued and the two-weapon shed with each other. There were sparks everywhere. The Balk-buck squad took care of the rest of the people. Su Menqi¡¯s decision was to take all the enemies as hostages. The enemies were readily subjugated soon enough. Now there were just a group of people who were tied, those who were injured and the ck-buck squad tending to them, all watching the fight that was going on. One has to admire the skills of either side. Tiger Zheng looked around to be surprised by his subjugated subordinates.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get distracted when you are in a fight with me, Tiger. This might lead to your uneventful death.¡± The fight progressed, after multiple shes, Long Tao was finally able to match the guy in terms of the skills. Both the people were shaken by each other¡¯s strengths and injured during the fight. Their clothes were torn in multiple locations. Long Tao thought of it as a time to get serious about this stuff. Manifested his dominating sword spirit.

    Long Tao managed to create multiple sword manifestations thanks to his cultivation in arge variety of weapon arts. The first was a speed type, then came a dominant, a strength, and an allrounder spirit. Long Tao was currently using the dominating spirit, to attack Tiger Zheng. Just as the spirit was about t crash, a manifestation urred on the other side also. ¡°As expected, you are at the advanced stage of second-level intent too. This makes it all the more fun. Let¡¯s see how you handle two at the same time.¡± The saber manifestation was projected out too. Long Tao¡¯s saber intent as the second weapon to reach an advanced level after the sword. It¡¯s all the help from the Heaven Cleaver sect¡¯s trial.

    Tiger Zheng was finally starting to get subjugated. He started to feel exhaustion dawning on him as he saw Long Tao¡¯s continuous attacks. He was surprised to see a Qi mater level practitioner to be able to defeat him. This was not mentioned in the reports. Those bastards have tricked him into a one-sided situation, where the enemy was too powerful for him to handle. He was regretting the decision of epting their offer even when his subordinates were against it. This mistake of his was going to cost them their life. ¡°We should stop here.¡±

    Tiger Zheng was surprised at hearing these words. Long Tao acted on his words just now and backed off. ¡°Your employer is already taken as a hostage. You are not going to get paid. If we are going to proceed, I will be killing you anyway. So, it¡¯s better to lower the heat a bit. What do you say, Tiger?¡± Tiger Zheng soon saw a group of people walking toward shim. First came the convoy, which was followed by prisoners who were either walking or being pulled harshly on the road. ¡°this is the proof you will need to make the decision.

    Tiger Zheng was confused as to what he should choose. He was habituated to live a free life, and so were his underlings. If they gave up now, they would be prosecuted as bandits and attempt to murder of the Jia princess, which would then lead to death or imprisonment at the very least. He couldn¡¯t allow his underlings to die like that. If they were to die, then they would still uphold their pride even in their grave. He was trying to reach his halberd which was nearby. He would try to engage Long Tao to his very best and bet his life onto that.

    ¡± I give you three options. One is you surrender yourself and then you would be tried ording to thews of the empire. The charges as you might have already guessed, would be banditry, Treason against the country, and attempt to murder of an important guest of the empire. The resulting verdict would be the death penalty for sure.¡±

    .....

    ¡°The second choice is to try something funny at the moment, in which case I will kill you and all your subordinates now. The third is the most promising and alluring one. ¡°Long Tao reaches his hands out.¡± Join me and be one of my underlings. As a warrior, your pride must be hurt by this loss. If I leave you to die or kill you, you will never get the chance to challenge me again. But if you ept my proposal, I will not only save your life but take care of the resources you would need to get strong. You might get a chance to challenge me, and given you are strong enough, you might be able to reim your so-called pride.¡± Tiger Zhengid his arms down and said¡± I ept. But my underling would be allowed to join too.¡±. Long Tao nodded.

    Sometimeter-

    Soon enough the squad of the royal guards arrived at the spot. When they saw Tiger Zheng, they prepared themselves to attack, but a signal form Long Tao kept them at bay. After getting to know the reason behind the current situation, the captain of royal guards retaliated instantly. ¡°This a bad decision, vice-general Long.¡± Long Tao looked at him and said with sarcastic ¡°was your opinion asked for captain?¡± The royal guard didn¡¯t find a retaliation statement. ¡°I thought so.¡±.

    He approached the person who was captured in the hidden site.¡± would you like to open up, to see if you have a chance at survival, or you are sure about your doom. I will give you ten seconds to think. Choose your words carefully.¡±. The figure was scared of Long Tao¡¯s cruelty. He was already tortured to a very cruel extent. He wanted to save his skin. But it meant giving up on the other guy. ¡°one, two three, four.¡±. When the final count was about to be reached, the figure pointed at a direction, which was seeded by his head being shaved off his body.

    Long Tao looked at the direction and was quite delighted with the view he got to see. It was none other than the captain of the royal guards who was apanying the convoy as the princess¡¯s protector. The only other Qi general in the convoy was also a mole set up by the assassination organization. The princess got her second shock, Even the knight captain was a mole. Long Tao was just giving out huge bits ofughter.

    ¡°I have to say, this was unexpected even for me. Before you try to guard your honor, I would tell you why I thought of the convoy having multiple moles. The reason was how precise the attack was. It meant that the attackers were extremely sure, about the target they were supposed to take on. It meant that there needs to someone who knows where the princess would be ced exactly. This is where this guy came in. He tried to deceive the princess by showing one of the lesser pawns, but he forgot that he is confronting someone like me. ¡°. Long Tao looked at the princess ¡°I am a little dissatisfied with your presence of mind princess. ¡±

    The captain was sweating all over. He looked around to see for some escape route he can take or someone who was a potential hostage, but before he could act, a sharp pain urred in his chest. When he looked up front, he saw Long Tao looking at him with a narrow nce. ¡°your services are no longer required captain.??.The body fell down. He told Su Menqi ¡°Take all his possession. Especially the ring. That contains the evidence. No need to break the seal. It will be broken live. I am getting excited about this trip. Let¡¯s see what awaits us in the capital.¡±

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 Chapter 105

    105 THE CHU ROYAL CLAN

    Long Tao let one of the royal guard¡¯s members go back carrying the message of the captain being a traitor to the throne and one of the co-conspirators of the whole n. The convoy proceeded on its way to the Chu Royal n. The messenger met them halfway in their journey. This was one harsh travel. The shadowed moon didn¡¯t attack in further travel. It allowed Long Tao to have time for his practice. Finally, on the seventh day of travel from the borders to the Chu capital, Long Tao finally managed to break through the 10th level of Qi master and reached the maximum level for Crimson world Scripture at Qi master realm.

    Long Tao was finally confident about being able to contend with a Qi master level 4 practitioner now. He had confidence that he would be able to defeat one, in case the situation arises. This was positive news for Long Tao. He had some confidence in his strength now. The messenger was sent by the same organization which met Long Tao the first time he entered the Chu country. ¡°This is the details about the general setup of the Chu country¡¯s royal court. We have tried to mention in detail every member who is currently sighted in the capital. The boss confirmed your request for help in tracking the shadow moon¡¯s movements.¡±

    Long Tao gave out some instructions to the guy and the convoy soon entered the Chu capital district. The capital was situated in the middle of the district. Soon enough the convoy would be in the capital city. The princess started preparing herself for the uing events about to ur. The peace talks must proceed in an orderly fashion, between the two countries. The recent tension in the border regions has given rise to a huge amount of criticism form either of the armies. The hatred for each other¡¯s seems to be growing.

    To invigorate this situation even further, an annexing attack urred within the Chu countries, power stone mine, which resulted in them losing not only the primary lower grade power stone mine, but the even more precious middle-grade power stone mine underneath it. It was as if the perpetrators knew about the information since a long time. Both of these mines were exhausted of their capacities. The Chu country¡¯s military was ming the Jiao¡¯s for this event. This was unreasonable, but themon folks don¡¯t understand the activities going on at the borders. They just blindly ept any statement to be true.

    These escting matters forced Jiao Sheng to send Jiao Mingue to the Chu country for having a peace talk. The arrival of a chief strategist as a messenger of peace was the symbol of how serious the Jiao country was about this matter. This was a beacon of hope for the change of attitude between the countries, to convert this enmity into friendship. ¡°I hope you are ready for the royal court princess. Would you like me to assist you with any matters?¡± Long Tao asked cordially. The princess just breathed out and said¡± I would like you to apany me through the whole process. You being at my side, give me a sense of safety vice-general Long. I hope you would oblige to my tant request.¡±

    Long Tao had no reason to say no to her. This was after all the only way to maintain peace between the nations. He wanted that to happen as he would rather have a peaceful stay in the Jiao country for the time being. He decided to leave after he reaches, mid-tier Qi general. The war would dy his ns further.

    At this time, in a location of the Jiao royal city-

    ¡°Any news from the squad who were assigned to assassinate the princess?¡±. The guy who was asked this question came forward and bowed.¡± Reporting to the leader, the news has arrived. The squad was annihted by the vice-general Dragon of the north-eastern Jiao army. We have underestimated that guy¡¯s strength. He easily killed the whole squad.¡±. ¡°Any other updates.¡± The servant nodded and took out a piece of document which was received a few moments ago.

    ¡°Sir this is a report of one of the moles nted in the princess¡¯s convoy. ording to it, the vice-general is not only a merciless, but extremely cunning and scheming person. He managed to identify 3 of the 4 moles we nted and killed them without hesitation after torturing them for some time. He didn¡¯t even bother to interrogate the identified moles. He killed them in cold blood. We need to choose our future actions carefully leader. This is a problem. We have lost too many of the capable subordinates. Also, the convoy has already entered the Chu capital district. The convoy is now getting extra protection from the royal guards of the Chu military. ¡±

    .....

    ¡°The princess is going ahead with peace talks. ording to our agreement with that person, we need to bare them from forming a peace pact. It is integral to his n. There needs to be a war between the Jiao and the Chu for him to be able to y his cards. The future benefits of our organization also depend on it. What are your orders?¡±. The man who was referred to as the leader sat quietly in the corner for someti9me. His whole posture gave out a feeling of him being in deep thought.

    ¡°Ask nightshade to be the in charge of the assassination this time. Tell him we wouldn¡¯t tolerate failure. The lifeline of the organization depends on this task of his. As per the vice-general, we need to be cautious of him. Even with all the reports that I gathered about him, I couldn¡¯t estimate his real strength at the moment. Also, there was no mention of the weakness of any kind, neither was one which he could point out. The only integral part of his life was his squad, which was trained by him. One could see the capability of Long Tao from the growth of the ck-bucks.

    The figure wanted to have Long Tao as a part of the organization, but he knew that was not possible as of now. He needed to give up on that thought.¡± We need to assign a team of assassins to carry out the kill. Nightshade will be at the top, but we would like to have two more of his caliber assigned to this mission too. The target would now be at the Chu Royal household. The kill Is going to be difficult, adding on the fact that the princess experienced multiple attacks since entering the Chu country. They will take this matter seriously. The safety measures are going to be a problem.¡±

    ¡°Give out the instruction. I need the details regarding each member of the ck-buck squad. Search about the ones Long Tao is closest to. He/she will be our way to reach his weak spot. Also, I want you to inform all the participants of the mission to evacuate immediately after the mission is carried out and not engage with Long Tao at all. That guy is a wild card.¡±. The speaker bowed to the leader and then left.

    The Chu capital city-

    The convoy formally reached the city gates. A group of court jesters and royal guards were present ta he gates. As soon as they saw the convoy entering, they came forward. They informed the guard sat the front to inform the leader. Long Tao went out.¡± We wee Sir Long to the Chu capital city. We have been instructed by the crown prince to inform the princess, that the convoy would need to halt and rest in a nearby establishment while the preparation of wee is going on.

    Both Long Tao and the princess understood that this was a stunt to have them wait for the meeting and hence a show of authority. The convoy was directed a ce that was humble in quality. This was not expected to be a weing show. The Chu clearly wanted to undermine the convoy, but the princess took it as a challenge. ¡°Should I ask for a better ce princess.¡± The princess nodded in disagreement. ¡°We need to bear with the situation Sir Long. We are here to propagate peace. ¡°Long Tao didn¡¯t insist on it any further.

    After a long wait, finally, a jester along with a eunuch was sent to inviter the princess and the captains of the troops apanying them. The member of the Chu country army left already. So, the princess along with Long Tao and some of the additional minister apanying them went to the royal court. The crown prince was waiting with a group of court ministers at the entrance of the royal pce. ¡°We wee the Jiao princess to our humble abode. We hope you didn¡¯t have any difficulty during the wait.¡±

    One has to give it to the Chu prince to be shameless enough. ¡°There wasn¡¯t even a speck of problem, prince Chu. I hope we didn¡¯t make you people wait for long.¡± The princess went in, without waiting for the reply. Soon enough the group of Jiao country was standing in the throne room of the Chu royal n. A middle-aged figure was seated in therge seat, decorated with swords and ornaments. The princess bowed along with the ministers. ¡°We greet and salute the Chu king.¡±

    But to everyone¡¯s surprise, the king wasn¡¯t even looking at them. His eyes were on Long Tao, who wasn¡¯t even bowing, giving out an aloof expression. ¡± I wee brother Long into my court.¡± The Chu king said out with a tone of displeasure. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure brother the Chu. I hope you wouldn¡¯t mind my manners. I don¡¯t bow in front of people who are the same to me in strength.¡± The words came as a surprise to both parties.

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 Chapter 106

    106 THE CONDITION

    Long Tao¡¯s words were quite provoking. Especially when you are talking with the king of a nation in his own court. The princess had a nervous feeling about this. As per the Chu royal courtiers, they were quite angry with the expression and reply of Long Tao. How could he talk with the king with such casualty and carelessness? He was disrespectful in his manners and didn¡¯t even acknowledge his mistake. This was like a p in the face of the Chu country. The crown was being aggressive regarding this situation. He was about to take action-

    ¡°Ha-ha, you are quite a character brother Long. I have heard about your achievements on the battlefield. The soldier to have carried out the highest number of high profiles killing of our military officers. I have to say, your gutspliment the rumors about your arrogance. From the reports, I have read and the ordeals I have heard, you have the strength required to back that up. The dragons trulye out of the younger generation. Which I was expecting to see form some other people too.¡±

    The courtiers instinctively looked at the crown prince. He was bubbling with rage. But thement made hime back to reality. He was criticized by his father to arrange his actions properly. But he had the pride of being the crown prince of the Chu country, a feeling which was a result of the pampered growth from childhood. The King was dissatisfied with his offsprings, except for the third one, who went and joined Pill hall to pursue alchemy. He was the only one who managed to satisfy the conditionsid by him.

    ¡°You seem to be pretty confident in your strength brother Long.¡±. Long Tao looked at the king. Amid that crude feature of his was a ruthlessness and pride of a warrior who had been to many battles. The keeper already informed Long Tao about the cultivation of the king. It was at the 5th level of QI general. This guy was as strong as Jiao Sheng. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a match with my son here. He seems to be unwilling to acknowledge your strength from the rumors. He is a level 2 Qi general by cultivation level. I suppose brother wouldn¡¯t deny my request.¡± The prince came forward aiming his weapon towards Long Tao, provoking him for a fight.

    Long Tao was getting bored with the fights with those who were beneath him in strength. 2nd level QI general was not hispetition at all. He was about to disagree when the King said¡± he would be the tester of the battlefield on which you and I will have a learning session.¡± The King wanted to challenge him if he managed to beat the crown prince. This was a rare opportunity; one he didn¡¯t get through Jiao Sheng. How many times would an employee like him get to challenge the boss?

    Long Tao stepped out. He wasn¡¯t holding any weapon. The crown prince thought that he might have forgotten to bring it into the royal court. ¡°Which type of weapon would sir like to use. Our treasury will be the supplier for your needs.¡± Long Tao looked sympathetically at the prince like a butcher looks at a hen about to be ughtered. ¡°I would rather store them for the fight in the future.¡± Long Tao was not going to use any weapon in this fight.

    The Crown prince took it as an insult. Long Tao was looking down on his abilities. This fanned the mes of anger that were getting fired up in his body. The prince decided to teach Long Tao a lesson he would never forget. The handler of this fight came forward and announced the beginning of the fight. The prince charged directly at Long Tao with his attack. The tip of the sword was about to reach his body when Long Tao used the art of rotation. Long Tao had forgotten the use of this art. The first execution was a little rough, the prince being able to tear off a piece of his cloth.

    The confrontation continued. The second strike was evaded in a much more refined way. The process went through a gradual change. The king was getting more and more absorbed as time went by. He never imagined being able to see such miraculous art. The evade might look like running away to the audience, but Long Tao was using footwork to flow over the force used by the crown prince. ¡°Do you just know how to run away from a fight sir Long. Confront me using your strength. ¡±

    ¡°We should stop here prince Chu.¡± But how could the Chu prince give up? He couldn¡¯tnd a single strike on Long Tao. The attack continued. Even the king felt like Long Tao was ying around with the crown prince. This was aedy show as of now. He was about to stop the fight when he saw a change in Long Tao¡¯s movement. He used a strange set of body movements. This time the sword strike which looked like itnded on Long Tao was absorbed in his body. The crown prince was beside Long Tao when the view suddenly changed and he was in the air. A thrashing sound was heard soon.

    .....

    Long Tao threw the crown prince to a far of location. The Chu king couldn¡¯t take his eyes away from the fight. What was that? It was as if Long Tao used the crown prince¡¯s attack to thrown him off bnce. It was a miraculous attack of using the enemy¡¯s strength against themselves. The prince passed out from the impact. His body was badly injured from the recoil he just experienced from Long Tao¡¯s body. Blood was flowing from his mouth. Long Tao bowed to the king while everyone else was concerned about the crown prince¡¯s condition. ¡°I hope his Majesty would give me the honor of a lesson on fights.¡±

    This statement brought the king back from his trance. He remembered his words some time ago, indicating his will to fight Long Tao as long as the crown prince was defeated by his hands. ¡°We would have an opportunity during your stay for sure brother long. Now that you have entered the court for peace talks, it was insincere of me to have acted in such a childish manner. Allow me to wee you once again. Would the princess be kind enough to grace the court with your presence during your stay in the Chu capital city? Please move around and take the pleasure of a visit. The peace talks will start form tomorrow.¡±

    The minister and the courtiers had a brief talk with the princess. Some even approached Long Tao to introduce themselves. A capable young man like him was someone they wanted to have a familiarity with. The second prince and princess of the Chu empire were called upon to apany Jiao Mingue for a visit to the city. ¡°I would refrain from the visit. The princess would be gracing you with her presence. ¡°Long Tao took his leave and went back to the ce where the amodation was arranged. The three royal blood left for the market too. By the time the princess returned, the three of them seemed to have grown familiar with each other.

    ¡°I hope I would get the chance to fight with Sir Long too.¡± The Chu sibling was known for their individual specialties. The crown prince was known for his cunningness, but his loop fault was his aggression. The second prince was known for his martial strength. He was at Qi general level 3 himself, while still being young. The princess was just like Jiao Mingue, known for her strategic mind. The youngest was the most capable. He had abination of strength, mind, and alchemic talent. He was at the Pill hall at the moment.

    In the Outskirts of the royal city-

    ¡°Did you get the information we asked you for.¡± Nightshade was living in a shady courtyard at the outer rings of the city. He was assigned on this mission along with two other people having simr strength to his. He was currently waiting for the report of his subordinate regarding the arrangement in ce for the princess¡¯s protection. Hey needed to have the mission aplished this time. This was the first requirement for the n.

    ¡°The security wouldn¡¯t be a problem. The reason for concern is the royals and Long Tao himself. I couldn¡¯t get the princess alone for even a single second. She is either with the prince and princess or Long Tao himself apanies her. We might have a chance at her during a certain time in the future. The king has assured Long Tao with a fight for exchanging pointers. The royal swill is concentrating on the fight. We might be able to get hold of her alone during that time. The other way is overpowering the group princess is in. ¡±

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 Chapter 107

    107 THE ASSASSINATION

    ¡°Which one would be the best approach out of the two? That is a difficult question to answer. Each of the options has its own perks. I consider the case of the first option. It was the option asion for a surprise attack. Especially at the time of the fight, where the strongest contenders are already engaged in a duel, with no thought to spare. But the environment wouldn¡¯t be friendly for us since there will be a huge number of guards present. Also, from the reports, the king just gave his words. Whether it will actually ur is still an unanswered question. The best way is to overpower them and attack when Long Tao is not around.¡±

    The other two agreed on nightshade¡¯s words. It was the logical choice to make, one with the least risks and highest possibility of sess. ¡°identify the potential market spot and the location of the visit.¡± He looked at the other two partners his and asked them to keep an eye on the princess. ¡°You two would take care of the surveince regarding the princess. I will take care regarding the surveince over Long Tao.¡± The three of them agreed on the roles they were about to y.

    To the surprise of these people, Long Tao remained busy with conversation. It was either the king or the royal inheritors (The prince and princess) who would generally seek an audience with long To and indulge him in a thought-provoking argument rted to martial arts, politics kinship, and armed forces. While Jiao Mingue was busy in the discussion of peace talks, Long Tao got a lot of time to practice his arts.

    One of the biggest ws he had seen in his attacks is the fact that he didn¡¯t master or even came near to mastering a particr art. The reason he was able to execute such a powerful attack was due to his Qi density and quality along with a strong physical body. The first aim of his daily practice was to learn how to better control his body. He needed to first get acquainted with his body. The exercise began with a normal workout.

    Long Tao started doing normal sit-ups and crunches. Only after executing them for a small period of time, did he got to understand how uncontrolled his body really was. Although he managed to increase his body strength to the next levels, he was just getting buffed up. There was no real muscr memory improvement. The calisthenics of his body was extremely disproportionate. He needed to think of a way to get it under control. The best way to do that would be a bare-handed spar with someone. There was no better way than being taught by a real fight.

    Just as he was about to chalk out a n for proceeding, a figure arrived in his courtyard. ¡°What news do you bring me?¡± The figure indicated to enter the house. Back at Long Tao¡¯s room, the figure finally showed his face. ¡°you need to be careful about your future steps.¡±. ¡°There seems to be a new development. From what I know a whole new group of assassins has been assigned this job. They have been tailing all of the people involved. Especially you and the princess are under strict scrutiny.¡±

    Long Tao expected this to happen. The organization responsible for the assassination mission seems to be learning from their previous mistake. Him being put under scrutiny means a target being set at his back. He couldn¡¯t feel the stalker of his. They seem to be real good assassins involved this time. ¡°Have you got any information regarding the assassin assigned to us this time.¡± ¡°There is only one person we were able to identify?¡±. The man put out a painting.

    The figure drawn on the piece of paper was a camouged one. He was covered from head to toe with coverings, leaving only his eyes out. The only distinct characteristics one could see was that white hair and the grey colored eyes. The weapon held by him were two identical curved daggers. ¡°This assassin is the only one we have information on. He is called Nightshade. A notorious killer famous for his execution abilities.¡±

    Long Tao was getting excited about this whole business of assassination. There were multiple tries on the life of the princess during their travel. But he managed to overpower them every time. They seem to be serious. But one assassin wouldn¡¯t be enough to scare Long Tao unless he is at least at the cultivation above QI general level 5. ¡°This time it seems to be special. The organization seems to have sent others with the strength simr to Nightshade. This is a multi-operative mission, which means the people involved would be far greater thanst time.¡±

    .....

    Long Tao analyzed the data and the situation. As he thought even the princess and the Chu siblings were under the observation of the assassins. If he did wait for them to attack, he might not have control over the situation. It was better if they can lure the assassins out. Long Tao wanted to kill at least two operatives who were in charge of this mission. He was sure the number of operatives, belonging to Qi general ss would be no more than 4. He needed to clean the ground with 2 operatives. It would leave another one or two or a direct confrontation. Long Tao was confident in that situation.

    ¡°I need you to inform your boss regarding a certain situation. Tell him toe during mid-night¡± Long Tao handed the guy a written set of documents. ¡°It enlists the n I have made for the uing situations. Don¡¯t get caught. ¡°The man thought it was a letter formting the n of action. He decided to take it. He vanished after that. Long Tao walked outside and informed one of the guards nearby that he wanted to have an audience with the king.

    The guards vanished from the spot to inform the court regarding the request of Long Tao. He needed to distract himself. He continued his practice of body movements. All Long Tao was doing was cardio exercises, push-ups, bncing, crunches, sit-ups, pull-ups and boxing. Long Tao was currently at 3rd cirction of 9 thunder body art too. One couldn¡¯t imagine the boy¡¯s strength of the avatar at the thunder god academy. But what it did help Long Tao was enhancing the control over the thunder element to a very extent. He needed to get acquainted with his body strength, after which he decided to start his elements training once again.

    The soldier arrived near Long Tao soon enough. ¡°The king has invited you to Tea.¡± Su Menqi arrived at the location at the same time as the guard did. Long Tao called her to the side after dismissing the guard. He conversed with her for some time and finally left for the meeting with the king. All these times a figure was watching Long Tao. The one who left with a parcel gave Nightshade a feeling of urgency. It must be containing some valuable information in it. He followed the figure after Long Tao left for the court.

    In the royal garden-

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so impatient to get a meet with me, Brother Long. I suppose you have, at some point in your life yed a game of chess. Would you care to join me for a game?¡± Long Tao was silent for the starting part, but a conversation began soon enough. ¡°The assassination attempts this time seems to be a serious this time around. There are going to be multiple operatives of Qi general level attacking. I would like your help in the matter.¡±

    ¡°What can I possibly give you that you don¡¯t have. I can arrange arge number of guards to apany princess Jiao. Anything else.¡±.¡± I would like you to do no such thing I want the second prince¡¯s help in this matter.¡± The game of chess abruptly came to an end, when Long Tao sessfully lured the enemy king to a favorable position, and killed him with another piece, while he was distracted by the bait. ¡°So, you want the assassin who is going to attempt the kill by luring him in your domain. I suppose the second prince will be the ace in the sleeve.¡± Long Tao gave out a vague smile in response.

    Nightfall-

    Long Tao was moving around in his corridor when a faint footstep was heard. ¡°I presume you got my letter, Sable.¡±. The figure was none other than the leader of the rebellion, Sable. Log Tao saw the figureing into a brighter space. He had topliment Sable¡¯s talent. ¡°You managed to break through to the Qi general level so fast. Thest I remembered you were about to break through the seventhyer of QI master. You must have sieged quite some fortune during the rebellion.¡±. ¡°I have to say you managed to surprise me. As per the talent perspective, the one I saw was in the 3rd level of QI master. You stand at the very peak now. Also, you seem to be more powerful than the initial Qi generals. How can Ipare to you? Anyway, the reason regarding call me here.¡±

    ¡°I wanted you to meet some.¡± Long Tao looked around at a nearby structure. ¡°Would you reveal yourself now, Mr. Nightshade.¡±. There were no movements for some time, but soon a figure appeared. Sable was shocked by this discovery. He didn¡¯t feel any aura beforeing here. ¡°So you really were informed about me. I have to say.¡± But before he could speak, Long Tao interrupted. ¡°the assassination must be underway, isn¡¯t it?¡± Nightshade had an expression of surprise. How could he know?

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 Chapter 108

    108 KILLING TWO BIRDS

    ¡°You must be thinking ¡®how did he know¡¯, am I right?¡± Nightshade was surprised even further. This guy seems to be mocking him at the moment. But his thought was exactly as proimed. ¡°No need to be so surprised. I can exin it to you, now that you are about to die.¡± There wasn¡¯t a ting of fluctuation in Long Tao¡¯s smile. That was the thing which got on nightshade¡¯s nerves. ¡°Long Tao indicated at a table nearby with three seats. He himself sat on one of them, the other was upied by Sable. The third was left empty.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be wasting time with pretentious courtesy. I suppose you must have sent one of the assassins with a rank simr to yours to assassinate the princess.¡± Nightshade was silent the whole time. He had two adversaries in front of him. Killing them was out of the question. He didn¡¯t have the ability to do that. What he could do is run away. He was trying to search for a pathway to do that.

    ¡°No need to try anything. Let me brief you about the situation. We shall start with how I knew that the attack will be tonight.¡± Long Tao turned his head towards Sable. ¡°I think your man has beenpromised, dear.¡± Sable was taken back. How could Long Tao use one of his subordinates to have betrayed him? ¡°Do you have any proof of this usation.¡±. ¡°You are the proof yourself.¡± Long Tao gave out a mocking look at Nightshade.

    ¡°tell me what message did the messenger give you.¡±. Sable took out a letter.¡± The instruction in this letter was the only message I got.¡± Long Tao smiled ¡°Can you tell me the timing of the visit.¡±. ¡°The time was right now. ¡°. Long Taoughed, pping his hands together.¡± Exactly, the point that gave it all away. I asked him to report to you that the timing of the meeting is midnight. It means the messenger didn¡¯t personally meet you, did he?¡±. Sable was surprised. It was true that he didn¡¯t receive the letter from the messenger¡¯s hands.

    ¡°No need to answer that. I suppose our friend here canprehend what happened from here on.¡± Nightshade was able to make a theory. Long Taoid a trap for him to step on, and he foolishly followed along with the y. ¡± Now let me tell you what might have happened. The first case would be the simplest. He gave out the letter but forgot about the message. But a messenger doesn¡¯t have such aid-back memory. The second option would be he was caught by this guy here, tortured by him, and gave up on the letter. He would have struck a deal with him.¡±

    ¡°But it is unlikely. Since this guy didn¡¯t know the message, neither did you get the message. Which means only the third case remains. He was captured and killed by our friend here and his possession ere taken by Mr. Nightshade to be used by him to give a necessary boost for his ns. But he did it so rashly that he didn¡¯t get all the elements right. ¡°Long Tao was still mocking Nightshade. But nightshade wasn¡¯t feeling angry. He was starting to get nervous.

    ¡°Nowes the n. He must have asked his other partners to carry it out while he stalls me by keeping an eye. But the problem here is the elements involved in the mixture. ¡°Long Tao picked up the pawn from the chessboard. ¡°The cement was the right one. The targets were simple enough. One stalls me while the other group carries out the assassin. From this scenario, I suppose you have just three people in the group. Two except you.¡±. Nightshade¡¯s nervousness got converted into an instinctive scare.

    ¡°No need to show that expression. I will tell you how I derived that. You need to separate the whole group into 2 portions. One who will stall and keep an eye on me, while the other kills the princess in her sleep. From the records of our past encounter and the reports regarding me, you knew that I am not someone whom you can stop. But you are here all alone. You need at least two guys in the other group to take care of any unknown factors. If you had any more members, you should have at least one more with you.¡± Sable was shocked silent by these assumptions and derivations.

    ¡°Do you know that chess resembles real life very closely. It just a game of deception. The better you manage to distract the opponent; more are the more chances of a win. Now the game of chess is one of strategy and counter-strategy. From what I presume, you thought my first strategy was to gather all the help I could and then attack your group, killing every single one of you. You took the necessary steps to counter that. You killed the messenger and got the letter delivered. the real strategy was to attack the princess tonight and catch all of us by surprise.¡±

    .....

    ¡°The second thought of yours, when you were nning was the fact that all of this might be a big trap. It might have been designed by me to lure all of you in for the kill, while I would attack from the shadows. It is the reason why you chose to keep an eye on me rather than attacking the princess with the full strength of your group. ¡°Nightshade was getting pale form the realization. Sable was still justprehending the scenario that Long Tao just described.

    ¡°The next scenario is the one you yed along with. It was a scenario where you were sure about the fact that I know about you keeping me under surveince. And hence while I will stall you with my movements here, I will have another person who will be guarding the princess form shadows. Hence you sent the two of them to finish the job off. You came forward to keep tabs on me, as you are the one who is most confident in hisbat abilities.

    ¡°But here is the one mistake you did. You thought that I would be using the second prince as my ace up the sleeve, just like the king. But I would like to enlighten you about another one of my strategies, the fourth scenario.¡± Nightshade had a sudden realization of what the fourth scenario could look like. He looked at the table where the enemy was cornered from one side. In general, people would find to be one ace attack.

    But when looked closely, a sudden realization appears. The enemy, even if it manages to dodge the first attack, would still die. Because the first character was a nted one. The real ace is the second pawn, which hides in the shadow of the first, making the whole set up a sure kill. ¡°I suppose you realized what I have nned for your group.¡± One of eth life tes in Nightshade¡¯s possession just burst. Life tes were the indication of whether the person was alive or not. One of the assassins sent just died. Soon enough the other te burst too.

    Nightshade was having a serious nervous breakdown now. Both the assassin sent were killed. Just how many aces did Long Tao hide in the dark? ¡°Rather than thinking about what might have urred, you should be thinking about how to get out of here my friend.¡± Nightshade came back to reality and used what looked like a ball on the ground. It was an artificially created smoke bomb. The smoke contained a Qi canceling powder in it which prevented any detection with the help of QI usage. Sable wanted to chase after the guy, but Long Tao stopped him.

    ¡°You should let him go, my friend. He needs to get back and report to his master about his failure. His must serve as a warning to those who dare to put an eye on something that is under my protection. I have called you here for a different reason. I want you to meet someone. He is a recent acquaintance of mine. I want you to team up with him. He can give you an extremely powerful boost in terms of manpower. I would like to have you two assist me in the future, the return journey is the nearest in future.¡¯

    ¡°With your invincible strategic mind and devious ns, we won¡¯t need to worry about these assassins getting hand son you. Why act so scared.¡±. Long Tao gave out a smile. ¡°You just saw the result part and didn¡¯t think about the n itself. Although everything happened ording to my prediction, and I managed to kill two birds with one stone, you need to understand that the counter-strategy worked, because the enemy had the strategy in the first ce. What do you think would have happened if they have decided to attack the princess with their full force? ¡±

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 Chapter 109

    109 THE TALK ENDS, PROMISE

    Sable initially thought of Long Tao¡¯s n to be unbeatable. But the talk just now made him realize a new perspective of looking at the situation. The whole n was built straight upon the choice Nightshade would be making. Just as Long Tao said, If he chose to attack the princess with all their forces, he included, she would be dead by now. The choice of the division was the condition that led to the downfall of the assassins.

    ¡°Look at it from a different perspective. What if they would have attacked tomorrow instead of today? The situation would be totally unpredictable as well. Another pir leading to our sess is that they chose to attack today itself.¡± Sable didn¡¯t speak out this time. He took his time understanding the situation and looking at it from more critical angles. Although Long Tao¡¯s n was ingenious, he had prepared for just one of the oues. Anything deviating from that would have been a probability game.

    Two figures appeared soon enough. ¡°You people are here. How was the party.¡± One of the figures lifted his hands to show two heads which were cleaved off the body. Long Tao gave out a smile. As he thought two more people to take care of the kill. ¡°These two are the people I would like you to meet Sable.¡± Sable looked at the two figures and contemted it.

    ¡°He is the 2nd prince of the Chu kingdom. The other one is one of my new aplishments. You might have heard of his name to be quite famous in Chu country. Tiger Zheng¡± Sable was shocked upon knowing the identity of the two people. One was the prince of the Chu kingdom, and the other was the most infamous bandit leader in the Chu borders. Tiger Zheng was quite famous due to his strength which was at Qi General level 3.

    Sable bowed down to greet both of them. ¡°This is the guy who was going to back you up in case of need. His name is Sable.¡± The 2nd prince was also surprised. He had heard that name before somewhere. As he tried to remember it, he got a jolt of surprise. The man who led the rebellion after the attack on the mines. ¡°How does brother Long knows Sir Sable?¡±. ¡°He is an acquaintance I met by chance during my mission of assassination in the Chu country.¡± Long Tao answered normally.

    ¡°I am pleased to make an acquaintance of the 2nd prince. You might have heard of my name, against the rebellion in the mine¡¯s region. Hope the imperial highness would pardon my act. ¡°The second prince was even more surprised at seeing Sable openly admitting the fact. ¡°No need to have your guard up the prince. I wouldn¡¯t have let you two meet if not for having a friendly rtionship with each other. He would like to be an ally of yours. I think you would appreciate the help you might need to ascend the throne.¡±

    There was a strange rumor around the capital was that the second prince was just a fighting addict. He didn¡¯t have any interest in the throne of eth country. But after interacting with him for such a long time, Long Tao already saw through the pretense. He was in fact was someone who was quite interested. The only thing he wascking for showing his fangs out was allies who would back him in the court itself. Long Tao wanted the guy to be the leader. He was quite integral to the n he had.

    The second wanted to guard himself ¡°I didn¡¯t quite understand what you meant form that sir Long. ¡°Long Tao showed a light expression. ¡°Please drop the fa?ade prince. Both you and I know how much you desire the throne itself. And I think you are quite eligible out of the three. Your first brother is an over-enthusiastic bastard who is too arrogant. The third brother of yours is an alchemist. Thest thing he woulde here to do is to handle the kingdom. As per the sister, she is either too delicate or extremely cunning to have maintained that image of hers. In either of the case, she would be unfit to rule. That leaves you.¡±

    ¡°Honestly, I would like to betty money on you being the best choice for the throne. Too bad your father doesn¡¯t see it. ¡°The second prince was quite surprised for the evaluation of Long Tao. This guy was bad news. He was too susceptive to nature and was able to detect his personality. There was no use to showcase it as of now. But he wanted to rify something. ¡°Although brother Long¡¯s evaluation is quite appreciated by me, why would you think of supporting me. Don¡¯t you fear I will grab your subordinates and work against you.¡±

    .....

    Long Tao gave a narrow nce to the three people. ¡°You three, heehaw. Why don¡¯t you add your father on top of that? I assure I would still be able to kill you all as of now. Want to try dying.¡± The air around suddenly got incredibly heavy. The prince for the first time felt his life in mortal danger from an enemy who was just looking at him. It was not suppression of cultivation. Rather it was Bloodlust that overwhelmed the three of them. Bothe Sable and Tiger Zheng were reminded of who they were standing in front of.

    ¡°No reason to get a scare prince. You always need to take all the factors into consideration as a leader of the kingdom. There is a need for allies, and the people I am providing you with are alive due to my merciful attitude towards them. Their lives are something which is given by me. If they ever dare to forget that, there will be a hell lot to pay. Also, I don¡¯t think you are capable enough to entice them more than me. Let¡¯s make a bet shall we. I dare you to try and entice them. If you can, I will leave you guys to your devices. ¡°Long Tao rose and left for his room, leaving three figures in deep contemtion.

    The next day-

    This was thest day of the peace talks. The king himself was present to oversee the whole matter. ¡°I have already heard the reports on your side princess. I would like to have a peaceful rtionship with the Jiao country now that our neighbor is starting to make some weird moves. I will help you with this peace proposition, but I have a condition. ¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡¯ Jiao Mingue asked the King. ¡°before stating it I would like to fulfill my promise with brother Long here. Shall we proceed towards the arena.¡± He signaled at Long Tao to apany me. The whole Chu royal court went to the arena to experience the battle. The king was a sword user. After a long time, Long Tao was finally fighting with a figure who was stronger than him. He bowed out of respect. ¡± I hope to gain some pointers regarding my art, your majesty.¡± The kingughed out and lifted his sword. He was a long sword user.

    The fight formally began, with Long Tao charging out first. He can¡¯t let the opposite party take the initiation. It would be bad for him. So, he decided to charge in the first instance. The shes were normal. Both of them were refraining from using QI and just using their bodies to attack along with the weapon in hand. But a stalemate was soon reached. ¡°I think we are equivalent in terms of skill my lord.¡±. The kingughed ¡°Let¡¯s get a bit serious.¡± The stalemate was broken soon.

    To everybody¡¯s astonishment, it was Long Tao who was in a disadvantaged position. He couldn¡¯t think of a single way to ovee the King¡¯s power. He tried using more of his force, but his situation kept getting worse. They separated after some time. ¡°Do you know what your biggest weakness is Long Tao? It¡¯s your overconfidence when fighting someone of the same realm as you. You rely on QI and body strength so much, that you have lost control of your own body. You can¡¯t control your footwork properly. Footworkys the most basic foundation which leads to one¡¯s mastery over the sword. You need to understand and respect that.¡±

    Long Tao felt enlightened from this brawl. He requested the king for a few more rounds and the two continued for hours until it was already sunset. ¡°we would be stopping here brother Long. I hope you have gained something from this fight because I sure have. I did learn that there are always people who are above you. Let¡¯s have a fight again sometime in the future.¡± Long Tao was quite satisfied with the brawl today. The Chu king was like an angel pointing out every fault he had and instructing him. He managed to gain multiple insights into his arts.

    ¡°I have thought of eth condition princess.¡± The princess got attentive after hearing these words. ¡°I would like to have a marriage between families. There is no better way to establish friendship than a connection by blood.¡±

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 Chapter 110

    110 THE RETURN

    The convoy was finally on its way to the return journey from the Chu capital city. The peace talks seem to have gone well and the condition put forward by the king was also taken into consideration. The proposal for a marriage between the two families was like signing a contract of a partnership between the two countries. This would result at the end of conflicts that the soldiers and people of the two countries have in particr. It remained an undiscussed topic during the stay. The princess assured that she would have the message delivered to the Jiao King.

    The convoy was ready to depart for the Jiao country. Long Tao was currently in thest phase of the eleventh cycle. He was going through the rotation arts onest time before it finally came to an end. He was one level away from the Qi master peak, not considering the Soul cultivation level. The convoy left after three days of stay. The return journey thus began. Once again, the constitution of eth convoy was filled with soldiers from the Jiao royal guard and the Chu royal guard. The ck-bucks were also apanying, but Long Tao dispersed most of them for surveying the area.

    They needed to make sure that the terrain is good enough and evaluate the potential threats on the way. Long Tao had an intuitive feeling that the assassins wouldn¡¯t be bothering them during this phase. Thest confrontation has resulted in big coteral damage on their side. Assassin hall generally doesn¡¯t take on missions that are above its grade pay. Taking into consideration the amount of time the reporting is going to take and the issue of new bounty, Long Tao hoped that he would be left alone for the rest of the journey. Once they reached the royal n, the princess wouldn¡¯t be his burden to bear.

    He could now concentrate on his strength enhancement. Long Tao understood his over-confidence and dependency on his strength alone. But as pointed out, it is not what makes the whole power. He needed to enhance his skills and to do that he needed to practice them to perfection. Long Tao decided to first master his body strength and get acquainted with his physical prowess as a whole. He continued with the exercise schedule he was following during the visit. He started with the most basics of exercise, and continued upwards, doing them again and again.

    ¡°Any suggestion from you. ¡°He asked the keeper of the realm. ¡± I would suggest you do resistance training more. To get acquainted with your current body you need to practice with some extra resistance overwhelming you totally. It is the perfect way to gain control over your body. You seem to have learned the basics of forging right boy. ¡°Long Tao agreed. ¡°then use those skills to forge yourself some equipment made of Asmium.¡±

    Long Tao couldn¡¯t understand the motive at first. What help would asmium provide to them? ¡°I don¡¯t really find the use of asmium. It is a waste material that has no other property other than being able to absorb qi into it. What benefit would it bring to me? ¡°. ¡°The property in itself is what we require in your case. It could help us in resistance training. There seem to be some asmium which is present in the realm, take a look at it.¡± A block suddenly appeared in front of Long Tao.

    ¡°Lift the block up.¡± Long Tao lifted it up and found that the weight was quite unnatural. ¡°now you infuse the block with some of your Qi, and see what happens next¡± Long Tao tried that, and suddenly he felt a force dragging him down. The weight of the block changed significantly. It was extremely heavy as of now. Long Tao felt unnatural while carrying it around.

    ¡°This will be your training equipment starting from now. You will be wearing this on your body all the time starting from now. You will be able to achieve the control on your body you so eagerly desire to have.¡± Long Tao agreed. He took outrge chunks of the stone and proceed towards the forging hall. He used up a whole 10 days to forge the set of equipment. The equipment was made for each and every part of the body and Long Tao made multiple pieces for a single body part, which were bigger than the previous ones.

    He decided to n out his training and improve the resistance as time went by. the first choice was wearing breastte while training. Long Tao did it and continued his training of regr body exercise, while the avatars were concentrating on cultivation. The 12th cycle had already begun by now. He could feel reaching the maximum possible limit of this art, step by step. The forging was still continuing as Long tao was experimenting on some of the formations.

    .....

    In the convoy-

    ¡°Is there anything making you a nervous princess?¡± Long Tao asked while sitting within the carriage with the princess. ¡°there is none as long as you are here to protect me from it, sir Long. The only thought in my mind is a threat regarding the assassins. Are you positive that they won¡¯t attack this time?¡± Long Tao understood the concern. Even the core members of the squad protecting her were filled with betrayers. She had her guard up against any emergency situation. ¡°Your protection is my duty princess. Besides thest bout had cost the assassin quite some damage. They wouldn¡¯t strike without a solid n in mind. So, you can rest easy. Besides, the backup troop is always with us for help. ¡±

    The princess got the gist of it from Long Tao. They argued about the possibility of there being an attack while they are on their return trip from the Chu capital city. ¡°you need to be careful of what you do next princess. The number of moles nted in the convoy was kind of huge in numbers. The conspirators seem to have a deep reach within the Jiao kingdom. Can you think of anyone with a particr motive?¡±

    ¡°The thing I have learned in my time as one of eth chief advisors of the king and facing politics on a daily basis, every conjecture I am about to make would just be a one-sided assumption. I couldn¡¯t find a motive that was strong enough for them to be so proactive in trying to kill me. Unless it is a move to exterminate the whole Jiao n, there is a nk drawn in my mind.¡± Long Tao knew that the princess was not telling him the truth, or at least the whole truth, but he didn¡¯t try to breach her privacy.

    ¡°What are your thoughts about the peace talks. ¡°the princess asked with a curious nce. ¡°I believe the motive with which eth convoy was designed to act was sessful. Although thest statement bugs me a lot.¡±. ¡°Why is that?¡±. ¡°marriage is not a simple act ording to me. It¡¯s not supposed to be a deal. You need to have a bonding with each other to be tying a knot together. I see nopatibility between the two groups from my interactions with the royal kids of either of the ns.¡± The princess gave out a burst of loudughter as the conversation continued.

    The guards were repositioned continuously as per Long Tao¡¯s n. The return trip was a lot easier. Long Tao was honestly expecting to confront the blood generally. But the trip was a lucky one. They didn¡¯t see face o face and he was able to not start an inter-country war just yet.

    The crimson lord world-

    ¡°How far have you gotten with the forge?¡± the keeper appeared before Long Tao. ¡°I managed to create a lot of training equipment as of now, and I have also managed to group them into a training regime. We will start with the least resistance. I will take in your advice, and wear them throughout the day while following my normal training along with some extra body training. I will be using them until I get fully ustomed and handy. Then I will switch to a bigger set of equipment.¡±

    ¡°Then what are you still doing in the forge? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to start training as fast as you can?¡±. ¡°I would like to test a theory of mine within the forge. The next part of my training in forging is about the inscribing of the weapons I create with formations. I would like to test some materials out. I want to try inscribing on Asmium.¡±

    ¡°What are you really trying to do here. Asmium by default is an energy-absorbing material, which means carving on it is going to be an incredible waste of energy. What would be the benefit of carving on it.?¡± Long Tao gave out a meaningful nce, after which he returned to his regr forging activity. The crushing and ttening of metal were heard all the time, within the Crimson Lord manor.

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 Chapter 111

    111 THE CONSPIRACY

    Long Tao adopted the new practicing schedule immediately. The avatars and even the one apanying the convoy started wearing a whole set of those. The majorponents that Long Tao used were breastte, arm and wrist guard, knee guard, and shoes. The additional weight made him ufortable for the brighter part of the day. But he kept on amodating the new equipment.

    The core strength building training, which was purely physical was difficult then it used to be. But Long Tao persisted. Then came the weapon training, which major concentrated on swinging the weapon while being in a still position. Long Tao chose the exercise to build up his arm muscle and strength and create more stamina. The strike¡¯s power control was a real issue in his case. He continued the weapon training for a long time. The second phase was finally over after numerous swings of all the weapons.

    Thest phase was the biggest problem. It was the part where Long Tao started his Qi training. The equipment started showing its characteristics as soon as e regted his Qi. The first Qi training he did was a simple movement training while increasing the amount of Qi output. Long Tao really had to admire the capabilities of the stone. The weight went on increasing more and more. Although Long Tao was a constant trainer, this was the first time he was feeling this exhausted from just walking around.

    The next part was using his normal body attack techniques. The punch, kick, and movement arts using Qi were even more exhausting than usual. Finally, Long Tao was able toplete the whole set of training regimes. Even though Long Tao had an enhanced self-healing and Qi replenishing ability, this squeezed out every bit of oil he had in this system. Long Tao decided to take a break before going to the next set of training, but he was still wearing the equipment.

    The convoy-

    The convoy finally entered the Chu borers, where they were met with the North-eastern army soldiers. They instantly recognized Long Tao who was sitting at the forefront of the carriage. The Dragon general was back. ¡°Report to the tribunal and the general¡¯s manor that o am back. The princess would be proceeding to the ck-buck dwelling. The further meet can ur there.¡±. The soldier bowed to Long Tao and left without saying another word.

    The News of the convoy returning spread like a wild-fire. The princess had left with the newly appointed vice-general Long Tao. The news of them suffering various assassination attacks was wide-spread throughout the camp. There was also the incident of the royal guard caption, along with maids and soldiers being the moles within the convoy. But each of those people was wiped out. Especially the letter sent by Long Tao which clearly stated that the enemy has been decapacitated. The general received the news and proceeded towards the ck-buck dwelling.

    ¡°I would like to arrange a meeting with the princess.¡± He spelled out to the receptionist who was instantly surprised after seeing the general being present here. Sometimeter, three people were seated in the conference room of the squad. ¡°I could just hope you didn¡¯t face too many problems while returning princess. ¡°Fortunately, due to the magical spell-work of Sir Long, the assassins chose to retreat and leave the convoy alone general. How is the situation at the borders now? ¡±

    The general gave Long Tao a quick nce before looking back at the princess ¡°The situation is on the positive side as of now. The Chu country is working on its border rtions and the soldiers seem to be less violent as of now. The shes have reduced to some extent. Overall, I would say that the peace talk was somewhat peaceful. What is the situation in the Chu capital?¡± The princess gave a brief ount of what happened there.

    .....

    ¡°You really are an arrogant fellow. First, you decided not to bow to the king, you injured their prince and even challenged the King To a duel. I hope the actions were fruitful vice-general Long Tao. ¡°. ¡°I assure you they were. I seem to have found some rare jewels and my duel with the king was eye-opening. He was kind enough to point my ws out perfectly.¡± The general discussed the matters regarding the Chu royal court for some time.

    ¡°I would like to warn you about the undercurrents that are slowly enveloping the Jiao country. There seems to be a big plot brewing and the conspirators have deep pockets along with an incredibly close reach to the Jiao n itself. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if someone from your n is involved in it too. You need to keep your eyes open for any irregr actions around you and be aware of the shadows. We are not yet clear who might be in there. Especially the main family needs to be extra vignt.¡±

    The princess agreed to the words spoken by the general. There seems to be something off about the whole situation. Long Tao¡¯s words were making here think amount the past of the n and the members. Who might have a possible motive to have employed such arge amount of killers? ¡°I would like to request the general for something.¡±. ¡°Anything for you princess.¡±. ¡°I would like Sir Long Tao to apany me for some more time. ¡±

    Before the general could reply, Long Tao took the lead to reject the offer. ¡°the n doesn¡¯t sit well with me princess. I hate going to the capital city anyway. Besides, you would have your own guards arriving tomorrow to pick you up at any moment. I would like to stay and train in the camp. The trip has postponed my goals by quite arge extent. I would like to return to a normal scenario for once. ¡±

    The princess didn¡¯t expect a straight forward rejection. ¡°I thought us to be friends Sir Long. ¡°. ¡°that we are, but my time is still a precious princess. I don¡¯t want to get involved in royal politics. I would rather improve my strength, to face the adversities I may confront in the future. I hope you have a safe return trip and which you luck regarding the investigation for the culprit behind the situation. Thank you.¡± Long Tao was about to leave when the general suddenly spoke out.

    ¡°I think you should go with the princess vice-general. You don¡¯t need to oppose the proposition directly. Let¡¯s make a deal. If you agree on apanying the princess, I will be lecturing and mentoring you for a whole month in personal duels and all the missions your squad epts during your absence would result in double the points they are worth. What do you think Long Tao was not attracted towards the point, but the tutoring session with a peak Qi general was rather appealing. He could improve his strength in so many sections. ¡°Fine, I will agree on the proposition.¡± Long Tao left the room.

    ¡°Trade properly with this guy princess. He is the most unpredictable and dangerous card in my sleeve, and I am presenting him to you. Use his services wisely, otherwise even I can¡¯t predict what the oue would be. ¡°The princess nodded in agreement. Long Tao was an extremely cunning but wild person with a heinous attitude. He wouldn¡¯t show even a shred of mercy to his enemies. The princess wanted him to one of her supporters. She could somewhat control the fate of the country then.

    Somewhere in the Jiao country-

    There were three figures present in the ck hall. All three of them were seated and discussing something. ¡°I would like to know the reason you have sent a summon for me. Is the task so impossible for you? Do I need to contact the ck-dagger hall for their services? They would at least provide me with some satisfactory results except the death of subordinates and pawns on my side. ¡± The figure sitting in the middle of the hall listened carefully.

    ¡°I would not force your actions but would insist on you to hear about the whole situation. The enemy in context seems to be real cunning for being able to hide their actual strength for such a long time. What makes it force is the fact that the enemy has coagtion of both brain and power. I would like you to meet someone who was assigned to this mission and hear what he has to say.¡± The figure pointed out and a man chained and recently tortured was brought out. ¡°This is a nightshade.¡±

    ¡°I have only one word for these fools here. He will kill you all. You should keep a distance from him. He was able to predict each and every thought of mine since the time I have been involved in nning the attack. The cement, the distribution of manpower, the spots to be guarded. Every single step was seen through him as if it were nothing. You should hide. if he gets involved in this affair, he will mercilessly wipe your side out. ¡°Nightshade was suffering from mental trauma.

    His name was quite known in the circles of assassins. The other two were surprised by the state he was in. ¡°Just a single sh gave him such mental trauma. Still think that you could win the war with power alone.¡±

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 Chapter 112

    112 A PLEA FOR HELP

    The reports of the incidents wereid out clearly in Infront of the two people. ¡°The incident was clearly out of our expectations. The man who was in charge of the convoy, I hope you do know him, don¡¯t you? His name is Long Tao. Does it ring a bell?¡±. The figures were surprised after hearing this. Long Tao, isn¡¯t that the champion of the previous gathering of the younger generation. He chose to be enlisted in the military. ¡°You should be knowing him quite clearly, don¡¯t you Bai Shan. Would you mind giving us a report.¡±

    ¡°he was the young lord of the Long n, the son of Long Shen. We used the ck- dagger hall to make him a cripple in the first attack. He was saved somehow. He seemed to be a waste after that, but things changed. We orchestrated another attack on him while he was on a return trip and hence, he was thrown from the cliff. It was thought that he was dead. But this bastard reappeared at the royal gathering, taking the second position, while Long Mengchen took the 1st. He nearly crippled our young master.¡±

    ¡°The news after the event is not clear to me. We temporarily eliminated him as a threat due to hisck of strength and him abandoning the Long n, to join the north-eastern military. We thought about sending someone to keep tabs on him, but it seemed that he had gone up against Lin general of the army and was sure to die. The cub seems to have grown fangs in the due time. How powerful is he?¡±.

    ¡°Grown fangs you ask. I read his file until now, and I have only a single word to describe him, monster. That guy was not only able to grow exponentially in strength, but he also killed Lin Bao publicly along with his whole n, and took on the position as the vice-leader of the army, named Dragon.¡±

    ¡°his squad was the worst one, but after its arrival, it is said to be the strongest squad within the north-eastern army. The Lin general tried to get him prosecuted and managed to turn some of his subordinates against him, but he killed each one of them without batting an eye. The cell holding the ck-buck squad members was described as a gutter of blood, with numerous bodies lying in there. No one knows how many he managed to kill until now. As per the mission records, they are even more astounding. He seems to have carried out the highest number of high profiles killing within the enemy ranks, which include numerous advance level Qi masters.¡±

    ¡°As per the mission, the general seems to have assigned it to him due to his new appointment as the vice-general of the army. He managed to get the princess through the multiple adversities we put them through and reach the Chu capital city. He killed each and every assassin I sent after them. Not a single hostage was being left alive.¡±. ¡°Didn¡¯t nightshade managed to escape?¡±. The personughed out. ¡°he was allowed to leave to serve as a warning. He wants me to understand the consequences of going after him. Do you feel he is still the cub you thought him to be?¡±

    The figures were silent. They didn¡¯t expect Long Tao to be a variable in their ns. He managed to offset the whole flow of the n by saving the princess from those assassins. They need to re-think their steps.¡± What is the current status? ording to the mission, the royal guards should be going to pick the princess up, and Long Tao wouldn¡¯t be with them. We can take our chances right there.¡±

    ¡°I would suggest you wait for a bit. The person whose life is at risk here is no fool. She wouldn¡¯t let such an incredible card fall out of hand. She is sure to ask him to apany her to the capital city and help with court politics. You should know what might happen if that were to be the case. The whole n might be at risk.¡±.

    ¡°if he chooses to ept the plea of eth princess andes here, we will give our best to take care of him first. With him out of the picture, we could easily move forward with the n.¡±. ¡°Do you know the current limit of his strength. What is the amount of estimated resources needed? Do you have any idea about that?¡¯. The two figures waited for the guy to continue. ¡°I think we should try to entice him to join us. Maybe he will give up on helping the princess ande to our side.¡±

    .....

    ¡°That is a big maybe there. What if he chose to not ept? We should be ready with an attack team to strike at the exact moment. I will ask for the help of cultivators from our organization and the Bai family too. We need to take care of this guy once and for all. Stay with us and you rule the world, defy us you die.¡±

    The ck-buck dwelling-

    ¡°I suppose Sir Long is not happy with my proposal. I am sorry to be a burden, but this is necessary to ensure my safety until I reach the royal court. I will make sure to pay you for the services you agreed to provide. But I would like to request your help. I by myself am not able to uncover the conspiracy behind this whole matter. I would like you to be apanying me until this whole disaster is over.¡±

    Long Tao didn¡¯t want to involve himself in political scenarios like this where he needed to choose between the two parties. By default, he should be going with the winning one. But promising the princess now would mean that he was sure to take her side. He would have to apany her through the mud if this goes haywire. His life depended on it. ¡°I would like to take some time to think about my reply. If the princess wouldn¡¯t mind, would you please give me some time to think about it. I don¡¯t want to rush my decision.¡±

    The princess clearly understood the mindset of Long Tao. He didn¡¯t want to actively choose sides. He would go with the one that won the battle. This was something the princess didn¡¯t think about until this moment. Long Tao had no interest in political power. He joined the military with that sentiment. No matter if the ruler stays the same or changes, his motive is to protect the borders. He would b sticking his head out if he chooses a side.

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°I finally managed to get acquainted with the extra load. I don¡¯t have any problems with the regr movements, but the Qi training is hell. The more I want to increase the power output, the more is absorbed and heavier the whole thing gets. I need to practice this body of mine as of now. The body training regime needs to stay the same, I will increase my Qi training.¡±.

    The keeper agreed with the schedule. ¡°How is cultivation going?¡± ¡°I am officially at Qi master peak as per hell-forge art. I now need to concentrate on soul and body cultivation. The soul is still at 5 revolutions. 4 more to go. The body cultivation is at 70th tertiary meridians. 38 more to go. I need more body cultivation resources. Its time I collect the thunder pills from my master for the 9-thunder body art. I am officially at the peak of the 3rd stage. I am quite sure about reaching the 5th. 6th is going to be a huge problem.¡±

    ¡°Thunder pills do have tyrannical Qi power within them which can help in the opening of the meridians, but you need to be careful about their strength. Such high power might damage it somehow. Although you practice Weapon tempering art, I still need you to be careful. If you manage to swallow your first beast me.¡±. Long Tao nodded.

    ¡°The year-end mark is approaching soon. Where is your alchemy level at? ¡°. ¡°I am at the 2nd level advanced level. I need to practice more. I will start doing so as soon as Iplete my training in the soul arts and body cultivation.¡± The keeper sighed. Alchemy can never be one¡¯s prime objective after all. Strength is everything.

    7 dayster-

    The convoy carrying the princess hurried day and night t reach the Jiao royal city as soon as possible. They didn¡¯t want to take any chances. Long Tao¡¯s approval of apanying them gave a huge boost to the confidence but they still picked the pace. The new royal guard who arrived was also very serious regarding the security of the princess. They sent a level 3 Qi general to guard here this time. It was a serious upgrade.

    Long Tao was engaged in his daily training, as usual, He was thinking of possible ways to avoid the conflict, not knowing that his arrival, already marked him with some seriously bad luck.

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 Chapter 113

    113 I STAND BEHIND YOU

    The convoy formally stepped into the royal city of Jiao country. Long Tao¡¯s third visit was marked with the military of the central regions along with the royal guards waiting for them. The court jesters and ministers bowed in wee when they saw Long Tao entering the city gates first. ¡°We wee the Dragon general. The king along with royal princes are waiting for your arrival along with the princess. You are requested to visit the court this instant. The convoy will directly proceed to the royal pce.¡±

    The royal pce-

    Jiao Sheng was sitting on his throne while the court ministers were presenting the daily reports regarding the Jiao country. ¡°Sir recently many incidents have been urring within the country which could lead to natural disruption of everyday life. We have seen a rise in multiple bandit groups. The number of assassinations in these days has skyrocketed and man of them are rted to the trade links of royal families. There have been attempts to siege our resources from the mines too. We need to take strict actions fast.¡±

    Before Jiao Sheng can survey the report one of the royal guards came in and reported ¡°The convoy has arrived at the city gates. The princess has requested an audience with his majesty.¡±. Jiao Sheng nodded and asked them to be invited in. Soon enough multiple figures made their way into the pce. Thest to enter was the princess and Long Tao. Jiao Sheng was surprised to see Long Tao appearing here, but soon gave an approving nce.

    The princess came forward and bowed, so did Long Tao. ¡°Raise your head. How was the whole trip? I have heard the reports you have sent back, but would like to hear a first-hand description from your mouth regarding the matters.¡±. The princess gave in her reports and started describing the whole trip.

    The facts were soonid out. The multiple assassination attempts, along with the matters which appeared in the royal court. The proposition of the king. The trip can be calcted as being a sess. Jiao Sheng was satisfied with the result, although the demand of the Chu king was a little out of his expectations. ¡°I will be discussing the matter with all the courtiers and the reply will soon be sent to the Chu country. How about you Long Tao, what was your experience about the trip.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t bad. I did get to meet the king and gain some insights into martial arts after having a match with him. Although the trip has been a sess, the number of attempts on the princess¡¯s life is rming. I have to say, for such detailed nning, the enemy seems to have an insider on his side. You need to be careful your majesty.¡±

    ¡°I have read the special mentions you have made. I would like to invite you to have a discussion about the scenario. We would love it if you can take some time out to have diner with us after which we will proceed to the discussion room.¡± Long Tao agreed and left for his boarding lodge. ¡°what are your thoughts about him Mingue?¡±. ??? I have a feeling that he is integral for our survival in these dark times. The forces which are trying to attack and manipte the scenes from the dark are strong. We need a hidden ace of our own. He can be that ace.¡± Jiao Sheng agreed to the proposal.

    The Crimson Lord world-

    .....

    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand your decision to join the political warfare. Your mission should end here, but you promised the princess that you will apany her through the situation. Why is that?¡±. ¡°I am indebted to the white dragon emperor for his inheritance. He asked me to hunt his enemy, but I think he also wants me to be helpful to the Jiaos. They are his descendants after all. I wouldn¡¯t ignore someone¡¯s favor to me. I will make sure to pay it up.¡±

    ¡°Do what you like. How is your training proceeding?¡±. ¡°I managed to gain insights into the sol cultivation levels. I am currently at the seventh rotation. I am confident to be able toplete it by another 2 months here. The problem is the body cultivation. More the number of meridians being opened, the higher is the difficulty to open the next one. I managed to open just one after taking the thunder pill. The rest of the energy was absorbed by the meridians and acupoints, along with the life weapons being tempered. I need a stronger source of energy to clear the meridians.¡±

    ¡°I have an idea that might help you, but you would need to invest huge resources in it. Do you remember the thunder energy we managed to collect from the thunder pool until now? We can set a formation to concentrate that energy into thunder balls. These balls, unlike the thunder pills you managed to get, would be containing the purest variety of thunder. The problem is the energy itself is very dangerous to practice with. The danger increases by at least ten timespared to the thunder pills. Would you like to take the risk?¡±

    Long Tao contemted on the topic for some time. ¡°what is the investment part.¡±. ¡°The first resource which would be used dup is the thunder pool itself. If you managed to use up the whole pool, the number of balls made wouldn¡¯t exceed 3-4.¡±. Long Tao was taken back. The pool would just result in 2-3 balls of thunder. That is serious damage to his resource treasury.¡±

    ¡°the next part is the holder you need to make. You need to create a storage vessel for having the thunder energy concentrate in there. Now the storage vessel needs to be able to hold that much of energy and the resources required to build such a vessel is going to be quite high.¡±

    ¡°What is the cost estimation?¡¯. ¡°you would need to use all your military points to collect the resources required to carry out the procedure.¡± Long Tao was scared hitless. All his military points. Is the keeper insane? ¡°Isn¡¯t creating a holder waste of resources. Can¡¯t I just concentrate al the energy into a small condensate by using pure Qi.¡±. ¡°In theory, it might be possible but you need to be careful. The condensation itself is not an easy task, and you want to do it without a holder. It is going to be extremely dangerous. Any misgivings during the process would lead to a Qi explosion.¡±

    Long Tao decided to not spend his points on this holder, but rather buying precious herbs and weapons from the military treasury. He could also buy lots of Qi stones with the points earned. ¡°How much of a boost can that thunder ball gives to me?¡±. ¡°With a thunder pill you are able to open a single meridian as of now, but after some time it won¡¯t be possible to open one without two thunder pills. Counting the amount, you have you can open only 5 more meridians. With the thunder balls, if you are lucky enough, you can open 5 meridians at once. Do you understand the benefit?¡±.

    ¡°I have one other advice. If you are deciding not to spend the points on a holder, use it to gather herbs which can be used to concoct purification liquid. This liquid is a body enhancing elixir, which helps you rify the impurities umted in your body. The recipe would be avable in the pill pavilion of the crimson lord pce, or you can find one in the pill hall too. Think about it. You should purify your body before, trying to break through the Qi general realm.¡¯ Long Tao nodded in agreement. He decided to use it that way.

    In the royal pce-

    Long Tao was practicing his body movements and refining his techniques, with the resistance training equipment he had made. He finally managed to get to the desired point with the first set of equipment on his body. Long Tao decided to verify the result of his training. As soon as he let the equipment down, his whole body felt as if it was weightless. The training has managed to give him satisfying results.

    ¡°The princess would like to have an audience with Sir Long Tao.¡± The guard on the entrance door reported. Long Tao signaled him to let here inside.¡± I hope I am not bothering Sir Long¡¯s training schedule. I would like to have a talk with you regarding some urgent matters.¡± Long Tao replied¡± No offense taken princess. What can I help you with?¡±. The princess handed Long Tao a set of documents. ¡°This is the list of the potential moles in our royal court and the various organization that might be involved in the plotting of something big. I would like you to investigate the matter.¡±

    ¡°I will start looking into these partied ASAP. You shouldn¡¯t be nervous princess. You invited me to help you handle the matter, and I promised to see the end to it. I stand behind you in this matter.¡±

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 Chapter 114

    114 DEATH OF JIAO SHENG

    Long Tao continued his practice after the Jiao Mingue left. ¡°The most important thing now is to improve my strength. I will be concentrating on soul cultivation for the next week. I hope to reach the peak by then.¡± With the help of the crimson lord world and its 1:6 ratio of time, Long Tao could stay in there for two months,pared to the 1 week in real world. ¡°I need to have most of my clones concentrate on the soul cultivation.¡±

    The other part he needed to cultivate was his body. The thunder pills wouldst him for the next 5 meridian opening. He still has 28 more to open. The thunder balls would be a huge help to him, but even then, he would be a huge help, but even then, he would be left with 13 more meridians to take care of. He knew that those 13 would be really hard to open. He needs to get his hands-on strong source of energy if he wanted to open thest 13 tertiary meridians.

    Long Tao started the process of excavating more of his meridians with the help of the thunder pills. Soon enough Long Tao managed to open the 5 more meridians up. Long Tao could feel his body getting stronger as time went by. It was already two weeks in the Crimson Lord world by now. Long Tao only concentrated mostly on soul cultivation, which resulted in the end of 7th rotation and start of the 8th. It was time to begin the creation of thunder balls.

    Long Tao started to gather 3 of his avatars around the thunder pool. ¡°how should I proceed?¡±. ¡°You need to use the elemental affinity of your body to first absorb the thunder energy in the pool and concentrate it into a ball sized energy source. The size once created will not increase any further, and you need to force feed it with energy, until it finally can¡¯t hold its form. The energy in the pool can be used to make 3 balls at most.¡±. The keeper decided to divide the pool in three equal parts.

    Long Tao started absorbing the Qi along with the avatars. The distribution of work was simple. Two avatars would be responsible for absorbing the Qi , and the other two would be responsible for concentrating it into a ball of thunder. The process started. The absorbing part was simple, but as time went by, the concentrating part started to get more and more difficult. The two avatars were having a very hard time managing it.

    Both the avatars started sweating out of nervousness. The thunder energy was getting more and more wild as time went by. One could see the thunder pool slowly vanishing out of sight as the ball of thunder grew more and more shiny. The energying out of it was quite a lot. Long Tao didn¡¯t expect to be surprised by the amount of energy radiated from it. This pure thunder energy is going to be troublesome to absorb.

    After lots of hard-work and absolute luck , Long Tao finally managed to concentrate all that energy into a ball. The first ball of thunder was finally created. Long Tao was still acting pretty nervous from the events that passed. He had almost run out of his Qi. A small mistake there and all his avatars in to the task would have been destroyed. ¡°I apologize for not taking your advice carefully. I will be more cautious from now on.¡± Long Tao said to the keeper.

    Long Tao continued the process after recovering his lost Qi. The process this time was a bit easier. The thunder ball was created with rtive ease. Long Tao took his second break after that. Finally, after sometime, Long Tao managed to form the third ball of thunder too. ¡°I will take a break for the day. We will start the cultivation of meridians tomorrow.¡±. The keeper agreed. For a martial artist, the mental stature needs to be perfect.

    The royal city-

    .....

    Long Tao ended his training for the day and started to look into the lists. The first few mentions were quitemon ones, like the ck dagger and the shadow moon. Both of these assassination organizations have tried to take Long Tao¡¯s life, being killed by him in return. Long Tao had an especially bad impression of ck dagger hall. They were responsible for him being a cripple and almost killing him. If it was not for the three manuals, he wouldn¡¯t be alive today. He vowed to wipe them out. As per the Shadow moon, a deep enmity has been built between them and Long Tao, due to the number of people they have lost in his hands.

    The third mention was some merchantpany, named Merin. Long Tao decided to look into it first. They he saw thest mention in the organization list. Long Tao¡¯s hidden rage spilled out. The Bai n, was the fourth suspect. Long Tao¡¯s miserable fate was because of an enmity caused by the Bai can¡¯s existence. He decided that he will have his revenge. But it was too irrational to kill all of them and Long Tao didn¡¯t want to let them off so easily. So, he decided to do something even darker.

    ¡°I will cripple each and every member of that n. They would stay alive due to the mercy shown by me.¡±. No one can point it as being heinous. But in a world of cultivation, Long Tao knew that being a cripple was much worse than death. Especially when the whole n turns into a cripple. The keeper was worried regarding the bloodlust that Long Tao cultivated over the years, but he couldn¡¯t interfere in that. One needs to choose their own path.

    Long Tao also read some of the individual mentions written in there, and the first guy mentioned was the finance minister. Long Tao decided to visit his house first.

    The finance minister-

    ¡°Sir, someone is out there requesting for a meeting with you.¡±. ¡°Who is it?¡±. The guard nervously said ¡°He asked me to tell you that he is the one who ripped your brother¡¯s head clean from his body.¡±. The finance minister broke a nearby table. So that bastard decided to pay him a visit after all. ¡°let hime in.¡± the guard left. ¡°I hope you are ready with the proposal.¡± A shadow emerged from somewhere in the dark. ¡± if he doesn¡¯t agree, I will take action to kill him.¡±

    Long Tao entered the mansion just to find the finance minister waiting for him on his couch. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect sir Long Tao to pay a visit to my humble dwelling. How may I help you?¡±. Long Tao said with mocking tone.

    ¡°No need to act any further. I killed your brother and already know about your involvement with the shadow moon and ck-dagger hall to carry out the assassination. I am here to capture you for interrogation in prison.¡±. The finance minister was surprised by the straight-forward attitude of Long Tao. ¡°Do you have any proof to certify your usation?¡±. Long Tao wanted tough.¡± DO you think I need to have proof to kill you.¡±? The finance minister was now bubbling with rage, but he was nervous more so.

    ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves here.¡± A sound came from the shadows. Long Tao was surprised that he didn¡¯t manage to sense this guy any sooner. He managed to hide from Long Tao¡¯s senses for such a long time. This was a mistake on his behalf. ¡°I have tomend Sir Long on his bravery and intelligence. You managed to guess so much just from the little clues we carelessly left behind. You even managed to outwit my assassins and kill every single one of them except Nightshade.¡± Long Tao wanted to interrupt, but the figure continued¡± Who you sent back alive as a warning.¡±

    ¡°I would sincerely like to invite you to our camp. Both of us know that the Jiao¡¯s are not efficient enough any more, neither are they powerful as they were. It is the weakest moment of the Jiao n, and we can step in to be the better ruler in their ce. I invite you be one of the pirs on which the new empire will stand. I assure you the benefits will not put the position in shame.¡±. Long Tao raised his hands to stop the guy¡± I would like to rify something. I have no interest in your venture. Also, I have promised the princess I will help her in the sustenance of the n. So, would you two like to apany me without a fight, or shall we start the brawl here.¡±

    The atmosphere grew tense. The figure who emerged, spread out his aura. Level 5 Qi general, just like Jiao Sheng. But Long Tao was no longer fearful. He was sure he could tackle with a single level 5 Qi general. The figure started to vanish, but Long Tao was a bit faster, the sword sh reached the figure before he could hide his aura. ¡°Do you know the biggest w of an assassin; it is the fact that they are not good in one on onebat, once they are identified.¡± The brawl continued and as he predicted, Long Tao began to overpower the guy.

    The figure had never imagined that Long Tao would be so powerful. He decided to escape from here. He picked his dagger and threw it at the finance minister, killing him, after which he threw a smoke bomb and vanished. Long Tao looked around, just to find the corpse of eth finance minister. He picked it up and walked out, towards the royal pce to report.

    The royal pce-

    Just as Long Taos set his foot in the gates, he felt the atmosphere to be unusual. He entered the royal court to see a surprising view. Jiao Mingue was currently sitting on the throne. When she saw Long Tao carrying a body with him, which was identified as the finance minister after being put down. ¡± So the guy was guilty after all. I thank you for the service sir Long.¡±. Long Tao nodded. ¡± What is the situation here princess?¡±

    Jiao Mingue calmed herself down. She couldn¡¯t bear to break down at this moment. She needs to confront her allies with the truth. . ¡°An emergency situation has arise sir Long. The King has been assassinated. The killer is still being pursued at the northern walls. We shall have their report any time now.¡±

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 Chapter 115

    115 THE ASSASSINATION

    Long Tao didn¡¯t manage to process the events for some time. ¡°could you please repeat what you just said, princess?¡±. Jiao Mingue could understand the reason for Long Tao¡¯s behavior. This was an even greater shock for her, but she couldn¡¯t bear to give up on the royal throne at the moment. ¡°The king has been found dead in his chambers, with a knife sticking from his chest, lying on a blood pool. The assassination was carried out in cold blood, and managed to get the king while he was unconscious.¡±

    Long Tao took some time to digest the news. The king was found dead. He just confronted an assassin group leader who was as powerful as the king himself. But just now, someone managed to kill the king. It means someone who is at least as powerful as Qi master level 5. This was no joke. The n of assassination seemed to be very borate. They actually managed to catch Jiao Sheng in his sleep.

    Long Tao already knew that the finance minister was one f the culprits, but the one he fought managed to get a life-threatening strike on the minister. Long Tao got to evaluate his soul, but the information he got was not much. The soul perished soon enough. All Long Tao got to know was the name of some other court officials who were involved. He was supposed to take action in live court, but the situation here just spiked up in danger. Jiao Sheng¡¯s death restricted Long Tao from taking any immediate actions.

    Long Tao made up his mind and took his leave from the royal court after handing the corpse to the royal guards. The royal guards were the most suspicious of all the groups and Long Tao didn¡¯t want to leave Jiao Mingue with them, but she needed to handle the matters in the royal court and Long Tao doubted they will take any steps in public. He needed to make some arrangements fast. He instantly sent a message to Su Menqi, ordering her to abandon the mission if any, ande here along with eth whole ck-buck squad.

    But they would still take around 7 days to reach here, and they need to be covert on top of that. This was going to be a problem. He needed to use the people of the Royal academy. That is the only other organization that has Long Tao¡¯s clone in it. But he doubted that there will be lots of members of the rebellion in the royal academy too.

    Long Tao was just a bit far from achieving the pinnacle of Qi master and step into Qi general. He could easily handle these matters once he rises in power, but he needs someone to distract the enemy until then. He was pretty sure; the organization was already keeping an eye on his movements. He needs to use his avatars to and a horrible strike today itself.

    The royal academy-

    Di Tao was practicing his arts as usual. He suddenly stopped his movements and left for his dwelling. So, the first strike has already appeared. The news was yet to be dered to the public. Di Tao managed to find some followers during his stay. Most of them being those he had defeated and were training under him to outgrow his power.

    The n was alreadyid out. He needs to distract the enemy. But for that, he needs to have quite a number of people working for him. He instantly reported to the third prince who was also training in his pavilion.¡±I hope the prince already got the news.¡±.

    .....

    The third prince was surprised at Di Tao appearing in his courtyard so suddenly. ¡°what news brother Di?¡±. ¡°your father, the king has been murdered. The assassination was carried out in the early hours during his sleep. The enemy hides in the shadow. We need to take some precautionary measures ASAP.¡±

    The prince couldn¡¯t manage to react properly. he had an emotional break-down. How could his father die so early? Long Tao could understand his friend¡¯s dilemma, but he needed to act fast.¡± I understand your current emotions but we need to act fast. Come to my dwelling.¡± Di Tao helped the prince up, and they were on the move.

    Both Di Tao and Jiao Shen got into his dwelling.¡± The information has been suppressed as of now to prevent chaos, but it will be out soon enough. We need to act fast. The news was given by my brother, Long Tao. I suppose you remember him. He is currently acting as one of the supporters of your elder sister. He informed me that the enemy has too deep a reach in the royal pce. He managed to get his hands on the finance minister. He requested that we take help him take a certain action, outside the royal pce.¡±

    Di Tao discussed the n with Jiao Shen, who listened carefully. The list of targets was created. ¡°We act tonight or we will lose the element of surprise. Every single one of them will have thest day in the world today.¡±

    The borders-

    Su Menqi and the ck-buck squad were carrying out hordes of mission at the moment when she received a message in the token given to her by Long Tao. After hearing the message, Su Menqi immediately gathered the squad around and shared the message. The ck-buck squad set out for the capital city instantly. Su Menqi worked hard as per the instruction of Long Tao to improve the individual power of each squad member. The least cultivated among the members present was at Qi mater level 5. Su Menqi herself was at Qi master level 9.

    The royal pce-

    Long Tao waited for the arrival of the princess. It was around noon that the princess decided to pay a visit to him. ¡°I hope Sir Long will stay strong on his promise. I couldn¡¯t afford to lose a confidante at the moment. ¡°. Long Tao understood the peril the princess is facing at the moment.

    ¡°I stay true to my ideals princess. It doesn¡¯t change situationally. Also, its already toote for a change of site, after I have killed one of their members and defeated another one. I rejected their proposal.¡± The princess was surprised at hearing about the matter. Long Tao described his meeting with the finance minister and his associate.

    The princess sighed a breath of relief on knowing that Long Tao didn¡¯t abandon her. ¡°You need to get a hold on your nerves princess. This is not a good time to break-down. I want you to keep in mind that you need to stay as close to me, or someone of your n who is as powerful as me for tonight. Do you have someone in mind.¡±

    A voice was heard nearby ¡°She could stay in my protection.¡± It was none other than Jiao vie-general. He was stronger than Jiao Sheng as well as Long Tao. ¡°It¡¯s lifted a huge burden off my shoulder to have you on our side.¡± Long Tao rxed.

    ¡°Do you have a n of action?¡¯ The princess asked. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that princess. I will give you a good head start. You should start gathering your forces. We will act as soon as I give you the signal.¡±. Long Tao looked at the vice-general ¡°I truly hope you are on our side. I don¡¯t want to add you on my kill list.¡± The generalughed out loud. Long Tao left without saying another word.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t take offense uncle.¡±. The vice-general looked at the princess ¡°He is an officer with the same rank as me. I am sure that he is on our side now. He dared to threaten me even after knowing my power and reach. I have chosen well. ¡±

    ¡°The most important fact now is for you to gear up. The battle in front is not going to be a small one.¡± The princess looked exhausted. The vice-general looked at her with pity.¡± Do you know why I let your father ascend to the throne when I am more powerful than him? It was because of the fact that he was a much more efficient person inparison, at politics. I believe in you, and so does Long Tao. You need to stand strong. We can mourn our family¡¯s deathter. We need to cross the current cmity first.¡±

    Mid-night-

    Di Tao was waiting for Jiao Shen toe out. ¡°Here is something for you prince.¡± He handed a long staff shaped object to the prince. The prince opened it to find a bone spear in it. The aura radiating from it was incredible. ¡°This¡± he looked at DI Tao. ¡°It is a half- level 4 weapon, the bone spear. Refining it again will lead it to be a Qi king weapon. You will be using this in today¡¯s fight. We need to kill everyone on this list.¡± The two figures left the premises of the royal academy.

    At the same time within the pce, 3 figures were moving simultaneously. It was going to be a very long night. Soon faint cries of pain were being heard throughout the pce, but no one was alerted. Long Tao was carrying out his biggest assassination mission at the moment. Each person whom he killed was searched for information, within their souls. Long Tao gained a ton of names of spies, and traitors.

    ¡°The first move from our side is made. Let¡¯s see how the enemy reacts to the situation at hand.¡± Long Tao pointed out in the middle of the discussion. Neither the princess nor the vice-general Jiao understood what Long Tao meant. But his smile was already giving out crude indications.

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 Chapter 116

    116 COUNTER EXTERMINATION

    The next day-

    A huge uproar was caused within the pce, which alerted both Jiao Mingue and Jiao Bo (the vice-general). Jiao Bo signaled Jiao Mingue to stay here while he examined the surroundings. Jiao Mingue nodded her head lightly. She didn¡¯t expect Long Tao¡¯s word from earlier to havee true. Just what did Long Tao do to cause such a hugemotion within the pce. All she hoped was that the enemies to have not made any move. She has not yet prepared for a counter-response. Jiao Bo returned with a grim shocked face.

    Jiao Mingue¡¯s initial thoughts were that something bad just urred to have caused the expression of her uncle to be this bad. ¡°has the enemy attack already arrived?¡± Jiao Mingue asked in a very nervous tone. Jiao Bo calmed himself down and said¡± Its not that. I just got to know what Long Tao meant from his first move.¡±. Jiao Mingue was getting excited now. ¡°What has he one?¡±

    ¡°Do you know how many people work within the royal pce, including the Jiao n itself?¡±. Jiao Mingue arranged her thoughts ¡°It¡¯s somewhere around 600. What is the matter?¡±. ¡°Long Tao just killed a lot of them within one night. The body count currently stands at 150, with moreing in.¡± Jiao Mingue was shocked. 150+ people being killed in cold blood. Just what was Long Tao thinking. ¡°Why has he taken such a step? Where did he get the intel about them being traitors?¡±

    ¡°We need to ask the question to him. The thought in my mind is not about the deceased. It¡¯s about the fact that, if Long Tao¡¯s intel was actually correct then, we had 150+ traitors just within the pce. What do you think about the scenario in such a case?¡± Jiao Mingue got chills just from the thoughts. If it were true, they need to re-think the strategy about whom to believe in. Jiao Mingue and the vice-general both proceed towards Long Tao¡¯s dwelling.

    The Crimson Lord-world-

    Long Tao¡¯s avatars were currently engaged in absorbing the first thunder ball. The start of the absorption was quite dangerous. Although Long Tao made all the necessary preparation, the pure thunder energy which was concentrated did do a lot of damage to the meridians instantly. Long Tao spewed lots of blood. The keeper had to step in to control the absorption rate of the thunder energy. ¡°I told you, this move is quite risky, but we can¡¯t waste the thunder energy. You need to bear with it.¡±

    Long Tao had no choice but to agree to the suggestion. He absorbed the thunder ballspletely and used the full of his energy to direct it towards his meridians. The pain was excruciating. The meridians were literally burned down, and the thunder energy was wreaking havoc in his body. Blood flowed from his mouth constantly, but Long Tao chose to persist. It was the only way he would be able to open the rest of the tertiary meridians.

    He tried to direct the whole power through the meridian¡¯s channels. His QI was encapsting his meridians from outside, trying to heal and contain the thunder energy. After a long time, he finally managed to open the first meridian. But the thunder energy was constantly pouring in. The meridians which were just opened were not ready for it. The pain spiked up. Long Tao had to bite his lips until blood flowed out of them to keep his sanity. Long Tao¡¯s pain subsided a little after opening the second meridian. The channels were starting to adapt to the inflow of suchrge energy.

    .....

    But the pain spiked once more, as the open meridians were assaulted with the thunder energy. The process continued. Long Tao tried his best to persist through the process. The ball of thunder within his body was getting smaller and smaller as time went by. He managed to exhaust the whole thunder ball. Long Taoid down exhausted due to theck of Qi. It was the first time Long Tao had to face Qi deficit while training with a resource. He closed his eyes and took a short nap.

    After a period of time, Long Tao finally woke up. ¡°what is the current condition of your body?¡± The keeper asked with a tinge of enthusiasm in his tone. Long Tao inspected his body and found the results to be very satisfying. ¡°I manage to open 6 meridians instead of five.¡±.

    The keeper looked at Long Tao with a smile. ¡°I have to remind you of your body getting adapted to the energy. The next time you try to inculcate energy from that thunder ball, you won¡¯t feel the pain you felt now, neither will you gain so much.¡± Long Tao understood the logic. The same resource wouldn¡¯t work as efficiently on his body anymore. If he wanted the same results, he needs to use a more powerful source of energy.

    Long Tao managed to recover his Qi by devouring many of his pills which repaired some of the damages caused by the thunder energy. The best way to heal them up was a natural pathway or using a very potent source of energy. The second thunder ball appeared in Infront of Long Tao. He closed his eyes and started the process.

    The royal pce, Long Tao¡¯s dwelling-

    The princess and Jiao Bo entered the courtyard at the same time. They could see Long Tao continuing his training. The efforts he puts into cultivation made both of them admire him. ¡°May I have some of your time Sir Long.¡± Long Tao stopped his training and invited them to his dwelling. ¡°What is the cause of this visit princes. Did you manage to gather your preliminary forces?¡±. ¡°That is not the reason for this visit Long Tao. We are here to ask you about the pile of bodies you formed in the royal pce. Did you have proper evidence that they were traitors to our cause.¡± Jiao Bo asked in a stern voice.

    Long Tao¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡± I hope you do understand what you are trying to use me of lord Jiao. Do you have evidence that I am behind it?¡± This statement left both Jiao Mingue and Jiao Bo speechless. ¡°I thought so. If there is no evidence, then there is no criminal in here.¡±. Shamelessness at its peak. But it also showcased Long Tao¡¯s ruthlessness. ¡°How did you find the first step in this game, princess?¡¯. ¡± I am not sure how to reply sir Long. I would like to discuss our strategy for the offense.¡±

    Long Taoughed out loud. ¡°Let me show you, something princess.¡± Long Tao took out a chessboard from the house. ¡°have you ever yed chess General. ¡°. ¡°I have¡±. ¡°Good, as you might be knowing, chess ¡®s is much like a real war. In the beginning, the pieces which have the most value are guarded by the soldiers all around. But then its time to start the battle.¡±

    ¡°Both sides try to ce their pieces in a favorable position. Once the initial positioning is done, its time to start the real mind game. Someone has to take the offensive first. They must take the first step to gain an upper hand. Now that strategy works most of the time, as it disrupts with the n of the other party¡± Long Tao took a soldier out with the rook¡± but what if the other party had a hidden ace, which deals a grand blow to counter this first move.¡±. Long Tao took the rook out with the help of the horse¡± the other party¡¯s n falls apart.¡±

    ¡®now what most party would do is to regroup their pieces, so as to rebuild their formation, which provides some time for us to n a few steps ahead of them. But the upper hand doesn¡¯tst. The enemy soon catches up. But our side does get some valuable time. Now they must strategize to win. The threshold here is the fact that how many hidden cards you have up your sleeve to act on. The one with arger number of cards manages to win. ¡±

    The princess¡¯s eyes shone with bright light¡± So you are trying to take their cards out of the game itself. Hence, we don¡¯t lose the upper hand. I have to say it is a good move.¡± Long Tao gave a mocking nce at the princess. ¡°The enemy¡¯s cards are still hidden, and the number unknown. How do you suppose this would help us?¡±. The princess¡¯s happiness didn¡¯tst. Even Jiao Bo was struck silent. ¡°What do you suggest we do?¡¯

    ¡°Well, the best strategy here is to try to create more cards in your hand. But the time is too little. Hence, we have two ways left. The first way is a total miracle out of nowhere, where another hidden ace deals a fatal blow to the enemy. The chances of that happening are very less. The other one is a more realistic one. We bait the enemy, into showing his hidden cards and when he advances multiple of its front soldiers into the battle, it leaves its defense in tatters.¡±

    ¡°Now both the side thinks the same things, leaving another of their pir defenseless in their overconfidence. That is the time when either of them cannd a surprisingly uncertain attack, thus beginning the counter-extermination of their enemies. The only thing remaining is who is the one being exterminated in this case.¡±

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 Chapter 117

    117 ARRIVAL OF SUPPORT

    The princess looked at Long Tao ¡°what should we do to exterminate our enemy.¡±. Long Tao put forward his queen and the bishop, which were led astray, trying to kill the enemy horse. But just when they manage to corner it, their king was already checked and mate. ¡°What did you understand from the y I just showed you, princess.¡± The princess got some idea, but she didn¡¯t find them relevant to this situation. ¡°I would like for sir Long to borate on this y.¡±

    ¡°It is a genuine step where I try to bait you with a piece that has done you quite some damage. You initially try to face it with divided attention, concentrating on both offense and defense. But just when a stalemate is supposed to be reached, I bait you to corner me even further. It would be shown as a mistake of mine, and the enemy would think this is a desperate measure to ovee the pressure due to stalemate. You choose to corner it, but just when you do, I do a simultaneous attack on your prime strategist and your king.¡±

    ¡°Now you try to serve the purpose and save the king, but what you don¡¯t see is the fact that you just opened another pathway of attack, in the blind-zone of your king. He is killed, without a tinge of mercy and the game is over. What do you learn from this chatter, princess?¡±. The princess thought for a moment before answering ¡°you want us to stake you out for an appealing target, and while they do pursue you, you want to attack them from the back.¡±. Long Tao nodded.

    ¡°but don¡¯t you think it is a matter of probability of whether or not he would choose to pursue you. This is not a sure shot tactic.¡±. Long Tao had to agree to this point. ¡°I do agree, but that is what you will be doing. I will tell you who the temporary king is, and who is most likely to answer to my bait. I am providing this n to you. Follow it as it is. You can improvise, given the situation demands it. ¡°Long Tao picked up the horse. Jiao Bo agreed with Long Tao indicated his approval of Long Tao¡¯s n.

    The princess and Jiao Bo knew that Long Tao wasn¡¯t telling them the whole n, but they decided to stick with him. His methods were quite effective in general. ¡°we will leave this matter to you, Long Tao. Do you need any support from my side.¡±? ¡°I did have one request; I would require you to give me 5 men. The lowest cultivation should be at Qi master level 5. He looked at the princess. ¡°Your actions are quite critical at this time princess. You need to calm the court officials down and gather as many supporters as we can. The blow I dealt wouldn¡¯tst much longer. We must make the next move.¡±

    The crimson Lord world-

    Long Tao managed to absorb the second thunder ball. Although the thunder balls were a quite dangerous and unstable resource, one has to be aware of the fact that they reduce the cultivation time. The violent energy just opens up the meridian channels very quickly, but the damage needs a long time to recover. Long Tao was currently not concentrating on the recovery part. He needed to enhance his strength as soon as possible. The second ball didn¡¯t provide the same amount of benefit. Long Tao found it very difficult to open the fifth meridian. He barely managed due to the fact that the median was already on the verge of opening.

    The two thunder balls have resulted in opening 11 meridians. There were 17 more remaining till he reached the peak of tertiary meridian opening. Long Tao could feel his physical prowess going through a change. Although it was small, the increment was still notable. In a fair fight, this small increase can change the course of results. Long Tao took many of his healing and Qi pills. He was running out of pills. He needed to practice alchemy.

    The thunder ball was soon under absorption. This time he managed to have the energy under control. The meridians were already acquainted with this energy flow, and the damage done was minimal this time. Long Tao just hoped that he is able to open 5 more meridians. The process continued. But the results were soon visible, and they were not optimistic. He only managed to open 4 meridians. It was even less thanst time. ¡°you shouldn¡¯t lose hope.¡± The keeper tried to console Long Tao.

    .....

    ¡°Thest 13 are going to be a big problem. How do you propose we find a stronger source of energy.¡±. The keeper understood the peril Long Tao was in ¡°You seem to be depressed about the fact that your body cultivation wouldn¡¯t reach the required goal before your breakthrough, but you don¡¯t see what you have managed to achieve until now. Don¡¯t you feel any difference after intaking all that thunder energy.¡±

    Long Tao didn¡¯t understand the meaning behind the keeper¡¯s words. He tried to feel the difference, but except for the enhanced thunder capability, he didn¡¯t find anything at all. ¡°all I feel is my enhanced thunder capability. ¡°The keeper looked at Long Tao with a serious frown, but then a sudden thought strikes Long Tao. He tried to use thunder energy. ¡°I managed to get past the 5th cycle of 9 thunder body. ¡°Long Tao was astonished. He is one step close to the highest record ever achieved in the 9-thunder body art. His thunderpatibility was tyrannical, and so was his body strength.

    ¡°as I said, all is never lost, and you will never be able to achieve all your dreams. You just need to continue the hard work, and results will present themselves¡± Long Tao decided to go to his master and ask for the rewards of breaking through thest two levels. He promised to provide him with many resources that might just help him achieve his goals.¡±

    Jiao capital city-

    The situation in the Jiao capital city has been chaotic in recent days. Many organizations and individuals were found massacred and the strongholds destroyed. What they didn¡¯t know was the fact that these organizations were the strongholds and secret bases of the rebel groups. Many assassinations stationed here were killed along with cultivators and the treasury and resources were all looted. The response from the royal court was very mild.

    ¡°What is the current situation?¡±, the hooded ck figure asked. ¡°the enemy is very covert sir. We have been keeping track of all the people in the royal pce, especially Jiao Bo and Long Tao, but they haven¡¯t moved out of their dwellings. Most of our people within the royal pce were massacred. The enemy seems to have information regarding our strongholds in the royal city. All the cultivators present on the premise were killed mercilessly. Not a single one was taken, hostage. ¡±

    ¡°I think this is the work of arge group of people. They managed to strike multiple strongholds on the same day and didn¡¯t let even one of the cultivators get away. Each one was killed, without being able to raise panic. This is only possible when they overwhelm uspletely. But we couldn¡¯t find a group thatrge moving around the city.¡±.

    ¡°what is our causality report.¡±. ¡°We have lost more than 400 men, all of them having cultivation ranging between Qi aster level 4 to level 9.¡± The hooded figure banged his fists on the table. ¡°that bastard Long Tao. He managed to hide another card in his hand. We need to regroup our people immediately. Tell each one of them to retreat and meet up with at least two other groups. We can¡¯t afford to lose any more people before the real y starts.¡± Just then another man arrived.

    ¡°What happened?¡¯. ¡°Sir, this is bad news. The first regroup of people was killed but what seemed like a new group in y. This group just arrived within the capital and encounter us regrouping. They didn¡¯t even ask for any information before killing each one of those people.¡± The ck figure rose from his seat with anger. Another group of enemies. This is getting out of hand. Long Tao¡¯s hidden sleeve of cards was still unounted for.

    Long Tao¡¯s courtyard-

    Long Tao was practicing his daily routine. The gear has been switched up in terms of weight. He has gained much more stability on his body by doing this. Long Tao started to understand what it meant to have mastered a certain technique. He was practicing his boxing techniques. The Dominator¡¯s fist was still getting better and better every day.

    ¡°You have arrived.¡± Long Tao stopped practicing and looked to0wards a secluded corner. Su Menqi soon emerged from there. ¡°Did you manage toplete the task?¡±. ¡°We have wiped the group of people who were retreating. We got our hands on 35 cultivators. I let go of one of the spectators, just like you said. Hope it doesn¡¯t backfire.¡±

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 Chapter 118

    118 REGROUPING

    ¡°It won¡¯t captain.¡± Long Tao continued to address Su Menqi with this title. ¡°You need to arrange the squad ording to a proper strength division. I don¡¯t know about the current progress, so I will leave the matter in your hands. I want to hit the enemy at his sore spot, to inflict a devastating wound. I will let you know about the time of the operation. I am going to make my second move now.¡±

    Long Tao took a chart out of his closet. ¡°This is the map of the entire city. Now the locations marked red is the position you will need to cover. Our aim for the first phase is to disrupt the enemy¡¯s regrouping strategy. To do that we will need to divide them. The same divided and conquer strategy is going to be applied. You are not allowed to underestimate the enemy. You will kill each and every one of them by pure numbers.¡±

    ¡°I am expecting these three strongholds to be on the move first. They have in total of 30 men, and we have 20 in the squad, along with another 20 which I will be providing you with. You just need to keep concentrating on moving forward with the n. I will take care of your back-up.¡±

    Long Tao marked an alleyway.¡± They will be moving through this alley towards the northern gate. What you need to is have our people attack them with their strongest long-range attacks. We are not expecting them to get multiple kills. We just need 3-4 killed. So be specific about the target. This will create a disruption in their rhythm, demanding them to split up, to have a greater number of survivors. ¡±

    The side alleys were marked out. ¡°these are the two possible pathways they are going to choose, which would result in a split grouping. We are going to be present in both of them to wee the two groups. Take the strongest ones as a hostage. The rest get killed. I will not tolerate any causality. This is going to the first purge. You are to immediately retreat into hiding after that. You are also allowed to kill anyone who might seem to be following you. We can¡¯t bear to have loose ends.¡±

    ¡°What about the second phase.¡± Su Menqi wanted to know the details about the whole n. ¡°the second phase is not set in stone. It depends on their response to the scenario we put forward. But I assure you. I want a total wipe-out of all the organizations, I sent you the list of. Not a single individual should be left alive. ¡°Su Menqi nodded in agreement. She was about to leave when suddenly Long Tao called out.

    ¡°I want one more favor from you. I want you to guard the princess for theing nights. The assassins are not going to send someone who is more powerful than Qi general level 1 to the pce. You can help guard her against both internal and external enemies.¡± Su Menqiplied and left for the pce.

    Long Tao was left with the chessboard set exactly as it was before. ¡°Let¡¯s hope you prove to be a good opponent.¡± He picked the horse and killed a nearby soldier. The game has already begun.

    The Jiao city-

    .....

    In a nearby hideout on the outskirts of the city, the ck- hooded figure was analyzing the current situation. ¡°What is the report? Did the second group managed to evacuate the stronghold. ¡°. ¡°Negative sir, most of them were killed. Just two people managed to escape and are badly injured. The cultivation has been crippled. They are of no value anymore.¡± The figure tried his best to control his mood. The groups who were stationed inside the city were being wiped out. The casualty was growing. ¡°How many people killed until now.¡±

    ¡°The current report ces the number to near 500, sir. We have lost most of our men within the city. Awaiting orders from you sir. Should weunch a rescue operation?¡±. ¡°Do you want to kill the rest of the people too. Long Tao is no fool. I bet he already knows about the rest of our strongholds and subsidiaries. He managed tond such a heinous blow in such a small time.¡±.

    ¡°Do you have any new report about the group of people who are acting on Long Tao¡¯s order.?¡±.¡± We did manage to find out that the ck-buck squad is one of the supporters. The spies reported no siting of them in the borders. They are most likely the group who is carrying out the killings outside of the pce.¡±

    ¡°how many men do we have stationed at the remaining strongholds¡±. ¡°It should be around 30.¡± The figure looked at the nearby map. ¡°So, this is his next n. We need to prepare a reckon team. Prepare two. One will stay in this position and the other will stay here. He is trying to break the group. He will ambush both the groups in these two alleys. ¡°. The figure smiled. ¡°It¡¯s time for us to catch them off guard. You will not let any of the escape this ce. Am I clear?¡± The informer bowed and exited the room.

    The royal city-

    Di Tao and Jiao Shen were currently sitting with a caf¨¦. ¡°What is the next n. Are we going to kill another group of people today.¡±? ¡°Our mission this time is to provide support. We are to take care of the guys in the right alley. Long Tao thinks that the enemy might be able to grasp his strategy of dividing the two groups and send a reckon group to kill us. We are here to prevent that.¡±

    ¡°Is there any news about my family?¡± the prince asked Di Tao. ¡°Your eldest sister is supporting the court well. The chaos has been suppressed for the time being. They are currently gathering forces to retaliate against the traitors. You need to return to the royal pce, as soon as we finish the job here.¡±. Jiao Shen agreed. He wanted to be present for his family, after the death of their father.

    The whole ce was in hustle and bustle when suddenly a loud bang was heard. ¡°it has started. Shall we go to our positions.¡± Both of them left the caf¨¦.¡±

    In another corner of the city, the attack has already started. As expected by Long Tao, the group chose to divide themselves into two. Either of them took a different side-alley to run. Su Menqi was present as usual. The ambush began. The fighters of this group of people were too easy to handle. When the group was done with killing, Su Menqi realized what just urred. The stronger cultivators decided to band together. It was going to be very difficult to handle them. She just hoped that they were dyed by the other group.

    Su Menqi rushed towards the other group. The fight on the other side was quite intense. The members present on this site were near annihted. ¡°Let none of them escape. Fight like your life depends on it.¡± Su Menqi ordered. The men were once again engaged in a gruesome fight. Su Menqi¡¯s group did manage to gain the upper hand after some time, due to their overwhelming numbers.

    ¡°Shoossh¡±, a sound was heard by Su Menqi. Although she managed to dodge the attack, the one beside her wasn¡¯t able to. This was the first casualty on her side. The attack came from behind her. When she looked back, all her hopes came crashing down. The enemy managed to surround them from either side. They knew about the n. Su Menqi tried her best to remain calm. The attack arrived soon. Her group was being assaulted from both sides.

    A top a building nearby-

    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I. They would be able to guess the n. I suppose it was good that we decided toe here to provide support. These weaklings wouldn¡¯tst for even a second against this assault.¡± Di Tao was speaking in a hurried tone. The prince didn¡¯t know how to respond. He was a Qi master level 8 practitioner himself. Most of the people in the fight were of that realm. Su Menqi was a realm higher. ¡°You have a powerful weapon prince. Its time to use it properly. Let¡¯s go.¡±. Both of them jumped down and rushed towards the enemy.

    The alley-

    Su Menqi was about to lose all her hope when suddenly her attacker¡¯s head was pierced by a spear. The guy fell down. ¡°I hope we weren¡¯tte.¡± The prince helped Su Menqi up.¡± Long Tao send us as a back-up. We will take it from here.¡± The assault started soon. Di Tao was killing his enemies crazily, while the prince was a little behind. The thing to notice here was the fact that every kill of the prince was achieved in one shot. The weapon was showing its actual utility. ¡°We need to speed up.¡±.

    Sometimeter-

    The brawl was finally over. The deaths on Su Menqi ¡®s side was around 5. ¡± you are to regroup within the pce¡¯s ground tonight. Long Tao has decided to make his next move. The rewards are within this ring. He urges the group to heal all their injuries fast enough. The pills would help you in that.¡±.

    Su Menqi used her Qi to inspect the ring and found out lots of pills, in addition to a lot of weapons.¡± We will be moving against our first major opponent in this fight. The weapons are specifically designated ording to name.¡±. Di Tao rushed out with the prince after informing Su Menqi about the contents.

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 Chapter 119

    119 THE SECOND GRAND MOVE

    Long Tao¡¯s cultivation cave ¨C

    It has been a rough training period for Long Tao. He was already at the top of the master realm in terms of Qi cultivation. The two barriers which prevented him from breaking through were soul and body cultivation. There was still a cycle of soul cultivation remaining. Long Tao had to take long breaks within the training periods of each cycle.

    Unlike Qi, soul energy/ Soul Qi was not abundant. It was very difficult to recover the lost Qi. The fact was even more prominent I Long Tao¡¯s case. The stronger your soul is, difficult is the refill. He tried his best to recover the lost Qi. Although Long Tao was going ahead with an incredible pace, the situation demanded an increase in his speed.

    ¡°Did you collect the thunder pills from your master.¡±. the keeper asked Long Tao. He showed his newly acquired cultivation resource.

    ¡°You need to use them to breakthrough. I assume you will be able to reach the 6th cycle of 9 thunder body art if you manage to consume all the pills. If it were before, I would have suggested some precautions. But the reinforcement you got due to ourst experiment, has provided your body with some incredible benefits. These pills will be helpful in breaking through another 6 tertiary meridians.¡±.

    Long Tao epted the pills back and started training. He promised to not stop his cultivation retreat this time until he has broken through the 9th cycle of the Heaven Pestle art. These pills were given to the other avatar tomence the absorption and cultivation of the body.

    ¡°Do you think he will be able to reach the perfect opening of all the meridians, before breaking through the Qi general level.¡± The puppet asked the keeper.

    ¡°I honestly couldn¡¯t predict the future when ites to this boy. I just hope he would be able to do that.¡±

    The puppet remained silent for some time beforementing ¡°ording to the past records, is this inheritor of ours managing to keep up with the cultivation speed of crimson Lords.¡±

    .....

    ¡°We both know that he is quite slow whenpared to those before him, but I can confirm one fact for sure. He is strongest in the current level. No other crimson lord canpete in terms of his base and strength at the Qi master level. When this boy grows up, he will be taking over the world. I just hope fate helps him out.¡±

    ¡°I will start nning his next training regime. You asked me to help him get acquainted with his body. To let him have full control and solidify the base, I will be going with that. I hope you will agree. ¡°the puppet enquired.

    ¡°You can do whatever you want. Our aim is to make him the strongest within the world. We need to go to extreme measures if forced to. No option should be spared from the trial. ¡±

    The puppet made a gesture of agreement. ¡°I will be leaving him in your care. I hope he mange to break-through before I finish with my preparation.

    Long Tao had no idea about the n which was currently being brewed between the two. He was training diligently.

    ....................

    The royal pce-

    Long Tao was headed towards the princess¡¯s chambers. Entering it, he found Jiao Bo sitting, sipping on a cup of herbal tea. ¡°Have you prepared what I asked for?¡±. The general handed him a list.

    ¡°These are the names of the people who are assembled here, waiting for your orders. Just out of curiosity, when are we going to make our next move?¡±

    Long Tao looked at the list, and a bright gleam spread in his eyes. ¡°The move will be executed tonight. But for that, I need some ssified information.

    ¡°what is it¡± the general asked in an enthusiastic tone. ¡°I would like to know about the power of the Bai family. Tell me every detail about their power structure and the number of cultivators present in it.¡± Long Tao said in a grim tone.

    The general was surprised to hear the name of the Bai n. The next move was going to be an attack on them. ¡°Are you perfectly sure about your intel? The Bai n is one of the 4 vassal ns. What is the proof that they are hand in hand with the traitors.¡±?

    Long Tao smirked. ¡°the Bai n is one of the main pirs of this coup. They are the traitors, to begin with. It has been confirmed by every single high-level enemy I captured from the enemy base.¡±

    The general breathed in a heavy sigh. He didn¡¯t expect one of the main vassals to be involved in this conspiracy. ¡°The Bai n is made up of mainly Qi master level Practioner. I am sure you are not considering them as a threat. The real threat is from the previous generation elders of the Bai n. ording to our information, there should be 5 of them remaining. All of them are in Qi general realm.¡±

    ¡°What Is the highest cultivation realm?¡¯. Long Tao was interested in the bigshots of the Bai lineage. There were sure to be some older generation masters in the n.

    ¡°it¡¯s Qi general level 5,st I heard of it. But just to be sure we should consider him to be Qi general level 6 now.¡±. Long Tao spected for some time. He decided to use that move.

    He took out a letter from his pocket. ¡°have this delivered to the Long n.¡± Jiao Bo was surprised at first. The Long n was being invited.

    ¡°Don¡¯t they have an enmity with the Bai n? We will be using their hands to shed the blood of the Bai n. No need to use our men. The n is within this document. Go through with it. The letter is having a personal seal of mine. I would like you to add yours. We need them toe with full force. Our men will be circling the outer space, waiting for any escapees.¡± Jiao Bo had tomend Long Tao¡¯s strategy.

    Midnight-

    The ckbuck squad appeared outside of Long Tao¡¯s dwelling. Su Menqi was waiting for Long Tao to get out. Soon a figure appeared. ¡°have the people recovered from their earlier assault?¡±.

    Su Menqi nodded. ¡°The weapons and pills have been distributed. What is the n for today.¡±?

    Long Tao took a rapier out from his inventory. ¡°this is for you.¡± Su Menqi took hold of it, and her mind was blown. Quasi King ranked weapon. ¡°You deserve it as their leader. It took some time to procure it. I hope you did your revision for today.¡±. Su Menqi nodded.

    ¡°our objective for tonight is the extermination of the Bai n. They have been charged with high treason against the crown. ording to your orders, we will be maintaining a barricade in these two areas. The other group has already reached their post.¡±.

    Another group arrived within the sight. Long Tao signaled Su Menqi to apany him ¡°This is the group which will be front lining the operation, side by side with the Long n.¡± Su Menqi was surprised. The Long n was participating in this activity too. Didn¡¯t Long Tao abandon the n due to mistreatment?

    The Long n-

    ¡°Are we going to ept this proposal¡±. A hugemotion had hit the elder hall of Long n. ¡°Jiao Bo has sealed the letter himself. It also has the seal of the new vice-general of the north-eastern military. Long Tao is trying to make peace with the n. We should take the offer. This is once in a while chance for us to exterminate the Bai lineage.¡± An elder spoke out of arrogance.

    ¡°Do you have no shame left. Do you think he needs to make up with us? He is a vice-general in the military now. The general of that region is said to be as strong as Jiao family ancestors. The power in his hands is muchrger than ours.¡± Another man spoke.

    ¡°Whatever the matter we can¡¯t exclude this opportunity. We will be going along with the n.¡± An old man sitting in the central seat said. This was one of the ancestors of Long Lineage. His cultivation was at Qi general level 5. ¡°We willmence the attack within 2 hrs. Start preparation.¡±

    ....................

    Long Tao was getting geared up for his uing adventure. It was time to meet an old enemy. He had sworn on his pride as a man to kill every person belonging to the Bai lineage. He wasn¡¯t going to show mercy to any of them. His strongest gear was being used this time. The weights were still present on his body. Long Tao wanted to kill the enemy with those on. This was his second move. If executed perfectly, he would win the turf war.

    Jiao Bo was ready with his toon. The ck-bucks and the royal guards arrived soon enough. The arrival was of the prince and Di Tao.

    ¡°Let¡¯smence the operation. Exterminate the Bai Family.¡±

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 Chapter 120

    120 EXTERMINATING THE BAI LINEAGE

    The Bai family was a vassal n which was situated in the northern areas of the Jiao prefecture. It had been a part of the four subordinate ns which together with the Jiao n, built the Jiao country. There were enlisters of the Bai n in both the royal court and the military.

    Near the Bai manor-

    Multiple groups began to arrive within the vicinity. ¡°What is going to be our next step?¡± A campsite had been set up, for arranging a pre-battle meetup. Su Menqi was currently discussing the proceedings with the Long n members. ¡± I hope you have brought your full strength to deal a deathly blow to the Bai family.¡±

    One of the ancestors of the Long n came forward. ¡°We have brought sufficient members to be able to kill every Bai in the vicinity. I hope the vice-general provides us with reinforcements as mentioned in the letter.

    Su Menqi understood the meaning behind these words. The elder was demanding proof of allegiance and sincerity from the Jiao family. It was normal considering the risk Long n was about to take on.

    Su Menqi called upon all the members of the ck-bucks, the royal guards, and the reinforcements provided by the military. The lowest cultivation of this group of people was in 6th grade Qi master level. A total of 50 figures were present.

    ¡°We will be the requested reinforcements for this attack. We have 50 stationed here, who will be charging in the frontlines with you, and about another fifty guarding the perimeter of the Bai manor. They will make sure that no one escapes. I hope you are satisfied.¡± The Long n ancestor nodded.

    ¡°This is the battle strategy. ording to the information provided by you, I have divided the whole army into 5 groups. These are the routes we are going to follow. ording to our spies, this is the residence of elders. The first mission is to take out people covertly. Thus, the residence is the best spot of the attack.¡±

    ¡°Two groups will be pushing in from the front and back end. One will be guarding the perimeters, preventing any message of panic to pass on. We need to kill as many opponents as possible. It would be best if we can kill them in entirety¡±. Su Menqi marked the entrance and exits, with the attack formations they were going to follow.

    .....

    Another position was marked by her. ¡°This is the residence of the manor guards. We need to kill them at the same time. They might prove to be a hindrance to our mission. The other two teams would be in charge of killing them. After finishing the mission, one of the team is to leave for providing support to these two teams, while the other team will do the scouting.¡±

    ¡°the senior elder hall is around this ce. This would be the next ce to strike. By all means, you are to avoid the senior cultivators. The strongest within the group is requested to assign a proper position to your subordinates. The next concern will be these three areas.¡± Three locations were marked.

    ¡°The first two are the residences of the first elder and the n leader. Thest one is the seclusion spot of the grand-elders of the Bai n. The three of you are requested to move in the third spot. The n leader and the first elder will be taken care of by us.¡±.

    Su Menqi wrapped up the meeting. ¡°I will be in charge of coordinating this attack. I will not tolerate disobedience of my orders.¡±. one of the Long n elders spoke up. ¡°Where is Long Tao. We desire to meet him. Why didn¡¯t he show up?¡±

    A swooshing sound passed right past the elder¡¯s ear. As he looked to the side, it was a sword, which had embedded itself in the wall near him. One f the ck-buck squad member spoke up, ¡°A measer insect like you is not allowed to call the vice-general by his name. The next time your guts get the better of you, this sword will not miss its mark.¡± The Long n members were shocked by the current reaction.

    Su Menqi signaled the guard to stand down. ¡°We would like you to have a fruitful cooperation with you people. But guest should understand their ce, and behave like guests. The attackmences within 10 mins. Everyone, leave for your positions.¡±

    The Bai manor-

    The n leader was within his sleeping chambers. Apanying him was his mistress. ¡°What is your next n?¡±, thedy asked the Bai n leader. ¡°The mission is soon going to be under its way. The forces backing us up, have already ryed the orders to begin preparing for the fight. We might have struck the jackpot this time.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±. The mistress asked. ¡°I have requested the leader to help me deal with the Long n first. He agreed to my proposition. We move to attack the Long n within two days. This time I will make sure none of them manage to escape. The only other concern is that Long Tao. He seems to have affected the leader¡¯s n. He is proving to be a wild card.¡±

    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t the leader do something about him. We can¡¯t let him remain alive, or else we wouldn¡¯t have a moment of rxation.¡±. the mistress was a cunning bitch herself. ¡°The decision is being discussed on. He would be eliminated after we take care of the Long n.¡± The Bai n leader pulled the woman under him and started kissing her.

    Just when they were about to seal the deal, a booming sound was heard. The Bai family head jumped from his bed and rushed towards the outer chambers.

    .......................

    Just when he was nearing the exit, a figure came into his view. ¡± I have been waiting so long for you to arrive.¡± The figure was none other than Long Tao.

    The Bai family head couldn¡¯t process the situation. Long Tao smiled at him and raised his hands. Tiny objects were hanging by threads from his palms. When the vision cleared and the n leader finally saw what was the object, his whole soul took in a blow.

    These were heads. The heads of the younger generation of the Bai n were hanging by threads. Each of the heads was shaved from the owner¡¯s body with a clean cut. The Bai n leader roared out of pain and rushed towards Long Tao.

    The madness of losing his children was taking over him. Just when he was about to reach out to have a grab on Long Tao¡¯s face, a clean sword swoop tore his limbs apart. The decapitated hand fell down on the floor. The pain from this injury managed to restore some sanity in the n leader¡¯s mind. He realized his own mortality.

    He had heard about Long Tao¡¯s strength. He was said to be powerful enough to kill a cultivator of the fifth Qi general realm. He himself was a Qi general of the first level. His life was in danger.

    He looked around, trying to find a path of exit. Revenge can be achieved in the future. You need to have your life to enjoy its taste.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get hopeful. Not a single man wille to your rescue today.¡± Long Tao was still having a smile stered on his face. It sends chills down the Bai n leader¡¯s spine.

    He tried to use the other hands to punch Long Tao. Desperation was the only feeling he was suffering from. This punch was concentrated with quite an amount of Qi. He hopes to catch Long Tao off guard and use the opportunity to escape. He was a fire element cultivator and the fist technique was called incineration fist. But a hand reached out of nowhere to grab his fist.

    The aura was instantly eliminated. ¡°you overestimate your strength.¡± Just when he was hoping not to lose another hand, Long Tao twisted his arm, breaking t in the process. Another painful roar was heard.

    ¡°your descendants managed to get away with an easy death. You won¡¯t be having such a fortune.¡±

    ...............

    Within the skies of the Bai n, six figures were currently engaged in a serious brawl. ¡°You made a mistakeing here long Zhi Ruo. I will kill every single one of you. None of you aplishes are going to leave this ce alive.¡± One of the Bai n ancestors was speaking in a vicious tone.

    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand your situation Bai Jiangshan. Most of your young elders and guards are dead. The same goes for your elder hall. My group outnumbers you and our back-up is yet to arrive.¡± Long Zhi Ruo spoke out.

    The sh continued

    .....................

    Di Tao and the third prince were currently sitting on the roof of one of the buildings. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we intervene and help them out?¡±. Jiao Shen asked. He and Di Tao were stationed to provide immediate back-up to any of the groups.

    ¡°What¡¯s the hurry. The game has just started.¡± Di Tao said in a jolly tone.

    The Bai n was slowly being dyed red.

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 Chapter 121

    121 THE FALL OF BAI CLAN

    ¡°Long Tao asked u to be providing support for all the troops. This fight would reach a quick conclusion if we helped. Don¡¯t we need to attack another base tomorrow.¡± The prince was getting restless from all this waiting. These people were fighting for his family. They were his responsibility.

    ¡°I understand your concern. Let me ask you a question. Are you sure about the number of enemies? Can you confirm that our enemies would be limited to the Bai n itself? What if there is a nearby enemy base, and they suddenly arrive?¡±

    The prince didn¡¯t have an answer for this. ¡°I know you are anxious because you think they are your responsibility, but be patient. Our turn will soon arrive.¡±

    ............................

    All of that was just Di Tao¡¯s way to prevent Jiao Shen from interfering in the battle and helping the people out. Long Tao didn¡¯t want to help the Long n. They were the expendable resource in this fight. As per the ck-buck squad, Long Tao had his own ns.

    Since they were not attending to any missions, Long Tao wanted this fight to be a learning practice for them. The members seem to show some extraordinary characteristics.

    An impressive performance was shown by the weakest members of the ck-buck quad. They decided to band together and team up on the enemy. The kill count was rising on their side.

    Su Menqi managed to train these soldiers well. Her leadership abilities were also getting polished. She managed to fulfill all the objectives in the mission, with zero casualties. The guards and elder mansions were already swiped clean. The elder hall was nearly finished too.

    Su Menqi and the captain of royal guards were currently engaged with the first and second elders.

    .....

    The fight between Su Menqi and the first elder was quite brutal. Both of them had an equivalent strength of peak Qi master practitioners. Multiple wounds could be seen on either of them.

    The sh of sword and rapier was continuing. ¡°I will kill you slut. How dare you sneak attack on my n.¡± The first elder was going crazy.

    ¡°We will have to find out whether you have the power to kill me.¡± Su Menqi thrust the rapier into the first elder¡¯s abdomen. A swift dodge from him and a sideways attack forced her to back off. She needed an element of surprise in her attack.

    She tried to formte an attack pattern to throw this guy off. Suddenly she remembered a talk with Long Tao.¡± What happens if I bait the enemy into pushing e to a corner, but just when his focus is elsewhere, I strike his blind spot,nding a deadly attack.¡±

    She knew she couldn¡¯t use bait in this fight. She needed to improvise. A dangerous suggestion arose in her mind. She rushed towards the first elder. Looking at the iing figure, he thrust his sword towards her chest.

    Su Menqi blocked the sword tip with her hand, which resulted in a painful piercing. She rotated her body and inserted her rapier into the first elder¡¯s eye, piercing his brain. The first elder was down. Although she had a sword hanging within her hand, she managed to bear with the pain. Long provided the whole team with a lot of recovery pills. She began the recovery process.

    ...................

    In another location, the head of royal guards managed to deliver the killing blow to the second elder. After a short while, when he finally managed to stabilize his wounds and recover the Qi, he rushed out to help the nearby teams with their operation.

    The elder¡¯s hall had copsed. Most of the elders killed. The teams were now using pure numbers to overpower the Bai n elders. Multiple weapons could be seen sticking into the bodies of each of the deceased.

    Even the Bai n members were beginning to grow desperate. Some of them even decided to blow themselves up, rather than dying in the enemy¡¯s hands. This resulted in some casualties within the assault group.

    The teams began to rendezvous afterpleting their objectives. The only people allowed to remain alive were the women and children of the Bai family.

    Long Tao was merciless, but not inhuman. He decided to let go of these people. They were imprisoned within the dungeons of the Bai n, with an assurance of being left alive if they cooperated.

    The Bai n was already dead, except for the three elders fighting Long Zhi Ruo¡¯s group.

    ..............................

    Su Menqi was reporting to Di Tao about the casualty suffered. ¡°The major deaths were on the Long n side, as none of us went to help them. It was as per Long Tao¡¯s orders.¡± Jiao Shen was shocked to hear this.

    He thought Di Tao was staying there to look out for potential arrivals of enemies. It was all ording to Long Tao¡¯s orders. He wanted the Long n to suffer.

    ¡°The grounds have been cleared up. Even the messengers who were going in and out were killed. Many strangers have been apprehended on the outskirts of the Bai manor. We will be leading them to the dungeons for questioning. The three Long elders are fighting with the Bai n ancestors. The fight seems to be tilted towards the Bai elders due to their coordination.

    ¡°Did they request for help?¡± The prince asked.

    ¡°Multiple times, but Long Tao decided to stay his hands.¡± Di Tao replied. It was time to bring all of this to an end.

    ¡°It¡¯s time we enter the battle. All six of them have wasted a lot of Qi. They are most vulnerable now. You will attack the one in the right, I will be taking care of the left one. Finish him in one strike ¡°. The prince had no choice but to go with this n.

    ......................

    Bai n leader was being tortured brutally. He had two of his limbs missing, all his broken cracked up, and intense internal bleeding. He was trying to craw3l away from Long Tao.

    He put his foot on Bai leader¡¯s head and said ¡°Your lineage is already wiped out. You should go to apany them¡±. The head was squished under his foot.

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 Chapter 122

    122 CHOICE

    Di Tao and Jiao Shen rushed towards the scene.

    Both Long and Bai¡¯s ancestors managed to wear off each other. Long Zhi Ruo was battling with the one in the center. Di Tao signaled Jiao Shen to proceed towards their targets. They chose a position close enough tounch a surprise attack. They couldn¡¯t let this attack slip off. DI Tao gave Jiao Shen a pill. ¡°this is a berserker¡¯s pill. Your current realm is not good enough tond a surprise attack which is good enough to kill the guy. Use this.¡±

    ¡°What are its effects?¡±. Jiao Shen was not going take risks with his body by swallowing a pill which might prove to be harmful to his body.

    ¡°This is a QI enhancer pill. It helps you to fasten your blood and Qi regtion and also open ups your QI intake pores. You will be able to not only absorb much higher amounts of Qi but also be able to concentrate it into a suitable attack. I have to say though, you are going to face some recuperations. You might not be able to control your QI regtion for some time. But it is necessary to take care of the following situation.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we just kill one of them, then gang up on the other?¡± Jiao Shen was not in favor of taking that pill.

    ¡°We can¡¯t let any of them escape. It will be detrimental for us if they join hands with the enemy ande back for revenge. The future will grow unpredictable in that case.¡± Jiao Shen was about to reply when Di Tao put his hands on his shoulders ¡°I know that you are scared brother. But this is necessary. Just think of the possible mishaps, if any of the three decides to sneak attack on our groups or the royal family.¡±

    Jiao Shen nodded and took the pill. Both of them rushed to their respective spots.

    Jiao Shen was going to attack from the roof of one of the Bai family¡¯s storage rooms, while Di Tao chose the roof of the dwelling belonging to the three ancestors. It was a tuff decision to decide which attack to use. It needed to be strong enough, to deliver a killing blow

    Jiao Shen decided to go with his dragon spear art¡¯s final form, mad dragon pierce. He looked at the two people battling in the skies and found the spot to attack his target. It was going to be a strike in the spinal region, closer to the heart. It was already wounded, and this strike would be able to pierce through.

    .....

    He took in the pill. The Qi within his body began to react violently. More and more Qi was being absorbed from the surroundings. He tried his best to concentrate on materializing the QI into the attack.

    Jiao Shen coiled his leg and jumped towards the target.

    ....................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    Long Tao managed toplete thest cycle of the Heaven pestle art. He was finally a soul master. A powerful yet soothing feel spread around his body. He could feel an enhancement in his existence within the world.

    ¡°Congrattion on being able to breakthrough the Soul master realm.¡± The keeper was quite delighted with Long Tao¡¯s achievement. Long Tao bowed with respect to him.

    Both the keeper and the puppet were like his master. They guided him in the path of cultivation. ¡°Where are you in body cultivation?¡±.

    ¡°Thest 9 meridians remain closed. The remaining pill would be able to help me breakthrough another 2 at most. I would still have 7 meridians unopened.¡±. Long Tao was quite apprehensive about his future cultivation requirements. The resource he was using at the moment was already quiterge.

    ¡°What are your ns regarding the break-through?¡±.

    ¡°I will have to break-through the Qi general level. I was hoping to break-through the 6th level of 9 thunder body, but it¡¯s not easy. If I go ording to the feeling, I will not be able to break-through the sixth level with the remaining pills. There goes our chance to obtain more thunder pills.¡±

    The keeper knew that the current situation demanded a break-through to the Qi General level. He wouldn¡¯t be able to change the tide of rebellion without that. The enemies he had confronted until now were not of the top echelon. A more powerful figure stood behind these figures. Long Tao was currently on their radar.

    ¡°I have decided. I will be going for a break-through to Qi general once I consume all the remaining pills.¡± The keeper nodded in support of Long Tao¡¯s decision to go for the break-through. The only undermining fact was the break to a perfect cultivation n.

    .................

    Jiao Shen¡¯s attacknded a little bit farther than the expected location. He just hoped that the weapon¡¯s rank and the berserk pill would be able topensate for that.

    The spear stood up to its reputation as a quasi-king weapon. The target¡¯s heart was directly pierced, and he died. Jiao Shen couldn¡¯t stay upright and fell down.

    Just as he was about to hit the ground, his body was caught mid-air. ¡°You did better than expected.¡± The familiar sound was of none other than his nemesis. Long Tao saved him from falling down.

    ¡°the spear seems to suit you. I hope you could impress me in our next fight.¡± Su Menqi arrived beside them. ¡°take care of prince Jiao. I will go and finish thest rites of the Bai family.¡±

    ............

    The death of two of his brothers was a shock for the Bai family¡¯s ancestors, but he needed to escape fast. Hended a punch on Long Zhi Ruo and rushed towards the opposite direction.

    He was not far away when a figure appeared before him. He tried to attack the figure, but a single punch pushed him back.¡±. The figure in front was a Qi master, but his strength was nearly equivalent to him. A sudden realization urred in his mind. ¡°You are Long Tao.¡±

    Long Tao to a stance of boxing. ¡°I am happy to know that you are aware of me. I would like you to have an honorable death in my hands. This is a technique I developed with all my understanding. It is called Dominator¡¯s fist.¡±.

    The technique was abination of his understanding of vibration and the thunder element. One of the many moves within the dominator¡¯s fist. It was called Raging Thunder clutch. A huge fist aura rushed towards the opponent. he was instantly decimated.

    ¡°I guess he had consumed too much of his Qi.¡±

    .............

    In the Bai n premises-

    Su Menqi was taking charge of extracting all resources from the Bai n treasury. The Long n members saw this and were expecting rewards from this operation. One of the elders came forward. ¡°What about the division of these treasures. How much do we get?¡±

    Su Menqi looked at him with a mocking smile. In a loud voice, she said ¡°I give the Long n 1 incense stick of time to fuck off from here. You have to choose between staying alive, and being wiped out by us.¡±

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 Chapter 123

    123 WHO WILL BE THE KING?

    Su Menqi¡¯s words were like a shock to the guy. ¡± How dare you say that? We are supposed to be partners who have joined together to take down the Bai family. We are entitled topensation.¡±

    Su Menqi said with a severe tone. ¡°Let us analyze the situation. My men took down three different halls, while you only took down one. It was our reinforcements that arrived at the time and killed all three of the Bai ancestors. So what makes you think I will consider you people forpensation.¡±

    ¡± I am already doing your n a big favor by helping you kill the Bai family descendants. You are supposed to be the one who is going to pay our group.¡±The n required resources.

    One of the elders came forward to intimate Su Menqi, but his spirits were soon in shatters. A hit from one of the ck-buck squad members shot him into a distance. ¡± Are you trying to provoke me? I don¡¯t mind taking action against your n.¡± The whole group on Su Menqi¡¯s side came forward.

    .......................................

    Long Zhi Ruo was watching this from a distance. The exhausting set of events that just passed drained him quite a bit. Multiple pills appeared before him.

    When he heard what SU Menqi said, he felt quite betrayed. How could they do this? The vice-general belonged to Long n, but Su Menqi¡¯s voice didn¡¯t have any respect for them.

    He rushed towards the scene, along with his brothers. ¡± I hope miss will be impartial. My n would require somepensation to make for our losses.¡±.

    ¡± I am asking you to leave along with these fools. Please don¡¯t force me to use violence. The belongings are of the Dragon General. Even the king doesn¡¯t dare to ask for it. Who the fuck are you?¡±

    .....

    Long Zhiruo lost his cool. He released his Qi, dominating Su Menqipletely. ¡± I suppose your general forgot to teach you manners when talking with your seniors.¡± Su Menqi couldn¡¯t react. The difference in the realm was too big.

    Before the Long n members could count their stars, another powerful aura burst out, canceling the current one. ¡± My subordinates are my property. Others are not allowed to teach them anything.¡±

    Long Tao appeared. For the first time in his life, Long Zhi Ruo got a view of Long Tao. He was the so-called outcast of the n. But his current power exceeds even his. He wanted to try and patch thing sup, but Long Tao signaled him to shut up.

    ¡± Apologize to her.¡± Long Zhi Ruo couldn¡¯t believe his ears. He was being asked by a junior of his n to apologize to a Qi master. One of his brothers rushed out with a shout. ¡± How dare you disrespect your elders?¡¯, but his figure was sent flying with a p.

    The one who pped him was Di Tao, who arrived a moment ago with Jiao Shen. ¡± Senior, you say. Look around you. Do you think we needed you to take care of them?¡± It was a truth that the power of Long Tao¡¯s group was already enough to take out the Bai n.

    ¡± We did you a favor by inviting you. We helped you kill you, enemies. But you being the ungrateful bastards, are asking forpensation.¡± Di Tao was mocking Long Zhi Ruo.

    Long Tao didn¡¯t want to waste time ¡± I will be taking everything within the Bai n¡¯s possession, along with their territories and properties. You are excused. Please see yourself out of this ce.¡±

    Long Zhi Ruo could only sigh for the misfortune of his n. They didn¡¯t manage to patch things up with Long Tao. Having lost a powerful heir, all he could do was to repent and review his future actions.

    ................................................

    The border regions-

    The forest provided excellent cover for any organization to create a stronghold. The ¡®Shadow Moon¡¯ was not foreign to this idea. They had a broad base set up in the border regions of the Jiao country.

    A man could be seen running towards a nearby building holding a set of documents. ¡± tell the leader its an emergency. We need to call in all our forces.¡±

    The man who was referred to as ¡®Leader¡¯ was sitting in the throne room. ¡± What is the news. Did another one of our groups got killed in the hands of Long Tao¡¯s goons.¡±.

    ¡± the matter is far more sensitive than that, my lord. The Bai n was wiped out yesterday night.¡± The man stood up from his seat, rage-filled his eyes. He banged his fist against the wall. ¡± how did this happen.¡±. ¡± The spies reported seeing Long Tao¡¯s group along with the Long n attacking the Bai n together. There were two more figures present at the scene. ¡±

    ¡± Did you managed to identify them?¡±. ¡± It was Jiao Shen and Di tao from the royal academy.¡±. Even the royal academy students were involved. It was a severe blow to his n. Without the Bai n, here wouldn¡¯t be a possibility of rebellion against the royals. He needed to drop the project within the Jiao country. The upper echelon was going to be angry.

    ¡± Pack all our belongings up. We are leaving the Jiao country ASAP. The n is canceled. Tell the merchantpany¡¯s employee to leave too. He wanted to report this to his superiors ASAP. Long Tao needed to be taken care of.

    .............................................

    The Royal pce ¨C

    Jiao Mingue was waiting in the elder¡¯s meeting hall along with Jiao Bo and some head ministers. ¡± Is there any report regarding Long Tao¡¯s current progress with the mission.¡± A guard came in at the moment. ¡± Sir Long Tao requests an audience with the princess and sir Jiao Bo. ¡±

    Long Tao appeared with Jiao Shen and Di Tao. The princess was surprised to see Jiao Shen our of the royal academy. She could already estimate the situation from his clothes. He was involved in Long Tao¡¯s n.

    ¡°The operation was a huge sess. We managed to wipe the Bai family outpletely. A special mention of thanks to Di Tao and the prince for providing back-up to all my troops. We killed the three ancestors. That sums my report about the fight. A more detailed one would be avable to you in your rooms.¡±

    I¡± I hope you managed to regroup with your supporters, princess. We are moving in to finish the Merin merchantpany. We can¡¯t let the enemy pawn¡¯s escape. Wiping the Merin merchantpany out would be a blow to their finances.

    ¡± I have a more urgent matter to discuss with you, Sir Long Tao. I would like to excuse the prince and DI Tao out of this room¡±.

    Long Tao. Jiao Bo and Jiao Mingue wee alone in the room. ¡± the political unrest in the nation is rising. The rebellion might have been our biggest hindrance, but the chaos caused by my father¡¯s death is a huge one. We need yo take necessary measures.¡±

    ¡± I already asked you to use all the methods at your disposal, princess. If the carrot doesn¡¯t work, we need to use the stick. I suppose the 150 bodies were not enough to satisfy the appetite of the nobles. I don¡¯t mind setting a much more clear example for them. ¡±

    Long Tao asked the guard to call Su Menqi. When she arrived at the scene,¡± I need you to form an assassin group with the most capable soldiers of the ck-buck squad. I will be giving you the list of targets. You need to kill each one of them tonight. ¡±

    ¡°Do we any other options except for killing.¡± The princess interrupted Long Tao¡¯s conversation. ¡± I had a thought which I need you to consider on. I would like to hear your thoughts about it.¡± Long tao was interested.

    ¡± I am thinking about coronating a new ruler.¡±. Long Tao didn¡¯t expect the princess to have this thought. Even Jiao bo was surprised by it. A new king. Who will be taking that mantle? ¡± I hope you have someone in your mind,¡± Jiao Bo enquired.

    ¡± I do have a candidate, but I would like to hear Long Tao¡¯s thought on this topic.¡±.

    ¡± a new ruler would surely manage to quench some of the chaos. I would have preferred you for the position, but your involvement is not a favorable option here. I seem to think of a candidate who might be suitable. His recent feats would help him in assuming the position. ¡±

    ¡± who might that be?¡± Jiao Bo curiously asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s the third prince, Jiao Shen. I got to experience his strength during yesterday¡¯s fight. I am positive about him being strong enough. He would be the perfect candidate for this asion.¡± Jiao Bo nodded after brief thinking. Jiao Shen seemed to be a valid option.

    Both of them looked towards Jiao Mingue. ¡± I agree with this proposition. I, too, had him in my mind. We need to discuss this matter with him¡±. The guard was recalled to invite Jiao Shen over to the room.

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 Chapter 124

    124 CORONATION

    Jiao Sheng soon entered the room. He was pretty anxious to meet his eldest sister, but the atmosphere which greeted him was filled with seriousness. Jiao Bao signalled him to take a seat.

    Long Tao decided to initiate the conversation. ¡± I thank you for helping Di Tao in the quest I assigned to him. He reported all your heroic deeds throughout the mission.¡± Long Tao bowed out of professional courtesy to a benefactor.

    Jiao Sheng took out the bone spear from his storage ring and forwarded it to Long Tao. ¡± I suppose it is yours.¡±. Long Tao grabbed the weapon and swung it around.

    Jiao Mingue and Jiao Bo were shocked upon seeing the spear. The aura emanated was regal. ¡± Is it a high tier Qi general weapon, sir Long.¡± ¡± It is even better, a quasi king tier weapon.¡± Jiao Bo spoke out of enthusiasm. The thought of Long Tao giving away a weapon of this tier for a mission surprised both of them.

    After some rough movements, Long Tao threw the spear back at Jiao Shen. Jiao Shen caught it out of pure instincts. He looked at Long Tao in expectation of an answer.

    ¡± It suits you a better prince. Please take it as a gift from me. I congratte you on your future endeavour as a leader.¡± Jiao Shen didn¡¯t understand the crux point. Long Tao¡¯s reminder brought the other two back to the situation at hand.

    ¡°You will be assuming the position of Jiao country¡¯s king, starting from tomorrow.¡± Jiao Mingue revealed the matter to the prince. A sudden bolt of lightning seized up Jiao Shen¡¯s body.

    ¡°You want me to assume the position of king. I am yet toplete my graduation. I am not even old enough. It would create a nuisance in the whole kingdom.

    ¡± you are the most suitable for this position. There is no news regarding the first and second prince. Being the chief advisor and strategist, I can¡¯t divert my time to the royal court. Uncle here is in charge of the north-eastern army and royal guards. The only person remaining is you.¡±. Jiao Mingue didn¡¯t leave a single stone untouched in her argument, leaving Jiao Shen with no option for retaliation.

    .....

    Jiao Shen was still trying to digest the fact when Long Tao arrived by his side. ¡± I understand your mindset, prince. But there is no other choice left. You don¡¯t need to worry about the management and nning. All three of us here to assist you. I request you to ept it.¡±

    ..............................................

    The Next day-

    A hugemotion hit the royal city, regarding the coronation ceremony of the new king. The third prince Jiao Shen was being appointed as the new leader of masses. It came as a massive surprise to both nobility and the general poption alike.

    ............................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    Long Tao was busy practising the Body cultivation as of now. He was draining the pill reserves. There was a slight advancement in his body cultivation.

    ¡± Where do you stand now?¡±. The keeper was apanying Long Tao during his practice. He always tried to lift his spirits while advising him on cultivation.

    ¡± I managed to open up 3 of the meridians. Six remain closed. I am conflicted about my future path. Should I break-through the next level, or wait to get my hand on resources. ¡±

    ¡± What about the recent venture in the Bai family. Did you find any useful resource.¡±

    Long Tao drew ut a ring and emptied its content. There was a considerable amount of gold, weapons, manuals, all of which was a waste to Long Tao as of now. He was about to return to his cave when the keeper signalled him to stop.

    ¡± What is that?¡±. The keeper pointed at a wooden casket thaty within the pile of gold. Long Tao lifted it and broke it open.

    Two objects fell out of the ruble. One was a type of text, while the other was a glowing stone. The size of the stone was considerablyrge, upying most of the space inside the casket.

    LonG tao grabbed the book. It read,¡± Vum punch: Using the air pressure to attack opponents.¡± It seemed like an exciting art. He decided to read through it for insights into the Fist skill. It might provide support material for his research into fist arts. He needed new break-throughs to develop the ¡®Dominator¡¯s Fist¡¯ technique.

    ¡± You seem to have luck on your side, brat.¡± Long Tao agreed. ¡± This art might prove to be useful.¡¯

    ¡± I am not talking about art.¡± The keeper signalled at the stone. ¡± Do you know what that is?¡±. Long Tao had no idea what it was.

    ¡± It is a supreme natural oddity found rarely in nature. It is called condensed milk stone dew.¡± Long Tao had never heard of it.

    ¡± you will hear about t when you start researching the fifth-grade alchemy materials. It is a naturally urring body cleansing agent that can be converted into a pill. Do you remember when I asked you to find herbs for body cleansing liquid?. It would be ten times as effective.¡¯

    ¡± But that is forter times.¡±. Body cultivation was Long tao¡¯s primary concern now.

    ¡± You should try to listen to more, brat. This dew is a cleansing agent. It is a perfect resource for opening your meridians.¡± Long tao was visibly excited on hearing this.

    ¡°Although it would be a waste, your stable foundation is of prime importance. I suppose half the amount could be used by you to open the remaining meridians. The rest will be given to your master for making into pills.¡±

    ...........................

    The royal pce-

    Jiao Shen was standing at the royal altar. After the final rights were done, Jiao Mingue came forward and ced the crown on top of his head.

    ¡± I pledge to work for the people of jIao country and develop this nation into a greatmercial and power hub. In these times of war, I promise my citizens protection andpensation for the losses incurred. Our country has never been in a weaker state like this before. I need the help of every single one of you, both citizens and nobles included. We together will strengthen our roots and ward off the imposters who try to act against us. ¡®Long Live The JIAO''¡±.

    The speech filled everyone in the audience with a renewed enthusiasm. The death of the king was a matter of sorrow and setback. But the new king managed to ignite a new spark of hope.

    The people hailed for the long life of Jiao Shen, and hence the grand ceremony came to an end.

    ............................

    The ministers were presenting gifts one by one to his royal highness, the new king. ¡± I would like to hear the reports from all of you. State your name, position, and speak about the territory you hold currently. The reports should be brief and informative. I will be setting my future goals ording to it.¡±

    Jiao Mingue was smiling from behind. Jiao Shen managed to y an excellent move to showcase his authority. The nobles came forward with their reports.

    It was around mid-noon that the reports came to an end. Jiao Shen was thinking about taking a break but was interrupted by a guard who came rushing in.

    ¡± Pardon the intrusion, your majesty.¡±. The soldier bowed out of nervousness.

    ¡± speak up.¡± Jiao Shen had a gut feeling about this matter.

    ¡± Messengers have arrived from the Chu country. They desire to have an audience with his majesty.¡± Jiao Shen was about to ask the guard to hold them in the lodge when the guard said, ¡± They report it as being a matter of importance for the international peace situation between our borders.¡±

    ¡± Ask them toe in.¡±. Jiao Shen discharged the guard.

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 Chapter 125

    125 DECLARATION OF WAR

    Jiao Shen asked all his ministers to stay put on their seats. The arrival of messengers from the Chu country was a matter of great importance considering the recent peace agreement between the two countries. Jiao Shen, like all the students of the royal academy, was informed about the new deal.

    The deal helped lift a lot of pressure for the north-eastern troops. The number of conflicts began to decrease. It proved to be beneficial for both countries.

    Jiao Sheng¡¯s untimely death brought new variables with it. Jiao Shen was a martial art addict, but even he had themon sense about politics. He understood eh purpose of this visit might bear negative results.

    ¡°What are your thoughts regarding this visit?¡± Jiao Shen consulted both Jiao Mingue and Jiao Bo.

    ¡± I have an ominous feeling regarding the matter. Don¡¯t you think that the time seems to be too coincidental? It feels like someone was watching us the whole time, and decided this particr moment to strike.¡± Jiao Bo¡¯sment raised Jiao Mingue¡¯s guard. It seemed a little too unconventional for such a coincidence.

    ¡± We need to have Long Tao in this meeting.¡±. Jiao Mingue insisted. ¡± I already ordered the guard to invite him in. He is the chief strategist for the aggressive response against our enemies. If these peoplee bearing ill will, they won¡¯t be leaving alive.¡±

    ................

    The guard came in with a group of people dressed in formal clothing. Jiao Shen viewed as th group came forward and bowed in respect.

    ¡± We greet the new King of Jiao country. May you have a long life and rule the nation with peace and prosperity.¡± Jiao Shen signalled them to rise and take a seat. The group members settled down, except one. This man was going to put forward the message they came bearing.

    .....

    ¡± What brings the Chu country¡¯s officials to these humblend of Jiao family.¡±.

    ¡± Wee bearing themand of the new king of Chu country.¡±. These words were apanied by a shocked expression from Jiao Mingue and Jiao Bo. Jiao Mingue was surprised on hearing the fact that Chu country had gone through a change in leadership.

    She stepped forward and enquired. ¡± May I ask who the new king of Chu country is.¡±.

    ¡± Replying to her royal highness, it is the first prince.¡± Jiao Mingue didn¡¯t expect this turn of events. Among the three Chu siblings, the first prince was the least qualified. She expected Chu Rudao to take the mantle.

    Chu Rudao was quite famous for being the most talented among the next generation of Chu royalty. His martial and alchemy talent was above both his brothers. The only one who barely managed to getpared was the second prince.

    ¡± May I know what happened the previous ruler of Chu country.¡± Jiao Mingue wanted to enquire the current situation of Chu country.

    ¡± His majesty, the former king, came in contact with a mysterious disease. The disease began to show its characteristics after a month of your departure and resulted in him being bedridden. He is currently in aa since thest month. The first prince took upon himself to manage the situation with the Chu royal court. ¡±

    .....................

    The situation within the Chu country was like a modified replica of what happened in the Jiao country. Both nations went through a change in leadership. Jiao Mingue was eager to hear the contents of the royal decree.

    ¡± May I have the opportunity to hear the message sent by your king.¡±. ¡± Certainly sir¡± he messenger took a royal order out from his satchel.

    ¡± My greeting to the new ruler of Jiao country. Both the nations had recently concluded a peace talk, thus establishing a peaceful situation in the borders of our countries. The benefit apanying this deal was tremendous. I want to congratte you on this asion.¡±

    ¡± The recent demise of your father came as heartbreaking news to me. I offer my condolences to histe souls. We must stand firm in these situations. Our duty as the ruler doesn¡¯t allow us to have a long emotional retreat.¡±

    ¡± greeting apart, I would like toe to the main topic now. During thest peace talks with your eldest sister, princess jIao Mingue, a condition was put forward by my father. It would help a lot in uplifting the peaceful situations between our countries. I want to hold her ountable and demand a reply. ¡±

    Jiao Shen didn¡¯t hear anything about a demand by the Chu king. He looked at Jiao Mingue with an enquiring look. Before Jiao Mingue could rify the matters, the messenger spoke up.

    ¡± His highness had requested the formation of a deeper bond than a peaceful partnership. He requested marriage to held between the two royal families. I came bearing the request of the new king to ask for the hand of the eldest princess in marriage.¡±

    Jiao Shen was blown into confusion by this. During this time of wars, the Chu country dares to be shameless enough to ask his sister¡¯s hand in marriage.

    ¡± I request the Jiao King to give this matter some serious thought.¡± The messenger said with a threatening tone.

    Jiao Shen was near the end of his emotional control. He desired to leap up and kill the bastard, but he decided to stay put.

    .................

    Somewhere with the Chu royal pce-

    The first prince was sitting beside a bed. A weak figureid on it. ¡± Did you hear about my coronation father. I am the new king of the Chu country. Had you ever imagined being outwitted by the son you regarded as waste.¡± He gave a fancy expression

    ¡± I wanted to show how efficient I was. I am so much better than you at ruling the kingdom. I would have our dream of absolute sovereignty over the regione true. Did you know I am getting you a new daughter-inw.¡±

    ¡± I have to report that I sent a proposal of marriage to the Jiao country. I hope the new king would be intelligent enough to understand the gravity of the situation.¡±

    He came near the bed, and pated on the forehead of the previous king. ¡® do you know that I asked for Jiao Mingue¡¯s hand in marriage. I eve sent an enticing offer to marry my sister to the new king. Wouldn¡¯t it be a profitable option for both of us.¡±

    ¡± the son you thought to be the weakest, would achieve the dream you could never fulfil. I will take control of all our neighbouring nations. The Jiao will be the first in the list. I can¡¯t wait to meet that bastard Long Tao. I swear to have my revenge on him.¡±

    A weak voice sounded out at this moment.

    ¡± I pity you, my son. I never saw you as weak. You may have an aggressive personality, but I didn¡¯t expect you to behave like a traitor. You may have achieved the feat of getting rid of me, but there are some walls you can never climb. He would never let you have your way.¡±

    The prince pressed both his hands onto the Chu king¡¯s throat, trying to choke him. A struggle urred, but just as he was about to lose consciousness, th first prince released his hands.

    ¡± I won¡¯t let you die so soon. I will let you see the future. I will have you picture me standing on top of Long Tao¡¯s dead body. Only when you will be at the end of your ropes, will I grant you the mercy of death.¡± The first prince left the room.

    ............

    ¡± I don¡¯t see any reason toply with the orders of your king.¡± Long Tao made a grand entrance into the hall.

    The messenger looked carefully at the figure. It was none other than the unfathomable vice-general Dragon, of the Jiao country.

    ¡± I greet the Dragon general. I hope the general takes no offence in my rough mannerism. I hope the general would give it a serious thought. A rejection could lead to catastrophic events in future.¡±

    Long Tao looked at the messenger with an amused expression. ¡°I am sure that coward had given you the details regarding my personalities. I was honestly surprised by your reply. But I now know where the confidencees from.¡±

    ¡± A fourth level Qi general working as a messenger is a rare urrence.¡± There was a surprise in the messenger¡¯s face. Even the Jiao royals were shocked. Fourth level Qi general.

    The messenger knew his cover was blown. He decided to take the offensive., but a sharp piece of metal; pierced his forehead.

    ..................

    The group from the Chu couldn¡¯t believe their eyes. Their leader was lying dead on the ground with a spear embedded in his forehead.

    Long Tao came forward and took the spear out. He pointed at the messengers and said

    ¡± I would like you to report these exact words to that coward of a ruler you now have. Tell him that the Jiao decided to disagree with his proposition. If he would like to show us his dominance¡± Long Tao walked real close to them and said with a deep tone of mock ¡± We would officially be going to war.¡±

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 Chapter 126

    126 COMPLETION OF MERIDIAN OPENING

    The group of messengers was too nervous about giving a reply. The disy amused long Tao. He asked the keeper to sense the cultivation of everyone else. The highest cultivation of the group was a Qi general level 1.

    Long Tao pointed his sword tip at him. ¡± I would like to ask some questions about your group. Now that I think about it, this seems necessary. That bastard can wait. ¡±

    He signaled the remaining Qi general level practitioner to step forward. ¡± What is the current situation within the Chu kingdom.¡± His face was filled with hesitation. ¡± This is yourst chance. Choose your next words very carefully. They would decide on your future.¡±

    ¡± The news that our head gave you was urate. The king suffered from some unknown disease, and the first princess instantly took the chance to take the throne for himself.¡±

    ¡± Did none of the members of royal pce ever thought of verifying the ims.¡± Long Tao felt that the circumstances were suspicious.

    ¡°Only the highest-level officials were allowed to visit to keep the matters under wrap. Many of the minions suspected this to be the doing of the first prince.¡±. Long Tao could hear a tinge of regret in his voice. ¡± Then why didn¡¯t you rebelled against this cover-up.¡±

    ¡± The active rebels were executed under charges of treason against the royal n. A mysterious group of people appeared out of nowhere to take the deceased¡¯s ce. These people were skilled and managed to prate every single aspect of the Chu kingdom. The leader was one of the neers.¡±

    Long Taoughed out loud on hearing this. ¡± SO they had ns for the Chu kingdom as well. I guess they managed to get their grip on that gutless idiot. His mental status is fragile enough to have made such an irrational decision.¡±

    ¡± what about the second prince?¡± It was the second question that came into Long Tao¡¯s mind. With the power he had given the second prince, he should have been able to escape alive with both his helpers.

    .....

    ¡± The second prince is being hunted throughout the kingdom. He managed to escape capture and is leading the rebellion against the crown. But his forces are too weak.¡± Jiao Mingue understood the mater. She looked ta Long Tao. It seems that the organization behind the incident wanted to do the same with Jiao¡¯s country.

    ¡°I hope you will report the matter precisely as I have listed it. We will bemencing war in 2 months. If you prince wants to begin it before, we war ready to y along.¡± Long Tao had confidence the attack would not ur until two months.

    .......................................

    Royal pce-

    ¡± Alert all the border forces and subsidiary n. We need to dere an emergency immediately. The Jiao country is officially at war now.¡± Long Tao gave out a set of instructions to be carried out.

    Jiao Shen wanted to prevent this war from happening. ¡± Shouldn¡¯t we give peace talks a try? Why switch to an offensive stance immediately?¡±. The words of the prince gathered varied responses. The ministers present were looking at him with a berating look.

    Jiao Mingue gave out a deep sigh. Jiao Shen was still a student until recently. He didn¡¯t have any experience in politics.

    ¡± You need to think about the words written in the royal decree king. This demand was not a part of the peace talks but was rather a piece of advice from the king. The first prince of Chu wants to start a war with us. We need to respond ordingly.¡± Jiao Mingue took upon herself to rify the situation.

    ¡± Arrange for transportation immediately. We will be leaving for the north-eastern war front. Have a group of a messenger sent to the general. He needs to begin his preparation immediately. I know it mighte as a surprise to you, but Jiao¡¯s country might have suffered from the same fate. If we don¡¯t win the war, they will be devouring the Jiao country anyway. We can¡¯t let that happen.¡±

    ................................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    Long Tao was in the final stages of opening his meridians. The keeper¡¯s advice was working. The milkstone dew was a potent cleansing resource. Hebined it with the regr Qi and rushed through the blocked meridians.

    The results were soon visible. The blockage began to open one after another. Long Tao was surprised to see how effective it was. This dew was a miraculous resource.

    It was a necessity that he break-through thest phase as soon as possible. He needed to start the break-through to Qi general level as well. The war was in one to two months.

    Thest meridian remained. Long Tao used his sword and saber aura. It was the idea of the keeper to integrate it with the flowing dew to get more effective results.

    Thest meridian was the most difficult to open. Long Tao tried to barge in multiple times. The impact generated hurt the meridian. Long Tao was unable to move due to the injury. He could only try to open it up.

    One strike, two-strike...10 strikes, it continued until finally, Long Tao was able to open it up. He spewed a lot of coagted blood. The situation got worse immediately. The dew was known to be cleansing resource, but Long Tao¡¯s internal injury didn¡¯t allow him to sustain such an intense cleansing. He promptly fainted from exhaustion.

    The keeper immediately applied the medical paste to his body and fed him a healing pill. He was trying to regte the Qi within Long Tao¡¯s body to help the recovery. After a while, Long Tao finally stabilized his condition. The keeper was relieved to see that the situation has stabilized.

    He finally managed to break through thest tertiary meridian. The same reform as the two cases before this retook ce. Upon the connection of all the extremities, Long Tao¡¯s body began to undergo another qualitative change. His body ¡®s skeletal structure got modified. His bone density seemed to have increased.

    The dew was working with much more effectiveness now. Long tao¡¯s body started to excrete the impurities out.

    Long Tao couldn¡¯t feel it due to the exhaustion of his Qi.

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 Chapter 127

    127 FUTURE PLANS

    The change was taking ce quite fast. After a lot of modification, the process finally stopped. The Keeper made Long Tao to the bath section of the Crimson lord world. A lot of impurities were flushed out due to the effects of the dew working while the modification due to the opening of meridians took ce.

    When Long Tao woke up, he found himself submerged in lukewarm water. He took care of cleaning his body and rested a bit within the bath. The exhaustion caused was a bit excessive this time. Qi deficiency added with internal injury put Long Tao¡¯s life at risk.

    Long Tao took some of the Qi replenishing pills and decided to rx for a while. He didn¡¯t circte the Q, but rather let it flow naturally throughout his body. The Medicinal effect slowly took effect.

    The pills Long tao had weren¡¯t able to help the injuries fas enough. He just broke through the 3rd level alchemist. The new need for increasing his strength rapidly had led to a dy in the other aspect of training.

    Only one of the avatars was training in alchemy at the moment. Even his schedule was divided between learning fire arts and alchemy. Long Tao remembered the promise made to his alchemy teacher to be able to reach advance 3rd level alchemist.

    He decided to start polishing his alchemy skills. He needed to create supplies for war. ¡± I will have a chance to research on the pill. The first objective is break-through into the QI general level.¡±

    ..........................

    ¡± How are you feeling? Metamorphosis seems to be very different. The first time I didn¡¯t manage to see it clearly, but it was quite clear this time.¡±

    ¡± what do you mean?¡¯

    .....

    ¡°You already know that the body cultivation realm of meridian opening has three stages: Primary, Secondary and Tertiary meridians. When you managed to open the primary meridians, the first metamorphosis took ce. The number of impurities excreted out was not quiterge, but the body seemed to have gone through refining. Your physical strength improved, along with the Qi sense and rate of cirction.¡±

    ¡± When you opened the whole set of secondary meridians, the second metamorphosis urred. It didn¡¯t change the physical attributes, but it did help you make a qualitative change.¡±

    Long Tao agreed. ¡± I did see some change. The Qi was denser than usual, and the rate of absorption had increased too. The bones and muscles went through a transformation. They began to densify, and hence my body frame was much stronger.¡±

    ¡°The impurities excreted were more than the first time. Your whole body went through natural cleansing. It helped you in understanding the techniques better and increased your perception of Qi control.¡±

    The Keeper had an excited tone of speech. ¡± What do you feel after the third metamorphosis.¡±

    ¡± The body frame has gone through another change. The bone and muscle density seemed to have improved by a lot. The meridians themselves have gone through a series of changes. They are much stronger now.¡±

    Long Tao continued to sense the changes within his body. ¡± My Qi cirction level has gone through a massive upgrade. The Veins of Qi flow seem to be much broader. My natural speed of absorption appears to have increased. My body seems to have remembered the process on its own.¡±

    ...................................

    ¡± Anything else, ¡± the Keeper was even more excited than before.

    ¡± My self-healing rate has improved due to previous effects.¡± Suddenly Long Tao felt multiple spots hidden within his body. ¡± I do feel these spots spread throughout my body. They seem to emit some special kind of Qi. Do you have any idea what might these be.¡±

    ¡± I think you already know the answer in your mind. You want me to confirm it, don???t you?¡±

    ¡± I doubt my assumptions. They are too good to be true.¡±. Long Tao didn¡¯t believe his guess.

    ¡± Well, your gut is giving you the right feel. Those are the hidden acupoints in your body. If my theory is correct, this is the next stage of body cultivation, the opening of all those acupoints.¡±

    ¡± But I feel there are too many of them. ording to the records written in the Weapon tempering form, the number seems to be unreal.¡±

    ¡°I assume that the creator of the weapon tempering form didn¡¯t go through the meridian opening process. It can also be due to the difference in the physiology of humans and devils.¡±

    These assumptions made sense to Long Tao. ¡± he tried to feel the point again, but the number seemed to be endless. Each of the points was emitting a different type of energy. It was as if they had different characteristics.

    ¡± I want you to apany me in the research room. I want to verify many of my hypotheses.¡± The Keeper agreed to participate.

    .................................

    Long Tao charted out the schedule for his next training phase.

    The first on the list was to break-through Qi general stage.

    The second phase was the research. There were four main areas to study: Martial arts, alchemy, Acupoints, and soul. Long Tao decided to keep weapon refining to a side as of now.

    He asked the leader to make the necessary preparation to proceed with the n.

    ...................................

    Jiao Shen had a duel with Di Tao on the training grounds. After half a day of colliding with each other, Jiao Shen asked for pointers.

    ¡± I don¡¯t have any specific advice to give to you. I feel you seem to be too immersed in following the instruction. Your body has forgotten how to improvise in battle. You need more battle experience. I have a proposal. Why don¡¯t we fight each day for the next two months? I will help you prepare for the forthing war.¡±

    ¡± I couldn¡¯t express my gratitude, brother Di. Has Long Tao ryed any further messages?¡±

    ¡± Brother Long asked me to help you train. You need to improve your strength within these two months. At the very least, you need to break-through Qi general.¡±

    ¡± I would be difficult if you ask me.¡± Jiao Shen was not sure about his speed. He was nearing the Qi master peak, but breaking -through Qi general was no joke.¡±

    ¡± If you go through the traditional way, it might seem impossible. I have a better option.¡± Jiao Mingue made an entrance. Jiao Shen bowed in greeting.

    ¡± You will be entering the ancientnd of Jiaos starting tomorrow. Uncle has already made the preparations. The only time you will being out is during your duels with Di Tao.¡±

    ¡± Who will take care of the royal court?¡±. Jiao Shen didn¡¯t want to vacate the throne during these chaotic times. ¡± You don¡¯t need to worry about the court. Iw ill take care of the matters here. You focus on improving your strength. Long Tao has requested you to prepare for the war.¡±

    Jiao Shen understood the matter at hand. He instantly left for making preparation.

    ¡± Announce the decree that the king will be entering into cultivation retreat for the next two months.¡±

    .....................................

    In the meeting hall-

    ¡°We need to n our future steps carefully, princess. I would like you to take care fo the internal strife. We can¡¯t let the situation inside disrupt the overall oue of the war.¡±

    ¡± Vice-general Jiao needs to stay here.¡±.

    ¡± How can I stay here while war preparation is going on. I am one of the senior vice-generals of the military. The troops under me need their leader.¡±

    ¡± I understand your concern, but we need to look at the bigger picture. You have three tasks ahead of you. You need to protect the royal n members. We can¡¯t leave them vulnerable during these times.¡±

    ¡°The second objective is to strengthen Jiao Shen¡¯s control over matters. You need to help him increase his strength and teach him politics of the throne.¡±

    ¡± the third and the most crucial task is to help the Jiao n regroup and gain more supporters. We need to weed out all the secret organization from here. If left alone, they might prove to be the essory of our defeat.¡±

    ¡± I have conveyed my thoughts to the general, and he has agreed. You need to finish the internal matters first. We will handle the war until then.¡±

    ¡°Your troop will be under the direct control of the general. You can assume leadership as soon as you finish the task at hand.¡±

    ...............??..........................

    Long Tao asked for Su Menqi¡¯s presence in his quarters. ¡± We need to chart out a n of training for our troops. I want you to leave for Tamar immediately. I will be arriving within three days. You need to get me the name of 100 elite soldiers who can work under us.¡±

    ¡± I will be preparing the n for the next two months. We need to train them.¡±

    ¡± Why are we recruiting only 100 men. You should take charge of Lin Bao¡¯s troops.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in quantity. Quality is my top priority. We can¡¯t waste time in training the whole battalion. The 100 men and the already existing members will be part of my elite team. We are going to be the first line of offense.¡±

    ¡± Our task would be including scouting, ambushing, assassination, and mass kills of as many people as we can. We are going to be the first to infiltrate the enemy¡¯s territory. General Unrivalled is not someone who can be defeated with numbers.¡±

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 Chapter 128

    128 TROOP TRAINING

    ¡± Will we be able to hold the front lines with such a small number? If discovered, the enemy willpletely overwhelm us by pure numbers.¡± Su Menqi analyzed the situation carefully. There were no visible benefits.

    ¡± I have a n in mind. You need to help with the training n first. We will have the next talk after you manage to list all the candidates. Make sure of their strength and ability to adapt to the situation. We start the training after my arrival. We can¡¯t waste any time.¡±

    Su Menqi looked like she wanted to say something, but chose not to. She left thepound.

    ........................

    The crimson lord world-

    ¡± what are your ns for supporting the battle troops.¡± The Keeper asked, Long tao.

    ¡± I have two months to prepare for the battle. Do we have any more Asmium.¡±. The Keeper providedrge chunks of it to Long tao.

    ¡± What do you n to do with these. It can¡¯t be made into weapons.¡± The Keeper was the one who introduced the metal to Long tao.

    ¡± I am making training equipment with these. The squad will be using them for the next two months. It will help them train faster.¡± LonG tao¡¯s n was legitimate by all means. There was one small problem, though.

    .....

    ¡± Those people don¡¯t have an abundant Qi capacity like you. They will go through Qi deficit multiple times if they train with it.¡± Long Tao didn¡¯t think about this aspect. He needed to devise a n for them.

    .................

    ¡°How is the progress with our herb garden.¡±. ¡± The harvest s quiterge. It has all the varieties of nts you collected throughout your mission. They can help you with your alchemy practice.¡±

    ¡± We need to start experimenting with these nts. I need your help with categorizing them ording to their properties.¡± The Keeper helped Long Tao in making the list of herbs. ¡± what are you going to do with these herbs.¡±

    ¡± I considered your advice. The soldiers will go through a Qi deficit multiple times during their cultivation. We need to create a Qi replenishing pill with the cheapest herbs avable. I have managed to refine many Qi replenishing pill recipes before. Its time to experiment with those recipes with new ingredients.¡±

    The first objective was at this moment was confirmed-a Qi pill that would help the soldiers in their training. Long Tao started concocting pills. The first few experiments were instant failures. One could hear multiple explosions urring in the pill room.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to create a new pill recipe. Most of the trials you conducted resulted in an explosion. The reason is the ipatibility between the ingredients. You need to formte a way to have a stable mixture. Use should use the stabilizers present. See which one I the most effective.¡±

    Long Tao tried it out. The explosions got milder as time went by. He tried multiple varieties with the recipes he managed to formte. After a lot of trials, the first sessful pill was in his hand.

    Long Tao tried the pill out. The Qi replenishing ability not as good as the traditional recipes. ¡± The results are not good enough. What am I missing?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you refer the journals to find the nts which could promote the effect of the materials used in the pills.¡± Long Tao went through the pile of books.

    Out of a long list of materials, five were avable with long tao for this recipe. The experiments started again. Long Tao tried using different proportions of all these promoters.

    ......................

    ¡®Boom,¡¯ a loud explosion urred in the pill room. The Keeper went in to find out Long Tao covered in ck sludge, lying on the ground. ¡® I suppose its another failure.¡±

    ¡± On the contrary, I seeded.¡± A blue pill was clutched tight within Long tao¡¯s palm. He finally managed to create a stable recipe.

    ¡± Congrattions on creating a brand new recipe.¡± The Keeper had to appreciate Long Tao¡¯s devotion to research.

    ......................

    Tamar-

    The situation was quite chaotic. The war was officially dered. The garrisons were preparing for battle training. Eachmander took control of training his troop. The whole city was fired up for the forting battle.

    Scout teams were already sent by either side to spy on their enemies. Every day numerous spies were being caught and lost as well. The war had already started to show its effect.

    ......................

    The ck-buck¡¯s dwelling-

    Long Tao ordered a meeting of all the members as soon as he arrived. ¡± have you manage to list out the potential members for our squad.¡±

    Su Menqi stepped forward and handed a list over. ¡± I found a total of 120 applicants who were skilled enough to participate in our training regime. We can start eliminating them through the training period and keep around the best soldiers.¡±

    ¡± What about their cultivation realms?¡±

    ¡± the lowest one is at the 7th level of Qi master.¡± Lon Tao was satisfied with these results. Su Menqi did an excellent job.¡± Have these people assembled in the training ground tomorrow morning? The training camp for ar will begin.¡± The meeting was adjourned.

    Su Menqi stayed behind to chart out the training n. ¡± I have an instruction for you. It feels like you ar eon the verge of breaking through to the Qi general level. Your aim for these two months is first to achieve a break-through. You can join the training after that.¡±

    Su Menqi nodded in agreement. ¡°These are some equipment I have prepared for the training.¡± Long Tao took out hordes of equipment. There were armors, gloves, shoes, and helmets. ¡± try these out.¡± Su Menqi picked one up and felt the weight of them.

    ¡± Try using your Qi now.¡± As soon as she released her Qi, She was surprised by the addition of extra weight.

    .........................

    The next morning-

    One hundred thirty-nine people were standing on the training grounds of the ck-buck dwelling. Long Tao soon made an appearance.

    ¡± All of you are present here to participate in a special training which is designed by me. This secret training will help me select 50 members who will be taking part in the war as a member of my squad. For the next two months, the chosen people will go through a rigorous regime to improve personal strength and teamwork.¡±

    Long Taoid out the training equipment. ¡± each one of you will be wearing these suits for the test. There will be a strength, stamina, and skill test conducted by me. Do your best.¡±

    The testing began. Soon people were being eliminated out of the camp. After around five days of continuous training, the top 69 were listed out. It included the top 50 and the previous 19 members of the ck-buck squad.

    ¡± The training of hell begins.¡±

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 Chapter 129

    129 EXPERIMENT

    The training turned out to be just as promised by Long Tao. The soldiers were trained day and night, starting from the next day. A full-body training suit was provided to each of them. Long tao asked them to assemble after getting geared up.

    ¡± The schedule decided upon for your training will be divided into two phases of time. The 1st phase will be for the next 20 days. The daily schedule of yours will include five sets of tasks. The first task is training your body. Each one of you will do the physical training exercise to improve your body limits.¡±

    ¡± As a practitioner of martial arts, having a sturdy body is very important. The exercise will include core and cardio exercises like jogging, push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, foot movements, chin-ups, and core training.¡±

    ¡± You will be doing around ten sets of each every day. You will have 6 hrs toplete it.¡±

    ¡± The second part will be your art training/skill enhancement ss. I will be giving each one of you pointers on how to improve your skills. I some rare cases, I might even provide you with a new set of arts.¡± The soldiers were excited. Any art from Long ta¡¯s arsenal was like a dream object.

    ....................................

    ¡°The third task would be the material collection for making of qi pills for you guys. Each one of you will have to bring a required number of materials daily, from the areas marked by me. Not being able to bring them would result in a punishment of 100shes of my bamboo rod.¡±

    ¡± The fourth part will be cultivation, which you will be doing for the whole night time. With the resources I am going to expend on you, you are required to break-through 1 level by the end of this month. I will give those who manage to break-through two levels a Qi-general rank weapon.¡± The mindset of each soldier went through a drastic change. Their morale was at a peak now.

    If they managed to grasp this opportunity, besides cultivation resources and pointers, they might get their hands on a Qi general weapon. It was like a dream for every soldier. Long tao¡¯s reputation began increasing in their hearts.

    .....

    ¡± Thest task would be to help me in the production of some artifacts. You will be briefed about the work when we get into the workshop.¡±

    ¡± you will not have any rest during these twenty days. The only time you get to recover your spirit is during the cultivation time.¡±

    ¡± As per the next phase of training, you will be alerted after youplete the first phase.¡± Thus the training began

    .....................................

    The Keeper¡¯s assumptions were correct. Many of them fainted within the first hour of training with the Qi equipment on. LonG tao provided them with the newly made Qi pills. It helped them rejuvenate the power to 100 %.

    ¡± You have ess to as many pills as you require. You will be allowed to take one after you consume all your Qi during training.¡± As time went by, The equipment got heavier. It was due to excessive Qi intake. The consumption rate of pills was quite high, and hence, LonG tao was starting to perform alchemy all the time.

    All the motivation the soldiers managed to build up was crushed at the end of the first day. The vice-general didn¡¯t joke about the training being hellish.

    ........................................

    In the crimson lord world:

    Long tao was experimenting on something in the weapon¡¯s hall. The Keeper was not allowed to sneak in. After a long wait, he finally made his appearance.

    ¡± I want your opinion on something I made.¡± Long tao showed him a ball-like object. ¡± What is this¡±

    Long tao didn¡¯t reply but rather threw the balls to a far of a distance. As soon as it hit the ground, an explosion took ce. The Keeper was surprised, whichter turned into fascination.

    ¡± During my time in the alchemy room, I experimented with quite a variety of material. I manage to identify materials that were highly reactive to each other. They tend to explode on the least contact with each other.¡±

    ¡± An idea popped in my mind. What if I could formte a device that could hold both of these materials. When force is exerted on it, the material tends to mix, giving rise to a chain reaction. It results in an explosion.¡±

    The Keeper analyzed another 2-3 samples. ¡± This a good idea, but the explosion of this level would at most be able to kill a Qi master of intermediate level. It¡¯s not useful in battle.¡±

    ¡°I understand your concern. I found the explosion to be too mellow too. hence I made another set of bombs.¡± LonG tao took out another object and threw it too. The explosion this time was quite destructive. The Keeper was shocked by the power.

    ¡± how about now?¡± Long tao asked in an amused tone.

    ¡°Enough to kill multiple advanced stage Qi master. How did you achieve this feat.¡± The Keeper was eager to know the secret behind the bombs.

    ¡± I applied the advice you gave me while making the pill. I used promoters along with the materials. They proved to be a catalyst, and the explosion was quite destructive this time.¡± Long tao felt real proud at this moment. It could help change the tide of the war.

    ¡± Do you know the best thing about it. The materials used are the most abundantly avable herbs.¡± Long tao reported the list of ingredients used in making the bomb.

    ¡± We will start mass production from tomorrow.¡±

    .........................................

    Balck-buck dwelling

    Each of the sixty-nine members was called into the forgery. ??? what I am about to show you is a top-secret project of mine which could turn the tide of this war instantly.¡±

    ¡± you will be pledging a heart-devil oath not to disclose this information to anyone.¡± The soldiers took a heart-devil oath.

    Long Tao showed them a sphere. ¡± This is what I call as a Qi grenade.¡± Long Tao asked them to make way. He threw the grenade at an empty spot.

    A loud bang was heard. The area was destroyed; each of the soldiers was shocked after viewing this phenomenon.

    ¡± You will be helping me in the creation of these. This is your fifth task.

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 Chapter 130

    130 MEETING OF GENERALS

    Long Tao¡¯s demonstration managed to shock the soldiers to the core. They never saw something like this. ¡°The grenade is effectively a piece of equipment that helps to create a st within a small radius around it. You don¡¯t need to know the details about its creation. What you are going to help me with is theponents.¡±

    A list of ingredients was provided to the soldiers. ¡°These are the ingredients used to make the fuel of the grenade. You will be collecting these things ording to the mentioned quantity, in addition to the herb list for pills.¡±

    ¡°as per the manual job, I need your help in odd jobs. Divide yourself into five teams.¡± After the division was done, Long Tao allotted the tasks.

    ¡°The first group will be responsible for creating the outer kernel. The mould prepared by me will be avable for your use. You will be melting metal and pouring it ording to the mentioned quantity. Mistakes will not be tolerated. One hundredshes for each mistake of yours.¡±

    ¡°The second group is tasked with the preparation of one of the herbposites. The procedure of creation will be shown to you. It would be best if you created the mixture in the mentioned quantity. Any mistake will result in a st which ends with your death. Theposites will be submitted to e after creation.¡±

    ¡°The third group: Creation of another mixture from the second set of herbs. The method and material will be allotted to you. The instructions are the same. Don¡¯t be careless while handling the mixture. You might put your team¡¯s life in danger.¡±

    ¡°The fourth group will be thepiler. Your job is to fill the kernel with mixtures. You will be doing the most dangerous job of all. Good luck.¡±

    ¡°Thest group will not have any creative task. You will do a much more tedious job. You will be in charge of creating the range and testing the grenades out. Handling those grenades is a necessary matter of concern. When in bulk, if a single one of them explodes, all of us will die.¡±

    ¡°Your job will be to take data regarding the st efficiency, the damage done, and the range of exposure. We will be devising the usage n ording to the data provided by you. A set of instructions will be provided. ¡±

    .....

    ¡°You need to rx your mind before beginning the creation. This device will be a game-changer in the war. We aim to arm each soldier of the army with at least ten of those.¡±

    With the goals set, the process began.

    .............................................................................................

    Tamar-

    The general called out a meeting of all the high officials in the military. The vice-generals, along with their subordinates, were present.

    ¡°The Chu military has already started regrouping with their reinforcements from other parts of the country. Due to the change in the leadership, peace between our nations can no longer be held firm. We need to start the training and staging of our troops near the borders.¡±

    One of the vice-generals said.¡± Are you entirely sure about there being no chance in us being able to negotiate peace terms with the Chu nations.¡±

    ¡°I hope the vice-generals know about the recent events in the royal capital.¡± Long Tao spoke out. The vice-generals had some ideas regarding it.

    ¡°The former king died in an assassination attempt by the rebel forces. How did they manage to sneak into the royal pce without anyone knowing.¡±

    ¡°My theory was that the rebels had quite a deep reach within the prime organizations of the royal n. It requires a lot of funding to execute such arge n. No force present in the Jiao country could execute that.¡±

    ¡°The only other exnation is them having someone¡¯s support for this venture.¡± Long Tao paused and passed a set of documents to the dignitaries present.

    ¡°In the purge which I undertook, the number of traitors was numbered around 200 within the pce. There were also the Merin merchantpany, the Bai n, and about 30 other small guilds and groups. All of them were stationed at Jiao royal city.¡±

    The vice-generals were shocked after reading the report. It understood that in case a rebellion took ce, the royal n would have been wiped out already.

    ¡°The Chu country has gone through the same set of changes. ording to my assumptions, the group in the dark already controls the Chu royalty. Their objective is to gain control of the Jiao country through this war.¡±

    The battle was inevitable.

    ..............................................................................................

    The general had already marked various locations on the map of the border areas. ¡°Each of the areas will be guarded by a battalion. If my thoughts are correct, they will be attacking all of these locations.¡±

    ¡°Given Long tao¡¯s assumptions are correct, they should have a boost in their workforce. The reinforcement received from the force backing them would be huge. Can anyonee up with a n to counter them?¡±

    ¡°I think we need to set an ambush beforehand. That is the only valid option we have. We need to cancel as much workforce as we could.¡±

    It was a solid n. The problem lied with the fact that they need to make the arrangements. If the enemy needs up knowing about it, matters will get worse.

    ¡°I have an idea which might prove to be beneficial.¡± Long Tao took the mantle.

    ¡°My troops will be the stakeout team for this war. We will begin with the elimination of enemy spies within the forest regions. A topographical analysis will be presented daily to the council. You need to make arrangements ording to it.¡±

    ¡°Will vice-general Dragon be not partaking the role ofmander in the war?¡¯. One fo the vice-general spoke out. Long Tao¡¯s achievement was known to all.

    ¡°My team and I will be the first line of offence. After eliminating most of the spies, we will be carrying out two sets of tasks.¡±

    ¡°First will be the assassinations of enemy leaders. My troop will give its best to eliminate as many as possible. We will be starting on the mission after ten days.¡± Performing an assassination mission during the times of war was a dangerous mission.

    ¡°The next phase is our task with setting up the ambushes. I would like to propose something to all the vice-generals. Hope you would ept it.¡±

    Long Tao forwarded his proposal regarding the battle n. The forecasted results were quite impressive. If executed as designed, the war is sure to win the battle.

    .................................??...........................

    The ck-buck squad was undergoing a training regime. It helped the soldiers to improve their capabilities by arge extent. The number of resources allocated to them was tremendous. Long Tao was always concocting pills for cultivation, recovery, physical boost.

    It was around five days before the end of the month when Su Menqi arrived at the dwelling. The atmosphere around her had changed. Every soldier could feel it.

    ¡°You managed to achieve a break-through¡± Long Tao was ted to find that Su Menqi managed to break-through the Qi general level. A tremendous burden was lifted from his shoulders.

    ¡°Report your break-through to the general office. It shoulde as good news. The addition of a new vice-general to the ranks. We can discuss the future proceedings after you return.¡± Su Menqi left for the merit hall.

    ................................................???................

    Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°What do you n to use her for?¡± The Keeper referred to Su Menqi in this matter.

    ¡°She is an efficient leader of the masses. Her break-through will serve as an inspiration for my men. She would be stationed along with Jiao Bo¡¯s troop in one of the marked regions. Her task would be toy the second set f traps for our enemies.¡±

    ¡°The grenade you created wouldn¡¯t be able to do much of damage in case of such arge army. The number required would be too high.¡±

    ¡°I am not talking about using grenades. I have another set of designs. It is a more formidable version of grenades and perfect for our objective.¡±

    The design n wasid out. The Keeper verified it. The ideas were ingenious. Ifid correctly, the st would take out a group of 30 people at the same time.

    ¡°If the design is perfectly executed, the mentioned machine can be remotely essed and control with the help of a control formation. I am thinking of giving the task to Su Menqi.¡±

    ¡± You need to concentrate on the creation of the object first. We have to perform the trials after that. Only after being certain can you start the mass production. The time avable is too less.¡±

    ¡± We need to work on this together. You need to help with theposition of the fuel used. Thebustion mechanism is through the insertion of Qi with would kick-start the chain reaction.¡±

    ¡± We need to design a storage section and path for the Qi. We then need to create an activating switch which would be connected with the formation. I will be working on the shell, you need to work on the fuel.¡± The keeper epted the set of task.

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 Chapter 131

    131 PREPARATION FOR BREAK-THROUGH

    The general office soon heard about Su Menqi¡¯s break-through to the Qi general level. The requirement of capable subordinates is an integral part of the war. Su Menqi¡¯s break-through was a boon for the military forces.

    ¡°I congratte you on the break-through. I expect you to adhere to the responsibilities thate with your new position.¡± Su Menqi didn¡¯t want to get promoted.

    ¡°I would like to return to my previous position as the team leader of Vice-general Long¡¯s squad.¡± The general was shocked by this disy of loyalty. Every surviving member of the original ck-buck squad was just like this. They decided to work under Long Tao.

    ¡°Imend your loyalty to Long Tao, but this is a serious matter. You can¡¯t act like a child in this case. You are powerful enough to lead a battalion of your own. It¡¯s your time to be in charge of your force.¡±

    Su Menqi could understand the reason behind the general¡¯s words. ¡°I appreciate your reasoning, sir, but I am indebted to Long Tao. We in the Balck-buck squad have a significant debt to pay. We try our best to live up to his expectations. I can¡¯t leave my post as his subordinate. Not until I manage to defeat him.¡±

    ¡± Long Tao insisted for you to take this job. He wants you to lead the battalion belonging to Jiao Bo until he returns from the capital. He knew you would say that. He, as your previous chief herby orders you to take the job.¡± The general forwarded a document to Su Menqi.

    She couldn¡¯t believe her ears. Long Tao wanted her to take the job.

    .................................................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    .....

    ¡± You managed to get a working sample of Qi replenishing and enriching pills. Your weapon refinement skills have upgraded due to the recent research into the explosive devices. I think its time you start your break-through.¡±

    Long Tao didn¡¯t reply to thisment. He wanted to break-through, but his gut felt like it was not yet full.

    ¡± I have a feeling that Break-through is near. I won¡¯t be hastening my break-through into Qi general. I will continue absorbing more Qi into my system. It¡¯s not yet full.¡±

    ¡± I think Qi is not a problem here. In my opinion, it¡¯s your soul. Although you managed to break-through thest cycle, a soul Qi deficit was experienced. Your soul needs to be calm and replenished first.¡±

    ¡± I guess we need to request for some soul calming pills from my master. He might suspect these actions of mine. I don¡¯t want to shock him by letting him know that I am about to break-through. I don¡¯t want him involved in the matters of my secrets.¡±

    ¡± I have a suggestion for you.¡± The Keeper¡¯s words brought a soothing feel to Long Tao¡¯s ears. ¡± Will it help me out of this situation.¡± Long Tao was hopeful about getting a better option.

    ¡± I am sure there are some local herbs present which could help calm people¡¯s mind.¡±. ¡± there are a lot of herbs, but the problem is my cultivation level. The herbs present in the vicinity are effective on Qi child and Qi masters. I am too strong for them to work.¡±

    ¡°We can try to concentrate their essence just like we did in the case of the thunder balls.¡±

    ¡± The thunder balls were effective because the thunder was a cultivation resource of suitable quality. These herbs are not meant for Qi generals.¡± Long Tao¡¯s spirit was taking a huge hit from this realization.

    .................................................

    ¡°What if we use a sedative.¡± It was Long tao who pitched the idea.

    ¡± My idea is a no go boy. I was hopeful, but your logic is precise. It won¡¯t work.¡±

    ¡°ording to my assumptions, the reason those herbs are no longer effective is due to the resistance offered by the body to them.¡± The Keeper was interested in the theory.

    ¡°As one continues to get stronger, their body starts to get resistant towards the less effective herbs. What if we can cheat the body.¡±

    ¡± how do you propose we do that.¡± The theoretical evaluation of the situation seemed perfect. They needed a practical solution to the problem.

    ¡± By using multiple poisons. We can use sedatives to poison my body. My immune system will start an instant response to fight it back. We can use the opportunity to sneak in the herbs into my body. The herbs would be effective in that case.¡±

    Although the theory wasmendable, a practical application might yield unexpected results. ¡± We will never know until we try. Bring all the soul calming herbs in the garden. We will be extracting their essences. I hope the experiment yields some results.¡±

    ¡± I just hope there aren¡¯t any adverse consequences of the experiment. The soul is the most fragile part of a cultivator¡¯s existence.¡±

    ..................................................

    The ckbuck dwelling-

    ¡± I have a new task for you people today. You are to collect an extra set of herbs in addition to those on your list. These herbs will be utilized to create meditation candles for you to calm your mind while in cultivation.¡±

    The soldiers had to experience extreme distress due to training and other tasks. It resulted in a deviation from their general meditative cultivation time. They couldn¡¯t focus on meditating. These herbs would be useful for them too.

    The soldiers were happy toply. The target of achieving a brek-through in their current cultivation put a lot of stress on them. It might help them calm down.

    ¡± Another task has been designed for you too. The second piece of equipment which I intended to be used during the war is ready for trials. We then switch to mass production for the army. The projects need to remain secret too.¡±

    ¡± I will be instructing you about the schematics when we arrive at the workshop.¡±

    ¡± We will also be increasing your weights today. The resistance offered by the one being used currently is not good enough.¡± The moral of the soldiers went down. An increase in weight was a nightmare for them.

    .....................................................

    ¡± I would like to have a private chat with you, Long Tao.¡± Su Menqi arrived on the training grounds. Both of them proceeded towards the training room.

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 Chapter 132

    132 A KNOT IN HER HEART, BREAK-THROUGH

    ¡°Was it you who suggested for me to lead Jiao Bo¡¯s battalion?¡± Su Menqi wanted Long Tao to confirm the general¡¯s word. She was indebted to Long Tao. She wanted to repay it in full. But she couldn¡¯t be of any help to him until now. Only by staying under him could she prove her worth.

    ¡°I did suggest that in case you manage to break-through before Jiao Bo returns. You managed to surprise me by having a break-through so soon. You should take the mantle.¡±

    ¡± Is my loyalty of no worth now? You want me to leave your side because you no longer value my work. I just hoped you would have made it clear.¡± Su Menqi had tears in her eyes. She left without getting a reply from Long Tao.

    Never had he imagined such a reaction from Su Menqi. She was always calm and collected. The situation seemed to be a little off here.

    ..........................

    ¡± It is a little off, you idiot.¡± The Keeper barked at Long Tao. ¡± For someone so aplished in cultivation and such a cunning personality, I didn¡¯t expect for you to overlook this matter.¡±

    ¡± What have I done wrong. She has been a great subordinate and eased my work and lot. She wasn¡¯t strong enough to hold her fortress before. But things have changed now. Her break-through into Qi general level speaks about her strength.¡±

    ¡± It stime she takes charge of her force. I already snatched power from her hands one. It¡¯s her loyalty, which motivated me to invest a massive amount of resources into her.¡±

    ¡± I considered every angle of this proposition. What might my fault be?¡± Long Tao couldn¡¯t decipher the meaning behind Su Menqi¡¯s words.

    .....

    .............................

    ¡± She was a weak personality within the north-eastern military. She was oppressed. She failed to garner any respect from her squad. Her countless year of service didn¡¯t manage to impress anyone.¡±

    ¡± The situation continued until one fine day; a manes into her life.¡± The Keeper started narrating the tale.

    ¡± He managed to change the whole scenario within one day. At first, it all felt like a dream but soon turned into reality. He managed to improve the condition of the squad. He invested a lot of resources for her to gain strength. He even trained her to be stronger.¡±

    ¡± Her fame began to rise rapidly. Her subordinates respected her. The man entrusted her with every detail of work.¡±

    ¡± The situation turned when a conspiracy urred against her. She lost most of her hopes in that period f torture. But the same man came back as a beckon of light. He saved her from the clutches of darkness, not once but twice. ¡±

    ¡°Even after gaining so much, all she ever wanted was a single thing for that man to ept and admire her. She tried her best to get stronger and more capable.¡± The Keeper¡¯s voice got serious.

    ¡± She managed to break-through a significant realm. She returned with the hope of gaining his praise until she got to know that he wanted to separate his operations from her.¡±

    ¡± Now tell me, what did you overlook.¡± Being addressed as a third person was quite amusing to Long Tao, but his gut pointed towards an absolute possibility.

    .............................

    ¡± I don¡¯t think Su Menqi would have felt towards me. She is a workaholic woman with incredible skills. I never wanted to garner her attraction.¡± Long Tao spoke out hastily. Never did the Keeper expect to find Long Tao so nervous.

    The thought of someone as powerful and ruthless as Long Tao to act immaturely was quite amusing for the Keeper.

    ¡± That girl has feelings for you. She took every single one of your orders and executed it. It was a feeling of gratitude, which soon turned into admiration and now one-sided love.¡±

    ¡± I won¡¯t be able to reciprocate those feelings. My objective is to be the strongest. I can¡¯t let myself be distracted by something, such as love.¡± For the first time in his life, he was feeling extremely nervous. He couldn¡¯t allow himself to get distracted from his objective. Su Menqi was an excellent subordinate. Long tao admired a lot of things about her, but familial feelings weren¡¯t one of them

    The Keeper understood Long Tao¡¯s feeling. ¡± the least you can do is to rify things with that girl. It has already developed into a knot in her heart. If left unattended, it will change into a heart-devil, consuming her.¡±

    ..................

    ¡± We should prepare for your break-through now. The extraction isplete. We can start the process.¡±.

    Long Tao ordered the troops to continue their training and leave the refining for now. He would be going into a five days retreat for breaking through the Qi general level.

    ¡± We will be leaving to execute our missions as soon as I finish my retreat. You will be training for the next five days with double the weights. It is thest phase. We need to work on your teamwork whilepleting our scouting mission. The war¡¯s oue rests on our shoulders.¡±

    The results of this month-long camp were quite contrasting. Each member was able to break-through a cultivation level. The overall upgrade in strength was enough to handle the mission Long ta had in mind.

    It was time to set the ambush.

    ........................

    The general¡¯s office-

    ¡± to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit soldier.¡± The general didn¡¯t expect Su Menqi to visit his quarters in thete hours of the night.

    ¡± I have decided to take the position offered to me, sir. The 3rd battalion will be headed y me.¡± The general was happy to hear this.

    ¡± I appreciate your choice, vice-general Su. Your battalion will be located in the southern range of the border regions. You are to divide your forces into five. Each one of them will be responsible for providing support. The details would be sent to your quarters by tomorrow.¡±

    Su Menqi saluted and left.

    ¡°She deserves to know the truth.¡± A figure appeared behind the general. It was a woman, beautifully dressed in silk robes. If one would look carefully, small simrities could be found within the features of hers and Su Menqi.

    ¡°What would her reaction be if she knew her father was a moron who didn¡¯t even care about her. We manage to keep her safe for thest 20 years. I don¡¯t want my beloved to suffer due to a mistake that I made.¡±

    The woman held the general¡¯s hand. ¡± It was our choice to get together. No force in this world could tear us apart. Every single decision we made regarding her was to temper her mindset and make her strong. We can¡¯t hide our daughters from the forces we ran from. They wille one day. She needs to be prepared for what¡¯sing for her. It¡¯s her destiny.¡±

    .....................

    ¡°Our daughter seems to have developed feelings for that brat.¡± The lovely voice of the woman managed to lighten the mood.

    ¡°Long tao is one of the most talented individuals I have seen so far. His character is unnaturally decisive and ruthless. I would be happy for her if she decides to get together with him, but it seems unlikely.¡±

    The woman smiled at her husband. ¡± Why would you say that?¡±.

    ¡± When he first entered the ck-buck squad, I gave him a thorough evaluation. You might find his file quite interesting.¡± The general handed her a file.

    Although she knew how paranoid and overprotective her husband was about their daughter, she decided to take a look. The reports managed to surprise her.

    ¡± Fate seems to quite harsh at him. His mindset is quite strong. We might fall short ifpared to what he has gone through. But why do you say it¡¯s unlikely for them to get together.¡±

    ¡± Long Tao¡¯s trauma arises due to his family¡¯s attitude towards him. He decided to abandon every single one of them and concentrated on cultivation. Such characters despise the thought of forming a family. Which scares me, because our daughter might develop a heart-demon because of this matter.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave it on fate to work itself out.¡±

    ................................

    Crimson Lord world-

    The drug was administered into Long Tao¡¯s body. Its effects were visible quite soon. The Keeper decided to administer the concentrated herb essences after Long Tao lost his consciousness.

    The effects were miraculous. Long tao¡¯s theory was working. Although he couldn¡¯t feel it yet, his soul world was calming down. A bnce was soon reached, but the effect of the poison was still present. Long Tao took quite some time toe back to his senses.

    ¡± How do you feel?¡± The Keeper expected a positive response.

    ¡± It worked. I can start my break-through.¡±. Long Tao started his retreat. It was time to break-through the Qi general level.

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 Chapter 133

    133 STAKE-OUT

    The Keeper instructed Long Tao to check his condition before going into the retreat. ¡± I would suggest you elevate your body stats to the best possible state. Just like three minor realms, there is a rtion between three sets of the major realm too.¡±

    ¡± A break-through to the Qi general level is just like breaking through the 4th stage of any realm from the 3rd stage. The task wouldn¡¯t be easy to aplish.¡± Long Tao wanted to have a bit more rity.

    ¡± The first three cultivation realms are called ¡®Foundation realms.¡¯ The second set of three realms are called ¡®warrior realms.¡¯ Thest three are called the ¡® Tribtion realm.¡¯ The final realm is called the ascender realm/ Qi god.¡±

    ¡± Youy a foundation of your body and perfect it until the Qi master realm. Due to the three sets of arts and the humongous amount of resources you used, you managed to build a perfect foundation.¡±

    ¡± When you enter the ¡®Qi General,¡¯ you will have to form a dantian in your body. It can otherwise be called as your Qi centre or Qi source. The condensed Qi sea had to develop into a dantian.¡±

    ¡°The next three realms you will be perfecting the dantian along with the body. You need to be at a perfect state to have a smooth break-through.¡±

    Long Tao thanked the Keeper for his exnation regarding the matter.

    .............................

    Long Tao utilized a total of 3 days within the crimson lord world, making pills and consuming them. It was challenging to reach a perfect state instantly, given the burden of creating resources for the squad. He was finally able to get to his prime.

    .....

    ¡± We will be burning the extracted essence from the soul calming herbs. You should begin the break-through.¡±

    Long Tao began to concentrate on his condense Qi sea. The creation of dantian was to try to solidify the Qi into a Qi center theoretically. Long Tao started to the process ofpressing his Qi.

    The Keeper had asked Long Tao to built a Qi gathering formation in his retreat cave. He connected the structure with the Qi pools present in the Crimson lord world.

    ¡± The essence Qi collected will be flowing into the formation. The break-through depends on him.¡±. Multiple varieties of Qi started flowing into the formation and absorbed by Long Tao¡¯s body.

    ............................

    Thepression was taking ce steadily. Long Tao believed in maintaining patience throughout the process. The solidification started soon.

    Long Tao¡¯s Qi sea was slowly getting converted into a concentrated mass of Qi shards. These shards continued to thicken and form a rough structure.

    Long Tao was conducting two simultaneous activities: Directing the Qi to form a dense matter, andpressing the concentrated mass. Both of those activities demanded high Qi expenditure and took a lot of time, but Long tao eventually managed to pull it off.

    A significant problem while forming the dantian was the fact that he could pile up all the different types of energies together. He had to create separate centers for each ss.

    After the final drop of Qi was consumed, a robust framework was left behind. Three glowing pieces were present in the Long Tao¡¯s body. It was like having three different Qi centers. Each one of them had a different attribute.

    The first signified Hell & Heaven Qi, the second signified the elemental Qi, and the third was a typical Qi center. He decided to report t to the Keeper.

    ¡± Congrattions on your break-through. I suppose it did work.¡± Long Tao managed to understand the Keeper¡¯s reference. He didn¡¯t expect the Keeper to connect the Qi pool to the formation.

    It was the reason he didn¡¯t feel anyck of Qi during his dantian formation.

    ¡± We can now proceed with the abilities you unlock with this break-through of yours.¡± Long Tao was excited to discover what his new powers were.

    ..........................

    Tamar-

    ¡± We will be leaving now.¡± Long Tao announced the order for departure. Each soldier was provided a unique set of resources consisting of weapons, pills, herbs, grenades, and many more.

    ¡± You will be forming small teams in the same pattern we followed during your training camp.¡± After the division was formally made, Long tao decided to designate one soldier from each group as team leaders.

    ¡± Our first mission is a detection for enemy spies. We will be eliminating any informant of the Chu military roaming our borders. I have managed to get my hands on some possible hide-outs. Remember your training routine. Never lose focus and be each other¡¯s back-up.¡±

    ¡± The second objective would be divided into two sub-parts: One set of groups will be performing the stakeout and assassination, while the other will be preparing to set the ambush. ¡±

    ¡± All of this will be urring mid-way between the two nations, and hence during these two months, the only nemesis we are going to find is some small stakeout groups like us. Eliminate as many as possible.¡±

    ¡± You will be rendezvousing in the designated locations for resupply of pills, weapons and ambush equipment. The formationyout is already present with themanders. ¡±

    ¡± May the best one win¡± Long tao raised his hands in a salute and dismissed the squad.

    ..........................

    One dayter-

    ¡± Do we any reports from 3 and 6¡å Long tao was analyzing the reports provided by the various groups. The troops managed to take care of a number fo spies within the borders. They were slowly pushing them back.

    The matter which concerned Long tao was the number of spies. It was quiterge for a stakeout mission. If they managed to perform while remaining undetected for so long, it meant that they had arge substation within these forests.

    ¡± If I am correct, the sub-station must belong t the assassins organization who were supporting the coup. I didn¡¯t expect to meet them so soon.¡±

    He sent amand message to each of the team leaders. ¡± you will be inspecting the whole area up to thirty miles radius from your current position for possible substations of the enemy.

    His first objective just changed. The situation demanded them to eliminate the substation.

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 Chapter 134

    134 FOUND IT!!

    In the depths of the forest:

    The terrain within the forest region was quite uneven. A varied topography like this created the best areas for having a hideout. Although there would be a need to eliminate the beats around the location, once formed, it would be an important strategic location.

    The organizations interested in having their hideouts in these areas were mostly bandits and assassins. Both ¡®Shadow Moon¡¯ and ¡®ck Dagger Hall¡¯ acquired a sanctuary in the forest regions. It was not until sometimeter that these hideouts decided to merge.

    The human resource in thebined operation was vast, and the location developed into a cardinal operation base for either of the groups.

    Within the depths of the hideout, a secret meeting was taking ce.

    .......................................

    ¡± ording to your status report, your organization and its allies were utterly annihted. I would have been justified if the Jiao n took action with its full force, but the reports say otherwise.¡± The tone didn¡¯t have any emotion within it.

    ¡± How could you lose to a single person. You had a numerical advantage; we managed to infiltrate deep within the Jiao n¡¯s structure. We had control over the market, the royal guards, the finance, etc. But all it took was one man to sabotage the whole operation down. We would like to hear a valid reason for this failure.¡±

    The man who was being used was none other than the leader of ¡®Shadow Moon¡¯ stationed in the Jiao city.

    .....

    ¡± I have nothing to justify my incapability. I request the organization to allot a specified punishment for this carelessness.¡± His choice of words was going to determine his future.

    ¡°All I have to report is some personal impressions regarding the enemy and actual survey reports which we conducted.¡± The file containing information regarding the event was forwarded to the judges.

    ¡± The enemy is cunning, creative, and extremely ruthless. He managed to sneak upon us and sabotage the operation we had for the peace convoy. Jiao Mingue managed to survive due to him.¡±

    ¡± He managed to get his hand on information regarding the moles ced inside the pce. He wiped the whole group out within one night all by himself.¡±

    ¡°I manage to learn some information regarding it. We didn¡¯t have a strategic advantage as of now. Hence I decided to regroup first. But he already yed his second move. On the same night, a group o assant killed multiple operatives of our organization.¡±

    ¡± The regrouping was unsessful, and each of the groups was terminated one by one. He first went for the operatives, the for the financers, and finally for the strategist.¡±

    .......................................

    After a formal report wasplete, the judges began to examine the details of the whole vent.

    ¡± I confronted him on multiple asions. I was bested strategically, numerically, as well as physically. Thest time I confronted him, he was at the peak of the Qi master level. I presume him to have broken through the Qi general level by now.¡±

    One of the leaders decided to cross-examine him. ¡± Why didn¡¯t you try to find his weak points. We could target him through those.¡±

    ¡± In my evaluation, this guy doesn¡¯t possess a weakness. He doesn¡¯t have a family bond. His squad is like a group of expendable pawns for him, and there were no findings on an emotional connection.¡±

    ¡°he is going to be the biggest threat to our ns. I suggest the high-council to take immediate action to clear this threat out. I hope my punishment is finalized. I want to get on the field as soon as possible and re-establish my worth.¡±

    ............???...........................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡± Is there any new gains after the break-through.¡± The Keeper had to formte a new training regime for Long Tao.

    ¡± The Qi general part of the Hell Forging art is now open. Blood tempering art didn¡¯t provide any new add-ons. The Omnipotent soul manual provided a new mantra, which seems to be the next version of a soul replenishing art. Its called ¡®Soul Qi suction.¡¯. The 99 stances of Beast god didn¡¯t provide any new set of art forms. The same goes for the rest of the arts.¡±

    ¡± You should start the creation of the new avatar.¡± ¡± There seems to be a restriction. I can¡¯t divide my soul any further than this. IT is mentioned within the Omnipotent soul that nay more than this could result in permanent damage to my soul.¡±

    The Keeper didn¡¯t expect restrictions to arise. But it was logical to have them. The Avatar art was quite over-powered by itself. If one could create more and more number of avatars, the power would be uncontrolled.

    ..........................................

    ¡± I do have some good news for you. The schematics you provided me after the creation of the so-called ¡® Qi bombs,¡¯ proved to be useful. I managed to alter the proportions and get them to be more productive.

    ¡± I can¡¯t expect my soldiers to start creating these new structures. How fast can we make them, and what is the enhancement ration?¡±

    ¡± The effective st-radius improved by at least 2 meters, with the destructive impact rising by around five times.¡±. Long tao was shocked to hear this. A five-time upgrade would mean these mines would be effective against Qi generals.

    ¡± We can produce around ten per day.¡± ¡± start productions immediately. We need to take care of an enemy base.

    .......................................

    The sub-station-

    The punishment was about to be announced. The jury decided to execute the guy for his ipetency. ¡± We now order you-. ¡± The speech was halted due to the arrival of a message from one of the spies.

    After reviewing the contents, one of the leaders stepped up. ¡± your luck seems to be burning bright. The man who sabotaged your whole operation is here in a stake-out mission for the Jiao country. He already managed to terminate numerous spies sent by us.¡±

    ¡± He is currently progressing towards this base. Your punishment is toy a trap in here and lure him in. If you manage to take him out of the equation, a pardon will be granted.¡±

    The news of his worst nemesis heading towards him brought a ray of hope in his eyes. It was his chance of getting revenge.

    ..........................................

    The ck-buck hideout-

    Long tao was verifying the results of previous searches within the forest regions. The arrival of one of the messengers broke his proceedings.

    ¡± We have some positive news, sir. Team 2 managed to find a location that matches the characteristics of being a substation. ¡±

    Long Tao¡¯s eyes glittered with hope. It was time for some spy hunt.

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 Chapter 135

    135 TRAPPED

    Long Tao ordered the squad to rendezvous at a location near the suspected sub-station. ¡± What are your orders, sir.¡±

    ¡± Ask the soldiers to regroup fast. We will be assembling at this spot by tomorrow morning. They are ordered to kill every spy found within their pathway. We don¡¯t need to take hostages as of now.¡±

    ¡± I am sorry to interfere, general, but doesn¡¯t it feel awkward to you that we managed to find it so fast.¡±

    ¡± Are you suggesting something soldier. I would be happy to hear your thoughts on this matter.¡±Long Tao wanted this to evaluate the soldier¡¯s mental capability.

    ..................

    ¡± I feel that there is something at y here. If we take into consideration the number of people we have killed until now should be considerable enough for the enemy to notice us. Why did we manage to have such good luck then?¡±

    ¡± What is the rtion between the enemy base being found and us being noticed. It could be a coincidence.¡±

    ¡± I have been tracking the region where each squad was operating. ording to your orders, our area was specified. But the squad who found the enemy base was around 40 miles away from the location. Out of every possible direction, why did they chose to go in that specific one.¡±

    ¡± The only usible exnation is the enemy¡¯s activity being found in that direction.¡± Long Tao¡¯s silence encouraged the person to continue his exnation.

    .....

    ¡°If our activity is being monitored and they want to hide a base, shouldn¡¯t they be luring us in a direction opposite to it. The only exnation is a trap being set up.¡±

    ..................

    Long Tao was impressed by the analysis. He was starting to get impulsive, but this analogy made him put a rest on getting careless. He wasn¡¯t scared of a trap, but rather the region where the trap was set. ¡± what do you suggest we do?¡¯ He wanted to get someone else¡¯s opinion.

    ¡± I suggest we withdraw.¡± Long Tao was surprised to hear the reply.

    ¡± Do you feel I am scared of a trap, soldier?¡±. The soldier got nervous, feeling the anger of Long Tao.

    ¡± I am not implying that, sir. Just imagine the current scenario for the enemy. There is no way they would choose to lose a base here. But they are still using the base toy a trap for us. It can only mean that they are confident about taking us down once trapped.¡±

    Long Tao¡¯s vision regarding the matter was broadened a lot after hearing this. The soldier¡¯s logic was impable. If it were true, and they have superior cultivations or methods of executing present in there, he will not stand a chance.

    After thinking a lot, Long Tao made a decision that was going to hurt his wallet a lot.

    ¡± I have a task for all of you. You will be leading the team while performing it.¡± Long Taoid out his n. The guy was shocked after hearing it. It was a dangerous one, but if sessful, the benefits were going to be immense.

    ¡± Make sure to kill every spy around the base as long as you can handle them. Make sure to have it look like a one-time incident. A major part of our eventual victory depends on it.¡± The soldier nodded his head and left the camp.

    ..................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡± Are you sure about using it. The resource consumption for making each one of them was quiterge. The nned attack is going to cost quite big.¡±

    ¡± We can recover the cost from the treasure we obtain from the base and the enemy corpses.¡± Long Tao was confident about being able to gain some remuneration from the destroyed base itself. The other part could be reimbursed from working these soldiers out and the military.

    ¡± I just hope they are able to execute the order properly.¡±

    ¡± I have decided to leave one of my avatars with the group. You can rest easy, the mission is going to be sessful.¡±

    ....................

    The Base-

    The assassin was preparing for the mission assigned to him. It was a high-level base having figures even powerful than him residing here. There was no way Long tao could escape after getting trapped here.

    ¡± Make sure to capture him, dead/alive. We will not be epting any excuse from you this time. You have the support of ck-Knight and The Pig. If you were sessful, not only will you be forfeiting your life, your family and n will be wiped with you.¡±

    ¡± I will take care of Long Tao sire. There is no way he could escape this maze. The bait has been sessful in drawing an enemy group here. They are currently waiting for further orders. There is no way he is going to ignore such a good opportunity.¡±

    ¡± I have stationed most of the guards inside the base at various locations. We have even set up some a group of suicide squads who will be working as a distraction, drawing them in. All three of us will be waiting for Long tao inside the base.¡±

    ¡± You are quite confident in your setup, just like every time he managed to outsmart you. I ask you to be a bit careful.¡±

    ...............

    The exterior region ¨C

    ¡± Don¡¯t defy my orders under any circumstances. You are to eliminate every single spy around the base and not let anyone escape ore in. I have a way to get out. One group will do the guard duty, while the other will be engaged in filling the oil into the tomb and then blocking all the exits. Try to find every single one of them. The bombs given to you should be nted in and around the base too.¡±

    ¡°Wait for the instructed time and then blow every single one of the bomb. The ntyout should be ording to my orders. ¡±

    Long Tao entered the door. The inside was modified by carefully carving a cave into the mountain outline. He took out lots of Bombs and began nting them in a little distance away from each other as he went in deeper. The bombs had an elementary concealing formation drawn on them. ¡®

    The way he decided to nt them was to make sure a chain reaction urs. The st from one bomb will activate the next. So all he would need to do was st a single piece.

    ............??

    Long Tao soon reached the core region of the base. He was aimlessly looking around to find a proper pathway. He met a lot of groupsposed of weak martial artists. Some ven decided to blow themselves up mid-fight, resulting in some severe injuries on his body.

    Even after so much nning, he still underestimated the base. The base was too weel designed and quiterge. The Bombs prepared were far too less, but the impact by the nted ones should be enough to bring the whole ce down.

    Another group appeared before him and blew themselves up. Long Tao ate a bag full of pills and tried to recover some of his lost Qi and stop the blood flow.

    Walking ahead, he reached arge hall.

    ...............

    Just as he was inspecting the surroundings, he turned his body around instinctively. The position he was standing in was embedded with several knives.

    ¡± You manage to remain alive after experiencing so many attacks. You must have broken through the Qi General level.¡± The assassination made his appearance. ¡± How does it feel to be trapped, my friend.¡±

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 Chapter 136

    136 BETRAYAL

    ¡± How does it feel to be trapped, dear friend?¡± The assassin was trying to mock Long Tao.

    ¡± Honestly, this ce feels a lit bit clumsy. You should try and set up a base above the ground. Fresh air is good for health.¡± Long Tao said in a calm tone.

    The assassin was pissed at the enemy¡¯s calmness. ¡± You are still trying to act tuff. There is no route to escape. We have surrounded this ce from all sides, with enough men to exterminate you.¡±

    Two new figures came into view. ¡± I want you to meet with my partners. He is ck-Knight, the leader of ck-Dagger hall. The other one is called The Pig. I assume you have broken through the Qi general level right. Both of them are at the 6th level of Qi general.¡±

    It was a blow to Long tao¡¯s confidence. Two-level six Qi generals and one at level five were too much for him to handle. He needed the men above to work faster. He needed a distraction to get away from these people and get his hand son the treasures here.

    ........................

    ¡± Are you hoping for your men to create a distraction fro you to escape?¡± The question came as a shock to Long Tao. He didn¡¯t expect the assassin to guess his n.

    ¡± Don¡¯t feel shocked. Our subordinate reported all about your little n to us. Do you think we will allow you, men, to nt those explosives around the base?¡± LonG tao was getting goosebumps after hearing these words.

    ¡± That expression of yours is worth the investment.¡± The assassin started his attack. Long Tao voided it quickly, but the next attack came right at his location. The other two were attacking in coordination with the assassin.

    .....

    He tried his best to fend off the attack, but three enemies, two of which were beyond his power level, got the better of him. The wounds got worse as time went by. The attacks were pointed at the trajectories of his dodge. LonG tao was in a desperate situation.

    He started using Berserker art. It did give a boost to strength, but the blood essence was slowly being consumed.

    ........................

    ¡± You should return to the crimson Lord world.¡¯ The Keeper was getting worried about Long Tao¡¯s injuries.

    ¡± I can¡¯t risk exposing the treasure. I have to find the betrayer within my camp, andstly, we need to take the treasures within the base topensate for the resources used.

    ¡± There has been no attack on the other group yet. The betrayer managed to hide well. I need to find out who he is soon. Otherwise, the mission will be sabotaged.¡±

    ........................

    A spear attacknded on one of the shoulders. Long Tao was pushed back against the wall.

    ¡± What is your next n? Or were you too confident in your scheme that you forgot to n a back-up.¡±. Long Tao had to agree with the guy about the betrayal he faced today. It was totally out of his expectations.

    ¡± Before you kill me, would you at least tell me the name of the guy who managed to sabotage the n.¡± Long Tao asked in a groveling voice.

    ¡± I see you still haven¡¯t recovered from the shock. Your life is about to end, and that is yourst wish.¡± The assassin was enjoying this moment. He finally managed to get his revenge.

    ¡°Get it over with. We have orders to execute the next mission.¡± The Pig spoke out with anxiety.

    The assassin was unhappy about not getting the chance to savor the moment.

    ¡± As a parting gift to you, I would like to tell you why the n was sabotaged. It was because the one who made the n along with you is the real culprit.¡±. Long Tao felt betrayed by hearing it. He thought himself to be a good judge of character, but the situation indicated otherwise. The soldier who showcased the highest intelligence was the mole.

    ¡°I sent the person whom you will feel mostfortable with to discuss your n. You fell for the trap so easily. I expected you to walk in alone on hearing his analogy.¡±

    ........................

    The outskirts of the base-

    ¡± We believed in you, but you were a traitor.¡± The squads just realized that the in-charge of this n was the traitor himself.

    ¡± You can me Long Tao for your sad demise. I have gone through his miraculous training and managed to set-up the perfect offense for you guys.¡±

    Several figures emerged from the forest. The assassination had prepared an ambush for a long time. ¡± You should give up. We have 3 Qi generals on our side. You can¡¯t possibly think about winning at the moment.¡±

    Three figures emerged from within the group. Two were level 2 Qi general, while the third one was a level 3. The Qi released by their bodies suppressed most of the members from Long tao¡¯s squad.

    Just when they were about to lose hope, the pressure was canceled out.

    ¡°I had high hoped for you, but it turned out sometimes our judgments are wrong.¡± The figure sheathed his sword and disappeared. Bodies started falling.

    ........................

    The sword was stuck into the body of the traitor who was pleading for his life. ¡± I could assist you in conquering this base. Please let me live.¡±

    ¡± You managed to do enough already, my friend. Its time you go to meet your friends in hell.¡± The sword was taken out, and the head cleaved away from the body.

    ¡± The n goes as usual. Blow the whole area. The general will be needing our assistance. Start to fill the oil into the base and nt the bombs. The other squad apanies me to finish the enemies around.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go rescue the general.?¡± The soldiers felt nervous regarding Long Tao¡¯s condition. If this trap were real, then he would be in a hazardous situation.

    ¡°Believe in the general. He will make it out.¡± The squad started the execution of the n.

    ........................

    At the same time, inside the base-

    ¡± its time for us to part ways.¡± The assassin raised his de to stab Long Tao. ¡® Boooom¡¯ A huge band urred, vibrating the whole ce. Multiple bombings took ce, one after another.

    The three figures were shocked by this disturbance. They looked at Long Tao, who was smiling. ¡± It seems my squad was able to execute their mission.¡±

    He stood up and threw a lot of spherical objects at them. When they hit a surface, a st took ce. The three figures rushed to protect themselves.

    As the dust settled-

    ¡± where is he?¡± the assassination was looking around madly. Long Tao managed to escape.

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 Chapter 137

    137 ESCAPE

    Long Tao was currently running through the halls, trying to find the treasure room. ¡°We can¡¯t waste too much of time here. We need to find the room as soon as possible and then get out of here.¡±

    He captured every human in his path and used soul-scourging on them. Most of them were low-level soldiers and hence didn¡¯t have any information about the vault. Long Tao continued his search.

    He finally managed to get his hands on one of the high-ranking officials of the stronghold. ¡°Would you like to speak by yourself, or should I torture you to speak.¡± The figure tried to use poison tomit suicide, but Long tao was able to use soul scourge in time. He knew the way to the vault.

    ...................

    Outside the stronghold-

    The whole forest surrounding the ce was on fire. After blocking all the exits, the troop detonated the bombs. The sts, along with the apparent damage, mange to incinerate the fuel, and hence a vast fire came into existence.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to cover the fire. This cees under Chu country¡¯s jurisdiction. We need to withdraw the forces from here. ¡°If the Chu country decided to send an army to this ce, they won¡¯t be able to hold out.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to wait for the general at least.¡±. The soldier¡¯s attitude angered Long tao this time. He sheathed his de and ced it against the guy¡¯s neck.

    ¡°The general ordered me to have you guys returned to the base. Anyone trying, or even thinking of viting the order will be executed without further notice.¡±

    .....

    The squad managed to realize the gravity of the situation. It began retreating in the pre-defined path.

    ........................

    ¡°The pathway is blocked. We can¡¯t escape from here.¡± The assassin inspected the blocked entrance. ¡°How did they managed to blow the whole area. It must be those spherical things that he threw at us.¡±

    ¡°He must have arranged for another strong Qi general practitioner to stay hidden within the group. That bastard, he managed to outwit me again.¡± The assassin was demoralized.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t expect this situation. He just prepared for back-up in case of some variables. Also, he is still stuck within the stronghold. We need to find him,¡± The Pig said.

    ¡°Where would he prefer to hide in this situation.¡± The ck-Knight finally opened his mouth.

    ¡°I think he must have gone to the treasury area.¡± The assassin said with an anxious voice. ¡°It¡¯s not a justifiable option to go to the enemy¡¯s treasury in this situation.¡±

    ¡°It is if you are sure about your exit n. Long Tao is the biggest variable I have ever seen in my life. This thought doesn¡¯t follow the normal course.¡±

    The three figures proceeded towards the treasury.

    ........................

    Long Tao finally managed to reach the vault. Opening it, he was astonished to find the number of resources stored. It had everything from herbs, pills, weapons to huge stacks of currency.

    ¡°Start absorbing all of these into the realm. How much time will the process take.¡±

    ¡°You need to hold for about 30 mins, and you need to confront them outside the vault.¡± Long Tao went out ad closed the door of the vault. He managed to set up some small bombs and traps around the area. He had to wait for the arrival of the three figures.

    He needed to use his most risky skill to confront these three. He will make the organization pay after he improved his strength.

    ........................

    The three figures soon made their appearance in the area. Looking towards the vault, they found Long Tao sitting there, eating some recovery pills.

    ¡°Finally found you, my friend. What were you thinking when trying to escape to the interiors of the stronghold.¡± The assassin was ted to get his hands on his nemesis. Long tao¡¯s condition was a little bit better than before, but the injuries were still present.

    ¡°Well, my squad managed to execute the mission given to them. It¡¯s my time to fulfill a mission.¡± All three of the enemiesughed at the same time.

    ¡°I have to praise your calmness. Even after knowing the difference in our strength, you still came back for taking our resources. How are you so confident.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it is because my subordinates are currently circling the whole location along with another battalion.¡±

    .........???..................

    Long Tao¡¯s bluff managed to catch them off-guard. The information regarding this area being under Chu country¡¯s jurisdiction was not known to them.

    ¡°Even if theye back, all they are going to take back is a corpse of theirmander.¡± The three figures walked within the range of the traps. Long Tao instantly snapped his fingers.

    A massive st took ce. The three of them were consumed within the st radius.

    ........................

    When the st subsided, the three figures were still standing, but a lot of minor bruises were present on their bodies. They consumed a significant amount of Qi to protect themselves.

    ¡°My assumptions were right.. The st couldn¡¯t harm a practitioner of Qi general level. We need a more potentbination of fuel tond some good damage.¡±

    ¡°Did you manage to soak in all of them?¡±. Long tao was getting anxious-the situation as not looking good.

    ¡°You need to stall for five more minutes. Activate the art. We can make it out.¡±

    ........................

    ¡°I am amazed by these devices of yours. The leaders would be interested in these. I have a proposition for you.¡± The ck-Knight was speaking this time,¡± I will make amends between you two, and you will work for us.¡±

    The assassin and The Pig were surprised to hear it. They wanted to revolt against the idea, but ck-Knight was the strongest among the three and with the highest authority. They decided to keep their silence. The assassin just wished for Long Tao to reject the offer.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be epting your kind offer, sir. My work is done here.¡± Long Tao smiled at the three figures. A massive aura was released from his body. His body began to undergo some kind of modification into a demonic beast.

    Even ck-Knight was startled the pressure. He instantly utilized his full power.

    ......................

    Long Tao decided to go with the most potent fist technique he had, ¡®The Dominator¡¯s fist.¡¯ It was the second stance, called ¡®Skull crusher.¡¯ It was made for utilization against a single opponent, and Long tao decided to use it against the assassin to break-away from the group.

    The n worked, and he sessfully managed to get out of the encirclement. He began using sh steps to rush toward the hall where thest bomb was nted.

    Reaching it, he looked back at the three figures who were pursuing him. ¡°My warm regards to all of you.¡± He clicked once again, and a st devoured the whole hall.

    ....................

    Outside the mountains-

    A loud bang followed by a massive earth-quake urred startling the whole ck-buck squad. The mountain underneath which the base was made began to copse on it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste time. We need to get out of here and enter the Jiao country¡¯s jurisdiction.

    ......................

    Within the Crimson Lord world-

    A figure fell gravely injured ¨C Long Tao had to undergo some injuries due to the forced usage of the art. It was still too overwhelming for him.

    ¡°We sessfully managed to recover all our expenses and took down the stronghold. You should rest for the time being.¡± The Keeper shifted Long Tao¡¯s body into a herbal pool. He also stockedrge amounts of Beast blood essence.

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 Chapter 138

    138 DECISION

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡± Its good to see that he managed to break-through to the Qi general level. We can finally begin that.¡± The puppet was excited. He was making lots of preparation to help Long Tao improve his strength.

    ¡°He has just gone through an intense battle.¡± The Keeper narrated the whole event to the puppet. ¡± He sessfully managed to reign control over his consciousness while being demonized. So the predicted results were up to the mark. ¡±

    ¡± Well, the changes urring due to the opening of all his meridians and the up-grade to Qi general level did help his body bear the burden. The main apuse should go to the powerful soul he managed to cultivate. It is at the soul master peak now. He could break-through soul-grandmaster anytime.¡±

    ¡± If he wants to gain control over that ability, he needs to practice it continuously. The skill is a huge asset in battle.¡±

    ¡± I have analyzed the preliminary budget for the practice of the skill. Honestly, we can¡¯t sustain for long. He needs to find a way to gain lots of blood essence. The pool we have in the realm will be dried out as he practices the ¡®Blood-Tempering¡¯ art.¡±

    ¡± Well, he can start selling the pills he is going to synthesize from his alchemy practice. It is a wealthy profession to practice. If we go with a theoretical consumption, the pool willst until the 6th level of Qi general if practice with the art.¡±

    ¡± He can take the time to gather the blood essence with the help of loots, pills, and military points.¡±

    ..........................................

    .....

    ¡± Well, war is a good time to earn lots of resources.¡± It was true that he needed lots of resources for his practice. ¡± What about the resources we managed to snatch from the stronghold?¡±

    ¡± There is a lot of currency notes and coin which can be exchanged for resources in the open market. The herbs that we managed to gain is already nted with the herb garden.¡±

    ¡°The garden has expanded quite a bit. The herbs obtained had around 20 species of level 4 herbs. They will help in pill synthesis.¡±

    The procurement of herbs helped in the recovery of some of the resources.¡± What other substantial gain did you manage to have.¡±

    ¡± The biggest gain is pills, recovery potions, and weapons. The stronghold was going to act as a supply center for the army. We managed to obtain a lot of stocked up resources.¡± The list was quite long.

    After reviewing the resources obtained and grouping them into sections, Long Tao began to discuss the production of more bombs.

    ¡°The extermination of their base is sure to gain some response. I hope that they don¡¯t just go ahead and start and start the war. The traps are still beingid.¡±

    .................................

    Tamar-

    The general¡¯s quarters were quite busy at the moment. The news about there being a secret base had already reached the general, but there was no further news about the ce.

    ¡°Is there any news from Long Tao¡¯s squad?¡±. There was a negative response.

    The base was a high priority target at the time of war. It would act as a supply center for the barracks, and hence they need to destroy it.

    ¡± Ask general Su Menqi to visit me. She needs to go and assist the ck-buck squad.¡±

    ......................................

    Su Menqi was training her squad for the uing war. They were doing personal and troop training activities regrly. She chalked out a schedule that was inspired by Long Tao¡¯s idea.

    She managed to gain insights into a lot of topics. Training regimes and battle tactics were important ones.

    ¡± We will be practicing a five-man team fighting tactics from tomorrow. It will be the coreyout for the whole battalion during the war. We will follow the formation we practice earlier.¡±

    The formation as personally designed by Su Menqi after taking into consideration the terrain and the number of people in her battalion. She needed o prove her capability in the uing war against the Chu country.

    ..........................................

    ¡± The General has ordered for your presence in the office this instance.¡± A messenger from the central ce arrived at Su Menqi¡¯s tent.

    ¡± What is the matter? The troop training is at a crucial juncture at the moment. Can the matter be postponed for now.¡± Su Menqi didn¡¯t want to leave mid-training.

    ¡± The discussion is regarding the ck-buck squad.¡± The general asked him to mention the squad specifically. As expected, SU Menqi instantly agreed to leave.

    ..........................................

    The forest region-

    ¡± We need to work faster. Lay the bombs in the specified locations. We can¡¯t afford to make any mistake. It is one of the seven regions we need to cover.¡±

    The soldiers were working day and night to the ambush. The destruction of stronghold might result in a direct attack from the Chu army. The man who took charge of the squad was shouting out orders continuously.

    Although the whole squad was worried about Long Tao, the objective was set in stone. They needed to finish the job before the warmences.

    ¡± From now on, a small group of you will be continuously moving back ad forth from the supply tents.¡±

    ¡°The group responsible for the creation will be working in two shifts for creating as many devices as possible. The war can start any minute.¡±

    ..........................................

    ¡± What is the matter general. Did the ck-buck squad face any hindrance during the execution of their mission.¡± Su Menqi was restless when she heard about the ck-buck¡¯s condition.

    ¡± The messenger we sent managed to return today. Long Tao eliminated the stronghold along with all the troops stationed there. The ck-buck squad is currently setting up the ambush. They have requested some extra pairs of hands. I want you to go there with some 200 men and help them in their task.¡±

    ¡± Is there any news from Long Tao?¡± Su Menqi prayed for his safety.

    ¡± Thest sighting was while he entered the stronghold. There is no news until now after the copse. The squad is still waiting for him to establish contact. You should leave ASAP.¡± Su Menqi nodded in agreement and left.

    .........???..............................

    The Chu country-

    The King was in a bad mood at the moment. ¡± What do you mean that our stronghold is destroyed. DO you even know about the number of resources we have invested in creating that stronghold?¡±

    ¡°The details are not precise. The inspection teams couldn¡¯t enter the region until three days due to the forest fire. The mountain seems to have copsed. There are no signs of exit in and around the ruins. The excavation is being executed.¡±

    ¡± Speed it up. You are dismissed.¡±

    The King left the court and entered a particr room built near his chambers.

    ....................................

    ¡°Is there any response from the three leaders stationed there.?¡±. The King was bombarded with questions as soon as he entered. It was the meeting room for all his allies in this war.

    ¡± The result sent by the excavation team is on its way. The whole mountain copsed, and there were no survivors stationed outside.¡±

    ¡± It seems that bastard managed to take them down. We need to inspect the location ourselves. If the facts stated by you are real, there is a slim chance they might have survived.¡± One of the figures spoke. He had a rustic voice.

    ¡± what do you suggest we do?¡± The King was getting nervous as time went by. He just managed to settle the problems within the royal court. He couldn¡¯t afford to take a misstep here.

    ¡°Prepare for war. We will be starting with our army after ten days. We shall not abide by the two months. They already have the upper hand within the forest regions.¡±

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 Chapter 139

    139 STRATEGY

    ¡°Ten days seems less. The back-up troops from other regions might not be able to make it before the war.¡± Troops from around the country were slowly re-grouping at the border regions. Time was a crucial factor.

    ¡°You are underestimating the urgency of this matter. Due to thepromise of our stronghold, we are currently blind within the forest regions. IF we dy any further than this, they would be able to set-up enormous amounts of ambushes within the path.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t take that risk. The war will be lost if you are exhausted and eliminated by the time you reach the enemy¡¯s doorstep.¡±

    The situation demanded immediate action. The council of ministers was called.

    ..................................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°The creation of bombs and grenades is going well. We would be able to achieve the required numbers within the next 15 days.¡± The Keeper reported the current situation to Long Tao.

    ¡°We need to have as many as possible within seven days. We can¡¯t dy any further than that. ¡±

    ¡°Why is that? The enemy is blinded. They will first try to gain some eyes within the forest regions. We have lots of time to prepare.¡±. No general would lead an army through unknown terrain. It is too risky during the time of war.

    .....

    ¡°The reason for the haste is for that particr reason. Since they don¡¯t have any eyes within the forest region, we get the upper hand while setting up ambushes and implementing our battle ns.¡±

    ¡°If there is a smart guy within the Chu military, he would advise them to start the war as soon as possible. It was better to take the risk of unknown terrain, rather than walking through an ambush.¡±. Whenparing the risk factor and the possible damage to be incurred, it made sense.

    ¡°But you won¡¯t be able to cover the entire region.¡± The battle-fields were spread throughout the border regions. Long Tao couldn¡¯t cover the whole ce.

    ¡°We need to prioritize the main battle-fields. We will be setting the ambush in those areas only. We will try to deal maximum damage within these locations.¡±

    ......................................

    The forest regions-

    Su Menqi came up with three-hundred soldiers. They finally reached the location marked by the ck-buck squad. Their arrival was greeted with a warning.

    ¡°State your name, rank, and purpose of visit to this location.¡±

    ¡°I am Vice-general Su Menqi from the 4th battalion. We are here in response to the request made by the ck-buck squad for help.¡±

    A figure soon appeared and greeted Su Menqi. Her team was directed towards the main camp of the ck-buck squad.

    ........................???...........

    ¡°What is the current situation of Tamar?¡± The person in charge inquired from Su Menqi.

    ¡°The battle preparation is on its way. We have already managed to rendezvous with back-up troops from all over the country. The general asked me to provide you with the necessary human resources.¡±

    ¡°I thank you for the quick response. We do have a crucial need for the workforce.¡±

    ¡°Is there any news from vice-general Long Tao.¡± Su Menqi was worried about him.

    ¡°We have failed to establish contact until now, but we are positive regarding his survival. The n is already set-up and guided by the current handler of the ck-bucks.¡±

    ¡°Who is the current handler?¡±

    ¡°His name is Di Tao. He is a trusted subordinate of vice-general Long, and the only Qi general present in here.¡±

    ..............................??...........

    At the workshop ¨C

    Su Menqi¡¯s request to meet Di Tao led here to here.

    ¡°I am happy to see miss Su here. I suppose you are here to help with our operations.¡±

    ¡°My team is numbered at 300 soldiers. I hope it satisfies the requirement.¡±

    ¡°It is more than enough. Long Tao instructed me to ask for your help in case of emergencies. You were thest handler of the ck-bucks right.¡±

    ¡°I was, before taking up my current position. What is the current situation within the forest regions?¡±

    ........................................

    ¡°I hope you are informed about the elimination of enemy stronghold that Long Tao carried out.¡± Su Menqi nodded in agreement.

    ¡°Well, Long Tao forecasted that the enemy would make a move soon. As they no longer have an eye within the forest region, they would start the war at an earlier date.¡±

    ¡°It was agreed upon by both the countries. They couldn¡¯t just break the deal.¡±

    ¡°They can. The reasoning behind starting the war would be the destruction of their stronghold. They are not required to y by the rules.¡±

    ¡°But hastening the process would mean an inadequate distribution fo resources through-pout the region. The ambush will not be as effective.¡±

    ¡°Long Tao decided to prioritize ceratin location and leave the other ones.¡±. Di Tao pointed at the marked regions within the map.

    ¡°The red-areas are the concentrated zones. The blue areas signify regions which will have a small amount of resource allocation. The green areas are a pass.¡± Su Menqi had to appreciate Long Tao¡¯s fore-sight.

    .....................................

    The Chu country borders-

    ¡°This is a vition of the deal between the countries.¡± General Unrivaled was not in support of starting a war on an earlier date. ¡°We won¡¯t be having any back-up.¡±

    ¡°The back-up troops will arrive soon enough. We need to start the march into the forest regions. Theter we start, the more will be the underlying danger. The would get a lot of time to set-up ambush, and we are like a blind fish swimming around the river.¡±

    ¡°We need to take a step to prevent them from gaining the upper hand before the war starts. The support troops will arrive by the time you reach the battle-field.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we send arge number of spies to get us info regarding the activity?¡±. The leaders within the military were still not convinced.

    ¡°They must have set up multiple camps within the forest. The spies would be eliminated instantly.¡±

    The discussion finally reached a usible conclusion. The Chu military began its march towards the forest regions.

    ........................................

    Tamar-

    ¡°Are you certain about the Chu country¡¯s action.¡± The military tribunal was having a strategic meeting.

    ¡°This is a detailed report formted by the vice-general dragon himself. The n is enclosed with it. He insists on preparing the troops and begin the march towards the battle-field within the next six days.¡±

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t rush the decision. We need to n properly. War is not to be taken so lightly.¡± One of the wingmanders spoke out.

    ¡°We have confirmed sights on the Chu country¡¯s movements. They are preparing to march towards the forest regions within the next week. Is that enough to force you to hasten the decision.¡±

    ...............................

    ¡°The elimination of their base has forced them to choose this strategy. The ambush is under preparation as we speak.¡±. A map of the whole region was the center of attraction in the meeting.

    ¡°The red regions will be an area of the real offense. We haverge scale ambush in these areas. The blue areas will have milder preparation. The green areas are the regions where no ambush will be set-up.¡±

    ¡°Themanders are requested to concentrate the workforce in the green regions. The red regions will have the least workforce in it, while the blue areas will have an intermediate concentration of troops.¡±

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 Chapter 140

    140 DRAW THEM IN

    ¡± We are going to assume that the Chu military ill be proceeding with an equal division of troops to all these regions. We aim to defeat them by gaining numerical advantage within the green zones.¡¯

    ¡± Finish the battle as soon as possible and proceed to support the military troops in the blue-zones. The process continues until you reach the red-zone, and we finish the battle.¡±

    ¡°The formations, several troops, and battle-n are left on individualmanders. A clear path to all the locations is marked on the map. Please follow the instruction will providing to support to other regions.¡±

    The meeting went on for a while before concluding. There was no mention of Long Tao¡¯s n regarding the execution of ambush. It was a tightly guarded secret. It was reasonable to believe that the Jiao military had some moles within its ranks.

    ...................................

    The Crimson lord world-

    ¡± We can increase the production rate by 50 %. We can cover all the areas.¡±. It was Long tao¡¯s n all along. He was never going to miss any area for such.

    The marking on the map was a fa?ade. Even Su Menqi wasn¡¯t aware of this situation. Two separate squads were independently working on setting the ambush in the green-zones.

    ¡± themander should be notified about the ambush,¡± the keeper insisted on sharing intel with the military.

    .....

    ¡± Never entrust anyone with all your cards. It is a precaution against the emergence of a variable within the n. It is a usible back-up n.¡±

    ¡± What about the men you stationed ta he borders of Chu country. IF discovered, they will lose their life.¡± Long Tao sent a small group of spies to monitor the situation within the Chu military.

    ¡°They are the sources of information regarding the cement and proceedings of the enemy. We need to able to improvise in case of discrepancies.¡±

    ...................................

    ¡± Your alchemy practice seems to go well. How positive are you to step into the 3rd alchemist before the end of the year.¡±

    ¡± I may not be able to step into advance level by the prefixed time with my master, but I will make sure to reach the intermediate stage of level 3 alchemist.¡±

    ¡± What about the beast mes. How many did you manage to get your hands on.¡±

    ¡± I have absorbed three types of beat mes until now. My master stood up to his words and provided me with lots of elemental oddities. My body is constantly being enhanced.¡±

    ¡± The Qi stones we collected should be of use to you now. You can¡¯t waste all your time within this war. It is not an integral part of your martial path.¡±

    ¡± It is, in my opinion. It is to pay my respects to the white -dragon emperor. I can¡¯t let the forces win. My aim of controlling this region coincides with the war.¡±

    .................................

    Tamar-

    The troops were ready to proceed toward the battle. Themanders took charge of their battalions. The military tribunal held onest meeting.

    After the allocation of battlefields was done, the army set out for war.

    ........................

    Chu country-

    ¡± I have confirmed information regarding the areas of ambush. Our mole presented us with the details regarding the safe zones. We will be concentrating the troops in these locations.¡±

    ¡± Are you sure it is not a trap to manipte us into concentrating troops here.¡±

    ¡± The nning was done within the final meeting of the Jiao military tribunal. The troops have already proceeded towards these regions. The messenger is certain about the information.¡¯

    ¡± Its time to outsmart the enemy then. I want to look at Long Tao¡¯s face when he finds out his n was an epic failure.¡± Chu Jiang wasughing maniacally within his fortress.

    ...........................

    The forest regions-

    ¡± As expected, they knew about the ambush regions.¡± Di Tao was analyzing the reports sent in by the spies.

    Su Menqi was surprised to hear this. ¡± how could they know this information/.¡¯

    ¡± There is only one usible exnation for it. There is a mole within the militarymanders. They are the only ones who know the regions expect us.¡±

    ¡± If this goes on, we will be at a major disadvantage. The traps are all set-up. We can¡¯t re-locate so fast.¡±

    ¡® We don¡¯t have to. They are sure to send some troops in this direction. Take care of these troops with the ambush. The rest of the squad will be proceeding to other regions.¡±

    ¡± We need to inform the military regarding this. The troop distribution is not good enough. The enemies would instantly decimate the green areas.¡± Su Menqi was concerned about the oue of the war.

    ¡± believe in Long tao¡¯s n. He estimated this possibility. Adequate action has been taken. We need to follow the battle-n.¡±

    .................................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡± As expected, there is a mole within the military. I should have spent some time investigating them. No matter, we will proceed with our n. Let them enjoy the feeling of outsmarting me.¡±

    Long Tao predicted this variable to ur. The trap was alreadyid. He had to wait for the enemy to step into it.

    ................................

    The Green zones-

    ¡± remember the instruction given by themander. We are to wait for them toe into the respective regions. Draw them in.¡±

    The militarymanders were instructed to remain static within their positions. They were asked to let the enemye into the battlefield. Let them make the first move.

    The spies and scouts reported that the number of enemiesing in is more extensive than expected. Themanders within the green-zone began to repent their decision about believing Long Tao¡¯s n. It was an apparent disaster for their troops.

    ¡± Give out the orders. We are to stall and wait for back-up. We can¡¯t let them win this region. We will fight till ourst breath. All hail the Jiao country.¡¯

    .........................

    ¡± As expected, the troops¡¯ concentration on this location is within the predicted numbers. We will over-power them within a day. It will be the marking of the first victory in this war. Proceed with haste.¡±

    The Chu country¡¯s troops marched in with full force.

    ........................

    Forest regions-

    ¡± They are within the radius of the explosion.¡±. The captain of their team raised his hands. ¡± Release the trigger.¡±

    ¡® Booooooooom, boom, Boooom¡± Massive explosions took ce within seconds. The light from the st blinded the whole area. The sky was covered with enormous clouds of smoke.

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 Chapter 141

    141 INITIATING THE ATTACK

    Tamar-

    ¡± Themanders are supposed to hold their positions in the specified locations. If youe within the range of ambush, casualties would be incurred on our side.¡±

    ¡± Is it ok to leave the preparation of ambush in the hands of a single group. What if the enemy identifies the location of traps and decides to avoid them.¡±

    ¡± Rest assured, the n was made keeping that in mind.¡± The informer handed a letter to the general. It was branded with Long Tao¡¯s seal.

    The general began to read the contents. His expression took a decisive turn as time went by. ¡± Inform Long Tao that I am ok with his proposal. Though I still have a doubt. When will we start the attack.¡±

    ¡± The indication would be quite obvious. You are requested to start it immediately after the ambush, with zero hesitation. The effectiveness of the first attack would depend on your response time.¡±

    .........................................................................

    The battle-field-

    After simultaneous explosions took ce, the whole area, along with any living being, was decimated to ashes. The Jiao army was shocked at seeing the view in front of them. It was absolute destruction.

    .....

    TheChu country¡¯s troops suffered from massive casualties. Any soldier within the radius of the st was either killed or heavily injured. The ambush was a grand sess.

    ¡± Attack immediately. We can¡¯t let this opportunity go. Confront the enemy with full force.¡± Themanders appreciated Long Tao¡¯s work. The Dragon lived up to his name.

    The Jiao troops instantly collided with the enemy troops. The morale was non-existent within the Chu-army. The phenomenon earlier crushed ever bit of hope they had for the battle.

    Massive casualties were incurred on the Chu¡¯s side. The Chu-army began re-treating. The frontline soldiers were eliminated in massive numbers.

    ............??..........................................................

    The Unrivaled general¡¯s tent-

    A vastmotion was created within the tent of general Unrivaled. Strategist andmanders began to flood into his tent.

    ¡± What is the matter?¡± The Unrivaled general was discussing battle ns with senior strategists. He was expecting battle-results.

    Sir, the armies within the battle zones have incurred massive casualties. Our troops were ambushed within the way.¡±

    ¡± Was the Jiao country hiding their troops within the forest regions. How big is the number?¡±

    ¡± The ambush was made through some massive explosives. The troops were not involved. We have lost around 1-5th of the total troops and around -4th is heavily injured. The Jiao army has already initiated the offensive. The number of a deceased soldier is increasing at6 a rapid speed, even as we speak.¡±

    The Unrivaled general was shocked upon hearing the news. He lost his calmposure instantly. Within hours of marching into the battle-filed, they have already lost a third of their troops. It was disastrous.

    ¡± Order them to retreat into the forest regions. We need to route the back-up army into these locations. Act on a passive front from now on.¡±

    Execution of any strategy would take time. The troops needed to stabilise their situation at the moment-the best way was to retreat into the forest and began the defensive y.

    ¡± How did they manage to get such destructive explosives. Prepare the horses. We will be marching instantly towards these regions.¡± The Unrivalled general decided to take control of the troops in these locations.

    .........................................................................

    Tamar-

    The sess of the ambush created a favourable situation within the whole military base. ¡± It was a grand sess. The spectators describe it as a miniature natural disaster. The Dragon needs to be appreciated for his services.¡±

    ¡± The Unrivalled general seems to be on the move. From the massive casualties, they incurred before the start of actual battle must have demolished their morale.¡±

    ¡± They are retreating with the forest regions. Should we continue our assault into the forest?¡±

    ¡± Tell eachmander to hold their armies and set up base within the battle-field. They are not to proceed within the forest.¡±

    ¡± We have the upper hand in this case, sir. We need o take advantage of this situation and do maximum damage. The vice-general must have nned this. His efforts would otherwise go to waste.¡± The strategists were growing impatient.

    ¡± Long Tao requested this halt. He has prepared another set of gifts for the army. It would be arriving within the camps tonight. Await for further order.¡±

    The recent sess assured themanders regarding Long tao¡¯s capability. Around a third of enemy troops were already in ruins. They decided to halt their forces. High expectations were attached to Long Tao¡¯s strategy.

    ...................................................

    Su Menqi was surprised on experiencing the phenomena. The n she was aware of was just a fa?ade. Long Tao nned to set ambush within every battle-field. The effect was visible.

    The destructive nature of that explosion scared her. How did Long Tao manage to execute this operation? Where did he get the resources from?

    ¡± I suppose you are satisfied with the n, miss Su.¡± Di Tao stood beside her.

    ¡± I didn¡¯t expect you to keep everyone in the dark.¡± Su Menqi felt left out in this situation. She was a co-worker and a former associate of Long Tao. She should have been informed about the entire n.

    ¡± Long Tao expected the presence of moles within the upper echelon of the military. Our suspicion was confirmed when the Chu military decided to change their course and went towards the green zones. It was necessary for the n toe into fruition.¡±

    ¡± He asked me to give this letter to you. You and I have a task to execute.¡±

    .............................................

    Chu country-

    ¡± Damn it. That bastard managed to fool every single one of us. The mole within the military seemed to bepromised. We were led into a trap. If we have gone with the earlierposition of the troops, the casualty wouldn¡¯t be this high.¡± The king was feeling depressed and angry.

    ¡± The mole is notpromised. Even the upper-echelon within the Jiao military were kept in the dark about this n.¡± Another figure spoke out.

    ¡± So Long Tao expected there to be a mole within the military and took the necessary measures to ensure the execution of the n. Around a third of our troops were eliminated today. The Unrivalled general gave orders to retreat.¡±

    ¡± What does he ns to do?¡± The king enquired the status of the battle-field.

    ¡± he seems to be dissatisfied with us. He ordered the troops to y defensive. He is even preparing to take charge of the whole army with that region.¡±

    ¡± This action is expected. Let him do as he wants. Although its too early, we need to send the Blood-general into battle-field.¡±

    Everyone agreed with this proposition. The blood general was dispatched into the border regions.

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 Chapter 142

    142 GUERILLA WARFARE

    The battlefield-

    The situation was in favor of the Jiao troops. The first day came to an end, and the morale was quite high. Themanders were discussing battle ns and regrouping their forces.

    ¡°Are there any orders from Tamar.¡±

    ¡± We are instructed to halt our proceeding for now. Vice-general Long requested the stay. ording to the report, he has some surprise for us.¡± An awkward atmosphere was built in there-a surprise in time of war.

    ¡± The situation is in our favor. We can¡¯t let this opportunity slide. We should rush into the forest regions with full force.¡±

    The man who spoke before gave a stern gaze: ¡± are you going to disobey a direct order from the general. If we are instructed to stay, we will halt our progress.¡±

    ..................................

    Tamar-

    The general¡¯s office was proceeding with its daily routine when a figure showed up at their doorstep. The arrival was marked with a hugemotion. It was none other than Long Tao.

    .....

    ¡± I would like to request a meeting with the general.¡± The receptionist left immediately to inform the head-office. Long tao had to wait for some time before his request was processed.

    ¡± The general will see you now.¡± Long tao was directed towards the general¡¯s office.

    .........................

    ¡± Congrattions on the sess of your n.¡± The general¡¯s voice had a hint of admiration for Long Tao. The feat achieved was no big deal.

    ¡± The progress was achieved because you allowed me to see through my n and act independently. The help provided by General Su was note-worthy too.¡±

    The general¡¯s belief towards Long tao¡¯s capability increased a lot after the incident. ¡± As requested by you, the troops have been ordered to halt at the borders of the forest regions. The situation is in our favor. I honestly have some doubts regarding your request.¡±

    ¡± the forest region is being inspected all the time by my spies. ording to the reports, general Unrivalled seems to have arrived at the location and taken charge of the troops.¡±

    The general was surprised to hear this. General Unrivalled was the most celebrated militarymander of the Chu country. His battle strategies were impable and effective within forest regions.

    ¡°Your request is adequate in that case. We would be foolish to rush blindly into the forest regions.¡±

    ¡± The situation will get worse if he decides to y defensive. We won¡¯t be able to oust his troops in a battle of perseverance. The terrain is favorable to him. I suppose you have a battle n to tackle the situation.¡±

    .....................

    ¡± ording to my prediction, he has already switched to the defensive. The spies have spotted multiple strongholds within the region.¡±

    Long Tao marked various spots on the map. ¡± these are the regions where the camps were sighted. He seems to have retreated into the Chu borders.¡±

    ¡°The enemy will notice any movements we make into these regions. They are currently stationed in a higher terrain then us, giving them a geographical advantage. We need to proceed through these paths.¡± The path s were marked.

    Long Tao had his spies analyse the whole area. He then identified the best paths for the troop to follow. The only problem was the small area.

    ¡± the marked path is not suitable for themutation of arge number of people at the same time.¡±

    ¡± We can send troops one after another.¡±

    ¡± The terrain advantage would increase in that case. They need to take care of a small number of soldiers at a time. In a battle of stamina, we will lose.¡±

    ....................

    The argument was logical. Given the area of the path, only a small number f troops would be able to move forward. The enemy was already stationed at a highernd.

    ¡± What do you suggest?¡±

    ¡± I suggest we proceed at a steady speed. We will slowly assimte the troops within the forests.¡± Long Tao brought out another map marked with various regions.

    ¡± We will be setting up camps within the forest regions as we proceed into it. If we follow this path,¡± Long tao pointed at one of the pathways,¡± we can surround them form three sides. the attack would be more effective in that case.¡±

    After an initial briefing was done, Long Tao¡¯s n made sense. ¡± How do you wish to tackle the terrain advantage possed by our enemy.¡±

    Long Tao smiled on hearing that. ¡± it is where my giftes into y.¡±. He requested the general to follow him to one of the training grounds.

    ........................

    ¡°I suppose the general is aware of the ambush I set up.???

    ¡± The reports stated the use of some explosives. The st was destructive enough to wipe out anyone within its radius. I have tomend your ability.¡±

    Long Tao took out a spherical ball. It was a grenade.

    ¡°This is a miniature model of that.¡± He threw it far away. It exploded on hitting the group. The st was quite destructive. The audience was shocked by the view.

    ¡± What if I could arm the troops with these. Although the number is limited, we could use them to cancel out the terrain advantage and gain footing on the higher grounds. I would be a fair fight after that.¡±

    The general was shocked to his core. How did Long Tao get his hands on such devices? These could change the course of war?

    ¡± leave for the battel filed immediately. You are to take charge of all the troops until we gain footholds within the Chu borders.¡±

    Long Tao nodded and left for the battlefield.

    .....................??........

    The Battlefield-

    Long Tao¡¯s arrival surprised all themanders. The tribunal was assembled within the main tent. Long Tao held out the military decree from the general.

    ¡± I am about to take charge of all the troops. The Staus will remain valid until we gain a foothold with the Chu country. My task as of now is to tackle the geographical advantage the Chu military possesses.¡±

    ¡± We will be switching to guerri warfare until the matter ends for better. The path is already marked on the map. Instruct your troops to follow it.¡±

    ¡± We will be making a move tonight itself. We can¡¯t let Chu country regroup with their back-up troops.¡±

    ¡± Themanders can have their position back as soon as we arrive at the Chu country.¡¯

    The troops were made aware of the battle-n. The expedition into the forest regions began.

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 Chapter 143

    143 BLOODSHED

    Long Tao decided to move the troops at night. He didn¡¯t want to give the enemy a fair chance to set up their bases and re-group with their back-up forces.

    ¡± We will be moving with a slow, but steady speed. You are to conserve your energy. ¡± The path was shown to the cavalry.

    ¡± We will be following the path marked in white. The area marked in blue is the sites we will be setting our camps.¡± Themanders were surprised to hear that Long Tao wanted to set camps in the forest regions.

    ¡± We would like to have a word with the Dragon general.¡± Amander¡¯s meet was assembled.

    .........

    ¡± Is it a good strategy to set up bases within the forest regions. We are in a situation of war. You wanted to move during the night to avoid giving the enemy time. This n will be halting our progress.¡±

    Long Tao took a piece of paper out. ¡± This is a report provided by my spy. Would the speaker be kind enough to read it out loud.¡±

    The speaker read it, and his expression soon took a severe turn. ¡± The Unrivalled general has taken the mantle of leading the army.¡±

    Everymander of the Jiao country knew of the Unrivalled general¡¯s name. The ambushst time seems to have attracted his attention.

    .....

    ...........

    ¡± I hope you gentlemen know where the situation stands as of now.¡± Long Tao spoke in a sarcastic tone.

    ¡± The offensive battle is going to change into a battle of attrition. The situation is bad for us. They have the terrain advantage over us. We will lose if the war tends to get prolonged.¡±

    Long Tao stood up and took a bow.¡± That is the reason behind my presence as themanding officer of your armies. I will help you to gain a foothold on the Chu soil. There on it will depend on you to finish this war.¡± Themanders epted Long tao¡¯s proposal.

    ...........

    The forest regions-

    The army began steady progress into the forest regions. Multiple campsites were being set up. Long Tao supervised the creation of each of the campsites. The reports from the spies were flooding in.

    ¡± As expected of Unrivalled. He decided to bury himself within the Chu borders. The task just got a hell lot difficult.¡± Long Tao decided to hasten their progress.

    The Unrivalled general must be settling his troops within the teau regions. He decided to call another meeting of themander.

    ¡± we will be beginning the training of the soldiers. I am sure the news about the new weapon has reached you.¡± Themanders were provided with a full report about the device Long tao was about to use.

    .............

    The army soon built a small testing area for the bombs, where the soldiers were trained on its use. ¡± Make yourselffortable with its use. It would help if you stayed out of its range of the st. After the pin is released, it would explode as soon as it impacts with any surface.¡±

    ¡± The area where the Chu army wasst sighted was at this range. They would start their hideout from this region. ¡®

    The army needed to capture the mountain range to get a foothold in the Chu hignds. Long Tao ¡®s n included the usage of bombs to eliminate both enemies and their traps within its st-range. Once they got halfway through the mountain, the melee fight will begin.

    ...............

    Su Menqi and her men were moving around with the ck-buck squad. They were headed towards a regio parallel to the mountain range.

    ¡± Shouldn¡¯t we be rushing towards the mountains. We need to provide back-up for the troops. The situation has changed.¡±

    ¡± Long Tao asked me to execute a different n. Our team will be providing support in a very different way.¡± Di Tao showed a small map of the mountain range.

    ¡± The army will be approaching this region. The possible confrontation zone would be the mountain itself. We need to contact the enemy hideout from here. The oue depends primarily on us.

    ¡± Long Tao will bemanding the army for the assault. What is our need in there.¡±

    ¡± The terrain advantage in this region is too big. He would be able to engage the enemy with the help of grenades. But the process would continue until halfway up the mountain. It melees battle from there, and the enemy has arge advantage in melee battle. That is where wee in.¡±

    ¡± We will be approaching the enemy hideout from the side path. We need to keep them busy after Long tao exhaust his grenade reserves.¡±

    The n was very wellid.

    ............

    The mountain regions-

    The unrivalled general as analysing the situation within the mountain¡¯s hideouts. It was the most crucial region in the uing battle. Suddenly one of the doorkeepers ran in a hurry. ¡°An audience with his majesty has been requested.¡±

    ¡± Who is it? Tell them I am busy with nning for the uing war?¡±

    ¡± It¡¯s the Blood general sir.¡± Unrivalled was surprised to hear. But the expression soon turned into delight. ¡± Show him in.¡±

    ............

    ¡± I hope not to waste too much of your time, Unrivalled.¡±

    ¡± Your arrival is a piece of good news during this time. The council finally decided to dispatch the most capable general of the country.¡±

    ¡± The losses incurred due to ambush is too big. Even you decided toe to the frontlines directly. How could the council ignore this?¡±

    ¡± What is your primary objective this time around?¡± The blood general was not one of his subordinates to order around.

    ¡± I have been ordered to assist you in every possible way.¡±

    ................

    The blood general was made aware of the situation within the battlefield. The cause of the ambush, the incurred losses, the strategy being followed this time around.

    ¡± well, your strategy ispatible with the terrain advantage we possess over them. I suppose you don¡¯t need me tomand the forces. What are my orders.¡±

    ¡± Because of the destruction of our stronghold in the forest regions, we are blinded within the terrain. I need you and your squad to act as our eyes and ears.¡±

    ¡± The next objective is for you to assassinate theirmanders. A snake dies after its head has been cut off.¡±

    ¡± Any news regarding Long Tao.?¡± The blood general as asked to eliminate that person in particr.

    ¡± As I said, we don¡¯t have a reliable source. From thest report provided by our friends, his whereabouts are unknown for the moment. We need to concentrate on the war for the time being.¡±

    ¡± We can¡¯t let them capture the mountain range. The enemy has started the march into the forest regions.¡±

    .................

    The discussion was nearing its end-the Blood general as about to leave when a messenger arrived.

    ¡± The enemy has already marched into the mountain range. They seem to be using some explosive devices. The defences have been breached.¡± Both the figures rose from their seats and hurried towards the location.

    ............

    The mountains-

    ¡± Continue the forward march while throwing the grenades. The enemy won¡¯t be able to react soon enough. We will be marching directly to the top.¡± Long Tao ordered the troops.

    The strategy was effective, halfway through the mountain, the grenade reserves were exhausted. ¡± Prepare for assault. ¡± A melee battle broke-out.

    The ball was now on the centre line. The Chu military had a terrain advantage, while Jiao side had an advantage in number. The stalemate soon began to shift in favour of Chus.

    ..................

    ¡± Sir, a newmander, has appeared within the ranks of the Jiao army. From the description we found, it seems to be Long Tao.¡±

    Both Unrivalled and the Blood general rushed to the scene. ¡± He managed to cross 3-4th of the range with the help of those explosive. I have tomend his ability to n.

    ¡± Although we are about to lose the battle, I will make sure tond a hard blow to his face.¡±

    The general began tomand the troops within the region. Just when they were about to gain a good grasp over the situation, a st from the sidelines was heard.

    ¡± Enemy iing from the eastern area. Prepare the defences.¡± But the scene of the defences being destroyed repeated itself.

    Both themanders were shocked at this urrence. How did they manage to divert troops through the eastern areas? The situation was turning worse as time passed. The hideout was heavily assaulted from two directions.

    ¡± Retreat immediately.¡± They didn¡¯t have any other choice other than re-treating.

    ............

    ¡± That bastard even managed to n for this situation.¡± Unrivalled was having a hard time grasping his loss.

    ¡± He needs to be eliminated. The losses incurred due to his intervention in this war has cost us too much.¡± The general blood set-out for executing his orders.

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 Chapter 144

    144 ARRIVAL OF THE BLOOD GENERAL

    .The Chu army began to retreat. This hide-out was no longer a viable location for their operations. The intervention of the new squad from the eastern side has thrown their defenses into disarray.

    The top of the mountain was formally captured. ¡± We will be setting our base within the mountain top.¡±

    ¡°Today¡¯s fight is over. The injured are requested to report to the medics. I want you all to be prepared within a day for our next attack.¡±

    ¡± The ones who have suffered light injuries, or are in a stable condition are requested to recover their Qi. You will be standing guard around the whole perimeter.¡±

    ¡± To reward you all for your hard work, a special meal will be prepared by our chefs. Eat your fill today. We are going to face some gruesome days ahead of us.¡±

    The soldier¡¯s morale was on the peak due to the victories under Long Tao¡¯smand. The surprise managed to cheer them up even more.

    .........??......

    Within Long Tao¡¯s tent-

    Su Menqi rushed into the tent after confirming it belonged to LonG tao. Seeing his figure, She instantly rushed to his arms without even a warning.

    .....

    Long Tao didn¡¯t know how to respond. All he could do was y along. He wrapped his arms around her in return.

    ¡± I am happy to see you, unharmed. Why didn¡¯t you ask for my help during your mission within the forest regions? Am I not useful anymore.¡± Her voice was filled with sorrow and concern.

    It managed to strike a chord in Long Tao¡¯s heart. It was the same feeling when he saw Long Mengchen crying in his arms. ¡± It would be embarrassing if people get to see this side of general Su. You need to maintain yourposure.¡±

    Su Menqi hit Long Tao in his chest for teasing her. A smile appeared on her face.

    ¡± What is your next n?¡± She was eager to assist Long Tao in his venture.

    ¡± My work is temporarilypleted. Themanders will be assuming the responsibility of their squads from tonight. We shall begin the assault on the Chu army day-after-tomorrow.¡±

    .............

    ¡± Wouldn¡¯t we lose the element of surprise in that case. One night is more than enough for soldiers to recover from their injuries. We should rush in as fast as we can.¡±

    ¡± Ths is the territory of the Unrivalled general. What do you expect by rushing in blindly? Although he had lost the battle in the mountains, We just gained a foothold in their territory. We need time to settle down.¡±

    Su Menqi held Long tao¡¯s hands. Her eyes were filled with eagerness, and her face had a tinge of red.

    ¡°Promise me; you won¡¯t leave me behind during your next mission.¡± Long Tao was helpless in this situation. He wanted to disrupt the flow. He needed time to process his feeling for her.

    .........

    ¡± I see that the love-birds managed to unite.¡± Di Tao entered the camp.

    Su Menqi instantly separated herself from Long Tao. Her face was bright red. Long Tao thanked Di Tao for his intervention.

    ............

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°It¡¯s amusing to see you develop a feeling for a woman. You are bad at expressing them.¡± Long Tao didn¡¯t respond to his provocations.

    ¡± I have managed to absorb enough soul energy for my break-through into the Soul grandmaster realm.¡± The Keeper was encouraged to hear it. Soul cultivation was the slowest and most difficult of all three modes. Long Tao managed to maintain the right bnce in speed.

    ¡± You should break-through. It would help you advance grade in alchemy in formations.¡± Long Tao nodded and started the preparation for his break-through.

    ¡± I did manage to open up another two acupoints. It s time we start researching in this area.¡±

    ¡± What do you want to research on?¡±

    ¡± When I opened up all my meridians, I got the ability to feel all the acupoints in my body. So identifying the location is not going to be a problem anymore.¡±

    ¡± The problem lies in the fact that I can¡¯t even get a response from most of them by using the normal Hell Qi.¡±

    ¡± What are you suggesting?¡±

    ¡± I tried feeling the aura released b these acupoints. I identified some of them. They were elemental energies like fire, water, etc.¡±

    ¡± I theorize that the specific aura itself can open these acupoints. We need something like the conarte3d thunder ball from earlier.¡±

    The Keeper was surprised to hear it. It was a new domain, even for him. The Crimson lords have not dedicated much of their efforts towards body cultivation. So the records didn¡¯t mention any details regarding.

    ............

    ¡± We need to an extremely potent source of elemental energy for that.¡± Long Tao agreed.

    ¡± I do have an idea which might help you.¡±. Long Eagerly waited for the Keeper to continue.

    ¡± I felt the presence of multiple Qi stone mines nearby. Some of them are in pristine condition. We need to help the artifact absorb and repair itself.¡±

    ¡± How will that help the cause?¡±

    The Keeper gave a harsh look to Long Tao. ¡± Did you forget about the core cultivation art of the Crimson Lord world?¡±

    Long Tao spected in that, and his eyes sparkled with light. The Crimson lord concentrated on elemental Qi cultivation.

    ¡± Mending the artifact would result in enhancement of the Qi inside. We can use that Qi to create dense balls of energy.¡±

    ¡± How far is the location from here?¡±

    ¡± One is right below the mountains.¡±

    ¡± Leave immediately. I will take care of anymotion created in the meantime. After absorbing the whole mine, choose one of the avatars and go to other sites, and continue the process. You don¡¯t need to leave Qi stones for me. Absorb to the greatest extent possible.¡±

    The artifact left Long tao¡¯s body and drilled into the mountain core.

    .................

    The mountain range-

    Themander gave the necessary orders to the soldiers and retired to their respective tents. The guards were always on duty, guarding against any possible threat appearing within the night.

    The next day:

    Long Tao called a meeting of themanders. ¡± Where ismander Jiang andmander Situ.¡± Long Tao ordered an immediate investigation into the matter. He had a bad feeling about this scenario.

    Sometimeter, a soldier came running into the main tent. ¡± What is the matter?¡¯

    ¡± Both themanders are found dead within their tents. The squads guarding in and around the tents are also missing.¡±. The whole meeting was struck by lightning on hearing this. Twomanders were found dead.

    ¡± Did you find any clues regarding the murderer.¡±

    ¡± He left a letter addressed to you, sir.¡±. The guard handed Long tao a letter.

    .,.........

    ¡± Vice-general Long Tao, I hope you remember this old friend of yours from our previous meeting at one of the mines in the Chu country.¡±

    Long Tao¡¯s back was drenched in a cold sweat. IF he is taking action on behalf of Chu country, the whole army was in significant trouble.

    ¡± You have managed tond quite a devious blow on the whole Cu country. It is a return gift for you. I hope you would try and save your subordinates from me.¡±

    ¡± I have a proposal for you. Let¡¯s meet and sort our past differences. Just you and me, alone in one of the neutral areas nearby.¡±

    ¡°Your beloved friend, Blood general.¡±. The letter ended with a map with the location marked

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 Chapter 145

    145 CONFRONTATION

    Long Tao decided to make arrangements for the burial of the deceasedmanders. A messenger was instantly dispatched to inform themander¡¯s office about the mishap. A meeting of the remainingmanders was called.

    ¡°I am deeply regretful about reporting the untimely death of themanders. The assassin involved in this event will not go unpunished. We will be appointing the next in the line officer as themander of their respective battalion.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t let the soldiers loose moral. We will be proceeding with the n. The attack urs tonight.¡±

    ¡°Do we have any idea regarding the assassin who carried out the kill.¡± One of themanders asked.

    ¡°It was the blood general.¡±

    A deep silence permeated the whole space. The blood general was genuinely bad news for them.

    ..........................................................................................???.......

    The Crimson lord world-

    ¡°Are you going to confront him?¡± The Keeper remembered thest fight between the two figures. Long Tao was in the Qi master realm when he first met the figure.

    .....

    The Blood general was at the sixth level of Qi general realm. He was forced to escape from his opponent¡¯s due to the difference in power. The only reason he was able to win was because of the Slytherin. The Blood general would have killed the beast, and get a hold of him.

    It was due to theck of structural integrity within the cave that Long Tao was able to demolish it.

    ¡°He managed to survive the copse. Thest time we met, you said his cultivation talent is quite high. What do you expect his realm to be as of now?¡±

    ¡°The talent shown by him was quite incredible. Hs bloodline strength was also an astonishing factor. Thest fight with the Slytherin must have provided him with some insights into cultivation.¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if he had broken through the seventh or even eighth level of Qi general.¡±. Long Tao was surprised to hear that.

    An eighth level Qi general wasn¡¯t something he could confront with his current power. He would need to use the ¡®demonization¡¯. There was no other alternative. ¡°We need toe up with a n. I have a conjecture that the guy¡¯s bloodline is simr to yours. It can absorb other bloodline and enhance its power.¡±

    ¡°Thest time you fought, I did sense a simr aura between you two.¡± Long Tao was shocked to hear this. How can the Keeper hide this fact until now?

    ¡°You said the art I practice is too precious. How can there be another person in this ce who practices the same art.¡±. Long Tao was waiting for the Blood Tempering method to unlock some characteristic skills but was proven wrong.

    ¡°What if the art you hold in your mind is just a part of the whole manual.¡± Long Tao had this presumption for a long time.

    ¡°Are you saying that he holds the other set of the art.¡±.

    ¡°He might havee across the same opportunity as you. But the part he has with him is the other one.¡±

    ...............................................................

    The mountains-

    ¡°You can¡¯t agree with his proposal. It¡¯s too dangerous out there. He will kill you. The military can¡¯t afford to lose you.¡± S Menqi knew about the Blood general¡¯s power.

    ¡°Themanders present here can¡¯t confront him. I have a conjecture that Unrivalled will be attacking the mountain regions after he gets confirmation of the fight between the blood General and me. You need to lead the forces in here.¡±

    ¡°I am going with you.¡± Su Menqi was quite persistent with her demands.

    ¡°The stakes here are quite high. We can¡¯t afford to lose our footing in here. I will take care of the Blood general.¡± Once the army lost the camp within the mountains, they would need to retreat to their base camp. The scene with the Chu country would repeat itself.

    ¡°The best way to confront an army within the mountain regions is to do surprise attacks. Don¡¯t rush into the battle. Start by expanding your control over the mountain regions. Guerri warfare would be the mode of war.¡±

    ¡°Unrivalled is someone who has controlled this region for a long time. Even if we switch to Guerri warfare, the loss would be quite huge against someone who knows the terrain better than us.¡±

    ¡°The initial loss is something we need to way. We aren¡¯t an omnipotent army. You need to pay the price to achieve something. The soldiers who died until know was the price I paid to achieve this feat.¡± Long Tao asked Su Menqi to follow him.

    .........................................................

    A map of the mountain regions wasid out. Three areas were marked on the map. Two of them were the sites upied by the two enemies. The third area was the uncaptured zone.

    ¡± The spies I sent have been stationed with the uncaptured zone. Your work is to capture it slowly. The only way to do it in ana efficient way would be during the night.¡±

    Once the neutral zone had been captured, the Jiao army would have greater control over the mountain regions. Long Tao instructed Su Menqi to set some bases in these regions.

    ¡± You can then proceed to confront the enemy within his region. The approach should be alike to what I did earlier, if not better. Theyout of the attack would be left to you.¡±

    Long Tao proceeded to leave but was pulled back by Su Menqi. She threw herself in his arms and whispered in his ears. ¡± You have toe back alive. I will be waiting for your arrival.¡± She raised her head and kissed Long Tao on his lips. The momentsted for some time.

    ¡± I promise to return.¡±

    ................................................???.......

    The Chu army camp-

    ¡± Should I send back-up in case something unforeseen happens.¡± Unrivalled appreciated Long Tao¡¯s capability from theirst meeting. But the current situation had them as the enemy of each other. He was a threat that needs to be eliminated.

    ¡± I won¡¯t be needing any back-up. I can take care of the situation myself.¡± The blood general was co0nfident in his abilities.

    ........................................

    Somewhere within the forest regions-

    A bright patch ofnd was present in this area. A figure was standing on this location, in wait for someone.

    ¡± I didn¡¯t expect you to arrive before the decided time.¡± The blood-general spoke out.

    ¡± I couldn¡¯t resist the attraction of getting to fight my old foe once more.¡± Long Tao instantly took out his sword and sabre.

    The fight was about to begin soon.

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 Chapter 146

    146 DOMINATOR¡¯S FIST

    Su Menqi decided to make some modifications to Long Tao¡¯s n. Instead of distributing her troop to all the uninhabited regions. She decided to conquer some particr areas. These were the ones the army needed to pass through.

    ¡± We will be leaving tonight. Send the spies into these regions. They need to survey the whole area wand report before the sun dawns.¡±

    She decided the troops into smaller sections and positioned them in the order of 2-4-2-4 formations. ¡± Follow this pattern while entering these zones.¡±.

    The first four groups were the confronters/tanks. They would be the ones bearing the maximum impact, while the six groups behind would be attacking. The remaining two groups were for support.

    ¡°The aim is quite simple. We need to take control of these areas and then set up our base in here. The group in charge of scouting is to divide themselves into two parts. One will be assisting us, while the other one will be responsible for keeping tabs on the surrounding area. We can¡¯t have enemy troops from other battlefieldse rushing in.¡±

    ¡± The areas will be divided into three segments. The first one should be conquered by tonight. The other two will be taken care of by tomorrow. There is no room for error.¡±

    .....................................

    The soldiers were preparing their weapons and supplies. The mission this time was a dangerous one. There was no news from the support troops of the Jiao country. The army settle din here was divided into two parts.

    In case of any mishaps, the causality will be catastrophic.

    .....

    ¡± Send an envoy to Tamar. Tell the generals that we will be withdrawing if the support troops don¡¯t arrive within three days.¡± Themanders were shocked to hear this. It would be a colossal loss for the Jiao country.

    ¡± The upper echelon wouldn¡¯t be happy to hear these words, ma¡¯am.¡±

    ¡± Tell the upper echelon; I don¡¯t care about their moods or preference. My soldiers are dying in here. Three days is all they get.¡±

    ¡± If the support doesn¡¯t arrive, we will retreat right back to Tamar.¡±

    ........................................

    The forest regions-

    ¡± You are different from thest time we met. Your power has grown exponentially. Even the loss my country has to incur due to you was colossal.¡±

    ¡± I am relieved to see you alive after I brought the whole cave down on you.¡±. Long Tao spoke in a mocking tone.

    ¡± I am gratified to you for your services. If it weren¡¯t for your actions aimed at killing me, I wouldn¡¯t have a break-through from my previous realm.¡±

    ¡± Is the Slytherin dead?¡± Long Tao asked in a curious tone.

    ¡°We can catch up after I defeat you. I need to torture your secrets out before I kill you.¡±The Blood general decided to bright out his weapon.

    The weapon had a unique design, which surprised Long Tao. It was a staff with a curved de on its end.

    ¡± This is called a Naginata. It¡¯s an honor for you to get cut by this.¡± The Blood general rushed towards Long Tao, waving his weapon. Long Tao raised his sword to block the attack.

    The swords shed with each other, and the impact sted Long Tao quite far away.

    .....................................

    The Crimson lord world-

    ¡± I am not able to match him in power. What is his current realm.¡± Long Tao felt the impact of thest confrontation. His internal organs shook due to the previous attack.

    ¡± The power emitted by him is around the seventh level of Qi general.¡± Long Tao didn¡¯t expect the Blood general to have broken through the previous realm. ¡± You need to use the full potential of your body to confront him.¡±

    Long Tao went with the Keeper¡¯s advice and released his full power.

    .............................

    ¡± You manage to amaze me, just likest time.¡± As the dust settled, Long Tao¡¯s figure came into view. He had some bruises on his body, and a little amount of blood was spilling from his mouth.

    Long Tao changed his stance, and the aura around him changed. The Blood general was alerted by this event. He waived his naginata at Long Tao.

    Long Tao managed to hold his ground during this sh. Soon enough, a stalemate was reached. Long Tao was able to confront his opponent.

    ¡± Interesting.¡± The Blood general began to apply Qi into his attacks. Long Tao took the same decision. He was currently using one of the quasi-king weapons he managed to get from the Heave-cleaver sect¡¯s inheritance.

    The problem with Long Tao was his realm. Although his aura reserve was quite good, the amount of power exerted couldn¡¯t showcase the prime power output of the weapon.

    ¡± A quasi-king artifact. You seem to possess quite an artillery. Too bad, your realm doesn¡¯t allow you to showcase its true power.¡± The naginata came crashing down on Long Tao¡¯s sword, and his feet began to bury itself into the ground.

    .............................

    Crimson lord world-

    ¡± His aura changed. He is in the eight-level of Qi general. The aura is simr to Blood tempering art. Our conjecture might be true.¡±

    Long Tao decided to use his trump cards now. He needs to eliminate this enemy and take the next part of Blood tempering art from him.

    ..........................

    Long Tao¡¯s body began to emit a glow as he murmured. ¡± release.¡± His power output increased almost instantly. Not only did he overpowered the naginata, but he managed tond an attack on the blood general.

    The impact was powerful enough to push him backward. ¡± 2nd level Qi general.¡± ording to the reports, Long Tao broke through the QI general level some time ago. He managed to have a break-through once again. What sort of monstrous speed was this?

    ¡± You practice the Blood Tempering art, don¡¯t you.¡± The Blood general was instantly petrified at his spot. How did this kid know about the mantra?

    ¡± I will take your silence as an acknowledgment of my words. All the more reason to kill you.¡± Long Tao¡¯s blood began to glow as the aura was released.

    .........................

    The Blood general was too familiar with this aura. Wasn¡¯t it the same as the art he practiced. How can Long Tao have the same aura. What was this technique?

    ¡± from the look on your face, although you recognize the aura, you haven¡¯t seen this technique before.¡± LonG tao raised his saber, ¡± It is called ¡®Berserker.¡¯

    Long Tao rushed towards the Blood general, releasing his saber and sword intent. The Blood general wasn¡¯t instantly thrown into a disadvantage. The saber managed to cut through the armor and prate the Blood general¡¯s skin.

    The naginata came shing towards Long Tao¡¯s figure, but he dodged and retreated. A grievous injury was present on the Blood-general¡¯s body. But what happened next surprised Long Tao.

    The injury began to self-heal. ¡± How could this be.¡±

    ........................

    The Crimson lord world-

    ¡± This seems to be a bloodline technique. It must be the gain from the next part of Blood Tempering art.¡±

    ¡± how do we counter this ability?¡±

    ¡± The best way is to use an attack which will decimate him instantly, leaving no time for the heal.¡±Long Tao got an idea from This. It seemed like he needed to use that.

    ..............................

    The outer world-

    ¡± Initially, I was excited to fight against you. But it seems that the situation has changed. You managed to gain an ability from Blood-Tempering art. I need to finish you off instantly.¡±

    The blood general¡¯s face was pale due to thest attack. Although his wound regenerated, his blood essence was used to heal the injury. It was the unique technique he gained from the mantra he practiced. It was called ¡® Re-generation.¡¯

    Long tao took a fist stance. ¡® Demonize.¡¯ His figure began to change into that of a beast. The Blood-general watched him with horror in his eyes.

    ¡± This technique was created by me with all the knowledge I managed to gather within my training period. I named it The Dominator¡¯s fist. You shall have the win if you can bear the impact.¡±

    A massive st of energy rushed towards the Blood-general. He tried to use all his strength and technique to guard against it, but the power was too big to bear. His figure was decimated.

    Long Tao couldn¡¯t stand due to theck of power and fell. His body was deformed and poorly mutted. An aura shrouded around him and absorbed him into thin air.

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 Chapter 147

    147 THE SECRET MESSAGE

    The crimson lord world-

    Long Tao¡¯s mutted body was lying inside the blood pool. The damage incurred this time was quite severe. The demonization art puts pressure on the cultivator¡¯s body. The pressure was increased due to the use of the ¡®Dominator¡¯s fist.¡¯

    ¡± How long would it take for him to recover?¡±

    ¡± He should be able to regain consciousness within some time. As per his body, I am not sure.¡±

    ¡°Demonisation art seems to take a big toll on his body. Should we go ahead with that thing?¡±

    ¡± Did you feel any difference between his body before and after the use of demonization art.¡± The puppet tried to analyze but failed to do so.

    ¡± Every time he uses it, I could feel his body bing stronger than it was previously. The practitioner could point out the exact differences.¡±

    ........................

    Long Tao slowly opened his eyes. He looked around and found himself submerged in the blood pool. He tried to move his body but was unable to do so.

    .....

    ¡± You shouldn¡¯t exert your strength. The damage incurred this time is quite severe. Your body is mutted from the use of both the arts. Concentrate on recovery as of now.¡±

    ¡± How long was I out fo?¡±

    ¡± It has been six days within the realm ( 1 day in the outside world).¡±

    ¡± What was the result of our fight?¡±

    ¡± The effort seemed to have paid off. The blood general was killed due to the use of Dominator¡¯s fist. I honestly didn¡¯t expect that art to be so strong.¡±

    Long Tao felt relieved to hear the oue. He put a lot of effort into training. A whole avatar was dedicated to just creating this art.

    ...........................

    ¡± Did anything within the blood general¡¯s possession survive?¡±

    The Keeper raised his hands, and two objects feel in front of Long Tao. One was the naginata, while the other was a ring. Long Tao was keen to search its content. He was expectant to find the next part of Blood Tempering arts.

    ¡°Recover your strength. I will allow you to investigate the matter, only after you can walk.¡±

    The statement crushed long Tao¡¯s hopes. He closed his eyes and began to assimte the blood energy tor replenish his vitality. The Blood pool within the crimson lord world would soon exhaust itself. He would need to enter the Heaven Cleaver mansion to get more of it.

    ......................................

    The war was progressing ording to Long Tao¡¯s predictions. Su Menqi followed his instruction and was able to capture most of the surrounding areas. It was time to attack the Chu troops.

    Long Tao instructed Di Tao about the ns. They were to attack their enemies during the night. Although it was an hical method, LongTao didn¡¯t believe in fair opportunity.

    The troops were assembled. Themanders who were in charge of the battalions had a meeting to devise the offensive strategy.

    ¡± Did the back-up arrive?¡± Su Menqi had imed that she would be re-treating back to the camp if back-up doesn¡¯t arrive within three days.

    ¡± The messenger from Tamar reported that the back-up team is dispatched and will be reaching here any time.¡±

    ¡± As soon as theye, we are to start the attack. They will be the first line of offence.¡±

    Themanders were surprised to hear this. Their troops were exhausted from the continuous war. Recuperation required some time.

    A soldier came rushing in :

    ¡± The Back-up troops have arrivedmander Su.¡±

    ¡± Have their leader meet me in the tent.¡±

    ...............................

    ¡± This is too much. We are exhausted from the journey. We can¡¯t be taking the offensive stance as of now.¡±

    Su Menqi looked at themander of the army. ¡± I suppose you misread the situation. I wasn¡¯t asking, I was ordering you.¡± She took out two small nametes.

    The leader of the back-up troops was shocked to see it. Either of the nametes belonged to a supreme authority. One belonged to the general, while the other was a golden imperial decree.

    ¡± I am the suprememander of the troops stationed in these mountains. As soon as you joined us, I became your leader.¡±

    She rose from her seat and began her departure. Just before exiting, she turned around and said,¡± prepare the troops within 4 hours, we will be attacking tonight.¡±

    Su Menqi breathed a sigh of relief when she left the tent. It was all thanks to the two nametes given to her by Long Tao. She was going to attack the Chu camp tonight.

    .................................??.......

    The Chu capital city-

    ¡± What do you mean by this intrusion.¡±

    ¡± Forgive my sin. I have an urgent matter to report.¡± A servent was bowing before a group of hooded figures.

    ¡± What is it?¡±

    ¡± The soul te of general blood sted some time ago. He is dead.¡±. Each of the hooded figures stood at the same time. How could this be? The Blood general was dead.

    ¡± Are you sure it was his soul te?¡±

    ¡± I am sure, my lord. The soul power imbued was getting weaker and weaker, until suddenly it burst.¡±

    This matter was no small news. Blood general¡¯s death would mean a catastrophic impact on their ns. Furthermore, it proved that Longtao was powerful enough to kill the Blood general.

    ¡± I have a proposal. Let me take care of Long Tao.¡±

    The speaker soon emerged out of shadows. It was none other than the second prince.

    ¡°You have yet to pass our evaluation. We are informed about your meeting with Long Tao during his visit. You two seem to have a good rtionship. How are we supposed to believe your im?¡±

    ¡± I will lure him into the Chu country. Would that be enough to win your praise? What happens after that is upon you. I want my demands fulfilled.¡¯

    ¡± What is your demand?¡±

    ¡± To be the king of Chu country.¡± The silhouettes nodded. It was an excellent opportunity to test the loyalty of the prince.

    .................................................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    Long Tao manage to rebuild his mutted body. Some minor injuries were remaining, but he decided to take care of themter. He took out the two objects gained from the blood-general.

    The Naginata was a quasi king rank weapon, but the quality was lower than Long Tao¡¯s sword and sabre. He decided to inspect itter. The next thing was the ring. Long Tao imbued his consciousness into the ring.

    He broke the seal on it and opened the space within. The number of substances in it was quite massive, but the first thing which attracted Long Tao¡¯s attention was a set of vials.

    ¡± Do you know what these are?¡±

    ¡± These are the concentrated blood essence of King rank beasts.¡± Long Tao was ecstatic on hearing it. This blood was a precious cultivation resource. The next thing was the pile of Qi stones and other resources. Finally, Long Tao managed to find the item he was looking for.

    A book was present within the pile. As soon as Long Tao touched it, something seemed to resonate with his blood. The book shined and got absorbed into his body.

    Long Tao instantly closed his eyes and inspected the manual present within his consciousness. As expected, the next manual of the Blood-Tempering method was present in it.

    He instantly began his break-through. After it wasplete, a new set of skills merged in his memory. ¡® Blood recovery.¡¯ So This was the skill the blood general was using.

    Long Tao began to inspect the content of the manual.

    .........................................

    Di Tao was in charge of the ck-buck a squad, and they were reporting their finding to him. A recent message stated that his presence was required to resolve the situation. A messenger seems to have arrived form the Chu country.

    He asked his underlings to set up a private meet and instructed them to leave.

    ¡± Who Is your master?¡±

    ¡± I havee on behalf of my master to report a secret message to sir Long Tao.¡±

    ¡± You don¡¯t seem to understand the situation. No matter how important the message is, it will never reach Long Tao until it passes through me. So what is the message.¡±

    The messenger hesitated, but finally decided to report it.

    ¡± His highness, the second prince asks for sir Long¡¯s help in resolving this crisis.¡± He forwarded a package to Di Tao. ¡± It contains the details of the situation and the message from his majesty. Please give it to sir Long Tao.¡±

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 Chapter 148

    148 RETURN TO THE CHU CAPITAL

    ¡± The second prince asked for sir Long Tao¡¯s assist. The fate of our country lies in this matter. ¡±

    ¡± Even if what you say is true, why should I believe that the second prince sent you. Even better, why should I believe that the second prince knows Long Tao by any chance?¡±

    ¡± The prince met sir Long when he came to visit the Chu capital with the princess. He instructed that the document would contain enough evidence fro sir Long to confirm his identity.¡±

    Di Tao dismissed the messenger. He opened the document and went through the contents. It had a detailed description of the whole meeting he had with the second prince along with every single word they had spoken.

    ¡± It seems I need to verify this proposal.¡±

    .......................

    The attack on the enemy troops began soon after themander¡¯s meeting. The cement of the soldiers was simr to the one used before. The army marched into the mountains as night fell upon the skies.

    ¡± The route which we are following has the least number of hidden spots. I have allocated two groups of spies to verify the path.¡±

    ¡± Through our analysis, we came to find that the Chu army has settled in these two regions.¡±

    .....

    Su Menqi verified the report. ¡± We can¡¯t take chances in this case. We will follow either of these routes. Send another team to scout this path. We can¡¯t bear to alert the enemy.¡±

    If the enemy manages to scout them out and prepare for the attack, the effectiveness of this act will decrease. After the scout team was dispatched, Su Menqi instructed themanders to set up small groups of skilled soldiers.

    ¡± They will be tasked with taking out the soldiers who will be guarding the enemy camps. It would help if you took care of them swiftly, without raising any rm.¡±

    Long Tao had to admire Su Menqi¡¯s skill. She was quite proficient in warfare and troop management.

    ..................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡± The process seems to absorb your blood essence to heal your injuries.¡± Long Tao was practising the new skill obtained from the Blood general.

    ¡± The rate of heal seems to increase with the number of times I use it. But the consumption increases as well.¡± Long Tao needed arge amount fo beast blood essence to fulfil the demand of the skills he possesses.

    ¡± Did you manage to find any way to help me train the demonization art.¡± LonG tao asked the Keeper.

    ¡± We did find a solution.¡± The puppet spoke up.

    ..............

    The puppet was busy in the creation of something ording to the Keeper¡¯s instruction. Long Tao didn¡¯t get to see him often. Just what was it.

    ¡± Follow me¡±. Three figures were teleported to a different location. It was an altar which had strange formations imbued in it. There were massive stone statues on the border of altars.

    ¡± This is the training ce we created. The previous Crimson lords used it to train their body.¡±

    Long Tao looked around but couldn¡¯t make sense of the altar. ¡± How does it work?¡±

    ¡± Rather than exining, why don¡¯t you give it a first-hand try.¡± The puppet signalled Long Tao to go up the altar.

    As soon as Long Tao stepped into the altar, the formation seemed to have activated. A dome of energy covered the altar. The statues around the border began to show movements and proceed towards Long Tao.

    Long Tao was surprised for some time, but he calmed his nerves. He took a fighting stance and prepared to confront the statues. What happened next shocked him.

    Three statues attacked at the same time. The power within each sculpture was far from what Long Tao can defend against, and he had to confront three. His figure was crushed and his skeleton broken.

    Long tao couldn¡¯t make sense of what just happened. Each of the statues was of Qi general level 8 at the very least. His figureid helpless on the altar.

    The formation started working once again, and Blood energy began to emerge from it. The energy directly integrated with Long Tao¡¯s body and helped in the healing process.

    .............

    ¡± How did it feel?¡¯ The puppet asked enthusiastically.

    ¡± What sort of artefact is that thing?¡±

    ¡± It was the equipment which the crimson lords developed to help in the training of the body. The theory behind it was getting beaten to near death.¡±

    ¡°When you practice a body refining art, although your body enhances quality, so does the art which uses the body to work. So the demonization art will increase in strength as you proceed further in body cultivation.¡±

    ¡°So improving my body cultivation is not a solution to control the demonization art?¡±

    ¡± It isn¡¯t. What this altar does is increase the strength of your bones without enhancement in the body cultivation realm. Your bones will be broken and healed back. The process will continue until an unspecified period.¡±

    ¡°Not only does it help you improve strength, but it will also help you control the demonization art. I theorize a development in your natural healing capabilities as well.¡±

    Long Tao found the theory to be logical enough. It was the same way as practising your muscle memory. You need to break and re-heal the bones.

    ...................

    ¡± What does the letter say?¡± Su Menqi was interested in knowing the content of the secret letter to Long Tao.

    ¡± I can authenticate the letter¡¯s writer. The content is what makes me nervous. It says that the second prince is currently nning a rebellion to take over the throne.¡±

    ¡°The eldest prince was responsible for thest king¡¯s situation. He wanted to take control of the power in Chu country. He poisoned the king and delegated himself to be the next in line.¡±

    ¡± There seems to be a mysterious group supporting him from behind. The second prince was not supportive of this action and decided to oppose it.¡±

    ¡± It resulted in him being branded with the title of a traitor to the throne. He is currently chased throughout the kingdom. He is trying his best to gain support to execute a coup sessfully.¡±

    ¡± Do you believe the contents?¡±

    ¡± I feel there is a chance for this to be a trap. But if it were true, it could be a golden opportunity for us to conquer the Chu country.¡±

    ¡± I will be going to the Chu capital city.¡± Di Tao said to Su Menqi.

    ¡± Should I follow you?¡±

    ¡± Your task is to defeat the Unrivalled general. I should be able to to take care fo this situation.¡± Su Menqi nodded and retreated to her tent.

    .................

    Some dayster-

    The Chu country was in turmoil. The change in authority, along with war, pushed the citizens into unrest. Furthermore, the news from the battlefield stated that the Chu country lost two confrontations.

    A figure arrived during nighttime. It was none other than Long Tao. He wanted to see what the second prince had nned for him.

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 Chapter 149

    149 MOUSETRAP

    The war was taking a new turn tonight. The Jiao troops managed to get near the Chu military camps. Su Menqi raised her hand to signal a halt.

    ¡°Send the assassins.¡±

    A new group of highly skilled soldiers was formed and trained personally by Su Menqi. They were tasked with taking out the guards surveying the area. Receiving the signal, they proceeded to execute the enemy.

    ...........................................

    Small growl of pain could be heard, as the guards had their life drawn out of them. The soldiers managed to execute the perimeter guards quite fast. The next part was infiltrating into their base.

    ¡°Exchange your clothes with these guards. You will be entering the camp while impersonating the dead. You just need to take care of the watch towers and the gate-keepers.¡±

    ¡°You can either kill them or exchange your post with them. The choice is upon you.¡±

    ¡°Just act as if you are the recement for the night-shift. Don¡¯t get nervous. The number of soldier sis too high for you to be recognised as an imposter. Go with the natural flow.¡±

    After the exchange of clothes, the bodies were hidden within the cravings. The leader of the team signalled all to disperse and move in.

    .....

    .................................................

    The Chu stronghold-

    The soldier¡¯s moral was quite low due to the consecutive losses in the hands of the Jiao army. The arrival of the unrivalled general brought some motivation to the troops.

    The general decided to form their camps within these mountains. The first stronghold was already lost, they couldn¡¯t bear to lose this one. The spies brought news regarding the enemy troops moving in and capturing the uninhibited zones. The idea of dispersing the troops like this seemed funny to the Chumanders.

    They didn¡¯t know that the enemy is already on their front doors.

    The soldiers were working in shifts. The first groups of soldiers guarded the outer-perimeter. There were soldiers of watch-towers and at the front gates. The cement was with respect to the fact that enemy approach could be identified as fast as possible.

    Su Menqi didn¡¯t want to let that scenario pass. The imposters managed to get in and started taking care of the people inside. The first group to be killed were the soldiers un the watch-towers. The troops moved in group of 3 to instantly overpower the enemy.

    After the soldiers at watch-tower were taken care of, the next in line were the ones at front gates and the inspection office.

    ¡°Half of us will be moving n on inspection office, while the other half take care of the people at the front gate.¡± Two groups moved forward towards their respective targets.

    ........................................................

    Su Menqi was waiting for the signal from the soldier. The support troop was going to be the first line of offense. Soon enough a man holding a bright torch was waiving his hands from one of the watch-towers.

    Su Menqi signalled themander of the relief troops. ¡°Move in.¡±

    ¡°You will be taking your position within the Chu stronghold first. No need to switch to active killing. The indication to attack will be arriving soon enough.¡±

    The Jiao troops slowly invaded the enemy territory. After the relief troops werepletely ced within the stronghold, Su Menqi raised her voice and shouted,¡± Ring the bell.¡±

    The bell chimes alerted the whole stronghold about the enemy¡¯s arrival. Soldiers began exiting their tents, but the scene awaiting them was instant death. A one-sided massacre soon began.

    ....................................................

    The Crimson lord world-

    ¡°Are you sure about this visit. I won¡¯t be able to help you because of the absorption process.¡±

    ¡°You need to concentrate on fixing the artifact, I will be able to hold my ground. Although my guts say something is missing here, I will take every precaution to prevent capture or death.¡±

    The invitation at this time came as a surprise, but the details indicated within its shocked Long Tao. His attention was sessfully drawn. If he can take care of the root cause, he would be able to put an end to this war.¡±

    ..................................................................

    General Unrivalled was sleeping within his tent when a hugemotion urred. Waking up, he could hear multiple foots steps approaching his dwelling.

    ¡°We are sorry to interrupt your sleep, sir. Wee bearing a very urgent message. The second stronghold has been attacked and captured by our enemies.¡±

    General Unrivalled pranged out of his bed. ¡°How dare they break the rule of war and attack during night. Are there any survivors.¡±

    ¡°A small group of people managed to escape their clutches. The troops stationed was instantly annihted. It seems themander this time is Su Menqi. No hostages were taken. They might be preparing for an attack on this stronghold soon. I advise you to move out of here.¡±

    ¡°Alert the troops and begin preparation for battle. We can¡¯t let the enemy go any further. They are already so deep within the Chu territory.¡±

    A loud gong sounded and the battalion was soon assembled.

    ¡°The enemy has broken the sacred code of war and attacked during night. We need to get revenge for our fallen brothers. Sharpen your sword, cause the enemy might descend upon us anytime now.¡±

    .................................................................

    ¡°We will be halting our progress here. Began the healing of the wounded.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t we proceed towards the next stronghold, madam?¡± One of themanders asked.

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the foolish action of someone, a group of people might not have escaped and alerted the enemy. Unrivalled must be prepared for a fight by now. We can¡¯t take our chances. Capturing this stronghold is good enough of a feat.¡±

    Long Tao advised her to be persistent and not make rash decision. She will be holding her grounds for now.

    ,................................................

    The Chu capital-

    Long Tao was peeking around the city, gaining a general idea regarding the current situation within the capital. An emergency order had been implemented by the royal n and every activity was strictly monitored by the guards.

    The location marked on the map was one of the biggest merchant guilds of the city. It was front for the second prince¡¯s operation. Long Tao surveyed the whole area, before deciding to enter the guild.

    ¡°How may I help you sir?¡±

    ¡°A friendly hand has arrived to support during these difficult times.¡± The manager indicated Long Tao to follow him into the building.

    ........................................................

    ¡°The prey has sessfully taken the bait. Should we move in?¡±

    ¡°Prepare the troops for an instant seize. Use this.¡± A small talisman was given to the speaker. ¡°It is a space locking artifact which would prevent him from teleporting out.¡±

    Arge group of people began to move towards the merchant guild.

    .............................

    ¡°I am happy that you responded to my request, brother Long Tao.¡± The second prince greeted Long Tao instantly.

    ¡°Your report seemed to be exciting. My attention was instantly drawn towards your mentions. How far have you nned the revolution?¡±

    The second prince handed Long Tao a cup of tea and then began to exin his strategy. Long Tao sipped while listening to it. The n was quite borate

    ¡± When are we going to infiltrate the castle?¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t need to. We are here to apany you into it.¡± A voice sounded. Long Tao tried to move instantly, but his body seemed to have glued itself to the ground. He looked at the second prince, who was now smiling.

    ¡°I beg your pardon, brother. But my objective of bing the king has already been achieved.¡± Long Tao fell into the enemy trap.

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 Chapter 150

    150 TORTURE

    ¡°He has ingested a special kind of poison into your body. It is a paralyzing agent that prevents you from moving around.¡± The Keeper confirmed Long Tao¡¯s suspicion. The artifact was busy absorbing the Qi stone mine and mending itself.

    ¡°Can the artifact get me out of here?¡±. Long Tao didn¡¯t want to showcase the artifact he possessed, but the situation demanded he used it.

    ¡°They seemed to have used some space locking treasure. I won¡¯t be able to get you out as of now. It is quite strong. The artifact is not powerful enough yet.¡± Long Tao¡¯s hopes were crushed after hearing it. He had no way of preventing the current situation. He needed to form an alternate n to get out of this situation.

    ¡°Can the artifact grow strong enough after absorbing all the mines in that area?¡±.

    ¡°If we take all factors into consideration, we should be able to do that. But the absorption of the three mines is going to take some time.¡± The Keeper was worried about Long Tao¡¯s situation.

    ¡°I will hold out until then. Concentrate on the mending of the artifact. They won¡¯t kill me as of now. They would be torturing me to get information regarding the army and my inventions. I would be able to stay alive.¡±

    ¡°I need 5 days at the very least to absorb all the mines. What do you need me to do after absorbing it?¡±

    ¡°Use as many avatars as you like to attack the Chu capital directly and rescue me. These bastards will pay for what they did.¡±

    Revenge required adequate nning to be sessful. He needed to stay calm in this situation. Long Tao decided to not show any resistance to the capture.

    .....

    .......................................

    The mountain stronghold was properly fortified by Su Menqi. They managed to enter deep enough into the Chu territory. The soldiers required another day to recover their injuries. She could use that time to n the next attack.

    ¡°Is there any news from Long Tao¡¯s side? Is he ok?¡± Su Menqi asked Di Tao.

    ¡°The spies reported that he was able to defeat the Blood general, but he seems to have been captured by the enemy.¡±

    Su Menqi got extremely nervous and agitated. ¡°Did the Chu country send another cultivator along with the Blood general?¡±

    ¡°There was a messenger sent by the second prince of Chu country to ask for Long Tao¡¯s help. He decided to ept the request and left for the Chu capital city. I sent a spy along with him to keep a tab on the general situation.¡±

    ¡°The second had set a trap for him. The enemy managed to capture him with the help of some kind of poison.¡±

    Su Menqi¡¯s nervousness grew even more. She couldn¡¯t let anything happen to Long Tao. ¡°Should we negotiate a deal with the Unrivalled general. I could withdraw back to the Jiao country if that is what it takes.¡±

    Di Tao was surprised to see Su Menqi¡¯s devotion to him. ¡°You need to calm your nerves down. We can¡¯t rash decisions in these situations. Long Tao left themand of the army to you because he recognized your ability to perform well.¡±

    ¡°As of now, we have the upper hand in the battle. The Chu troops current stand at half of their original capacity, while our troop remains strong as before. We don¡¯t need to show our cards. Let them make the first move.¡±

    .....................................

    ¡°We can¡¯t just leave him at their mercy. He will be tortured by them to reveal your secrets.¡±

    ¡°They are going to perform that anyway. The amount of damage Long Tao¡¯s ns and inventions has dealt with the Chu military is massive. ying the bargaining chip now would give them the upper hand in the situation.¡±

    ¡°Even if you decide to bargain, they would most likely dy the negotiations to extract as much information as possible. We need to believe in Long Tao¡¯s ability and hold onto our cards.¡±

    Su Menqi imed herself down. She was the lordmander of the military forces which had managed to wipe out a quarter of Chu military forces. She couldn¡¯t be careless about her decision. A single man, even if it is Long Tao couldn¡¯t outweigh a whole country in terms of preference.

    She called a meeting of themanders and instructed them to hasten the healing of the soldiers. ¡°We will be moving out by tomorrow noon. The next base might be having Unrivalled as itsmander. Send a messenger to Tamar requesting the support of senior cultivators in advance Qi general realm. We will be attacking the next enemy base after their arrival.¡±

    .........................................

    The artifactpleted absorbing the Qi stone mine underneath the first stronghold. The mending process seemed to have healed many of its damages.

    ¡°The next two mines should be able to heal a lot of damage. There might be a qualitative leap in the artifact too. We can definitely get you out after theplete absorption.¡± The Keeper assured Long Tao¡¯s avatar.

    ¡°How could I improve the elemental nature of the artifact?¡± The absorption of QI stone mines helped in recovering damages, but the elemental Qi, which was necessary for the cultivation of Crimson World scripture didn¡¯t enhance in quality.

    ¡°We need to get a hold on some elemental oddities. The beast mes that you absorb helps in enhancing the fire nature of the artifact. The same goes for other elements too. Elemental stones can also be used, but they are extremely rare to get hold of. We can also use metal essence, which is even rarer. There are other resources, but you are not strong enough to get hold of those. Some may not be avable in this world.¡±

    Long Tao was amazed every time he tried to ascertain the level of the artifact. Just how powerful was it at its peak.

    ¡°Although the Qi stones couldn¡¯t directly improve the elemental Qi, they do mend the damages of the artifact. It in return is able to absorb pure elemental QI at a faster rate. So you won¡¯t need to worry about the Qi quality for the time being.¡±

    ................................................

    One of the avatars was practicing on the altar prepared by the puppet. The effect was astonishing. Although he still couldn¡¯t maintain his consciousness while using the demonization art, the burden on his body got smaller with every use. It was getting adapted to the power buff provided by the art.

    The avatar would take short breaks to practice the other arts he learned. The dominator¡¯s fist was currently his strongest move. But the toll it took on his body was too high. He not only needed to develop it; he needs to practice it consistently to get amodated with the technique.

    ¡°Divide your time into two parts. Although either of the arts takes a great toll on the body, the new ability you gained from the Blood Tempering art should be helpful to regain your prime condition. The process would also help you get acquainted with the art.¡±

    ¡°The altar functions ording to your strength. The higher your strength is, the more heinous will be the power used against you.¡±

    Long Tao continued his practice without any dy.

    ...............................

    Chu royal pce-

    Long Tao was held in one of the underground dungeons of the Chu royal pce. He was left there along with numerous guards. A person ds in ck arrived today. He sat opposite Long Tao and began the conversation:

    ¡°How does it feel to get trapped in her general Long Tao?¡±

    ¡°I have to say, it¡¯s not a pleasant experience.¡± Long Tao said with a small smirk.

    ¡°You manage to maintain such calmness even after being aware of the situation. It ismendable. I wouldn¡¯t beat around the bush. The damage dealt by you to the Chu country is quiterge. We can spare your life if you tell us your secret.¡±

    ¡°Which secret do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°How about the device you used to create the explosion. The secrets of the military and the cement of your troops. The secret of the royal castle. Tell us everything you know, and we might show you mercy.¡±

    ¡°I am just a small agent of the military. How could I know so much? You got the wrong guy here.¡± Long Tao said with an innocent expression.

    ¡°It seems our hospitality sent different indications to you.¡± The silhouette raised his hands and signaled the soldier. Multiple figures appeared in the room.

    ¡°Make sure not to kill him.¡± The figure exited the room and made his way to the door. A loud roar of pain could be heard from Long Tao¡¯s room.

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 Chapter 151

    151 CONFRONTING THE UNRIVALLED GENERAL

    Two men entered the room after the interrogator left. ¡°Make sure not to kill him¡± was the only thing Long Tao manage to hear. Either of the two people was carryingrge baggage with them.

    They put the bag¡¯s down and approached Long Tao who was tied in chains. ¡°I will give you a chance to confess. Tell us all your secrets.¡±

    ¡°I chose not to.¡± Long Tao said with a mocking smile.

    ¡®Baam¡¯ a punchnded on Long Tao¡¯s face. Blood began to flow out. ¡°Ready to tell me the answer yet.¡±. Long Tao continued to smile.

    A rain of punches and kicks began to assault Long Tao¡¯s body. Either of the two men didn¡¯t even provide Long Tao with some time to rest.

    Soon a pathetic figure could be seen lying on the ground, tied in chains.

    .......................

    ¡°The warm-up is over, shall we proceed towards the main event.¡±. One of the men took out a piece of tongs from the bag. ¡°The maximum temp. which a Qi general can handle is limited. What do you think happens when we increase the temperature way beyond that?¡±

    The Tongs were heated to an unnatural degree and then Long Tao¡¯s clothes were torn open. ¡°Did you decide to change your mind?¡±. Long Tao was silent. ¡°I take it as a no.¡± The Tongs were branded on his body. ¡®Aaahahaaaaa¡¯ He began to scream on the top of his lungs. The pain was unimaginable.

    .....

    ¡°It¡¯s just the beginning brat. Let¡¯s see how long can you hold up.¡± The process continued. Soon enough the whole prison smelled with the scent of burnt human flesh.

    A charred body was hanging by its hands. The two men decided to take a break. It was a part of the procedure to let the victim feel the pain. If they proceeded too soon, the subject would get acquainted with the torture.

    ¡°What should we try next?¡±

    ¡°Call in a healer to heal the guy. We will be going for the nails next. Let¡¯s see how long he can hold his sanity.¡± Long Tao was feeling the effect every single attack on his body. Soon a figure walked up to him. An aura began to shroud over his body as his injuries began to heal.

    He was soon back to his original conditions. Long Tao got a sense of hope after seeing the two. ¡°Did you get your hopes up, boy?¡±. The two men re-entered.

    ¡°Should we start the third round.¡±. A new set of steel pliers was taken out. Either of the pliers was set on Long Tao¡¯s nails and the same guy asked him once again: ¡°Are you ready to confess?¡±

    Long Tao looked at his face and spit on it. ¡°Go to hell.¡±. The man wiped the spit off and gave an insidious smile. He gripped the pliers and tore Long Tao¡¯s nails off.

    ............................

    The Jiao army managed to gain control over 3/4 area of the mountain regions. Troops from other battlefields were gathering up from all sides. An Omni-directional assault on the Chu military would soon take ce.

    ¡°How long before the other two troops arrive?¡±

    ¡°ording to the messengers, they should be here by tomorrow noon.¡± One of themanders spoke up. Su Menqi nodded her head and signaled all themanders to pay attention to her.

    ¡°ording to the news provided by our spies, general Long Tao seemed to have been captured by the enemy.¡±. A silent atmosphere reigned over the meeting followed by a huge uproar.

    ¡®How was he captured?¡¯, ¡®Is he still alive?¡¯, ¡®what is our next step going to be¡¯. Multiples voices began to assault the whole room. ¡°Silence¡±. Su Menqi roared within the meeting, bringing all the Chaos to an end.

    ¡°He seems to be captured alive and held in a holding cell. They must be trying to interrogate him. The spy confirmed his survival. All I can report to you peoples is the fact that he had foreseen this situation.¡±

    Themanders were surprised, but soon nodded in agreement. Long tao was the brains behind the whole war strategy and they had never lost a battle. They knew how cunning his strategies were. He possessed the foresight to estimate this situation. That must be the reason he left Su Menqi in charge.

    ........................

    ¡°We can¡¯t lose focus in this crucial moment. We are on the verge of winning the whole war. Nothing should slow us down. Theck of messenger from the Chu military indicates that Unrivalled doesn¡¯t have an idea about the capture. We must take advantage of that.¡±

    ¡°We will be attacking tonight. We can¡¯t let him gain a psychological advantage over our troops.¡¯

    Long Tao was respected by every soldier within the north-eastern army. Be it his achievements at such a young age, his strength, or his strategic ability, all of it created a legend, garnering a huge amount of respect from the army. If the soldierse to know that Long Tao was captured, their motivation might take a huge hit.

    ¡°prepare the troops. We still hold a numerical advantage over them. We will be following a different strategy as of now. The passive attack no longer works. We need topletely overwhelm them to break, their spirits.¡±

    ¡°Did you prepare the barrels?¡± The soldier presented a document to Su Menqi. ¡°You need to pour it from the marked regions, into their camps.¡± A map was presented to one of themanders. ¡°We need to divide the troops into smaller sections. It will be easy to carry out the execution.¡±

    The method Su Menqi was adopting was barbaric, but Long Tao¡¯s capture forced her to adopt this method.

    ......................................

    The artifact managed topletely devour the first mine. It then proceeds to the next one. The next one was located near the Chu military camps. The avatar proceeded with caution. There was a single opening from the stone bed, into the outer atmosphere. The ce was dense in Qi.

    ¡°It must be the location.¡±. The Keeper guided the artifact to bury into the ground. The major problem with the artifact was its inability to move too far from its owner. ¡°You should hide within the ground.¡±

    ¡°There is no need for that. ording to Di Tao¡¯s information, Su Menqi is going to attack tonight.¡±

    ¡°She must be quite desperate to free you from the clutches of the enemy. You should be proud of yourself, brat.¡±. The avatar didn¡¯t answer.

    The artifact began the process of absorbing the mine, but after a brief period of time, it stopped. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±

    ¡°When I was absorbing the stone, I got hold of another type of energy. Although I am not sure about its specification, I can verify it after absorbing the mine here.¡±.

    The artifact continued to absorb the Qi stones. The Qi within the bed got thinner and thinner until a new type of Qi began to fill the atmosphere. ¡°Your luck is quite an enormous brat. The Qi is characterized by fire energy. There must be an energy stone mine below this.

    It is just like the mine we absorbed within the Chu borders.¡±

    ¡°Is it better than top grade Qi stones?¡±

    ¡°These are elemental stones which are extremely rare whenpared to top-grade Qi stones. Each of these would be worth around 1000 top-grade Qi stone of the same size. It would be highly beneficial for both the artifact and your cultivation.¡±

    ........................................

    Unrivalled was currently busy preparing for the uing battle. All themanders were ordered to gather for a strategic meeting within his camp.

    The meeting was underway when a loudmotion and panic resounded throughout the stronghold. When the group of men rushed out, they were met with the view of their stronghold being encapsted within the fire.

    ¡°How did this happen?¡± The Unrivalled general prepared to board his horse for exiting the stronghold. ¡®Swoosh¡¯. A painful neigh was given out by the horse, as its head was struck by a metal arrow.

    ¡°Why so eager to leave Unrivalled? We haven¡¯t met yet. I am the current leader of the Jiao assault team. General Su Menqi.¡±

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 Chapter 152

    152 AGGRESSIVE ASSAULT

    Long Tao was being brutally manhandled. After his nails, the assaulters went on with peeling his skin. Every time grievous damage was done, a healer was called in to heal him. The process repeated itself on and on.

    The group of people monitoring the situation got regr updates on Long Tao¡¯s condition. ¡°He is a tough nut to crack.¡±

    ¡°It is expected from someone who was able to make us this desperate. The Jiao country is on the verge of winning the war. The numerical advantage they currently hold is because of him.¡±

    ¡°Did you send the news regarding the capture of Long Tao Unrivalled. He could use it as a deterrent to holding off the Jiao army. The soldiers respect Long Tao a lot, and his contribution to the current war is colossal. It is at least more than everyone elsebined.¡±

    ¡°A messenger was sent to the border regions. No replies have been received until now. ¡±

    ¡°Even if we managed to use him as a bargaining chip, Jiao won¡¯t be retreating. We would be the one forced topromise without territory.¡±

    ¡°It is to be expected. We need to bargain an end to the current war. We need time to regroup and re-establish our military power. We have until the negotiations topletely break his mental fortitude.¡±

    ¡°Should we use the soul torturing method. ¡°One of the leaders suggested.

    ¡°The method is too gullible to failure and the end result is likely to be a broken soul inside a shell. His condition might provoke the Jiao army to directly destroy the Chu country.¡±

    .....

    Unknown to them Su Menqi had already started the attack into the chu military camp.

    ....................

    The Chu military camp-

    When Unrivalled general got to see the enemy leader, he was shocked to find out it was a woman at Qi general level 2. He was forced to run away by someone like her. His cap was being annihted by the enemy. It was the third night attack which the Jiao country carried out.

    His only way of escape was cut by the death of his horse. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you general Su.¡±

    ¡°I havee here to have a discussion with you Unrivalled.¡± Su Menqi proimed.

    ¡°Your action speaks otherwise.¡± Unrivaled tried to calm his nerves as much as possible. He couldn¡¯t let this bitch get the better of him. He released his intimidating aura.

    Even if Su Menqi was prepared she was still shocked by the revtion. ¡°Peak Qi general. Congrattions on advancing in your cultivation, Unrivalled.¡±

    ¡°Even after knowing my cultivation realm, you still want to fight.¡±

    ¡°Who said I was fighting you alone.¡±. When Unrivalled looked around him, a shocking scene revealed itself. His whole camp was run over by the Jiao military. He was surrounded by an inestimable number of troops. There were hundreds of weapons pointing towards him.

    ¡°Still want to show off your strength¡±

    Unrivaled general¡¯s face took a turn for the worse. But after some time, his expression changed into that ofughter. ¡°If I go down today, I will take hundreds with me. He unsheathed his sword and rushed towards the army. Multiple soldiers were killed with every swing of his sword.

    Su Menqi didn¡¯t expect lunacy from the Unrivalled general. She raised her hand and signaled the attack. Thousands of arrows and energy sts rushed towards him. But he didn¡¯t let the impact slow him down. Even if he was taking an enormous amount of damage, he made sure to pay back in kind.

    ¡°All themanders are to heed my orders. Unsheathe your weapon and take the frontline with me.¡± Wishing to take down a peak QI general with the help of Qi masters was a fantasy.

    Su Menqi decided to take matters in her own hand. All 6manders along with Su Menqi rushed in. Di Tao abstained from entering the battle. ¡°Could they take him out¡± A question to ponder on arouse in his mind.

    ...????.....................

    After the artifact manages to absorb all the Qi stones within the mine, the hard firestone deposit finally came into full view. ¡± Such arge deposit. It could improve the quality of the artifact by a great amount.¡±

    ¡°What amount of damage can you mend with these deposits?¡±

    ¡°If the artifact absorbs theplete mine, the artifact will promote by at least 2 minor levels. These stones can improve the fire element Qi in the artifact. We can create a gigantic Qi Pool with its help too.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and absorb as much as you want. Leave a small amount for me to improve my fire-affinity.¡±

    ¡°These stones are a resource of much higher quality. I won¡¯t be able to absorb it any time soon. I would require at least half- a month topletely absorb it, maybe even more. I won¡¯t be able to rescue you during the process.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about my rescue. If Unrivalled is defeated here, Su Menqi will capture and use him to trade for me. My life won¡¯t be in danger as of now.¡±

    ....................

    ¡°Is the barter fair enough?¡±

    ¡°Although the exchange won¡¯t be fair, I won¡¯t allow Unrivalled to leave the battlefield alive.¡±

    ¡°As soon as the exchange is done, all my avatars should directly attack on the convoy carrying him. The attack should ur within their camp.¡±

    ¡°What about the traitor?¡±

    ¡°I will have my revenge soon. I need to get the real body out of trouble first. Anything else willeter.¡±

    Long Tao cultivation was advancing at a steady pace. Due to the enhancement in the artifact, the Quality of Qi increased by a lot, which enabled him to have a faster cultivation speed. He was on the verge of breaking through the third level of Qi general.

    ¡°Would I be able to break-through QI general level 3 by the end of the month.¡±

    ¡°You should be able to. The fire stones can help improve your cultivation speed.¡±

    .......................

    8 figures could be seen shing all around the camp. The troops were instructed to continue with their long-range attack, while themanders took charge o frontal confrontation.

    Unrivaled¡¯s cultivation stage lived up to its name. even after taking so many attacks, and the enormous damage, he was still continuing the killing spree. He even managed to injure themanders on the Jiao side. ¡°Stay in formation. A direct confrontation would result in our defeat. We need to work together to beat him.¡±

    Unrivaled was madly swinging his sword. Themanders managed to surround him and attack from all sides. While he was busy confronting those attacks, Su Menqi rushed on top of him and poked her sword at his shoulders. The sword prated through his flesh, into the bones.

    His Qi couldn¡¯t protect his body due to deficient capacity. His right arm was useless now. ¡°Do you give up or shall we continue the confrontation?¡±

    ¡°My pride won¡¯t allow me to bow down before cowards.¡±

    ¡°Well said¡± Su Menqi along with themanders rushed at him once more.

    Di Tao used this opportunity to aim his pear at the unrivaled general¡¯s legs. A swift through enabled the spear to pierce through his limbs and stick to the ground. The attack came out of nowhere, surprising Unrivalled general.

    His face paled as blood continued to flow. He couldn¡¯t even move as of now. His Qi reserves were exhausted due to the continuous fight. Di Tao threw a dart at his neck.

    The Unrivalled general could feel his limbs weakening, as his consciousness sank into darkness. ¡°Neutraliser seems to work well.¡±

    Su Menqi signaled the soldiers: ¡°Tie him up. Send a messenger to the Chu royal court. Inform them that we have sessfully captured their army base, and will be progressing toward their capital next.¡±

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 Chapter 153

    153 THE PARLAY

    Unrivaled was captured. The Jiao army couldn¡¯t process the fact for some time. The most powerful enemymander was lying unconscious at their feet. Although the procedure of subduing him was cowardly, they managed to win anyway.

    ¡°have pride in your efforts. Unrivaled is a peak Qi general level practitioner. You are not supposed to win against him in a one on one fight. Each one of you gave it your best efforts to beat an enemy far more powerful than you.¡± Di Tao¡¯s words managed to spark a light in everyone¡¯s eyes.

    Su Menqi came forward and stood before the Jiao army. ¡°This message is for every soldier who stands alive to this very day. We have been through a lot, losing ourrades and brothers in the fire of warfare.¡±

    ¡°Even in the worst of times, we stood tall, facing all the adversities acting against us. The enemy tried to undermine us multiple times, but the passion for our mothend fanned the mes of victory for us.¡±

    She bowed before all the soldiers: ¡°An apology couldn¡¯tpensate the loss we incurred, but I do it nevertheless. For the brothers, we lost and the brothers we made, we shall hereby dere this war, won.¡±

    Every single man in the room felt their veins filled with pride and power. Loud cheers followed the words of theirmander-in-chief.

    ¡°Send messengers to Tamar. Inform them about our victory. Half the soldiers will hereby be responsible for transporting the body of our deceased brother back to their homes. Give them a proper burial andpensate their families well.¡±

    ¡°The rest will follow me to annihte and capture every single human inhabitation until we reach the Chu capital. The royal Chu family needs to answer for their crimes.¡±

    The soldiers began to ng their weapons together and heavily tapped the ground. The march to the enemy capital begun.

    .....

    .....................??.

    Tamar-

    The tribunal was on fire after hearing the news of Unrivalled¡¯s capture. ¡°They managed to do it.¡±. The general instructed his subordinates to call a meeting of elders.

    ¡°We need to send all possible support troops into the Chu country. Take control over the captured area immediately.¡±

    A man entered the general¡¯s quarter at that time. ¡°I was expecting your arrival, Jiao Bo. Unrivaled has been sessfully captured and the enemy stronghold destroyed. Su Menqi and her army are now proceeding towards the Chu capital. take all the back-up troops and assume control over the captured areas.¡±

    Jiao Bo was ted to hear the news. ¡°Send messengers to the royal court immediately. We need to inform the citizens about the victory too.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and do your best to put an end to this process. We need to relieve our heroes from their arduous duties.¡±

    ¡°I supposed you already got the news regarding the capture of Long Tao.¡±

    ¡°I have. I suppose we are going to use Unrivalled in exchange for him. His contribution to this war is unountable. He is responsible for eliminating at least 3-4th of the enemies. ¡±

    ¡°But will the exchange be fair.¡±. An elder insisted.

    ¡°Are you indicating that the barter might not take ce.¡± The general said with an emotionless tone.

    .................

    ¡°I am just saying that we need to put some thought to this matter.¡± The elder¡¯s tone got nervous.

    ¡°You managed to remain alive since you spoke to me in private. I assure you would have been decimated to pieces if you had proimed it in public, or before the king.¡± Jiao Bo said in an irritated tone.

    ¡°Know your ce while speaking. Any further words in this line of thought would result in direct execution.¡± The elder shut his mouth immediately. It took some time for him to fathom how sensitive the matter was.

    Any thoughts in simr lines were instantly decimated by the warning. ¡°I will be leaving for the capital city to discuss the demands to be made from the Chu country.¡±

    ¡°We hold a massive advantage in troop numbers, why should discuss a peace treaty with them?¡± Another elder asked the general.

    ¡°Do you fathom how big an area Chu country holds. We can¡¯t maintain control over such arge area in a short period of time. We need to strengthen our power within the captured area first. We can then discuss expanding the borders in the future.¡±

    ................

    The Chu royal court-

    ¡°what did you say? How can Unrivalled be captured? He was a peak Qi general level practitioner.¡± The second prince¡¯s voice sounded incredibly anxious.

    ¡°Su Menqi attacked the camp during night-time, by lighting it on fire. Most of the people inside were taken care of by the explosion. They ganged up on Unrivalled. She sacrificed quite arge number of Qi masters to tire him out, after which his Qi reserves were depleted.¡±

    ¡°All themanders, along with Su Menqi and a mysterious man attacked him at the same time. Poison was used to render him unconscious.¡±

    ¡± What is the current situation within the borders?¡±

    ¡°Su Menqi is advancing towards the capital city at an incredible speed. They are destroying everything on their way, not even taking hostages. She will arrive here by 10 days.¡±

    The messenger sent by Su Menqi came forward and said ¡°She requests you to prepare a proper answer for the deceased troops. As per the other matter, I hope his highness knows what¡¯s best for his kingdom.¡±

    The other matter referred to here was Long Tao. As expected Su Menqi was going to use Unrivalled general to barter against Long Tao.

    ....................

    ¡°What is to be done next?¡±

    ¡°We have lost the war. The winner gets to decide the terms. We need to return Long Tao, otherwise, the capital city will be razed to the ground, along with the rest of the country. We can¡¯t let that happen.¡±

    ¡°We are going to admit defeat so easily.¡± The second prince was not willing to ept this fate. He just took up the mantle of king. How can he let go of half his kingdom?

    ¡°Are you going to face off against the Jiao country. They outnumber our troops by three times. Su Menqi actions are pure to establish the Jiao country¡¯s dominance.¡±

    ¡°Every single vige and town in her way is being burnt to the ground. All the people there killed mercilessly. Are you going to take the me for that?¡±

    ¡°Do you even have any military strength to face off against her?¡± The second prince became aware of the harsh truth. The barter was just for Long Tao. The real price was not yet decided. Jiao country won¡¯t allow him to slide away just like that.

    ...................

    The undergroundir-

    Long Tao¡¯s screams could be heard throughout the prison. Even the torturers were exhausted from such a long process. ¡°Are you ready to confess.¡±

    Long Tao continued to smile. The man was irritated from this view and was about to hit his face when a voice was heard. ¡°Hold your hands.¡±

    A figure entered the cell. Multiple healers were invited in. ¡°heal him.¡±

    Long Tao up, bearing the same smile on his face. After an initial heal was done, the man took a seat before Long Tao. ¡°You have onest chance to give us the details. We are tired of giving you any more time.¡±

    ¡®Hee-hee¡¯. ¡°The war is already lost and you still try to act tough before me.¡± The man¡¯s expression hanged instantly. ¡°Judging from your expression, Unrivalled has been captured by Su Menqi right. She must be rushing towards this ce as of now. Can you even take a chance by hitting me again?¡±

    He looked at the torturers. ¡°I dare you to peel off my skin one more time. Why don¡¯t you try?¡± A nervous look spread on the man¡¯s face. He stood off to leave. ¡°Remember this, when I get out, every single one of you is dead.¡± Lunacy was visible in Long Tao¡¯s eyes. All three people could feel their spine go cold from his stare.

    ...................

    Ten dayster-

    The whole capital was vibrating from the iing army. When Su Menqi¡¯s battalion finally reached the gates, they were confronted by scared guards. ¡°Go tell your king toe out. He has 5 minutes to rush his ass here, or I will run this whole ce to the ground.¡±

    The guards ran towards the pce with the message. As expected, the gates were soon opened. ¡°I request general Su to enter with her group ofmanders.¡±

    ¡°Do you take us to befool? Does this feel like a bargain to you people?¡± An arrow directly sted the face of the minister. The army rushed in, breaking the gates of the capital city. ¡°Surround the pce, and take every single citizen as a hostage. Start ughtering them as time passes. No mercy is to be shown.¡±

    Su Menqi¡¯s inhumane action alerted the royal court. The second prince lost all confidence. He was confronting a she-devil.

    The pce wall was soon destroyed and the whole building surrounded. Su Menqi entered the mansion along with the rest of themanders. A soldier, who was pulling the unconscious body of Unrivalled, apanied them.

    ¡°Where is Long Tao?¡±

    Su Menqi didn¡¯t waste any time. Long Tao was tied up and apanied to the hall. The second prince said in a tamed voice ¡°we would like to see Unrivalled.¡±

    ................

    Long Tao¡¯s figure was assisted on its way to the Jiao camp. All of the soldiers were looking at his condition with razing. The eldest princess, who arrived here not too long ago came forward.

    ¡°I would like to discuss the peace treaty with you, King Chu.¡±

    The second prince was about to speak up when a voice canceled him midway ¡°There is no requirement for a damn peace treaty.¡± Long Tao¡¯s figure was standing up. He ate lots of healing pills which was concocted by his avatar.

    4 additional figures came forward. Di Tao was one of them. ¡°Start the killing. Make sure to capture every single Chu royalty member and those ck-hooded figures alive. Kill everyone else.¡±

    He turned around and said to the army. ¡± I hereby order you to kill every single citizen of this city and then burn it to ground. No mercy is to be shown.¡± The princess was shocked at hearing it.

    The Chu king began to escape when a figure appeared before him. It Was Di Tao. ¡°Where are you going dearest.¡±

    ......???...............

    Soon enough all royal descendants were captures along with the hooded figures and the ministers. The four figures were able topletely overpower all of them. Each one of the avatars was using demonization art.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you, The day I leave, is the day you die.¡±. Long Tao started torturing each one of them.

    ...........

    ¡°Stop it, Long Tao. We can talk this through.¡± The eldest princess insisted.

    ¡°Shut your mouth, you bitch. Know your ce.¡± Jiao Mingue was taken back by this attitude. Never had she seen this picture of Long Tao. The long torture seems to have taken a toll on his mind.

    Su Menqi came forward and hugged him. ¡°Calm yourself down, please.¡± A tear flowed down her cheeks.

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 Chapter 154

    154 THE REAL CULPRIT

    Su Menqi¡¯s tears managed to instill some sense into Long Tao. He calmed himself down and hugged her. After a brief moment of intimacy, he wiped her tears off and said.¡± I am sorry for my previous actions. ¡°. Jiao Mingue was relieved to see Long toa gaining his sanity back.

    Long Tao turned and bowed towards Jiao Mingue. ¡°I apologize for my behavior.¡±

    ¡°I am the one who needs to apologize for our incapability to free you at an earlier date.¡±

    Long Tao turned around and repeated the activity before the army too. He managed to gain a reign over his sanity. He needs to proceed sensibly. ¡± Capture every single person involved in this situation and gather them in the throne room.¡±

    ..........................

    ¡°It seems that your mental fortitude needs some more tempering.¡±

    Long Tao nodded in shame. The prolonged torture took a high toll on him. ¡°You should thank your girlfriend for her sincerity towards you.¡±

    ¡°She didn¡¯t waste a single moment during the whole war, because she desired to save you ASAP.¡±

    ¡°How long before the absorption is done.¡±. Long Tao tried to dodge the topic rting to Su Menqi. He needed some time to process his feelings.

    .....

    ¡°I underestimated this deposit. I am not even halfway done. To find such a massive deposit of firestone in this region is your lucky fate. The fire stone¡¯s quality is quite good, and from the number of deposits, the artifact might go through another qualitative change.¡±

    ¡°But I thought the firestone can only increase the elemental qualities of the artifact.¡±

    ¡°The Crimson lord artifact is a supreme treasure of heaven and earth. Any energy can be digested and converted for its own use. The qualitative change this time would not only change the energy density and quality, but the time maniption ratio might increase.¡±

    This was great news for Long Tao. His training speed would increase once more.

    ..............................

    ¡°There is another surprise for you, which mighte into fruition given my estimations are correct.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°The Crimson Lord artifact is a supreme treasure of heaven. It can function as every single type of artifact. But due to its damages, it was confined to a storage type artifact.¡±

    ¡°If the amount of stone reaches a particr number, the artifact might get an additional ability, other than storage.¡±

    ¡°The final piece of news seems to be too much for my appetite.¡±

    ¡°Who said it is the end of the Good news.¡±

    ¡°What else is there?¡± Long Tao asked in an inquisitive tone.

    ¡°Given the amount of firestone deposited here, there should be something below it, which brought about this change..¡±

    ¡°A resource which is capable enough of terraforming the earth with such qualities must be an extreme fire energy reserve. Can you guess what those might be?¡±

    ¡°Can it be an earth me?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it is not limited to that. It can be a fire energy vein, or an earth me, or even an extremely powerful fire attributed artifact. The reasons are endless. The one which brings this change is the real treasure.¡±

    Long Tao¡¯s excitement sted through the roof. Any of the above mentioned, was a great piece of luck. He would be fortunate to obtain any one of these.

    ¡°Continue the excavation. I would arrive there as soon as I finish my job within the Chu country.¡±

    ...........................

    The Chu capital city-

    Multiple figures wereying in cuffs in Infront of Long Tao. Each of them had their cultivation sealed up. ¡°Would you like to confess to your crimes, or shall I begin the merciless execution.¡±

    The second prince was the first one to break-down. He began banging his head on the floor and apologizing to Long Tao. ¡°I am sorry brother long. These people forced me to assume this position. My life was threatened. I had to conspire against you to remain alive.¡±

    ¡°I just have one question for you, where are the two men I left you with.¡±. Long Tao was talking about Tiger Zheng and Sable.

    The Chu king was shaking with fear. he didn¡¯t have an answer to the question. Long Tao could guess the answer already. ¡°So, you killed them. May I ask who carried out the execution.¡±

    ¡°It was these bastards. I was against killing those two, but these guys insisted on it. They didn¡¯t want anyone who supports you involved in this matter.¡±. Long Tao looked at the other group. He slowly rose from his feet and walked towards them.

    He grabbed the head of one of the ck-hooded personals and used soul scourge. Each one of them met a gruesome death. Long Tao managed to gather quite a lot of information regarding the matter in here.

    He then pointed at the second prince, who was scared shitless by the view. ¡°Stone him to death.¡± It was one of the most painful ways to execute someone.

    The eldest princess didn¡¯t bother interrupting Long Tao¡¯s activities. She was shocked to know that long Tao had such intricate connections within the Chu capital.

    ............................

    Long Tao turned towards the ck-hooded personnel next. ¡°Let me summarise the whole situation.¡±

    ¡°When I was first tasked with the princess decided to inspect every single organization which was involved in the attack of the convoy. Two names stood out more than others.¡±

    ¡°Either of the assassin organization was hunted out of the Jiao country by me.¡±

    ¡°Yet, you people still manage to gain control over the Chu country and began manipting it from shadows. Your organization was formed pretty recently. Yet you possess such manpower. All this leads me to believe that someone was backing you up.¡±

    Long Tao drew his sword out, ¡°Would you like to tell me which organization it is?¡±

    ¡°We will never give you an answer till...¡± the speech was interrupted by a sword swing from Long Tao. Ahead wasying down on the floor.

    ¡°My patience is extremely limited. He managed to get a peaceful death; you won¡¯t be having a simr chance.¡±

    ¡°Would you like to say a name?¡± Long Tao pointed at an individual. Getting a neutral response Long Tao used soul scourge on him. He met a torturous death.

    ¡°You get the next chance.¡±. Long Tao began to proceed towards the next person. This guy wasn¡¯t able to control his nerves.

    ¡°It¡¯s the ck Devil Church.¡±

    A familiar name rang in Long Tao¡¯s ears. ck devil church. A pair of brother and sister appeared in his mind. The other prisoners were cursing the man who just spurted the name.

    .......................................

    ¡°Are there any Li Wen and Li Xuanfa in your Church?¡±

    The two names surprised all the hooded figures. How did this guy know the two names?

    ¡°Your reaction speaks out your thoughts. I suppose they are high ranking officials.¡±

    ¡°Since you know the name of our holy son and his sister, shouldn¡¯t you treat us with some care?¡±. One of the hooded figures spoke up.

    Long Taoughed out loud. ¡°One is my maid, while the other one will be killed by me soon enough.¡± Long Tao signaled and the figures proceed to kill the prisoners.

    The brother was a holy son of the ck Devil church. The situation was getting interesting.

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 Chapter 155

    155 THE CURTAINS DRAWN

    The ck Devil Church was an organization that was unheard of in these regions. Even Long Tao came across the name by chance. The very fact that he came across two geniuses of the ck Devil pce was a surprising fact. His decision to kill each of the members was because of their future useability.

    Once the church gets to know that their servants have been captured, they would either be freed or assassinated. Killing them was the best option in the long run. It would ward off the church¡¯s attention for some time.

    ¡°What might be the reason behind the church¡¯s attempt to take control of the area. There must be some reason why such arge power would interfere in the business of backward reasons.¡±

    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t already received the inheritance of the Heaven cleaver sect, I might have suspected it to be the reason. There seems to be something out of our scope of knowledge.¡±

    The Keeper advised Long Tao to keep moving forward. He couldn¡¯t afford to waste time on this matter. ¡°The event would unfold with time. You need to improve your powers until then.¡±

    Long Tao nodded and proceeded to interact with Jiao Mingue regarding thepensation and the area which will be annexed by them.

    .......................................................

    The Jiao Royal pce-

    ¡°Is there any news from my sister?¡± Jiao Sheng was getting impatient. Although he was the current emperor, his action deemed useless toward any situation of the country. All he did was to sit on the throne, leaving the whole burden on his sister and uncle.

    .....

    ¡°You need to be patient. The pay would be perfectly executed. Long Tao would return safely to us.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t let someone like him die. He has done too much for our n and the country. We are even ready to give up on thend conquered until now.¡±

    A messenger walked in at the same time ¡°reporting to your majesty, her highness sent a letter to you.¡±

    Jiao Sheng rushed in to receive the letter. He opened it with obvious anxiety and read it quickly. A smile arose at his face.

    ¡°He is safe. Long Tao killed every single culprit behind the incident. Only the princess and the second prince of the chu country remains alive. Half of thend and three-fourth of their treasury was annexed by us aspensation.¡±

    ¡°Sister states that the Chu country would now be acting as a subordinate of the Jiao country, paying a yearly ransom of 10,000 Qi stones to the treasury.¡±

    He ordered the soldiers to immediately announce their victory to the citizens. The Jiao country was up for a rousing festival.

    ...........................................................

    Long Tao was resting in his tent. The convoy was on its back to the Jiao capital city. He traveled along with Su Menqi and Di Tao. The rest of themanders were left behind to take control of the annexed regions.

    Long Tao was currently in a dilemma. It was his first-time having feelings for someone of the opposite gender. Su Menqi hurried all the way here just to save him. Within his darkest times, she came in as a beacon of hope to bring his consciousness back. Those tears felt the same as when he saw Long Mengchen crying.

    He couldn¡¯t describe his state of mind. His mind was fixated within a loop of thoughts that kept on repeating itself.

    A faint noise brought him back to his sense. A figure entered the tent, during the pitch-ck night. Long Tao waited for the figure to approach near him, and rushed at it to pin it on the flow.

    Moonlight feel on their bodies, as a beautiful face came into sight. It was Su Menqi. The moment seemed to have paused. Both could feel his hearts pounding and their breaths falling over each other. A silence pertained in this stillness.

    .................................................................

    ¡°I apologize for my actions.¡± Long Tao separated himself and helped Su Menqi get up.

    ¡°I should be the one apologizing for intruding your privacy during such a suspicious time.¡±. Silence dawned on the atmosphere once again. Both of the figures were hesitating with their words.

    .................................................................

    ¡°You should confess your feelings to her brat. Either of us now that you fell for her for a long time.¡± The Keeper said in a yful tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as you think. There are multiple factors that would be affected due to this decision. I can¡¯t hurry it up.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to cover your cowardice with some awkward and baseless reasoning.¡± Long Tao¡¯s lie was quite obvious from his nervous tone. To think the well know ruthless personality would have this side to his character.

    ¡°Love is a bond that gives birth to a great amount of willpower. In my time as a keeper, I have observed multiple Crimson Lord¡¯s during their whole lifetime. You need to confront it. Running away would only harm your mentality and martial heart.¡±

    ....................................................

    ¡°If there is something to report, we can talk in the morning, General Su.¡± Long Tao turned around. He was trying to avoid an awkward situation.

    Su Menqi came and hugged Long Tao from behind. ¡°Do you really hate me so much. Am I not worthy of your attention? Am I the only one with a feeling ofpassion towards you?¡±

    Long Tao was about to exin when his lips were covered with a soft touch of skin. ¡°I love you.¡± Su Menqi ¡®s eyes sparkled with the moonlight entering his tent. Long Tao felt his heart pounding. He gathered his guts, grabbed Su Menqi¡¯s waist, and said the four words that brought a smile on her face.

    ¡°I love you too.¡±

    ...............??.....................................

    In a mountain range far from the Jiao country, the base of the ck Devil church was established. The Church was a ndestine organization, with cultivators who far surpassed the estimation of back regions. It was a top tier power in its regions and well renowned for its strength.

    A hall was present within the central block, crowded by multiple figures-

    ¡°You are saying that a single man was able to sabotage the whole n, involving two countries. Are you kidding me?¡±

    ¡°This servant doesn¡¯t dare elder. The men stationed at both the countries were mercilessly massacred by a general of the Jiao military.¡±

    An awkward silence filled the whole atmosphere.

    ¡°Send spies to start the search within those regions. We need to get our hands on that treasure.¡±

    Although the n failed, they couldn¡¯t let the opportunity slip from their hands. The treasure was too valuable to miss out.

    ...???.................

    Ten dayster-

    Long Tao was continuing his cultivation when a sound rang in his ears. ¡°I was able to find what treasure was lying underneath the deposit.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°You need toe here and see for yourself.¡±

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 Chapter 156

    156 THE RESOURCE BENEATH

    Long Tao¡¯s avatar rushed into the excavation site. A natural entity that was able to terraform such arge part of earth into fire stones of such high quality was rare toe by.

    ¡°What could the core hold?¡± As Long Tao continues to advance deeper into the pit, the temperature began to rise. From being a minor feel, Long Tao could feel his skin getting scorched as he went further. The concentration of fire energy could be estimated from this instance alone.

    The energy seemed to have changed the atmosphere in here. Long Tao could see threads of fire energy with naked eyes. HE started using the quasi king artifacts and his to rush into the bottom.

    As he crossed thest hurdle and came into the core regions, an astonishing view greeted him.

    .........................................................

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    A huge bed of magma was lying underneath a crystalized covering of fire crystals. Long Tao could feel the radiated energy from this far.

    ¡°It¡¯s a fire energy vein.¡± The Keeper informed.

    ¡°It¡¯s sure doesn¡¯t look like a vein.¡±. It was the first experience of viewing a fire vein. He couldn¡¯t help but ce some doubts.

    .....

    ¡°Fire veins are naturally urring stacks of incredible fire energy. It takes a long period of time to form itself. What you see below is a rtively young and small fire vein.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simr to the thunder pool n the thunder god academy.¡±

    ¡°The one in the thunder god academy doesn¡¯t e evene close to it. It was man-made from various thunder resources. This is a natural born energy reserve which is formed by collected fire energy through arge period of time.¡±

    ¡°It uses are limitless. It is an elemental resource, a cultivation material, can be used to make weapons of emperor ss, can help improve the quality of fire in your body, among others.¡±

    ....................................................

    ¡°Is it beneficial to you?¡± Long Tao asked.

    ¡°It is beneficial to both the artifact and you. It is a cultivation resource that can only be utilized by those of the emperor ss, but the artifact can work as a medium to incubate it into your body. This much help you reach to the top of king ss easily.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you extract it already.¡±

    ¡°The resource is quite powerful. When I said it could help you reach the peak of king ss, I wasn¡¯t including the part which would be absorbed by the artifact to mend itself.¡±

    ¡°If used totally by someone, one can easily rise through two levels in emperor ss. Do you think such a natural resource would showcase some natural phenomena?¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t absorb it already because you are scared it would give rise to a natural phenomenon and attract cultivators to this ce.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Do you remember all the sects you infiltrated? The pill hall and firmament pce both have king ss cultivator. The thunder god hall must have one too. As per the star emperor academy, I suspect there must be cultivators above king ss there.¡±

    ........................................................

    Above king ss would mean cultivators in emperor ss. They were like hegemons of these areas. A single emperor ss cultivator couldy waste to all the sects and countries. Long Tao couldn¡¯t match someone like that.

    ¡°The crystallized crust is the barrier that doesn¡¯t allow the veins to showcase some massive environmental change. But I need to break it if we were to absorb the fire vein.¡±

    ¡°But that would give rise to the phenomena we are scared of, attracting cultivators who are far beyond the limit of our capabilities.¡± Long Taopleted the Keeper¡¯s sentence.

    ¡°Could we use a concealing formation or a barrier formation to prevent the leak, or at least mask the energy.¡±

    The Keeper couldn¡¯t hold hisughter. ¡°You are just a grade 3 formation master boy. This is a resource that is used by an emperor level practitioner. The formation w3on¡¯t be able to bear the burden.¡±

    ¡°I think I have an idea.¡±

    .................................................................

    ¡°Any formation draws its power from a source, which helps it sustain its properties. When you said it couldn¡¯t hold the energy, you must be referring to theck of energy to sustain it, right.¡±

    The Keeper nodded in agreement.

    ¡°What if we make the formation keeping the vein itself as its power core.¡±

    ¡°The thought is having a good theoretical base, but working with the fire vein is not that easy. The material required to sustain such a massive source of pure fire energy is not easily found. Your level is too low to work with such materials.¡±

    ¡°What if we stack formations one above the other.¡±

    The Keeper¡¯s eyes shone with a delighted light. It might just work. He instantly started discussing the number of formations required for wless execution of the stack.

    ¡°The stack would be divided into 5 major parts and there will be 3 bridging pathways between each sessive part.¡±

    ¡°Each part would contain a sealing formation, a masking formation, and energy channeling formation, and an energy-absorbing formation.¡±

    .....................................................................

    ¡°Even if we sessfully execute all of this, the formation would be able to work autonomously.¡± The Keeper stated his doubt.

    ¡°Two avatars will work to simultaneously control the formation. One will be in charge of the inner sets and the other one will be responsible for the outer ones.¡±

    ¡°How long would it take for you topletely absorb the energy within the vein.¡±

    ¡°Once Ipletely absorb the whole deposit, the artifact would have gone through a qualitative change twice. But the energy reserve this time is still toorge. It would take at least three whole months with absorbing and mending simultaneously topletely absorb it.¡±

    Long Tao spirits instantly took a hit. Three months was not only long from a perspective of training time, but the actual reason for worry was the formation itself.¡±

    ¡°The formation wouldn¡¯t be able to hold for that long.¡± Long Tao informed the Keeper.

    ¡°As I said boy, we won¡¯t be able topletely devour this opportunity.¡± When the formation breaks the st of energy radiated out would attract multiple practitioners of the king realm and above. This zone would be uncontroble then

    ..........................................................................

    ¡°I have an idea.¡± Long Tao said with a cunning smile. If he couldn¡¯t devour the whole thing, he would make the beats out of what was left out.

    ¡°We will hold and continue to absorb as much as we can. When the formation would be about to break, I would take the chance to inform the sects about a resource that I found out.¡±

    The Keeper looked at Long Tao with disbelief. This boy was too cunning in his actions. If he informs the sects about this resource, he is sure to get rewarded for it. It was far better thanpletely losing the resource.

    ¡°What is the estimated amount we can absorb until the formation holds.¡±

    ¡°If I pushed the artifact to its limit, I would say about half the vein.¡±

    ¡°Would the remaining part be alluring enough to certify as an incredible natural resource.¡±

    ¡°Even a quarter would be enough to start a blood bath among emperor realm cultivators.¡±

    Long Tao smiled upon hearing the news. The n would be perfect.

    ...................................................................

    ¡°All the avatars would cease their practice for the time being and protect this area. We couldn¡¯t let anyone intrudes within the region where the effect is prominent. The area would be tripled, once the surface crystallization is removed.

    ¡°Any threats are to eliminate. I will be asking the prince to give me absolute control over this area. I think he would be more than happy to do it.¡±

    Jiao military was short on capable hands to control over eh newly gained territory. If Long Tao came forward to assume control over the wilnds, Jiao Shen would happily offer it to him. It would also signify itself as a reward to Long Tao for his glorious deeds.

    The avatars started working.

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 Chapter 157

    157 THE PILL BREW COMPETITION

    Jiao Shen was going through the overall reports regarding the newly captured territories. He was given charge by his sister to manage and develop that area, meanwhile, she would handle the royal court.

    ¡°What is the current situation of the captured area.?¡±

    ¡°We need to send our military personnel to take control of the territory. Although Chu country might not take any actions, both of our situations is currently the same. Theyck capable hands to put forward a skilled line-up to take back thends, while weck hands to control the newly gained region.¡±

    The ministers presented a map to Jiao Shen which depicted the whole region which was recently added to the Jiao country. The region was divided into three portions. One was near the Jiao country itself, while another was nearest to Chu country. Whaty in the middle was the forest regions.

    ¡°The first area is easy to control and our soldiers have already set uprge base and small viges in these regions. With the onset of people and merchants, it would develop into a garrison town in no time.¡±

    ¡°The most vtile area is the one nearest to the present Chu country. Not only are the indigenous people still living there, but it is also difficult to settle our citizens in a ce like that.¡±

    ¡°The first problem we face is due to theck of propermunication channels, while the next being its proximity to Chu country and its indigenous inhabitants. We need someone capable to hold it for us until we gain control over the first region and create new routes into thest one.¡±

    Jiao Shen was pushed into a grave dilemma. Who would be willing to stake their time and go there to assume control over the region?

    .............................................................

    .....

    The silence was broken down by the arrival of a soldier. ¡°General Long seeks an audience with his majesty.¡±. Jiao Shen rushed out almost instantaneously. He needed to calm his mind from the tense situation.

    ¡°I hope his majesty is celebrating good health and prosperity.¡±

    ¡°I now understood what my father went through during his time as the king, brother Long. Problems never seem to leave your trail when you assume the throne.¡±

    ¡°Is something bothering you, my lord¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s sis the newly acquirednds from the Cu country. We can¡¯t manage to seize control over it so soon. The military would need around a month or two to gain control over the first region. The forest and the far region remain.¡±

    Jiao Shen looked at Long Tao with a hopeful nce.¡± You need to help me, brother Long. You are the best strategist in the whole country. Advise me regarding the situation.¡±

    Long Tao wasughing out loud in his mind. He was looking for a situation to demand control, and the opportunity presented itself on a silver te. He controlled his attitude and said in an emotionless voice:

    ¡°Rather than advice, why don¡¯t I give you a solution directly.¡±

    He kneeled before Jiao Shen. It surprised the courtiers and king alike. ¡°What are you doing brother Long.¡±

    ¡°I would like you to appoint me as the controller of the other two territories. Although I couldn¡¯t take absolute control, I will use the time you allow me to clear out as many hurdles as possible.¡±

    .........................................................

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t do this to your brother Long. You are the biggest contributor to our victory. You even spent time as a prisoner and was tortured by the enemy. You need to take rest for the time being and join me in the royal court.¡±

    ¡°I am no politician, brother. My life is well suited to the military. The new regions are the best topography for the training for my squad. They could use this tempering and improve their capabilities at the same time.¡±

    Jiao Shen couldn¡¯t hold a candle to the stubborn attitude of Long Tao. He gave up and agreed to make Long Tao the controller of the new regions. The royal decree was soon prepared and Long Tao set out to the mining regions. The first step of his n was easily executed.

    ........................................................

    The Firepit-

    ¡°You need to start setting the formation in ce. The crust would be broken in the next 5 days. The first two sets should beplete by then.¡±

    ¡°I surveyed the surrounding. It is in line with your prediction. The area is starting to show changes due to the energy being released from the pit. It seems the formation wouldn¡¯t be able to prevent the phenomena, it could just slow it down.¡±

    ¡°That was within my predictions. You need to situate and start controlling the area around. Not just cultivators, but fire element beats would also prove to be a problem for you. They would be attracted to this region.¡±

    Long Tao smiled. Beats were more than weed. He needs a lot of blood essence to practice the flesh tempering and blood tempering art. He could use this chance to fill his reserves.¡± Is there a king ss beast in these forests?¡±

    ¡°My powers have still not recovered to the level that I can survey the whole area from top to bottom. But I know better to prepare for every situation.¡±

    ¡°I will be sending half my men into the forest to survey the whole are and fond the beast residing in it. If there is a King ss beast, we would need to modify the n by a bit.¡±

    ¡°If there is one, it is currently in the state of hibernation. Once the formation breaks, it would surelye rushing here.¡±

    Long Tao nodded.

    .......................................................................

    In the forest regions-

    The ck-buck squad was assembled in the forest regions on the orders of Long Tao. The news regarding him being the controller of these regions spread like wildfire. These were barrennds, and Long Tao personally asked the king to allow him to assume control.

    ¡°All of you are assembled here to help me assume control of the region while continuing a training regime I prepared for you.¡±

    Every soldier present started to shake out of nervousness. A training regime made by Long Tao meant a near-death experience every single day.

    ¡°The circr would be passed to you. You will be divided into five groups and will be in charge of monitoring these five locations. Make sure to find out every single detail regarding the topography, the nt species, and the beats in these regions. You will be surfing into the deepest zone.¡±

    ¡°beasts who are at Qi general level are no be trifled with alone. All of you will work together to take it down. Every single beast you kill will ount for military contribution points.¡±

    ¡°I also suspect that there is a much powerful presence within these forests, a king ss beast. If youe across anything higher than mid-Qi general level, you are to retreat immediately and inform me.¡±

    The operation of surveying the forest officially started. Su Menqi was currently situated in Tamar with her own troop. Long Tao was avoiding her for the time being. Although he was certain about his feelings, he couldn¡¯t diverge from his predestined path.

    ................................................................

    Pill Hall-

    Lu Ming was training in the alchemy room with the first elder. Both the sect master and the first elder were quite impressed and satisfied with his diligence.

    ¡°Do you know his current level in alchemy?¡± the sect master asked.

    ¡°I only guide him in his path of alchemy. I am not clear about his true level. He is going toplete the first year since joining the institute. The pre-decided time limit is about to end. If he manages to reach the level, he promised me, I would not interfere with his decision anymore.¡±

    ¡°What was the best anyway? Neither of you informs me about it.¡±

    ¡°When I asked him the primary path, he wanted to follow between the three paths Iid in front of him, he said he would train in all three.¡±

    The sect master was surprised to hear it. ¡°How could you let him do that? Each of the paths is way too long to practice together. He wouldn¡¯t be able to master even one. His talent in every sector is exceptional, but you need to make him choose.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t stop his thought process mid-way. He was insistent on it. I would end up creating a heart devil if I restricted him to anything. He put forward a proposition Infront of me which was too good to ignore.¡±

    He looked at the sect master and said. ¡± He is confident of reaching the initial third level alchemist by the end of the year.¡±

    .......................................??.............

    ¡°Is the kid insane. He was an advanced 1st level alchemist when he joined us. He wants to rise a whole level in a single year while practicing two other paths. Even the most powerful genius in that ce is not that capable.¡±

    ¡°We shall see. The Pill Brewpetition draws near. Its time I resurfaced in that ce.¡±

    ¡°Did you manage to recover your injury?¡±

    The first elder released his aura. It was peak king level whenpared to his previous mid-king level cultivation. ¡°I have almost recovered my peak strength. I am positive to have reached it within the next half year. I might be able to even surpass my previous cultivation.¡±

    ¡°Is that the reason you are insistent on training him so hard. You are going to make him participate in thepetition aren¡¯t you.¡±

    The First elder turned around and smiled at the sect master.

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 Chapter 158

    158 3RD GRADE ALCHEMIST

    ¡°The boy is the most talented disciple I came across in my whole lifetime.¡±. The sect master looked at him. ¡°I thought that bastard was the best disciple you taught.¡±

    He started rubbing his hands over his chest. It was as if an old wound had resurfaced itself.¡± I am sorry to have reminded you of the past events.¡±

    ¡°Some wounds are to be remembered, my dear. Until now you were the best student I had ever trained. Let¡¯s just say, he has the potential to dethrone you.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t see his true cultivation, either right?¡± The sect master asked. Although she trained Long Tao in fire arts, she had no knowledge of his true cultivation level. She always wanted to inquire about his cultivation from her master, but the proceeding instances made her realize that even he doesn¡¯t know.

    ¡°He has some kind of powerful artifact masking his cultivation level. To be honest it is the reason I am insistent on teaching him without harboring any suspicion.¡±. the sect master looked at the first elder and saw a smile appearing on his face.

    ¡°The artifact signifies how powerful his actual back-ground really is. If he still approached these backward regions to train in the pill hall, it means he is on travel to gain experience in the outside world. He didn¡¯t approach me with the intention of taking advantage of me. My means shouldn¡¯t be able to give rise to his greed.¡±

    ¡°Let him end his seclusion. The end of the year draws near. We would be able to scourge his talent by then.¡± Either of the figures moved towards the dwelling of the first elder.

    ......................................

    ¡°What do you n to do in the pill brewingpetition?¡¯

    .....

    ¡°The Pill Brewingpetition is held by the pill valley to scout the top talents in the field of alchemy. Participants from both outer ns and pill halls, participate in it. Even some prodigies from the Pill Valleypete from time to time.¡±

    ¡°It naturally attracts lots of attention. It would be the best time to resurface.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to return to the valley?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t escape the inevitable. I need to go back and im what was mine. The same goes for you. You need to prepare for the uingpetition of outer elders. Your father would continue to suppress you otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t I have an easy time, if you manage to return to your peak cultivation level.¡±

    The First elder looked towards the sky with a distant gaze. ¡°Do you expect our enemies to be waiting for us to recover, doing nothing?¡±

    ¡°But you are a core member of the pill valley. They wouldn¡¯t just let you perish.¡±

    ¡°It was the same reason behind me being alive until now. But the undercurrents have already managed to reach into the deepest corner of the pill valley. We need to prepare for war.¡±

    ¡°Are you confident in reaching your peak level within six months.???

    ¡°Reaching my peak wouldn¡¯t be enough. Did you manage to find out where that treasure lies?¡± The first elder was waiting for a hopeful answer.

    .................................

    ¡°ording to my survey, it should lie somewhere between the Jiao and the Chu country.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the ce where a war recently took ce.¡±

    ¡°The Jiao country won. A general named Long Tao miraculously helped them out with his inventions. He seems to have taken control over the newly acquired area of the Jiao country.¡±

    ¡°Long Tao, mm, that name does sound familiar.¡± The first elder began to think hard, and finally, a bright light appeared in his eyes.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t he the martial brother of our disciple?¡± The sect master was shocked to know this. She knew that Lu Ming¡¯s had a martial brother, but she didn¡¯t expect to find one of them in Jiao country. ¡°He seems to be less talented than our disciple.¡±

    ¡°Its actually the opposite. Lu Ming once described the rankings in terms of power between those seven. The one stationed in Jiao country was presumably the strongest among them.¡±.

    ¡°What is such a genius doing in that backward country.¡±. Both were submerged in their thoughts for some time. The thought of recruiting him passed the minds of either of them, but they dropped it.

    ¡°Let the brate out of seclusion. He could convey the information to his martial brother and help us survey that region.¡±

    ................................

    The Forest regions-

    A team of three people was currently surveying the area around the south corner of the forest regions. It was one of the deepest and inessible regions of the forest.

    ¡°We will be spreading in these two directions. You are to keep the orders in mind and survey the locations. Don¡¯t attack any beasts and if you do find demons having the cultivation of king rank or evente general rank, evacuate immediately.¡±

    The search led one of the parties to a teau region. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect there to be a teau in the middle of forests. You start at the bottom; I will do the same at the top. We will meet halfway to mark an end to this region.¡±

    One of the men started climbing up the teau. It looked to be a normal one form the outside, but then it started to curve inwards, as one went up. There seemed to be an opening on this side of the mountain.

    ¡°Where does this lead to?¡±. The soldier entered the cave. A gush of energy hit his face, as a tyrannical atmosphere covered his presence. His body stiffed out, by the sight in front. Arge lizard type monster was lying, eyes closed. The gush of energy came from his breathing.

    For a moment the soldier was not able to move a limb. With extreme difficulty, he got hold of his body and rushed out, trying not to disturb the beast¡¯s sleep.

    ¡°Where do you think you are going?¡±

    Every single hair on his body stiffed out. He gathered his spirits to turn around, just to see a shiny sphere with a small lining of ck in front of him. It took him some time to realize what it was. It was the eye of the monster he thought was asleep.

    ¡°A delicious meal after so many days¡¯ the beast opened his mouth and breathed out fire, which was soon apanied by loud screams until silence reigned once again.

    The soldier at the bottom saw the view from afar. He left every single belonging in there and dashed in the opposite direction.

    ¡°I need to inform the general regarding this being.¡±

    .............................

    Pill Hall-

    Lu Ming was currently in process of making a third-grade beginner pill. If he was able tost until the end of the process, he would officially be a third-grade alchemist.

    The blue leaf pill was a third-grade healing pill, which could help rejuvenate the cultivator with their lost Qi. Lu Ming managed to raise his rank by continuously concocting pills. This was his fifth trial at concocting a batch of blue leaf pill. No matter how hard he tries, he isn¡¯t able to concoct the pill.

    ¡°What is the deficiency here?¡¯

    ¡°I think it is because of the strength of fire. Although you manage to obtain multiple beats mes, it remains true that your practice with those has not been long. You recently concentrated on pill brewing (For one month in the real-world). You already manage to rise to the level 2 peak. Have patience.¡±

    The hall master of pill hall in crimson lord world advised Long Tao. It seemed to have worked, as Long Tao let go of his haste to improve and calmed his mind down. He started consuming the soul healing pills simultaneously and also channeling soul power into Lu Ming.

    Days passed by as the pill brew reached a critical juncture. ¡°Don¡¯t lose your focus now.¡±

    Lu Ming was barely holding up at the moment. There was a small barrier between himself and the third level of alchemy. He started channeling in more and more power, when finally, with a loud bang the oven sted.

    Lu Ming fell on the ground with an exhausted expression. ¡°another failure.¡±. he clenched his fists in desperation.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± The hall master propagated his thoughts into Lu Ming¡¯s head. ¡°Look under the scraps of metal 5 feet from here in the north direction.¡±

    As Lu Ming lifted the piece of metal up, two small shiny balls came into view.

    ¡°Congrattions to young master on bing a third-grade alchemist.¡±

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 Chapter 159

    159 PILL VALLEY

    Long Tao was going through the reports which arrived from the teams situated in the north and eastern regions. Most of these surveys mentioned the dwellings of Qi general level beasts, mostly of early or intermediate level. The most frightening existence until now was an advanced Qi general level beast, but it was a water attributed specimen.

    ¡°Should I only be aware of fire type beast? Will other beats be attracted towards the pit?¡±

    ¡°Fire-type beasts would have the highest attraction towards the fire vein. But it is not limited to that. Even earth type and metal type beasts could benefit from this energy vein.¡±

    ¡°There are instances of mutated beasts, who use dual elements. It¡¯s better to be prepared for every asion. You would be facing an obstruction only in the case of beats which are at the peak of general or king level beats.¡±

    Long Tao instructed the second inmand to send a reckon signal for the groups in the north and east regions. These are the most popted areas, and the chances to find a powerful entity in these regions was negligible.

    ¡°Has anyone from the southern or western side returned yet.¡±

    Themander was about to reply when either of them spotted a group of people rushing towards this spot.

    ...............................................................................

    ¡°We request an audience with the general. The news is urgent.¡± The leader of these soldiers spoke hastily. Long Tao could feel the intensity of the situation and instructed him to speak up.

    .....

    ¡°We spotted a powerful entity, sir.¡± Long Tao was instantly alerted and rushed towards the soldier. ¡°Where did you spot it.¡±. IF the beast was in close proximity to the location, Long Tao might have to take additional precautions to make sure the formation holds for a longer time.

    ¡°It was in the deepest regions towards the southern corner. As we were inspecting the southwestern part, a teau came into our view. One of our soldiers went up to the survey but failed to return. His partner who was surveying the region below it saw a huge bolt of fire rushing out of it.¡±

    The reported soldier came forward and narrated the whole incident. ¡°I felt its aura, my lord. It was not something a Qi general could have.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a king level beast or at least one which is near that boundary.¡±. Long Tao asked him to mark a rough location where the teau might have been. He was fortunate enough to see that it was beyond the expected range of effect. But the probability of it moving out remained.

    ¡°Instruct all the soldiers in that location to return. Call all the soldiers who is currently stationed in Tamar to this ce. While you are at it request help from Su Menqi too.¡± Long Tao circled a region around the location.

    ¡°No soldier is allowed to enter any farther than this marking. You will set up camps nearly 2 kilometers from the boundary and the inspection region would extend until the boundary itself. Report any movements in this region.¡±

    ¡°The other regions will be taken care of by me and the rest of the supplement party. Move out immediately.¡±

    He then called the second inmand to set up a camp in between the main and camp and the marked location. It was a rendezvous spot for all the soldiers.

    ¡°I want hourly reports of every movement in that location.¡±

    ................................................................................

    The pit-

    ¡°You seem to have encountered a powerful entity. What is the estimated level?¡¯

    ¡°ording to the description provided by the victim, it seems to be a beast of peak general level, with chances of being in king level.¡±

    ¡°What is your n to tackle with such an entity. The close proximity makes it the first obstruction you would be facing once the formation breaks. You need toe up with a counter n.¡±

    ¡°I am thinking aboutying multiple Qi collection formations around the four major sets.¡±

    ¡°Even if you make one, it would have a limited amount of capacity, how would you utilize the Qi collected.¡± Long Tao smiled and brought out a dull-looking object. It was none other than Asmium.

    The Keeper was surprised at first, but agreed with the decision.¡± Even Asmium would have limitations. Although you see its capabilities in absorption while training, any material, even Asmium, has a Qi absorption limit.¡±

    ¡°After the limit is crossed, it would get destroyed.¡±

    ¡°But it can help prolong the amount of time the formation holds out. How long do you expect it to hold out?¡±

    ¡°If you make numerous formations with small chunks of Asmium at its center, I think I would be able to hold until absorption of 60-65%.¡± Although it was a waste of both Asmium and the Qi radiated from the vein, Long Tao felt the result was worth it.

    ....................................................................................

    Pill Hall-

    Lu Ming finally ended his seclusion after a long period of time. As he got out of his cave, two figures were seen standing in front of the door, waiting for his exit. It was none other than his two masters.

    He came forward and bowed to either of them.¡± You seem to have progressed a lot during this seclusion.¡± The group moved into the first elder¡¯s residence. Once all of them assumed their seats, the first elder signaled Lu Ming toe forward.

    ¡®What is your current cultivation level?¡± Lu Ming could see hopeful nces of either of his masters. He released his Qi.

    ......................................................

    Lu Ming was a prodigy in cultivation and the first elder expected him to reach the peak of Qi master by now. But when the released Qi was sensed by him, his thoughts were sted apart. Either of the two figures viewed Lu Ming with extreme shock.

    ¡°3rd level Qi general.¡± The sect master of pill hall spoke out. A group of mixed emotions could be felt in her voice. Just what sort of monster is this guy. He was able to cross over a whole major cultivation level and even reach the 3rd level of Qi general.

    The moment of silence was followed by a heartyugh from the elder. ¡°well done my child. You managed toy waste to my forecasting capabilities. I feel of being senile now.¡±

    ¡°The disciple doesn¡¯t dare toy harm to master.¡±

    ¡°Why are you apologizing. You have managed to perform so well in this past year.¡± The first elder took out a storage ring. ¡°take these resources as a gift from your master.¡±.

    After a few words of appreciation, the sect master decided to bring up the actual topic of importance. ¡°Your martial cultivation is monstrous, Lu Ming. We hope you haven¡¯t neglected alchemy while improving your cultivation. Where do you stand as of now?¡±

    ¡°I am even more interested in that now. I hope you remember our bet boy.¡± The first elder was expecting Lu Ming to fail. After all this monstrous speed alone was enough to shock the whole world, and hence would a great amount of time. Lu Ming wouldn¡¯t be able to concentrate on alchemy.

    If he didn¡¯t reach his goal of being peak 2nd level alchemist, the first elder would officially be able to force him to pursue a single path.

    .........................................................

    Lu Ming brought out a small container and passed it to his master. When the lid was finally opened a magnificent yet calming smell covered the whole room.

    Either of the figures looked like being chocked by a raw egg.

    ¡°How can this be possible?¡± The pill was taken out and inspected by either of them.

    ¡°you are already a 3rd level alchemist.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all due to the training from the two masters.¡± Lu Ming bowed in respect. Tears were flowing out of the first elder¡¯s eyes. This might be thest disciple he takes under his wing. His expectations were not betrayed. Lu Ming was his most treasured and talented disciple.

    ¡°Sit down.¡± The first elder indicated at a nearby pillow. ¡°As you formally entered the 3rd level of the alchemist, its time we talk about an important matter.¡±

    The sect leader was instantly alerted by these words. Lu Ming instantly caught the seriousness of this conversation and started to listen wilfully.

    .......................................................

    ¡°Alchemy is a path followed by the most disciplined ones. It¡¯s also one of the most feared professions due to their ability to gather people. It gives that there must be powers out there who are at the pinnacle of alchemy.¡±

    ¡°In these regions, there is no one who can challenge the pill hall in its alchemy abilities. But when you got out the real broad world, you will find that pill hall is like a small speck of dust.¡±

    ¡°We are the substitute extensions affiliated to much powerful power. It¡¯s called the Pill valley.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the dreand of every aspirant who walks in the path of alchemy.¡±

    ¡± Both of us are graduates and subordinate of the pill Valley, and this is one of the 100 pill halls under the pill valley.¡±

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 Chapter 160

    160 THE BACKSTORY

    ¡°The Pill Valley is a colossal power in the true martial world. What you know until now is limited to these backward regions. In Pill valley, geniuses like you are crowded like bees. You can showcase your real talent in that region.¡±

    ¡°What are the criteria for entering the Pill valley? ¡°.

    ¡°I want you to hear a story before that. It¡¯s a story rted to my history in the pill valley.¡±. Lu Ming was alerted by this remark. His master was a genuine mysterious figure in these regions. Even after being so powerful, he was living as an inner elder of the pill hall.

    ¡°I was a student in one of the pill halls, just like you. My master was the one who scouted me from my native vige. He saw that I had great talents in alchemy due to my affinity with wood and fire elements.¡±

    ¡°He began to train me in the path of pill making. I was fortunate enough to exceed his expectations and got a chance to enter the pill valley as a student. I had pride in my abilities in the path of alchemy, but when I finally appeared in the entrance test, a harsh reality brought me back from my delusions.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t even the top seed. I got admitted as an inner disciple within the valley. This failure managed to catapult my speed of growth and I started training at a much intensive level. I took part in every challenge andpetition thrown towards me and my efforts began to pay back.¡±

    ¡°I won a multitude ofpetitions and finally managed to elevate my position to a core disciple. I was taken in by an elder of the academy, who supported me in my path of cultivation. I didn¡¯t stop there and continued to improve.¡±

    ¡°Fate was fair with me and showered me with a heavenly chance.¡±. The first elder raised his hands as an emerald-colored fire began to appear. The environment with the dwelling changed instantly. Lu Ming found it hard to even breathe in this situation. He couldn¡¯t believe there was something this powerful in the first elder¡¯s possession.

    ¡°Do you know what this thing is?¡±

    .....

    ¡°Its an earth me. As expected, he did possess one.¡± The Keeper¡¯s voice sounded in Lu Ming¡¯s head.

    ..........................................................

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the master to be the possession of an earthen me.¡± Lu Ming¡¯s casual tone surprised both the elders present in the room. The first elder expected Long Tao to have a highly shocked reaction.

    ¡°You have a precise knowledge of this world. It is an earthen me that I was fortunate to get my hands on. It not only helped me improve my cultivation realm but also catapulted me to the upper echelon of elders within the pill valley.¡±

    To be the part of the upper echelon of pill valley, just what was his master¡¯s previous cultivation level. Lu Ming¡¯s expression was noticed by the first elder.

    ¡°You must have doubts regarding my cultivation level, to be a part of the upper echelon.¡±

    ¡°If my predictions are correct, the least requirement should be an advanced king level cultivation.¡± The first elderughed out loud.

    ¡°King level cultivators are at most outer elders of the academy, to be an inner elder you need the cultivation of peak king level.¡±

    ¡°Then Is master insisting that.¡± Ming was about to speak up when the first elder interrupted him.

    ¡°I was a Qi emperor. To be precise, at the 6th level of Qi emperor.¡± Lu Ming¡¯s mind was blown away. His master was a peak intermediate level Qi emperor.

    ......................................................

    ¡°were you not able to gauge his true strength before?¡±. Long to asked the keeper.

    ¡°The artifact confirmed it. He had the cultivation of an intermediate king.¡±

    ¡°The only other exnation is that he is suffering from some sort of injury.¡±. Lu Ming agreed with this exnation. He decided to confirm it with the first elder.

    ....................................................

    ¡°What is master doing in this pill hall then.¡±

    ¡°I remember the day when I took you in as a disciple. When asked the reason behind choosing me, you replied that I was the strongest with a king level cultivation.¡±. Lu Ming decided to maintain his silence.

    ¡°During my time as a core member, our pill valley went through tribtion, at the hands of one of the enemies. I was gravely injured in that fight, which resulted in me losing my cultivation and degrading to Qi general level. I retreated to recover from my injuries in this pill hall.¡±

    ¡°Did you manage to recover your injuries buy now?¡±

    ¡°I am not at my peak, but am not too far from it.¡± The first elder released his Qi. Lu Ming could feel the difference between the Qi he feltst time.

    ¡°I still have a doubt. Wouldn¡¯t it be more feasible if you remained at the valley and recuperate from your injuries, whye here?¡±

    ............................................................

    ¡°There is a multiple of reason s for me toe here. My enemies were not only from other forces but within the pill valley too. I needed to escape from their grasp.¡±

    ¡°But why this ce in particr? There must be better ces one could hide in. a cultivator at your level must have tons of friends too.¡±

    ¡°There is no eternal friendship or enmity, just eternal benefits. Once your strength doesn¡¯t fulfill the criteria, your friends seem to disappear one after another.¡±

    ¡°It still doesn¡¯t exin your presence in this ce, which you literally termed as being backward.¡±

    ¡°It was because of me.¡± The sect leader spoke before the first elder could get a chance to reply.

    .............................................................

    ¡°Besides being the sect leader of this ce, I have another identity. He came here to protect and assist me.¡±.

    Lu Ming was thrown into even more of a confusion. Just what sort of identity did she have to get the assistance of a Qi emperor. He decided to keep his doubts to himself.

    ¡°Keeping the story aside, I would rify all your questions after you meet certa8in conditionsid by me.¡±

    ¡°Since you managed to achieve the pre-decided goal of our agreement, I wouldn¡¯t be interfering in the path you follow. I have three tasks for you.¡±

    ¡°The first task requires you to practice alchemy exclusively for the next half year. The reason behind the request is the uing vent in the pill valley. It conducts an entrance examination for all the aspirants. You need to be an advanced second-level alchemist and below the age of twenty to participate. You satisfied both the conditions.¡±

    ¡°The second task is to win a ce in the top 10. Given your speed of cultivation and alchemy, I think you could win a ce in the top 10 easily. I would be even happier if you could get a seat in the top 3.¡±

    ¡°If you manage to fulfill the task, I would rify all your doubts regarding our past. I would even reward you in addition to what you will receive from thepetition.¡±

    ¡°What is the third task, master?¡¯

    ¡°I heard that your martial brother, general Long ta from the Jiao country is residing in the forest regions between Chu and Jiao country.¡±

    ¡°he recently asked for an appointment as the controller of the ce. He seems to be interested in developing the terrain and training his troops in those harsh conditions. I expect him to soon attack the Chu country once more and annex all thend.¡±

    The suspicion of the first elder was cleared out. ¡± I want you to ask for his help regarding a matter.¡±

    ¡°I want him to survey the whole area for possible regions where fire energy is incredibly abundant. It¡¯s fine if he didn¡¯t manage to find a ce, but ask him to do his best.¡¯

    Long Tao¡¯s expression changed on hearing it. So the first elder was interested in the fire vein too. Seems the words of the Keeper were certainly true.

    ¡°I will master.¡±

    ¡°If he did manage to find a ce, he will be rewarded abundantly.¡±

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 Chapter 161

    161 THE BASELINE

    ¡°The scenario seems to have changed a lot. The first elder is in search of the fire vein. It means that there must be information or at least a prediction of there being a fire vein in these regions.¡±

    ¡°Predicting theposition of the earth mantle is possible after doing a proper geological survey. There might also be sightings of this natural spot that is able to gather fire energy quite early within the time of its formation. But if that would be the case, I think there would be more than one party involve in this matter.¡±

    ¡°Are you implying 5that there might be interference from other forces once the explosion urs?¡¯

    ¡°It¡¯s best to be prepared for what is about toe. You need to n ording to the worst possible scenario, which in this case is the interference of parties with simr strength to the first elder.¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t be able to handle the situation even if it just a king level cultivator, a Qi emperor feels like a faint dream in these situations.¡±

    ¡°The energy vein has enabled the artifact to recover a lot of damages. If the situations follow in my estimated path, a bigger surprise might be on its way.¡±

    ¡°is the artifact finally going through a major transform.¡±

    ¡°It might regain some of its past abilities, which includes the devouring properties of the artifact. During the creation of the artifact, a devouring formation was installed within the artifact to enable an instant soak of energy when the situation is too dire. We might be able to use that to get a bigger horde of resources.¡±

    ......................................................................

    .....

    ¡°wouldn¡¯t it be better if we proceed ording to the pre-nned objectives?¡±

    ¡°Are you willing to leave these resources for your master at pill hall?¡±

    Long Tao looked at the Keeper and said. ¡°I insist because of the structure of this whole pit. Once someone decides to inspect the whole pit, they would find that a whole portion of its is missing from the zone.¡±

    ¡°The suspicion might be prevented if we go along with the pre-nned. The chaos which is going to be created during these situations would ensure it. The same wouldn¡¯t be the case, once we go ahead with any more than that.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you switch up the amount of Chaos created. We would be fine if the suspicion didn¡¯t fall on us or a party which would be potentially indicative towards our side.¡±

    Long Tao decided to modify his current n. If he wanted to seize the maximum amount of resources possible, he needed to take risks and adapt to the situation.

    ¡°It seems I need to involve that beast and those flies roaming around these zones.¡±

    ...................................................................

    Pill Hall-

    The first elder was monitoring Long Tao¡¯s training. Since Lu Ming managed to outshine his expectations, he decided to give his best and train this disciple of his for the uing pill brewpetition.

    ¡°What is the level necessary for me to reach to get a position in the top 3 masters.¡±

    ¡°As mentioned earlier, you need to be an advanced level 2 alchemist just to qualify for attending the Pill brewpetition.

    ¡°The top 100 are all in the peak of 2nd level alchemist or beginner of 3rd level alchemist. The top ten is reached by those who are at intermediate 3rd level alchemist. About the top 3, they are the monsters who manage to reach the very peak of intermediate 3rd level alchemist.¡±

    ¡°What about the winner master.¡±

    ¡°Thest test of the pill brewpetition is a bitplicated than that. I won¡¯t be revealing the form of examination. Just believe in yourself.¡±

    ¡°What are the benefits of winning thepetition.¡± Lu Ming was interested in the rewards presented by Pill Valley.

    ..................???..................................................

    The sect leader spoke out. ¡°The top 100 participants get recruited as the inner disciple of the Pill valley. The top 10 get an additional benefit of resources along with a chance to get recruited as core disciples of the valley.¡±

    ¡°As per the top 3, they get two additional opportunities. One is the chance of getting evaluated by the elders of the valley and get epted as a personal disciple.¡±

    ¡°What is the other aspect master.¡±

    The sect leader looked at the first elder, who nodded his head and signaled her to go forward with her speech.

    ¡°The second benefit is a secret which isn¡¯t released unless you do win and join the valley. It is the chance of entering thend of mes within the organization.¡±

    Lu Ming was instantly shocked by this news. ¡°What does thend of mes contain within themselves.¡±

    ¡°It is an ancient training ground created by the ancestors of the pill valley. The contains is only known to those who get to enter it.¡¯

    ................................................................

    ¡°Fortunately for you, there is someone who has entered the valley before.¡± The first elder looked at the sect leader. Lu Ming was surprised once again to know that the sect leader was such an aplished individual.

    ¡°The valley is where all the inheritance from the previous generations of Pill valley alchemist resides. The opportunities here are endless. During my time, there was someone who received the inheritance of a level 6 alchemist. There was another instance of someone getting the rank 1 beast me and an ancient cauldron.¡±

    ¡°I have heard that some fortunate individuals got their hands-on earth mes and many major natural oddities.¡±

    ¡°The biggest secret resides in the fact that the most powerful alchemist within the pill valley was a level 7 alchemist. Records speak of him being in possession of the highest-grade fire.¡±

    ¡°The heavenly me.¡± Lu Mingpleted the sentence.

    ¡°No one has ever managed to even identify the spot where the inheritance resides.¡±

    Lu Ming¡¯s spirits got a huge motivational boost to practice for the uingpetition.

    ...................................................

    The Pit-

    ¡°if you desire to win thepetition, you need to get to the advance level 3 alchemist.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to speed up the cultivation, above a certain extent. Is there a way to fasten the rate of progress¡±?

    ¡°Don¡¯t we have the fire vein with us? The fire stones gained from it can help you in cultivation as well as increase the strength of your true fire and enhances the fire affinity to a great extent.¡±

    ¡°Another way to increase your fire affinity is to start training within the fire vein. A Qi general would in general get instantly incinerated when exposed to such a high temperature, but your body is a special one. You have the Omni element body along with the heaven hell body. You even managed to open all your meridians.¡±

    ¡°Although the body might not be able to bear it at the start, if you manage to sustain and push through, you will befortable eventually. You can train within the vein to increase your fire reserves.¡±

    ¡°The other aspect is to train your soul power. Continue to practice heaven pestle art. Pill concoction is another way to increase your soul power by a spontaneous rate.¡±

    Long Tao was presented with a horde of pill recipes. ¡°You will be practicing to concoct the pills mentioned within these recipes. I have managed to create the sequence to be followed while tra8ining.¡±

    ¡°Make sure to concoct at least 2 batches of the best grade pills in each of those recipes.¡±

    Long Tao decided to follow the path designed by the Pill hall master of the Crimson lord world. He had around 4 years (ording to the time ratio in contrast to the real world) to advance into the ranks of advanced 3rd level Pill alchemist.

    ¡°Your talent is monstrous, even among the previous masters of this artifact. If you train hard enough, I am confident of you entering the 4th level of alchemists.¡±

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 Chapter 162

    162 LURE IN

    ¡°What are the pill recipes which I am going to practise?¡± Even the first elder didn¡¯t provide him with such arge horde of pill recipes. Pill recipes were true treasures in the alchemy world. Every alchemy practising organisation guarded the pill recipe with utmost precaution and secrecy.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be surprised from these useless recipes. You should remember that you are the current owner of the Crimson Lord artefact and the inheritor of Crimson lord world. You should falter to disbelief when presented with these minute treasures.¡±

    ¡°What is the most treasured possession in the alchemy division of the Crimson Lord world?¡±

    ¡°If young master is asking in terms of pill recipes, the Crimson Lord world holds recipes of even level 9 and above.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by above? Should Level 9 corrte to Qi God level? How can there be a recipe above that level? Unless...¡±

    The hall master of pill hall instantly realised the mistake he has done. ¡°You managed to make me spill the beans over a matter you are not allowed to know. You just need to remember that the artefact is invincible in this world.¡±

    Long Tao decided to put a hold to his thoughts. Rather than trying to uncover the mystery of his artefact, he decided too put his efforts in increasing the level of his cultivation.

    ................................

    ¡°The training n was formted by me. Since most of the avatars are concentrating on cultivating and battle techniques, I ask you to dedicate 3 avatars for alchemy practice.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Your main body would be cultivating within the fire vein. The benefits may not be apparent in a short period, but after the end of your practice, you will see the benefits. The training within the pit is just for you get amodated with the fire energy. The real training would begin after the excavation of the vein isplete.¡±

    ¡°Let the one in Pill Hall practice soul power. Ask him to concentrate on practising the usage of soul power rather than the Heaven pestle art.¡±

    ¡°The making of a pill is influenced by multiple factors. Except for the fire and wood control, the ingredients and the cauldron, thergest part is yed by your soul energy in the pill formation.¡±

    ¡®It is the reason you feel extremely tired once the pill concoction isplete, as the amount of soul energy expended is quiterge and not easily recovered. A particr variety of pill brew, require a specific amount of soul power to form. Rather than increasing soul power, it is more efficient to regte the expenditure of soul energy.¡±

    ¡°The control of this expenditure can only be achieved if you practice soul energy arts or simply emptying and refilling the vessel.¡±

    ¡°The third avatar should practice pill concoction. It is the most time consuming of the three and hence will be practised within the artefact itself. You have around 4 years until the Pill Brewpetition formally begins. ¡±

    .....................................

    ¡°Practice the concoction as per the schedule. The first pill you will be concocting is called white dew. It is a medicine useful for cleansing the impurities from the body. Every pill has three grades: Low, medium and top grade. You are to practice until you can sessfully create three sessive batches of top grade pills.¡±

    ¡°The next in line is a kind of bone powder. It is called horse snow. It is used for enriching the bone density and strengthens it. It too has three grades like the pills. The same condition as earlier is applied.¡±

    A horde of 20 pill recipes was presented in front of Long Tao to be refined in the next 4 years within the Crimson lord artefact.

    ¡°Thest one is called the me tiger pill, which is concocted using the bones of a ck me tiger. It has the highest amount of difficulty during the pill brewing.¡±

    Long Tao allocated the tasks to his avatars and began the training as per the hall masters n.

    ..................................

    After some days, the pit-

    ¡°Did you find any difference within your body or cultivation?¡±

    ¡°The continuous exposure to this extreme temperature seems to have not only refined my body off impurities, but loosen the bottleneck for the next stage in cultivation.¡±

    ¡°I broke through to the fourth level of Qi general.¡±

    ¡°That much is expected when you are confronting a Emperor grade resource while still being in Qi general. The cultivation for the uing pill brew might feel like a distraction from your regr path of cultivation, but the benefit you will obtain might shock you in future.¡±

    ¡°You training for the current scenario is to bear these extreme temperatures until the excavation n isplete. The next stage will be cultivation with the fire stones.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that these are too high quality in energy for me to practice with? Wouldn¡¯t my body just burst from the energy intake? I might be able to hold that amount of energy.¡±

    ¡°The fact was kept in mind when formting the n for your training. Believe in the hall master. He confirms that you would be able to practice with these resources.¡¯

    .............................................

    ¡°What is the next n for the excavation?¡±

    ¡°How long will the formation be able to hold?¡±

    ¡°The formation might be able to hold for 8 more days. It¡¯s time to begin the second phase.¡±

    Long Tao instantly called a meeting of the ck-buck squad. ¡°Were there any more sightings of those people after thest report?¡±

    ¡°Those people are continuously trying to pry deeper into the region general. The aggressiveness seems to have increased, as they are assuming an offensive stance.¡±

    ¡°Clear the passage for them.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry to have misheard earlier, sir-¡±

    ¡°I asked you to clear the passage and approach the deeper region of the forests. Stage the clearance as if done unknowingly. Don¡¯t make it too obvious.¡±

    ¡°As per the guards stationed near the beast¡¯s dwelling, ask them to start a fire near the teau. Let it attract the beast. I assume he wouldn¡¯t attack instantly, but would surely be disturbed. You are to evacuate the troops as soon as you light the fire.¡±

    .........................................

    6 dayster-

    ¡°I would like to request an audience with master.¡± The first elder allowed Lu Ming¡¯s entry.

    ¡°As ordered by master, i requested my martial brother to search for possible locations. He has replied back stating that he might have found what you are looking for.¡±

    ¡°What are the characteristics of that location?¡¯

    ¡°Huge amount of fire energy is being released on a continuous basis from the region. It seems like arge pit. In order to avoid suspicion, brother have ced an aura hiding formation in that area, but the energy is too monstrous for it to bear. He even stated that he is not able to get close to the inner region. The Fire energy is too high in purity and ferociousness.¡±

    The first elder¡¯s attention was instantly peaked. A Qi general being unable to even enters the pit lies in perfect coordination with the n.

    ¡°I will alert the sect leader. Get your weapons ready, we will be leaving for that region instantly.¡±

    .........................................

    A figure was sitting within what looked like a world of fire. He was training with his eyes closed, but at this moment, he opened his eyes and spoke out.

    ¡°The bait is sessful.¡±

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 Chapter 163

    163 THE ENERGY BLAST

    The Pit-

    ¡°The first elder would be arriving soon. You need toplete the excavation as fast as possible. How big is the gain this time?¡±

    ¡°I managed to absorb 60% of the vein.¡±. Long Tao was filled with tion. A 10% increase in the absorption was a huge gain on his behalf. ¡°The artifact managed to go through some drastic changes which would be apparent to you in the future. If given time, I canpletely absorb the remaining vein in 15 days.¡±

    ¡°The formation would break soon. Hordes of practitioners will be attracted to this location. Can you hide your presence from an emperor level practitioner?¡±

    ¡°I can, but it won¡¯t be possible when I am absorbing energy.¡±

    ¡°Halt the operation for now. If my n is sessful, we would get a short window to devour quite a bit of the remaining vein.¡±. The Keeper was unaware of Long Tao¡¯s actual n.

    .......................................

    6 days ago-

    Multiple figures were seen roaming around the pit. These areas were guarded by the Jiao military forces, but their attention seemed to have been drawn towards another area as of now.

    .....

    ¡°Are you sure about there being a gap between their outposts?¡±

    ¡°I surveyed the area for a long time. It seems that the troops are being called back to the Tamar camp. Long Tao must have requested assistance for surveying the whole area and the process must have ended. I saw soldiers leaving their posts and returning to the central base.¡¯

    ¡°To confirm my suspicions, I followed them into the main camp and overheard the release order by the second inmand of the ck-buck squad. Although the original squad is trying to cover therge area, they have a numerical disadvantage, which leads to multiple vacations within their outposts.¡¯

    ¡°I asked two of our men to observe the time difference between two sessive searches on our path. It¡¯srge enough for us to enter.¡±

    ¡°Did you find any other information regarding the base camp¡±

    ¡°Although I was not able to overhear their secret meetings due to Long Tao¡¯s presence, I did observe aplete change in the environment within that region. At first, I just thought that the temperature was pretty high at those locations, but I managed to get a view of fire energy being released from a location.¡±

    ¡°The temperature at that region was so high that even Long Tao wasn¡¯t entering it. But he did set up a perimeter around it.¡±

    ....................................................

    ¡°Are you sure about the fire energy release?¡±

    ¡®I am sure about it. The surrounding was getting transformed due to the immense release. I presume that the thing we are searching for is within that pit. How else do you describe such a huge and continuous release of fire energy.¡±

    The leader of the spy team decided to delegate 4 people with the task of returning to the sect.

    ¡°You are to rush as soon as possible. We can¡¯t let this opportunity slide.¡±

    ¡°Should I ask them to dispatch a team of Qi kings?¡±

    The leader smiled. ¡°I think someone even more powerful than a team would rush here after hearing the news. The rest are to investigate the environment. No matter what the reason, don¡¯t pick a fight with the Jiao military. None of us here canpete with Long Tao. It¡¯s best to leave the offensive to the elders.¡±

    .................................................

    The southern region of forest, 1 day until the outbreak-

    The soldier lit a fire as ordered. As the fire was gettingrger andrger, the effects could be seen in the panicked activity of the beasts residing within the forest. Long Tao sent one of his avatars to keep an eye on the teau for any possible movements, but there seemed to be none present.

    ¡°The height of the teau makes it impossible for the fire to draw the beats out. Whatever entity is residing in there, seems to be unaffected by thismotion.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you forget about the beast. Once the energy eruption takes ce, it will be attracted to that location by default.¡±

    ¡°That is the crucial point of my n. If it didn¡¯te out by the time the first elder and the evil church¡¯s member arrive, no fight is going to take ce. A huge portion of reliance on this n is on the fact that these entities will arrive at the location during the same time. Only then would we be able to carry out our objectives.¡±

    ¡°What are you nning to do then.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s time I came into y myself. Do you have a presence masking device that can instantly cover my tracks while in battle?¡±

    ¡°Are you going to attack the beast residing within the mountains? I hope you understand the strength is in the king¡¯s ss at the very least. You aremitting suicide if you go in there.¡±

    ¡°It is the reason I require a masking device. Its time to use the remaining bombs in the teau. I hope themotion isrge enough to disturb its sleep.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you enter the artifact after the execution of the attack.¡±

    Long Tao wanted to have a visual confirmation regarding the beast residing in there. it¡¯s best to know your enemy to devise a counter n. It seemed that he needed to follow the advice of the Keeper and give up on the view.

    .............................................................

    A figure slowly rushed near to the teau regions, carrying arge bag beside him. Once it managed to reach the foot of the teau, the figure seemed to arch his back and threw the bag towards the location of the cave.

    Once the bag seemed to havended on the teau, the figure rushed to a distance and made a mysterious sign with his hands. A momentter a loud bang was heard atop the teau. The size of the st was bigger than anything seen by Long Tao. It was as if the teau spewed a huge amount of fire into the sky. Huge cracks were formed on the outer edges of the teau.

    There were no suspicious movements after the st, which led to the fall of Long Tao spirits. Just as he was about to approach the teau once more, a minute vibration could be felt by him. The cracks seemed to be growing wider and wider as time passed.

    Long Tao knew that the damage done to the teau¡¯s structure was immense and rushed away from it. As he neared his previous location, a ferocious roar could be heard. The atmosphere turned heavy and Long Tao found it hard to breathe. The beast was awake.

    Long Tao gather all his power and activated the teleportation. The avatar was instantly sucked into the Crimson lord artifact. A momentter the teau finally cracked open, as a huge shadow emerged from it. After the dust settled, the outline of the shadow was finally visible. It was a huge w.

    An enormous figure tore open the teau???s surface and emerged out, its eyes surveying the surrounding. After a brief period of time, it finally realized that the culprit behind this situation seemed to have disappeared into thin air.

    The shook its head and tail, spread its wings, and leaped into the air, moving north.

    .......................................

    The pit-

    A group of people dressed in ck soon reached the location as specified by the spies. ¡°The reports seemed to be true. But someone seemed to have set up an absorption and hiding formation around it. Although the level is low, the technique is quite advanced. It seems that Long Tao is quite capable, as mentioned in the reports.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s enter and find out the truth.¡±. One of the figures began to move towards the pit.

    ¡®Wait, something is not right.¡± As the sound ended, a crack formed in the formation surrounding the pit, and the energy sted out. The person was nearest to the pit was instantly incinerated by the mes.

    ¡°It is the treasure for sure.¡±

    .....................................

    3 figures were rushing to the location of the pit when a huge burst of energy shot out.

    ¡°I can feel it. It¡¯s a fire vein for sure, and a medium grade one at that.¡± The first elder grabbed either of the figures beside him and rushed towards the pit.

    ..................................

    The beast which was roaming aimlessly on top of the forest felt the sudden emergence of a huge amount of fire energy. Its eyes glistened as it rushed towards the direction.

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 Chapter 164

    164 THE GATHERING OF EXPERTS

    As expected, the st spewed out a lot of fire energy into the surrounding, and the temperatures began to rise unterally. The whole environment was going through a geological transformation. Long Tao did expect the effect to be drastic, but the speed qat which the changes were happening astonished him.

    ¡°You managed to bear the heat until now because of the artifact. It was absorbing most of the energy in your surroundings, making it impossible for it to act on its own and harm your body. If you were exposed directly to the heat. You would be charred to death by now.¡±

    ¡°The result doesn¡¯t seem apparent as of now, but ording to the hall master of pill hall, when you go on to control fire the next time, you would find it much easier. Your body is acquainted with the high temperatures already. There Is another ga8in during this training, but you need to discover it yourself.¡±

    ¡°I hope your n is executed properly. If caught red-handed while stealing the artifact, you are going to spend the rest of your lie on the run.¡±

    Long Tao began to draw out hand signs without anyone noticing. Another st took ce in the region where the group of ck silhouettes was standing. The st disrupted their flow of work. It was necessary to buy some time for the other two entities to reach here.

    .......................................

    ¡°what was that st?¡±

    ¡°It must be a trap set by the Jiao army to prevent anyone from unauthorized entry. It must have been triggered due to the energy st. Stay alert. We are now going to enter the pit.¡±

    The ck silhouettes began their descent into the pit. They were soon faced by the crystalized fire vein. The view in front of them made them spellbound.

    .....

    ¡°A fire energy vein, just like the records stated. Begin collecting the vein in the treasure provided. Half of you will be responsible for the collection, while the other half is going to guard the exit for us. We can¡¯t allow anyone else to take part in this. The sect leader stated that this mission has to seed.¡±

    While the silhouettes were busy collecting, another group of three people arrived at the mouth of the pit. It was none other than the group from the pill hall.

    The first elder instructed Lu Ming to stay put with the treasure he has given him. The temperature was too much for Lu Ming to bear.

    ¡°Let¡¯s enter. We can¡¯t let this opportunity go away. I am sure to reach my past peak cultivation level after consuming this resource.¡±

    He was just about to enter when Lu Ming signaled him to stop. He pointed at a direction and when the other saw did get a view, a massive beast was approaching this location. Even the first elder was surprised by the aura exerted by that bird.

    ...............................................

    ¡°A peak King level flying type beast. If it was attracted to this region, it must have a fire or earthen affinity.¡±

    ¡°It must be an easy target for the master. How could a king level beast hold in front of a Qi emperor?¡±

    ¡°That is a general misconception between practitioners. When you reach the King level, you would find that there is virtually no quantitative change between king and emperor level practitioners.¡±

    ¡°It is also the reason behind there being prodigies who can surpass limits and battle with Emperor level practitioners while still being at King level. I will rify on this matter after you win the pill brewpetition. It would be the optimum time for us to talk about your future path in cultivation.¡±

    ¡°As of now, we will steer clear for the moment. The beast must havee here to take away the fir vein. Let the enemy sh between themselves. It would help me in confirming one of my suspicions.¡±

    Lu Ming followed his teacher to watch from a distance.

    ............................................

    The extraction process was underway. Treasures capable of holding the fire vein in was continuously absorbing more and more of the fire energy.

    ¡°Our efforts would be rewarded this time. We finally managed to find what the elders were looking for. Is everything alright on the outside?¡±

    ¡°Reporting to the leader, everything seems fine.¡±. The words had just ended when a scream followed. It was none other than the guard stationed outside who gave out this shout. The atmosphere instantly turned silent after that. Even the practitioners of the group didn¡¯t dare to make a movement or sound.

    A huge crack suddenly appeared on the roof of the pit, followed by its copse. The copse created a smokescreen rendering the area invisible for some time. A faint outline could be seen entering through the copsed roof.

    As the dust finally settled, the people got a clear view of what the outline actually was. The view instantly turned into the most intense horror they ever experienced in their life. The shadow was none other than the face of the beats. It was all it could manage to poke in the pit. Its crimson eyes with a lining of ck red at the group, sending a shiver down their spine.

    Even the leader lost hisposure instantly. How could this be? How can a beast of such strength interfere at thest moment? He wanted to move his body, but the atmosphere seemed to have rendered him motionless. All he could feel was losing the strength in his legs.

    The beast finally opened its mouth, showing a huge set of glistening razor-sharp teeth. They gave a sinister feel in the bright red atmosphere of the pit. It opened its jaw and spewed fire directly art the group of people.

    The whole group dispatched this time was filled with practitioners of the early king realm, with the highest cultivation being at the 3rd level of Qi king. None of them could bear the onught of the fire spewed by a beast who was absurdly near the Emperor boundary.

    The group was instantly wiped out.

    ........................................................

    Lu Ming was waiting for the first elder to take action. All he did was stood there with his eyes closed. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be this easy. Were they the only ones dispatched this time? How could such weaklings be delegated the work to collect the fire vein? They must have dispatched someone else to remain in the shadows.

    Long Tao¡¯s prediction as that they must have estimated him to be the biggest threat and send a group that can easily overpower the forces in this region. But the words of the first elder made him re-think the whole scenario.

    The resource was something that can be handled directly by those who are at least at the advanced level of Qi king. They can¡¯t even use the resource as its grade is of the emperor level. It means that these people must be possessing a treasure which is capable of collecting the resource. Veen then, the fact that emperor level practitioners would allow them to transport something so precious was a little unconventional.

    The beast began to destroy the region around the mouth of the pit. Its body was toorge to enter it and hence has to break the area around the mouth to enter it.

    ¡°We can¡¯t let the beast get to the pit. If it sessfully gets its hand on the fire vein, he would be able to advance into the realm of Emperor. There would be no way to stop it by then.¡±

    ¡°Have some patience while dealing with situations like these. Do you think we are the only emperor level party around here? Others must have been attracted to this region. They were hiding their presence in wait for the group earlier to get out with the collected resource. Since the group is dead now, they must be thinking about taking action.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t see a single person except for us three.¡±

    The first elder looked at him and smiled.

    .........................................................

    The beast finally managed to open up a pathway big enough for it to enter. Lu Ming was getting extremely restless. This was not part of the n. How would he get more benefits if the beast manages to snatch it so easily?

    He was about to insist once more when multiple lights lit the sky and attacked the beast. The beast was pushed back by the series of attacks. As it looked at the direction of the attack, three figures emerged from the location.

    All three of them were dressed up in different attire. A meek-looking figure among the three came forward and greeted the other two.

    ¡°It seems that fellow Daoist were also bidding for time. But the situation seemed to have changed. This beast is the amount to enter the emperor realm. If not stopped, it would easily overpower us after a sessful breakthrough.¡±

    ¡°I wish to propose a coalition to defeat this beast fast and share the resources equally among us.¡±

    One of eth other two replied back. ¡± I agree. We can¡¯t waste any more time. The energy would attract other cultivators and thepetition would get even wilder. We need to snatch the vein before that happens.¡±

    The third person nodded his head and the newly formed party began to attack the beast.

    .........................................................

    ¡°are all three of them in the emperor realm master?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they are. Their power level seems to be in the same domain too.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the beast be crushed by the onught of three emperors?¡±

    ¡°You underestimate the beast too much. All three of them are in the first stage of the emperor realm. The fight would be a close one.¡±

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 Chapter 165

    165 THE BLACK FIRE EMPEROR

    ¡°Beast is able to practice with absorbed Qi from the atmosphere too. Whenpared to humans who are characterized by superior intelligence, beasts have a higher natural affinity towards Qi. They could absorb natural energy at a much faster rate than us and have a higher cultivation speed.¡±

    ¡°Nature instilled them with more than one benefit in terms of natural talent. Even their bodies are much stronger whenpared to humans. It would be better just to notpare the two. His strength is more apparent within the King and emperor ss boundary, as the gap within the qualities is not that different.¡±

    ¡°It is the same reason why the three emperor ss practitioners decided to form a coalition and fight the beast together. If the fight would have been a one on one fight, the emperor would lose without a doubt, since the beast has already realized the emperor boundary.¡±

    The first collision resulted in massive energy vibration around the area. As expected, the fight which began on an equal foot began to incline in favor of the three practitioners.

    One of them was a fist practitioner while the other one was a sword practitioner. Both of them were tasked with engaging the beats, while the major damage was done by the meek-looking practitioners in the back. He looked like a practitioner in a long-ranged attack and an array master.

    ¡°Either of you should watch this fight carefully. A fight between emperor level practitioners will benefit you a lot.¡±. The advice was heeded by both the sect leader and Lu Ming. They began to concentrate their entire attention on the fight. The insights gained solved a lot of doubts about Lu Ming¡¯s mind.

    ................................................

    Long Tao gained some inspiration to advance the Dominator¡¯s fist. Even his movement art got a lot of additional insights from the actions of the cultivators. Especially the sword user. As a purely offensive art user, his actions were based purely on the offensive aspect. The footwork concentrated on speed and precision. Long Tao found some inspiration for integrating this type of artwork with the capabilities of the sh step.

    The fist user seemed to be a body practitioner. ¡°What is the current realm in body cultivation.¡±

    .....

    ¡°I refrain from trying to probe him. An emperor practitioner would be able to notice by scan easily. Although the artifact managed to mend a lot of damage, we still can¡¯t contend with emperor level practitioner. I would advise you to do the same. Use the artifact you have refined by using the weapon tempering form and those you obtain in the future.¡±

    ¡°How long before I can start using the crimson lord artifact freely?¡±

    ¡°You are far from the required strength level.¡±

    ¡°I do feel that he must be in a higher realm than me. If fought purely in terms of body strength, I would lose to him.¡±

    ¡°That is a given fact boy. Although I doubt, he opened all his meridians like you. He must have rushed to open the acupoints and meridians simultaneously. The progress is far slower whenpared to you, and he doesn¡¯t even have an artifact like the crimson lord world.¡±

    ¡°I would like you to concentrate on the sword user as of now. The array user is far out of your limits of understanding. The sword user is the best specimen for observation as of now. You should use him for reference for your self-developed skill.¡±. The Keeper insisted Long Tao continue on the development of his own skills after seeing the power of the Dominator¡¯s fist in the match with Blood general.

    ....................................................

    The fight-

    ¡°I request both of you to prepare for the final attack. I would require around 10 min to prepare my attack. I wouldn¡¯t be able to support your people until then. I request you to hold him off until then.¡±

    The fist practitioner looked at the sword user and said ¡°I will aim for his head; you need to use the opportunity to strike its underbelly.¡±. The underbelly was the region which was weakest in terms of outer shell protection.¡±. The sword user nodded in agreement. He decided to move back and prepare for the final swing.

    The fist practitioner concentrated a huge amount of Qi into his fist and rushed towards the beast. As he neared its head, he changed the direction of attack and hit its face right under the chin. It led to the beast¡¯s body being pushed upwards, exposing the underbelly section.

    The swordmaster used this opportunity to rush directly towards its underbelly while holding hi sword parallel to his body. He curved his body mid-air, the de along with him, and used the momentum gained from the circr movement to give a powerful strike to the beast underbelly.

    The sword pierced its thick flesh and blood started to spray out. The impact caused the beast to fly back, exposing its injured area to the third practitioner.

    Thest person managed toplete his attack meanwhile and pointed his fingers at the beats. An incredible attack flew out of his body. A painful cry could be heard from the beast¡¯s mouth as it was sted back causing a huge crater to be formed in the spot where its bodynded.

    .....................................

    ¡°That must have been the end of it.¡±. No joy or relief was visible in the faces of the three practitioners.

    ¡°Look carefully.¡± The first elder advised Lu Ming. When the dust settled, a figure began visibly. Lu Ming was shocked after experiencing the scene. Although the beast was gravely injured, it was alive. How tenacious of it to still stand up. The three practitioners were on their guard prepared to attack, but the next scene came as a surprise.

    The beast spread its wing and rushed away from the three. It was trying to escape from this fight. ¡°As expected, it chose to give up on the vein.¡±

    ¡°Once a beast enters the king level it manages to gains sentience of the level of us humans. It knew that this fight was not one it could win and hence decided to escape.¡±

    ¡°The three practitioners look exhausted from thest fight, should we rush in and snatch the resources.¡± The sect leader asked.

    ¡°The real fight begins now. The three of them performed as a group before this, but the situation has changed now. They are now remaining aware of each other.¡±

    ¡°Also, we don¡¯t seem to be only one watching the fight earlier.¡±

    .....................................

    ¡°I hope the two Daoist wouldn¡¯t go back on their words and divide the resource in the equal portion between the three of us.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t object to the proposal.¡± The fist practitioner took the incentive to reply back. ¡°Neither am I.¡± The sword practitioner naturally agreed.

    Just as the three were about to rush in, another voice sounded. ¡°I thank the fellow practitioners for taking care of the beast earlier. I would request you get lost now.¡± A hooded figure carrying a bone sword appeared before the three of them. It pushed the three people into alert once more.

    ¡°We would like the fellow Daoist to not be unreasonable. Since we took care of the beast, the resource belongs to us three.¡±

    The person carrying the bone swordughed and unsheathed his sword. A deadly aura spread around the atmosphere. Even Lu Ming could feel his spine gone cold and his legs shivering.

    ¡°You are...The Bone demon of ck devil church.¡±

    ¡°So nice for younglings to remember my name. Since you do know who I am, please fuck off.¡±

    The three figures began to prepare for the offensive. They knew that the bone demon was way out of their league, but a single sh took care of all three. The injuries and exhaustion from the previous fight had drained most of the Qi from the three. How could they confront the bone demon in such disadvantageous situations?

    ...???..................................

    The first elder stood up. ¡°it¡¯s time to enter the stage.¡±. He began to rush towards the pit.

    The bone demon was about to go for the second sh when the sword practitioner took out a te. ¡°I am a member of the sword pool. I hope you can let me go.¡±. A simr scenario urred in the case of the other two. They too were affiliated with various forces.

    ¡°I do respect the standing of your organization, but I would like you to get buried here. We can¡¯t let this news spread.¡±

    He raised his bone sword and was about to sh when an extreme feeling of mortal danger appeared out of nowhere. Without a second thought, he dodged back.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t bully someone from the younger generation, bone demon.¡± The first elder appeared before the three figures.

    ...................................

    ¡°Could master take care of such a strong opponent?¡±

    The sect leader looked at Lu Ming with an amused expression.¡± Although the master hasn¡¯t shown his prowess in a long time due to his injuries, his name still brings horror even in the dreams of his enemies. When you officially enter the emperor ss, you are titled given your strength is strong enough. In the master¡¯s case, his title was...¡±

    ¡°BLACK FIRE EMPEROR.¡± The bone demon said with a scared tone.

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 Chapter 166

    166 BLACK FIRE¡¯S BACKSTORY

    ¡°BLACK FIRE EMPEROR¡±. The scare in his voice was instantly recognized. Even Lu Ming could feel his nervousness. Just what sort of history did the first elder have to make his enemy cower down in fear. Although the enemy was an initial emperor, and the enemy was at the beginner level, but to get this cared, the backstory seemed to be a little mysterious.

    ¡°You are probably trying to analyze the enemy¡¯s reaction to seeing the teacher right. I just want you to understand that the man in front of you is my teacher too. You should be able to estimate his power just from that. Master was a top mid-level emperor during the peak period of his cultivation.¡±

    ¡°If there were any other mid-level emperors, they wouldn¡¯t be known so well. He is among a very few practitioners who got a title even before entering the advance emperor realm. The reason for all of that can be traced to the origin of his title.¡±

    ¡°ck Fire, what does it signifies?¡±

    ¡°Master, except for being an emperor level practitioner was also a peak level 5 pill alchemist. His cultivations shouldn¡¯t be able to sustain such a huge burden with Qi capacity alone. What might be the alternatives.¡±

    ¡°He must be in possession of a top-grade spiritual body with high soul strength and talent.¡±

    ¡°But the master doesn¡¯t possess that.¡±

    ¡°The other exnation is a top-grade fire and wood element body.¡±

    ¡°His wood element affinity is lower than yours.¡± The sect leader was watching Lu Ming¡¯s reaction with a delighted expression.

    .....

    ¡°The only other reason I can think of is earth...¡± Lu Ming¡¯s eyes opened wide. The sect leader noticed the change in expression. She smiled at Lu Ming.

    ¡°He possesses an earth me. A high ranking one at that. His earth me is known as Devil Swamp Fire. The me is characterized by its iconic ck color. Hence the title BLACK FIRE EMPEROR.¡±

    ¡°The backstory goes way back to when the master was still a disciple of pill valley. He started as an outer disciple who was constantly bullied due to hisck of financial backing. Alchemy was a profession that required huge mary investments to pursue. Master didn¡¯t have any financial support.¡±

    ¡°He managed to enter the sect on the rmendation of an old man, who was said have vanished the same day he wrote the rmendation letter. Since the rmendation managed to get him to the outer disciple zone of t3h pill valley, many saw it as a back gate.¡±

    ¡°He endured through the bullying and slowly worked for professors. Pill Valley records the history of every student who ever enlists in the organization. Their daily activity is monitored and reported to the higher authorities. When I got the chance to read his file, I managed to understand the hardship he has gone through.¡±

    ¡°He used to work and practice 20 hrs a day, while the rest was spent on cultivation and meditation. He slowly rose through the ranks by not giving up and defeating his foes. He managed to rise to the top of outer disciples within a year, a path marked by the blood of his opponents.¡±

    .....................................

    ¡°He then got the chance to enter the inner ring, and the cycle of getting bullied started once again. I remember what my master always used to say. Continue to endure and work hard until you are powerful enough to overturn the one oppressing you.¡±

    ¡°He did the same and was able to rise to the top 10 of the inner disciples. He was famous for his ruthless and cunning attitude. It is probably the same reason why he took a liking to you instantly.¡± The sect leader said while smiling at Lu Ming.

    ¡°His enemies were either reported missing, or found mysteriously killed, and some f them even got their cultivation base abolished by him.¡±. Lu Ming felt a chill in his spine. He couldn¡¯t imagine his master to be such a ruthless character. ¡°Do you know the best thing about every incident. It was the fact that he did it all by himself, without any sort of backing.¡±

    ¡°He won the internalpetition and was allowed to go into thend of fire, but emerged out of there without any gain except for his improved cultivation. The reason for that was abined plot by the core students and the inner disciples who wanted to hinder his path.¡±

    ¡°He left the sect to gain experience from the outside world. Some say that it was because he was exhausted from the continuous battles and conflicts. Others say that he was scared. While I believe that it was due to one of his gains in thend of fire.¡±

    ¡°When he returned after a period of 2 years for eth core disciplepetition, he was an aid to have defeated every inner disciple and core disciples instantly, all in a single day. The event is still marked in the history of our pill valley, the day a man won a 1 vs. 30 fight with andslide victory.¡±

    ¡°Was it because of the Devil Swamp me?¡±

    ¡°Everyone spected the same thing. He was then epted as the personal disciple of the then sect master. From the record of how the sect master looked, can you guess who it might be?¡±

    Lu Ming thought for some time, before answering with a dazed tone. ¡°It was the old man who wrote the rmendation letter for him to enter the pill valley.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. He was the only other personal disciple except for the current valley leader of our pill valley. The current sect leader is said to have been crowned after the pill valley went through a catastrophic cmity due to one of their sworn enemy.¡±

    ¡°It was the same battle where the master was injured, but his final move managed to gather a win for the pill valley. But as his strength fell, those who benefitted from his actions began to look down on him. Thus, he came to this ce to recuperate. The name ck Fire emperor brought terror into the eyes of his enemies because half of the enemy force was single-handedly wiped out by him.¡±

    .....................................................

    The pit-

    ¡°You should confront someone of your own generation, Bone demon.¡± The first elder began to move towards the opponent. The bone demon wouldn¡¯t be so scared if it was a neutral confrontation, as he knew about the first elder¡¯s injury. But he clearly felt the aura earlier. It was that of a mid-level emperor. It meant that he managed to regain his previous cultivation level.

    ¡°How can you be present in this back-ward region.¡±

    ¡°It was thanks to your organization that I was forced to retreat here, bone demon. It seems now is the time to settle our previous ounts.¡±. The first elder simply lifted his hands and a ck mass began to coagte atop his palm. The atmosphere instantly changed. The me began to devour the energy around it.

    ¡°It has been such a long time since I get to use this move of mine. I promise to let you go if you can survive a single attack of mine.¡± He simply lifted the ck mass and threw it at the Bone Demon. The Bone Demon swung the sword with full force utilizing all his Qi, but the ck mass seemed to be unaffected by it.

    Even the contact spot of the de began to get corroded. Soon enough the ck mass covered the whole de itself and corroded it. Lu Ming was shocked by the view. The sword was at least a peak king weapon but was instantly corroded by the ck me.

    ¡°Stay back you bastard. I am a top raking inner elder of the ck devil church. They aren¡¯t going to leave you an intact corpse if something were to happen to me.¡±

    ¡°you don¡¯t need to worry about them finding me. I personally will find every single one of you maggots and wipe you with my own hands. Your death is just the starting of my pathway to revenge. I will make sure to leave a dposed yet recognizable corpse for your sect to take notice.¡±

    The Bone Demon was incinerated a momentter. The affair was so short in duration that the three figures lying behind the first elder forgot to even recuperate. The name ck Fire Emperor was no new thing to them. The man in front of them was the infamous devil who took out around 20 emperor-level cultivators of the middle and advanced stage in a single sweep.

    .............................................................

    ¡°I hope you won¡¯t mind me taking the fire vein here.¡± The first elder turned around and said with a smile. Lu Ming could feel his spine gone cold. The three figures instantly bowed in respect. ¡°We pay our respect to the ck fire emperor.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be formal. All three of your organizations have a good rtionship with me. ¡±

    ¡°As per the one hiding behind eth tree, please take the corpse and report his death to your sect elders. Tell them that an absolute ckness is soon going to cover the skies of the ck Devil church.¡±

    A figure came out and simply picked up the charred corpse of Bone Demon. He didn¡¯tmunicate with the first elder but rather escaped the region in a hurry. The three figures also left without murmuring a word.

    The battle was won so easily.

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 Chapter 167

    167 DESCENT OF THUNDER

    Lu Ming started at the scene with a bbergasted expression. Although the sect leader¡¯s words were quite convincing, the view was still shocking. An emperor ss practitioner died just like that.

    ¡°I seem to have underestimated your master before boy. Now that the artifact was able to mend a lot of damage, I finally managed to do a proper scan of his cultivation and internal situation of his body. His injuries have recovered a lot by now. He should be able to reach his previous peak after some time.¡±

    ¡°The remaining fire energy in the vein should be able to help him break through to a level higher than his previous achievements. The earth fire is a top grade one too. The fire alone is more precious than ten of these fire veinsbined.¡±. Lu Ming was shocked once again.

    The first elder collected the resource and came back to the two people. He presented Lu Ming with a ring. ¡°Give this to your martial brother. It is a reward for his work in helping me gain such a precious resource.¡±

    ¡°We will be leaving for the sect now. I will enter closed-door cultivation as soon as we reach there. You have three more months to prepare for the uing pill brewpetition. You will leave for a journey to the Pill valley after the three months. I should take you another month or two to reach there, just in time for the Pill brewpetition.¡±

    ¡°Would either of the masters be not apanying me to the valley?¡±

    ¡°This is a journey you need to go through alone. Only by experiencing the outer world alone could you properly temper yourself. The Pill Brewpetition is around four months from now. At your strength, it would take you 3 months at most to reach there. The extra 1 month is for the case where you encounter any unexpected event.¡±

    ¡°You are not to take help from any carriages or masters at a higher level of cultivation than you for the travel. Complete on your own feet. If you want to cover more distance, be stronger than you are currently.???

    The first elder gave out a smile. ¡°The main question you would be having now is, how will you increase your strength while preparing for the Pill Brewpetition. I leave the matter for you to decide. You need to forge the path for yourself.¡±. The first elder gave out a manual to Lu Ming and the sect master did the same.

    .....

    ....................................................

    ¡°These two manuals contain the cultivation records and experiences of mine. One of them is for pill cultivation at the 3rd stage, while the other is the fire maniption techniques and records. You are to master the fire maniption techniquepletely by the time you reach the main city.¡±

    ¡°As per the pill cultivation, it would depend on your talent and efforts. As your master, I hope for you to rise to the top in every activity you do. But winning the top 3 positions is no small matter. You need to advance a level at the very least to be able to achieve that. I hope you can by the time thepetition urs.¡±

    ¡°What if I manage to win the first rank, master?¡± Lu Ming said in a casual tone.

    ¡°Although your talent is the highest among all my disciples, the amount of cultivation time is too less. The ones who are going to fight for the top positions will belong to superpowers. They have been cultivated for thesepetitions since their birth.¡±

    ¡°Alchemy is an art where experience matters the most, even more than raw talent. Those people would have a ton of experience. Hence, I advise you to not get your hopes too high. Only when you enter the pill valley would you understand what sort of monsters lie in there.¡±

    Lu Ming¡¯s expression turned serious and he bowed down, before starting his exit. Just as he was about to reach the door, the first elder¡¯s voice was heard once again. ¡°If you do manage to win the first ce, I will tell you a secret of thend of fire, which you would subsequently get to enter.¡±

    Lu Ming¡¯s expression took an instant 360-degree turn. He bowed once more out of joy and left.

    ................................................

    ¡°Would that boy be able to win thepetition?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like to put my hopes on something that has a high chance of failure, but it¡¯s different in his case. I honestly expected him to fail in the bet which both of us made, but not only did he managed to keep his words, he even surpassed the limit, in every single area.¡±

    ¡°If it¡¯s him, I would like to bet on that possibility.¡±

    ¡°What about the secret that you mentioned? Howe I never heard about it?¡±

    ¡°The secret which I uncovered allowed me to pass the information to a single person in my life. I was thinking of passing it to you when we return, but I found someone on a superior standing than you.¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t divulge your thoughts in that direction. You have a much more important matter to concentrate on. How is your cultivation as of now?¡±

    The sect leader released her aura. Sixth level of Qi King (She was just 1st level Qi king when the artifact first inspected her). ¡°Did your umtion finally end?¡±

    ¡°My Blood umtion ended just recently. It is now starting to release the energy back to me. I rose by four levels in the first outbreak.¡± Although the first elder was prepared, he was still astonished. ¡°It seems that your father¡¯s n will finallye to fruition. His research seems to be obtaining the correct results.¡±

    ¡°The umtion would be going through another outburst within a month¡¯s time.¡±

    ¡°What is the expected rise in the level?¡±

    ¡°The second outburst should provide at least double the energy.¡±. The first elder was taken back. Double the energy. Wouldn¡¯t it mean that she would be able to break through the peak of Qi king? Although it¡¯s not enough to break the emperor boundary, the results are still incredible.

    ???You might be able to take part in thatpetition. We still have hope.¡± The first elder closed his eyes in a short moment of satisfaction.

    .........................................

    The Thundergod hall-

    Bu Puti was cultivating in his mansion. There has been no sign of his discipleing out of the thunder pool. ¡°Even if that brat is hell-bent on winning our bet, shouldn¡¯t he take thing slowly? Although his body is a grade 5 elemental body, it is not easy toplete even the 4th cycle of 9 thunder arts while being in early Qi general level.¡±

    A sudden jolt at the gates broke his line of thought. A servant came rushed in haphazardly. ¡°What is it?¡±. Bu Puti asked in an irritated tone.

    ¡°I apologize for the intrusion vice-headmaster. It is about the thunder pool.¡±

    ¡°What happed to Li Meng?¡±. Bu Puti instantly got on his feet.

    ¡°A strange phenomenon is urring at the thunder pool. All the elders are requesting your presence.¡±

    When Bu Puti finally reached on the site, a great number of people were gathered all around it. ¡°The vice-master is here. We request Vice-master to judge the situation.¡±

    ¡°It all started this morning. We would continue to put in herbs ording to the first elder¡¯s specification, but when he finally arrived to inspect the situation, the water waspletely drained out of spiritual energy. We continued to but another batch of herbs, but they too were consumed within an hour.¡±

    ¡°When we inspected Li Meng¡¯s condition, we experienced a very surprising scene. We request the first elder to inspect it personally.¡±

    Bu Puti entered the pool area. When he finally entered the core region, a shadow could be seen sitting in the middle of the pool. Huge sparks of thunder could be seen floating around him, while five small balls of thunder were embedded in his chest.¡±

    When Bu Puti saw this scene, a loud gulp could be heard. His expression changed from astonishment to satisfaction, and finally to tion.

    ¡°Fifth level of 9 thunder body. Boy, you reached the fifth level in the thunder pool itself.¡± Saliva could be seen to be flowing out of Bu Puti¡¯s mouth.

    Li Meng opened his eyes, to see his master with a dazed expression. He stood up and bowed to his master. Although the difference in their cultivation was not high anymore, the man in front was still his master.

    ¡°I greet the master. I have sessfully entered the fifth level in 9 thunder body. My cultivation has also reached the second level of Qi general.¡±

    Bu Puti simply got hold of Li Meng¡¯s hand and flew away.

    .............................................

    Bu Puti¡¯s dwelling-

    ¡°How did you do it, boy?¡±

    ¡°I simply cultivated in the pool and absorbed the energy as per the manual. It helped me break through to the current level.¡±

    ¡®Don¡¯t lie to me. Even if you use all the energy and the pill given by me, you would at most reach the fourth level. How could you cultivate it at the fifth level? Unless...¡±

    ¡°Did you ever go through a body cleansing process?¡±

    ¡°Although I didn¡¯t go through an artificial one, it happened naturally about three times by now.¡±. Bu Puti¡¯s expression changed once more.

    ¡°When did it ur. What were the requirements for it to ur?¡±

    ¡°It happened every time I opened d aplete set of meridians.¡±

    ¡°Three times would mean that...¡± Bu Puti¡¯s eyes almost bulged out. ¡°You managed to open all the meridians in your body.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡± Li Meng confirmed. Bu Puti rose up, came close, and hugged Li Meng. Tears could be seen flowing from his eyes. ¡°The heavens have not given up on our sect.¡± Li Meng didn¡¯t resist the process. Both of the figures stayed like that for a moment.

    .......................................

    ¡°Since you managed to enter the fifth level, its time I give you the rewards, and tell you some details regarding your tasks in the future.¡±

    ¡°The pills and your pathway to the peak of the mountain will be given to youter. The matter of importance is the uing event in our parent force.¡±

    ¡°The Thundergod hall is just a subsidiary of the thunder god academy. Our task is to find, train, and send regional talents to the parent force for further cultivation. You are the one chosen this time to appear the test for the parent force.¡±

    ¡°You managed to pass the minimum requirement, which was the third level of 9 thunder body art. Its time you began preparing for the tournament which will ur about 6 months from now at the parent institute itself.¡±

    ¡°The tournament is called, DESCENT OF THUNDER. It would be the location of your second task. You need to win the tournament. With your current strength, I think you can if you train properly.¡±

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 Chapter 168

    168 THE MOUNTAIN-TOP

    ¡°The DESCENT OF THUNDER is the admission test which is held y our parent organization every 5 years to cultivate martial talent who could support the academy in future.¡±

    ¡°Is the Thunder-god hall only one subsidiary of the Thunder-god academy?¡±

    ¡°Hehehe. You can¡¯t begin to imagine what sort of power the Thunder god academy has a boy. Can you guess how many subsidiaries the Thunder god academy has?¡±

    ¡°Around 10.¡±. Bu Puti started tough.

    ¡°The Thunder God academy has fifty Thunder-god halls located around the continent, who scout talents for it. Unless you are some extreme talent who is personally scouted by an elder of the academy, the only way to enter is to first cultivate in the Thunder-god hall and then appear the tournament.¡±

    ¡°How many participants appear in the tournament.¡±

    ¡°The actual number is in the thousands. The number of slots a single Thunder-god hall gets depends on its rankings among the subsidiaries. The ranking is based on the overall power of the subsidiaries.¡±

    ¡°What is our ranking?¡±. Bu Puti lowered his head.¡± We rank deadst among the subsidiaries.¡±. Li meng was prepared for an unttering result, but this was just too much.

    ........................................

    .....

    ¡°The reason behind us having such a low ranking is because of an event that took many years ago due to which we lost most of the prominent cultivators. The academy¡¯s downfall began with the loss, and now we rank deadst, with just one disciple being selected to the Thunder-god academy in thest 15 years.¡±

    ¡°He was a fellow senior of yours who had tremendous talent. It was also because of him that we were able to sustain this branch even after being deadst. He contributes a lot to the academy, in return of which we are allowed to continue operations.¡±

    ¡°I expect you to get in there and share his burden. The most important thing for us to rise is resources and some breathing space.¡±

    ¡°What position would I need to achieve for us to get that.¡±

    ¡°An inner disciple position won¡¯t suffice. You need to be a core disciple at the very least. It is the reason why I want you to gain a rank in the top 10.¡±

    ¡°What happens if you gain a position in the top 3?¡±. Li Meng was sure to get there, so wanted to rify what the benefits would be.

    ¡°Although I wouldn¡¯t have such high hopes from you, its good to have a higher goal for motivation. If you manage to reach the top 3, you will be given a chance to be a direct disciple of one of the departments.¡±

    ¡°Those departments would be specified once you get there.¡±

    ¡°Your senior brother is a direct disciple with the Discipline Hall. He is the reason why we managed to get the thunder pool and the resources to run it. But it¡¯s not enough to raise our ranks. If you manage to be a direct disciple, then the branch you join would give us additional benefits along with the additional set of resources.¡±

    ¡°Is there something above it?¡±

    ¡°Above direct disciple is what you call as legacy disciples. They are the disciples who are personally trained by the inner elders to carry on their legacy. I wish you someday manage to get to that position. Our sect is sure to rise in rankings if you be one.¡±

    ¡°Is that the end?¡±

    .......................................

    Bu Puti looked at Li Meng. The matter turned a bit serious now. Li Meng was dreaming of something too high as of now. But looking at the innocence of his disciple he decided to tell him the truth.

    ¡°There are two more positions above it. The first one is inheritors, who are the disciples of the core elders. The top position is held by two a group of peoples who are called Holy sons and daughters. They are the disciples of Sect leader and the grand elders.¡±

    Li Meng didn¡¯t expect there to be such a big hierarchy among the students. It seemed that he needed to cultivate and raise his strength to a whole new level. His current strength should be enough to put him into the ranks of legacy disciples, but he chose to not disclose it since he would be asked to give an exnation.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t try to get hold of something you cannot chew. Give thepetition your best efforts, and leave the rest to fate. Your master would be happy if you just gave it your all.¡±

    Li Meng bowed and continued to discuss the rewards and requirements to appear in the tournament. They were enough to attract Li Meng¡¯s attention.

    ........................................

    ¡°Let¡¯s concentrate on training you first and then we will think about your future ns. You currently stand at the 5th level of 9 thunder body and 2nd level of Qi general. You need to divide your time between Qi and body training starting now.¡±

    ¡°Thunder-god academy concentrates on cultivating offensive cultivators, and hence thepetition will be based on your strength. Since you managed to open all your meridians, you have already gained an incredibly sturdy body. I can no wallow you to go and train at the top of the mountain.¡±

    ¡°The top of the mountain is always surrounded by thunderstorms and such a long umtion managed to create a concentrated thunder pool at the top. It is also the source of nourishment of all thunder attributed herbs which are used to sustain the Thunder pool. The thunder is quite violent.¡±

    ¡°The only person who is able to cultivate in there is our sect master and it is due to her strong cultivation. You have opened all your meridians and should be able to train in there. Make sure to greet her when you get there. Who knows she might shower you with some fortune?¡±

    .........................................

    Li Meng apanied Bu Puti to the top of the mountain. As stated earlier, the mountain was covered by violent thunderstorms. Bu Puti soon took a secret path and Li meng followed. After continuing for a period of time, they were greeted by light once more.

    The scenery surprised Li Meng. A huge crater was formed at the peak. Lightning was continuously raining down on the cliff and the atmosphere was filled with faint sparks. Li Meng¡¯s body began to subconsciously absorb the Qi from surrounding and he was feeling way more filling.

    ¡°The crater was filled with herbs and nts. One could even see faint crystals at the borders of the cliff. ¡°Those must be lightning stones.¡± Li Meng murmured to himself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too dazed. The real treasure is ahead of us.¡±. Both of them finally arrived at the core of the crater. A vast pool could be seen in the middle of the crater. It was even bigger than the one formed inside the Crimson Lord artifact. Li Meng was expecting the artifact to absorb it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be in a hurry. The one who is cultivating inside is quite strong. We won¡¯t be able to steal thunder energy from here. She would instantly notice.¡±

    ¡°My master is just a peak Qi general and he is already the vice-master. Just how powerful would the sect leader be.¡±

    ¡°She is at the advanced level, Qi King. Still want to steal from her.¡±

    Li Meng was instantly taken back. Advanced Qi king, what is such a powerful practitioner doing in these regions. ¡°Her exact cultivation should be at the seventh level. The thunder energy is here is the minimum requirement for her to cultivate. It would soon be useless to her.¡±

    ¡°I would suggest you practice with your full speed in here. The energy here is quite beneficial to you. It can not only improve your cultivation and advance your nine-thunder body, but another cleansing might also take ce.¡±

    ¡°But the thunder energy we collected wasn¡¯t able to do much.¡±

    ¡°Once the quality of energy changes, the benefits it brings with itself changes too. The thunder energy is pure enough to give rise to thunder crystals which are deposited at the bottom. The girl is using those to cultivate. It is a Qi King resources o you imagine its benefits. Just use all your meridians and acupoints to absorb the energy. I will aid you.¡±

    ¡°How much enhancement can it bring to my 9-thunder body art?¡±

    ¡°The energy quality is enough topletely cultivate it. But the time constraint is too less. You might just be able to break-through the sixth level along with a breakthrough of at most two-level in Qi cultivation.¡±

    ¡°If you decide to put in an extreme amount of effort, an upgrade of another level might be within our grasp.¡±

    ...................................................

    Bu Puti came forward and bowed in respect. ¡°I brought my disciple to train in here, as per yourmands.¡±

    ¡°So, he did manage to reach the sixth level of 9-thunder body art. I have to say we have got a heaven-defying talent within our sect¡±

    ¡°About that leader, he is still in the fifth cycle of 9-thunder body.¡±

    ¡°How dare you bring him here then?¡±. An absurd amount of irritation could be heard from her voice.

    ¡°He managed to achieve another miracle in body cultivation. You should be able to understand once you inspect his body.¡±. No voice was heard, but Li Meng could soon feel an energy shrouding his body. It was as if his body was being inspected from inside out. It was too shameless of the leader to do so without his permission.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have already covered most of the secrets. She wouldn¡¯t be able to identify most of them.¡± An assurance from the Keeper finally put Li Meng¡¯s heart at rest.

    ........................................

    ¡°Complete opening of all meridians. How did you manage to do it?¡± A figure jumped out of the pool and grabbed Li Meng¡¯s shoulder. The figure was extremely pretty and gracious.

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 Chapter 169

    169 THE FORGOTTEN PATH

    ¡°How did you manage to do it?¡¯ A gracious figure was currently forcing herself on Li Meng. Her beauty couldn¡¯t be described by mere words. Bu Puti tried to intervene and calm the sect leader.

    She finally let the shoulders go and calmed her demeanor. Her face changed back into a cold and serene expression.¡± I apologize for losing myposure a moment ago. Your achievements managed to surprise the hell out of me. You certainly are eligible to train within the pool now.¡±

    ¡°You must be informed about the uing tournament. Enter the pool and start amodating with the energy first. We will talk about the other matterster.¡±

    Bu Puti stood up and decided to take his leave. ¡°I leave my student in your care sect leader.¡±

    Li Meng followed the instructions given by the sect leader and entered the thunder pool after undressing. ¡°You will first be trying to amodate yourself to the violent thunder energy in here.¡±

    ¡°The constituted thunder energy is not something anyone can practice in. The concentration increases as you enter deeper into the pool. The border areas are something only people at the peak level of Qi general can adapt to. There is another path which makes your body capable enough to be a vessel for the thunder energy.¡±

    ¡°Body cultivation...¡± Li meng spoke instantaneously.

    ...........................................

    ¡°Exactly. Body cultivation is the only other way to enter. Now when I say body cultivation, it refers to the process of enhancing the attributes of your body. There has been no confirmed pathway for body cultivation in the history of martial artists, or if I may say it has been long lost.¡±

    .....

    ¡°It gave rise to researches conducted by various martial artists to create skills which can help enhance the body¡¯s attributes and elemental power, or even raw strength in general. 9-Thunder body art is something on the line of those skills, and was created by one of our ancestors for the disciples to practice in.¡±

    ¡°The thunder energy here can only be handled by someone who has reached the 6th level of 9-Thunder body art at the very least. But you are a much more specific specimen.¡±

    ¡°Remember when I previously said that all the ancient methods were lost. There were some instances where martial artists were able to get their hands on some pages or parts of those scriptures. It was also the base for the modern body cultivation arts. Opening the meridians was one of the recorded steps in the scriptures recovered by the martial artists at Thunder-god academy.¡±

    ¡°The path of body cultivation is a way slower and arduous one because of theck of these methods. Until now I have never seen a person who managed to open all their secondary meridians, except for my teacher. The major reason for that is notck of talent, but rather the fact that the difficulty seemed to have pushed this domain of cultivation as a neglected stream.¡±

    ¡®It is something which you might call as a forgotten path of cultivation.¡±

    ¡°But you managed to surprise me. Not only have you managed to open your primary meridians, but even all the secondary and tertiary meridians. My master did say that when you open a set of meridians, your body undergoes a metamorphosis. The metamorphosis includes both cleansing and enhancing body qualitatively.¡±

    ¡°From that perspective, you should have undergone it three times by now, have you not.¡±

    .......................................................

    Li Meng was surprised to see someone so knowledgeable about body cultivation in these regions. Thest time he managed to converse on this topic with someone was when he got the inheritance from the white dragon emperor.

    ¡°I understand your surprise to see someone having the knowledge about body cultivation, although I don¡¯t have much practice in that domain. It is because of the scriptures on this topic which my master force me to read.¡±

    ¡°If you want to get your hands on that advance knowledge, you too need to get epted as a core disciple of the academy. This pool just might be able to help with that. You will be concentrating on training here for the next four months, after which I will be apanying you to the Thunder-god academy.¡±

    ¡°I have never experienced the training speed of someone who has opened up all their meridians. I will now be passing thest four steps of the 9-thunder body to you along with my experience while cultivating it.¡±

    ¡°Can master tell me the highest speed while cultivating this art?¡± Li meng wanted to have an objective to pursue. The best way was to concentrate on someone who was at the top of the achievement board.

    ............................................................

    ¡°The record is held by the current sect leader of the Thunder-god academy. He managed toplete the whole 9-thunder body art while still being in the 6th level of Qi general. Li Meng couldn¡¯t see the relevance of this achievement.

    ¡°You must be thinking about the relevance of this speed, now that you are at the 3rd level of Qi general and already at the 5th level. You must be thinking that you just need to concentrate on the 9-thunder body art ad you would be able to do it.¡±. Li Meng didn¡¯t expect the sect leader to be so blunt.

    ¡°I too had the same doubt. You will find the fault when you start cultivating it. The only warning I can give you is in form of your master, Bu Puti.¡±

    ¡°What do you think about his currents stage of 9-thunder body?¡±

    ¡°Master must havepleted the art already since he is already at the peak of Qi general.¡±

    ¡°Your master is still in the 7th level peak of 9-thunder body. You shouldn¡¯t underestimate the difficulty of this art. Go ahead and do your best. Given you were able to reach the 6th level peak, you would already be able to reach the core disciple group.¡±

    ¡°What is the strength of the participating candidates master?¡±

    ¡°The participants have varying strengths which can¡¯t be measured with the traditional methods. But there were some instances of participants being able to exert the power of QI Kings two-three times.¡±

    Li Meng¡¯s thoughts were thrown into disarray once more.¡± You need to get a hold of yourself brat. Do you think you are the only one in the world who has got a good fortune in his life? Also, given you are ready to stake your life, you can easily take down a Qi king level practitioner at the beginner stage with that move of yours.¡±

    .............................................

    Li Meng entered the pool and the first wave of energy that entered his body on the first touch of water was already violent enough to make him halt and refine the energy.

    ¡°Amodate yourself at the outer borders first. Once your body is able to refine the energy continuously, enter the outer ring, and start training with it.¡±

    ¡°If you do manage to reach the seventh level of 9-thunder body, you will start training with the thunderstones. We can have a conversation about thepetition after your training period ends¡±

    The sect leader was looking at Long Tao who was refining the energy. ¡°Can this boy be the key to the development of the hall?¡±

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 Chapter 170

    170 STAR LUO ASSOCIATION

    Qin Wen¡¯s daily routine was a pretty hectic one and kept him busy all the time. It all started with him beings supplied with a task that falls within the limits of his capabilities (ording to his forging grade). Qin Wentian ordered him to begin with a single task a day, and then continue to increase the number as his capabilities grew.

    The process of forging a weapon was quiteplex. The first step was to go through the task and get an initial idea about the weapon or artifact to be built. After the idea is clear enough, it¡¯s time to first imagine a rough figure of the artifact and then shape it. The next step involved two parts.

    The first part was to start designing the structure of the artifact while the other involved enlisting all the resources required to create it. A rough list is finalized and approved by the requestor.

    The next step involved acquiring the required resource (generally exceeding the rough limit). After the resource was acquired, it had to be grouped into primary, secondary, and additives parts. Each individual group had a different set of steps to go through before being integrated into the artifact.

    The next stage was refining. It was one of the two mostbor-intensive tasks in the forging process because of the need to perform it in a single attempt. Be couldn¡¯t batch the process. It was followed by melting the material while the preparation of additives was done. Temperatures vary for each material and hence a strong me is required for forging.

    Once the melted material was obtained, the additives were mixed and the mixture was poured into a mold, it is allowed to rest and solidify. The solidified material is then taken to the forgery where the final forge of equipment is done.

    ................................................

    The forging included shaping, ttening, grinding, and sharpening among other things. It required a tremendous amount of strength toplete, and the final product should be within the required quality and design of the customers. The pce had some indigenous tasks for the disciple too.

    It gave the disciple the chance to forge along with elders of the pce. Once the final forge wasplete, the second phase f operation took ce.

    .....

    It included the embedding of formations into the weapons. The process was called augmentation and each formation drawn instills a unique property into the weapon. The customers specified the required properties. Some weapons were for strength enhancement, while others included an elemental augmentation, or boosting the Qi output.

    The costliest among all types were defense equipment. The reason behind this situation is the fact that defense equipment was considered to be of a particr grade only when it was able to withstand continuous attacks of weapons of the same level. While it was easy to build an offensive weapon, building a defensive weapon that can sustain an attack from it was incrediblyplex.

    The reason behind it was the fact that along with the weapon¡¯s inherent destructive capabilities, a huge portion of the attack¡¯s effectiveness lied on the attacker.

    If an enemy of extreme capabilities while being in the same stage of cultivation were to face off against the equipment, it should be able to parry the attack and protect the user.

    These reasons made defense equipment the hardest to forge and at the same time the best way to examine a forger¡¯s ability to craft artifacts.

    The basic requirement for getting a grade badge in forging was to make defensive equipment ording to the guidelines of the same grade.

    ................................................

    Qin Wentian¡¯s instructions were quite simple. He asked Qin Wen to concentrate on individual tasks first. The first period of training included refinement of materials. Qin Wen was forced to work day and night without rest until he finally managed to achieve the required grade as per Qin Wentian¡¯s demands.

    After that, he was paired along with multiple teachers, and sometimes Qin Wentian himself directed Qi Wen¡¯s progress in forging by having him work as his forge assistant.

    ¡°You need to persist through this process and amodate your body with this continuous set of heavy-duty tasks. Only then will you be able to walk the path of a weapon master. After you manage toplete 3 weapons forging with me and hit the mark which I set for you, you will officially be recognized as a weapon craft practitioner and given a newbie rank by the pce.¡±

    ¡°After you get the badge, you will be allowed to start independent forging, which would hereby be constituting a third of your time. Another third of the time should be dedicated to your cultivation. You need to enhance your strength continues to grow yourself as a weapon master. Weapon masters are the strongest in terms of physical strength and body control among all types of martial artists.¡±

    ¡°Thest part of your time will be invested in assisting me or the grand elders while we forge weapons.¡±

    A continuous and cumtive process started soon, and Qin Wen was soon able to begin forging on his own. Due to his superior talent and cultivation level, he soon overcame the hurdles and advanced in the grade of weapon masters. Qin Wentian was shocked to see the progress of his disciple.

    The very fact that his cultivation grew faster than his forging abilities which he invested most of his time on was surprising. ¡°You should invest more resources in his Qi training. His speed in weapon forging is quite shocking as it is.¡±

    ¡°That is the thing which worries me the most. Except for the materials, he never approaches me for resources required in Qi cultivation. It is almost as if he has an endless supply of resources. Have you seen his fire control?¡±

    ¡°I have experienced the drastic speed with which his ability to control fire increased. Even when I see the strikes he makes, gives me an ethereal feeling. I have a premonition for a long time, which he needs to confirm.¡±

    ¡°Is it something important?¡±

    ¡°When I gave him the hammer, I didn¡¯t expect him to be able to use it until he reaches the Qi King ss at the very least. Even if he manages to use it after reaching my cultivation level, would be surprising enough.¡±

    .......................................

    Qin Wentian¡¯s expressions suddenly changed. It was true that he hadn¡¯t noticed the pair of hammers being used by his disciple. When he finally got a view, he was taken back. ¡°how can this be?¡±

    ¡°You must be aware of the basic requirements before being capable of using that hammer, but he already managed to use it when he entered the Qi general stage.¡±

    ¡°I have a premonition regarding an alternate path that would allow him to use the hammer. I just need his confirmation. Mark my words, if my premonition is correct, and he confirms it, the being in front of us is a monster.¡±

    .......................................

    Qin Wen was underway of creating a defensive gear for Qi master practitioners. Onceplete he could formally start forging level 3 weapons (Qi general). The continuous banging of his hammer was heard throughout the hall. The rhythm would push any weapon master into a momentary daze.

    As time progressed, the strikes became increasingly faster and more violent, until the final bang was heard and Qin Wen pushed the artifact into a cooling pool.

    He then set to polish it and started the second part, which was drawing formation. Due to the recent training in the crimson Lord world, his soul strength was incredibly high, he became a third rank formation master. (evident from the concealing and energy-absorbing formations he set near the pit.)

    The final product was soonplete. Qi Wen didn¡¯t waste time and rushed towards Qin Wentian¡¯s forgery to show him his product. Shocking he discovered that the elder from the weapon hall was also present.

    ..........................................

    ¡°You can finally start creating third level weapons. You have performed quite well and will be rewarded for your hard efforts.¡± Both the elders said after they inspected the weapon forged by Qin Wen.

    The elder from the weapon hall asked: ¡°what is your current cultivation level?¡±

    ¡°I am at the first stage of Qi general, elder.¡±

    ¡°What about the other path?¡±

    ¡°Which one is elder referring to?¡±

    ¡°The body cultivation path?¡±. Qin Wen was hesitating, but the elder came forward and inspected Qin Wen¡¯s body by himself. After the inspection ended, his eyes almost bulged out of shock.

    ¡°You opened all the meridians in your body.¡±. Upon hearing the statement Qin Wentian was thrown into shock too. His disciple already opened all the meridians in his body.

    An awkward silence permeated throughout the hall.

    ...........................................

    ¡°It¡¯s time for him to know about that.¡±. Qin Wentian nodded. He instructed Qin Wen to take a seat.

    ¡°Since you are quite near to bing a third rank weapon master, it¡¯s time you set out to take the next step in the path of weapon forging. I want you to train like hell and concentrate on forging for the next few months.¡±

    ¡°Once you are capable of making two defensive equipments without taking rest, we will leave for the Star Luo Association.¡±

    ¡°What is the Star Luo association master?¡±

    ¡°It is the sovereign governing body of all weapon masters of 3rd rank and above. It issues your batch after you undertake and pass their exams and is also the prime location for your future weapon master training. Once you qualify for their special exams, you officially be a member of the association and perform tasks given by them. It is also the holynd of all knowledge rted to Weapon Forging.¡±

    ¡°It is going to be your next stop.¡±

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 Chapter 171

    171 ADVANCED THIRD GRADE ALCHEMIST

    Long Tao¡¯s training was pretty streamlined due to the genius formtion by the master of the pill hall. As advised by the hall maser, he dedicated three avatars to alchemy training. Lu Ming (Long Tao¡¯s avatar in pill hall) was busy practicing in soul arts.

    ¡°There are two efficient ways of practicing soul `energy, which could give out very apparent results.¡±

    ¡°The first is to visualize your soul space as a container. A soul space, unless regted with specific methods, always remains the exact same throughout the life of a cultivator.¡±

    ¡°The two most effective properties are the quantity and quality of your soul energy. In pill concoction, the sess of the pill depends on the quantity, while the grade of the pill formed, would depend on the quality of soul energy and its usage.¡±

    ¡°The first type of training which you would be doing is to understand your boundaries when ites to overall soul space capacity. You just need to start expending the soul power, until there is barely anything remaining. A cultivator tends to lose consciousness once their soul power drops below 20%. You are to train until you are near that boundary.¡±

    ¡°Once the container empties, you will begin the refilling using the recovery form and the pill you concocted while being in grade 2. I guess it will take time, but you would be able to see the results as time goes by. The results would be apparent during pill concoction.¡±

    ¡°No matter how talented you are, you wouldn¡¯t be able to train more than 4 times a day like this. Hence this training will be done every 4 days. In the meantime, you will be practicing soul arts. The omnipotent soul manual did provide you with soul attack and defense arts right. Even the illusion arts are a good way of practice.¡±

    ¡°since you have three days in between every consecutive quality training, you are going to divide them between the three types. Although there are other ways to utilize soul power, for the time being, concentrate on these three aspects.

    ¡°You want me to practice each of the arts every single day?¡±

    .....

    ¡°Yes, that would be the best choice to go with. You can even improvise on the attack arts, like changing the shape and trying to instill more energy on a singr attack. The possibilities are endless. Just go ahead with what suits you the best. It would have been even more efficient if we could have found you a sparring partner.¡±

    As Lu Ming began his training of the soul, the initial days were filled with extreme agony. Although the Hall master advised doing an 80% drain, every time Long Tao went below the level of 40, the pain in his soul just reached new heights.

    ¡°You need to persist through the pain. Remember, you are utilizing the soul energy in a regted fashion by your own will. It won¡¯t be detrimental to you like it would have been if you had used this much against an enemy.¡±

    ¡°So, concentrate. Your cautious attitude holds your power back. You need to use it as freely as possible.¡±

    Hence the soul training began.

    .............................................................

    ¡°The next aspect you need to take care of is your elemental affinity, especially fire affinity. Fortunately, there have been some enhancements due to the training in the fire vein for thest month. Although a direct energy input from the firestone would be too much for you, a diluted version is usable.¡±

    ¡°The fire pool condensed this time should be used as the first training zone.¡±

    ¡°You need to keep in mind that fire energy is a type of energy at the end of the day. If used in one manner, it can help you improve your Qi cultivation. But rather than doing that, I would like you to utilize the maximum amount of that power to reinforce your body, especially your bones, veins, meridians, and acupoints.¡±

    ¡°It is the same as body cultivation, but rather than excavating, you are strengthening, or rather buffing them you with stacks of new energyyers.¡±

    ¡°The process would not only help reinforce every single part of you, it would also help in tempering and cleansing of your body. There might be growth in Qi cultivation. Just ignore that aspect.¡±

    ¡°I suppose the pol would be able tost you until a long time, or at least for the current training period. As for the other elemental affinities, you don¡¯t need to mind them as of now since they are bnced due to your training in them by the other avatars.¡±

    ¡°Once you manage topletely absorb the fire pool, the fire stones would be next in line. As I said before, if you really want to improve your firepower and affinity, you need to suppress your cultivation to the best of your abilities and utilize this fire pool to improve your body.¡±

    ¡°The other aspect is training in fire arts. Alchemy is highly dependent on the skilled use of your fire abilities. The skill training will also be done in three phases. One isplete drainage and refill. This time, you will use the energy in the pool to refill your Qi. Also, aplete exhaust is required in this case.¡±

    ¡°The other two are using your fire attack and conjure skills. Attacks are to be practiced on live moving targets and there are some possibilities like manipting its direction and increasing and decreasing the output fire.¡±

    ¡°On the other hand, conjuring is a much better and faster way to improve your ability to manipte fire. It requires an incredible amount of concentration and imagination. Try conjuring the objects you are most familiar with. You are to first try and conjure singr objects and practice with them. After that, you will try to conjure multiple objects at the same time.¡±

    ¡°How long would I train in this way?¡±

    ¡°Until you can sessfully conjure at least 20 different objects at the same time. You fire training would be over that day.¡±

    ..............................??.................

    ¡°Should I cultivate the skills first and then go for alchemy?¡±

    ¡°You already qualify the minimum requirements for the concoction of this pill. The material for white dew was avable, but as for the rest of the herbs required for the other pills, you need to collect some samples and start cultivating them within the artifact. Begin the concoction by refining the materials first. Then you need to extract their essence andbine all of those to give rise to a pill. The next step would be the pill merging.¡±

    ¡°Concentrate your soul energy tobine the pills and thest one would be final concoction which would result in pill formation.¡±

    Long Tao began the alchemy. The first batch took a very long time and the end result was just a single low grade one. Long Tao stored it and began practicing with the second batch. The second batch was rtively easier to concoct, but the result was the same. After three more trials, Long Tao was finally able to get two low-grade pills, but he drained all his soul energy and lost consciousness.

    After some recovery was done, he began to practice once more. He found out that the maximum amount of trials he could sessfully execute on a single recovery break was no greater than 6. But the result started to show up. Initially, the number of pills grew more and more, but soon enough the quality began to rise too.¡±

    Long Tao instructed one of the avatars to go ahead and sell these pills to merchant organizations ad auction house. Sure enough, alchemy was a profession of great wealth.

    ...................................................

    1 year within the crimson lord world-

    Long Tao finally tried to concoct a top-grade white dew pill and seeded. The second batch soon came up.

    ¡°You are ready to jump to the next stage. You will start a concoction of bone powder now. Remember, Horsesnow is not easy to refine. The major differences are not only the difficult ingredients but the extra purification process to be carried out at the end. As you are now, refining a low-grade batch is easy. The problems start thereafter.¡±

    ¡°How long is this going to take?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t confirm the time period. You have average talent in alchemy and are notparable to the Crimson lords in the past.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I am the most talented among all crimson lords?¡±

    ¡°I referred it on the basis of overall talent, not just alchemy. In terms of alchemy, you are not even considered a talent as of now. But if we can¡¯t make up for the requirements with talents, we just have to put in more effort. That is the benefit of having the Crimson lord artifact. Just continue to persevere.¡±

    Long Tao didn¡¯t have a reply at this stage. He decided to give his best. As predicted by the hall master, the benefits of his training were slowly pilling up. He could perform alchemy much better, and his fire control has grown a lot. The same went for the qualitative growth of his soul energy.

    When he first started refining the bone powder, Long Tao wasn¡¯t sure about the final mixing and refining ofponents, but as he went on with the recipe, he was bale to coagte the product and obtain a low-grade slurry. The slurry was radiating off a white luster and upon application over the body, Long Tao could feel its assimtion over his bone.

    ¡°You performed better than expected, almost creating a middle-grade slurry. This refining might take less time than the previous ones, but remember, 2 batches of top-grade bone powder are a must to switch to the next stage.¡±

    ...................................................

    Another year within the Crimson lord world-

    Long Tao was concentrating on the medical pot. The refining finally took ce and they sessfully managed to coagte with each other. This was thest part of the pill formation. The core was at its ce and the assimtion of the outer coating was on its way. Finally, with a loud bang, the pill cauldron exploded and a greenish pill fell on the floor.

    Long Tao picked it up and looked at it with excitement. ¡°You managed to create a top-grade haze pill. Congrattions on finally entering the advanced level of the 3rd-grade alchemist.¡±

    Long Tao was now confident about winning the uing pill brewpetition.

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 Chapter 172

    172 TIME TO LEAVE

    ¡°Can I end the process of concocting now?¡±

    ¡°your mentality is not fit for pill cultivation. It seems I need to modify the teaching n to temper your patience. From now onwards till the end of the next year, you are going to switch to the next level only after concocting 10 batches of pill of the top grade.¡±

    Long Tao stood there, gaping at the nk air in front of him. 10 batches of top-grade pills. It was too much of a mental burden on him, but the hall master didn¡¯t even bother to look at him afterpleting his sentence. Although the benefits obtained were enormous, Long Tao liked to calm his mind down once in a while.

    ¡°What is the basis of me passing the test you put forward?¡±

    ¡°If you find yourself good enough to be the master of this artifact, one of the future crimson lords, thenplete the task given to you till the end.¡±

    Long Tao rushed into the pill brewing room and began the concoction of the next pill in the list. In the meantime, a huge amount of profits was being generated by selling the pills in the market to therge trade organizations. Long Tao was fortunate enough to get his hands on the herbs required to concoct the remaining pill son the list. The Crimson Lord artifact provided an immense, almost unending area for the growth of the herbs.

    It was also the reason behind Long Tao¡¯s ability to continue to concoct numerous batches of any pill type. ¡°Did the initial ntation started to yield herbs for the next pill on the list?¡±

    ¡°The growth is quite rapid after the advancement of the artifact due to the absorption of the fire vein. The produce doubles almost every two days. You don¡¯t need to worry about the materials required. Just use all your concentration to concoct the rest of the pills.¡±

    Long Tao had exactly 1 year for the concoction of 10 top-grade batches of the remaining 7 pill recipes.

    .....

    ...........................??...

    Lu Ming was practicing his soul power when a sudden arrival broke his meditation. It was none other than the sect leader who arrived on the scene. The time to start the journey for the central ins finally arrived.

    ¡°It¡¯s time for you to leave for Pill valley.¡±

    ¡°Did master finish his isted training? Will I be able to greet him before leaving the institute?¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t need to greet him. His instruction for you was to go forth and do your best in the pill brewpetition. Both of us would be present in the pill valley to receive you.¡±

    The sect leader handed over a ring to Lu Ming. ¡°This ring contains everything starting from pill recipes, herbs, supplies to some weapons, and even money. You are the top student toe out of my Pill hall this year. This ring not only represents a prize, but our expectation from you to perform well in thepetition. Don¡¯t let those down.¡±

    ¡°I would try my best toe out on top.¡±

    Lu Ming left the institute after some time and went to the nearest merchant guild. ¡°How may I help you, sir?¡±

    ¡°I would like to order a map, the best one you got which can show the pathway to the central ins.¡±

    ¡°I will have it in a moment, sir.¡± The receptionist left and Lu Ming was left alone in the hall. He began to browse the content stored within the shelves. The pills attracted his attention. In the scriptures he read in the academy, some of these pills had the same effects as the one he had concocted, but the effects were iparable.

    ¡°Did some of these pills catch the eye of esteemed sir?¡±

    ¡°How much would these Pill cost me?¡±

    The receptionist was about to reveal the price when an arrogant voice sounded. ¡°These pills can¡¯t be bought by the resources in your pocket. Rather than wasting the shops time, just get out of here.¡±

    The source of these nastyments was a man dded in rich garments. ¡°Young Master Hai. It¡¯s a matter of pride for our shop to be blessed with your presence. How may I help you?¡±

    The receptionist didn¡¯t even bother to get justice for Lu Ming and ignored himpletely. Lu Ming couldn¡¯t help butugh. How long has it been since he was treated this badly? He simply picked the map up and walked towards the exit.

    ...........................

    ¡°Leeches like you should always know their ce.¡± Young master Hai spoke up once more.

    Lu Ming looked at the receptionist and said: ¡°Is this how your guild treats its customer. You are going to let him speak nonsense about me now that the trade isplete.¡±

    The receptionist looked at Lu Ming with disgust. ¡°Mind your words. Who the hell are you to revoke Young master Hai¡¯s words? Just take your map and get lost.¡±

    Lu Ming gave out a small sigh. ¡°I was about to propose a trade, but let¡¯s just leave it there.¡± He exited. He didn¡¯t want to create any ruckus in here. The figures standing within the store mocked him.

    .......................

    Behind the curtains, on the top floor of the guild-

    ¡°Follow him.¡±. A sweet feline voice sounded.

    ¡°Does Miss think of him as a valuable customer, or is he someone you know?¡±

    ¡°How did idiots like to get the jobs as the handlers of my guilds sub-branches. Didn¡¯t you even notice his expression when he saw the pills on the shelves. He was unfazed after looking at the price tags and was even asking for the total cost. He must be wishing to trade something with us. Follow him and see where he goes next.¡±

    ¡°You are to report any incidents rted to him.¡±. The men in the shadows instantly disappeared.

    ............................

    Another guild in the nearby area-

    Lu Ming decided to propose a trade for the low-grade pills he concocted. He required some huge mary funding to have a smooth trip to the central ins. The receptionist this time was an old man.

    ¡°How may I help this younger brother?¡±

    ¡°I would like to propose a trade with your guild master.¡±

    The old men looked intrigued. ¡°may I know what the contents of trade would be.¡± Lu Ming simply handed a small bottle to the old man. Upon opening a pill fell out of it. A st of herbal aroma spread throughout the hall, attracting everybody¡¯s attention. The old man was shocked to see the pill.

    ¡°It is a Qi recovery pill of third grade. It is one of themodities I wish to sell to your store.¡±

    The old man asked Lu Ming to wait till he gets the guild master. Soon enough Lu Ming was escorted to the office of the current guild master. A fairly young-looking blonde was sitting on the central chair. He was bust examining the pill presented by Lu Ming.

    ¡°Please have a seat, dear customer. May I know the overall contents of the trade you wish to propose.¡±

    Lu Ming took out 10 bottles filled with ten different varieties of pills. ¡°These are the pill I wish to sell. As per the effect of these pills, they range from Qi replenishment to bone and marrow cleansing to bloodline enhancement. One of these can also be used during the promotion from mid to advance level Qi general for a smooth advancement.¡±

    ¡°As per their value, the one you are holding has the least value of all, while the one used for promotion is the most valuable.¡±

    .......................

    The guild master gaped at the bottles with shock. How could this be? Just the pill in his hand was already better than ten of the top pills within the storebined, and there were nine different pills better than this one.

    He decided to buy all of it and instantly carried out the transaction with Lu Ming. The QI stones were exchanged and he gave some maps, a ride, and some other utilities free of cost.

    ¡°In the case of future trades, our doors are always open for the master toe in.¡±

    ¡°I would be sure to contact you in case of future opportunities.¡± The guild master even gave a gold card to Lu Ming.

    ¡°I hear that your destination seems to be the central ins. Our merchant guild has offices throughout the Qi continent. You could show this card in any of our guilds and would be treated as an honorable guest of the guild.¡±

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 Chapter 173

    173 SU MENQI¡¯S BACKGROUND

    The transaction which took ce between Lu Ming and the manager of the merchant guild was experienced by the shadow. He was amazed by the first pill taken out by Lu Ming. It was already more valuable than anything they had. Upon following their conversation, he even came to find out that there were ten pills, even superior quality to the ones before.

    He began toment his decision of underestimating Lu Ming. They could have made a huge profit out of this trade. The value was visible by the transfer of the gold card to Lu Ming. It already signified how enormous the trade was. HE knew what the oue of this report was going to be.

    When the girl behind the curtains finally heard the whole conversation, which transpired between Lu Ming and the manager, she banged her fist on the table.

    ¡°Call that bastard out and give him 1000 thrashes before crippling his cultivation and kicking him out.¡±

    ¡°As per that young Master Hai, capture him and beat him to near death. It¡¯s time we teach our customers the etiquette they need to follow when trading with our organization. Also, take out some good treasures and follow me to meet the man.¡±

    ......................................................

    Lu Ming left the guild and made his way to the nearest food stalls to gather supplies for his journey. Although cultivators didn¡¯t require to eat or sleep due to cultivation, Lu Ming desired toy down his burdens and enjoy life every once in a while.

    He made his way to the biggest restaurant in the nearby area. ¡°I wee sir, to our humble establishment. Would like to book a table for one?¡±

    ¡°Take me to the location having the best scenery in the whole building.¡±. The waiter asked Lu Ming to follow him upstairs and finally arrived at a window-side seat. Lu Ming sat down and ordered the waiter to bring all their top dishes to try. He tossed some middle-grade Qi stones to the waiter, who looked at it with an amazed expression.

    .....

    Low-grade stones were used to pay for the dishes, and this customer was generous enough to tip him with middle-grade stones. He instantly bowed and left to arrange the dishes.

    Lu Ming was viewing the area around when a familiar voice sounded once again. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to find this bastard here.¡±

    ¡°Is he the one who took thest seat at the restaurant?¡± It was none other than young master Hai, who arrived with ady by his side. He was cursing at the waiter to arrange him a seat. ¡°I request sir to wait for a vacancy. All the seats are upied as of now.¡±

    ¡°Is that so.¡± Young master Haiughed and walked towards Lu Ming. He paused beside Lu Ming and banged his fists on the table. ¡°This master has taken a liking to this table, vacate it and find your seat elsewhere.¡±

    Lu Ming didn¡¯t reply for some time but looked at the waiter, who stood there with his head down and an apologizing gaze. Lu Ming sighed and looked back at the scenery.

    ???Are your deaf you bastard? I ordered you to get your ass off this seat and fuck off. I...¡± A hand suddenly grabbed Young master Hai¡¯s neck and choked his breath. He was then thrown out of the restaurants and his guards beaten down.

    It all happened so suddenly that no one had any time to react. A figure appeared in front of the bruised body of Young master Hai and took out a silver card from his vest. ¡°You are hereby banned from entering our guild. Your cultivation would be crippled on sight by our members.¡±

    Young master didn¡¯t understand what happened. The man who beat him down was an officer of the biggest merchant guild around. Why would he injure a valuable customer like him?

    Meanwhile, Lu Ming was unfazed and still gazing at distant scenery and enjoying the food which just arrived.

    ....................................................

    ¡°May I have the good fortune to have a seat on this table.¡± A gracious figure appeared beside Lu Ming. Her beautiful face and well-defined curves mesmerized the atmosphere and made it hard for some men to even breathe. One would be fortunate to be able to court her, but the one sitting at the table didn¡¯t even bother to look up.

    ¡°as per my memory, I have booked this whole table for myself, and there is no rule stating to share it with anyone. Hence, it would be appreciated if I was left alone.¡±

    Thedyughed a bit and took a seat. She took out a small wooden box. ¡°I would like to ask for your forgiveness for this intrusion, as well as the behavior of one of our employees earlier this day.¡± A man appeared beside her carrying another small box.

    ¡°As a token of apology, I would request young Taoist to ept these tributes and not have a blind judgment regarding our organization.¡± She signaled and the man beside her opened up the box he was carrying. It had a golden card within it. ¡°This is an exclusive membership card for esteemed guests. Please ept it.¡±

    Lu Ming turned to look at her and gave out a hugeugh.

    .......................................................

    ¡°I really love to see all the hypocrisy in the world. If not for the materials I carry with myself, you wouldn¡¯t even bother to get justice for a customer who was defamed in your own organization. Now that your spy managed to eavesdrop on my conversation and knew about my treasures, you want to prove yourself as righteous.¡±

    Both the girl and the man looked at Lu Ming with shock. ¡°I would rather not do trade with such a selfish group of peoples.¡±

    The man beside her seemed agitated upon hearing Lu Ming¡¯s words. ¡°How dare you?¡¯ he was about to move forward when the girl suddenly raised her hands to stop him. ¡°I beg your pardon for my servant¡¯s attitude. We don¡¯te bearing any hatred and are extremely embarrassed about our previous discourtesy. I would like to apologize for the inconvenience and am truly hopeful of establishing a friendship with sir.¡±

    Lu Ming was impressed by the girl¡¯s behavior. She didn¡¯t even react to his harshments. A devious merchant to the core. He decided to push it a bit further and see what happens.

    ¡°A sadistic bitch with a mentality to run after fortune is not someone I would like to trade with. What happens if some day you are no longer able to get any benefits out of me. You would just go ahead and be someone else¡¯s bitch.¡±

    Her guard couldn¡¯t take it anymore and released an offensive aura. Level 5 Qi general could intimidate most of the cultivators in this region. but when the aura was about to approach Lu Ming it suddenly got dissipated and the man gave out a loud scream. It felt like his soul was being torn open.

    The girl was shocked to see the view. She was going to stop the man beside her, but the scene as of now was way different. The guard beside her was a level 5 Qi general. He would be positioned as an esteemed elder of the sects around this ce, but he was kneeling down and screaming out of pain.

    The phenomena couldn¡¯t be described bymon sense and she could only stare at her servant with disbelief.

    ..............................................

    When she looked at Lu Ming, he had a smile stered all over his face, a vicious aura pouring out of his body. A level 5 Qi general at such a young age and his means seemed to be extraordinary. ¡°I request esteemed sir to pardon my servant. He wouldn¡¯t be able to take the torture any further. We would like topensate for the inconvenience caused to you.¡± She took out another Qi ring and forwarded it to Lu Ming.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want us to have a confrontation. This contains enough amount of resources to help in your cultivation for a bit. I would be taking my leave now.¡± Lu Ming released the guard and retracted his aura.

    The tables seemed to have turned. Her ns had failed and escaping was the best option in this situation. She called out for the guards stationed outside and ordered them to carry the man¡¯s body out of the restaurant. ¡°I still hope for friendly cooperation.¡± She bowed and exited the restaurant

    ¡°Another batch of wine for me, and parcel ten batches of all the food I just had.¡± Lu Ming continued his meal.

    ..............................................

    A corner of the forest regions-

    A group of men was rushing towards the Jiao country at an extremely fast pace. Their leader, who stood out among the group was conversing with one of his men.

    ¡°you sure about her appearing in these regions.¡±

    ¡°I was inspecting these regions during the war between the Jiao and Chu countries. I am sure she is a general of the Jiao military and was leading a troop against another QI general. Her current cultivation should be in level 3 of Qi general realm.¡±

    ¡°We need to verify and capture her if possible. She is the one our leader is after for a long time.¡±

    ¡°I am afraid It wouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± A distant voice sounded from within the surrounding trees. The men halted their progress and started to stare around with caution. A swift breeze of air soon passed through the group, and blood sprayed all around. Ten heads were lying in a huge pool of blood.

    ¡°How did they know about this location¡± An old voice sounded out.

    ¡°The war this time seems to have attracted their attention and one of the spies must have got a glimpse of young miss. We need to report this matter to the master. The enemy would soon arrive at our doors. We need to evacuate ASAP.¡±

    .............................................

    Long Tao was bust with his troop training. The ckbuck squad was progressing at a great speed. 5 of the cultivators were recently promoted to Qi general realm, strengthening the overall power of the squad.

    Long Tao was bust coronating them with an award for their progress when a sudden arrival surprised the whole venue. It was the general of the north-eastern military region. The general was greeted with a salute by the whole squad and he personally congratted the newly promoted soldiers.

    ¡°I wee the general to my humble camp. May I know the reason for this sudden visit.¡±

    The general asked for a private meeting with Long Tao. Long Tao immediately asked the squad to disperse back to their training and proceeded towards his camp. Once they were alone in his camp, the general asked for the reports regarding the current governance and control over the new region.

    ¡°All is going well, sir. I would be able to gain full control in the next 3 months.¡±

    ¡°I would like to ask you a personal question, vice-general.¡±

    ¡°Do you love Su Menqi?¡±. Long Tao was taken back by the question. He simply started at the general for a long time.

    .....................???.............................

    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to amaze you. I havee today to confess my rtion with her...¡±.

    ¡°She is our daughter.¡± A feminine voice sounded. Long Tao turned around a saw a lovely woman walking into the tent. After a good enough stare, he was finally able to ce his thoughts in the right ce. She had a great resemnce to Su Menqi¡¯s look.

    ¡°Our daughter seemed to be infatuated with you, and hence we would like to rify something on her behalf. If you truly decide to apany her, you will be facing deadly enemies throughout your life. there won¡¯t be a single minute of your day when you can let your guard down.¡±

    ¡°Do you still wish to apany her, after knowing the consequences?¡±

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 Chapter 174

    174 PROTECT HER

    ¡°Our daughter seemed to be infatuated with you, and hence we would like to rify something on her behalf. If you truly decide to apany her, you will be facing deadly enemies throughout your life. Would you still like to take her as your wife?¡±

    Long Tao was taken back by the words of the lovely woman.¡± May I know who madam is? I remember Su Menqi stating that she was an orphan. The very fact that the general is iming himself to be her father is already incoherent with my knowledge, and suddenly you came forward.¡±

    ¡°I am her mother.¡± The woman¡¯s countenance didn¡¯t change on hearing Long Tao¡¯s words. The aura she gave out was unwavering. Although Long Tao had his doubts, somewhere in his mind, he felt the situation to be true.

    ...............................................

    ¡°Any new inputs by you?¡± Long Tao asked the Keeper. ¡± I suppose you already know the answer I am about to give you.¡± The Keeper replied.

    ¡°These two have masked their cultivation as well.¡±

    ¡°They have, with a very power treasure set. Even I couldn¡¯t gauge their cultivation properly as of now. The woman should be in the Qi King realm, at least in the advanced stage. As per the general, he is even more unfathomable. Although the auraing out of him is 5that of a king, it seems to be unnatural.¡±

    ¡°It feels as if it was caused due to some maniption or injury. He should be a cultivator of an even higher grade.¡±

    ¡°I guess I need to tighten my guard against these people. If what they are telling is true, then Su Menqi¡¯s origin is quite mysterious. But it would exin the special constitution she possesses.¡±

    .....

    ¡°The ice-jade body is one of the supreme bodies if cultivated in a proper way. From what I felt back then, it qualified as a natural body of the superior state, but her power seemed to have been sealed by someone. I think it is the woman in front of you who did that. You need to inquire about Su Menqi¡¯s condition from her, but maintain a discretion.¡±

    ¡°What are our chances of escaping sessfully, if they decide to go on an offensive spree?¡±

    ¡°Although I couldn¡¯t win in a fight against these two, escaping with your body is a simple task for me. Just go with the normal flow. I don¡¯t sense any hostile auraing from them, so they must have a more serious reason to approach you.¡±

    ...............................................

    ¡°I hope mdy is not offended on my remark that you aren¡¯t allowed to enter the tent of a vice-general without permission, even if you are the general¡¯s wife.¡± Long Tao¡¯s remark surprised the duo. He wasn¡¯t even a bit nervous when confronting either of them.

    ¡°As per the matter of Su Menqi¡¯s protection goes, I will give my best to enable her to be strong enough to protect herself. She wouldn¡¯t be requiring me to protect her life. I am still doubtful about either of your motives and hence would like to have a verification conducted by Su Menqi herself.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha...¡± The womanughed out. She expected a varied collection of expressions from Long Tao, but she was taken by surprise to hear how casual his attitude is. He didn¡¯t even bother to show the minimum courtesy to either of them and directly transferred the matter to Su Menqi.

    ¡°I had my doubts when I heard about how cunning you are, but those words seem to be an understatement now. I am indeed her mother and she won¡¯t be able to recognize either of us, because we sealed her memorypletely. The seal on her body would have stayed hidden and undiscovered until you stepped in and helped in increasing her cultivation.¡±.

    ¡°Are you saying that the so-called seal you put on her restricted her cultivation speed? Just which parent would knowingly hinder their child¡¯s progress. Your exnation seems even more far-fetched now.¡±

    ¡°We would like you to hear us out, Long Tao.¡±

    ..................................................

    ¡°I was the son of a powerful family, or at least I believed in the strength of my seniors until one day the whole family was wiped out by a group of unknown cultivators. I managed to escape due to the sacrifice of my mother and father. They sealed their lifetime of cultivation within my body along with our ancestral treasures.¡±

    ¡°I continued to cultivate, joined multiple organizations, and grew stronger and stronger. It was the same time at which I decided to investigate the attack which urred in my family. I slowly traced the attacker¡¯s footsteps to multiple groups, all of which I massacred. But the trail seemed endless. ¡±

    ¡°It was also during that time when I came to understand how deep the conspiracy to eliminate my household was. It was none other than a group of other noble households who conspired against our family. I couldn¡¯te to peace with the enemies that remained alive and pursued more and more power.¡±

    ¡°It was during this journey that I came across one of the most powerful organizations in the empire. I met an innocent girl there who I instantly fell in love with. I pursued her and finally managed to win her heart. All this time I was unaware of her identity. She was one of the holy-daughters of the organization.¡±

    The general decided to top her and the woman continued thereafter.

    ¡°We decided to flee away together and married each other. It was during this time that the organization behind me ordered a kill on sight order for either of us. They couldn¡¯t allow my betrayal to go unpunished and began the pursual.¡±

    ¡°We were on the run and managed to form a small group with some strong allies amidst us. We tracked down theplete set of groups who were involved in the killing of his family, and guess what, the group was spearheaded by the organization which I belonged to.¡±

    ..........................................................

    ¡°I the process of punishing me, they killed all my family members, and thus a blood grudge formed between the two of us and the organization. We swore to enact revenge on them. Fortunately for us, our strength was rising at a good pace and we both stepped into the realm of emperors.¡±

    Long Tao was shocked to hear that both of them were emperors. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the woman was a Qi king?¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find any traces of injury in her body. It could mean only one thing. She knowingly abandoned her cultivation base to perform some taboo art.¡± The Keeper replied.

    ¡°Is it rted to the ice-jade body?¡±

    ¡°The ice-jade body is hereditary. It doesn¡¯t require any transfer of power. It must have urred during a confrontation with the enemy. You need to be a little careful boy. The matter seems to have some depth in it. If two emperors weren¡¯t able to dissolve the enemy forces, it must contain someone of an even higher realm.¡±

    Long Tao was stumped for a moment. An enemy with a cultivation base greater than the emperor realm. ¡°A monarch level practitioner.¡±

    ¡°I guess so.¡± The Keeper replied in a casual tone.

    ............................................................

    ¡°We confronted the enemy multiple times ad managed to inflict a huge amount of damage to the opponent. Your general was the one spearheading the group, while I was in charge of nning, support, and assassination. We managed to follow through with this tactic for some time.¡±

    ¡°The situation changed when we were first made aware of the baby inside me. We decided to halt our progress and go into the shadows until the matter is settled, but there was a traitor amongst us. A sworn brother of ours betrayed us to the enemy and they got the location where I was going to deliver the baby.¡±

    ¡°They decided to strike at my weakest moment with their full force. We tried our best to stay alive and kill the enemy.¡±

    ¡°You did manage to survive. You should be thankful to fate for that.¡±

    ¡°The cost was not small. Every single brother of ours was killed, our organization destroyed and each of us getting inflicted by the injury.¡±

    ¡°The general was attacked simultaneously by multiple emperors and a permanent wound was inflicted on his body, while I decided to abandon my then cultivation base to perform a taboo spell. It managed to wipe out most of the enemies and helped us escape. We have been hiding ever since.¡±

    The general, who was sitting with a grim expression decided to speak up:

    ¡°We reached a consensus that it would be best to seal the natural body type of Su Menqi and wipe her memories. We decided to have one of our subordinates to raise her. Her seal was perfectly intact until you came forward and took charge of the ck-buck squad.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how your training regimen works and how you were able t train all these soldiers so fast, but the seal was ultimately getting weakened day by day. The day isn¡¯t far off when the seal on her bodypletely breaks apart.¡±

    ................................................

    ¡°We recently spotted enemy forces approaching this region. They must have managed to track the ice-jade body, now that the seal is getting weaker and weaker. Initially, we thought of escaping with her and have someone take care of the seal. But it was during this time that you stepped onto the stage.¡±

    ¡°She is lovesick and obsessed with you. For someone who has taken so many things from my daughter, I don¡¯t want to take you from him. Hence, I have a request. Please run away with her and keep her safe.¡±

    ¡± Protect her, until she is finally capable enough to protect her own.¡±

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 Chapter 175

    175 THE WUJI CITY

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be safer if youe along with us?¡± Long Tao never backed down from a challenge, but the enemy this time was a monarch level power. It was better to have as many powerful allies near to you as possible.

    ¡°I understand where it ising from. But now that the enemy has gotten wind about our stay in these regions, we need to stay behind to hold them off, at least until you and Su Menqi sessfully escape. Our power has recovered quite a bit since the injury.¡±

    ¡°But the enemy has a monarch level power. You wouldn¡¯t be able to hold your ground against such a force. We need to escape together.¡±

    ¡°The enemy we have faced until now is quite cautious. He wouldn¡¯t make a move out of pure whim. He would first gauge our strength. The fact remains that he himself attacks and injured us. Hence he would send a rtively low force to try and subdue us.¡±

    ¡°You mean to say that the enemy would definitely underestimate your prowess.¡± Long Tao wasn¡¯t ready to believe that such a cultivator existed. If someone was able to climb thedders of the cultivation world and be a Qi monarch, he must be quite apprehensive of every situation in their life.

    ¡°The misjudgment wouldn¡¯t stem out of his overconfidence, but rather from him being misinformed about our situation. You see that theoretically, the damage inflicted on me for performing that spell should have been extremely severe, but I found out that it was not the case. The ice-jade body yed a huge role in reducing the impact of the damage.¡±

    ¡°The same goes for your general. Although he doesn¡¯t possess ay resource which would have aided him at his peak strength, the treasures he acquired from his now extinct family would be enough to retrain until the same level. It was also the reason we made a rapid recovery.¡±

    ¡°Make your decision now. Would you like to apany my daughter or not?¡±

    ...........................................................................

    .....

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°The ice-jade body is quite a treasure, Long Tao. If you were able to help her nurture it well enough, she can turn out to be an incredibly strong ally, whose speed of cultivation would astonish even you. There is also a treasure within the divine treasury of the crimson lord world, which can provide you with a method to train the ice-jade body to the next level.¡±

    ¡°What is the next level called?¡¯

    ¡°It is called the perma-frost body, and is the second level of the ice-jade body.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect there to be multiple levels to one¡¯s natural body types. Is there any upgrade to it?¡±

    ¡°There is as a matter of fact, but achieving it requires an absurd amount of luck. The third and the ultimate level is called the absolute-frost body. Achieving it through natural means is possible, but the training environment required is an extremely cold space. The only other way is through natural oddities.¡±

    ¡°But an oddity which can give you an ultimate natural body type should be quite a rare right.¡±

    ¡°As far as I know you require a total of 40 types of ice herbs just to build the pill required to intake such a powerful natural oddity. As per the oddity, it should be a premium ice vein at the very least, something only a martial monarch can use. The more you dy in upgrading, the harder it would be.¡±

    ¡°What would be the best time to upgrade to the next stage.¡±

    ¡°The best time to upgrade to absolute -frost body is during the Qi emperor level. It is the time when it takes the least amount of resources to promote. She needs to enter the perma-frost stage via the time she enters Qi King.¡±

    ¡°Then she would be a worthwhile investment, right?¡±. Long Tao asked with a serious face.

    ¡°I have watched you since your childhood boy. I know you would have epted her proposal even if she had a normal body type. It is because of the fact that you have already fallen for her. Just go ahead and ept.¡±

    ..............................................................

    Long Tao¡¯s tent

    ¡°Before giving you a reply, I would like to inform this matter to Su Menqi. She has the right to know about her past. Now that she managed to enter the Qi general realm, the time is near when she needs to face the enemy.¡± Long Tao insisted on this matter.

    ¡°I have already sent for her. She must be arriving in some time...¡± A figure soon entered the tent, dressed in ck. He was carrying a girl on his back. Upon closer look, it was none other than Su Menqi who was rendered unconscious. The woman rushed towards her and inspected her body.

    Her body was pale and there were shades of purples all over her body. Her nails were starting to get darker and the lips were getting pale in color. She was poisoned by somebody.

    ¡°How did this happen? Who did this to her?¡±

    ¡°It was those bastards from the poison-devil sect. They were dispatched from the other direction, towards the location of young miss. They managed to get to her before I can. One of the members used poison on her. Even with my understanding, I couldn¡¯t verify the source and hence am not able to cure her.¡±

    He handed a pouch to the woman who inspected it. Her expression turned to dismay after some time. She couldn¡¯t evaluate the poison in Su Menqi¡¯s system. The general stepped up to inspect the satchel, but he too was heart-broken in the end.

    ¡°We must begin to extract the poison forcefully out of her.¡± The woman stepped up and was about to use her palm on Su Menqi when Long Tao barged into the middle. ¡°I would like you to refrain from using that.¡±

    ¡°Your identity and motive are not yet confirmed by me. Also forcefully extracting the poison would result in her body being damaged internally. I can¡¯t allow you to do that.¡± The woman was about to speak up when Long Tao raised his hand and demanded the sachet. Once he got his hand on the poison, he began to examine it.

    .................................................

    The crimson lord world-

    ¡°We need time to deconstruct the poison. You can use some of the cleansing pills to stabilize her condition and extract some amount of poison from her body. It should provide you with enough time toe up with an anti-form for the poison.¡±

    Long Tao¡¯s avatar began to examine the poison in the crimson lord world, while he took out some of the top-grade cleansing pills from his storage.

    Upon feeding Su Menqi with them, the color on her face improved a bit and the purplish color began to get lighter. ¡°What did you feed her.¡± The pills shine and the fragrance was extraordinary. She didn¡¯t expect Long Tao to possess such a quality pill.

    ¡°It is a body cleansing pill; whoseponent has an antiseptic and anti-venom effect. Although the effect is mild, some of the poison would be extruded from her body. I can use that time toe up with an anti-poison form to cure her.¡±

    ¡°You are an alchemist?¡± Both the general and eth woman was shocked. Upon getting a no from Long Tao, they looked at him with disbelief.

    ¡°It exins the rapid progress of the ck-buck squad. You were refining pills for them to train with.¡±

    The Keeper and the hall master of pill hall in Crimson lord world were apanying Long Tao in his study. ¡°It might take a longer time toe up with a solution. You need to help reduce the poison quantity in her body and restrict its flow. You can use the me and thunder in your body to do that.¡±

    ¡°Use the me to create a shell for the poison flowing in her and any residual amount should be eliminated by the thunder energy. You have an element king body along with two other natural body types. These poisons would work on you. Hence be calm while refining the poison.¡±

    ............???................................

    Long Tao began to do exactly as the Keeper advised. He managed to refine a bowl for the storage of anyrge quantity of poison and then used thunder energy to refine the residual traces in her blood. He fed Su Menqi many souls calming extract from herb so that she could properly pass through the procedure.

    Both the general and his wife were astonished by Long Tao¡¯s prowess and resourcefulness. Su Menqi was finally in a stable condition and Long Tao could concentrate on the anti-poison construct. He let her rest on his bed and came out.

    ¡°We thank you for what you have done. Our daughter is alive and well because of you. We are obliged to give her an exnation, but we can no longer wait. Take this memory slip and pass it to her. It would help unlock all her memories and provide her with every single information about me and her father.¡±

    ¡°We request you to go to Wuji city next.¡±

    ¡®What for?¡± Long Tao had heard about the Wuji city. It was one of the important merchant cities in the empire. It was quite far from here and they would require some time to reach there.

    ¡°The annual beats hunt is about to begin. It is the only time cultivators below Qi king are granted ess into the 1000 beasts mountain. There is an ice element fountain in there that could help Su Menqi cultivate her body and unlock its full potential. Here is the map showing the location of the fountain.¡±

    Both the general and woman exited after saying theirst words:

    ¡°We hope you take good care of her.¡±

    Long Tao clenched his fist and replied under his breath ¡°I will.¡± He continued to look at the departing figures

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 Chapter 176

    176 ENLISTING FOR THE BEAST HUNT

    Su Menqi was still unconscious due to the poison left in her body. Although the poison was now concentrated in a single vessel created in her body by Long Tao, the consequences of the time they stayed in her body were quite grievous.

    ¡°Her condition is not going to worsen because of the poison traces, by the damage dealt is quite severe. The servant was toote while performing the save. We need toe up with an unorthodox method to cure her.¡± Even the hall master of the pill hall was sent into a deep thought

    ¡°You said that thunder would be able to eliminate the poison traces, but did its application worsen the damage done to her body?¡±

    ¡°I expected this situation to ur. You are not that adept in using thunder energy hence you weren¡¯t able to guide it properly. The best way to heal her body is to unlock the seal which is used on her.¡±

    ¡°Would I be able to do it?¡±

    ¡°You would be able to once you step into advance tier King level, but as of now the situation is hopeless.¡±

    Long Tao¡¯s expression turned grim. He could feel intense pain in his heart when he saw Su Menqi¡¯s unconscious body. His means were not powerful enough to help Su Menqi.

    ¡°I do have another method in mind.¡±

    Long Tao¡¯s eyes sparkled with hope. He instantly turned all his attention to the hall master. ¡°She is the possessor of the ice-jade body. If you can get your hand on ice attributed natural resources¡¯ and inject a concentrated essence into her, the seal might weaken bit by bit. Once the seal Weakens, her body would start recovering itself.¡±

    .....

    ¡°As far as I remember, we don¡¯t possess any ice- element resources with us.¡±

    The Keeper appeared at the exact moment.¡± Did you forget this artifact? The Crimson Lords are a practitioner of Omni-element. It includes ice too. The energy within the artifact contains abination of every possible elemental energy you can think of. But as the rtive concentration is low, you would need to inject a high amount at a time.¡±

    Long Tao understood the Keeper¡¯s theory. The anti-poison was almost done. He managed to breakdown theponents and hence was able to prepare an anti-serum to negate the effects of the poison.

    ¡°The procedure is going to take some time. You would be applying the antivenom while using the fire energy as a vessel. You need to use thunder energy to negate any spill from the vessel into her body. You also need to stabilize her soul, so that she can sessfully survive through your treatment while injecting the aura within the Crimson Lord world into her.¡±

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s a good thing I am having so many avatars to share my burdens.¡±

    ¡°The process wouldn¡¯t be as easy as it seems. Your soul would be taxed with a load of information received from each of the avatars. This is where your soul training would show its results.¡±

    .................................??.............

    The treatment had begun already. Three avatars were tasked with apanying Long Tao in the procedure. Each of them would be doing one of the tasks involved in the overall treatment.

    The initial expenditure was quite high. Su Menqi¡¯s body was rejecting the foreign Qi which was being injected in her. But after some time, she was finally able to ept the Crimson world QI and her body start to devour it.

    The rapid rate of absorption came as a surprise to Long Tao.

    ¡°As expected, her body is able to harness the ice elemental Qi and absorb the rest of it as residual energy. The ice affinity is slowly increasing. Continue to induce Qi in arger volume.¡± Fortunately, Long Tao¡¯s cultivation was absurdly higher than Su Menqi. Transferring the amount was not a problem for him.

    As time went by, the rate of devouring began increasing. ¡°Her soul would be able to handle the next procedure now. One of you should first inject the soul essence, while the other will begin the process in the next two minutes.¡±

    Long Tao followed the instructions. The rate of absorption could nowpete with Long Tao¡¯s speed. It was the first-time long Tao was feeling the burden of transferring the Qi. ¡°Call out 2 more avatars to help you.¡±

    Soon after the anti-poison was injected into her body and Long Tao began to circte his thunder energy within her. The poison residues were slowly being eliminated, while the rate of recovery sped up. Su Menqi¡¯s body was getting healthier visibly. A rosyplexion soon appeared on her face.

    ¡°Sustain through the process boy. Just a little bit more.¡± Long Tao was finding it more taxing than refining pills. He couldn¡¯t imagine that even after so much soul power training, just a single procedure like this would take such a high toll on him.

    After a period of time, the poison in the fire vessel was finally eliminated and Long Tao took a breath of relief. ¡°Stop transferring energy into her. We manage to weaken the seal quite a bit. Her body would be able to recover on its own now.¡± As the hall master dered, Su Menqi was able to open her eyes after some time.

    ¡°Rest for a bit. We will have a long talk after that.¡± Long Tao forced her body back to bed and used his illusion skills to send her back to deep sleep.

    ............................

    Somewhere far-

    ¡°Was he able to cure the poison?¡± The woman asked in a hurried manner. She didn¡¯t feel right leaving Su Menqi with Long Tao, but something within her mind said she could rest easy if she is with him. The servant who was sent to keep an eye on them came back.

    The servant expression is that of a shocked person. He himself couldn¡¯t believe what he saw. There were 4 figures who looked exactly like Long Tao, injecting their Qi into one another.

    ¡°He was able to cure young miss, madam. She is resting as of now.¡± The woman breathed a sigh of relief. He truly left her daughter in some capable hands. But she suddenly noticed the servant¡¯s expression. ¡°Is there something else you would like to report?¡±

    ¡°I Wasn¡¯t able to make any sense of it, but maybe madam could¡± The servant handed over a memory slip to her, which was injected with his soul essence. It had a recorded scene of what he saw back then.

    When the general and the woman saw the memory, they too were shocked. ¡°It seems our to be son-inw is not only resourceful but extremely talented and secretive too. I am even more relieved after seeing this.¡±

    ................................

    Long Tao was sitting in his tent when one of the soldiers came forward with a letter.

    ¡°Your resignation as the general of Jiao military has been epted, sir. You are free to get relieved from your position.¡±

    ¡°Is there any news from the royal capital?¡±

    ¡°Both the king and the chief strategist wanted to thank you for the service to this country. They requested you to visit once you are free of the matter at present.¡¯

    ¡°Inform them that I ept their invitation.¡± The soldier bowed and left.

    Long Tao wanted to go and meet the royal siblings onest time before leaving, but the matter at hand was more important. He instantly dismissed the ck-buck squad and left for the central ins.

    ..............

    Wuji city was one of the main trade cities which marked the entrance to the central ins. There were numerous powers in the central ins and the only rule which worked there was strength. It was natural that Wuji city would have a branch of every single power in the central ins too.

    The city which was marked by huge movements of goods and people was even busier during this time of the year. It was the time for the annual beats hunt.

    Geographically, Wuji city bordered with one of the biggest beasts dwelling in the central ins and hence was constantly under attack in the past. Hordes of the beast would attack and there have been records stating that the city suffered from more than 100 beast tides.

    It was during this time that the branches in Wuji city decided to carry out annual hunting to keep the beats poption in check. They attracted the attention of young adventurers with the promise of huge rewards for the hunter who takes down most of the beasts. Soon enough the poprity of this city began to increase.

    An increasing overflow of hunters meant that the beast was continuously being hunted and merchant guilds trading in beast remains soon started appearing. It was also the start of the golden age for Wuji city, which now transformed into a massive trading hub.

    The annual beats hunt invited parties of at least 4 people to hunt within the forests in a given period of time andpete over the prizes.

    .....................

    A hooded figure appeared before the hunter¡¯s guild, who was in charge of the hunt. It was the ce partiese to register for the hunt during this time.

    ¡°How may I help sir.¡±

    ¡°I would like to register for the annual beast hunt. These are the details of my partners.¡± The receptionist soon gave the figure a receipt confirming his registration. ¡°The beast hunt would begin within two days. The rules are listed within the slip. Please go through it.¡±

    ......................

    ¡®Did you register for the hunt?¡± Su Menqi inquired.

    ¡°I did. We need to prepare our supplies. Your mother left us with the location of the fountain, and there is something I want to get my hands on too.¡± Long Tao spoke up.

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 Chapter 177

    177 CHOOSING A PATH

    Su Menqi gained consciousness shortly after the procedure was done. The hall master¡¯s advice worked and the Crimson aura managed to weaken the seal to arge extent. Thetent properties of her body began to awaken. Even Long Tao could feel the ice-energy generated within her body.

    The phenomena began with her body¡¯s temperature decreasing, which would generally be a sign of her organs failing to cope up. If it weren¡¯t for the Keeper, Long Tao would have instantly assumed the worst. It was soon followed by frost aura being released out of her body. It soon covered the bed underneath.

    ¡°Is it really fine?¡±

    ¡°Her body was being locked forcefully by someone using a great amount of energy and precise technique. It was so efficient that she wouldn¡¯t even experience an outburst of cold energy, which is often felt by even those whose body is sealed. This is her body slowly getting awakened.¡±

    ¡°How long does the outburstst? Howrge is its impact going to be???

    ¡°In general, the amount of energy released would depend on the type of body. Since Su Menqi¡¯s body is a superior grade ice-jade body, the energy released is going to soon cover the tent. I would suggest you continue the supply of Crimson Qi while covering the surrounding atmosphere with your beast me.¡±

    When the final outburst took ce, the atmosphere around her body began to morph into a colder one. Long Tao couldn¡¯t feel a single thing due to his elemental lord body, but the tent presented quite a sufficient visual confirmation.

    ¡°You need to slowly retract your aura now. Her body should be able to eliminate the poison on its own. It is one of the benefits of being an ice-type natural body holder. Their resistance against poison is quite high. You could say that she has an immunity to lower grade poisons.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I have something like that too?¡±

    .....

    ¡°This situation involves some of the cons of holding an Omni-element body type. Although your affinity for each element gets exceptional, when ites to inherent abilities, the elements tend to cancel each other¡¯s properties out. So, the effect of this poison would be much more apparent on you.¡±

    ¡°Thankfully you have two other body types. Heavens/immortal aura works as a purifying aura for these poisons. ¡°Long Tao was satisfied with this result. At least he didn¡¯t need to fear poison users when engaging an enemy.

    The avatars began to supply more and more crimson world Qi into Su Menqi¡¯s body, which helped it amodate the beast me covering their surroundings. ¡°You need to hold for a little longer. She would be waking up any minute now.¡±

    After a long struggle against time, Su Menqi¡¯s body was finally able to dispel the curse by itself and the injury began to heal itself. Long Tao began to provide more Qi, and at the dawn of the next day, she finally opened her eyes. Even her eyes carried a faint white glow in them.

    ...................................................

    Long Tao her up and made her drink a potion and some food. The body, although awakened was in an extremely distressing shape. He kissed her on the forehead, which resulted in a reddish glow on her cheeks.

    ¡°I hope you are feeling better than before.¡± Long Tao still held her in his arms. SU Menqi¡¯s weak body was still shaking from the grievous injuries she had suffered.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t prepared...¡± she tried to exin the situation but he silenced her with his fingers on her lips. ¡°We can discuss all the matters after you recoverpletely. As of now, I will be channeling more energy into you and you need to eat more ice-element pills for faster recovery.

    Although the estimation was not on the mark, Su Menqi managed to recover most of her strength within the next few days. She was expectant to know more about the cause which led to her current situation.

    ¡°I know you have some major doubts in your mind.¡± Long Tao brought out the slip presented to him by the woman. ¡°You need to instill your aura into this and you would be able to visualize the memory fragments which were recorded in this slip. I would leave the rest on you to exin if the matter is true or not.¡±

    Su Menqi followed through the process. The initial expression was that of a short difort, which was soon followed by astonishment, sorrow, and rage. It seemed that the woman was speaking the truth about them being on the run. Long Tao could feel the animosity growing inside Su Menqi.

    When she finally opened her eyes, they were filled with intense rage and longing. ¡°Are they your actual...¡±

    Su Menqi nodded midway. She described the whole memory in a shortlist. Long Tao came to understand the origin of the two people and the enemy they were about to face. Su Menqi was still pretty shaken from the knowledge regarding her ancestry.

    Long Tao calmed her down and grabbing her by the waist dered a promise. ¡°Since you finally got to know about your past, it¡¯s up to you to decide what you want to do. Although your mother wanted me to run with you and help make you stronger, I would like for you to choose your future.¡±

    Su Menqi bit her lips in a forceful manner. She couldn¡¯t lead this pathetic lifestyle of being carefree and ignorant. ¡°I will walk on the path of bing strong.¡± She was having tears in her eyes. Long Tao lifted her chin up and gave her a long kiss.

    ¡°Guess we are going to Wuji City then.¡± Su Menqi decided the path to her future.

    ..................................................

    ¡°What are you aiming to achieve in this hunt?¡±. Su Menqi was skeptical of Long Tao¡¯s objective. The frost fountain was situated within the Kemono region, but Long Tao was also interested in something found within the beastnds.

    ¡°While you are a frost type body practitioner, I am here in search of the Crimson fox tribe. They are the source of the beats me I wish to obtain to advance my refining skills.¡±

    ¡°The pathway to the frost fountain passes through the crimson fox¡¯s residence area. We need to hunt them down and get a good quality core from one of the top tier beasts. I can use the frost fountain to sessfully create a harmonious environment to absorb the beast me, which is ranked at 40th in the beast me ranking.¡±

    ¡°How many people are going to join our party?¡±

    ¡°ording to the rules of the hunt, you need at least 5 members to form a party and attack the beast regions. You me and two of my brothers make up 4 of the members. Thest one was a chance to gain for me during the registration process. He seems to be having apanion along with him. So, a total of 6 people is joining this hunt.¡±

    The trail they decided to follow was somewhat out of the general scope of the hunt. It ensured that they don¡¯t arouse any suspicion. Long Tao decided that they would split as soon as they enter the forest. This was also a chance to replenish his blood reserves required for his training.

    ¡®We will be passing through every section which has listed a sighting for a powerful beast. You need to train more to improve your strength. The enemy this time is a monarch level practitioner from some superpower. We need to be careful.¡±

    ¡°I will be clearing the area around you, while you just need to concentrate on the designated area. Thee contains the beasts which are suitable for your level to fight with. Given we were able to locate the frost spring, your cultivation and strength would get an incredible boost. We can discuss the next n after that.¡±

    Thest party members were a duo of brother and sister. Each had a defining set of weapons they used. The brother was a dual sword wielder and the sister was a whip user. ¡°It great to meet fellow Daoist. I hope we could cooperate till the end of this hunt.¡± The boy came forward to greet Long Tao¡¯s party.

    ¡°Since we have decided on teaming up, I would like to make it clear that we four would be hunting at different locations. Since the n is to get the most kills, you just need to take care of yourself and hunt as many as you can. We will rendezvous at thest day, that is if you are still alive.¡± Qin Wen¡¯s words were quite straightforward. The duo was taken back by this attitude.

    ..................................

    The hunt was officially announced the next day, and the hunters began to enter the Kemono regions. Long Tao¡¯s group instantly disappeared after entering the forests. The boy wanted to stop them but was held back by the girl.

    ¡°Let them go. They think of us as a burden. We just need to carry out our task this time around. Remember to show no mercy to anyone on our way. I must get to the frost spring.¡±

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 Chapter 178

    178 UNLOCKING THE SEAL

    Long Tao didn¡¯t want to waste any more time. Two of his avatars were also part of this hunt. Qin Weng and Lu Ming both provided him with the assurance of this hunt. This was the first time he had set foot in the central ins. Although he was a genius in Jiao country, that was just the backward region. He didn¡¯t want to get mingled in unnecessary situations.

    ¡°The first spot we would be going to is the poison region. Our aim is to hunt four beasts at Qi general level. The first one is the vermillion toad, the second is a green horned snake, the third is a poison bee nest while thest is a 100 eyed spider queen.¡±

    ¡°Why choose poison beasts, we could just directly go to the other stronger regions.¡±

    ¡°It is because yourst encounter with the enemy made me realize that no matter how strong we get; we are still no capable of defending against poison. It is better to get the necessary ingredients always at hand to create an antidote.¡±

    ¡°Also, although the vermillion toad is a somewhat weaker beast, the other three are quite strong. Each of them is a lord level beast who would beparable to a level 6 Qi general. You are still in the 4th level. You need to get more experience with the enemy. It¡¯s time to follow the n which I created.¡±

    Su Menqi¡¯s expression changed to an awkward one. She remembered what Long Tao¡¯s training regime usually contained. ¡°So, I am to fight it single-handedly.¡±

    ¡°As expected by my ex-captain. You need to confront each of these enemies alone. Not only would it help you gain experience, but it would also help in uncovering the potential within your body. The ice-jade boy is quite resistant to poison. The more you expose yourself, the higher would be the chance of it awakening naturally, even without the frost fountain.¡±

    ¡°Would the frost fountains till hold any significance once it happens.¡±

    ¡°If you are able to uncover your full power by the time we reach there, you could easily use the fountain to enhance the ice-jade body. I suppose your mother has conveyed what the next stage of this body is.¡±

    .....

    ¡°She said It was something called the perma-frost body. Achieving it would fasten by cultivation by at least 10 times and the power of ice-attributed arts would increase hundred-fold.¡±

    ¡°You could also use the frost fountain as a cultivation resource. It is one of the benefits of holding an elemental body type.¡±

    ¡°I would be surpassing you by the time I absorb the whole fountain. Aren¡¯t you the least bit worried about what would happen if I surpass you?¡±

    Long Tao grabbed her waist and pulled her towards himself. ¡®aahh¡¯ Su Menqi made a low shriek. ¡°I would still be the man you love.¡±

    ..........................

    The first opponent was the vermillion toad which lived within a poison swamp. The environment gave it a huge benefit when it came to a confrontation. Long Tao took out a soul enhancing pill and gave it to Su Menqi.

    ¡°You need to stay focused, no matter how much your body is affected. It is the only way to unlock your body. You also need to kill this beast meanwhile. As per the information given by Qin Wen, its weapons are its tongue and the venom it spits. The other attribute it possesses is incredible agility thanks to its muscles. You need to be careful.¡±

    Su Menqi proceeded to hold a long sword which was presented by Long Tao. It was specifically designed by him keeping Su Menqi¡¯s body in mind. A rank three beginner weapon was the only thing he could forge at the moment. He made three swords for her, to make it through this trip.

    As expected, the frog proved to be a difficult opponent due to its speed. Other obstacles were the multiple cuts on Su Menqi¡¯s body which were made by its tongue. The soul pill help strengthens her soul, which helped in retaining consciousness. She finally managed to take care of it, but she soon fell to the poison¡¯s effect.

    ¡°Do the same thing you did while refining the poison. Supply the Crimson Qi into her body and let her absorb it.¡± The Keeper was watching over the whole process. The ice-jade body was like a hungry beast. Long Tao even took out some concentrated elemental energy balls which were formed after a long period of umtion of crimson world qi.

    Long Tao could feel the cold energy increasing in intensity. The ck liquid was soon being ejected out of her body. This was the poison that was umted in her body due to the previous confrontation and some of the impurities.

    She finally opened her eyes after some time. ¡°It¡¯s time to leave. We shouldn¡¯t waste any more time here.¡± Su Menqi wanted to cry. She just recovered from an extreme condition of poisoning and Long Tao already demanded her to move out.

    ...............................

    Around 3 dayster-

    The team of four was nearing the 100-eyed spider queen¡¯s den. Su Menqi made substantial progress in thest few days. Her body was radiating an enormous cold aura. The seal was about to break. Her recovery speed was fast and thest two opponents also presented a unique opportunity for gaining experience.

    ¡°The spider queen is the most formidable of the bunch. It was known to have cultivation that neared an advance level Qi general.¡±

    ¡°I can handle her.¡± Su Menqi entered their. Long Tao decided to follow her in the dark, all because of what the Keeper just reported.

    ¡°The spider queen is more dangerous than you can think. She is probably on the same footing as the blood general.¡± Long Tao lost his shit. He couldn¡¯t Su Menqi be on her own.

    ¡®You should probably stop her.¡± The Keeper advised.

    ¡°This might just be the opportunity we are looking for. A situation like this could prove fruitful in excavating her hidden talents. She might even be able to break through the barrier which is holding her up and free her sealed body.¡±

    At the same time-

    Su Menqi was engaged in a fight with the spider queen. One of the prime downfalls while attacking a spider was its limbs. Since it had eight of those razer sharp weapons embedded into its body, getting an attack in was pretty difficult. The sh resulted in her losing one sword just ten strikes in.

    ¡°I need to get closer to its body.¡± Su Menqi muttered to herself. She instantly plunged towards the spider queen. The general attack pattern followed, which allowed her to dodge to the side, while she jumped horizontally over it to avoid another of its limbs. The jump ced her right above the spider queens¡¯ head.

    Su Menqi managed to concentrate a lot of her Qi into the sword tip which she then stabbed at the spider queen¡¯s head. The attack was quite severe, but it failed to prate too deep into her skull, due to its exoskeleton.

    The queen retaliated with a vicious bite on Su Menqi¡¯s leg. The pain was crippling, but the soul pill helped Su Menqi in maintaining her consciousness. She used her full strength to push the sword deeper, which finally managed to pierce the brain and kill the queen.

    Two bodies were lying on the ground, one dead and one barely alive.

    Long Tao rushed out from the shadows and picked Su Menqi up. ¡°The poison this time is quite vicious. Cont9nue supplying the crimson world aura to her. We will see if the situation worsens or her body unlocks its potential. Let sleave it on fate.¡±

    ......................

    Su Menqi¡¯s condition was getting worse. The spider queen¡¯s venom was the most lethal among all the opponents Su Menqi faced today. The crimson Qi was being devoured by her, but the condition was still worsening.

    Long Tao¡¯s anxiety peaked up when the body didn¡¯t absorb the energy anymore. ¡°I need to treat her now.¡± Long Tao instantly brought out his avatars and was about to instill it into her body when the Keeper stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s awake now.¡±

    Soon after the poison was forced out by mysterious energy and Su Menqi was drawing out ice-cold breaths. Frost began covering her body up and soon after condensation began taking ce in the surrounding. The water droplets began to freeze up.

    Long Tao decided to take a small retreat and watch Su Menqi¡¯s condition. She finally opened her eyes after the whole area was filled with snow. ¡°What happened here.¡± She asked in a panicked voice.

    ¡°Congrattions on sessfully dispelling the seal. Your ice-jade body is fully awake now.¡±

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 Chapter 179

    179 MANTIS STALKS THE CICADA, UNAWARE OF THE ORIOLE BEHIND (1)

    ¡°The body seems to have awakened itself due to the poison¡¯s effect. Describe what you felt through the process.¡± Long Tao wanted to help Su Menqi open up. It was a near-death experience for her and it would be better to let her express her emotions.

    ¡°The final view I remember was the spider biting me in the leg and I trying to push the sword into its brain. I felt aplished when I finally killed it, but the tion seems to have paved the path for the poison to takeplete effect over my body.¡±

    ¡°Due to my soul being disordered, I lost consciousness. I almost felt that death was quite near me. I had almost given up when a slow stream of bright light seemed to be flowing through my body.¡±

    ¡°It flowed into a white center of my body, which was constantly devouring it. The constant inflow of energy made it glow brighter and brighter. I decided to approach it. I started inspecting the energy ball all around, but I couldn¡¯t find any special features, except for the feeling of a struggleing from it.¡±

    ¡°I was being drawn to it. It felt like something I possessed and very dear to me. Just as my hands approached it, the energy stream seems to have started to flow into me. Thest thing I remembered was the feeling of that white ball, as it broke down and absorbed me into it.¡±

    ¡°I struggled to get free, but I cked out and when I finally woke up, you were sitting beside me in the middle of this snowy ins.¡±

    Long Tao was impressed by the exnation. The process began to make sense to him and assured him that the seal seems to have finally broken.

    ¡°The snow around is caused by the awakening of your ice jade body. You should be able to feel it as of now. I hope your mother has given you some ice-element cultivation techniques, which you can now start practicing.¡±

    ¡°I would be leaving you for a little time to hunt beast from other regions as well as collect some herbs for pill making. Who knows I maye across multiple king rank herbs? You are to grab this period to consolidate your training base and use it to practice some minor skills. The next destination for us is the firefox tribe. I would need your help to sessfully capture it.¡±

    .....

    ................................................

    The Crimson lord world-

    In thest few days, Qin Weng and Lu Ming were tasked with hunting beasts of Qi general level to refill the used-up blood pool. They also managed to get their hands-on multiple king rank herbs. The biggest find was a king of ice-type herb which would help Long Tao to sessfully absorb the beast me from the Crimson fox tribe.

    ¡°You need to hunt a beast of at least advance Qi general to get a well-refined beast me. The only beats at that level would be the tribe leader. We need to lure it out for you to sessfully hunt it.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t a beast that powerful be moving around alone?¡±

    ¡°That is the primary characteristic of any fox tribe. They never move alone. The movement in the group also makes it quite difficult to hunt them. But you are quite different. You have the avatar art, so you should be able to catch them easily. All you need to do is prepare well for the absorption process.¡±

    ¡°Would the ice element herb that I collected until help in that?¡±

    ¡°The biggest problem is the intensity of the fire and the me poison present within it. Elemental poison is different from the normal poison used to attack your beloved. They can only be countered with an element of the opposite characteristics. The best environment for absorbing the fire is an extremely cold one. It would not only helppensate the extreme heat generated but also create a bnce resulting in more efficient absorption of it.¡±

    ¡°Would the frost spring be enough for that purpose?¡±

    ¡°Well, it should be, since the woman guaranteed that it could help Su Menqi in improving her body type. But I would insist you first let her use the pool since her leveling up is of vital importance at this moment.¡±

    ............................................................

    The central region of the Kemono ins-

    Qin Weng was tasked with searching for clues of the fox tribe. It was a very elusive species that generally avoid getting spotted. Qin Wen managed to pinpoint the location to a radius of around 10 Kilometers. The search was still on, but he couldn¡¯t find any clue rting to the movement of the Crimson fox tribe.

    It was until he heard a nearby explosion and followed it up, to find a group of people facing a group of beasts. The beast was none other than the Crimson fox tribe. They were being assaulted by a group of people who seem to havee here for the exact same reason as Long Tao.

    ¡°I guess I would simply look around first.¡±

    Qin Weng decided to stall his time and wait for the other three to arrive at this location. The match was quite enthralling to see. It seemed that the group of cultivators were in a disadvantaged position since more and more beast kept arriving.

    The match was soon decided by two simultaneous death on the cultivator¡¯s side. They were no longer able to hold it out. Even after all of them began to utilize their full power, the crimson fox tribe was able to overpower them utilizing sheer strength. The corpse count began to increase until only one person remained and got his throat bitten off by a beast.

    Qin Weng wanted to stay hidden in his location until he was informed about a particr detail by the keeper.

    ¡°I guess I need to make an appearance then.¡± He unsheathed his sword and ran towards the nearby beast, killing it with a single sh to the neck. The rest of its group members were alerted by this swift swing and instantly spotted Qin Weng. He started utilizing a breathing technique and his sword intent of level 3 to continue to kill the foxes.

    The biggest problem with sword intent was its expendability like soul aura. Although it was quite lethal when used in a fight, it was exhausted quite fast. Just 3 incense stick into the fight and the intent was already starting to diminish.

    Qin Weng never expected there to be so many beasts within this small region. The tide seemed to be endless. ¡°switch to utilizing your body strength. It would let your intent get rejuvenated.¡±

    Qin Weng was simultaneously using wood arts to heal himself while sword art was used to kill utilizing his extreme body strength. The killed beasts were being absorbed into a storage ring. Finally, the beats tide ended with Long Tao wiping the floor out with them. He instantly copsed on the ground out of exhaustion.

    The fight was quite tedious even for him. He sat down and started absorbing Qi from the surrounding after eating multiple pills.

    ..................................................

    Qin Weng was in the middle of recovery when a sound alerted him. ¡°I am impressed by my brother¡¯s strength. But I would like to request you to leave all your belongings and get in by my sword.¡± A group of four soon appeared behind Qin Weng. But as he turned around the four people were astonished.

    Qin Weng Wasn¡¯t a bit nervous or scared. In fact, he wasughing.

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 Chapter 180

    180 MANTIS STALKS THE CICADA, UNAWARE OF THE ORIOLE BEHIND (2)

    ¡°I guess the long-term fighting has got into his head, turning him into a lunatic. Why are we even bothering to inform this bitch? Just go ahead and kill the guy.¡± One of the swordsmen at the back came forward to begin the attack.

    But the one who just spoke out, raised his hand to signal a stop. He turned to Qin Weng with a grim expression and asked: ¡°I don¡¯t remember cracking a joke in my words earlier. Why would brother be in a mood tough?¡±

    ¡°I just couldn¡¯t hold it back when I saw a bunch of cowards moving together in a group. I expected you to be a back-stabber, but you brought another twist to the plot, by introducing yourself rather than performing a surprise attack. I guess all that knowledge and cunningness was wasted just to formte this pitiful idea of hitting me during my weak period.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but thank you for the service you have provided by killing the horde of beast. You are quite a powerful martial artist, to have so easily taken care of the whole bunch, but luck doesn¡¯t seem to be shinning on you.¡±

    ¡°Also, the hypocriticalment on us being the backstabber is a little inappropriate for you to say. Didn¡¯t you use the previous group for the same purpose. You let them kill the beats till their death, while you profited from all the bodies of those beast. I guess your storage ring should also be a high grade one for it to be able to carry as many corpses.¡±

    ¡°We would like for you to leave all the resources with us and leave for theherworld.¡±

    One of the four person even joked about it. ¡°You must have heard about the famous idiom: The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. We are just following your example and gaining some of the fisherman¡¯s benefit.¡±

    Qin Wengughed out loud. ¡°You are absolutely right about the cement of that idiom. But the fact remains, who is the cicada here.¡±

    ..........................................??...........

    .....

    Some time ago-

    ¡°How long would these people be able to hold up.¡± Qin Weng was getting impatient.

    ¡°Even though the group is weak, their coordination is quitemendable. You can see the two swordsman and the spearman around the borders, with the other two in middle. The two people who are being protected must be a healer and a long-range attacker. The formation is quitemendable.¡±

    ¡°They should be able to hold out then?¡±

    ¡°I suppose it depends on how long they manage to keep the formation intact. One of the biggest loopholes of a battle formation is the fact that there is no alternative once a majorponent of it is breached by the enemy. Take the spearman for example. He is the weakest link in the whole chain. Once he is taken down, the whole formation would befall into chaos and the group would be exterminated.¡±

    ¡°The situationrgely depends on the beasts. They don¡¯t seem to realize the fact yet. The moment they decide to concentrate their attack on one part, this group is as good as dead. It is a game of time now. The group which is able to hold out longer wins.¡±

    Just as the Keeper pointed out, the beast tide didn¡¯t seem to end. Exhaustion was taking over the five adventurers. Soon enough two beasts simultaneously attack the spearman, who although managed toe out on the top, was inflicted with a grievous wound.

    The other beast soon noticed the weak link and attacked the spearman inrge numbers, resulting in his neck being bitten off. Although the two swords men were alert enough to begin covering the whole area on their own, the death of their teammate seems to have taken a toll on their healer, who broke down.

    This resulted in a rapid depletion of their forces and the group was terminated one after the other. The two swordsmen were the first to die, since they were holding the frontline. The long-range attacker tried to defend the healer, but was soon killed by the rampage of the beast. The same beast bit the healer¡¯s neck and took her life.

    ¡°I thought you might want to save them.¡±

    ¡°I am not that charitable of a fellow. They knew about the risk of getting killed when they decided to mess with the fox tribe. If they still chose to confront these beasts, they must have been prepared to face death.¡±

    Qin Weng stretched his legs: ¡°I guess its time for me to make an appearance.¡±

    ¡°Stop.¡± The keeper alerted Qin Wen. ¡°There seems to be a third party involved in this situation. They have already spotted you and are waiting for you make a move.¡±

    ¡°trying to steal from a thieves house. Well guess we should give them a surprise.¡± Qin wen rushed out and began the kill. He wasn¡¯t even surprised when the four people made an appearance just after he finished the whole group of beasts. The enemy didn¡¯t realize that the trap was all set for them to walk in.

    ...................................................??.............

    ¡°I suppose friend is indicating that he wants us to go down together.¡±

    ¡°Well I do have some power in reserve for these situations. I am confident in taking down at least two of you in a suicidal attack.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t get a chance to do that dear friend.¡± All four people released their aura. Level 6 Qi generals. They must have some real confidence with this kind of strength. ¡°Do you still want to take a chance at our life? We wee you to try. You would still be struggling in your death bed.¡±

    ¡°I guess what you say is the truth. You would need to struggle even in your death bed, when you decided to fuck with matters involving me.¡± Three figures appeared from the forest. It was none other than Long Tao, Lu Ming and Su Menqi. Su Menqi seems to have changed a bit and her body was radiating cold energy on its own. Her pearly white skin looked as if it was carved out of the moon, mesmerizing the men around her.

    ¡°I guess you managed to get yourself in trouble, brother Qin.¡±

    Qin Weng decided to act in foolish manner, biting his tongue and actingmely. ¡°I am sorry for my rash decisions.¡±

    Long Tao took his sword out and pointed it at the enemies. ¡°We can have a chattter. Lets just take care of these insects first.¡± Another massacre began.

    ..............................................

    Three bodies were lying on the forest floor. Thest man, their leader was holding a sword against Qin wen¡¯s throat. ¡°let me go, or else I will kill yourpanion right here.¡±

    Su Menqi was having a worried expression, but the other two looked amused. It was as if they were watching a fool¡¯s show. The leader got nervous and shouted at them. ¡°what is so funny. Don¡¯t you bastards understand the gravity of this situations. I will kill this guy if you so much as take a step forward.¡±

    Long Taoughed and said ¡°Go ahead.¡± Not only the leader, but even Su Menqi was astonished. But the reason soon came to light.

    Qin Wen, who was silent until now was ring at the leader with a murderous look. ¡°Do I look that weak to you, that I am the hostage.¡± He directly utilized his newly made attacking weapon, a metallic w to prate the under-chin of the enemy and slice through the skull with pure force.

    Blood spattered all around, as Qin Wen came forward to join the group.

    ¡°We should move in. The Crimson Fox tribe¡¯s dwelling must be near.¡± They havee quite close to their objective. The tribe leader would be the one carrying the beast me.

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 Chapter 181

    181 SEIZING THE FLAME, ELEMENTAL ACCUPOINTS (1)

    ¡°We should rest for some time brother Qin. Your injury doesn¡¯t seem to be light. Here are some pills which might help you recover strength.¡± Su Menqi was quite worried about Qin Weng¡¯s situation, but Lu Ming stepped forward.

    ¡°Sister doesn¡¯t need to take care of him. My duty as a pill refiner is to provide the team with an ample number of pills. Here are some soul recovery pills and the green pills are to recover your QI. The injuries will begin to heal themselves once you rejuvenate your body with Qi.¡± Lu Ming took out two small porcin bottles.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t waste too much time. Qin Weng should stay here and recover first. We three will be moving towards the interior regions. Just follow the footsteps of this beast and we should be able to locate their main base.¡± As the three of them went deeper into the woods, the fire energy became more and more noticeable.

    The Crimson Fox was a fire attributed species and hence loved to live in hot environments. What Long Tao was surprised about was the location of their base. The group has really nned out well to have created such a sneaky base.

    ¡°We will scout the area under the number of potential targets. Please don¡¯t forget the limit of your strength. The strongest enemy you should challenge can not exceed one step higher than you. The precaution is necessary when we are fighting against a pack of beasts.¡±

    ¡°Su Menqi, you should concentrate on conserving as much strength as possible. I require your energy for some other purposes.¡±

    Su Menqi nodded. The tribe was divided into inner and outer sections. The tribe leader lived within the center of the pack. Lu Ming decides to take care of the outer beasts first. He began to utilize his beast me to kill the beasts. ¡°Make sure to reduce themotion caused. We shouldn¡¯t alert the enemy.¡±

    Long Tao asked Su Menqi to follow him. ¡°Have you learned any Qi masking skills from the memories.¡±.

    ¡°Not that I can remember.¡±

    .....

    ¡°I guess we need to cause themotion then.¡± He signaled Lu Ming to go wild. Lu Ming instantly poured a lot of Qi into the me, causing it to go berserk. The trees around rapidly caught fire giving rise to a massive me that started engulfing the forest around.

    The me and smoke cause panic within the fox tribe and forced them to move out of the base. ¡°This is the time to attack the cave.¡±

    The duo moved into the cave and found it unguarded. It seemed that their n worked out well. ¡°Take these Qi rejuvenation pills. These will be helpful in helping me seed in the mission this time. Just guard the entrance and don¡¯t let anyone enter until I finish the job with the wolf king.

    ...................................................

    ¡°Fire attacks wouldn¡¯t be much effective against it, so you should concentrate on utilizing speed and earth type attacks.¡±

    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t I use the rain sword arts which I obtained from the royal treasury?¡±

    ¡°The reason is pretty simple. You haven¡¯t been practicing water elements much, while thunder, fire, metal, and wood elements have the highest adeptness. The art is a Qi master grade sword art, which already makes it quite ineffective against a lord level beast. You topped it with the fact that you don¡¯t have any practice in this domain.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I will be utilizing the earth and fire elemental arts to confront it.¡±

    The interiors were dark enough until Long Tao finally manage to reach the end. A surprising view could be seen in the center of the cave. Three figures were standing in front of Long Tao. The first one was the wolf king while the other two were two tiny cubs. From their current state, Long Tao presumed that they were recently born.

    There was another corpse lying beside the three figures. It looked like the female Crimson wolf who died during child-birth. Long Tao wanted tough at the fate of this family of four. This was the meaning of survival of the fittest. If you are not powerful enough, the world will simply devour you.

    He concentrated on the objective at hand. The wolf king was alerted by Long Tao¡¯s movement and confronted him with a growl. ¡°I pity your wife¡¯s condition, but I must kill you to get my hands on the beats me.¡± He simply unsheathed his sword and rushed towards the wolf king.

    A big problem was created by the congested space within the cave. There was no freedom of movement and hence sh step couldn¡¯t be used efficiently. Long Tao decided to use a newly formed ¡®Chisana suteppu¡¯. It is a technique that was formted by him keeping the Taoist technique and earthen arts in mind. This was the first time he was going to try it against a living enemy.

    As expected, the step helped Long Tao move efficiently within the cave while the wolf king¡¯s movements were constantly being interrupted due to theck of amodation in the small space. The two babies were also holding him back from utilizing all his power. Long Tao simply decided to use this chance to get used to the technique and wear the wolf king out. He began to attempt small shes on the wolf king¡¯s body every now and then.

    ..........................................

    Even a stone would break if you hit it at the same ce multiple times. The wolf king¡¯s body wasn¡¯t any different from that. His previously scarce wounds soon turned bloody due to the constant assault.

    ¡°Just aim at its heart, when you have the chance.¡± The Ocr technique which Long Tao was practicing did give him an advantage in terms of scouting the enemy¡¯s Qi flow and weakness. Although It didn¡¯t work when the opponent was quite powerful than him, the wolf king was someone of equal standing.

    He decided to utilize the chance and rushed right under the wolf king¡¯s neck, stabbing him in the chest reason. Blood spurted out inrge quantities as the mighty body of the wolf king copsed under the sword of Long Tao.

    It was soon rendered motionless due to extreme blood loss. It was still looking at the two newborn cubs.

    ¡°You have proven to be a worthy opponent. I will make sure to take care of the two cubs, and help them reach a height you wouldn¡¯t even imagine to reach.¡± Long Tao decided to pay hisst respects to a worthy opponent. The pat was thest thing the wolf king felt before departing to the underworld.

    Long Tao took either of the cubs into the Crimson lord world. ¡°help me raise these two cubs. I have decided to present either of them to Su Menqi. Let them absorb the Crimson world aura for now. When they are able to walk, train them using the fire pool. I might even decide to use fire stones.¡±

    The Keeper was astonished to hear that. Using the fire stones to raise wolf cubs. It was a waste of resources ording to him, but Long Tao seems to have made his mind.

    ¡°You should excavate the cores from the mother and the wolf king¡¯s body. They contain the beats me you desire. Let the cubs have the rest of the meat. It would help them strengthen their bloodline and grow stronger.¡±

    ¡°I guess Su Menqi¡¯s work would be beginning as of now.¡±

    ................................................

    Su Menqi was bust fighting the horde of beasts who were rushing towards the cave after realizing the presence of an intruder. They need to protect their king from any harm. Su Menqi of the past might have a difficult time taking care of this situation, but the present one was quite powerful.

    The only enemy who was able to confront her was a lesser me wolf of lord stage. As the fight continued, Su Menqi got more and more acquainted with her power. She was salvaging the ecstasy of confronting a powerful opponent. She was so immersed in the confrontation, that the arrival of Long Tao went unnoticed.

    ¡°I am sorry to interrupting your fight, but we have more important matters to take care of.¡± He just killed the wolf with a single sword sh. Su Menqi almost lost her cool but was brought back by the sight of the bloody Long Tao.

    ¡°Did you manage to take care of the wolf king?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be standing in front of you if I hadn¡¯t. The opponent gave me a hard time but I guess, I managed to make it through.¡± He took out the core of the wolf king.

    ¡°I want you to help Qin Wen absorb this first, while the other one would be absorbed by me.¡± Fate was smiling on Long Tao to have allocated him two demon cores which were sources of beast mes.

    ¡°What could I help you with. I am an ice elemental cultivator, which is an exact opposite in terms of characteristics to a me cultivator like Qin Wen. Also, the material is a beast me. I should just stay away from it.¡±

    ¡°Yours is the most important task of all. You need to take care of the environment and help both of us create a bnce within our system for the most efficient absorption of the beast mes.¡± Long Tao said while holding her palms

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 Chapter 182

    182 SEIZING THE FLAME, ELEMENTAL ACCUPOINTS (2)

    ¡°Your frost qi is an exact opposite to the beast me¡¯s fire qi. For an efficient and hopefullyplete absorption of the beast me, I need you to pour the frost Qi into Qin Wen and my body. It would help create harmony between the two opposing elements and help Qin Wen absorb the beast me easily, without much wastage.¡±

    ¡°You need to take care of three important points while supplying your Qi into Qin Wen¡¯s body. The first one is to be consistent in providing it. Throughout the whole process, you would be required to supply a lot of QI into his body nonstop. A single break mid-way might result in an absurd and sudden imbnce creating an unfavorable scenario for both of us.¡±

    Su Menqi started to get on her nerves. ¡°How am I supposed to supply such arge amount of Qi to you. Although my cultivation is nearing your level, it is no-where near enough to appease your demands.¡±

    Lu Ming came forward and handed another porcin bottle. ¡°This contains another set of a more potent variety of Qi rejuvenation pills. The energy contained within theponents is quiterge and hence I advise you to intake the pill only when you are near the bottom level in Qi reserves.¡±

    ¡°I guess you would require not more than half of these in the uing process. The rest is a gift for you.¡± Su Menqi couldn¡¯t help but eye the bottle with sparkles in her eyeballs. This was an extremely rare medical resource and Lu Ming gave it for free. She was quite thankful to him.

    Long Tao couldn¡¯t help but smile. The self-operational avatars were just extensions of him. They felt the same way towards Su Menqi like he did.

    ¡°I guess we should get starting with the absorption process.¡± Qin Wen came forward to interrupt the conversation. They still had one more region to go and also hunt for the beats to im the first prize.

    .....................................................................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    .....

    The Keeper was busy advising Long Tao on how to perform the absorption in a proper and efficient way. The Crimson wolf me was a high-ranking beast me which was iparable with the previous me smander beast me he possessed.

    ¡°The first thing you need to remember is the fact that there couldn¡¯t exit two types of beast me in a normal cultivator¡¯s body. The reason is that the stronger me always devours the weaker. But your case seems to be a bit different. Due to the presence of 9 separate avatars beside you, you can sessfully contain any number of beast me (at least 9 by his assumption), separate within your body.¡±

    ¡°The process to execute it is by transferring the me smander¡¯s me into another avatar and then absorbing the Crimson foxfire. You can then freely utilize both of them.¡±

    ¡°As per the usage of frost energy to absorb the beast me, you need to take it slow. Just absorb thin strands of fire energy and engulf it into the frost energy gained from Su Menqi. You should be able to easily absorb it after that. As time goes by, absorb more and more strands and continue the process as you did with the me smander¡¯s me.¡±

    ¡°The only take is that there is an intermediate user of frost energy. Also, whenever you feel like your body is swelling, I will just pull the extra energy and transfer it to one of the other avatars. So, you can just go ahead without any thoughts regarding precautions.¡±

    The process soon began.

    .....................................................

    In the middle of the cave, two figures were residing in a train posture, with Su Menqi sitting behind Qin Wen and attaching her hands to his back. She revolved her Qi and began transferring it into his body. The other source of energy was the glowing peace of me core obtained from the wolf king.

    Interiors of Qin Weng¡¯s body-

    The me energy instantly tried to create turmoil inside Long Tao¡¯s body, but the frost energy helped to keep it calm. The power slowly increased as Qin Weng began assimting the Qi into his vessels and rotated it within his body. Even with this tiny amount of energy being transported, Qin Weng was already feeling the burden on his Qi vessels.

    This was also the time a familiar feeling began arising within his body. It was the same feeling when he was absorbing the energy within the fire vein. Qin Weng decided to concentrate the fire energy into that particr point, and to his surprise, it got readily absorbed. As more and more energy was supplied to that point, the glow and feeling of power began to increase, until a certain point after which a sudden jolt ran through Qin Weng¡¯s body.

    ............................................

    ¡°Boy does that location looks familiar to you?¡± The Keeper asked in a curious voice. Qin Wen decided to probe the location and found out; it was exactly like the acupoints he uncovered using the weapon tempering form. ¡°How can this be!¡± Qin Weng eximed.

    ¡°I guess these are acupoints which only responds to elemental Qi. I guess you felt the same sensation as the time when you were absorbing the Qi from the fire vein.¡±

    ¡°It also means that the only way to open it would be through extremely concentrated fire essence, like the beast me you are absorbing.¡±

    Qin Weng decided to experiment a little deeper into the situation. He readily absorbed the fire energy into the acupoint, while the frost energy was being left at its original location in expectations of some reaction to ur by their presence. Soon enough the first acupoint was totally filled up and a new point began to absorb the fire energy.

    ¡°I guess there are a series of these elemental acupoints corresponding to the respective element. You would need to concentrate on collecting some elemental resources to open more of these acupoints.¡±

    ...........................................

    Unknown to Qin Weng his cultivation was also taking a slow leap. The extra energy obtained from the beast core manages to help him ascend a level into the level 7 of Qi general.

    ¡°You need to be steady. We need to probe how many acupoints can we open this way and whether or not the beast me is useful after the absorption. You might need to change your technique after this absorption.¡±

    So the process continued.

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 Chapter 183

    183 HIDDEN TRACES

    The beast me was being rapidly absorbed by the Acupoints. Long Tao initially tried to let the power flow freely, but soon enough he noticed the wastage.

    ¡°As expected, although most of the power is being absorbed either by your cultivation base or the acupoint, there is still a big loss of energy.¡±

    Long Tao was getting nervous. He only had two beast cores to draw the me from. He can¡¯t let there be too must wastage. ¡°Do you have any technique to help me control the flow of energy?¡±

    ¡°The Crimson lords weren¡¯t a major body cultivating group. The only knowledge I have regarding body cultivation was from the scriptures and written documents left by the previous owners. The very few who did walk a bit on the body cultivation path didn¡¯t go any further than their tertiary meridians. I could even say that in terms of body cultivation, you probably are the one who hase farthest.¡±

    ¡°You do understand that thisplement doesn¡¯t help me get over my nerves. I am even more nervous than before.¡±

    While whining about the fact, a sudden idea spurted with Long Tao¡¯s mind. ¡°What if I use the weapon tempering arts?¡±

    ¡°The core problem with weapon tempering art was the fact that it couldn¡¯t be utilized unless you know the exact location of the acupoints. It was the reason you couldn¡¯t move any forward after opening all the acupoint listed within the scriptures. That is until today when one of the elemental acupoints decided to react.¡±

    ¡°I guess I can let the fire energy identify the points first, and then begin utilizing the Weapon¡¯s tempering art.¡±

    ¡°As I pointed out earlier, the art can¡¯t be utilized without proper knowledge about the exact location. Even now, the point that reacts first to the energy doesn¡¯t seem to be the reallocation. Only after the full opening could you mark the exact location of the acupoint.¡±

    .....

    ¡°What if I just utilize the art to concentrate on the point which does react. Although the energy would still be wasted, the quantity should be less than before.¡±

    On gaining a nod from the Keeper, Qin Weng began to continue the procedure in that way.

    .................................................................

    The huge amount of fire energy was creating internal injuries within QIN Weng¡¯s Qi vein. Although Su Menqi¡¯s frost energy didn¡¯t serve its original purpose, it was still being absorbed by Qin Weng¡¯s body to heal the meridians. The surprising fact was that the rate of consumption was rming.

    Soon enough Su Menqi felt her body to have nearly drained to its limit and hence instantly consumed a Qi rejuvenation pill given by Lu Ming. Qin Weng¡¯s body was left to its own means to deal with the fire energy until she finally managed to recover and restart the supply.

    ¡°It is the same training regime which you asked me to follow with soul energy.¡± Long Tao pointed out to the hall master within the artifact.

    ¡°The same rule applies to every single aspect of cultivation. Although doing it in general looks like wastage of resources, if you look carefully, she would be able to regte her energy more skilfully and her Qi storage vessel increased incapacity.¡±

    ¡°The effects are not visible as of now, but wait for the process toplete, and you will feel the difference in power.¡±

    ¡°You should concentrate on providing energy to Qin Weng¡¯s body when she is recovering her Qi. I advise you to use some ice herbs extracts and Crimson world Qi.¡±

    After a brief instant Su Menqi was back in the game. The Number of pills being consumed increased drastically. The original estimation didn¡¯t evenst halfway through the process. Lu Ming gave Su Menqi three more bottles. Although Su Menqi was surprised by Lu Ming¡¯s generosity, she didn¡¯t know the real truth behind the scenes. After all the investment was being returned in form of increasing strength.

    ......???....................................................

    Long Tao decided to give the other core to Qin Weng. Since he was already in the midst of doing the task, he should just continue with it. Whatever happens, would be left for fate to decide.

    After another two days, the process finally ended with both the energy cores being consumed and Qin Weng still immersed in meditation, getting acquainted with his newly acquired energy medium.

    Su Menqi decided to take a short break from the tedious process.¡± You have done quite well. I hope we are sessful in obtaining the actual objective behinding to this forest.¡± The couple shared another intimate moment with each other.

    .........................................................................

    ¡°I would give my best to help sister Su with her mission. It is the least I could do for the favors she bestowed on me.¡± Qin Weng was finally awake.

    Long Tao was extremely interested in knowing the results. He instructed Qin Weng to try and exert the beast me. Qin Weng raised his hands and closed his eyes. His actions were simr to someone trying to conjure something. ¡®Arrar¡¯ A small ball of me appeared in the midst of his palm.

    Although the ball was small, it raided an immense amount of pressure which easily dominated the feeling brought by me smander¡¯s beast fire.

    ¡°I guess it stands at the top for a proven reason.¡±

    ..............................................................

    A dayter-

    The beast hunt was already midway through itspletion and the group of four already managed to get their hands on arge number of corpse and cores. Although the prize was yet to be unveiled, given the risk involved it was sure to be somewhat attractive.

    The group was currently following the trails of an ice-element beast. Beast had a much higher affinity with nature and could sense even small amounts of elemental energy. Hence the group decided to stop hunting and follow the trail of arge group of frost wolves. This was arge furry beast that lived within the cold reasons of the Kemono ins. They must have their base built near to an ice element source.

    Although it was a long shot, the group decided to stick till the end, and it did pay off. The beast led them to the foot of a snowy range of mountains which spread across an unimaginable distance.

    ¡°We are in ordance with the path described in the map given to us by your mother. I guess our bet did pay off. The map from this mountain is quite detailed.¡±

    The natural habitat corresponding with the requirement of the frost spring was naturally much higher than the mountain range. Once the group managed to climb to the top, Long Tao asked Su Menqi to concentrate and try to on sensing the environment.

    ¡°I will help amplify your senses so that you can clearly inspect the surroundings. It depends on you as of now.¡± He simply picked her up and began transferring energy into her body. Although the sudden act of intimacy made Su Menqi blush, she soon calmed her sense and closed her eyes.

    ¡°I could sense a slight distortion of climate in that direction.¡± As the group proceeded in the pointed region, they began to feel the changes in here. The snow was still present, but the humidity seems to have risen. Yet there was no entrance in the view of the group.

    ..........................................................

    Another dayter-

    ¡°I guess we are just lost within these ranges. I couldn¡¯t find a single clue nearby. All the signs indicate that the spring must be in this location, but where is it.¡±

    Qin Weng decided to lie down on the floor. An instantter, he suddenly jolted up and attached his ears to the floor. ¡°I could hear a faint sound of water flowing below.¡± The other three instantly rushed to the location.

    He conjured his me up and began melting the ice below their feet. The film broke and the group of four fell down the hole.

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 Chapter 184

    184 MATTER OF CONFLICT

    Su Menqi remembered being held in Long Tao¡¯s arm. The search was on. Suddenly it seemed that Qin Wen found something out and decided to try his theory. The next moment, she could feel a rapid descent in space. All she could do was scream with a little panic. The drop seemed to be quite deep, and she couldn¡¯t make sense of what was happening until she finally made contact with the ground below.

    The first feeling was a short yet intense pain. Although they were Qi general level cultivators, the height seemed to be quite deep to hurt this much. She opened her eyes, and all she could see was the darkness around her. The group-maintained silence for some time, recuperating from their injuries.

    ¡°Can anyone feel the same thing I do? The ground seems to be damp, and the moisture around me is quite high. In a pure snowy region, this shouldn¡¯t be the case. I guess there is a body of water nearby.¡± Qin Weng stated.

    The other three seemed to be thinking about the same thing. Traces of water could be felt around them. Both Qin Weng and Lu Ming started using their beast mes to light the path ahead of them. The structure of the pit seemed uneven. The pit was so bottomless that only a tiny hole could be seen up in the sky.

    Long Tao turned to Su Menqi. ¡°Do you feel anything?¡±

    ¡°I can feel a huge amount of frost energying from that direction.¡± She pointed at the direction left to her.

    ¡°I guess we will be proceeding towards it then. Let¡¯s hope the indications lead us to the destination we came in search of.¡± If the frost spring was supposed to exist, it should be somewhere in these kinds of surroundings.

    ..............................................

    On the other side of the mountain range-

    .....

    ¡°Are you sure that this is the location we are searching for?¡± The boy decided to consult with his sister about the whereabouts of the spring. They were tasked by their master to find the spring and help the girl cultivate it. It could help her in acquiring the ice-jade body of the legends.

    ¡°The map does indicate that the frost spring should be existing right in the center of this mountain range. One of the previous patriarchs created a passage to the spring through these mountains. We need to find the secret entrance to the passage. If my assumptions are correct, it should be somewhat near here.¡±

    The girl came forward and extended her hands to touch a nearby stone. Surprisingly with a few efforts, the stone started moving. When it finally reached the end of its path, a small hole appeared on the mountain walls, with a little pearl extending from it.

    ¡°I guess this is the security the previous master left within the entrance.¡± The girl took out a small badge, which she then fitted onto the pearl and slowly rotated it. As expected, an outline of an entrance soon came into view and opened up. The girl collected the badge and proceeded into the passage.

    .........??...................................

    Long Tao¡¯s group-

    ¡°The frost energy is slowly rising. Even we could feel it. I hope we don¡¯t find any hurdles while locating the spring.¡± A weird scene could be seen all around. Although the temperature was way below outside, the water still stayed as a liquid. The phenomenon managed to give Long Tao some assurance about this being the right location.

    The Crimson lord world-

    ¡°I guess you need to start to create some fire pills to help the girl out.¡±

    ¡°She has the Ice-jade body which could rival my elemental lord body in terms of quality. I think she should be fine absorbing the frost energy. She is in a favorable domain, whichpliments her body¡¯s characteristics.¡±

    ¡°You always manage to surprise me in weird ways. Most of the time, it is positively, but even you can be na?ve. When even you are feeling cold even after having the elemental lord body, do you think It would be easy to im the resource?¡±

    ¡°If I am not wrong, the grade of the frost spring, although not on the same level as the fire vein, should be equivalent to the fire stones you gathered. What would happen if you start absorbing the firestone as of now.¡±

    ¡°My body would explode, not being able to absorb energy.¡± Long Tao muttered under his breath.

    ¡°Exactly. The girl is not yet ready to absorb the energy on her own. You need to help her with the absorption process. At least until her body manages to get acquainted with the energy levels. If I am not mistaken, she would be entering the Qi King level before you.¡±

    .......................................

    After around half a day of walking, the group managed to reach the endpoint finally. The view awaiting them was quite surprising. Thest time Long Tao saw a picture like this was when he had entered the pit where the fire-vein was located. The frost energy was so immense in the region that strands of ice-energy were visible floating mid-air.

    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡± Su Menqi¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but roam around the surrounding, finallying to a halt on the other side of the room. A spring of whitish liquid was slowly falling and getting collected. What else could it be, other than the frost spring they were looking for.

    ¡°I guess your mother¡¯s words were right. The spring is a massive resource for someone possessing the ice-jade body. But before that, I need you to start cultivating in the surrounding. Once you manage to amodate yourself with the surrounding, proceed into the pool.¡±

    Su Menqi was too excited about the find. With this, her path of getting revenge on the force pursuing her parents got a little shorter. She was about to move forward when Qin Weng suddenly grabbed her hand. ¡± Wait for a moment, sister.¡±

    ....................................

    ¡± We would soon be reaching the en fo eth tunnel. The spring must be on the other side of the wall in front.¡± The sibling duo rushed past the walls and finally entered the vast space where the spring was located.

    But before they could celebrate their discovery, a strange view appeared in front. Four figures were standing right ahead of them. Either of the groups recognized each other immediately.

    ¡°We now understand why you were totally fine with us leaving the two of you. You must be searching for this ce, too, I suppose.¡± Lu Ming was the initiator of the conversation.

    Although the boy remained silent for the time being, the girl couldn¡¯t help but reply. ¡± How did you people find this ce. You should be able to enter the passage without adequate allowance by the sect.¡±

    Before Long Tao¡¯s group could make any sense of what the girl was murmuring about, the boy drew his sword out. ¡® I will give you one chance to exin the situation. This location was found by a previous generation patriarch of our sect and sealed for the younger generations to train in. You shouldn¡¯t be able to undo the seal without the adequate artifacts presented by the sect. Just who the fuck are you, people.¡±

    The Crimson lord world-

    ¡°What are their cultivation levels.¡±

    ¡°These two seem to be geniuses from a massive power around. The girl is a level nine Qi general, while the boy is a level 8 Qi general.¡±

    ¡°It is the first time a Qi general level cultivator has threatened me after the blood-general incident. I need to talk through my actions.¡±

    ¡°You should be so arrogant with the little strength you hold. There are geniuses all around you. If I am not wrong, the boy posses a sword body, while the girl is a holder of another kid of ice-elemental body. It is called purple-frost. Although It¡¯s not at the level of the Ice-jade body, it doesn¡¯t fall far behind. You should be careful while handling these two.¡±

    ................................................

    Long Tao decided to try and negotiate a deal with the du-

    ¡°We reached here through a pit formed at the top of the mountain range. I guess your ancestor didn¡¯t know about the entrance. Since both of us have managed to find the spring, I guess we can share it among us.¡±

    The girl came forward. ¡± We don¡¯t need to share eth sect property with outsiders. I would like for you to leave this ce and don¡¯t report this location to anyone.¡±

    Long Tao couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud inside. A duo fo Qi generals were threatening him. ¡± I guess we can¡¯t reach an agreement. My earlier offer is no longer valid.¡± He turned to look at Su Menqi. ¡± You can start cultivating. Lu Ming will help you with the process. Qin Weng and I should be able to take care of these two.¡±

    Qin Weng turned to face the duo.¡± I will take on the damsel. You take care of her brother.¡±

    ¡°I should be the one taking care of the girl.¡± Long tao insisted.

    ¡°it doesn¡¯t matter. We just need to kill either of them.¡±. the siblings were holding Qi king weapons. It spoke a lot about the power backing the two. But Long tao couldn¡¯t care less.

    ¡®I guess we need to have some weapons too.¡± Qin Weng took out two huge cases. One contained a sword while the other held the hammer given by the weapon hall¡¯s elder.

    While eth sword was a Qi king weapon, the hammer had an ethereal feeling to it. Although It couldn¡¯t be specified into a particr grade, it was an ancient object used to forge emperor level weapons. The brother and sister were taken back after seeing the two sets of weapons.

    The hammer was giving them a lot of pressure. Its grade was way out of their reach. ¡°State your name and the sect you belong to. We might let you live.¡±

    Qin Weng gave out a mocking expression. ¡°As my brother here said, the deal is out of the way now. The two of you will die right here.¡±

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 Chapter 185

    185 THE WILL

    Long Tao no longer wanted to indulge in conversation. ¡°Should we take them as hostages?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to, but the matter at hand seems to require that we do need to understand the backstory behind his fountain.¡± Long Tao decided to try his best to hold back.

    Qin Weng was asked to be the tank, while Long Tao would provide the support. Both the siblings were adept in offensive attacks. Just to throw them off guard, did Long Tao took the initiative to go first. Qin Weng¡¯s hammer dropped down on the siblings and they were surprised to experience the strength contained within it. Even the two of them together couldn¡¯t handle a single swing.

    Long Tao attacked the sister with a curved sh, which managed to inflict a minor cut on her left hand. The siblings rushed back to create some distance between the two parties, but how could Long Tao let it happen? He too rushed in with them.

    Qin Weng was continuously swinging heavy blows with the hammer, mostly concentrating on the weaker link between the two. Although sword-user did has an upper hand in offensive attacks, the art he practiced seems to require adequate space to use. ¡± Continue using the hammer attacks. The sister seems to be an ice-element practitioner, while I am not sure about the other guy.¡±

    ¡°Should I start using thunder attacks?¡±

    ¡°Let us continue with the current pace, I wills tart using thunder and fire elements to confront the sister. The boy would sooner ortere around and show his true power.¡±

    .........................................

    Su Menqi was facing apletely different situation as of now. The threads she was absorbing were small collections of frost energy. This was the first time she came into contact with such a huge amount of frost energy. The ice-jade body was devouring the threads non-stop, but Su Menqi couldn¡¯t get any control over it.

    .....

    She was finding it difficult to stay focused and adapt herself to the situation. It took a long time before she finally adjusted her body to the cold energy. Her cultivation was rapidly rising. Although she was just a level 5 Qi general before, she could feel herself getting closer to the border of level 6.

    Soon enough the barrier was broken and she sessfully stepped into level 6. The speed of devouring increased even more. Lu Ming was observing from the side, couldn¡¯t help but notice the incredible speed of absorbing frost energy.

    ¡± you shouldn¡¯t be so surprised. Unlike you, her body type is a single element based, hence it doesn¡¯t need to care about, maintaining a bnce within various elements. It¡¯s quite natural that her speed is so rapid. The resources here could easily help her reach Qi king level, even upgrading her base by 3-4 levels in that domain.¡±

    It felt like a jolt to Long Tao. He was still in the seventh level of Qi General, and Su Menqi might as well be a Qi King by the end of this adventure. He didn¡¯t find any benefit in possessing such diverse and powerful body types.

    ¡°Your true strength is way beyond your level of cultivation, and you stillin about the benefits you get from cultivating the heavenly scriptures. You can easily fight with someone at level 3 of Qi king while still being at level 7 of Qi general. You shouldn¡¯t eat more than you can chew.¡±

    By the end of the day, her cultivation base was already at the border of level 6 Qi general. A sudden increase in the devouring rate marked her first steps into level 7. Su Menqi didn¡¯t budge from her ce and continued to cultivate.

    The siblings couldn¡¯t help but notice this phenomenon. The girl who was in level 4 of Qi general, already stepped into level 7.

    ¡°She must be possessing an ice-element body, just like your sister.¡± The brother couldn¡¯t help but speak out.

    ¡°Her body is superior in quality to mine. I can feel the energy being radiated from it. The familiarity could only be exerted by the body I am desiring to achieve. It is the ice-jade body.¡±This came as a shock to the brother. The objective with which they had ventured into the mountains was to let his sister obtain the ice-jade body by cultivating within the frost fountain. But the girl before them was someone who already p[ossessed it.

    ¡°We need to report this to the master. This girl is a supreme talent and should be a disciple of our sect.¡±

    ¡± We can capture and take her with us.¡± The brother said.

    ¡°You still don¡¯t seem to understand the situation. Getting distracted while in a fight with me.¡± Qin Wen finally lost his cool. He began using the thunder arts whichplemented the hammer attacks. A single swing managed to create a crater around the space, and deflect the siblings to a far off space.

    This managed to bring the siblings back to reality. The opponents they were facing at the moment were no joke. Even though either of them was at level 7 of Qi general, they don¡¯t seem to be gaining the upper hand. The enemy party was unharmed, while they were covered in blood.

    The girl started using frost arts. An instant boost in power was soon observed by Qin Weng. ¡°You finally decided to go serious. I would be leaving the guy to brother Long.¡± Qin Weng forced the girl into another corner of the hall.

    ...........................................

    ¡°Both of you are quite talented. Why don¡¯t we stop the fight here and we could rmend the four of you to our sect. I am sure you could easily gain a disciple position simr to the two of us. The girl behind you might even be a hereditary disciple of the sect-master, who is constantly n search of ice-element body types.¡±

    The girl spoke up to Su Menqi. ¡°You must be possessing the ice-jade body.¡±. Su Menqi was visibly shocked and thrown out of her meditative state. How did the two people find out about her secrets?

    ¡®the two of you seem to be quite knowledgeable. Since you found her secret out, I would have to execute you now. I hope you have a safe journey in the afterlife.¡± Long tao began using the full power of his meridians. A single sh managed to send the boy flying. He banged into the wall, and his left bone seemed to be broken.

    The girl was shocked to see the state of her brother. She was about to go to his rescue when a single sh by long tao stopped her. ¡± I guess I need to get a bit serious too.¡± Long tao began to use his sword intent. A huge beast formed behind Long Tao. Being a sword cultivator the brother instantly recognized the sword intent.

    The duo facing them was no less talented than the girl. Both of them began to utilize his maximum power, but Qin Weng and Long tao couldn¡¯t fall behind. Each strike could easily take care of a genuine level 1 Qi king. The siblings were being forced back into a corner.

    ¡®I guess we need to use it.¡± The girl took out a talisman.

    ¡°You need to stop her from using that. It must be a talisman containing the will of a cultivator much more powerful than you. To be able to project his consciousness so far, he must be in the emperor level.¡±

    Both Qin Weng and Long Tao rushed at the sister, but the brother faced them in a final moment confrontation. Although he was shot out flying and got inflicted with a serious injury, the girl did manage to use the talisman and a will was soon projected in the surroundings.

    ...................................

    ¡°Who dares to harm my students?¡± A huge pressure instantly enveloped the hall. Long tao found it difficult to breathe. Lu Ming used the full strength of his beast me to protect Su Menqi.

    ¡°Do We have a way to confront this will?¡±

    ¡°I am an emperor grade artifact boy. A meager will can¡¯t stand my wrath. I need some time to break it. Just hod out for a second.¡±

    The siblings bowed to the figure. ¡°We are currently situated in the Frost hall. There is a group of people who managed to enter the hall through a false pathway. Who tried to fight them, but they are way out of our league. One of them even holds the legendary ice-jade boy which the patriarch is looking for.¡±

    The figure seemed shocked and inspected the four figures standing opposite to his disciple. He was surprised to find that even while being in the level 7 of Qi general, these two managed to destroy his disciples. The most prominent figure was Su Menqi¡¯s. It was without a doubt the ice-jade body.

    ¡°I give the four of a single chance. Give up and ept me as your master, after which you would be escorted to the sect where you will be trained, or I will kill you immediately.¡±

    ..................................

    ¡®How much longer do I have to hold out?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s almost done.¡±

    LonG tao looked at the f8igure and said in a mocking tone. ¡± We would like to reject your proposal.¡± The figure instantly raged out, but a sudden jolt pushed him back. There seemed to be another power in y.

    Seeing that his consciousness was slowly being wiped out, he instantly got hold of his disciples and rushed out.¡±

    The Keeper alerted LonG tao about the consequences of staying here for a long time.

    ¡°You should enter theke and start cultivating. The real body of the will might rush here at any moment.¡±

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 Chapter 186

    186 THE ESSENCE OF A KING

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°The n seems to have worked out for the time being. I managed to alter my aura to give it more of a lifelike feel. The other party must be assuming me to be another Emperor level cultivator who is hiding in the dark. But the situation gets worse as time passes. The guy must be consulting with his fellow sect mates about this matter.¡±

    ¡°What should we do?¡±

    ¡°Su Menqi¡¯s situation is unique. As soon as shees in contact with the frost liquid flowing in the spring, her body will automatically start devouring it. Given the quality of the Qi, a rapid increase in cultivation would soon follow. We need to prevent that.¡± The Keeper extended his hand and touched Long Tao¡¯s head. A bunch of information began to flow into his consciousness.

    ¡°This is the method to help her suppress rapid increment. If the two of you can achieve a certain amount of barrier, the body would start utilizing the collected Qi to develop itself. Although a harsh method, her current cultivation level requires the least amount of energy to develop into the perma-frost body.¡±

    ¡°You need to maintain the suppression until the change happens. The artifact will simultaneously start absorbing the frost energy. It will not only help in mending the damages. The energy will alsoe handy in improving your cultivation.¡±

    ¡°The resources present here belongs to Su Menqi. I will not be using anything that would harm her cultivation speed.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that aspect boy. If my estimations are correct, she would require no more than a third of this pool to sessfully transform her body into the next level. In the meantime, the artifact will absorb the rest of the energy and it can be given back to her in the future, in the form of Crimson world Qi, which is far superior in grade to this energy.¡±

    The Keeper proposal was quite beneficial for the duo. Long Tao was in dire need of the ice-energy to test his theory of elemental acupoints. So far only two elements were able to open up acupoints in his body, fire (from the beast me0 and thunder (from the thunder pool above the thunder-god hall).

    .....

    .............................................

    ¡°We need to increase the pace of the current work-flow. You need to concentrate on the pathway which I am going to show you. Make sure to follow it properly. All three of us will assist you in the process.¡±

    Long Tao transmitted the information to Su Menqi. She entered the frost spring and the other three surrounded her and began to instill their energy into her. The biggest supply was soul energy. The best way to help her in this situation was to improve her soul strength. She could then control her body likewise.

    Su Menqi was doing a great job in that area. The artifact simultaneously began absorbing the frost Qi. Long tao hoped for another upgrade, but it wasn¡¯t going to happen anytime soon.

    The firstplication urred when Su Menqi first came in contact with the dense frost energy. He body received a jolt and began to rapidly absorb it. As a result, her cultivation base began shooting up. The speed was incredible, but the objective required her to suppress her cultivation level. She was trying her best to do so.

    Although the speed decreased, her cultivation was still rising. By the time she finally managed to gain control over her cultivation level, she was already at the 9th level of Qi general. Any mistake now could result in her stepping into the domain of king, and the objective would fail.

    ¡°You need to stay strong. Concentrate on the long term benefits rather than this short term gains.¡± Su Menqi finally managed to get a grip on the situation. The vessel was slowly filling up, and soon enough it reached a maximum. The transformation finally began. The energy was being consumed and utilized in enhancing the quality of the body.

    A phenomenon simr to when Su Menqi unsealed her body took ce. Her body was radiating cold energy which was rapidly rising in terms of quality and power.

    ¡°Increase the supply of soul power. The process will get moreplex as time passes by. She needs the supply to help her be conscious.¡±

    ¡± What would happen if she loses her conscious.¡±

    ¡°I would advice you to pull her out of the spring and let me absorb the remaining energy.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t she enter the king realm with the continuous supply?¡±

    ¡°Theoretically she would, but I would advise against it. The essence of bing a Qi king lies with the establishment ofw. Now thew to be established differ in quality. The higher the quality of yourw, the stronger would be your power. The grades are divided into human, earthly, and heavenlyws.¡±

    ¡°What is the difference between the strengths?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s take three Qi kings who are at the first stage but differ in thew they have established. An earthlyw establisher would be ten times powerful than a humanw user. A heavenlyw user would be 10 times as powerful as an earthlyw user. I suppose you can easily understand the situation as of now.¡±

    ¡°If Su Menqi loses consciousness during the process the frost energy collected within her body would automatically form the easiestw, the humane one. Her future would be quite limited thereafter.¡±

    ¡°What if she manages to transform into the perma-frost body?¡±

    ¡°The chances of forming an earthlyw increases by 10 times, and with your help, that is the least she could achieve. Her chances of achieving the Heavenlyw would be quite high. That is our objective. I would create some concentrated energy balls of ice-element, which would help her to form the highest possiblews. Forming a heavenlyw is one of the requirements to sessfully transform the perma-frost body into an absolute frost body.¡±

    ¡± I guess I would need some extra hands then.¡±

    Su Menqi was soon supplied with huge amounts of soul energy. Long Tao wanted to help her to the best of his capabilities. After all his wife couldn¡¯tg too much behind himself.

    ................................................................

    Within the central ins, multiple powers were upying a huge and dispersed topography. The powers were graded ording to their overall strength and allotted a particr domain. shes were quitemon and there would be a new power rising now and then. Even then, the old establishments continued to cultivate powerful groups of cultivators who would be the future pirs of the sects. These establishments remained in y for a long time.

    One such establishment was the Frostleaf sect. It was a Monarch grade power and consisted of a huge amount of disciples. In one of the Halls, a conference was currently taking ce.

    ¡°You are sure about her possessing the ice-jade body while still being in the Qi general level?¡±

    ¡°I have confirmed it with my own eyes. We need to get that girl into our sect. The sect master has long been looking for a suitable sessor and she could prove to be the one. The ice-jade increases her chance to form an Earth gradew while stepping into the Qi king realm. The only other earth gradew cultivator is our sect-master. Wouldn¡¯t she be the perfect sessor to her?¡±

    ¡°Let us capture the girl first. We would then request the sect-master to deliver her opinion.¡±

    A group of four Qi emperors soon rushed out of the sect in search of a group of four people. They wouldn¡¯t realize untilter, that the group they came in search of had already escaped from the region.

    ..................................................................

    Su Menqi was on the verge of copse from the grueling efforts required to transform her body. ¡± She needs to hold a bit longer. The ice-jade body has already reached peak grade. A little more and a sessful transformation to the perma-frost body would ur.¡±

    Long tao was feeling nauseous and dizzy by the excessive amount of soul power being consumed in the process. He couldn¡¯t even make sense of the Keeper words, but something just inspired him to instill all his soul energy into Su Menqi.

    The three figures copsed after doing so. But the efforts didn¡¯t go in vain. Su Menqi ¡®s skin was visibly torn by now and she was already unconscious after exerting all her efforts.

    ¡°They did manage to reach the point.¡± The keeper couldn¡¯t help but give out a satisfied expression. Su Menqi was shedding a huge amount of dead skin, underneath which a pearly white skin came into being. Her beauty was enhanced exponentially as the impurities were slowly being excreted.

    The artifact finally managed to absorb the whole spring and instantly vanished from sight along with the four unconscious figure. It was not untilter that day when four figures hurriedly entered the hall.

    It was none other than the four elders from the Frostleaf sect. they rushed in with maximum speed, but to their dismay all they could find was an empty hall with the frost spring vanished from its ce.

    ¡°Look out for their aura traces. They couldn¡¯t have gone too far from here.¡±

    But to their surprise, there were no aura traces within the hall. It was as if the group of four vanished into thin air.

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 Chapter 187

    187 PILL-BLOOM CITY

    ¡± How I there not even a single trace of the four.¡±

    ¡°The only way they could have done it is through the backup of someone who is at least at the emperor level. The other options are not viable enough.¡±

    ¡°I suggest there could be another possible way they could have done this.¡±

    ¡°The only other way I could visualize is through them possessing a masking artifact, which should at least be at the emperor level. That makes their background even more horrifying for us to pry in.¡± Masking artifacts were some of the rarest kinds of treasure, and emperor grade at that was quite valuable. Even their sect didn¡¯t possess such kinds of artifacts.

    ¡°Let¡¯s assume a positive oue. There must be an emperor-level cultivator backing the group. We just need to find them and capture the girl. We might even get lucky and get the cultivator to join the rank of elders in our sect.¡±

    ¡°Send words to all the branches spread across the ins. If you could provide us with the image of the four people, we will put up a notice in all the branches and information guilds across the continent. Sooner orter we will get hold of these people.¡±

    The biggest loss in the situation was the frost spring which was totally dried out. Even for the four of them, it would be a difficult task to carry that out. The cultivator backing them up must be quite powerful.

    ¡°Report the situation to the sect leader. He needs to sanction this capture.¡±

    The four people exited the hall and left for the sect. It is unknown to them that this very decision would lead to a series of events that would shake the whole central ins.

    .....

    ........................

    The central in was a huge expanse ofnd which encapsted arge part of the Qi continent. Needless to say, there was an uncountable number of powers within the region. The most famous ones were those who stayed at the top of their specialized trade.

    Alchemy was one of the most profitable and sought after jobs. The allure of this profession was its riches and the number of resources one could obtain for cultivation. It was natural that some of the powers would be concentrated to walk the path of alchemy. Pill Valley is one of the biggest names in the sector.

    It was present within the center since the beginning of its history and had managed to continue its traditions until now. It was said that 10 individuals were ancient alchemy masters. They decided toe together and form an organization called Pill Valley.

    The lineage of those 10 masters further became the ten families supporting Pill Valley through the advent of time. Pill valley soon established itself as the holy ground for pill practitioners. Every year they would conduct a Pill-brewpetition to test the new generation of alchemists. The top seeds of thispetition would be epted as the disciples of the pill valley.

    The city was excessively crowded as of now. The event attracted hordes of alchemy enthusiasts, who would gather as soon as three months before the actual event took ce. The reason behind this behavior was the open-schooling provided by the senior alchemists of the valley during the two months before thepetition. Multiple stages are also established to help people test their talent andpete against each other.

    The biggest hindrance for any alchemy practitioner was money. Although alchemist was a profitable profession, the cost required to practice it was also enormous. It was the reason that families throughout the central ins would decide to cultivate no more than one or two alchemy practitioners among the family.

    Themon man wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the elites of the rich families, and hence most of them join as outer disciples to the valley.

    ..........................

    About 1 month before thepetition-

    A group of three people entered Pill-bloom city. There were no distinctive features that distinguished them from the rest of the crowd. Long Tao¡¯s objective was to not garner any attention until the pill-brewpetition. The recent confrontation with an unknown power having emperor level cultivators put them on high alert.

    The power backing the two siblings must be out looking for them, and hence the less attention they get, the easier it would be for them to hide their identity.

    ¡°You should go look for a ce to stay, while I am gathering some information regarding the uingpetition.¡± Lu Ming separated from the group and disappeared into the crowd. Long Tao and Su Menqi managed to find a lodge to stay in.

    ¡°How may I help the customer?¡±

    ¡°We would like to book a room for three people to stay in.¡±

    ¡°Have sire here to attend the Pill-brewpetition?¡±

    ¡°One of our brothers has decided to take the exam. We are here to cheer him up.¡±

    ¡°I wish luck to your brother. May I know what sort of lodging does sir prefer?¡±

    ¡°I would like to have one of your premium rooms. There shouldn¡¯t be any disturbances for the rest of the months before thepetition. The meal should be delivered to the room, and we want the utmost privacy.¡± Long Tao handed a small sachet to the receptionist. Upon opening, he was still shocked. Top grade Qi stones and there was a horde of them in the bag. It was enough to rent multiple rooms for the next month, but Long Tao gave it to him, to keep his mouth shut.

    ¡°You can be assured about your privacy, sir.¡±

    ¡°I would like you to gather as much information as you can about thepetition.¡± Another pouch was handed to the receptionist, who dly epted and asked Long too to follow him.

    .............................

    Crimson Lord World-

    ¡°You did manage to speed up through the torturous process. Thest batch of pills refined by you is top grade, which means you can easily refine a perfect grade batch of all the other pills. The main objective of this month is going to be different from before.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what is the most crucial requirement in entering level 4 of alchemy?¡±

    ¡± I guess it is soul power since that is the only thing you made me practice exclusively.¡±

    The Pill hall master of Crimson world was ted to hear the response. ¡°You currently stand within the soul master level. The next stage is called soul grandmaster and it is also the entrance into level 4 of alchemy. Only by entering into the soul-grandmaster level, can you begin refining the pill of grade 4.¡±

    ¡°I want you to concentrate on Heaven-pestle art as of now. Although the entry stage to the soul-grandmaster is not yet revealed, you should be able to sense it upon practicing for the remaining time.¡±

    ¡°Thest of the three avatars should concentrate on cultivating with the newly acquired Crimson fox me. You need to master your control over it, while also improving your fire affinity. As for the elemental upoints, practicing within the fire pool we created should be able to open multiple of those. I guess you could start cultivating with fire stones once you enter the King realm.¡±

    The Keeper interjected during this time. ¡°I am preparing for the next phase of your training, which is to help you create the perfectw mandate. Both the elemental pools and the heaven-hell energy pool are beingpressed as of now. We can¡¯t take a single misstep at this time.¡±

    Thest month of training was officially on its way.

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 Chapter 188

    188 MATTER OF CONFLICT

    The crowd was gettingrger as time passed by. As the time of the pill-brewpetition drew near, the activity seems to have increased exponentially. Guilds were out listing the top candidates taking part in thepetition. Long Tao needed some top tier news, like information regarding the top seeds of each major alchemy n and the possible ck-horses appearing this time.

    ¡°Did you manage to gather information regarding the participants this time?¡±

    The receptionist handed a big bundle of documents to Long tao. ¡± It contains all the information I have managed to gather about the seeded participants. You need to careful while roaming around the city master. It is better to not show your skills until the day of thepetition.¡±

    ¡°Is there a reason behind this advice?¡±

    ¡°The families which constitute the ancient lineage of Pill valley stand strong even today. The 10 families who continue the lineage of the ten alchemists hold the biggest amount of influence in the Pill-bloom city. The Pill-brewpetition marks the entrance of many of their descendants into the Pill valley. Hence it is a matter of prestige for them.¡±

    ¡°The top seeds are always people from these ten ns. On rare asions does the pill-brewpetition get a winner who is not affiliated with the 10 ns. Some of the most dazzling examples are the current lord and one of the great elders of the pill valley.¡±

    ¡°The Lord is known as the Life emperor, while the great elder I mentioned is known as the ck fire emperor. ¡±

    How could Lu Ming forget about his master? He should be on his way with the sect leader. He wanted to know more about the incident which caused his teacher¡¯s injury.

    ¡°Does the leader and the great elder reside within the pill valley as of now?¡±

    .....

    ¡°The Lord resides within the centermost mansion of the pill valley. He doesn¡¯t make many public appearances because of his addiction to alchemy. He is known to cultivate and concoct pill all year round.¡±

    ¡°No one knows his actual cultivation level, but the rumor indicates that he has already entered the monarch realm.¡±

    Long Tao¡¯s master was a level 6 Qii emperor before the injury. The sect leader must have been within a nearby realm. To think that he has already entered the monarch realm, just long ago did the event happen.

    ¡°What about the great elder?¡±

    ¡°Although it is an abomination to bring that event up, it is rted to thest session war. The new lord as you know was from amon background, but both his martial prowess and alchemy level was the very best of the organization. It was the reason that he was one of the three disciples who was undertaken by the previous lords.¡±

    ¡°The new lord was to be chosen from those three. The other two were both people of the ten families. It is said that the current great elder was one of the two candidates. He was known to be an alchemy heretic and had no interest in the throne. It now came down to the first and the third disciple.¡±

    ¡°The third disciple was a contender from the ten families and hence had the support of many of the elders from the valley. A stalemate was reached, One had support, while the other held power. The only way to bring an end to this feud was to make the great elder choose sides.¡±

    ¡°No one knows the reason behind his action, but apparently, he chose the current sect lord rather than someone of his camp. The reason could be attributed to the fact that he appreciated the prowess and achievements of the current lord.¡±

    ¡°It led to civil strife which caused a bloodbath with the pill valley, and the great elder was to said to have brought about an end to it single-handedly. He took down the third disciple and pushed the first to the position of king. Some even say that the great elder was the most capable one among the three. It was only due to his efforts that the internal strife came to an end.¡±

    ¡°It was during this time that Pill valley was attacked by the people of the evil path, spearheaded by the medicine ghost hall. The Pill valley went through tribtion with the great elder taking on the highest amount of opponents. Although the medicine ghost hall was wiped out, all the elders and even the sect lord were injured. The great elder is said to have been ambushed by around 6 cultivators, one of which was a member of the n which the third disciple belongs to.¡±

    ¡°Although he managed to kill his way through, the injury acquired was too grave to neglect. He is said to have disappeared since then. Some even say that he dies from the injury. The sect lord reserved the seat of the great elder for him, which remains empty. We are hoping that someday, he or one of his descendants would return to pill valley.¡±

    .......................

    ¡°The ranks within the ten families were reshuffled after his disappearance, with the great elder¡¯s n getting demoted to thest. The reason was the disappearance of the biggest power with their ranks. The families take the pill-brewpetition quite seriously. There has never been an outsider winning thepetition since the current lord.¡±

    ¡°The ten families even take special measures to make sure that the talented individual couldn¡¯t perform well during the test.¡±

    Long Tao understood the logic behind their actions. It was to preserve their standing within the pill valley. But the process destroyed many talented individuals, who might be able to perform well.

    .........................

    The Crimson lord world-

    ¡°I guess the reason behind master wanting me to win thepetition was this. He wants my win to be a lesson for the ten families. Is this his way of recreating the miracle which happened ten years ago? I guess only time will tell.¡±

    ¡°You need to be alert during the wholepetition. Your win seems to be natural at the moment, but you shouldn¡¯t make an enemy out of the ten families. Although the emperor level practitioner wouldn¡¯t act directly against you, they will try their best to hinder your progress in the future.¡±

    ¡°My master wouldn¡¯t send me to face such a huge force alone. He must have some n in mind.¡±

    ¡°Are you hinting that he is lurking in the shadows looking out for you?¡±

    ¡°I guess he is trying to use my win as the moment to reappear in front of the world. I need to help him through the process. Initially, I thought about suppressing myself to the top ten as to not attract too much attention, but I have decided to win thepetition as of now.¡±

    ¡°You should concentrate on breaking the barrier to the fourth level. No need to distract your attention to other people. You win is already confirmed.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t take chances now. The win is vital to the master¡¯s n. I need to enter thend of me. It might be a mysterious ce for all, but with you beside me, it is just a treasure trove left to be looted.¡±

    The Keeper couldn¡¯t help but smile. The artifact was something that transcends this world. He could find and store every single resource within thend of fire. The future seemed to be quite bright for him.

    ........................

    At an inn nearby to the central pedestal-

    An old man was currently sitting on his bed with eyes closed. A woman was also meditating while sitting on the floor. Both of them looked quite ordinary from the outside, but when looked at properly, they were the two masters of Long Tao.

    ¡°I guess he entered the city by now.¡±

    ¡°The preparation is already done. The results now depend on the child. It depends on how high he can climb within thepetition, only then can the n be sessfully executed.¡±

    ¡°We can only hope for the best.¡±

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 Chapter 189

    189 PILL BREWERS LIST

    ¡°What is the reaction you are expecting from the families.¡±

    ¡°In the internal strife 100 years ago, I used my full power to suppress them and limit their influence over the valley itself. The whole thing was designed by us so that the will of our ancestors could be executed perfectly.¡±

    ¡°Do you know the real motive regarding the creation of pill valley?¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it to promote the art of alchemy.¡±

    ¡°Although the motive I somewhat simr, the background story was changed quite a bit. The ten alchemists who came together to create the Pill valley were not strangers. They originated from the same ce.¡± The woman was shocked upon hearing this. How could the ten alchemists belong to the same force? Wouldn¡¯t that mean that the heaven for alchemists was just a derived power from somewhere else?

    ¡°The original force to which the ten people belong to is a secret guarded by the lineage of the ten families and the grand elders of the valley. It is one of the reasons behind your father pushing you so hard into training. He was a genius, but the era during which he emerged had another 2 bastards.¡±

    ¡°When he found out that his daughter¡¯s talent was so strong, he couldn¡¯t help but be overwhelmed by the pressure of training you. He wanted you to achieve the dream he couldn¡¯t. It was also the reason behind me being assigned with the duty to train you. He wants you to grow capable enough to enter the parent power of the pill valley.¡±

    ¡°The internal conflict caused a hundred years ago was something no one among us could predict. I wasn¡¯t interested in the throne, but I couldn¡¯t just sit around and allow the force to eat itself out. It was the reason behind me suppressing the ten families. It was not easy and the scar which developed due to the incident is even deeper.¡±

    ¡°Weren¡¯ you the most powerful of the three sessors? Wouldn¡¯t that naturally make you the strongest within the whole Pill valley?¡±

    .....

    ¡°You underestimate the true strength of the Pill Valley. Do you believe that a power which is known to be the hegemon in alchemy could survive in the central ins with just Qi emperors as its masters?¡±

    Now that the woman thought about it, she was quite shocked. The central ins were filled with monarch level powers. It was a given fact that the pill valley must have a secret force that was capable enough of tackling those powers.

    ¡°The real strength of the valley lies somewhere else. Those bastards wouldn¡¯t involve themselves in the matter of the Valley. Once the sect master crossed the boundary of the Qi emperor, he was to appoint a new sessor. The same went for the leaders of the various families. I was banned by one of my ancestors. The restriction on the sect masters and elders is quite harsh, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case for family heads.¡±

    ¡°The ten families went silent during the time of the tribtion. Although we sessfully managed to fend off the valley from the clutches of the evil sect, the power diminished quite a bit. The sect master must be busy recreating the sect to its former strength, while the ten families would be doing the same. But 100 years have already passed since the incident. It is a long time for hatching a great number of conspiracies against each other.¡±

    .....................................

    ¡°The Pill Brewpetition is a huge milestone to indicate the power of the ten families. They have always managed to the utmost of their abilities. I just hope the boy doesn¡¯t show his real capabilities before the final round.¡±

    ¡°He is quite a cunning fellow. I couldn¡¯t imagine the amount of thought he gives to every single move of his. He must be busy practicing while simultaneously collecting information about thepetition. He must have realized the influence of the ten families over the crowd and the pill valley in general.¡±

    ¡°The position he requires to achieve is quite demanding. I am sure he could reach the top 10, but thepetition after that is quite cruel. He needs to enter into the top three for our n to work.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember his words when he was informed about thepetition?¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that our student will win the 1st rank?¡±

    ¡°I have never seen him wagering a bet he couldn¡¯t win. I guess he will. A huge storm is going to hit the Pill Valley in theing future. I guess we need to tighten our shoes to go through it.¡±

    ¡°I have a thought in my mind.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°How about we present a little test for our disciples to make things a bitplicated for him? I need to see how he performs in the modified circumstances.¡± The first elder was smiling.

    The woman could already derive the idea behind the smile.

    ............................................

    Long Tao¡¯s inn-

    Long Tao and Su Menqi apanied Lu Ming into the Pill-bloom city toy low from the world. All eyes were concentrated on the uing pill-brewpetition and hence it was the perfect spot for hiding. Long Tao was training with the elemental energies to open up more upoints. ording to the Keeper, it was necessary to be able to make a connection to a supreme mandate.

    Su Menqi was provided with the concentrated energy balls from the frost spring. She was suppressing the cultivation while training with them. Once Long Tao lectured her about the future pathway in cultivation, she too decided to have a supremew of ice with her.

    ¡°Let¡¯s open as many upoints as you can before entering the King level. If I am not wrong this must be the pathway to make a pact with a supremew. The Crimson Lords never considered the baseline for being able to create a supremew mandate, but your achievements make it possible to test that theory. I guess we must have opened a new pathway of research.¡±

    ¡± I guess there is only one way to find out.¡±

    He was about to get back to his training when a sudden message from Lu Ming surprised him for a bit. Apparently, the Pill-brewers list is out. It contained detailed information regarding the top participants of the uing pill-brewpetition.

    Ten families upied most of the top spots, but a single name managed to draw the most eyes. ¡®Lu Ming: Independent alchemist, level 3 intermediate¡¯ was listed in bold letters at 9th ce.

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 Chapter 190

    190 DANGEROUS UNDERCURRENTS

    Long Tao was shocked to see that his name was listed within the top 9 contenders of this year¡¯s Pill-brewers list. He kicked the ten families¡¯ disciples out of the list. This was going to attract a lot of attention. How could the agency find this information out?

    ¡°I will be back by evening.¡± Long Tao advised Su Menqi to continue to meditate. He instantly called 4 of his avatars out. It was time to get some answers. Each of Long tao¡¯s avatars had the strength of an intermediate Qi king. It could be categorized as a substantial force even in the central ins.

    The first person he went after was the innkeeper. He was abducted quite quickly and taken into a hidden location. Lu Ming came forward and looked the scared receptionist in his eye.

    ¡°Were you the one who leaked the information about me?¡±

    The receptionist was scared shitless. He couldn¡¯t believe such a strong practitioner would be backing Lu Ming. He instantly bowed down and replied:

    ¡°I have kept my promise, milord. I wasn¡¯t the one who leaked the information about you. I have already made the payment to keep my mouth shut. How could I betray my benefactor.¡± Lu Ming went ahead and searched for his soul. It turned out that the receptionist was telling the truth.

    He took out another bag of stones. ¡± This is your reward for telling the truth.¡± The receptionist couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. The disaster seemed to have turned into a blessing for him. He instantly thanked Lu Ming and the group of people behind him and rushed back to his position.

    ................................

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t the inn-keeper, who could have known my origins and strength to have mentioned my name in the top 10 of the pill brewer¡¯s list?¡±

    .....

    The Keeper advised him to be cautious about his environment. If his details are leaked, the location of his stay wouldn¡¯t remain hidden for long. He should be a bit cautious while moving within the city.

    ¡°I guess we need to go to the agency.¡±

    The avatars made their way to the agency which was responsible for the maintenance of the list. It was the Brown-stone merchant guild, one of the most influential merchant organizations in the central ins.

    He couldn¡¯t create a conflict within the organization, as such an influential guild must have powerful cultivators backing them up. He rushed in as one of the buyers. The floor manager came up to him:

    ¡°How may I help the customer?¡±

    ¡°I would like to buy something.¡±

    ¡°Please provide your list dear sir. I would instantly gather all the goods you would need and present it to you.¡±

    Long Tao gave him a huge list of herbs and other materials. The manager was shocked to see the length and theponents listed were all quite costly. A big customer seems to have arrived in their store.

    ¡°If you would wait a while, I would get my workers to gather the requested goods. You could go up and have some quality tea and wine at our caf¨¦.¡± Long Tao didn¡¯t hesitate to go up the stairs. Once on his table, sweet-smelling tea was served to him with a small booklet. The waiter nced at him and nodded his head.

    The booklet was to note the information being requested of the organization. Long Tao wanted to gather a lot of them and hence noted down quite a long list of targets. The waiter took the booklet away and left for the kitchen.

    .........................................

    After some time, Long Tao was invited up to the VIP room. The only possible reason behind this act was that the requested information has a high-level ssification. Once within the VIP room, the waiter helped Long Tao with his seat and served some authentic dishes.

    ¡°Our owner would be here anytime. Please enjoy the meal during the wait.¡±

    Long Tao couldn¡¯t help but wonder who the informant was. All he requested was a detailed description of all the candidates ranking in the top 100 and the source of information about the top ten. He also asked for the possible locations for three herbs which he required to create the frost pill which would be utilized in Su Menqi¡¯s ession to Qi King level.

    As he was sipping the tea from the pot, a warm and calm feeling spread through his body. He couldn¡¯t believe that such a miraculous blend existed in this world. It would be quite helpful during meditation and genuine relief from stress.

    ¡°I hope sir likes the tea served in my humble establishment?¡±

    Long Tao looked up to see ady whose face was covered in a veil. Even though most of her face was hidden, the eyes themselves spoke for the beauty she was possessing. He couldn¡¯t help but get mesmerized for a second. It was the same feeling he got when Su Menqi finally undid her seal.

    He stood up and bowed to thedy out of respect, which caused a small hint of surprise on her face. Even Long tao couldn¡¯t believe his actions just now.

    ...................................

    The Keeper couldn¡¯t help but gloat at Long Tao¡¯s actions. ¡± You seem to be mesmerized by her beauty, boy. Would you like to take another woman under your wing?¡±Long tao couldn¡¯t help but get embarrassed.

    ¡°I have to warn you though. She doesn¡¯t seem to be an easy girl to get. The aura I feel from her is at the peak of 6th level Qi King, and her body type is quite special too. Su Menqi seems to have found a worthypetition in her.¡±

    ¡°The body type exhibited by this girl is called Plum charm body. It is an illusion type body of the same grade as the perma-frost body in the sector of illusion. She is perfectly suited for illusion, charm, and nightmare skills. Her age isn¡¯t much higher than yours, maybe in her early twenties. Stay cautious when acting in front of her. I can sense some powerful yet hidden aura within the whole building.¡±

    ¡°There are around 4 emperors in this building alone.¡± Long Tao was surprised upon hearing that. The brown-stone guild seemed to be quite a resourceful merchant guild.

    ...............................

    ¡°I am sorry to have the guest waiting. The information you require requires a high-level clearance. The number of herbs you just bought is enough to make you a premium member of our guild and hence you could avail the requested information.¡±

    ¡°The first two requests are quite odd since we don¡¯t know the name of the person who provided the name of Long Tao, but what I do know is that the person is quite powerful and resourceful. He is influential enough to morph the list like this. I have no power over him.¡±

    ¡°Money is not going to be a problem.¡± Long Tao insisted.

    ¡°Their identities and locations remain secret and are on a clearance level that even I can¡¯t ess.¡± Long Tao was shocked upon hearing this. Just what kind of person was involved in this matter?

    ¡°The third request is quite feasible. The ten ns are Feng, Shui, Nam, Teng, Cha, Chu, Namgong, Shimu, Peng, Tulu, and Bing. Thepetition is one of the parameters to decide their family rankings. It would affect the yearly allocation of resources and quota to enter thend of fire.¡±

    When Long tao heard the wordsnd of fire, his eyes began to shine. So the ten families had direct ess to it while other people had to get permission by showing achievements.

    ¡°The top 100 people would be epted as inner disciples of the valley. The top 10 get a particr resource allocation, along with the chance to be core disciples. The top 3 get a chance to be recruited by the elders of the academy to be one of their personal disciples. Although the position is kind of simr to core disciples, the benefits are much higher.¡±

    ¡°The first spot holder gets the highest amount of benefits. This year, out of the request from the ten families, the valley-head decided to allow the first rank holder to enter thend of mes. It is one of the reasons why the ten families are so aggressive regarding the matter. It has the potential to unbnce the equation by allowing one family to send in an extra pair of hands.¡±

    ¡°Thest 2 of your requests are quite special. The frost herbs you asked for information about will be avable with us during the next grand auction held by our agency. It is dated to be held during the 5 months from now. As per its location, you can go to extreme icends to the south or the frost demon mountain range. You could also find some in the river of death valley. There were mentions of these herbs being spotted in thend of fire.¡±

    ¡°Thest request is regarding the details of the Pill-brewpetition.¡± The girl handed Long Tao a small manual, which he verified. It listed possiblepetitions that might take ce this time around. The listings were quiterge but Long Tao had prepared for most of them.

    .............................................

    Long Tao gave out a ring containing the spirit stones necessary for the payment. Once the girl verified the content she was shocked to find a small sachet in addition to the top-grade Qi stones. It contained low-quality fire stones, a resource that can only be used by advanced Qi Kings. This small sachet was ten times more valuable than the whole quantity of Qi stones.

    ¡°I can¡¯t seem to understand the motive behind giving me the sachet¡± The girl was surprised upon seeing the contents of the sachet.

    ¡°It is a payment for you to prepare the highest grade materials for the uing Pill-brewpetition. I want every single resource to be utilized along with the necessities once I enter the valley.¡±

    ¡°As per the rest of the stones, regard it as patronage from me.¡±

    The girl requested Long Tao to wait up. A merchant tries his best to satisfy wealthy customers like Long Tao. The amount of patronage given by him was quiterge. She instantly prepared all the items and even gave him a ck-gold card. It was the second-highest privilege card for their customers.

    ¡°This is a VIP identification card. Please receive it. We look forward to your future visits.¡±

    ¡°As an additional favor to you, I would like to warn you about the groups hidden in shadows. They wouldn¡¯t let amoner do well in thepetition. You should be careful.¡± Long Tao nodded in agreement and exited the establishment.

    ....................................

    The girl was sitting in a secluded room within the building. One could see a group of old men sitting around the table, waiting for the girl to speak.

    ¡°Does the young miss have something to report?¡±

    ¡°Thest customer who visited me was categorized as a ck-gold level patron due to his generous donation of fire-stones to the guild. I would like for elders to find out about his background and look out for him. I am quite confident about him being the dark horse ranked ninth on this year¡¯s Pill-brewers list.¡±

    ¡°We should cultivate a good rtionship with him. I believe him to be a prominent customer of ours in the future.¡±

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 Chapter 191

    191 START OF THE COMPETITION

    Crimson Lord World-

    ¡°We need to tread carefully through thepetition. The person behind the leak is someone capable. I couldn¡¯t believe he managed to find the details about me, even after I covered my tracks so well. The only person who had the information the whole time are my two masters. I just couldn¡¯t ce the facts in the right ce.¡±

    ¡°The only way someone was able to get the information is through the Pill Hall or the merchant guild you recently visited. I remember masking your identity perfectly and hence am sure about the merchant guild. The only usible conclusion is that the information came directly from the Pill Hall.¡±

    ¡°Although I made some appearances, I don¡¯t remember showcasing my level after I entered the 3rd level alchemist. The only two people who know about my level are the sect leader and master.¡±

    The Keeper was in deep thought for a while. ¡°I have a theory, but I can¡¯t base it on any solid proof. You do remember the story about your master right. What if he knowingly leaked your name to the agency.¡±

    ¡°What benefit would he get from doing that?¡±

    ¡°You master stood up against the ten families and helped the current sect leader achieve his position. The ten families even banished him from his n. It means that his stance is opposite to the ten families. He would love to reduce their power. What better way to do it than directly p their faces in the Pill-brewpetition?¡±

    ¡°I gave that angle my consideration, but we would have the upper hand if I appeared out of nowhere. Why does he want to show his hands first?¡±

    ¡°The only usible exnation is that he wants to catch them red-handed while doing the job. It would directly undermine the status of the ten families even more. But there are some pre-requisites for the n to be fruitful. He must have a lot of confidence in you, to have dered you to be an intermediate level Pill-alchemist. He is betting everything on your achievement.¡±

    .....

    ¡°In that case, I would need to put up an enthralling show which would never be forgotten in the history of Pill Valley.¡± Long Tao couldn¡¯t help but smile at the moment. If his master desired for such a thing to happen, he was happy toply.

    ..................................

    ¡°Why did you decide to buy a new cauldron? Crimson lords have their own specified cauldron, which was used for alchemy for generations. Each of them is an ancient treasure which would create a bloodbath outside.¡±

    ¡°It is the exact reason why I chose to buy a new one. Although I am going to put a grand show to undermine the ten families, I can¡¯t attract attention to myself with an ancient cauldron. I will start practicing with these.¡±

    ¡°Just follow the same exercise routine which I set for you. If the information is even a little bit urate, Pill refining is going to be thest set ofpetition. The first must be apetition of affinity and control over elements.¡±

    ¡°Although I am not going to show the element-lord body, I would like you to upgrade my previous levels. I need to rank 1st this time.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about that? The ten families wouldn¡¯t sit silently once they noticed such a talented young man among thepetitors.¡±

    ¡°The ten families wouldn¡¯t dare send someone too strong. Given my current cultivation levels, they might send an intermediate king at the very best, which I can easily take care of. As per the matters beyond that level, I am quite sure about my master being present in the city. I couldn¡¯t imagine him not interfering in a situation which I couldn¡¯t take care of.¡±

    ¡°Your control over the elements should be quite strong because of your training. The second test would more likely be a soul power test. You are already at the peak of the soul master level, something many of the participants couldn¡¯t even enter. Hence it is not going to be a burden for you.¡±

    ¡°Thest test series should involve identification and concoction of a pill. I prepared multiple encyclopedias for you to prepare and you have concocted way too many pills to lose in the 3rd level of the alchemist. You should continue the training of soul power. Who knows, you might be able to break-through into the soul-grandmaster level.¡±

    ...................................

    The only matter left unresolved is the progress in cultivation. Long Tao was nearing the limit of Qi general and he would be able to break-through without any problems. The only hindrance was how long he should suppress his cultivation.

    ¡°Although I would like to open the maximum possible amount of elemental acupoint, just how long should I suppress my cultivation from breaking out.¡±

    ¡°Unlike Su Menqi¡¯s case, you have me with you. I can help you with suppressing your cultivation. I have a clear n in mind, but the amount of resources required for that is going to be phenomenal.¡±

    ¡°When you win thepetition and finally enter thend of fire, I will help you with searching for all the resources you would need for opening of the acupoints. You should open the maximum number, because of what I am nning next. During your break-through into the King rank, I will help you convert the energy within the acupoints intow-energy. Although it might sound bizarre as of now, believe in me and you will be ted that I stopped you from entering the King realm.¡±

    ¡°I guess I will follow your advice then. ¡±

    ¡°Another interesting fact about the breakthrough is that you have an incredible advantage over other cultivators.¡±

    ¡°Are you referring to my avatars?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Normal cultivators are not able to make the connection with more than two types ofw, but your very body at the moment has the potential to connect with all elementalws. You could use your other bodies to gain a connection with other types ofws.¡±

    ¡°We can map out the specifics at ater date. Just remember to follow the route I nned.¡± Long Tao agreed. He went back into training mode.

    ..............................

    At the end of the month-

    Hugemotion filled the whole Pill-Bloom city. It was finally time for the Pill-Brewpetition to begin. One could see thousands of people participating in thepetition from all over the world.

    All of them were gathered at the entrance of the central stadium where thepetition was about to be held. The atmosphere was reeking of seriousness.

    Soon enough a loud set of sounds led to the opening of the entrance gate. A single figure was standing atop the wall, looking down on the thousands of prospective candidates.

    ¡°I announce the formal beginning of this year¡¯s Pill-brewpetition. Participants may now enter the stadium now.¡±

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 Chapter 192

    192 THE TEST OF AFFINITY

    Thousands ofpetitors entered the stadium. The meeting was set up in a grand ce which was surrounded by a viewer stand. It was a major event within the Pill Valley¡¯s territory, and hence attracted a lot of eyes. Thepetitors this time were also abundant. A majority of the currentpetitors came here from the subordinate forces of Pill Valley and the Ten families. An organization thisrge was bound to have huge man-power working for them.

    The rest of the list wasprised of people from other powers, families, guilds, and even the members of the Ten families. This was after all a yardstick to measure the extent of power held by each of the families and hence taken very seriously by them.

    The old man who invited the participants into the stadium soon stood before them with a stern expression. ¡°The Pill-brewpetition is the entrance examination conducted by the Valley for choosing potential descendants for our sects. Any alchemist, no matter their level, could enter thepetition as long as they are under the age of 21. Since you people have decided to take part in thispetition, I wish you luck and hope you give it your best toe to the top.¡±

    ¡°Thepetition this time is to be conducted at three levels. The first level is to test your elemental affinity and control. I would like to state that it is going to be a stackedpetition and hence the participants need to do well in both the sectors to qualify for the next round. It also means that you get a second tform to improve your chances to get into the next round.¡±

    ¡°The affinity would be tested by elemental stones of all kinds. You simply need to induce your aura into the stone to know your affinity. You people would herby be divided into 64 groups who would be tested simultaneously. Only the top 8 rankers would be allowed to enter the next round. Winning this round would also result in you being honored with the title of an outer sect disciple.¡±

    ¡°I hope you do your best.¡±

    ............................

    The top echelon of Pill Valley was seated alongside representatives of the ten families and various top tier powers.

    ¡°I have heard a rumor regarding the current line-up of the ten families. I believe each family has sent their best possible line-up topete against each other.¡± The biased tone was quite visible even by amon man. It was as if the man spelling didn¡¯t even care about the participants from the other forces.

    .....

    ¡°Thepetition this time might be having multiple dark-horses amidst it. I hope elders have gone through the newly produced pill-brewers list. The ranked ninth participant is sure to make an appearance in thispetition. We need to keep an eye out for him. If the guild has ranked him in the top 10, they must have a pretty good reason for it.¡±

    ¡°I would like to see how capable he is.¡± A Teng family representative was speaking out. The person chosen by his family was kicked out of the top ten by this person. It was a given fact that he would be annoyed by the mention of that candidate.

    ¡°There is no reason for the Teng family to be getting so worked up. I am sure your chosen would show great aplishments in thepetition.¡±

    The atmosphere got even tenser due to these provoking words.

    .......................

    Lu Ming was grouped with the 50th group. He still couldn¡¯t believe the massive number of people taking part in thepetition. His group consisted of more than a hundred participants. Just how influential Pill Valley was to have collected such a massive following among the people.

    The affinity shown for each participant was no less than the 1st-grade elemental body. It showed the massive difference between the central ins and a backwater like Jiao country.

    There were many at level 2 and even level 3 elemental bodies present here. Thepetition continued and it was finally Lu Ming¡¯s turn.

    ¡°ce your palm on the stone.¡±

    Lu Ming ced his palm and the bars began to rise. The elders testing the participants were showing azy expression just before Lu Ming¡¯s turn. When the bars finally stopped and his eyes turned to view the result, hiszy expression went through an incredible morph. It transformed fromziness to alertness and gradually ended up in genuine shock. His lips shook as he muttered, ¡°8th-grade elemental affinity of fire and wood and 7th-grade affinity to the rest of the elements.¡±

    He instantly stood up and looked at Lu Ming. He then restarted examining the stone. ¡°Could you go through the test once more?¡± Lu Mingplied with the wishes and tested once again. The same result as before showed up once again. His expression immediately turned into that of extreme joy.

    ¡°Could this brother report his name to me?¡±

    ¡°Lu Ming¡± The others who stood behind Lu Ming were shocked and speechless too. The result they just saw graded him as a rank 8th elemental body with two elements. An affinity like this didn¡¯t appear in the Pill Valley for a long time.

    ¡°I hope to see great results from this brother.¡± He immediately called the substitute elder who was reviewing the test with him. He left immediately after giving him some instructions about how to proceed with the test. This was a huge piece of news. The disciple is going to rank 1 regardless of how he performs in the second phase of the first test. An 8th-grade elemental body was a once in a hundred-year urrence. He wanted to take credit for discovering it.

    Lu Ming stepped down after the assessment. Although his performance was quite spectacr, he expected there to be some capable individuals in the other 64 teams.

    ........................

    Interior of the Pill Valley-

    Pill Valley was divided into four sections in terms of the rank of disciples. The first one was the outer circle, the second one was the inner region, the third one was core areas and the final circle was the establishment containing both legacy and personal disciples of high-ranked elders.

    The elder halls were simrly divided into three sections namely outer, inner, and core elders. At the time a figure was rushing to make a report in the elderly area. It was none other than the elder who was in charge of testing Lu Ming. His name Peng li and was an outer elder of the Valley. This opportunity might be able to help him get enough resources to promote to the inner ring.

    After the reporting wasplete and huge waves began to rise within the valley. A participant with a level 8 elemental body of fire and wood along with level 7 affinity with every other element has made his appearance. How could this not attract the attention of the inner and core elders? They decided to probe thepetition happening this time.

    ...............???...........

    The ten families¡¯ representatives along with all the high-ranking officials from other power got the information after some time. The name Lu Ming already caused a huge uproar when it first appeared on the list. It now seemed that the participant didn¡¯t get the rank without any ability.

    ¡°We need to probe this boy¡¯s background.¡±

    ¡°Send in spies to tail him. We need to find where he is staying at the moment so that we can establish contact.¡±

    ¡°We could recruit the guy into our family. If he did choose to be persistent and not take our offer, we could only resort to some more violent means.¡±

    All the elders started to send secret messages to each other and their respective powers. A dark horse was not beneficial for them. Either the horse needs to bow, or they need to leave his head.

    ......................

    In a lodge not far from the arena-

    ¡°It seems my disciple has already started to create huge waves within thepetition. As expected, the brat was hiding a lot of secrets from us. The grade 8 affinity is just a little lower than the King type body. I need to teach him a lesson in the future.¡±

    ¡°We also need to prepare some rewards for him. Given his attitude, he would never reveal his true powers before the final moment. He seems to have realized my intentions. I need to reward him in case the n is a sess.¡±

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 Chapter 193

    193 TESTING CONTROL

    ¡°We need to look out for him. The test is scheduled to be quite a long one and this is just the first phase of test-1. Although his actions lie in line with our objective, you can¡¯t deny the fact that he is going to be in grave danger.¡±

    ¡°I am not worried about him at the moment. Given his cultivation level, the ten families would first try to recruit him. Given how impatient those fools are they would wait at most for a day for his reply. Lu Ming is intelligent enough to stall for time. The real problem would ur after test-2. Test two is designed to go on for two days. They will most likely take action by the time the first test ends. Given Lu Ming¡¯s cultivation level, they would send someone simr or a level above at most.¡±

    ¡°He can easily take care of that. The problem would arise when they realize Lu Ming¡¯s martial prowess.¡± The first elder was describing his n at a very slow speed as if trying to make a point. The sect leader caught up pretty fast.

    ??But It would bete by the time of test-3.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Test three is designed to take ce at the same time. They would first go through an examination of identifying herbs and then move on to pill refining. The participants are to carry out the refining in the same sitting. Which means, by the time the third results end and results are dered.......¡±

    ¡°Lu Ming would have already achieved a position in the top 10. He would be eligible for the position of direct disciple. But wouldn¡¯t it mean that our n is never going toe into fruition?¡±

    ¡°I might have done something to fast-track our n¡±

    ¡°What did you do?¡± The sect master¡¯s expression instantly turned serious.

    .....................

    .....

    Teng Household ¨C

    Hordes of disciples could be seen practicing day and night within the household of Teng. The reason behind such a strict schedule while training was because of their ancestry of being one of ten households of Pill Valley. The pressure of supporting the title of a core family was quite immense and every single member gave it their best to develop in the path of alchemy.

    It was due to their constant efforts that Teng was able to uphold the title of being leaders of the Ten families. They would eliminate any possible event which might tarnish their reputation. However, during today¡¯s test, an unprecedented event took ce. A dark horse seems to havee into existence out of no-where.

    The Teng had invested a lot of resources in training the disciple who was supposed to enter the Pill Valley during this year¡¯s examination. His name was Teng Huan, an intermediate 3rd level alchemist whose natural talent had a grade 8 affinity with the fire element and a level 7 affinity with the wood element. This was a talent that would be valued in any alchemy force.

    But the arrival of Lu Ming seemed to have crushed all their hopes. A level 8 affinity with both fire and wood while having a level 7 affinity with the rest of the elements was unprecedented. This was a horrendous talent that hasn¡¯t appeared in the ranks of the Ten families for many decades.

    The elder¡¯s hall was currently holding a secret meeting:

    ¡°I propose we take care of the situation as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°The boy managed to attract the attention of a lot of inner elders of the Valley. We can¡¯t dare to abduct him, otherwise, the Ten families would be held responsible for this event. The Valley head is already trying his best to suppress us. We can¡¯t hand an opportunity to him on a silver tter.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we send someone to try and recruit the boy?¡±

    ¡°I will instantly delegate two QI general peak cultivators to approach him and deliver the message. How much time shall be given to him for considering our proposal.¡±

    The man seated in the center seat was none other than the leader of the Teng Household, Teng Luo. He was silently hearing all the jabber that was going on. A 3rd level alchemist was not important enough to attract the attention of the patriarch and the grand elders. The general elders were allowed to tackle the situation. He was about to leave when a certain guard entered the room.

    ¡°I beg the pardon of lord elders for disturbing the meeting. An unidentified person is standing outside the door, requesting to organize a meeting with the elder hall. He seems to have some crucial information about the participant Lu Ming.¡±

    ........................

    Sometimeter-

    ¡°I thank the elders for allowing me the courtesy of attending one of the meetings.¡±

    It was the patriarch who spoke this time: ¡°How can we not allow the young miss of the Brown Stone merchant guild.¡± All the elders, including the person himself, were surprised to hear that. Taking a deep breath in, the person decided to remove the veil on his head, just to reveal the young mistress¡¯s brownstone under it.

    ¡°The Teng patriarch lives up to his name of being the top expert within the Ten families. I wouldn¡¯t waste much of your time. I guess the meeting this time is to discuss the dark horse who recently appeared. I would like to suggest you should take immediate action against the situation.¡±

    ¡°Why do miss say that?¡±

    ¡°Lu Ming seems to be affiliated with some power outside of the Pill Valley jurisdiction. Your n of trying to recruit him is going to fail. Why bother with such wasteful efforts?¡±

    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t know until we try it out?¡±

    ¡°I would suggest you take some extra preparation before proposing your idea to him.¡±

    .....................

    Testing grounds-

    The affinity test is finally over. As expected, Lu Ming ranked at the top followed by Teng Huan and the members of Ten families. It was officially the time for the next test, which is the test of elemental control of the participants.

    ¡°All the 512 participants will be moving on to the control test. In front of you are 20 firenterns which can only be controlled by the innate fire of an alchemist. You will be herby be divided into 16 groups once again, where you will be testing one by one.¡±

    ¡°You are to input your fire energy through thentern. With each increment, the expenditure and burden would start to begin. The maximum amount ofnterns you can cause to light and flow up will be your score. Only the top four o0f each team are allowed to enter the next round. Those 64 participants would be eligible to get the status of inner disciples.¡±

    ¡°I hope all the participants will give their best.¡±

    ....................

    Crimson Lord World-

    ¡°I am seriously looking down on the testing methods of this ce. Do you remember the training you did during this time? You would be able to lift all twenty of them if you gave it your all.¡±

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s what I would go for.¡±

    ¡°You need to adjust the power flow into each of thenterns, and you are set for the asion.¡±

    ¡°Using beast mes would make it a lot easier to perform the tasks. Use the Crimson wolf me.¡±

    ¡°I would like to hide it for the uingpetition. If I show all my cards before thest round, my opponents would be prepared for what¡¯sing for them. I would also like to enquire about the herbs I bought earlier. Did the ntations grew any further?¡±

    ¡°We have already cultivated hordes of them in the medicine garden, you can use as many as you want.¡±

    ¡°Good to hear. I guess thestpetition is going to be a pill whose ingredients we have to collect ourselves. The garden woulde handy then.¡±

    ..................

    The participants began testing one after the other. Most of them couldn¡¯t go any further than the 8th one. Finally, it was time for the participants of the Ten families. The difference in their abilities was quite obvious.

    It was finally Teng Huan¡¯s time. He moved up and operated his mes through thenterns. A short breathter, 15mps were lit up and floating in the air. A huge gasp could be heard in the air.

    ¡°Impressive. The Teng kid is quite capable. I guess we are getting another genius from the Teng family this time.¡±

    Themotion continued for some time until a person finally stepped up. Lu Ming¡¯s entrance brought absolute silence within the stadium.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see what you are capable of.¡±

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 Chapter 194

    194 THE SHOCKING PERFORMANCE

    Lu Ming¡¯s entrance was weed with a huge uproar. The rank one of the previous tests impressed a lot of people with his achievements. A high fire affinity meant that he could easily cultivate fire energy. Once affinity also dictated how efficiently one could control that element.

    ¡°The boy¡¯s grade 8 natural body is sure to showcase some heaven-defying result this time.¡± A representative of one of the top forces spoke out.

    ¡°Having a natural body doesn¡¯t fully determine the control over a certain element. It requires a huge amount of training and practice to gain control over the element, especially fire. We shouldn¡¯t be too optimistic about his results.¡± A Teng family representative spoke up.

    ¡°I guess the Teng family is quite riled up due to thest test¡¯s result. One should never forget that there always exists someone above you.¡± One of the elders from the Pill valley taunted the Teng family representatives. ¡°We can¡¯t deny the obvious effect of the Grade 8 body. Just his body alone would allow him to control 12nterns, and to top it off he is an intermediate level-3 alchemist.¡±

    The Teng family representatives weren¡¯t the only ones who were taunted about this fact. All ten families were being cautious about Lu Ming. He was the only unencountered factor in the whole Pill-brewpetition.

    ......................

    Lu Ming went up to the stage. 20nterns were ced in front of him waiting to be lit up. HE sat down and closed his eyes. The audience immediately got silent.

    ¡°What is he doing? You just need to light up thentern.¡±

    After a short breath, a short thread of crimson energy began to emerge from his body. The thread slowly flowed into thenterns and began powering the first one up.

    .....

    ¡°Is he using a genuine innate me? The most talented participants don¡¯t even possess a beast me. You are banging a hammer on your foot.¡±

    ??Maybe he doesn¡¯t need to use it up just yet. Just wait and see.¡±

    The firstntern soon lit up. I have extended the thread to the second one and will continue thereafter. Long Tao could feel thenterns lighting up and with eachntern, the burden kept on increasing. The tenthntern soon lights up and Long Tao was still controlling it with his normal Qi.

    ¡°I guess I need to start using the acupoints.¡± Once the acupoints were being utilized the burden got extremely less. Soon enough the 15thntern lit up. Lu Ming was just one step behind from the top score. A thread began to emerge, but thentern no longer lit up. Long Tao managed to encapste all the remaining fiventerns.

    ¡°Is he insane? Trying to light up thest fiventerns is the most difficult task. One isn¡¯t even able to control it one by one, and he is trying to control it at once. This is an absurd thought on his part.¡±

    Lu Ming continued to close his eyes and supply the fire energy into the remaining five pieces.

    A few hourster-

    A long time passed but there was no moment. Even the elders testing the participants lost their patience.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s time for you to step down. We can¡¯t waste any more time here. You are already ranked second in the test and have managed to prove yourself.¡±

    He was about to extend his hands up when Lu Ming suddenly opened his eyes up and all of a sudden, a massive outburst of fire energy took ce. Even the elder who was near Lu Ming had to jump backward in fear of the massive energy outbreak. ¡°All the elders began creating a barrier around them. We can¡¯t let the participants be affected by this energy.¡±. The elders around were about to take action when a shocking event took ce.

    All five remainingnterns suddenly lit up and began floating at the same time. Twentynterns were dancing in the air, all lit up, extruding an ancient aura. The view was breath-taking, with Lu Ming sitting silently in the middle. Every single audience member was silent.

    ....................

    ¡°I guess he did it. He didn¡¯t betray our trust in him.¡± The sect leader of the Pill Hall was viewing thepetition along with the first elder.

    ¡°He certainly manages to break the expectations of people. My disciple finally managed to achieve something I couldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°If I remember correctly, you, the leader of ten household and the valley master achieved the same result as him.¡±

    ¡°We did but the situation was different in our case. 20nterns are left by that entity from the past. Thenterns don¡¯t just test the disciple but also hold another secret in it.¡±

    ¡°Are you implying that it holds the secret to his legacy?¡±

    ¡°When one is capable enough to light all thenterns, the soul of the participant is dragged into another realm. It was one of the reasons for Lu Ming to be sitting silent all this time. There is a memory of the old patriarch within the illusion along with one of his refining techniques. It is a technique that both I and the valley head use to refine pills. It catapulted us to the top of alchemy. One could easily imagine how powerful the technique is.¡±

    ¡°Except for that, one canprehend more things depending on how long one manages to stay in there. The sect leader couldn¡¯tst longer than an hour and we got enough knowledge to be able to reach this ce. What do you think about Lu Ming¡¯s situation?¡±

    The leader wasn¡¯t able to say anything. She was too shocked regarding the talent of her disciple.

    ......................

    In the Teng family manor-

    The patriarch Teng Luo was cultivating in his secluded room. He couldn¡¯t be bothered about the general events urring within the Pill Valley. He had dedicated most of his life to alchemy and tried his best to advance to the next level. One would be surprised to feel the aura radiating from his body. It was on a simr level to the Peak of Qi emperor realm and radiated a huge amount of pressure on the surroundings.

    ¡°I would request the patriarch to spare some time for this old man.¡±

    Teng Luo opened his eyes. ¡°How do I owe the pleasure of a visit from Grand elder? The matter seems to be quite serious for you toe here personally.¡±

    ¡°I havee to report the current situation of thepetition.¡±

    ¡°I hope Teng Huan performed well.¡±

    ¡°He managed to light up 16nterns.¡±

    ¡°Well done. We need to reward the boy for his hard work. I guess the meeting ising to an end now.¡±

    ¡°The matter I havee to report here is about Lu Ming.¡± The sentence managed to invoke no expression change from Teng Luo.

    ¡°Did the boy surpassed Teng Huan?¡±

    ¡°Not only did he surpass and achieve the first rank, but he also managed to light up all twentynterns.¡± Teng Luo¡¯s eyes burst open upon hearing this. All Twentynterns signified him to have achieved a chance toprehend the memories of that man.

    ¡°How long did he stay inprehension?¡±

    ¡°4 hours.¡± The seclusion chamber shook from a sudden outburst of energy from Teng Luo. Even the patriarch who wasmunicating with him got injured internally.

    ¡°I beg your pardon for this sudden outburst. Call a meeting immediately. We need to bring this boy onto our side.¡±

    ¡°Should we abduct him?¡±

    ¡°It toote for that. This news is sure to attract the attention of that man. He will personally oversee thepetition after now.¡±

    ....................

    ¡°Impressive. Someone finally managed to surpass the previous record.¡±

    Pill Valley, the hall of inner elders-

    Senior counsels were on their way to discuss the matter of this year¡¯s inner disciple cement when a sudden message attracted their attention.

    ¡°The valley head asks us to look out for a disciple named Lu Ming in this year¡¯s Pill-brewpetition.¡± Multiple elders moved out to watch thepetition.

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 Chapter 195

    195 THE ILLUSION-(1)

    When Lu Ming initially began to light up thenterns, they just seemed to be sources that could be controlled using fire energy. Since he followed the Keeper¡¯s advice, Lu Ming was able to light thenterns quite easily. The energy expenditure was also on the minimal side because the training of 4 years within the Crimson lord world, improved Lu Ming¡¯s fire control capacity to a monstrous extent. One couldn¡¯t begin to imagine how efficient he was in power expenditure.

    It was not until he lit the 10thntern up that Lu Ming began to feel awkward. Something didn¡¯t seem normal about the set ofnterns. At first, he thought it was the vast difference in energy expenditure while lighting them, but soon enough a strange pattern seems to have presented itself.

    ¡°Thenterns seem to beplementing each other as if they were one. I wasn¡¯t sure before, but every time I light a newntern up, the rest of thentern goes through a series of changes. The amount of Qi expended begin to increase at a horrific rate.¡± The Keeper asked Lu Ming to continue describing his findings.

    ¡°The expenditure of the firstntern was the least when I light it up, but as of now the expenditure is somewhat simr to the tenthntern.¡±

    ¡°Are you implying that eachntern is demanding the same amount of energy to remain lit up?¡±

    ¡°I guess. I wouldn¡¯t have found this out if I had rushed through the process. The pace of my expenditure managed to enable me to detect this anomaly. Do You have any ideas regarding this phenomenon?¡±

    ¡°Just Keep lighting them up. We will soon find the mystery behind thenterns once all of them are lit.¡±

    Lu Ming continued the supply of energy to onentern after the other. He soon needed to utilize his acupoints to manage the energy supply. The activity continued until he reached the 15thntern. Just as he was about to light the 16thntern up, the gap of energy required became quite massive.

    After some efforts, when it finally managed to light up, Long Tao couldn¡¯t help but get shocked at the othernterns. The energy expenditure almost doubled by lighting a singlentern up. Lu Ming began to utilize more of the elemental acupoints to keep this process up.

    .....

    ¡°We need toe up with a solution. At this rate, I would have to give up on reaching the 19thntern. The 20th would be an impossible feat, without beats me.¡±

    ¡°If I have to make an assumption, I would say that thesenterns were left here by some powerful entity. They not just test the control of the future disciples, but must also hold some secret of the man who created them. If your luck is good enough, you might be able to top get your hands on some techniques or legacy of some sorts.¡±

    ¡°How do I ovee the barrier and sessfully light up all thenterns?¡±

    ¡°You should first extend the energy into all the remainingnterns and start operating them at the same time. If I am not wrong, the secret behind lighting all twenty must be by doing it at the same time. It would ensure that the minimum amount of energy is utilized to control all thenterns.¡±

    ¡°Once you do get enough energy filled up in each of thenterns, you should light them up at the same time.¡±

    Lu Ming followed the procedure and found that energy could be transmitted to anyntern without following the sequence. Once he connected with all thenterns, he started to utilize his energy tobust them at the same time.

    ............................

    It was at that moment when Lu Ming felt somewhat awkward. It felt as if his soul was being sucked to another ce. When he finally opened his eyes, the sight in front was breath-taking. It was a majestic terrain that was quite simr to the current Pill valley. The only difference was it was more of a wilderness than a civil location.

    When Lu Ming started looking here and there, he couldn¡¯t find anything except the wilderness. He tried contacting the Keeper but received no response. When he finally started inspecting himself, all he could see was a transparent boy flying above the magical terrain.

    ¡°He tried to interact with the surrounding but to his neigh, he couldn¡¯t. Strangely this view seemed like a pre-recorded video ying in front of his eyes.

    ¡°This seems like a memory of the past.¡±

    The vents yed out in front of him. He soon got to see a single entitying into the picture. He lifted his hands and utilized a horrible kind of energy to tera-form the whole region into a cleaned-out ce. He built a small hut in the middle of the space and began to live his life there.

    The sessive pictures showed the man going through the daily chores, practicing martial arts, and most of the time, alchemy. The figure seemed to be a very powerful alchemist as each time a pill was created, Long Tao could see all the surrounding area¡¯s energy rushing into the man¡¯s medical pot.

    The Pill emerging from the pot radiates a glow that surrounds the whole region.

    ¡°Just what kind of Pill is that.¡±

    The scene continued with the figure practicing alchemy again and again. After watching for some time, Lu Ming realized that there seems to be a hidden procedure followed by the figure. It was as if he was trying to showcase a particr art to Lu Ming. Once Lu Ming followed his steps, he finally found out the secret. It was indeed a Pill refining art.

    .......................

    ¡°This art is magical. Just by looking at it, I could see that my efficiency would at least double by just following in the footstep of the figure. He continued to look at the memory and startedprehending the art from it. After a long period, he was finally able toprehend the art intopletion.

    The view suddenly changed in front of his eyes. It was during this time that Lu Ming found himself to be quite exhausted. Even though he was justprehending the memory, he felt drained.

    ¡°The illusion seems to be sucking my soul power in return for showcasing the memory. It means the higher my soul power, the longer will Ist within this space.¡±

    Lu Ming began to concentrate on the next piece of memory.

    ....................

    The same man was using fire to perform a weird set of moves. At first, Long Tao felt that the moves were quite random. There were somewhat simr movements to the fire arts he had learned from the hall master, but he felt that arge part of it was just a strange set of moves.

    Long Tao tried to practice the movements shown and all they did was to help him direct the fire energy in a better way. He couldn¡¯t find any difference between these setoff moves and what he learned from the Hall master. The Hall master ¡®s art seemed to moreplete.

    ¡°I must be missing some essential part of this art, he thought.¡±

    As Lu Ming continued to practice, he felt his normal fire control improving. IT felt like when he was performing the Dominator¡¯s fist. The movement seemed to be enhancing the amount of energy concentrated at a certain location by a huge extent.

    ¡°Let me try adjusting my breathing.¡±

    When he finally began utilizing his breath in sync. with the movements, something strange started to happen.

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 Chapter 196

    196 THE ILLUSION-Once a rhythm was finally established, Lu Ming found it easy to carry out theplex set of movements. He practiced the set of exercises again and again until finally, there came a time when his body adjusted to the movements perfectly.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to utilize fire energy along with the exercise. Let¡¯s see if the addition of breathing brings any particr changes into my system.¡± When Lu Ming began utilizing his fire energy in sync with theplex set of movements, a sudden burst of energy emerged out of his body almost naturally. Lu Ming instantly halted his steps and stood in silence. What just happened?

    How can art improve its fire control and output so much? The feeling he experienced just now was the smoothest flow of energy he had ever experienced in his body, and the power exerted was massive. In the past, he would require to exert substantial efforts to perform this type of outburst.

    ¡°The exercise managed to not only help my fire control and output, but it also improved the flow energy within my veins and even helped in refining the fire energy to a new level. I could feel the difference between the energy exerted before and after. The quality, although not substantial, improved quite a bit.

    ¡°Massive changes would be visible if I continue to practice the set of exercises.¡± Lu Ming didn¡¯t stop in there and continued to perform the set of movements again and again. He would stop sometimes to rejuvenate the lost Qi, but would once again begin practicing the arts. Just when he thought that he was able to uncover all the secrets of the arts, he got a strange feeling within his body.

    His acupoints experienced a tingling sensation as if something was trying to activate them.

    ¡°Does my acupoints hold a certain secret relevant to this art?¡±

    He instantly began utilizing his acupoints one after the other. The sensation went on bing more and morefortable. The flow of energy became more and more fluid. Lou Ming couldn¡¯t remember thest time he felt this relieved from practicing. Opening the acupoints felt like lifting a huge burden on his body. He continued the process until all the acupoints were finally opened. The sensation at this time was ethereal.

    .......................

    .....

    ¡°How can this be?¡±

    Lu Ming suddenly felt some other regions of his body undergoing a simr set of sensations. ¡°These are the closed elemental acupoints that are yet to be opened. The flow of this art seems to have identified the location of these hidden acupoints. The art seemed to be simr to that of Weapon Tempering art. It helped in the identification of hidden acupoints within the body.

    ¡°The art was created to help the practitioners identify these hidden elemental acupoints within their body. It seems that once a practitioner is adept in using and performs the art continuously, the locations would start showcasing themselves.¡±

    Lu Ming couldn¡¯t help but smile at this discovery. He was exhausted following the raw method to find elemental acupoints. It was just a waste of time and resources. With this art, he would be able to identify all the fire elemental acupoints and use the energy stones to open them.

    Lu Ming was mid-way through his practice when the scene changed once again.

    ........................

    This time the same person could be seen giving lectures to some children. At first, Lu Ming found it to be insignificant, but after looking at memory for some time, a strange thought appeared in his head.,

    ¡°There are Ten children to be exact. Although I feel it to be awkward, the number Ten signifies the ten original families of the Pill Valley. Don¡¯t tell me that this old man was- ¡±

    Lu Ming¡¯s line of thought seemed too irrational. IF his assumptions turned out to be correct, the whole world would be shocked by this reveal. Ten families might not be the founders of the Pill Valley. They were the disciples of the founder. Ten original heads were already in existence at the monarch level. Just what kind of existence was the old man within this memory?

    It was at this junction that Lu Ming¡¯s soul underwent a huge amount of pain. The pain kept on increasing as if something was trying to tear its way through Lu Ming¡¯s soul. He instantly began utilizing the soul-nourishing art and soul calming art, while simultaneously utilizing the heaven pestle to confront the abrupt force.

    An ancient aura could be seen flowing into the Heaven pestle, as its presence seemed to grow. Lu Ming continued to bear the burden until finally, he could feel a strange shackle on his soul.

    ¡°Is this the entrance of the fourth level which The Keeper was talking about?¡±

    Lu Ming began utilizing more and more soul Qi to try and burst through the barrier, but his efforts seemed to backfire. The coercive force itself was a massive problem, and the bacsh seemed to have proved to be an additional set of damage.

    ¡°This seems to be the only way to break through the barrier. I need to temper my soul aura using this coercive force and when it is substantial enough, I should be able to break free of the shackles binding my soul energy.¡±

    The process continued, but Lu Ming began to act in a much calmer manner. He was patient with his decision and tempered his soul with the help of the force. The coercion continued and u Ming was approaching his limit. One could see veins popping out of his face. The pain was crippling, but how could Lu Ming give up?

    ¡°I need to stay focused.¡± He bit his teeth, resulting in the flow of blood out of his lips. The pain seems to have brought him back to reality. After a long period of struggle, the qi finally broke out of the shackles. It was as if his soul had entered into a different domain.

    ............

    ¡°So, this is the soul grandmaster level. I never expected to have such a boost in my soul space and Qi.¡±

    The breakthrough brought drastic changes within Lu Ming¡¯s soul space. The volume seemed to have tripled, with the soul Qi quality jumping through some levels in quality. Lu Ming felt that he could easily refine perfect peak 3rd-grade pills if he tried now.

    ¡°Finally, someone was able to step into this level. I hope my wait was not in vain.¡±

    Lu Ming¡¯s enjoyment and feeling of ecstasy came to an immediate end upon hearing this sound.

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 Chapter 197

    197 THE FOUNDER

    When a soul bes strong enough to break the barrier into the grandmaster the level, therees a qualitative change in the person¡¯s soul space. The changes appear in the form of increased soul space capacity and a spike in quality and density of the soul Qi. Some practitioners who are lucky enough to possess a suitable body type or a natural talent in soul energy gain massive benefits from this change.

    Lu Ming¡¯s case was a simr one. Since he practiced the Heaven Pestle art, soul-nourishing form, and the soul calming mantra, his soul space was embedded with ancient runes. These runes underwent a drastic morph when he crossed the boundary of the soul grandmaster. It has managed to catapult not just his soul space capacity, but also the control and maniption of soul Qi.

    ¡°I could easily refine all the pills recipes I was practicing with.¡± The ecstasy of managing to ovee a great barrier like this improved Lu Ming¡¯s mood.

    ¡°Finally, someone managed to ovee the tests and reach this point. I hope you don¡¯t betray my expectations from you?¡±

    Lu Ming instantly jumped back and began inspecting the surroundings. He saw the scenery around him to have changed back to the first one and a man was standing in the middle. He had amanding demeanor and even from this far Lu Ming could feel the pressure emanating from him.

    The man raised his hands, and Lu Ming immediately got transferred to the ground.

    ...............

    ¡°I bow to the senior.¡± Lu Ming immediately understood the gap in strength between them. Even his master didn¡¯t give out such a high amount of pressure. Even the sensation of this pressure was quite different. It felt as if the man in front could control the whole world around him. He had definitely surpassed the boundary of the Emperor.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see that the behavior of the younger generation is adequate. Although the quality of people appearing in this test has greatly decreased over time, some characters can outshine others. Thest time someone could enter this ce was around a century ago.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Three people entered this domain consecutively. But none of them were powerful enough to cross the first test. It¡¯s such a shame that the force created by me couldn¡¯t even produce someone who could bear the pressure of the first test.¡±

    Lu Ming¡¯s back was drenched in sweat. He could understand the reason behind people being incapable of passing the test. Even if their affinity and fire control was good enough to enter this domain, the test present here corresponds to the soul strength of the practitioner. What Lu Ming found to be unusual was that the test was presented while testing the participant¡¯s control over the fire element. Why not present this test in the second round, where soul strength was being checked?

    ¡°I am sure you have multiple questions in mind regarding who I am. If said in a brief sentence, I was the creator of the force called Pill Valley within the central ins.¡±

    Lu Ming bowed once again: ¡°Disciple greets the founder of Valley.¡±

    ¡°You can stop with the attempt to butter me up. I am not going to provide any additional benefit, except for what you deserve. On top of that, I think you have already gained lots of benefits.¡±

    Lu Ming¡¯s face instantly turned red. He didn¡¯t expect that the figure in front would be able to understand his motive. He was trying to coax him up to gain some additional secret art, but nevertheless. The words spoken by the figure were true. The two arts he learned were already heaven-defying. One could help him open up the acupoints, while the other enhanced his refining technique to a whole new level.

    ¡°Before going any further, I would like to understand your current achievements. Show me your strongest attack.¡±

    Lu Ming decided not to hide his capabilities this time. He took an awkward stance he created to execute the second step of the Dominator¡¯s fist. Even the founder was surprised to see this position. There was no art which he had heard of that required this kind of stance.

    After closing his eyes, he concentrated all his Qi and executed the Dominators¡¯ fist. The method used to circte his Qi was the one he just learned. He used it because of the obvious boost the art presented to his Qi output.

    .........

    When Qi started spilling out of Lu Ming¡¯s fist, the atmosphere seemed to have changed suddenly. The art exerted huge pressure on the surrounding area. When the Qi sted out, the whole area went through a phase of destruction, until the Qi was finally dissipated by the founder.

    There was a huge crater around Lu Ming. Thest time he used Dominator¡¯s fist, it was to kill the Blood general. Compared to back then, the amount of destruction caused by the Dominator¡¯s fist had quadrupled. Although some of it could be attributed to his body and Qi cultivation, the most significant boost was brought by the newly inculcated cirction art.

    The founder was standing dumbfounded. The attack just now was enough to decimate an intermediate Qi King. Yet the boy standing in front of him was just an advanced Qi general. Just what sort of technique was this?

    ¡°I hope my power lives up to the standards of the ancestor.¡± Lu Ming said with a respectful tone. If he could gain pointers from a practitioner who was beyond the emperor¡¯s boundary, he could easily advance his technique to a new level.

    ..........

    Lu Ming¡¯s words brought the man out of his daze. The shine in his eyes had reached a whole new level.

    ¡°I guess the force gained a monstrous talent this time. I would like to know the name of the technique which you just executed.¡±

    ¡°The technique is called Dominator¡¯s fist. What I executed was the second fist of the arts.¡±

    ¡°Did you get this technique from some ancient ruins? This is a technique created by an exceptional individual.¡±

    ¡°Answering to the ancestor, I created this technique. I merged all my learnings in creating the two parts of this technique.¡±

    An expression of genuine shock was visible on the face of the Valley founder. This brat could not just fight way above his cultivation level, but even the technique executed was his own creation. This was no longer a conversation with someone of the younger generation. This brat was a demon in the domain of martial arts.

    Just from the very release of this technique, he could already see theplexity of its structure. This execution of this power required a harmonious usage of at least three elements. The first step was footwork, the second was a Qi cirction technique, while the third one was a breathing method that could sync the two elements together.

    Although he was unfamiliar with the breathing technique and the footwork, the Qi cirction used was the same as what was presented in the second trial. The boy managed to implement a technique he just learned into the art and even executed it.

    ¡°Even someone of my stature has toplement your incredible talent. I am happy that someone like you can be considered my descendent and an inheritor of my techniques. I still have doubts in mind, which I would like to rify.¡±

    ¡°The techniques used by you are incredible, but even if they were heaven-defying, you still need to own two things to extrude this amount of power. The first one is a strong body that can bear with the technique. I am assuming that you are also walking the path of body refining.¡±

    ¡°I am, ancestor.¡± Lu Ming was surprised by the deduction capabilities of this man. He could easily deduct every element just by looking at it once.

    The founder was extremely satisfied with knowing this fact. Finally, someone was sensible enough to practice martial arts the right way.

    ¡°To what step have you managed to improve your body?¡±

    ¡°I have opened all the primary, secondary and tertiary meridians. In the case of acupoints, I have already managed to open more than 100, including both elemental and non-elemental.¡± Although the founder had prepared himself, the answer still gave a huge shock to him. To have a refined body to this stage while just being on a general level.

    ¡°Your talent is an unworldly boy. Never in my whole life have I met someone as talented as you. I hope you can support the valley and take it to new heights in the future. Since you did ept me as your ancestor, I will not be ashamed enough to not give out any benefits to you. Someone of your talent deserves it.¡±

    Lu Ming¡¯s eyes sparkled with expectation. A presence who was most likely in the Qi monarch realm was someone way beyond his current level. The benefits given out by him should also be extraordinary.

    ¡°But before that, answer my second question. You must have a QI cultivation technique which should be extraordinary. I could feel just by looking that the art is something way better than the cultivation practiced by me. Also from what I can deduct, you seem to practice more than one kind of method.¡±

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 Chapter 198

    198 BLESSINGS OF THE ANCESTOR-(1)

    ¡°The second element you require is a powerful Qi which would be able to extrude such a massive effect. Normal Qi methods wouldn¡¯t be able to cultivate such high-quality. Just by experiencing the power extruded by the Qi from your body, I can assume that the cultivation method you are utilizing should be much more sophisticated from any method I have seen or practiced in my whole life.¡±

    ¡°I also feel that the Qi extruded from your body is a mixture of multiple types of Qi. It means that you are practicing more than 1 Qi method.¡±

    Lu Ming never expected that the ancestor would be able to see through his disguise. He even pointed out that Lu Ming was utilizing more than one type of Qi from his body. Just how powerful this guy was. The secret behind his Qi methods cannot bemunicated to other people. This was the first oath he took when practicing the Qi methods.

    The man could see the struggle in Lu Ming¡¯s eyes. It could only mean that the QI methods he practiced were quite valuable and secretive.

    ¡°I can derive from your expression that the Qi methods are extremely valuable. I wouldn¡¯t try to pry any further into your secret. Practicing an extraordinary Qi method is a blessing as well as a curse in its rights. Although the power granted by a powerful Qi method is extraordinary, the number of resources and efforts which go into practicing it is enormous. I hope you never get devoid or exhausted from the path you currently walk on.¡±

    ¡°I have high hopes for you. I feel that you have a much higher potential than me and would be a great figure in the future. All I hope to ask you is to never turn your back on the Pill Valley. This is a force I created with all my efforts with the hope that it would someday be a hegemonic force in the whole Qi continent.¡±

    ¡°Coming to the matter at hand. Although your Qi methods are quite amazing, I feel that you are not yet able tobine the Qi within them. The only usible exnation for such an urrence is that each of the methods you practice is extraordinary in itself.¡±

    ¡°As I exined earlier, an extraordinary Qi method is a curse as much as it is a boon. The art you are trying to create would be able to reach its maximum potential only when you canbine the various types of Qi you are practicing. If you would ask me, the current you are not powerful enough to forcefullybine the two Qi types into one.¡±

    ¡°I would like to gain some pointers from ancestors regarding this subject.¡± Lu Ming couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine the boost he would get if he couldbine all three types of Qi present in his body. Crimson Lord Qi, Hell-Heaven Qi, and his genuine Qi were individually possessing incredible power. If he could blend them and form a single type of Qi, just what sort of power would it have.

    .....

    ..........................

    ¡°Your shamelessness is quite adequate to walk the path of martial arts, boy. Although I am someone who has quite a huge trove of experience in cultivation, I, unfortunately, cannot help you much with this prospect. The reason behind this is the scriptures you are currently practicing. Each one of them is heaven-defying. I am not proficient enough to possess the knwo0ledge to blend them.¡±

    ¡°On the other hand, I could show you the path which might lead to such a future. But It would depend on your abilities to achieve such a result. Cultivation itself is a path that goes against the will of the heavens. The path which I am going to show presents even more denial to the heavens above you. If you do ept, it would be akin to pping heaven and tearing your way through it.¡±

    ¡°Do you still want to hear out the method?¡±

    Lu Ming closed his eyes for some time. He remembered his whole journey until now. Each step he walked presented him with a new set of difficulties and yet he overcame them and stood at the top of everyone in his generation. How can he back down now? The path he chose to walk on was designed to dominate heaven. How could he back-down in the face of adversities?

    When Lu Ming was getting his thoughts, the man could see a unique atmosphere around him. ¡°The boy seems to have gainedprehension on the path he walks on. His talent is quite incredible to be able to derive meaning from my words. I look forward to the future.¡±

    ¡°The amount of determination required to walk this path is not small. If his will is not tempered enough to face the obstacles, he is bound to fail.¡±

    .......................

    ¡°I am willing to walk the path ancestor.¡± Lu Ming¡¯s eye had

    ¡°Good. The way which I am referring to is to create a bridge between the arts. The only way you will ever be able to even go near the stage ofbining different types of Qi, is by harmonizing the Qi first. You need to create a bridge that would be able to blend these Qi and help them interact with each other.

    ¡°Although I can¡¯t give you pointers on stage after that, I could help you get to that stage. The bridge I am referring to is a container that could hold multiple types of Qi at the same time. Although your body is holding all these Qi, they are not mixing, existing separately. You must not be utilizing them in sync, or even together many times.¡±

    ¡°The way to achieve harmony between these three types of Qi is to start mixing them first. Try to mix them within the body. Remember that the amount you should be trying to mix should be very small so that the bacsh from it is not big.¡±

    ¡°The second part is to circte the Qi within your body so that your meridians be strong enough to bear such a force.¡±

    ¡°Thest part is execution, which requires an art that is capable enough to utilize all three of these Qi.¡±

    ¡°The dominator¡¯s fist is good enough to take care of the third party. As per the first part, I would like you to start practicing Taoist art which can be attributed to reversal.¡±

    Lu Ming¡¯s eyes shone brightly. He did have a technique that used the art of reversal. ¡°I do have a technique like that ancestor.¡± He began showcasing the technique to the founder.

    He was surprised by the fact that this boy even practiced the art of reversal.

    ...................

    ¡°The art you practice does involve the art of reversal, but its quality is poor.¡± He came forward and touched Lu Ming¡¯s forehead with his fingers. A massive amount of information began to be transmitted to Lu Ming¡¯s brain.

    ¡°The circle of Tao.¡±

    ¡°The art transmitted to you is the best one I have in my possession for your stage. Practice it to perfection. The art you practiced before could help you understand it, and hence the training period would be quite short.¡±

    ¡°How would this help me, ancestor?¡±

    ¡°When you enter the stage of Kings, you need to synchronize your body with aw. As you knowws are also categorized as human, earthly, and heavenly. Given your practice, you can surely hold multiple Laws that are attributed to the arts you practice and I hope you aim for the topmostw type, Heavenly. Although the amount of preparation required is huge, I hope you are patient and only break-through when you are confident.¡±

    ¡°Even Heavenws are divided into many kinds. Elementalws, weaponws, thew of the body, andpositews.¡±

    ¡°If you want to seed in creating the harmony of your Qi, you need one of thepositews within yourw base. Thew is called Ying-Yang. Although the two words are often attributed to two opposite kinds of power, the true meaning behind them is to harmonize between different kinds of energies.¡±

    ¡°Only by cultivating thew of Ying-Yang would you be able to create a harmony between the extraordinary Qi present within your body.¡±

    Lu Ming¡¯s thoughts were thrown into disarray. He never expected such a strict requirement for just the harmonization of his Qi. The path was quite difficult to walk on. Just the burden of connecting with the heavenlyw of elements and various weapons he practiced already massively, but he needed to even prepare to connect with aposite andplexw such as Yin-Yang.

    Although the difficulties were quite high, he was thrilled with the benefits they might bring to his future.

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 Chapter 199

    199 BLESSING OF ANCESTORS-¡°Given you can connect and establish the Yin-Yangw, you can go ahead and practice the various scriptures within the valley¡¯s book vault.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t ancestor have some powerful art within his memory?¡± Lu Ming wanted to gain more benefits from the founder. One doesn¡¯t get to meet a powerful expert every day.

    ¡°Don¡¯t dream of cooking eggs which have not yet hatched. With every passing day, the amount of energy within your body would keep increasing. You would need to keep suppressing your energy to not break-through the Qi King level. If you weren¡¯t able to even reach the pinnacle of the ¡®circle of Tao¡¯, you can forget about connecting to the Yin-Yangw.¡±

    ¡°Even if you do reach the pinnacle, there is no guarantee that you would be able to establish the Yin-Yangw. Hence giving you techniques is out of the question as of now?¡±

    ¡°However, if you can make a connection, I might get you a gift in the future.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe I will have the opportunity to meet my ancestors again in the future.¡± It was out of pure luck that Lu Ming was able to pass all the testsid within themps. How could he let this chance go for some promise which might nevere into fruition?

    ¡°Don¡¯t be rash in drawing a conclusion boy. Let me finish my part and if you are still unsatisfied, you could beginining.¡±

    ¡°The path was my first gift to you for passing the trialid in here. Now for the second part of the path, which refers to the cirction of thebined Qi, you need to strengthen your Qi pathways for that. The best way to strengthen them is to forcefully circte the Qi, but I fear it would lead to permanent damage to your Qi channels.¡±

    ¡°Here is where the benefits of being an alchemist show itself. You could use pills that can help strengthen the meridians within your body. There is a specific recipe which could help you synthesize a tonic which can help in strengthening the meridians.¡±

    .....

    The man once again transmitted some information to Lu Ming. ¡°These three recipes rte to three types of Pill. These three pills refer to the three stages on which they are effective. It goes all the way up to the emperor level. I don¡¯t have a meridian strengthening pill recipe beyond the emperor¡¯s level, but they do exist. You need to depend on your luck to find them.¡±

    ¡°This is the second gift for passing the trials. I gave you a pill recipe of three tiers because I believe you can merge even more types of energy in the future. The greater the number of energies, the more would be a burden on the channels. So, use them wisely. You are not allowed to share the recipe with anybody, but you may share the concocted pills.¡±

    ¡°Another way is to walk further within the path of body cultivation.¡± Lu Ming¡¯s interest was instantly aroused. When the ancestor said body cultivation, he must be talking about something beyond the acupoints level.

    ¡°The next gift of mine is more of a knowledge which might help you in future cultivation. Practitioners often neglect the importance of body cultivation. As it turns out it is also the reason many people fail to advance to a higher level. It is because, although their QI cultivation is ample, their body is subpar.¡±

    ¡°Even I wasn¡¯t able to go beyond the acupoint level with my body cultivation. I do know what the next step is. ording to the ancient scriptures, I managed to get my hands on, 5 levels are known to me.¡±

    ¡°The first level is the meridians within one¡¯s body. There are three categories mainly referring to primary, secondary, and tertiary. You must have already felt the phenomena, but once one can open all the primary meridians, a person can sense the existence of acupoints.¡±

    ¡°This is exactly where fate tries to y with a cultivator¡¯s mindset. One can choose to open the meridians, or directly open the acupoints. When a person¡¯s heart is impatient, they would try to open the acupoints instantly after opening all their primary meridians, but this path is wrong.¡±

    ¡°If my research did get any results, it was the fact that the number of acupoints one can open in his whole life depends on the number of meridians they opened. I was rash in the younger part of my life and hence was only able to open around 20 of the 108 tertiary meridians. That limited my future to only 200 acupoints in my whole life.¡±

    ¡°My failure yielded a specific fact, that when you try to walk two paths simultaneously when they are supposed to be done in a particr way, the result obtained is always faulty. If one concentrates on opening acupoints, one would find it more and more difficult to open meridians thereafter.¡±

    ¡°You waked the correct path by first opening all the medians within your body. You should be able to open all the acupoints too. I don¡¯t know the exact limit, but once you do open all the acupoints, you should be able to sense the Qi channels, without even using your Qi. It is the point which marks the end of the second part of body cultivation.¡±

    ¡®The next part is called the Tempering of Qi channel, with the help of external agents. The expansion you have experienced so far is through internal urrences. Once you open all the acupoints, you should be able to sense the external structure of your Qi channels. That¡¯s when you can start tempering them.¡±

    ¡°My third gift is an art which could help you with the tempering part.¡± Another art was transmitted to Lu Ming. This was the fourth art he gained after entering this space. He couldn¡¯t start to describe the amount of excitement he was feeling. The gains this time were tremendous.

    ¡°The opening of acupoints is a necessity to reach the next stage. You should first concentrate on this part. You already have the art necessary to help you open the acupoints.¡±

    ¡°Is ancestor referring to the weird practice stance which I gained earlier?¡±

    ¡°The practice stance is called ¡®the breath of the dragon¡¯. It is not only a perfect breathing and Qi cirction technique, but it even helps in identifying the acupoints. The best way to do it is by circting various elemental energies with the help of this art. Start with fire, then jump to other elements and even weapon aura.¡±

    ¡°I hope you can reach the next level.¡±

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 Chapter 200

    200 BLESSING OF ANCESTOR-¡°The scripture mentioned that I mentioned did state that you can only sense the channels once you have managed to open all the acupoints. Be patient while pursuing the path of body cultivation. It is quite a slow path, now that we have lost most of the detailed training scriptures which could help us uncover the secret fast.¡±

    ¡°Another issue I wish to address is the necessity of opening acupoints. Do you know why most people are not capable of connecting to the Heavenlyws when they break into the Qi king realm?¡±

    ¡°The reason behind it is the fact that the connection to any kind ofw requires you to prepare the exact kind of energy. The higher the level of thew, the more energy is required to connect to it. It is one of the reasons that even special body types find it quite difficult to connect to a heavenlyw during their break-through. They stopped in this step for a long time.¡±

    ¡°During the period of my cultivation, I did research subjects like this which not only provided me insights into the way of heavens but how the martial way exactly works. Although I have never managed to confirm my guess, I did find that body cultivation does help in this juncture. The opening of meridians and acupoints raises the probability of one being able to connect to higher tierws. I am confident about you being able to connect to top tier earthws and even heavenlyws as of now, but you should have your sights onto the top of the chain.¡±

    ¡°You must have already gone through 3 metamorphosis due to the opening of the 3 sets of meridians. That is already way higher than me. Once you manage to open all the acupoints, another metamorphosis will take ce. I hope you go through the metamorphosis before breaking through the king realm.¡±

    Lu Ming was confused upon hearing this. Although he did put a lot of effort into body cultivation, he never once thought of opening all the acupoints before entering the Qi King realm. He considered body cultivation as a parallel pathway. The fact that body cultivation ultimately aids in the Qi cultivation was a huge surprise to him.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t ancestor say that the number of acupoints opened by me should be enough to connect to the heavenlyws?¡±

    ¡°When I broke-through the QI King level, I prepared for quite a long time. It was due to such arduous preparation that I was able to connect to multiple Heavenlyws. Imagine my tion when I found the result.¡±

    ¡°How manyws did the ancestor manage to connect to?¡±

    .....

    ¡°I managed to connect to five kinds of heavenlyw. Fire, wood, earth, sword, and Yin-Yang.¡± Lu Ming was shocked to hear such an achievement. ording to the Keeper, even some of the crimson lords found it difficult to connect to 3 heavenlyws with one body. The ancestor managed to connect himself with 5. Just what kind of monster was this guy?

    ¡°The ancestor was a martial with monstrous talent. I am sure you must have been ted due to it.¡±

    ¡°I thought the same way before I connected to thesews.¡±

    ¡°What does ancestor mean?¡±

    ¡°I mean when I finally connected to these five heavenlyws, I managed to sense and gainprehension about something else. I sense that the existence of something higher, more powerful.¡±

    Lu Ming was shocked upon hearing this. Something higher than Heavenlyws. What could rank higher than Heavens?

    ¡°Is the ancestor insisting that there exist a set ofws which are higher than Heavenlyws?¡±

    ¡°I am confirming that there are a set ofws standing higher than the heavenlyws. I even tried to connect to them, but do you know what held me back?¡± Lu Ming suddenly thought about the subject they were talking about some moments ago.

    ¡°Your body cultivation.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. My body cultivation was not adequate to connect to thesews. I felt an invisible shackle around my whole being which restricted me from connecting to thosews. This is the reason I ask you to be patient in cultivation. You should hurry through your martial path.¡±

    ¡°Try to suppress your cultivation and open all the acupoints before entering the QI King level.¡±

    Lu Ming bowed and nodded in agreement. It was a huge reveal which would end up shaping his martial path in a new way.

    ...........................

    ¡°Could the ancestor brief me upon the other 2 levels of body cultivation?¡±

    The founder looked at Lu Ming with surprise. The brat was quite gutsy to be asking a question like that. He didn¡¯t even reach the end of the second part, but wants knowledge about the fourth and fifth. Yet the founder felt like Lu Ming¡¯s request was adequate. He is the only person he had met who managed to open all the meridians and might be able to open all the acupoints.

    ¡°The fourth part of body cultivation is called Bone-forging.¡±

    ¡°Only when all your meridians, acupoints, and Qi channels are opened and properly tempered can you move into the next stage, which was called the bone-forging realm. As the name suggested, this stage refers to re-forging your bones to perfection. There are 108 bones within the human body and hence you need to go through the forge 108 times. The real scare of this part is the fact that every time you begin the forge of a new bone, you would also be improving upon your previously forged bones.¡±

    The description sounded simr to when he was opening meridians and even acupoints. With every step, the process gets more and more difficult.

    ¡°As you go through the path of body cultivation, not only does the difficulty increase, so does the amount of resources required and the pain caused by the process. 108 forges of bone are said to feel like 108 deaths. But the benefits they bring are incredibly immense. If you were to scale the benefits:

    An acupoint amount to increase in power doubles the amount caused by the opening of meridians. Channel tempering gives you double the amount of what you get by opening the acupoints. But thest two parts are said to be perverted. The improvement of strength brought by a single bone forge is around four times what you get from channel tempering.¡±

    ¡°What is thest part, ancestor?¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about this question?¡±

    ¡°I am. If I am going to walk on this path, I better be ready to face the obstacles. I am willing to walk the path of the body to the end. I request the ancestor to not hide the knowledge from me.¡±

    The founder sighed for some time but finally decided on revealing the truth.

    ¡°Thest part of the body cultivation is called ¡®Blood Tempering''¡±

    Lu Ming was dazed for a moment.¡¯ Blood Tempering¡¯. Isn¡¯t that the name of the method he has been practicing since the beginning of his path of cultivation?

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 Chapter 201

    201 A MISSION

    ¡®Blood Tempering art¡¯ wasn¡¯t his blood cultivation art from the Beast God Scripture, also named Blood Tempering Art. Lu Ming¡¯s mind instantly filled with doubts regarding this subject. ording to the ancestor¡¯s description, he shouldn¡¯t be able to practice Blood Tempering until he haspleted Bone-forging.

    ¡°Can ancestor borate on thest part? What does blood Tempering mean?¡±

    ¡°As you should be able to understand by now, thest two parts of Body path correspond a whole other kind of cultivation than the first three. While the first three just refer to excavating the already present and tempering them, thest two-parts can be summarized in three words ¡®destruction and recreation¡¯.¡±

    ¡°When you would go through bone forging, you need topletely disorient the bone and then reforge it. The new bone would be far stronger than the previous one.¡±

    ¡°On the other hand, Blood Tempering is the most mysterious one. I have nearly no information about it, except for a general theory. Although you just can¡¯t destroy and recreate your blood, you could fundamentally change the quality of blood essence. I tried to research the subject. Many natural oddities of high tiers could help you form pills that can help with the process.¡±

    ¡°Can the Blood Tempering be done with the help of beast blood?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible in theory. If you look at the history of cultivators, we often hunt beasts to gain their precious blood essence, core, and other body parts. Some are used in weapon making, while others go in pill concoction. The core and blood essence should be able to provide us with the necessary elements to temper our blood.¡±

    ¡°But I guess there is a catch to this part. If you want to use beast blood, you would require an ancient art on that subject. You couldn¡¯t just consume and directly use it to improve your blood essence. If that were the case, blood cultivators would be able to be hegemons in no time.¡±

    ¡°How does the art cultivated by blood cultivators differ from the art of Tempering the blood?¡±

    .....

    ¡°The art used by blood cultivators uses blood mainly for three things. The first extract the blood essence of any kind of blood and then refine its top gain the energy stored within it. This energy is then utilized to promote its cultivation. There is also the case where they try to merge the blood of a beast with theirs, but all it does is overwhelm their blood with the blood of the beast.¡±

    ¡°In long term usage, the beast blood would surely overpower the human one, and the practitioner either turns into a beast-man or aplete transformation to beast lineage.¡±

    ¡°Blood Tempering on the other hand signifies improving the blood essence of your blood. You don¡¯t merge it with other kinds of blood. You use the essence energy of other kinds of blood to improve your essence quality and energy. That is why it differs from the arts which Blood practitioners use.¡±

    ¡°The method of doing so is unknown to the current world or has been long lost over time. You shouldn¡¯t get too depressed on hearing this. I would be satisfied if you can enter the Channel Tempering realm.¡±

    ¡°Does ancestor have any art to perform such operation?¡±

    ¡°I do have an art which could help in doing the Tempering.¡± Lu Ming was ted to hear this. He couldn¡¯t believe he was about to get his hands on another extraordinary art that would promote his strength in the future.

    .........................

    ¡°I do possess the scriptures which mention theplete process of tempering the channels. But I won¡¯t be giving it to you now.¡± Lu Ming¡¯s expression turned serious.

    ¡°I have a task which you must fulfill if you want to gain the arts. Given your current potential, you can easily win thispetition. I want you to win thepetition and enter that space.¡±

    ¡°Is the ancestor referring to thend of fire.¡±

    ¡°So, you are aware of the prize given to the 1st rank. The vision you are currently seeing is a soul remanent I left within themps. It¡¯s not theplete soul and hence doesn¡¯t possess my whole memory. The two things I want to give you is with the remnant which is present within thend of fire. Since you managed to gain the total inheritance of this soul remnant, the one which is sealed within thend of fire would open this time.¡±

    ¡°Thend of fire is a zone which can only be entered by those within the King level. Given the duration of thepetition, you are eligible to enter the next time it opens. The period is near the corner, around half a year from now. Thend of fire is a ce where every single disciple who is within the Qi King rank can enter.¡±

    ¡°Although It is and o0f opportunity, it is filled with countless dangers. Thend of fire was created as a burial ground of all the top alchemists of Pill Valley, and hence contains countless inheritances within it. Each time it opens, the duration is fixed at 6 months. IF you are capable of surviving through thend of fire, and find my inheritance, I will pass the two promised arts to you along with many other benefits.¡±

    ¡°The details of thepetition are avable within the valley¡¯s book vault and you can easily ess them. You hereby also gain an honorable position within the valley as the inheritor of my first soul remnant. Go to the Hall of Saints to collect your badge. With this badge, you would benefit simr to the personal disciples of the current Valley Head, without epting anyone as a master. The reason behind this is the fact that my inheritance should be enough to push you through the ranks.¡±

    ¡°Answering the ancestor, I already have a master, who is a grand elder of the valley.¡±

    ¡°I guess it was the reason I felt the simrity with the art you currently practice. The art you were taught for fire control is derived from the original art present here. The only person who, managed to enter here in thest century was the guy from the Ti n. I guess you are his disciple. He should be able to guide you through the details of the Land of Fire. I truly hope you manage to ovee the trials and gain my second inheritance.¡±

    ¡°How many inheritances did ancestors leave within the valley?¡±

    ¡°I have left three inheritances. The first one is present within themps. The second one is present within thend of fire. As per the third one, you need to be capable of entering the core valley for that.¡±

    ¡°The second inheritance requires you to be a Powerful King grade practitioner, while the requirement of the third inheritance is quite high.¡±

    ¡°Disciple is listening.¡± Lu Ming bowed. He would love to have an aim to work for. The three inheritances would provide the perfect motivation.

    ¡°The third inheritance would require you to possess the strength of a peak Emperor. If you are capable enough to enter that stage someday, you might just be able to fulfill the ultimate task left by me.¡±

    Lu Ming wanted to ask a question to the founder but was hesitating. Looking at the conflict and inquisitiveness within the boy¡¯s eyes, the founder smiled.

    ¡°You want to know what my real cultivation is right boy?¡±

    Lu Ming was surprised that the founder managed to guess the question in his mind. Just what kind of monster this man was at his peak.

    ¡°At my peak, I went by the name of Pill-sword saint.¡±

    Lu Ming¡¯s mouth was agape. He just had a conversation with a Qi saint. Someone who was just a level below the QI god level, the ultimate existence of Qi continent. He instantly kowtowed and praised the founder. The scene changed, and Lu Ming opened his eyes.

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 Chapter 202

    202 NIGHT ATTACK-(1)

    Lu Ming suddenly opened his eyes and all thenterns around him lit up suddenly. Given his promotion to the level of soul Grandmaster, it was no longer a bother for him to be channeling his powers through thenterns. He could feel that the promotion managed to improve his soul energy by a huge extent, making the expenditure for lighting thesenterns up quite minute.

    The whole audience was silent as of now. The participants behind Lu Ming were staring at the stage with their mouths agape. The event was so shocking, that even the elder who was in charge of the test couldn¡¯t find words to describe the moment. All twentynterns were lit up. Thest time it happened was around a century ago.

    Three people simultaneously managed to light up the twentynterns. One of them grew up to be the current valley head. The other became the Grand elder of Pill Valley, while the third person became the current head of the Ten families.

    The elder in charge asked his assistant¡± What was the record held by thest three people?¡±

    ¡°The fastest toe out was the Teng family head, while thest one was the Grand elder. But the maximum time taken by any of them was just an hour. Lu Ming has been in the process for half a day. His potential seems to not quite as powerful as the other three.¡±

    The elder looked at his assistant in dismay. Being an inner elder, they did get to read scriptures contained within the core regions of the valley¡¯s library. Every inner elder knew that the twentynterns had a deep secret within them. The longer the time ofprehension, the higher is one¡¯s potential. Lu Ming seems to be monstrous whenpared to thest three participants.

    ..........................

    Teng Family Hall-

    The Teng family was holding a secret meeting of elders as of now. Only the top echelon was invited. Itprised of the core elders, grand elders, and the patriarch.

    .....

    ¡°All the elders have been summoned. We could begin the meeting.¡±

    ¡°I have invited all the people in here to discuss the matter about the ck-horse who seems to have emerged out of shadows. Can any of you worthless idiots tell me who he is and where hees from?¡± The grand elder was roaring within the hall. The elders responsible for the task instantly bent their heads down.

    ¡°We are sorry to inform the patriarch that the boy¡¯s origin still seems to be a mystery. We sent information regarding him to every single subordinate establishment and even the major merchant guilds, but except for certain sightings at particr locations, we seem to have gained no information about him. He seems to have appeared and vanished in thin air after that.¡±

    The grand elder began to radiate a huge amount of pressure. Most of the elders in front were forced to kneel in front, unable to bear such a huge amount of power. Some even began to suffocate under the radiated strength, until the patriarch waved his hands and the pressure disappeared. Everybody was surprised by the sudden phenomena. Just how powerful the current patriarch was.

    ¡°I want one of you core leaders to rush into the Brown-stone merchant guild and invite their young miss over. Tell her that it is the Teng n¡¯s patriarch who invited her.¡±

    .....................

    An hourter-

    The feminine figure of brown-stone¡¯s young mistress once again stood amid the halls of core elders of the Teng family. She had a smile on her face which was radiating sarcasm upon the elders who dared to ignore her previous warnings.

    ¡°I am sorry for the inconvenience caused to you, due to this sudden invite. I would also like to beg your pardon for dismissing your advice earlier.¡± The patriarch of the Teng family had a surprising character. The girl standing in front could easily feel the sincerity within those words. This kind of character was the worst kind of person to be enemies with.

    ¡°The patriarch¡¯s words are too ttering. How could this junior bear the burden of such heavy words from the leader of the Ten founding families.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s cut the chase. I would like to know every single detail regarding Lu Ming. I would like detailed information about his cultivation, his powers, and his possible origin.¡±

    ¡°The information we have was provided by a client of our organization. He only divulged thest known cultivation and alchemy. ording to him, Lu Ming was an advanced level Qi general with his alchemy rank being a mid-3rd level alchemist.¡±

    ¡°But the information seems to be wrong.¡± Teng Luo emphasized.

    ¡°We did analyze the information to be invalids of now and are in the process of inspecting his backgrounds. We are sorry to inform you that we are unable to get our hands on any relevant information.¡±

    ¡°Could you set up a meeting with this customer of yours?¡±

    ¡°I am afraid that is not possible. We can¡¯t force our customers to do anything for us. They need to be willing to go through with the job.¡±

    ¡°I am asking as a purple-gold ranked customer of yours.¡±

    ¡°I am afraid the level of the customer who provided the information is also purple gold. We can¡¯t insist on him doing anything. Although since patriarch Teng has requested, I might be able to convey the message to the respective person.¡±

    Teng Luo¡¯s eyes narrowed when he heard that the customer who provided the information was also a purple-gold rank. This made things way moreplicated than they already were. He began to doubt the real back-ground of Lu Ming. The very fact that purple-gold rank customer decided to ry the information, rather than keeping it to himself proves the fact that he/she wanted the world to know about Lu Ming.

    It also signified that the person didn¡¯t care for the possible consequences of his/her actions. It meant that they were ready to face the problems caused.

    ..................

    ¡°What is the patriarch¡¯s order?¡±

    ¡°I want our forces to standby and do nothing.¡±

    ¡°But this Lu Ming has already caused quite a bit ofmotion. The prestige of the ten families would be hampered by his actions. We need to fix this problem.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking for your advice, elder. I am ordering you to sit back and do nothing.¡±

    ¡°Should we ry the information to other families.¡±

    ¡°Let them do as they please. I am quite sure that one of the others is surely going to attempt something rted to Lu Ming. It would provide us with a chance to analyze our enemies.¡±

    Teng Luo was quite a sinister character to have made a decision. He wanted to test the waters with the help of a borrowed sword.

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 Chapter 203

    203 NIGHT ATTACK-Lu Ming¡¯s performance overshadowed every single participant within thepetition. Although there were some good performances, none even came closer to Lu Ming¡¯s. Teng Huan remained the topper of the remaining participants with 16nterns to his name. Lu Ming scored rank 1 for the 2nd time. Thepetition was going to mark participants ording to their performance in the rounds. Lu Ming remained the reigning champion consecutively. Only two rounds remained.

    ¡°We appreciate the huge following which gathered here to take part in the disciple eptancepetition. We congratte those who made it as the inner disciples of the valley and even those who are exempt from thepetition as outer disciples shouldn¡¯t lose hope. You can perform well within the inner hallpetition at the end of the year to get promoted to the ranks of inner disciples.¡±

    ¡°The second round is called the test of souls. We would like for the participants to rest for today and arrive within the grounds at the earliest hour of tomorrow. Only the top 2 of each test are allowed to sit for the test of souls. The test of the soul will bemencing once the elders arrive. Have a good rest through the night.¡±

    The first day of the Pill-brewpetition came to an end.

    .............................

    Crimson Lord World-

    ¡°I guess you did get a huge harvest from the twentynterns?¡±

    Long Tao who was beside the Keeper smiled. ¡°Thesenterns were left by the founder of the Pill Valley. Can you imagine the level of power he had achieved at his peak?¡±

    ¡°If you are referring to him as the founder of pill valley, I guess the current rumor about the ten core families is false.¡±

    .....

    ¡°It¡¯s not false if you consider the fact that the ten original family heads were disciples of the founder.¡±

    Even the Keeper was surprised to hear this. The information Long Tao had managed to gather stated that the Original Ten family heads were all peak level, 6 alchemists. It meant that they must have been a martial arts Monarch at the very least. Just what kind of person was their teacher then?¡±

    ¡°I guess he was a practitioner of Qi Dominator level. You are quite fortunate to have gained the legacy of someone so powerful.¡±

    Long Taoughed while staring at the Keeper.¡± The remanent aura said that he was referred to as the Pill-sword saint during his peak stage.¡±

    Even the Keeper was spellbound. A saint level practitioner was the founder of this valley.

    ¡°Are you saying that a Qi saint founded Pill-Valley?¡± Long Tao nodded his head. This was a huge blessing for him.

    ...........................

    ¡°What did you gain from the tests?¡±

    Long Tao listed out all the information he got from the founder along with the arts he now possessed. He began demonstrating the cirction arts to the Keeper who was thoroughly impressed by it.

    ¡°This could certainly lead to a whole new set of research regarding the opening of acupoints. We should start testing the breathing method with the help of elemental, Hell-heaven, and even weapon Qi. Who knows what we may be able to find?¡±

    ¡°If his information is correct and there are five parts of body cultivation, I guess you should be able to reach the channel tempering easily. Your body has the most perfect foundations due to the opening of every single meridian. We will suppress your cultivation and start concentrating on opening all the meridians before entering the QI King realm.¡±

    ¡°Are his words true?¡±

    ¡°Which words are you referring to?¡±

    ¡°The fact that there are a set ofws above heavenlyws¡±

    The Keeper was silent for a moment, but then he decided to tell Long Tao the truth. ¡°The words of the founder are true. The tier above Heavenlyws is held by a set ofws that existed before the heavens themselves. These were born out of pure chaos and nothingness and hence correspond to the purest power of the universe.¡±

    ¡°The ancient crimson ancestors refer to thesews as Chaos Laws. Every single Heavenlyw has a chaotic counterpart from which it was derived. The energy contained within thesews is boundless. Do you remember the segregation I referred to when describing the human, earth, and Heavenlyws? Well, the same trend continues for chaoticws.¡±

    ¡°Have there ever been a Crimson lord who managed to contact with the Chaoticws¡±

    ¡°Of course there were many Crimson Lords who managed to do that, but the difficult part was the preparation required. DO you know how much energy is required to break the chain of Heavens and contact the Chaoticws of the universe? A single chaoticw would require the preparation of around 4-5 Heavenlyws. Are you prepared for such a massive usage of energy? Where will you obtain such energy from?¡±

    ¡°The founder said that the secret behind connecting to the chaoticws lied with the body. He experienced a major shackle due to his body when breaking through the Qi King level. He asked me to first open all the acupoints and go through the fourth metamorphosis before breaking through the Qi King level.¡±

    The Keeper fell silent for some time. Body cultivation wasn¡¯t one of the strengths of Crimson lords. Long Tao could be said to be the one who has walked the farthest in it. The body might have a certain secret regarding the situation.

    ¡°I guess we should give it a try then. Who knows if we might even be able to seed?¡±

    ¡°I guess you need to start helping me in suppressing the cultivation. I am currently at the seventh level of QI in general. Only two levels remained until I rose to the peak and each opening of acupoints is sure to promote some of my Qi cultivation too.¡±

    ¡°The suppression is not going to be easy. We need to apply some sealing formation during your eight and ninth levels. The seal would also be helpful to you during a break-through since they would work as an energy deposit for your body to draw power from.¡±

    ¡°What do we need to create such a formation.¡±

    The Keeper gave Long Tao the details regarding the formation seal and the materials required to create a form like that. Fortunately, Long Tao possessed most of the material except for the high-grade Blood of a level 5 beast, which he decided topensate with the blood pool which was present in the sword pavilion heritage he obtained. Some herbs were required to create the blend to be applied.

    ¡°I will be collecting many herbs from the market which are not present within the herb garden. Make sure to notice if you gain some good materials.¡±

    ¡°You need to take care of another situation as of now. I can sense a bunch of people following you. Most of them seem to be just trying to verify your background. There seems to be a group from which I can sense a certain amount of bloodlust.¡±

    ¡°Can you verify their cultivation level?¡±

    ¡°They seem to be in having a Peak initial Qi King amongst them.¡±

    Long Tao wanted tough. It seems that the groups in the dark became quite wary of his achievement. They decided to send someone at the peak of the initial stage Qi king.

    ¡°Let¡¯s concentrate on collecting materials for thepetition and the seal. I will take care of these groupster.¡±

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 Chapter 204

    204 NIGHT ATTACK-Lu Ming continued to walk through the markets collecting the necessary6 materials for the seal. Pill Valley lived up to its name as the heaven for alchemists. Every single herb he required was avable within the market. Lu Ming didn¡¯t have a shortage of funds and hence he bought quite a several herbs from the market.

    The Keeper continued to feed him information regarding the people who were tailing him.

    ¡°They seem to be waiting for you to move into a secluded region.¡±

    ¡°I admire their dedication towards following in my footsteps. I guess we should reward them for their efforts.¡±

    ¡°Tell me the details regarding the other groups following me.¡±

    ¡°Well, there seem to be three other groups following you. I sense that one of them is from the merchant guild we recently traded with. Their breaths are quite simr to the people in there. The other two groups are kind of a mystery for me.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure they are not hostile in any way?¡±

    ¡°There is no way to confirm their motives. I can¡¯t feel any bloodlustsing from their direction and hence it would be safe to assume that they are just tailing you to inspect the ce you live in and your activities.¡±

    ¡°I have another set of possible situations in my mind. I think the group which is showcasing the bloodlust is going to be the first one to take action. As per the other three, they seem to be testing the water in my case. They just want to confirm my background.¡±

    .....

    ¡°So, they wouldn¡¯t be hostile until you show a definite weakness.¡±

    ¡°My performance in the Pill-brewpetition was quite brilliant. It is a given that many groups would see me as a thorn in their eyes. They either want to recruit me or end my chapter right before the second round. Although I am eligible to be an inner disciple, I have not yet received an official confirmation regarding that situation. If I do participate in the second round and showcase another set of brilliant results, I would directly be promoted to a core disciple. The groups wouldn¡¯t be able to take action after that.¡±

    ¡°How do you wish to proceed in this situation? I think a show of power should be enough to scare off these groups. You can target the group which seems to be the most excited to attack you.¡±

    ¡°Showing my power would lead those groups to run back in the shadows. I wouldn¡¯t be able to identify them.¡±

    ¡°So, you want toy bait for the other groups. It would be a difficult task to lure all of them into the same ce.¡±

    ¡°Well, we wouldn¡¯t be directly luring these groups. Do you know what the Ten families or any group who wants to gain more power within this region need most? It is a talented individual who could be a stable pir for their power in the future. An organization couldn¡¯t rise to the top without there being stable support underneath it.¡±

    ¡°My performance should have made quite amotion within the top-level groups of this area and hence they would try to do two things. Eliminate me or have a rtionship with me. To have any sess in either of those areas, they need to capture me.¡±

    ¡°Sowing my power is going to scare the current groups away and I wouldn¡¯t be able to identify the forces involved behind the struggle.¡±

    ¡°So, you want to act weak to lure the group into confronting each other?¡±

    ¡°That certainly is the n as of now. Once the confrontations start, I could continue to act as if I were injured and let them eliminate some of their forces. I will start taking some hardcore actions after that.¡±

    ¡°Do you wish to take them hostages, or eliminate them?¡±

    ¡°Once I extract their soul to get knowledge about the force behind them, keeping them alive is going to be a liability.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that result in you bing enemies with the forces behind them?¡±

    ¡°I too have quite a powerful person to back me up. If he can take care of those at the emperor level, I have no problem dealing with Qi King level practitioners, once I do break-through the level of QI King. Once my origins are revealed, I doubt those forces would dare to attack me casually. We can take care of the consequences after solving the present problem.¡±

    ...............................

    In a shady corner-

    ¡°He seems to have moved out of the city¡±

    ¡°Have you verified the people he made contact with? Are you sure there is no one with him?¡±

    ¡°I am positive regarding him being alone, sir. During the whole time, I was tailing him, all he did was purchase a huge number of herbs from various pharmacies, along with some random items like Pill furnaces, high-quality beast blood. I am surprised by the amount of money he spent on all those items. He seems to be quite rich.¡±

    The leader licked his lips. ¡°ording to our orders, we are to capture him alive. The details are not specified. Hence all his belongings should be ours.¡± They would be able to make a fortune by robbing an alchemist like Lu Ming.

    ¡°Follow him to the outskirts. We will attack at the first chance we get.¡±

    ¡°Is the leader not worried about the other groups who seem to be tailing him too?¡±

    ¡°The men sent by other organizations would be of a simr level to us. They wouldn¡¯t want to make a hugemotion during the process. The struggle would be caused until he falls into the hands of any one of the groups. Once that happens, all the groups will retreat. We just need to capture him first. I will be in charge of defense. You two are to capture him instantly.¡± He said to two other members of the group who also seemed to be in the Qi King level.

    The group moved out.

    ....................

    It was alreadyte at night when Lu Ming stepped within the outskirts of Pill-Bloom city. He decisively moved into a shady location with the least number of people. He tried to act naturally as if this was where he lived. The alley in which he finally reached was secluded from the city with just two diagonal entrances and exits.

    ¡°I guess that the men still haven¡¯t let their guard down,¡± Lu Ming said, speaking to himself.

    ¡°Two figures are moving in from either side of the alley. Beware.¡± The attack arrived swiftly after some time, and Lu Ming decided to dodge.

    ¡°They are using low energy within their attacks¡± Two cultivators of Qi King level were simultaneously attacking him. The sword swings were quite urate which showed that the enemy was a veteran when it came to the usage of the sword. Lu Ming decided to dodge and try to run away, while also incurring some injuries in the process.

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 Chapter 205

    205 NIGHT ATTACK-Lu Ming¡¯s upper torso had suffered quite some injuries. The first few were mostly caused due to haphazard dodging from the continuous word swings from the two Qi Kings. The veterans were quite great at using swords, but Lu Ming was having problems getting injured. The amount of body cultivation he went through had already promoted his physical strength to another level. The Qi Kings were mostly practitioners who cultivated humanws, the lowest kind. The attack couldn¡¯t leave any injuries.

    ¡°Adjust the flow of your Qi properly. You need to utilize your Qi to affect certain regions of your body. Use it to sync the attacks. I will help with the flow; you just need to concentrate on the regions.¡±

    Lu Ming followed the Keeper¡¯s n and soon enough his body was riddled with blood.

    ¡°I need to restrict your body¡¯s healing power to let the blood flow, although the overpowered body does slow the speed of the blood flowing. You shouldn¡¯t get scared of losing too much blood, your body wouldn¡¯t allow that.¡±

    ¡°I guess I need toe in contact with a grievous attack and the scene would-be set-in-stone.¡±

    Lu Ming instantly backed off from either of the attackers. He utilized the moment to act out a sequence of him trying to revolve his Qi to heal his body.

    ¡°Don¡¯t let him catch his breath.¡±

    The two attackers moved out instantly. Both of them utilized their respective sword arts to execute a powerful move onto Lu Ming¡¯s body. Lu Ming decided to dodge from between the attacks. Although he was sessful in dodging the first one, the second one made contact, and his body was directly sted out, with his stomach gaining an additional line of a deep cut. Blood was flowing out, and Lu Ming¡¯s facial expression was pale.

    He instantly vomited lots of blood onto the ground and his body visibly copsed as if losing consciousness. The team leader saw the whole scene and had a satisfied look on his face. The two subordinates of his managed to execute the task perfectly. He was just about to jump out when a sudden feeling from behind changed his expression.

    .....

    ¡°So, they finally decided to take action.¡±

    ...........................

    The two QI Kings were about to move out when multiple figures appeared within the alley.

    ¡°I thank the two friends for their efforts. We would be taking the boy with us. I hope you will back off unless you don¡¯t want to return alive from this shady alley.¡±

    Another man came forward and looked at the person who had just spoken. ¡°don¡¯t count your eggs before they areid. The brat is yet to fall into your hands. Why should we let you make acquisitions of him?¡±

    The leader of the squad who ambushed Lu Ming arrived at the location. ¡°I hope you fellows can recognize the fact that my team was the one who took care of him. Naturally, we have the right to take him with us.¡±

    ¡°An advance Qi general is no big deal for either of our teams. You just did what was inevitably about to happen. We don¡¯t need to hand him over for such a petty reason.¡±

    The atmosphere was slowly turning serious. Every single practitioner began to release their aura and multiple shes urred.

    ¡°I guess you wouldn¡¯t go down without a fight. I would be happy to satisfy your demands. I just hope you don¡¯t regret your decision.¡±

    A three-way brawl began, while Lu Ming was lying on the floor of the alley.

    ..................

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you confirmed that there were four groups following me?¡±

    ¡°The group from the merchant guild seems to be hiding in the dark waiting for the other three teams to tire themselves out.¡±

    ¡°Trying to use the same tactics as me. How could I let that happen?¡±

    Lu Ming began to crawl on the flow towards one of the exits. The other three teams were engaged in a serious fight to have noticed this activity. He hoped that the fourth group would be tempted by his attempt and try to capture him.

    ...................

    ¡°He is trying to crawl away from the three groups, madam. What are your orders?¡±

    ¡°Let him put some distance between himself and the fight. We would move out swiftly and capture him.¡±

    ¡°The three groups are going to notice his actions soon. We should move out now.¡± The group members were getting impatient.

    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s move out.¡± The girl spoke out.

    .....................

    ¡°They are approaching from the north alley. You should be careful of the two figuresing from above.¡± The Keeper instantly notified Lu Ming,

    Lu Ming simply raised his head and coughed out real loud. While vomiting another jug of blood. His face was paler than ever. This sound managed to attract the attention of the other three groups, who first saw Lu Ming¡¯s figures crawling through the bloodied floor towards the exit, as well as the figures approaching him from above.

    ¡°Another group of snakes dared to snatch my prey.¡± The group leader who was a peak initial QI King instantly waved his sword to send a swift attack towards the two people approaching Lu Ming¡¯s figure. They were caught off guard and would have been in if not for another person intervening mid-way and canceling the sword aura.

    ¡°You are quite ruthless to attack two of your juniors.¡± The person who fended the sword attack spoke out.

    ¡°So says the guy who just tried to sneakily snatch my prey right under my nose.¡±

    The four groups were facing each other. The tension in the atmosphere seems to have risen up by a notch. Four groups of people with the same objective were confined to the space of this alley. Their movement was limited and sooner orter they would have to confront the enemy on the other side.

    The leader of one of the groups pointed at the other. ¡°Let¡¯s team up for now and take care of the other two. We can then decide on how to proceed with the situation.¡± The newly arrived team agreed and a two-way fight soon began.

    The results were quite obvious. The team which pursued Lu Ming and the newly arrived group managed to kill most of the enemies.

    ¡°I guess we managed to take care of the situation. There is hope for you two to return alive if you give up¡±

    .......................

    It was at the exact same moment when the person who was lying on the flow suddenly stood up. He stretched his arms and leg out. The four leaders were surprised by this event and started at Lu Ming with caution.

    ¡°I guess all the rats are assembled. We can start with the final act.¡± He turned towards the leader of the group who ambushed him.

    ¡°As for your statement earlier, none of you is leaving this ce alive.¡±

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 Chapter 206

    206 NIGHT ATTACK-The sight of Lu Ming¡¯s bloodied body was quite pitiful. Yet the words which came out of his mouth were surprising. The teams which were about to sh with each other halted their steps to try andprehend what Lu Ming¡¯s words meant. The expression changed from surprise to disgust and finallyughter.

    ¡°Did you hear what the brat has to say? He said that none of us are going to make it out alive from here. Does anyone care to differ?¡± Every person eitherughed out loud or looked at Lu Ming with a pitiful expression.

    The leader of the first group raised his sword towards Lu Ming and said in a serious stone ¡°Shut the fuck up and lie down on the ground. Your earlier actions could be taken as naivety, but you are not allowed to move from now.¡±

    Lu Ming¡¯spleted his body stretches and then looked at the leader of the first team. ¡°Do you know what I hate most in the world? It is the situation here where an ant not only tries to devour an elephant but acts tough in front of him.¡± He raised his hands and instantly four more shadows appeared within the alley.

    The four teams pursuing Lu Ming were surprised by this urrence, but they couldn¡¯t help butugh out once again when they saw just four figures standing within the alley.

    ¡°Is this your back-up? Four more Qi generals to fight off twenty people, out of which 10 are at QI King level.¡±

    ¡°As I said before, an ant is trying to devour an elephant while also acting tough in front of it.¡± When Lu Ming finally dropped his hands, the four figures moved out. Although the four groups were ready, what happened next was a shock to them.

    The Qi generals who suddenly appeared within the alley started to cut through their team members like butter. There wasn¡¯t even a slight obstruction while shing the body of those still within the Qi general level. The four figures were each using a different set of weapons.

    One was using a sword, while the other was using a hammer, spear, and dagger. There were faint shadows behind each of their figures and the amount of power stored within every strike was quite vast. The Qi generals were mercilessly wiped out, and only the Qi kings remained. The event urred so fast that the people present had difficulty adjusting to the reality of the situation.

    .....

    Each of the group¡¯s leaders recovered their distracted minds and began looking at Lu Ming with seriousness. The matter didn¡¯t seem to be as simple as they thought it would be. They were about to go help their teammates when a sudden attack made them divert from their paths and dodge to the side.

    When they looked back, Lu Ming was standing at his original position, the only change being the sword in his hands.

    .................................

    ¡°Each one of you two will take on the two groups towards my left, while you two will together take care of the 3rd group.¡± He raised his sword to point at the leader of the first group. ¡°Leave him to me.¡± The four hoods nodded their heads and proceeded to face the assigned group of enemies.

    ¡°Make sure to capture their leaders in perfect shape. As per the rest of the squad, no need to show mercy. Kill them all.¡±

    Lu Ming waved his hands to conjure beast me out of it. He was using the me smander fire and he first isted the first groups from the rest. He then conjured his sword spirit and rushed towards the leader. One of the advantages Qi Kings had over QI generals was their Law energy.

    The members began to use Law energy to fend off the beast me, but what they didn¡¯t notice was a small lighting out of Lu Ming¡¯s head. No matter what kind ofw these practitioners contracted with, it was still difficult for a Qi general to directly confront a group of Qi kings. even though Lu Ming was confident to win against any practitioner within the initial level of Qi King, the situation must be a one on one fight. How could he overpower a whole group of Qi Kings with Qi alone? It would take a lot of effort and careful nning which he didn¡¯t have as of now.

    He decided to use his soul power. The biggest w of those who rush through their cultivation is the fact that they practice only a single path their whole life. Although Qi cultivation was important, cultivators forget about the cultivation of body and soul. This was where Lu Ming had an advantage. The body cultivation allowed him to confront enemies way above his current Qi level, while his soul power woulde in handy in this situation.

    ............................................

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how effective I soul spike, now that I have entered the realm of soul grandmaster.¡± The spike began to form in the middle of Lu Ming¡¯s forehead. The power contained within the small soul manifest gave Lu Ming a dangerous feeling. He decided to attack the practitioner with the lowest level of cultivation.

    An instant confrontation between the leader of the first group and Lu Ming took ce. The leader¡¯s strength lived up to its name as someone who has reached the apex of initial grade Qi King.

    The other two behind him decided to take this opportunity to attack Lu Ming from either side, but he too was waiting for this opportunity. The element of surprise was a crucial factor of an attack. The oneing from the left didn¡¯t imagine that he was the target of Lu Ming¡¯s attack all along.

    The spike rushed out of Lu Ming¡¯s forehead piercing through the soul of the practitioner. The power contained within it was so amazing that the practitioner lost his mobility instantly, falling dead on the ground. The oneing from the right saw this phenomenon, but it was toote to restrain his attack.

    Lu Ming let his body bear the burden of attack. The attacknded on his shoulder but was unable to pierce through. The attacker was shocked, but it was thest thought in his mind. Lu Ming took this opportunity to give a full force stab to his heart, piercing it.

    In a matter of seconds, two Qi king practitioners wereying down dead on the floor. The leader was shocked on seeing this turn of events. He never imagined Lu Ming to be so powerful. For the first time, he was nervous and a tinge of fear filled his eyes.

    .....................................

    The members were being hacked mercilessly. The duo, who were taking on the second group, managed to finish up the fastest of them all. After that, it was time for the other two groups. The duo helped take care of those two. The battle, which started just moments ago, came to an abrupt end with the capture of the three captains. The four people instantly sealed the cultivation of the three captured men.

    The leader of the first group was the only one standing.

    Five people had surrounded him. Before he could even speak or try to beg for mercy, attacksnded on him from five different directions, three of them managing to pierce through his defense. The first one pierced his hand, while the second and third went for the abdomen and one of his legs.

    The whole floor was dyed with the fresh blood flowing out of the leader¡¯s body. All he could do wasy there in silence, looking at the five figures approaching him with shock in his eyes.

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 Chapter 207

    207 NIGHT ATTACK-The leader couldn¡¯t believe that four Qi generals managed to take care of 20 practitioners, half of which were in the Qi King level. Just what sort of monsters these were. He couldn¡¯t feel any Law energying out of their bodies, yet they were powerful enough to contend with Law users like him.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Those were the only wordsing out of the leader¡¯s mouth. His mind was unable toprehend the situation.

    ¡°I hope whichever senior is helping him out, give a face to the Ti family and back off. We would regard this as a token of friendship from your side.¡± There must be a powerful cultivator helping these four from the shadows. They need to be made aware of the fact that the team was sent by the Ti family.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t youe to capture and find about my origins? The ¡®who are you¡¯ question seems irrelevant as of now¡± Lu Ming said with a sarcastic expression. ¡°I guess there is no one backing you up. As of now, we need to get ahead with our operations as of now.¡±

    ............................

    ¡°Are you sure about soul scourging these people? Killing most of the members has alreadyid down the stone of grudge between you and the group backing them up. The captains are sure to be important people from their respective forces. Eliminating them would result in fanning the mes.¡±

    ¡°They shouldn¡¯t have underestimated my strength. Since they came here with the motive of harming me, they should be prepared to leave their life here. Also, I am not thinking about killing these people. I have a different n in mind for them.¡±

    ¡°There is another technique which I haven¡¯t practiced in a long time.¡±

    ¡°Are you referring to the puppeteering method?¡± Lu Ming nodded his head. The puppeteering method required him to ingest a soul seed within the enemy¡¯s soul space. The only catch here was that the soul strength of the enemy should be less than his.

    .....

    ¡°Although the creation of soul seed was a taxing task before, the break-through into soul grandmaster gave me the confidence informing them without any problems.

    ............................

    Lu Ming began the soul scourge. He started with the leader of the first group, who was the only one still conscious after the conclusion of the assault. Lu Ming grabbed his head and began injecting his soul QI into the leader¡¯s body. After he managed to gain some control over the soul space, the process of soul scourge began.

    The leader¡¯s scream filled the alley as his memories were being inspected by Lu Ming. As informed by him, he was a member of the Peng family who was sent with the objective of capturing Lu Ming. His name was Peng Ren and was one of the outer elders of the family. Lu Ming soon gained information regarding the main perpetrators of the event. Apparently, the order to capture him came directly from the upper echelon.

    The priority of this capture was set very high. The only thing they underestimated was Lu Ming¡¯s actual strength. They considered him a prodigal QI general level practitioner who could fight those above his level. It was the reason behind the Peng family sending one of their top tier practitioners to the initial Qi king level. They never would have expected that Lu Ming would have this amount of help and he himself was powerful enough to destroy the whole squad.

    Lu Ming also got his hands on the general outline, the inner standings, and working of the Peng family. He also got hold of the information regarding its treasury, elder¡¯s hall, and various members. It is best to know every detail about your enemy before taking any action on them.

    After reaching the end of the process. Lu Ming injected another massive quantity of soul power into Peng Ren¡¯s mind to formte the soul seed. The seed nted itself in one of the corners and invisible threads began to emerge out of it which soon covered the whole soul space of the leader. It was only after establishing the seed for the first time, that its miracles began to show themselves. The soul seed wasn¡¯t only a method of controlling andmunicating with the host, it would also extract a small amount of soul power from the host and gradually grow in size.

    ¡°The soul seed when extracted would provide you with the same amount of soul Qi it had absorbed during the time of its existence within the practitioner. Although a single soul¡¯s seed seems minute in existence, if we increase the number of soul seeds to hundreds, the amount of soul Qi obtained from them is quite substantial. It could help you promote through levels.¡±

    Lu Ming decided to create an articte n regarding the future recipients of these soul seeds of his. It would be beneficial for him if he could use soul seeds on the defeated opponents rather than killing them.

    .............................

    The next in line were the group leaders of the third and fourth squad. Lu Ming nted another set of soul seeds within their soul space and scourged their memories. It turned out one of the squads was from the Teng family, who received orders from their elders to inspect the situation from a safe distance unless Lu Ming gets captured.

    ¡°My analogy was true after all. Ten families must have realized the significance of lighting up all twentynterns. In their whole ancestry, there must exist at least one person who must have entered the illusion space. The Teng family patriarch was said to be the leader of the Ten households. He must have been one of the three participants who entered the illusion space a hundred years ago.¡±

    As expected, the third group was sent by the Tulu family. Lu Ming let the two people go after gaining all the information from their minds. It was time for thest captain.

    Lu Ming was quite interested in seeing who was under the hood. The brown-stone guild must have sent some capable to capture him. Just who had the guts to take on this mission? He removed the mask from the leader¡¯s face and a shocking view presented itself.

    It was none other than the girl who greeted him within the guild. She seems to be referred to as the young mistress of the guild. Lu Ming licked his lips. This was a rare opportunity to earn quite a great amount of profits.

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 Chapter 208

    208 XUAN YIN ELDER

    ¡°Do you wish to continue the process with this girl? She seemed to be having an esteemed position within the Brown-Stone guild, and harming her would give rise to some dire consequences.¡±

    ¡°Well, I am allured with the proposal of having her as one of my soul puppets. Given her status, I would be earning quite a bit of profit from having her under my control. She could help finance my ventures and could acquire some decent resources for me.¡±

    ¡°I would suggest you refrain from doing so. She is the young miss of a very influential merchant organization. Given their history, they must be possessing an alchemist at level 5. They would surely notice the soul seed given they inspect her body. You would be making quite a dangerous foe by then.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that I let her go?¡±

    ¡°You hold an advantage in this position. You weren¡¯t the one who started the whole conflict. Since she was the one who incited and she failed to capture you, even ending up falling into your hands, you can ask the organization for massivepensation. It would be best if you can get them to give you some decent medical furnaces and all the herbs which are required for the blood seal. You can even ask for some of the rare metals and resources which can help heal the artifact.¡±

    ¡°Are the firestone no longer of any use to you?¡±

    ¡°The usage of the same type of resources would have less effect with every sessive implementation. The artifact was created with a blend of treasures having a wide variety of properties. For a decent upgrade, it would be better if you can get your hands on some elemental resources which are not of fire or water type.¡±

    ¡°I guess I will be making a huge demand from them.¡±

    ¡°I also sense a simr auraing from afar from the corner. It seems to be the girl who taught you fire art. Her cultivation went through massive changes during this period. She is already at the Qi Emperor level. You brat are quite lucky to have the backing of two emperors at the same time.¡±

    .....

    Lu Ming was surprised to hear this fact. Although he knew that the first elder was one of the grand elders of pill valley and was injured resulting in the degradation of his cultivation level, the Hall master seems to be hiding some deep secrets too. She must have arrived here to give me a helping hand if required. I guess they know my true strength as of now. The consequences of this event can¡¯t be avoided. He could only go with the flow.

    He instantly concealed his and thedy¡¯s aura, disappearing from the street some momentster.

    ...............................

    The first elder was sitting within his room, with his eyes closed. He was trying to advance as much of his cultivation as possible. His appearance would lead to a series of events that would surely create some massive waves within the Pill Valley. He needs to be prepared to face them.

    A figure appeared beside him some momentster, resulting in him opening his eyes. ¡°Did the respective groups take action?¡±

    It was none other than the leader of the Pill Hall. She responded in an excited voice. ¡°Four groups were simultaneously pursuing Lu Ming, trying to capture him alive.¡±

    ¡°What sort of cultivation did the perpetrators had?¡±

    ¡°Each group leader was at the peak of the initial stage Qi King.¡±

    The first elder¡¯s expression hanged upon hearing that. He didn¡¯t expect the families to send such a strong force to track Lu Ming¡¯s steps. Although the fact could be attributed to his performance within thepetition.

    ¡°Did you give him a hand?¡±

    ¡°Opposite to our expectations, Lu Ming was able to take care of all four groups.¡± The first elder was shocked to hear this. How could that be possible?

    ¡°Did Lu Ming already make a breakthrough at the Qi King level?¡±

    ¡°From what I sensed; he is still in the 7th level of Qi general.¡±

    ¡°How could he take care of these groups then? Did he have some help from other forces?¡±

    ¡°He did have the help of 4 other practitioners, all of whom were in the Qi general level. Each of them took care of the three groups, while Lu Ming himself executed the fourth group. From what I can guess, he was hiding his true strength from us. I also felt a unique sensation from him, simr to my soul qi.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that he has already stepped into the soul grandmaster level?¡±

    ¡°I guess that is the only way to describe the situation. He used soul attack to kill most of the Qi kings in pursuit of him. Their soul couldn¡¯t be damaged by someone of soul master level. He must have entered the soul grandmaster level, or at the very least Is not far away from it.¡±

    The first elder wasn¡¯t able to digest this fact. The disciple who he mocked for trying to dream about the first position is already near the soul grandmaster level. It was like a p to his face. His disciple was hiding a lot of secrets and his real strength was quite frightening. Being able to contend with Qi King level peak while being at advance QI general level.

    ¡°I guess we underestimated your junior brother. We need to reward him for his efforts and also smack his butt to dare hide such an important fact from his master. Did he kill all the people?¡±

    ¡°He killed most of the lower tier practitioners, leaving only the four leaders alive. He inspected and took their belongings, after which he left them unconscious on the streets. As per thest leader, she is the young-miss of the brown-stone guild.¡±

    The first elder¡¯s expression changed from shock to surprise to seriousness. ¡°Did he kill her? It would create huge turbulence if that old man¡¯s grand-daughter died here. He wouldn¡¯t leave this matter alone until he uses all his might to take revenge.¡±

    ¡°Lu Ming seems to have taken her hostage.¡±

    The first elder became silent for a small period of time, beforeughing out loud. ¡°That cunning brat. He must have understood the gravity of the situation and decided to use it to his benefit. He is going to ask for insanepensation to let her go. I might need to flex some muscles this time.¡±

    .........................

    Brownstone Merchant Guild-

    A hooded man entered the building which was crowded with people buying various stuff. He carefully found a corner and stood there in silence. It wasn¡¯t long before one of the store managers approached him.

    ¡°Is sir waiting for someone or has an eye out for a unique item?¡±

    ¡°I do have a message to convey to your guild¡± Lu Ming passed a folded sheet of paper to the manager who opened it up. It was a short time before his eyebrows twitched and he looked at Lu Ming with a hostile expression.

    ¡°Make sure to meet my demands by the evening, or I will start sending some souvenirs to help motivate you.¡±

    The hooded man left shortly after this conversation.

    ...................

    ¡°What were his demands?¡± An old man asked the manager.

    The manager forwarded the list of items to the old man, who thoroughly went through it. ¡°Quite a massive appetite. His demands are quite scary.¡±. The old man returned the list to the manager. ¡°Prepare the listed items.¡±

    ¡°But Elder Yin, we should first try to send rescue to the team. We don¡¯t need to pay such a hefty sum for no reason.¡± The old man was one of the core elders named Xuan Yin.

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 Chapter 209

    209 ABSURD SOUL TEST-¡°The case wouldn¡¯t be so serious if the young miss would have taken my advice and let the task force conduct its own investigation. She decided to get involved and, in the process, got captured by the enemy. DO you expect him to let her go just because she is the heir of Brown-stone guild? The boy must have a simr sort of backing and hence is not scared to offend the guild.¡±

    ¡°We should take some precautionary steps to investigate the matter properly. The cost is too big.¡±

    A sudden gust of aura sted the manager to the nearest wall. Blood started dripping out of his mouth as he looked at the elder with fear in his eyes.

    ¡°Are you implying that the young miss is not worth the price Considering your contribution to the guild, I will let this matter slide, but try to pitch these words ever again, and you wouldn¡¯t live to see the next day?¡±

    ¡°The precautionary teams are useless in this case. From the information I gathered, multiple groups were in pursuit of the target but were wiped out by the group supporting Lu Ming. The only people who were left alive were the leaders of the respective teams. He injured most of them and a huge cost needed to be spent for their recovery. They were left alive as a warning to the groups behind them.¡±

    ¡°The leaders described the situation as being out of their control. They were assaulted by a group of practitioners who were having cultivation far greater than theirs. Lu Ming doesn¡¯t belong to any known groups within the Pill Valley region, yet he has such a team supporting him from the shadows. Just how powerful is his real backing? ¡±

    ¡°You wish to make an enemy out of someone whose power is well beyond the scope of your understanding. The only person he took hostage was a young miss, which means he recognized her. If he knowingly chose to approach us with a demand forpensation, would you expect him to be unable to confront our power?¡±

    The manager bowed his head in shame. He never analyzed the situation in this way. It seems he still needed a huge amount of training in this area.

    ¡°At the end of the day, we are merchants. It is better to have an ally rather than an enemy. The matter is even more important if the person in question is quite capable or has a sessful future ahead of him. Prepare a list of items and add the following items as a gift of appreciation for Lu Ming. I require you to upgrade his status from ck-gold to red-gold.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Since we began with the wrong step, we could only hope this price is enough to satisfy his appetite.¡±

    Xuan Ying was in charge of the current branch of Brownstone for a long time. Not only was he a skilled merchant, but he was also in possession of a strong cultivation base. His vast experience helped him in analyzing this situation in a proper manner. If handled perfectly, a situation like this might turn in their favor.

    ¡°Prepare the items and hand me the storage ring. I will be watching his performance on the second test. My guts say that he is going to top this round as well. This gift might be adequate in that situation. We are to handle this matter with utmost secrecy and circte the order that Lu Ming is to be treated with respect from now on.¡±

    .......................

    The second had arrived soon enough and the participants had gathered within the stadium to undergo the second test. The elder in charge came forward and spoke:

    ¡°I extend my warm wee to the participants of the second round. All of you are eligible to be the inner disciple of our valley and those who manage to pass this test can be admitted as a core disciple of the valley.¡±

    ¡°The test in front of you is known as the test of the soul. Among the most crucial attributes of an alchemist except for control, another important factor is soul strength. An alchemist wouldn¡¯t be able to advance in his journey if his soul strength is not adequate. The rules of this test are quite simple.¡±

    ¡°What you see in front is an altar where the test will proceed. Once you take a position within the altar, the test will begin with the help of a special kind of object we refer to as soul beads. You will be using your soul energy to catch the soul beads and keep them floating in the air. The more soul beads you are able to catch, the higher will the marks obtained within the test.¡±

    ¡°Only the top 2 rankers will be allowed to enter the next round and be eligible to be a core disciple of the valley. ¡°The elder paused for a brief moment before looking at the row where Lu Ming was standing.

    ¡°There were some startling performances in the first round. I hope we get to see a simr kind of view in this test too.¡±

    The performance was obviously referring to Lu Ming. He managed to wreak havoc within the whole valley with his performance in the first round. Numerous elders arrived at the stadium to watch his performance.

    ............???...............

    The test proceeded in a simr fashion with participants proceeding towards the altar one after the other. The soul beads were extremely small in size. This led to the participants gaining some confidence in handling many of the beads. The test began and the beads poured down. It wasn¡¯t until it came in contact with the participant¡¯s soul that they realized how horrifying they were.

    The first participants were knocked out just after around ten beads were poured down. Even after a great amount of effort, none of them managed to cross the barrier of 15 soul beads. This view taught those who were unappreciative of the difficulty this test held.

    .....................

    Lu Ming was standing quietly in a corner when a figure approached him out of nowhere. It was none other than the participant standing at the second rank, Teng Huan. He stopped in front of Lu Ming and stared at him.

    ¡°Is brother having a matter to consult me with?¡±

    ¡°You needn¡¯t act so na?ve. Both of us are fully aware of what happened yesterday. I didn¡¯t like the fact that my elders didn¡¯t believe my talent. They doubted the fact that I might not be capable enough to take you on. I apologize on their behalf, and I am here to issue a challenge.¡±

    ¡°I may have lost to you in the domain of fire control, but I am confident in my soul strength. Let¡¯s test it out.¡±

    Lu Ming formed a good image of Teng Huan in his mind. He was honest enough to admit the ipetence and issue a challenge to Lu Ming.

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 Chapter 210

    210 ABSURD SOUL TEST-Although Lu Ming already formed a subpar image of the Teng house in his mind, Teng Huan¡¯s character was appeasing to his eyes. ¡°I whole-heartedly ept any challenge issued by my fellowpetitors, given they dare topete with proper means, and not try to sabotage the event from shadows.¡±

    Thement was like a sharp p on the face of the Ten family. Teng Huan was visibly embarrassed and his face turned all red. Lu Ming said hisment out loud, resulting in many people hearing it. This further resulted in some short talks taking ce, as many of thepetitors had to go through a simr approach from the Ten families.

    ¡°Yourments are trying to undermine the prestige of my family. Sorry to say that I can¡¯t let it pass. The matters concerning you don¡¯t involve my family.¡± Teng Huan¡¯s embarrassment turned into a tinge of anger. Although his family did use a backhand, they suffered quite a big loss due to yesterday¡¯s event.

    ¡°I am not scared of making enemies out of people who are blind enough to underestimate their opponent. If the matter is of no concern to you, why are you getting so worked up.¡± Lu Ming said with a mocking expression. The process of undermining Teng Huan began to feel funny.

    Teng Huan was at a loss for words. Lu Ming¡¯s sharp tongue managed to morph the situation to let people believe that the Ten families did try to harm Lu Ming from shadows and failed to do so. It was like a double p as of now.

    ¡°Since you are so eager topete with me, why don¡¯t we bet something on the next trial?¡± Lu Ming¡¯s words rang in Teng Huan¡¯s ear, who was busy thinking of possibleebacks to his earlier statements.

    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°Now that I think about it, the matter does seem absurd. You are just a Qi general of the Teng Family. What valuable thing could you get your hands on that can interest me to follow up on a bet?¡±

    Teng Huan¡¯s embarrassment was getting bigger and bigger. Lu Ming¡¯s words were constantly undermining his prestige in front of such arge group of people. He took out a small pouch from his storage ring and showed it to Lu Ming.

    .....

    ¡°This resource was awarded for my performance in thepetition.¡± Lu Ming took the pouch and looked inside. There was a small amount of unpolished stone. A strong aura of wind energy was emanating from them. Lu Ming was surprised to see elementals stones in possession of Teng Huan.

    ¡°It¡¯s interesting to see that you own elemental stone, that too of wind type, which is generally difficult to find.¡± Lu Ming took out a small pouch too and threw it at Teng Huan, who caught it. When he looked inside, a shock spread over his face. ¡°Let¡¯s proceed with this lousy bet.¡±

    Lu Ming left shortly after, leaving behind a surprised Teng Huan. One of the Teng family elders contacted him with telepathic messaging. ¡°What are the contents of the bag?¡±

    ¡°Bunch of top-grade fire stones.¡± The elder was shocked by it. Top-grade fire stones were too valuable yet Lu Ming just threw them like they were nothing.

    ........

    Crimson Lord World-

    ¡°Those stones would be quite helpful for your cultivation. Although they are low in quality, they are elemental stone nevertheless. They will help you open your wind elemental acupoints.¡±

    ¡°You should start making the formation. I won¡¯t be able to hold back my cultivation for a long time.¡±

    ¡°The materials are not enough yet. It will take a very short amount of time to make the formation. The artifact will help you topress your cultivation.¡±

    Lu Ming could feel that he was already strong enough to break through the 8th level of Qi in general. Although he had the benefit of cultivating a greater number of levels due to the Hell-forger arts, the Qi general part had only ten levels in it. He couldn¡¯t suppress his cultivation for long on his own.

    ¡°I aim to connect with the Law of Chaos, and I am willing to spend any amount of resources to reach that stage.¡±

    .........

    As the soul test proceeded and the mid-rankers started to show much more promise than the lower-ranked ones. The number of beads to be controlled reached as high as 25 for some of them. Many dark horses started to showcase their talent.

    ¡°This year seems to be more promising thanst year.¡±

    ¡°I hope the top tier performs even better.¡±

    The top rankers soon entered thepetition and the number of beads which were controlled by them reached upwards of 30 soul beads. Even the inner elders were watching thepetition with extreme interest. The participants were way better thanst year¡¯s and some of them would be prospective candidates for bing their future disciples.

    Thepetition was slowly approaching its end, and it was finally time for the top 10 of the previous rounds to showcase their strength. Controlled beads were slowly growing in numbers. By the time it was Teng Huan¡¯s turn, the highest number of beads had reached a huge number of 42.

    ¡°I wish Brother Huan luck for the uingpetition.¡± Lu Ming spoke with a yful voice just when Teng Huan was climbing the stage. Although Teng Huan¡¯s had to go through some embarrassing scenarios before, he calmed his mind and began the test.

    ¡°The boy¡¯s mentality suits the path of alchemy.¡± The Keeper conveyed his message to Lu Ming. ¡°He could prove to be a good follower in the future.¡±

    ¡°I guess I know what to do next.¡± Lu Ming¡¯s smile gave a sense of unease to those who looked at it. It felt like he was plotting something.

    ...........

    The soul beads started dropping down and Teng Huan closed his eyes, as his soul qi was released. The number of soul beads was steadily increasing. The Teng family really invested in training this prodigy, as he was not even feeling anxious even after controlling 30 beads.

    The first sign of struggle started to appear after the 40th bead. More and more beads were raining down on Teng Huan, and he was trying his best to keep them afloat. The number soon reached a shocking 49.

    ¡°The Teng family is quite blessed to have such talented youngling among their ranks. He has a bright future ahead of him.¡± Many inner elders began to appreciate Teng Hun¡¯s performance. The beads were slowly bing dimmer with an increase in number.

    Teng Huan tried his best to persist through the process. Veins popped all over his face as the number touched the 55th mark. Beads of sweat began to appear all over his face as he tried his best to keep the beads floating.

    He opened his eyes with thest bit of effort and the beads fell after reaching the humongous number of 58. Teng Huan took a deep breath and slowly walked down the altar.

    ............

    ¡°Brother Teng Huan is quite a genius to have persisted for so long.¡± Lu Ming¡¯sment attracted many scornful eyes. Although he did shock everyone in the test of control, this was the test of soul. He might not be able to surpass Teng Huan.

    ¡°I wish you luck.¡± Teng Huan cordially replies.

    ¡°I guess I will thank you for the stones.¡± Lu Ming climbed up the stairs and sat in the middle of the altar. The test began and soul beads started raining down.

    The number was increasing but Lu Ming was sitting there casually. 10, 20, 30, 40, there wasn¡¯t even a change of expression. This led to the audience being shocked. It was the third time someone has surpassed the limit of 40 soul beads. Lu Ming sat there with ease and the beads were slowly increasing in number.

    He could feel their weight and the soul qi expended in keeping them afloat. If he were in the soul master realm, he would be struggling as of now, but the break-through to the soul grandmaster level gave a huge upgrade to his soul Qi reserves.

    ¡°This is a good exercise for my soul power.¡± Lu Ming¡¯s statement once again led to a feeling of dissatisfaction from the public. The beads crossed Teng Huan¡¯s number and increased one by one. It slowly crossed the 60th mark, and then the 65th mark, approaching seventy. The elders, who were watching the scene casually, sat straight up in their seats.

    ¡°70 might be his limit.¡± One of the elders spoke out. They began toprehend the reason behind the valley head¡¯s order to watch thepetition.

    The 70 soul beads mark was crossed and soon enough the number was approaching 80. It was at this time that the expression of struggle finally started appearing on Lu Ming¡¯s face.

    To everyone¡¯s horror, Lu Ming crossed the 80 mark too and stepped into the realm of the 80s.

    ¡°What a monster!¡± Those were the only words ringing within the ears of the crowd.

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 Chapter 211

    211 A MYSTERIOUS MAP-¡°What a monster!¡± The crowd gasped a breath of cold air. Silence permeated the whole environment, as they watched the scene with shock in their eyes. Although Lu Ming¡¯s previous performance did lead the crowd to have huge expectations from him they never expected the performance to be so dazzling.

    Xuan Ying, who was viewing this performance from the VIP station, breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I guess my choice was right. This person shouldn¡¯t be offended. It would be better to have him as a friend than an enemy.¡±

    Even the Teng and Peng households looked at the scene with a grave expression on their faces. They made an enemy out of such a talented person. I¡¯m sure it will backfire on them in the future. They need to make some amends with this person.

    ¡°Prepare some gifts to be delivered to Lu Ming after the end of thispetition. We need to have a good rtionship with him.¡± The elder hoped that Lu Ming didn¡¯t bother with the past and would be willing to make amends with them.

    ................

    ¡°These soul beads might also contain some hidden secret within them.¡± Lu Ming was trying his best to reach the end of thepetition. Only 20 beads were remaining and he wanted to verify his gut feeling that there might be a secret hidden within these beads too.

    ¡°Even if the beads don¡¯t hold any secret, they are quite good for your soul training. The moment you hit a border, start using the soul rejuvenation art and Heaven pestle at the same time.¡±

    ¡°How would that be helpful? Although soul rejuvenation is capable of replenishing my soul, Heaven pestle would start to consume my soul Qi and I would be facing a soul deficit.¡±

    ¡°The runes within your soul space are not yet working with 100% efficiency. You will feel the difference once you start using the art in sync with the beads. The beads work in a simr mechanism as the heaven pestle. They soak in your soul Qi. If I am not wrong, if you do use the art in sync, the replenishing runes would be aggravated by the expenditure. It would be a good time to upgrade them.¡±

    .....

    ¡°But the runes would require soul energy to advance and most of my soul energy would be consumed by the soul beads.¡±

    ¡°I have a hunch that you need to verify it for me. If the hunch turned out to be true, you might get a significant boost in your soul strength from this test.¡±

    ................

    Lu Ming began utilizing his soul arts along with the Heaven pestle arts, and the soul energy began to deplete with enormous speed. Lu Ming started feeling dizzy after some time. The number of beads had only increased by a small amount, and the burden was already too great to handle.

    ¡°Bear through the process and you wille out of the other end with a huge boost in your soul cultivation.¡±

    Lu Ming clutched his teeth and continued the process. By the time the beads reached the number 88 Lu Ming¡¯s face was pale. Even the audience began to believe that this would be the end of the process.

    ¡°Thest ten beads are the hardest to handle. Each possesses a soul expenditure of around twice a normal bead. He shouldn¡¯t be able to handle the weight of thest ten. Yet his performance was the most dazzling among all the participants in thest century or so.¡±

    ¡°We need to establish contact with the boy. His future is limitless.¡± Various fractions possessed their own thoughts to handle the situation.

    Xuan Ying¡¯s expression was getting better and better when his hunch was confirmed. He just wished that the mistress woulde back home safely and the rtionship with Lu Ming could be improved. Contradictory to him, the faces of the members from the Ten families were getting worse by the time.

    ................

    ¡°Could he surpass the barrier never broken before?¡± The first elder spoke out of nowhere.

    ¡°Which barrier are you referring to?¡±

    ¡°Thest ten beads refer to the strongest oppression provided by the test. Those who are capable enough of passing this barrier are destined to have reached higher than level 6 alchemist. The highest score ever recorded in thispetition is 93. It is held by an ancestor of the Shimu family. He is said to have reached the level beyond emperor, and became a Qi Monarch. His current situation is not known to the general public, but he must be a member of the inner valley.¡±

    ¡°What are your expectations from Lu Ming?¡±

    ¡°The very fact that he entered the level of soul grandmaster while being in Qi general level is shocking and hence guarantees the performance until now. Even the man who holds the record was said to have reached the level 4 marks. It would depend on his actual soul quality.¡±

    ¡°I hope he can perform better than that person.¡± The hall master was surprised by the first elder¡¯sment.

    .................

    The beads finally reached the whopping number of 90, and Lu Ming¡¯s soul space was basically cleared out. He could no longer feel the presence of soul energy and his consciousness slowly began to shrink. Lu Ming could feel himself losing control of his body and about to copse. The rejuvenation rune could no longer keep up with the huge expenditure, and the Heavenly pestle was consuming a huge amount of soul Qi too. When the soul Qi was finally drained out, Lu Ming felt darkness looming all over his eyes.

    The beads started to fall, facing ack of soul Qi to keep them up.

    ¡°It might just be the end. He must have reached his limit when thest bead fell.¡± Many of the elders started to discuss among themselves. The record stood at 93 and Lu Ming almost reached the step.

    ¡°I guess achieving the feat is no small deal.¡± The first elder sighed a difficult breath. Lu Ming had always been a character who defied expectations. He wanted to see his disciple break the myth which hadsted for such a long time.

    .....................

    As the bead slowly descended and was about to touch the ground, the elder in charge decided toe forward and announce the result to the world.

    ¡°The performance has left me spellbound and I am ted to confer the first prize to.¡± He stopped mid-sentence due to the silence which suddenly dawned on the stadium. Everybody was looking at a scene elsewhere with surprise in their eyes. The first elder turned around and looked at the altar, just to see the beads rising back to the top.

    The soul beads began to rain once again and the number started climbing up at a constant pace.

    91, another bead fell.

    92

    93.......

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 Chapter 212

    212 A MYSTERIOUS MAP-Lu Ming had already lost consciousness and the beads began to fall. It was at that exact moment that his soul space underwent a sudden change. The Heaven Pestle which was continuously absorbing the soul Qi became stagnant for some time, and when Lu Ming finally lost his consciousness, mysterious energy began to spread out of it.

    The mysterious energy didn¡¯t interfere with replenishing the soul Qi, but rather began to interact with the soul replenishing runes embedded within his soul space. The runes which couldn¡¯t keep up with the expenditure began to vibrate with an rming frequency as the soul Qi emission out of it started to increase. The soul space which was initially drained out began to refill and Lu Ming slowly gained consciousness.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Lu Ming was surprised to see the soul runes vibrating with such intensity.

    ¡°As expected, the two arts are born out of immortal scripture such as the Origin soul manual. I had a feeling that the two arts had a mutual connection with each other and had the perspective to invigorate the growth processes of each other.¡±

    ¡°The first set of clues were obtained during your cultivation of the heaven pestle art. When the soul replenishing came to your rescue to make up for the required soul Qi. It got me thinking that vice-versa might be affected too.¡±

    ¡°It was the reason behind me suggesting you practice your soul Qi expenditure until it waspletely drained. As expected, not only did your cultivation in the Heavenly pestle grow, your soul replenishing rate was growing side by side. My experiment couldn¡¯t be more urate as I can¡¯t directly interfere with your soul space. Even if the artifact is quite phenomenal, one¡¯s soul is quite fragile.¡±

    ¡°So, you wanted to use the test to simte the experiment naturally without any external interference.¡± Lu Ming could guess what followed.

    ¡°The experiment bore fruit. The runes are going through a morph due to simtion from the Heaven pestle. The process is catalyzed by the soul beads which are continuously consuming the soul Qi within your soul space.¡±

    ¡°Thest ten beads feel a bit different than the other ny. Every single bead consumes double the energy of thest one. I guess the soul Qi wouldn¡¯t be enough¡± Lu Ming feels the huge burden of keeping thest ten beads afloat.

    .....

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get discouraged yet. The simtion is still underway. Runes are slowly growing in strength and power. Let¡¯s see the event to its end.¡±

    Lu Ming had no choice but to follow the Keeper¡¯s lead.

    ...........................

    Heaven¡¯s pestle¡¯s unique energy began to bring about some drastic changes. Every time Lu Ming thought that he had reached his limit, the rejuvenating runes would undergo another change and the recovery process but get a sudden boost.

    ¡°Would I be able to morph the runes into a new state now and then by following this process?¡± Lu Ming could gain a great advantage in soul training if that were the case.

    ¡°I think the next time you might be able to reuse this energy wouldn¡¯t be anytime soon. Heaven¡¯s pestle¡¯s unique energy is something it has collected over the period of your training. I believe it to be of a limited amount and hence the process won¡¯t continue after some time. You need to umte the energy over a long period of time to be able to use it once again. You won¡¯t be experiencing this phenomenon before reaching the peak of Soul Guru.¡±

    Soul Guru was the next level of soul cultivation after Soul grandmaster. Lu Ming couldn¡¯t believe that it would take such a long time to umte this energy. He remained silent and enjoyed the unique feeling.

    The soul beads slowly reached the 98, and the energy threads began to grow weaker and weaker.

    ¡°The energy is about to get exhausted. I will leave the final bead to you. If your hunch proves to be right and there is some mystery hidden behind the soul beads, it will be up to you to achieve it.

    The 99th bead fell and the energy threads finally vanished. Heaven Pestle was no longer emanating energy as before and the rune became stagnant. Lu Ming could feel the aura exerted by the runes. Not only did it grow in size, but the brightness was blinding. There were also hints of silver within the usual yellowish glow of the runes. Lu Ming believed that the next breakthrough would bring about a qualitative change within these runes.

    He looked above, just to see a single bead floating in the air. His soul Qi was rapidly depleting and Lu Ming clutched his hands and teeth in preparation for what wasing next.

    The barrier holding it back vanished and the bead started descending.

    ....................

    ¡°This is the Lu Ming which we are familiar with.¡± The first elder spoke with an excited voice. His disciples didn¡¯t only break the previous year¡¯s record, but also managed to reach the extreme score possible. He was just 1 bead behind the maximum score.

    The bead slowly fell. The audience almost forgot to breathe air in as silence fell over the whole stadium. Everyone present was watching the scene with trepidation in their eyes. Although many were dissatisfied with Lu Ming¡¯s actions some time ago, they did want to see the birth of a miracle.

    The heartbeats of the audience members began to increase with the descent of the bead. As it finally made contact with the soul Qi of Lu Ming, an stic rebound caused it to bounce back and fall on the group of beads. This was the moment of truth, if Lu Ming could hold this bead in ce, he would officially be scoring the maximum possible marks in the test.

    Lu Ming¡¯s eyes were closed but the struggle was visible on his face. When the bead finallynded on top of the pile, a rapid descent took ce, and beads started to fall. But just as the first few beads were about to make contact with the ground, an invisible force held them together.

    A majestic view of 100 beads floating in the air was visible.

    .................................

    Lu Ming¡¯s mind-

    A strange sensation hit Lu Ming¡¯s mind as soon as thest bead made contact with his soul Qi. It felt as if a huge amount of information was being transmitted into his memory.

    A bizarre outline of a picture came into his memory. It was as if lines were drawn at random and were intersecting at strange points. Lu Ming couldn¡¯t make any sense of this picture, but he believed that he would be able to solve the mystery. Since the memory came out of the soul beads, it must signify something of great importance. The only fact remained that the mystery would reveal its true colorter.

    Another surprise came from the energy of the soul. Once the memory transmission wasplete, the beads started supplying a huge amount of soul QI to Lu Ming.

    ¡°Instantly start Heaven¡¯s Pestle art. This will be your second blessing. You are about to experience the full amount of soul Qi which was absorbed by the soul beads before this. You might be able to promote your soul¡¯s cultivation with its help.¡±

    The huge amount of soul QI soon coagted into a small ball of concentrated soul Qi which then got transferred into Lu Ming¡¯s soul space. It was slowly emanating huge amounts of soul Qi into his soul space and the Heaven Pestle was churning rapidly too.

    ¡°This could easily push you through the intermediate level of soul grandmaster. Who knows, you might also be able to enter the advanced grandmaster realm. You just need to practice at a steady pace and not utilize it haphazardly.¡±

    Lu Ming was lost in tion. The situation seems to have profited him quite a bit.

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 Chapter 213

    213 LIMITER RUNE-The soul Qi ball was constantly releasing energy into the soul Qi space. Lu Ming felt that the amount of soul Qi contained within that ball is far greater than what he expended while lifting them.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the quantity too low if it had been storing soul Qi for such a long time?¡± The Keeper said that the soul Qi supplied by the soul beads were coagtion of all the soul Qi which were utilized by all the previous candidates. The energy present within Lu Ming¡¯s soul space was too little whenpared to the soul qi expended by the contestants.

    ¡°The whole altar seems to be an emperor grade artifact in itself. Although you are the only one who was able to reach the end of the process, the one who ced it here clearly left it for the younger generation. If you could take possession of the whole artifact, you could get all the stored soul Qi it had umted over the years. I couldn¡¯t begin toprehend the amount stored for all this time.¡±

    ¡°How vast could it possibly be?¡±

    ¡°The amount should be enough for you to jump 2-3 realms in soul cultivation. I hope that satisfies your appetite.¡±

    Lu Ming was speechless upon hearing this. 2-3 levels in cultivation. Just a small fragment was capable enough to provide soul Qi required to break through the advanced stage of soul grandmaster. 2-3 levels would be scary. Just what kind of entity would he be with its help.

    ¡°Another benefit you have over others is the fact that since its establishment you are the only one who managed to reach the endpoint. Which means only you know about this function of the altar. If the function of soul qi storage was known, many practitioners would have tried to take possession of it already. You need to break-through the emperor level fast. It is the basic requirement for refining this artifact.¡±

    ¡°What else is required?¡±

    ¡°An artifact like this is bound to have a secret mark left by the previous owner. It means you either need to gain his approval or be more powerful than him to be able to refine this artifact. Based on your meeting with the founder, he was a saint grade practitioner, and hence you wouldn¡¯t be able to snatch it. The only other way is to gain his approval.¡±

    .....

    ¡°It must the fact he was referring to. He hoped that we would meet again in the future, and he would be giving me a special gift. I hope the gift he was referring to is the altar.¡±

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be so sure about that. Can you ce the map anywhere in this region?¡± The mysterious map which suddenly emerged within Lu Ming¡¯s mind must be located in a treasured location.

    ¡°I did scan the whole region but was not able to find any such location. We need to wait for the future when we roam around the world. You might be able to locate a region which is synonymous to this map.¡±

    .................................................................

    The crowd which was silent a moment ago was cheering Lu Ming¡¯s performance. They just saw the birth of a monster within the Pill Valley¡¯s test. The inner elders present were looking at the stage with anticipation in their eyes. Participants upfront now hold the highest record by achieving the maximum possible score. The record before it was of 93 beads and was created by a prodigy of the past.

    ¡°I need to contact the brat and take him as my personal disciple.¡± The same thought rang in the minds of every elder present.

    The first elder was looking at the scene with content in his eyes. His disciple didn¡¯t betray his expectation. As expected, he exceeded them by arge margin. Lu Ming achieved the highest possible score on this test.

    ¡°My disciple has alreadyid the stage for myeback.¡± The Hall leader couldn¡¯t agree more with the first elder¡¯sment. They wanted Lu Ming¡¯s performance to be in the top 10 so that the bnce held by the Ten families is broken. This would lead to a situation that was suitable for theeback of the duo. But Lu Ming seems to have achieved something they neverprehended.

    ..............................

    On the other side of the stands, Xuan Ying was having some different thoughts. The situation was well within the line of his expectations, but the result achieved was contrastingly different from what he had expected.

    ¡°I guess I need to set-up the meeting fast. The young miss absence is going to be noticed soon enough and this result is going to have a big impact on the future between the two of us.¡±

    Lu Ming¡¯s performance was followed by the remaining participants after which the elder in charge came forward and dered the end of the round.

    ¡°I wish all the participants of the next round good luck. You are officially eligible to join the valley as core disciples and you sixteen will bepeting two days from now in the final round. Since the performance this year has been so dazzling, to hype up the situation we have made certain changes within thest round under the orders of the valley master.¡±

    ¡°We hope you will be able to continue this incredible streak in the third round.¡±

    Both the audience and the participants began to exit the stadium one after the other. Lu Ming too exited the stadium and was about to rush towards the market, when a figure came before him. The familiar figure belonged to the manager who was handed the list of demands.

    ¡°Can I know the reason for this intrusion?¡± Lu Ming decided to feint annoyance and naivety. He couldn¡¯t act familiar with the manager as he hadn¡¯t seen his face earlier this morning.

    ¡°I hope to invite sir to our humble lodging at the brown-stone merchant guild. Elder Xuan Ying is awaiting your presence in response to the demands made earlier.¡± Thest words were spoken with a low yet stern tone.

    Lu Ming nodded in response and followed the man to the brown-stone guild. He was taken to the upper floor, where only the top VIPS were allowed to visit. A beautiful door soon appeared in front of Lu Ming¡¯s eyes, and when opened one could see a luxurious establishment with intricate embroidery all over the walls. A beautiful table was set in the middle, with just a single old man sitting across.

    When Lu Ming entered, the Old man lifted his eyes to follow him through his passage of the whole room. Lu Ming started walking in his direction, but a sudden pressure began to emanate out of Xuan Ying¡¯s body.

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 Chapter 214

    214 LIMITER RUNE-The pressure emanating from Xuan Ying directly fell upon Lu Ming¡¯s body. Thankfully the Keeper warned him beforehand and Lu Ming began to use all his meridians and acupoints. Although the pressure was immense, Lu Ming¡¯s body was something that had undergone metamorphosis 3 times. His achievements in body cultivation allowed him to bear the pressure with the help of his Qi.

    ¡°Do you need my help boy?¡± The Keeper asked out of concern. The aura given out by the emperor was no small deal. As the theory went, while Qi King was just the connection tows, Emperors could utilize and thew energy and draw out domains around themselves. The aura emanating from Xuan Ying¡¯s body had a mixture ofw energy along with Qi. It put an extra set of pressure on Lu Ming¡¯s body.

    ¡°I can take care of this. This is not going to go well for these bastards.¡± Lu Ming was pissed off at Xuan Ying¡¯s attitude.

    He clenched his teeth and walked all the way to the table where he grabbed a chair and finally sat down. Xuan Ying was surprised upon seeing this view. Initially, he wanted to make things difficult for Lu Ming. He was, after all, a junior in terms of cultivation. If one could have an upper hand in a trade, it would be profitable.

    But from the expression showcased by Lu Ming, the event just pissed him even more. Xuan Ying regretted his decision, but it wouldn¡¯t be untilter, that he found the actual impact of this event.

    .........

    ¡°I guess the Brown-stone merchant guild is not very weing of their guest, especially when it is the guest holding the upper hand in the conversation.¡± Lu Ming said out loud with a sarcastic voice.

    Xuan Ying caressed his clothes and corrected his posture before speaking up. ¡°I just want to.¡± He was about to speak further when Lu Ming raised his hands and intruded mid-way.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear what you have to say. I proposed payment in exchange for themodity which I hold, but you not only didn¡¯t outright hand it to me but tried to undermine me before the meeting even started and tried to make some lousy excuses.¡±

    .....

    ¡°The price is hereby doubled.¡± The man standing behind Lu Ming lost his cool and raised his hands to attack Lu Ming, but was only an initial grade, Qi King. Lu Ming simply waived back his hands to hit the man hard enough that he got sted to the wall.

    Lu Ming then caressed his hands with a small cloth and looked at Xuan Ying¡± Some people don¡¯t remember their ces. They are required to be reminded about it.¡±

    ..............

    ¡°I could see how you managed to snatch the top position in thepetition. I was just trying to test your capabilities. You needn¡¯t get offended.¡±

    ¡°Let me correct you for a moment here. We are not here to have a friendly conversation. I am the one who holds your young miss¡¯s life in my hands and you are trying to free her by paying up the required cost. Rather than doing that you opted for a method to try and undermine my position before the talk so that you could have an upper hand within the conversation. You are going to pay for that.¡±

    ¡°The price as I said earlier has doubled.¡± Xuan Ying was surprised by the analysis presented by Lu Ming. He never expected that a junior would be able to analyze the situation so well. Looking at Lu Ming¡¯s calm expression even in the face of the pressureing out of him showed how powerful his background was.

    ¡°Do you really want to make an enemy out of my guild?¡± Xuan Ying tried to intimidate Lu Ming.

    ¡°If I had the facts in line, your young miss was the one who incited the whole event. Even when I had no enmity with your organization, she tried to capture and take advantage of me. It was her bad luck that she fell into my hands. On top of that, her seniors are not only not paying the amount demanded, but are trying to jeopardize my standing.¡±

    ¡°Yet I still sit in this chair, unintimidated. Do you really believe that I care about your guild¡¯s strength or fear its reach?¡±

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t consider what your opinion of me is. Just give me a price and I will be on my way. We can obviously continue this enmity of ours until the bitter end and see who loses more.¡±

    ¡°What gives you the confidence to walk out of this room alive?¡± Xuan Ying once released his aura once more, but this time it contained some serious amount ofw energy within it.

    Lu Ming asked the Keeper to help him out. The artifact absorbed all the aura released and Lu Ming sat there unaffected by the change. Xuan Ying¡¯s eyes were filled with shock.

    .............

    ¡°I assure you I can escape your clutches even from a situation like this and when I do so, I will be sending you a present. That young miss of yours will return to her home in pieces.¡±

    If it were any other member of the guild, they would have attacked Lu Ming long ago, but Xuan Ying was an experienced merchant who has been a core member of the guild since its very beginning. How could he lose his cool so easily? The situation in front indicated the number of treasures that Lu Ming possessed.

    Xuan Ying breathed out a huge amount of air and handed two sets of rings to Lu Ming. ¡°The first one contains the requested resources. As for the second one, although they don¡¯t have the same materials, their value is quite simr in the market. You would be able to recognize most of them. I hope with this your request has been met. I am expecting our young miss to be here within the evening.¡±

    Lu Ming got up and took the rings. He inspected it for a short while and then kept them in his pocket. ¡°I would instantly release her. It¡¯s a pleasure doing business with you.¡± Hisughing expression created a deep impression on Xuan Ying. He knew that Lu Ming was not a casual character and would make a great threat in the future.

    He took a card out of his sleeve and threw it at Lu Ming. ¡°This is the rose gold card of our guild. It ssifies you as a Third grade VIP. I hope to build a good rtionship with you in the future.¡±

    Lu Ming understood the underlying meaning behind those words. Xuan Ying was trying to erase the past grievances and build a good rtionship with him. Why would he deny such an appealing offer? He put the card within his pocket and left the building.

    It was time for him to start preparing for his break-through into the Qi King level.

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 Chapter 215

    215 LIMITER RUNE-¡°He left the building unharmed.¡± The Hall master reported to the first elder. An expression of relief surfaced over his face upon hearing this.

    ¡°Who was in charge of the negotiations with Lu Ming?¡± The first elder didn¡¯t expect the brown-stone guild to take the matter so lightly. The one who handled the situation must be an experienced one to have handled it so well.

    ¡°He was invited into elder Xuan Ying¡¯s room¡± The first elder couldn¡¯t help but smile. If it was Xuan Ying, he is sure to have tested the waters first. Since Lu Ming dide out of the guild unharmed, his initial efforts have caused him to lose even more.

    ¡°That sly old fox must have encountered a steel te. He is sure to have paid a huge amount to resolve this situation.¡± The first elder wasughing his guts out.

    ¡°Lu Ming¡¯s demand wouldn¡¯t be too big. He is capable of analyzing the situation quite well.¡±

    ¡°Lu Ming¡¯s demands have nothing to do with the situation. Xuan Ying is not a small character. He is one of the top elders whose authority is just below the organization¡¯s head. His ability to foresee a situation is quite godly. He must have tested the waters when dealing with Lu Ming, trying to intimidate him.¡±

    ¡°It is amon logic while making a trade. You should always have the upper hand to gain a better part of the deal. Since Lu Ming walked with ease, it means that his intimidation failed to scare him. Given the personality of our disciple, what do you think his reaction would be?¡±

    ¡°He must have been pissed off and demanded another set ofpensation. I guess the brown-stone guild did not take a loss this time.¡±

    ¡°I said they had to pay a high price, but I don¡¯t remember saying that they took a loss at Lu Ming¡¯s hand.¡± The first elder pointed out.

    .....

    ¡°Are you saying that this was within the expectation of Elder Xuan Ying?¡±

    ¡°Xuan Ying is someone who has been born with a talent in trading. That old fox was famous even during my years as a disciple. He wouldn¡¯t ever take part in a deal that was not beneficial for the organization. Given Lu Ming¡¯s performance, he must have already valued him quite high up the board. This was just a test to estimate Lu Ming¡¯s skill level.¡±

    ¡°He was willing to pay such a huge price just to test out Lu Ming¡¯s skill.¡± The hall master was surprised.

    ¡°What do you think is the core reason behind the brown-stone guild bing so huge, except for the obvious strength of its constituting members?¡±

    ¡°Their contacts.¡± A sudden realization dawned upon the hall master.

    ¡°Yes. Xuan Ying was testing whether Lu Ming was eligible to be ssified as such a contact. His performance had already given 90% certification, while this test would be sealing the deal. He must have given something in addition to Lu Ming¡¯s demand just to build a rtionship. That is the extent of cunningness that an old bastard possesses.¡±

    .........??..............

    ¡°What is your impression of that boy?¡± Xuan Ying was sitting in his room in seclusion with his eyes closed. The words were being telepathically transmitted to him from somewhere else.

    ¡°The boy is quite a character. Ruthlessness and absurd confidence were visible in his eyes. He didn¡¯t even get nervous when I threatened him with the name of our guild and he was confident of escaping my clutches.¡±

    ¡°Such characters are quite sinister and it is better to make friends out of them rather than an enemy. I would like to request you to look out for him. He is bound to rise above his peers, and the Pill valley wouldn¡¯t be able to contain him.¡±

    ¡°Such a high assessment of you is quite rare. I guess your choice was correct in this matter. I would like for you to build a rtionship with him. As per the girl, make sure to teach her a lesson when she returns. Even after such thorough training in the guild, she dared to underestimate her opponent.¡± The voice on the other side was showing signs of displeasure.

    ¡°I will be sure to do that leader.¡± Xuan Ying¡¯s words were quite shocking to hear. The person on the other side was none other than the leader of the brown-stone guild. Even such a character took notice of Lu Ming¡¯s performance.

    ............

    ¡°The materials present within the ring should be enough for the limiter rune, right?¡±

    ¡°It is enough to draw runes onto all your avatars. I will now transmit the theory and procedure of drawing the rune to you. Make sure toprehend it before you start drawing.¡±

    Information was being transmitted into Long Tao¡¯s brain. The whole set contained the theory, the various forms which went into the structure and the uses of every one of them, and the idea behind the usage of this rune. Long Tao was surprised by theplexity. Although the building blocks were easily identified, the number of micro blocks which went into creating the rune was astronomical.

    ¡°Just who came up with such an idea?¡±

    ¡°Every major structure is built upon some basic blocks. The same is true for the Dao of formation and runes too. Since you are adept with the Dao of formation until the third level you should be easily able to understand the basic building blocks. The limiting rune is just a massive structure built out of it.¡±

    ¡°The Limiter rune doesn¡¯t have any finitepletion limit. The greater number of blocks you build, the higher will the amount of Qi which it can suppress, or rather store within itself. The whole theory behind it is the fact that it absorbs the Qi within your body while suppressing cirction. This helps in blocking the ability of your body to absorb QI by itself and hence your cultivation base wouldn¡¯t increase, or rather increase very slowly.¡±

    ¡°The second set is about the collection, which helps in the absorption of the Qi from your body and stores it within these formation lines. The limiter rune acts both as a cultivation suppressor and as a Qi storage and supply unit which cane in handy during the time of need.¡±

    ¡°The formation is derived from not just one but all types of Qi which you practice and hence can store all kinds of energy which would help you promote the cultivation base.¡±

    ¡°The Formation lines helps the formation in regting the absorbed and Qi and hence the Qi remains stored within the formation for a definite time.¡±

    ¡°The formation must have a limit above which it is not able to absorb Qi.¡± Lu Ming pointed.

    ¡°That factor ispensated by the number of micro-blocks drawn by you, and hence I need you toprehend the formation first.¡±

    Lu Ming nodded and started practicing the formations one after the other.

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 Chapter 216

    216 LIMITER RUNE-The whole limiter rune was divided into four sections. The first section was the absorber section. It dealt with the absorption of QI from the body. The second section was the storage section, which dealt with the storage of the absorbed Qi. The third section referred to the circtory channels/formation lines and thest part was misceneous. Thest section was the most diverse one as they contained stabilizers, aura trappers, control enhancers, and many other types of formations.

    Long Tao began the practice with the first section. He started toprehend each type of formation and once theprehension wasplete, he started drawing the formation on the inscription paper and tested it out with the surrounding aura. The result was up to the marks and then he moved on to the next formation.

    Theplicated scenario faced by him was that there were multiple formations in the first phase. Although a singr formation could be used instead of these multiple formations to absorb all kinds of energy, efficiency and selectivity decreased. The Keeper suggested a particr alignment in which call the different formations are to be established so that the efficiency which could be achieved bes maximum.

    Long Tao followed the same set of procedures for all the formations. The first phase finally came to an end and it was time to move to the second phase. The formation for this procedure was also different for different Qi attributes and he had followed another tedious schedule ofprehending, drawing, testing, and finalizing it out.

    ¡°Since you have managed toprehend the absorption and the storage formations, it is time for you to learn about the formation lines. The specialty of formation lines is that they act as a bridge between different kinds of formations. In your case, two types of formation linese into y. The first kind is the ones which will act as a channel to transfer the absorbed Qi from one formation to another, while the second type of formations are the ones which would be connecting the various storage formations.¡±

    ¡°The significance of the second kind is to help the inter-transmission of aura between different storage formations.¡±

    ¡°What is achieved by doing so? Wouldn¡¯t we be wasting even more Qi by doing so?¡±

    ¡°You would indeed be utilizing some of the absorbed Qi, this process works as a breathing system for the storage units. It prevents them from getting overloaded and bursting by themselves. I hope you understand what would happen if the formation burst by themselves. It would create a chain reaction which would result in the rest of the formation bursting out in the same fashion and all the Qi absorbed until that point would be directly poured into your body. Hence this process is very crucial.¡±

    Long Tao was shocked to hear the possible consequences of not doing the work properly and hence he concentrated on the formation lines. He experimented with the formation lines multiple times, with and without the first two kinds of formations.

    .....

    ¡°The test can be divided into the other avatars; you need to move to thest phase.¡±

    Thest phase was called misceneous. ¡°What are the specifics of this set of formations.¡±

    ¡°Thest part is made up of multiple types of formations, that includes stabilizers which would act as a boundary for your formations and control them from bursting out. There is an energy trapper formation which would help you conserve some of the dissipated energies from the other three types. You also have a detecting formation and amand formation. The first act as a detector in times of absolute need of Qi, while the other works as a control center with which you could operate the whole formation set, it is the most crucialponent which wille in handy when you are about to break-through.¡±

    Thest phase of practice soon began within the artifact.

    ...............

    Teng Family-

    The elder hall was amid chaos due to the recent urrences within the Pill-Bloom city. They managed to make an enemy out of a person who was soon going to be one of the monstrous figures within the Pill valley. The records which Lu Ming achieved were the highest possible in thepetition. He simultaneously broke all the records and held the record for the uing generations. Just two sets of performances were enough to make a name for him in the world.

    ¡°We need to take care of the situation soon. Should we eliminate Lu Ming?¡± One of the core elders spoke up.

    ¡°Are you mad? It was out of the question when the first round ended. Now that he holds a second record with the maximum possible score and highest ever to be achieved, the Valley Head must be personally watching thepetition.¡± Another elder rejected the thought

    ¡°If we take action on Lu Ming, the valley head is sure to intervene with the full force of the Pill Valley. Even the Ten families together are not powerful enough to bear such a burden.¡± Another elder supported the thought.

    ¡°The rtionship has already taken a sour turn. We need to act fast, or else we would see the rise of a dangerous enemy.¡±

    ¡°Silence. I would like the patriarch toment on this topic¡± The grand elder spoke up to suppress the distress caused within the hall.

    Teng Luo was sitting there in absolute silence. The words of the grand elder make him look up at the group of elders.

    ¡°I want the names of the elders who were in charge of the operation earlier.¡± 3 elders stepped out. Nervousness spread all over their faces. The patriarch seemed pissed off due to the failure of thest operation.

    ¡°Each of you will be punished with one thousandshes and will be thrown into the underground prison for a month. Leave it to ept your punishment.¡± The elder¡¯s expression hung into pale white. They didn¡¯t expect the patriarch to be so ruthless in his punishments.

    ¡°As per the rest of you, prepare a good gift aspensation for the inconvenience you have caused Lu Ming to undergo. Also, invite him to my name.¡±

    The elders were surprised. The patriarch was going to arrange a personal meeting with Lu Ming. Guess the result he obtained was quite substantial.

    .....................

    Crimson Lord World-

    Long Tao finally managed to learn and test all the formations listed under each of the sets. It was finally time to start inscribing them onto the bodies of his avatars.

    ¡°The base fluid which is going to be used to draw the rune is the blood essence from the pool. Extract a lot from it and start the process. The herbal blend which I had you concoct should be mixed with it. You also need to keep in mind that the formation should bepleted in one go. You can¡¯t take breaks in between.¡±

    Long Tao nodded. It was best to have his avatar Lu Ming inscribe the formation because he had the soul Qi ball within his soul space, which could provide a huge supply of soul QI,pensating the expenditure during the inscribing of the rune.

    The first set of inscriptions took a very long time due to the micro-inscription needed to formte it. With each sessive drawing, Lu Ming was getting more and more proficient in drawing the formation.

    Finally, just before the start of the secondpetition, two avatars managed to have the inscription drawn on their body. It was time for Lu Ming to rest up and prepare for thest test.

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 Chapter 217

    217 AN INVITE FROM THE TENG CLAN

    Lu Ming rested within the Crimson Lord artifact while another avatar took his ce in the real world. He wanted to roam around the market in search of some exotic herbs and equipment. One never knows when they might get lucky and get their hands on an incredible treasure.

    Moving around he did find some rare kinds of herbs that were not present within his garden in the Crimson lord world and hence purchased them. There was also the case of Su Menqi who required particr pills during her cultivation. She was already nearing the boundary of the Qi King realm and was preparing for her breakthrough.

    ¡°Buy those two sets of herbs. Ice husk is also a good alternative. Get your hands on some of those too.¡± The Keeper would just scan the area around it and continuously report it to Lu Ming.

    It was during this time that they came across a scrawny seller, who wore shabby clothes and was selling some scraps. His clothes were torn up and his face and body were covered up with scars. His pale figure showed the amount of hardship he underwent.

    What attracted Lu Ming to the shop was a message from the Keeper:

    ¡°Look to your right. The scrawny man who is selling scraps on the floor.¡±

    ¡°Is there something worthwhile in there?¡±

    ¡°I scanned the area and felt a unique aura. Please inspect some of the items. Once you hold them in your hands, I will be able to rify my doubt.¡±

    Lu Ming followed the Keeper¡¯s direction and went to the scrawny seller.

    .....

    ¡°May I know the price of themodities, sir?¡± The seller looked up. To Lu Ming¡¯s surprise, the eyes were surprisingly resolute and gave him a unique feeling. The seller then pointed at the cards in front of themodities.

    The people around looked at Lu Ming with mockery in their eyes. The scrawny man was somewhat famous within this market for demanding high prices for the scraps that he sells. Although some of them attracted a few buyers, all of them were repelled by the humongous prices he set.

    The prices were astonishingly high, but for Lu Ming, it was no big deal as all of them were in terms of Qi stones, and he had loads of elemental stones with him. He also managed to amass quite a bit of fortune during his time as an alchemist and a weapon forger. He also looted lots of resources from Chu country.

    ¡°Which scraps do you need me to test?¡±

    The Keeper referred to some of the scraps and Lu Ming began to examine them. Every time the Keeper found something with an ancient aura, he would ask Lu Ming to buy it. LU Ming knew that he couldn¡¯t show too much interest within the scraps or the merchant would take advantage of him.

    Hence, once the testing was over, he began the negotiation:

    ¡°How much for all of this?¡± Even the scrawny man was surprised to hear this statement. He examined Lu Ming from head to toe and then finally said his price. Incidentally, not a single penny was reduced. Lu Ming Tried to bargain and finally, after long hours of convincing, the Man agreed to sell the scraps with 3/4th of the price tag.

    Lu Ming was about to pay up when a sudden voice rang from his back:

    ¡°Allow me to pay for these scraps.¡± Lu Ming turned around to find a middle-aged man staring at him with a smile on his face.

    ¡°The guy is an advanced, Qi King. Tread carefully.¡± The Keeper warned.

    ¡°I possess enough wealth to pay my own bills, and don¡¯t require your assistance.¡± Lu Ming took out a small pouch from his storage ring and handed it to the scrawny man. He then proceeded to collect the scraps into his ring and began to exit the area.

    The middle-aged man obstructed his path and said with a calm tone. ¡°I apologize for the disrespect caused in the earlier interaction. I would like to invite my fellow brother for a short drink and would request you to spare some time to have a short chat with me.¡±

    Lu Ming decided to go with the flow. He wanted to see what this man wanted to discuss with him. Although he had some initial suspicion about this to be a trap, his thoughts were somewhat diminished when the man led them to a fairly popr eatery, which was filled with customers.

    ...........

    zed food pagoda-

    The pagoda was famous for its incredible cuisine and specialty dishes. The top tier groups often visit the pagoda to try out the meal here. There were different levels, which were graded based on the ranks provided to its regr customers.

    Lu Ming was soon sitting on the third floor of the building which was adorned with great ambiance and had a private space for each table. The man ordered some of the premium dishes and once the dishes were served the conversation began.

    ¡°I am thankful to my brother Lu Ming for providing this opportunity to me. I would like to propose a toast in congrattions to your astounding sess within the two performances. You are sure to be the future star of Pill Valley.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s cut the chase and get to the point. Why has an advanced Qi King desired to meet me?¡± The man was shocked that Lu Ming could identify his cultivation level.

    ¡°My name is Teng Mengshen, and I am Teng Huan¡¯s elder brother, as well as one of the inner elders of the valley. Ie on behalf of my family to apologize for the earlier indifferences between the two parties. I hope brother Lu Ming will be the bigger person here and pardon the acts of some impatient people within the n¡±

    ¡°I assure you that the people involved in this situation have been thoroughly punished by the patriarch and will be undergoing a thousandshes and months of imprisonment within the n prison.¡±

    Lu Ming sipped the tea served to him. It was surprisingly good and left a bitter yet savory taste in one¡¯s mouth. After Lu Ming thoroughly enjoyed the process, he looked at Teng Mengshen and spoke.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Teng n to have punished their grand elder.¡± Teng Mengshen was shocked on hearing this sentence.

    ¡°He was the main instigator behind the incident, wasn¡¯t he? Is he undergoing a thousandshes as of now?¡± Lu Ming asked with a grave tone.

    Teng Mengshen couldn¡¯t handle the fact that Lu Ming knew about the inner workings of their family. That¡¯s just how he got the information. ¡°I fail to understand the matter my brother is talking about. What does the grand elder have to do with this situation?¡±

    ¡°Your expression tells me that you didn¡¯t expect this question. Did you really think that a death grudge would be resolved so easily? Why do you think I left that dog in your family alive? Did you really believe that I didn¡¯t know about the meeting your family holds regarding my matters?¡±

    ¡°I would like you to convey a message to your patriarch. Tell him that some people in this world are not scared by his name, or rather don¡¯t need to hold his name with importance.¡±

    Lu Ming got up to leave, but a sudden sentence made himugh out loud.

    ¡°Are you sure about making an enemy out of the Ten families?¡±

    Lu Ming was amused by the desperation of Teng Mengshen. ¡°Let¡¯s be clear about something. Ten families are not that united. The very fact that the two families end up in different forces says it¡¯s not about your alliance.¡±

    ¡°Even if you were united, an advance Qi King is not worthy enough to intimidate me.¡± Lu Ming picked up the Teacup and said ¡°I just made a deal with Xuan Ying in exchange for his young miss with huge resources.¡± As he approached Teng Mengshen, ¡°He asked the same question as you, and I told him that I held the confidence to escape his reach.¡±

    ¡°As per your request, I guarantee I can kill you right here. Don¡¯t try to test my patience.¡± He turned around and left a bbergasted Teng Mengshen behind.

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 Chapter 218

    218 THE THIRD TEST

    Teng Luo was within the elder hall awaiting the arrival of the envoy he sent. Teng Mengshen was not only an advanced Qi King but also an inner elder of the Pill Valley. The cherry on top was that his talent was quite good and was still a member of the younger generation. He was specifically called out of his usual schedule to help with the negotiations.

    ¡°Teng Mengshen requested an audience with the patriarch.¡± The guard announced.

    ¡°Let him in¡± Teng Luo¡¯s voice rang out and was soon followed by the entrance of a young figure.

    ¡°I greet the patriarch. Greetings to the elders.¡± Teng Mengshen bowed.

    ¡°What was his reply?¡± Rather than asking the obvious, Teng Luo chose to hear the whole reply.

    ¡°The conversation proceeded calmly until I reported to him that the elders who were involved in this incident were being punished. He simply replied that he didn¡¯t expect the Teng family to punish their grand elder for him.¡±

    The elders in the hall were surprised on hearing this. How did Lu Ming talk about the secret meeting and the grand elder¡¯s involvement in the whole situation?

    ¡°He also said that knew most of the meetings we held regarding matters involving him. He even pointed out the man he left alive, referring to him as a dead dog.¡± The elders were furious on hearing this. The whole team was wiped out except for the team leader who was barely breathing. He was left with a warning for the family.

    ¡°I proceeded with threatening him with the Ten family¡¯s alliance, but he remained unmoving. Hemented that the Ten families don¡¯t seem that united. He asked me to deliver a personal message to you.¡± Teng Mengshen was about to move near the patriarch when Teng Luo raised his hands and indicated him to continue.

    .....

    ¡°There are some people within this world who don¡¯t require you to hold your name in an important regard.¡± The grand elder mmed his fist on the hand-rest.

    ¡°How dare the boy? Immediately prepare the team to capture him.¡±

    ¡°Silence.¡± Teng Luo intervened with a strict tone. All the elders immediately fell silent. ¡°What did you do on hearing this? I guess from your attitude you must have wanted to teach him a lesson by yourself, but him not being present here indicates that something changed your mind.¡±

    ¡°He mentioned an incident which forced me to rethink my path of action.¡±

    ¡°apparently one of the teams who was involved in the night¡¯s incident was from the Brownstone Guild. The person leading them seems to be the young miss of the guild. When the team was defeated, she was captured and taken hostage. Lu Ming seems to have arranged a meeting with elder Xuan Ying, and made him pay quite a big price for the exchange.¡±

    ¡°He specifically pointed out that Xuan Ying tried to do the same thing but there he stood un-harmed. He even threatened that I wouldn¡¯t be leaving the building alive if I tried to irritate him any further.¡±

    The whole narration brought an abrupt silence within the hall. All the elders present were familiar with the name Xuan Ying. If Lu Ming remained unfazed in front of him, then this incident was like a clown dancing in front of him.

    ¡°I guess I need to take action myself.¡± Teng Luo thought within himself.

    .................................

    Thest finally came and a huge crowd was gathered within the stadium. Thest two tests had created a massive wave of enthusiasm towards the wholepetition, due to the contrasting performance of Lu Ming. The third test was also thest one in which 16 participants are going to take part together to decide the rankings among themselves.

    Huge expectations were attached with both Lu Ming and Teng Huan as they were the two most prominent performers this time. Especially Lu Ming whose performance shocked every single eye present. They never expected him to be so monstrous.

    ¡°I wee the 16 finalists to thest round of thepetition. All of you are eligible to be core disciples of the valley, and thisst round is to rank all of you, and give away the prizes and determine the top 10.¡±

    ¡°This round was initially going to be a simple one recipe concoction round, but due to some contrasting performance, the higher-ups have decided to change the format of thepetition.¡±

    ¡°All of you will be presented with your own set of medicine cauldrons and a huge array of herbs will be disyed in front. Keep in mind that the herbs are all level 3 and you are to concoct a pill of the highest order you could make. The grade of the pill will determine the winner of thepetition.¡±

    ¡°The prizes are kept a secret for now and will be revealed once thepetition is over.¡±

    16 participants stepped forward. The Teng family had two finalists and the rest of the nine families had 1 each. As per the other five participants, these were the dark horses who appeared within this year¡¯spetition.

    ¡°There is going to be a single modification this time around. The senior council has decided that the choice of herbs would be done ording to the overall rank held by the participant in thest two rounds. The one at the top would get the first chance.¡±

    He looked at Lu Ming and continued: ¡°You can proceed to choose the herbs.¡±

    Lu Ming nodded and stepped out. Most of the participants found thispetition unfair as the ones who get to choose first would surely take the best herbs. But to their surprise, Lu Ming not only took one of the medium grade ones but also, he took one out of each kind of herbs present in there. Even the judges were skeptical of the recipe Lu Ming was going to concoct in thispetition.

    ¡°Are you sure about your choice?¡± The elder in charge couldn¡¯t help but ask Lu Ming about his decision. The stage was set to allow Lu Ming to showcase his true abilities, but his choice seemed to be quite mediocre and random. Lu Ming gave a simple nod in reply.

    .....................

    ¡°I would like to propose another bet.¡± Teng Huan came up to Lu Ming.

    ¡°Did my choice of herbs earlier instill this confidence within you?¡± Lu Ming¡¯s words were thoroughly undermining Teng Huan, and he couldn¡¯t help but clench his teeth.

    ¡°Both of us had equal opportunities to choose from. You can¡¯tin about your own choice.¡± Teng Huan replied in a mocking tone.

    ¡°I guess we can proceed. But I fail to believe that you have something which could even interest me.¡±

    Teng Huan took out a small storage ring and passed it to Lu Ming. Once verified, Lu Ming was surprised by the content. He raised his head and said with a smile: ¡°The bet is on¡±

    The ring contained another set of elemental stones, which were wind and earth types.

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 Chapter 219

    219 PILL CONCOCTION-¡°Which recipe are you going to use for concoction?¡±

    ¡°After reading the recipes and medical journals, I decided to y with the mixture of the herbs and experiment with some of my theorized recipes.¡±

    The Keeper was surprised to hear this. Apetition was under its way and Lu Ming wanted to experiment with some of his theorized recipes. The risk involved outweighs the possible result if seeded.

    ¡°Are you sure about using a theorized recipe in thepetition? A recipe is no small deal. It requires a huge amount of research and tests to finally form a sessful concoction. I know that you have been involved in alchemy for a substantial time now but you shouldn¡¯t overestimate your capabilities. It will spell misfortune for you.¡±

    ¡°I know the risks involved and I followed all the guidelines while experimenting. You must have seen me utilizing arge number of herbs within the garden to continuously perform alchemy.¡±

    ¡°I began by specifying my objective and identified the herbs which are likely to go into the pill to get the desired effect. I then tried out various blends and noted the effect down. After I got my hands on 4-5 practical blends, I started to do further processing.¡±

    ¡°The next step was to specify the special condition required to process each of the herbs and begin to experiment simultaneous refining at various temperatures until I finally reached a range of temperature where the herbs don¡¯t lose their properties.¡±

    ¡°Even if you did reach this step, the next stage involves experimenting with thebinations of the herb blends so that you can establish a harmony between theponents.¡± The next step does prove to be a barricade that prevents many theories from bing practical.

    ¡°I did hit a barrier there, but continuous trials helped me ovee it. I finally found multiple stabilizers which could help me establish a harmony between theponents without affecting their effectiveness.¡±

    .....

    ¡°But you would still find problems with managing the proper atmosphere around the cauldron to pull this off.¡± The Keeper continued with the rain of questions.

    ¡°I was finding some difficulty while doing that, but ever since my soul has broken through the grandmaster level, I found it quite easy to manipte the fire to control the environmental condition outside the cauldron.¡±

    The Keeper was shocked upon hearing Lu Ming¡¯s ount of the whole process. He couldn¡¯t believe that he was able to do so many experiments within this short period of time. Thest doubt remained in his mind

    ¡°How many recipes did you sessfully concoct?¡±

    ¡°4¡± Lu Ming answered.

    ............................

    ¡°Why did he choose those medium grade herbs?¡± The Hall master couldn¡¯t help but get annoyed by Lu Ming¡¯s actions.

    ¡°Even I couldn¡¯tprehend the reason behind Lu Ming¡¯s actions. He is skilled enough to easily verify the herb¡¯s quality and hence should be able to differentiate between the better-quality herbs. The only possible exnation is that it has something to do with the recipe he is going to concoct.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes when the recipe is too difficult to concoct, an alchemist knowingly chooses lower grade herbs. Although the essence contained within the lower grade herbs is smaller than the good quality ones, it is easier to refine and control when concocting a pill.¡±

    ¡°Is he trying to concoct a difficult recipe during this time? It is better to go with a recipe that he is familiar with.¡±

    ¡°Your junior brother is not foolish enough to wager such a risky bet during such a high stakes examination. He must have a proper n in his mind. I have another theory in mind, but it would be even more of a risk if that were the case here.¡±

    ¡°I guess we need to wait and see.¡±

    ........................??...

    The audience member mingled in confusion regarding this choice.

    ¡°I guess we will get to see something extraordinary today.¡± Xuan Ying couldn¡¯t help but speak up.

    ¡°Why do you ce him in such a high esteem?¡± The young miss of the brown-stone guild was present here too. She was captured by Lu Ming and used as a hostage to extort huge benefits. She couldn¡¯t help but feel irritated at the sight of him.

    ¡°You need to train your mentality in the real world. Your father has decided to ssify him as a person worth investing in. You will meet up with him at the end of thepetition to apologize for the earlier incident.¡±

    ¡°I am not going to do that.¡± The young miss replied in an irritated tone. Xuan Ying simply looked at her with a grave expression, which led to a change of expression on her face.

    ¡°Fine, I will go up and ask for his pardon only if he can win thisst round.¡± Xuan Ying couldn¡¯t help but sigh. This young miss of his was a prideful person who didn¡¯t like to ept her defeat easily. He could only leave it on fate.

    ........................

    All sixteen finalists chose their respective herbs and went into the respective concoction room provided to them. The elder in charge came forward and announced:

    ¡°The final round will hereby begin. All participants will be given a time period of 2 incense sticks toplete the concoction of their pills. Each of you will only get one set of herbs and once the time is over, no extras will be presented. I wish all of you the best of luck.¡±

    The audience cheered up and many promations were flying around the stadium.

    ¡°Teng Huan is going to win this round. He chose the best quality herbs present and is surely performing a recipe which he is extremely confident about. Although Lu Ming is an extremely talented genius, his over-confidence is going to result in downfall.¡±

    ¡°We had the same ideas before, yet Lu Ming crushed all the other participants within thepetition. We can¡¯t say for sure until the exam concludes.¡±

    ¡°Just watch the exam, the participants are entering their respective rooms.¡±

    All eyes were glued to the massive screen on which the various rooms were being projected. Everyone could see the actions of the sixteen participants.

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 Chapter 220

    220 PILL CONCOCTION-The Pill, which Lu Ming thought of refining, was no ordinary recipe. It was based on a simr concept to the body cleansing pill, but what Lu Ming wanted was to increase its effectiveness by a huge leap.

    ¡°The herbs you have collected along with the original recipe seem to have some simr properties, but they can work at most as a substitute. What are you trying to achieve with these herbs?¡± The herbs involved ice-jade grass, frost dew, slithering leaves, fire spirit grass, orange vine, and many more.

    ¡°During my experimentation with the pill recipe, I tried to concoct new recipes with the help of different kinds of herbs. After the first part, which involved substitution was finished, I tried outbining two herbs of the same kind to see what sort of effect it could show.¡±

    ¡°At first the only effect observed was the spirit energy within the pill decreasing, but after multiple efforts, I finally found a blend, which not only resulted in a perfect pill, but the energy contained within it was enhanced.¡±

    ¡°When I finally tested out the reason behind this change, I found that certain blends of herbsplemented each other¡¯s features, which other blends degraded each other.¡±

    ¡°I then made it my objective to research the domain ofplementary herbs. I found that the ideal ratios with which I could use them to enhance the effect of the pill.¡±

    ¡°How much did the effect increase?¡±

    ¡°The effect increased by 30%.¡±

    The Keeper couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. 30% increase in its efficiency was quite a substantial growth. ¡°even if the 30% growth is achieved, it still can¡¯tpete with the final recipe. Participants are sure to refine the pills they are most confident about.

    .....

    ¡°That was only the first part.¡± Long Tao¡¯s words interrupted the Keeper¡¯s.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the rest of the herbs I bought? Apparently, I managed to discover another feature. It was that except for theplementary herbs, some blends could help enhance the effect of the pill. The enhancers were generally characterized by an element which opposed the core element of the pill and helped magnify its properties.¡±

    ¡°But such a magnifier would require a stabilizer to keep the pill from being destroyed due to opposing elements.¡± The Keeper interjected.

    ¡°And that defines thest part of my research.¡± Long Tao said in an aplished tone.

    ¡°What was the final result?¡± The Keeper asked in a contemtive tone

    Long Tao simply took out a pill and gave it to the Keeper, who held it in his hands to verify its effect. The fragrance spread throughout the area and once the Keeper was done with his verification, the shock was visible all over his face.

    ¡°A qualitative leap.¡± If the effect of the pill were enhanced by more than 50% of its original effects, the pill would no longer be the same. It was said to have undergone a qualitative leap to have formed a new type of pill altogether.

    .......................

    Lu Ming¡¯s actions garnered a lot of attention. Unlike other refiners who meticulously refined their herbs first, he decided to refine all the herbs he had altogether. The problem with this choice was that each herb required its own temperature to be refined, and it was very difficult to maintain the fire energy output to cater to the need of all the herbs present.

    ¡°Even if he has the talent for alchemy, he seems to be bumpkin when ites to the concoction of pills. I think his training in that area has been closed to none. Even the most talented people would decide to refine herbs one after the other, but his action wouldn¡¯t only waste the herbs, but also result in destroying most of their essence.¡±

    ¡°I bet my money on Teng Huan.¡±

    A gradual shift could be seen among the audience. Teng Huan belonged to a prominent pill refining family that has been a hegemon of pill valley for a long time. His experience in pill refining was extraordinary for his age, and each of his movements was precise and urate.

    The Teng family elders who were present at the scene couldn¡¯t help but smile after seeing him refining the pill recipe, which was one of their family treasures.

    ¡°He is thinking of refining an advanced third-grade pill. It would ensure his victory. Our Teng family is going to hold the mantle of this year¡¯s champion.¡± Many elders discussed within themselves.

    .......................

    ¡°He is never going to win thest round. I guess it proves that no matter how talented you are, without the proper training one couldn¡¯t prosper. The difference between backgrounds clearly shows itself.¡± The young miss of the Brown-stone guild was haughty as ever, unwilling to ept her defeat in the hands of Lu Ming.

    ¡°We can only wait till thepetition ends.¡± Those were the only words that came out of Xuan Ying¡¯s mouth. It is unknown whether the event upfront let his expectations down.

    ¡°Your junior brother seems to be trying some of his absurd theories.¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t help in this situation. This is lunacy. He is going to lose to Teng Huan.¡± The Hall leader was frustrated by Lu Ming¡¯s actions.

    ¡°We could only leave the matter of this test to your younger brother. It is delusional to try out something that is now within his limits. If he did choose to refine all the herbs together, it must have a deep meaning hidden within it. I need to observe the situation to verify his actual intentions.¡± The first elder retorted.

    ..........................

    Lu Ming was initially using the me smander to beat fire, but he soon noticed that the fire was not powerful enough to satisfy the needs of this pill refining.

    ¡°I guess we need to use that.¡± Lu Ming didn¡¯t want to showcase the full extent of his abilities. It is best to keep some secrets hidden

    A sudden fluctuation attracted all the eyes to the solitary figure who had herbs suspended all around him. The fluctuation came from the induction of a new kind of me into the various herbs. Although the elders needed some time to verify the actual me, the experienced eyes of inner elders were soon shocked.

    ¡°Crimson Firefox me ranked within the top 50 of the beast mes list. Just what sort of background does this brat have to possess such a beast me in the general realm?

    The crimson me soon covered the entire set of herbs and a surprising scene took ce. Each herb was being refined at its optimum speed as if it possessed its own set of environments. Although Lu Ming¡¯s fire control was verified to be monstrous, the scene still managed to surprise some eyes.

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 Chapter 221

    221 GRADE 4 PROMOTION-¡°How can this guy own Crimson Firefox me, and from the view I incur that it was a crimson fire in the advance of the general realm. It is a rare species toe across, and he managed to find a me core within an adult crimson firefox.¡±

    The elders from various forces knew about the benefits of possessing a high ranked me. Contrasting to the low graded ones, high grade beats me made it easier to refine the herbs and carry out alchemy. The stronger the me, the higher the control is required to tame it. Lu Ming had already proven his abilities as one of the top-tier fire controllers and hence it came as no surprise that he could tame this me.

    The rarity of the me was what astonished all the practitioners present there. The Crimson me wrapped around the herbs and soon enough the refining began. Lu Ming¡¯s extraordinary control abilities enabled him to create a unique environment for all the herbs present within the fire pit.

    ¡°How could he manipte all these herbs so efficiently? One needs to be pretty thorough and familiar with the herb¡¯s properties to even know the specific temperature environments needed to refine it. He must have practiced with the herb, and the number of concoctions should be massive.¡±

    The inner elders had their own spection regarding Lu Ming¡¯s performance. The audience, which was initially demeaning of Lu Ming¡¯s capabilities, had morphed into his support. The human heart was truly fickle in this respect.

    .............

    ¡°I guess your brother has gone through some extensive adventures to be possessing the Crimson Firefox me. It is not easy to get your hands on it. Thest I heard; they were seen in the Kemono mountains. Your brother must have participated in their annual beat hunt.¡±

    ¡°He seems to have practiced refining quite often. Even I am not sure about refining grade 4 herbs at the same time as he does, even though I broke-through the emperor realm. I need to temper myself more.¡± The Hall leader was ashamed of her earlierments. It turned out to be a fluke set by her younger brother.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t berate yourself. Your younger brother¡¯s origin is a mystery to me, but I can confirm that his backing is quite powerful. To have such treasures and such a monstrous training speed, his origin must be a power greater than my estimate.¡±

    .....

    ..........

    The herbs slowly refined and started to charred. The process of refining a herb usually involves three steps. The first one was to char the herb so that the essence begins to flow out of its body. The next aspect was to extract its essence with the help of a proper fire medium. Herbal essence was quite vtile in nature and hence required extensive istion from the environment with the help of fire energy.

    Once the essence is extracted from the herbs, the third process can begin. It involves the refining of the extracted essence. The herbal essence usually contains several impurities within itself in addition to the herbal essence. Fire energy is required to refine the herbal essence. The more proficient one is within the refining part, the better is the essence obtained.

    Pure herbal essence is required for the formation of a better pill. It was the reason behind there being multiple gradations even among the same pills.

    Lu Ming proceeded with caution. The first step soon came to an end and the herbal essence started to flow out of the herbs one by one. Lu Ming uses vessels made out of fire energy to contain the essence which was extracted and soon enough a small collection of herbal essence was floating around Lu Ming¡¯s body.

    The second step began and Lu Ming had to concentrate on collecting the essence without intermixing them. The second step took quite a bit of time, but eventually, it came to an end. It was time for the third step, which involved refining. Lu Ming couldn¡¯t stand it, and had to sit down for better control of his fire energy. Small vessels were slowly refining the energy contained within them.

    Half an incense stickter-

    Most of the participants had begun with their pill concoction, while Lu Ming was still busy refining his herbs. He wasn¡¯t bothered by his surroundings and eventually the herbal essence waspletely refined. An aroma soon spread throughout the room, surprising the judges. They never expected that Lu Ming would be able to refine the herbal essence to such a degree.

    ¡°Just what sort of refining method did he use to bring out such shocking properties of the herbs.¡±

    ¡°The boy lives up to his name as the first ranker within thepetition.¡±

    ¡°One shouldn¡¯t be iming a result which is still uncertain. The final result can only be dered after the pill refining isplete. No matter how good his refined herbal essence is, it would go to waste if he couldn¡¯t concoct a proper pill out of it.¡± An elder from the ten families spoke up.

    ¡°Ten families sure are jealous of anyone who has better potential than them.¡± The elder couldn¡¯t help but re at the person who spoke up. He decided to remain silent.

    ¡°What is the guy doing?¡± Another person eximed while looking at Lu Ming¡¯s chambers. All the eyes shifted to his room, just to be surprised by what they were looking at.

    .................

    The general rule which was followed while performing alchemy prescribed the alchemist to blend in the various refined essences within the cauldron and begin refining the pill, but Lu Ming¡¯s choice was a bit different.

    Rather than blending all the herbs, he paired up various herbs into different sectional mixtures which he then began to refine once again.

    All the alchemists present were surprised by this approach. The inner elder¡¯s interest was piqued by this irregr approach to refining pills.

    ¡°The boy is trying to pull something up.¡±

    ¡°He sure is. I have some insights as to what he is trying to achieve, but it would be quite difficult. The pill recipe must be quite a high grade to have such strict restrictions. I feel that the chances of failure are quite high in this case.¡±

    The first elder was looking at the scene with calmness in his eyes. Although he was surprised by the approach, he managed to understand the intention behind it.

    ¡°Your younger brother is risking quite a lot in this concoction.¡±

    ¡°Is the recipe too hard for someone his level?¡± The Hall leader was worried.

    ¡°Although the recipe is not that hard, what he is trying to achieve is a qualitative leap from the original recipe. He is trying to enhance the effect of the pill with the help of external agents. That is the reason behind choosing such a wide variety of herbs.¡±

    The first elder was hoping that Lu Ming would seed in his task.

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 Chapter 222

    222 GRADE 4 PROMOTION-¡°You sessfully managed to carry out the first phase. I guess it¡¯s time for you to move on to the next phase of the concoction.¡±

    ¡°I need to blend the various sections properly first. I found incredible things during my research. Alchemist generally assumes that individual refining of herbs is the best way to remove the impurities from any herbal essence. I found it to be a false assumption.¡±

    ¡°ording to my findings, even herbal essence themselves could bring about the hidden impurities within other types of herbal essence. This is the reason behind theplementary behavior. I tried out refining the herbs individually, with blends and then pill refining in both situations.¡±

    ¡°The second assumption turned out to be correct.¡± The Keeper finished Lu Ming¡¯s sentence. He had an indescribable feeling within his heart every time he looked at Lu Ming. Every time he looked at the new lord, he couldn¡¯t help but contempt the fate he had to pass through to reach this ce.

    Their young lord was a character who was not only an extremely upright person but had a unique blend of personalities. His ruthlessness, cunningness, and presence of mind had always astonished him. As he expected, his young lord experimented with every knowledge he possessed, and finally what stood before them was another miracle in the domain of pill refining.

    ¡°What would the next step be?¡± The Keeper enquired.

    ¡°I would require sometime before the impurities present vanishespletely. The essence produced at that time would be the best possible oue for us.¡±

    Lu Ming continued the refining process and time slowly passed.

    ..................

    .....

    Incense stickster-

    All the alchemists except for Lu Ming had already begun with the pill concoction. Pill concoction had three phases as well. The first phase was to blend all the differentponents one by one with each other. Once the blend isplete, what is obtained can be called a raw pill liquid.

    Although the pill liquid is the base of the pill to be formed, the effect it held was notparable to the final product. The reason behind it is the fact that the liquid doesn¡¯t have the proper mixture of herbs yet. The second step within the concoction is where the proper mixing takes ce.

    This process involves thepression of the pill liquid into circr balls which are the perfect blends. These small pill balls can only be formed with the help of adequate fire and soul energy. The alchemist uses his fire energy to encapste the balls, and soul energy topress them.

    Once thepression isplete, thest part involves the creation of an outer covering that would coat the whole pill balls and result in the pills we desire. A humongous amount of soul energy was consumed throughout the process.

    The concoction of a pill consumed a lot of time and hence people were surprised to see that Lu Ming was just about to begin the concoction. The mood once again began to shift against him.

    ¡°I guess my earlier expectations were not urate enough. No matter how shy you are, if you don¡¯t even manage toplete the pill you want to concoct, you are bound to lose.¡±

    ¡°In contrast, Teng Huan is much better. He has already reached the second phase of Pill Concoction. From the herbs he had utilized, it must be an ancient recipe possessed by the Teng Family. He is sure to win this round.¡±

    ................

    ¡°Just what is this boy doing? Individual refining is alreadyplete. He should move on to the next step. The recipe in preparation seems to be a tough one. Why did he choose it?¡± The hall master was impatient. Although the earlierment by the first elder managed to calm her down, the pace at which Lu Ming was proceeding seems to irritate her.

    Even the first elder ceased frommenting on this topic. He was starting to have some doubts about Lu Ming¡¯s approach to the concoction. Although Lu Ming was going for an enhanced version of the recipe, the refining of herbs is taking too much time. He did specte that Lu Ming must be trying to achieve something, but the time wouldn¡¯t permit it.

    ¡°Justplete the pill formation. Even if you are not the first rank holder, it is good enough if you rank within the top 3.¡±

    ¡°He would lose the chance to enter thend of fire.¡± The hall-master spoke up.

    ¡°I will take care of that. I have not appeared within the valley for a long time, but the resources which should be allocated to the grand elder must have piled up. I can use it as a front to allow this brat to enter thend of fire.¡± The hall-master was shocked to hear her master¡¯s words.

    The first elder was one of the grand elders of the Pill valley. The resource allocation was humongous and hence, given the time he was absent from his position, the pile should be quite vast. Yet he was willing to exchange it for her junior brother. It seemed too unfair. She knew her master¡¯s mentality. He would go to any lengths to provide for his disciples.

    ¡°You need to win thispetition, Ming.¡±

    ........................

    Lu Ming finally entered the pill concoction phase. The secret behind refining the herbal essence for so long was revealed once the blend was formed. The rate at which the pill blend formed was astonishing. It readilybines to form a lustrous and sweet-smelling liquid.

    Lu Ming could be said to have skipped the first step and directly entered thepressions stage.

    ¡°The blend should be enough to form around 15 pills. From the looks of it, you can form perfect grade 3 pills. Your win will be secured in this round.¡±

    ¡°Who said I was going to take a perfect grade-3 pill?¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to achieve this time?¡± The Keeper asked with an inquiring tone.

    ¡°Just watch the whole process carefully.¡±

    Lu Ming instantly released his soul energy which soon encapsted the whole room. The subtle change was noticed by the elders present and they looked at Lu Ming.

    ¡°What is this boy trying to do?¡±

    ¡°He is using such arge amount of soul power just to form a grade-3 pill. I guess his pill concoction technique is not good enough.¡±. Many of the inner elders shared this point of view. Unknown to them, Lu Ming was trying to do something way insane.

    The audience-

    ¡°This bastard. Is he insane?¡± The first elder couldn¡¯t help but clench his teeth.¡±

    ¡°What happened, master?¡± The hall-master was surprised at the first elder¡¯s reaction.

    ¡°Your younger brother is trying to suppress all the pills that blend into one pill. What do you think he is trying to achieve?¡± Even the hall master was surprised upon hearing this. A sudden conjecture hit her mind and she continued with a shocked expression:

    ¡°He is trying for a level promotion.¡±.

    ..........................

    The extreme usage of soul power allowed Lu Ming topress the whole blend into one pill. The power radiating from it was quite out of control. He madly started to use his Qi and soul energy, and finally managed to create an outer covering for the pill.

    The cauldron sted with a single spherical pebble flying out of it, which Lu Ming caught in his hands. The luster given out by it was extraordinary and something he had never felt before.

    ¡°Grade-4¡± The Keeper spoke in an excited voice.

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 Chapter 223

    223 THE ARRIVAL OF TENG PATRIARCH

    ¡°Grade 4¡± The Keeper spoke up in an excited voice. He turned around to face Long Tao and spoke up:

    ¡°I congratte the young lord for bing a grade-4 alchemist. The first concoction was sessful and you can now start practicing with level 4 recipes.¡± The Keeper¡¯s voice was filled with tion. It hadn¡¯t even been three years since Long Tao got his hands on the artifact and he was already a level 4 alchemist.

    ¡°You have the highest potential out of all the previous crimson lords in terms of alchemy.¡± The Keeper spoke with a ttering tone.

    ¡°What was the highest level a crimson lord reached in his life?¡± Long Tao didn¡¯t expect the Crimson lord to have stopped at level 4.

    ¡°I said you have the highest potential, not the highest level reached. The Crimson Lord who had the highest achievement in alchemy is way beyond your current level. You shouldn¡¯t think too much about that.¡±

    ¡°In contrast, I believe it is better if you talked about the benefits you could reap after stepping into level 4 alchemist.¡± The Keeper¡¯s sentence was followed by the appearance of the alchemy hall master.

    ¡°I congratte my lord for this achievement. Stepping into level four of alchemy results in the opening of multiple functions within the artifact. You now have ess to the soul refining tower, which can be utilized for training your soul power. After stepping into the level 4 alchemist, you need to train your soul constantly.¡±

    ¡°The second prize is the opening of the pill library. The pill library was created by the previous lords to store all the pill recipes they had obtained during their cultivation. Each floor corresponds to a level of alchemists.¡±

    ¡°How many floors are present?¡±

    .....

    ¡°The information regarding that is not yet essible to you. You need to grow stronger in the future to know about that.¡±

    ¡°The third gift is a set of cauldrons which are manufactured by the previous lords. The cauldron presented to you shouldn¡¯t be able to apany you until level 6.¡±

    ¡°It also opens the functionality of the throne room to provideprehension regarding pill refining. You can nowprehend the various techniques rted to alchemy from the throne room.¡±

    ¡°The road from now on is quite difficult to walk on. The efforts required to continue on the path of cultivation would increase with every step you take. You need to be prepared for the future.¡±

    Long Tao nodded his head in agreement. The rewards gained were quite alluring, but given the throne allowed him to have these rewards indicated how difficult the path was going to be.

    ................

    The appearance of the pill was apanied by a sweet fragrance spreading throughout the hall. The elders who were watching the scene couldn¡¯t help but rise from their chairs.

    ¡°Level 4 pill. The boy is officially a level 4 alchemist. What a monster.¡± Hugemotion spread throughout the stadium resulting in a huge wave of uproar.

    ¡°I knew he was going to win the round. I¡¯ve always had faith in Lu Ming.¡±

    ¡°So says the guy who was berating him just a moment ago. Have you no shame?¡±

    ¡°Shut up you all. We need to focus on Lu Ming. The participants havepleted refining their pills. The elder is here.¡±

    The elder stepping up calmed the stadium down. Although he was thrown into a trance for a moment there, he was able to recover and came forwards to announce the result.

    ¡°I request the participants toe out with their pills.¡±

    Although the audience gets to watch the scene within the rooms, the participants were unaware of each other¡¯s performance.

    ..............

    When Teng Huanpleted the formation of his pill and sessfully refined it, the cauldron popped up and gave out a singr blue pill. The aroma was quite calming and so were the attributes. The pill was called the soul calming pill and was the highest level-3 recipe present within the Teng family.

    He was the only person within the younger generation who had managed to sessfully refine a pill like that. He was ted by the view of the lustrous spherical ball.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how you win this time, Lu Ming.¡± He stored the pill in the jade box provided and proceeded out of his room.

    .............

    ¡°participants are toe forward and showcase the pill with a brief description of its properties.¡±

    One after one the participants stepped up and started to show their refined pills. All the pills refined were medium-grade level 3 or above.

    ¡°Green hue Pill, properties are boosting up recovery power by fluxing a huge amount of wood energy into the consumer¡¯s body. There are no side effects and could help an advance, in general, to recover his wounds within half the time.¡± The 3rd ranked person spoke.

    Teng Huan couldn¡¯t help but smirk at this disy. Although the green hue pill was good, it failed topare with his soul calming pill. He looked towards Lu Ming, just to find him recovering his expended strength with his eyes closed.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t even flinch at this view. Let¡¯s see how long this arrogance of yourssts.¡¯ Teng Huan said to himself. He once again moved towards Lu Ming.

    ¡°Does brother Ming want to disy his pill first?¡±

    ¡°It is the second time you have provoked me and the turn of events are exactly like thest time. If I decided to show my pill first, you wouldn¡¯t even have the courage to showcase yours. So, just go ahead.¡±

    Teng Huan couldn¡¯t help but clench his teeth. He moved up the stage and took out his pill.

    ¡°Soul calming pill. Advanced level 3 pill with the properties to help a cultivator recover his soul power. It could help improve the recovery rate to double its speed, and there are no side effects.¡±

    The audience did show some interest, but Teng Huan found something to be amiss. The expression of the audience didn¡¯t match his expectations. It was as if they had seen something better than this. He stepped down, paving the way for Lu Ming.

    When Lu Ming went up the stage and took out the pill, a st of sweet smell spread throughout the stadium. The Pill which surfaced was not only extremely lustrous but the aura it was radiating overwhelmed the whole stadium.

    ¡°Vitality Pill, initial grade-4. Can help a Qi King recover his blood essence, soul force, and even Qi. Help temper the body and remove impurities. No side effects.¡± It was not until Lu Ming spoke that Teng Huan realized how pathetic his earlier words were.

    ............

    Sometimeter-

    The elder in charge stepped up and began to announce the results.

    ¡°The third position goes to Peng Xiaoxia of the Peng Family. You are to visit the treasure hall to im your prize.¡±

    ¡°The second position is held by Teng Huan. Sul calming pill, advance level-3. You will be rewarded with an additional set of treasures.¡± He gave out a small ring which contained the treasures which he was talking about.

    The moment had finally arrived.

    Lu Ming stepped up and waited for his name to be called out.

    ¡°Lu Ming, level-4 alchemist. Vitality pill, initial grade-4. You are hereby crowned as the champion of thepetition. You are hereby allowed to get both the treasures mentioned earlier, along with a special skill for Pill refining of your choice and the permission to enter the Land of fire.¡±

    Lu Ming couldn¡¯t help but be ted about the fact that he achieved the objective he had set for himself. It was time to reap the rewards. He was just about to go up and receive his reward when an invisible pressure spread throughout the stadium. It was the pressure extruded by an emperor level cultivator.

    ¡°Lu Ming is hereby arrested for the killing of Teng Family members.¡± It was none other than Teng Luo, the Teng family patriarch

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 Chapter 224

    224 MATTER OF CONFLICT

    The arrival of the Teng Patriarch was a huge shock to the crowd. They didn¡¯t expect that a figure of such prominence would personally show his face.

    ¡°Lu Ming is hereby arrested on suspicion of the murder of 10 Teng family members.¡± This announcement caused a hugemotion within the crowd. Lu Ming killed Teng¡¯s family members and ten on top of that.

    The Teng family was the current leader of the Ten family alliance. They have managed to hold their position since the establishment of the group. One could easily understand the extent of their power to have maintained this position for such a long time. Every single patriarch of the Teng Family has sat on the throne of the alliance head for generations.

    It was said that the current generation patriarch of the family is the youngest one to ever sit on the seat. Contrary to his age, his strength is said to be the best among the previous patriarchs. One could roughly estimate the extent of Teng Luo¡¯s capability to have risen to this position.

    ...........

    The Teng family was said to have a special way of choosing every single sessor to their throne. It was said that there would always be a bloody war that took ce to decide the victor. The sessors were asked to fight a bloody battle within themselves to prove their worth to the throne.

    It was rumored that Teng Luo was the only inheritor who didn¡¯t get any support from a Teng family faction and yet killed every singlepetitor of his in a bloody battle. The battle ended with the beheading of thest generation patriarch, who was Teng Luo¡¯s father. He was personally killed by Teng Luo with his own hands.

    The whole arena was silent on the arrival of the Teng patriarch. He was someone who stood on equal foot to the current valley master. He was out to capture Lu Ming.

    ¡°There seems to be a misunderstanding. Lu Ming is the toppetitor in this year¡¯s Pill Brewpetition.¡± The elder in charge was showcasing a neutral expression. There was no nervousness visible on his old face. He stressed thepetitor word to showcase the attitude Pill valley held towards Lu Ming.

    .....

    ¡°I am here to capture him for interrogation.¡± Teng Luo didn¡¯t take offense to the old elder¡¯s words. He firmly abided by the decision.

    ¡°The Pill Brewpetition only allows a practitioner who is within the bone age of twenty to participate. Lu Ming is quite young and is only a Qi in general by cultivation level. The allegations by the Teng patriarch seem too absurd. Unless he thinks that a Qi general can surpass a King realm practitioner.¡±

    The old elders¡¯ words had a mixture of mockery and sarcasm filled within them. His words didn¡¯t give any face to Teng Luo. Although the tone was disrespectful, the words still had logic behind them. The whole audience knew that the allegation was too absurd. How can a Qi general kill a whole group of Kings?

    ¡°One¡¯s cultivation doesn¡¯t speak about his overall strength. Many geniuses could surpass their limits and fight with those in realms above theirs.¡±

    ¡°The boundary of Qi general and King can¡¯t be surmounted so easily. Law energy can¡¯t be countered by ordinary energy cultivated by QI generals. You are debasing yourself here, Teng Luo.¡±

    This was the first time the elder spoke up in an angry tone. His position within the pill valley was not a small one. He was one of the emperor level cultivators who was charged with the maintenance of this year¡¯spetition. The crowd was shocked upon him, referring to the Teng patriarch by name.

    What shocked the audience, even more, was the unchanged expression of Teng Luo. He didn¡¯t take any offense. These were the grounds of Pill Valley. Trying to subdue the old elder was quite easy for him. He could even kill him with a flick of his hand. But the retribution that would visit his n wasn¡¯t something they could face.

    ¡°No matter what you say, I am bringing this boy in for interrogation.¡± The Teng patriarch stood his ground. He was hell-bent on taking Lu Ming as a prisoner.

    ..............

    Crimson Lord World-

    ¡°This creates someplicacy in our original n.¡± The Keeper reminded Lu Ming.

    ¡°The Teng family patriarch is still not taking any action. It means he is apprehensive towards the Pill Hall¡¯s attitude.¡±

    ¡°Even if the Pill hall is quite powerful, the frontman is no joke.¡±

    ¡°What is his current cultivation realm.¡±

    ¡°seventh level of emperor realm.¡± The Keeper said.

    Lu Ming didn¡¯t expect the Teng family patriarch to be so powerful. He was a skilled individual after all.

    ¡°I can also feel the gaze of someone else. An entity of simr standing is currently overlooking the whole stadium.¡±

    ¡°Does that entity have some killing intent towards me?¡±

    ¡°He seems to be waiting for this guy to take action.¡±

    Lu Ming couldn¡¯t help but be apprehensive about the matter. Two humongous figures were currently thinking about restraining him.

    ¡°Can you sense the master¡¯s aura anywhere around here?¡±

    ¡°I am restricting myself. Although I have managed to reach the top of the emperor realm, I can still be captured by them. I need to be careful while surveying the realm. There also seems to be a hidden ce around here from which I can sense some dangerous auras. They are also watching the scene after your feat.¡±

    ...............

    ¡°I fear we can¡¯t abide by your wishes, Teng patriarch.¡± The old elder spoke up. Lu Ming was once a thousand-year genius who broke every single record established ever since the formation of Pill Valley. How could they let Teng¡¯s family imprison Lu Ming?

    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Teng Luo was extraordinarily calm.

    The old elder instantly released his aura, trying to gain an upper hand in the situation. This was his home ground. How could he back down?

    Teng Luo simply nodded his head in disappointment and waved his hand towards the old elder. A single wave of Qi released out of his sleeve directly hitting the old elder.

    To his dismay, although he tried to defend against the attack, he was directly sted to the ground, creating a huge vibration and spreading dust everywhere. Once the dust settled, one could see a wounded old man looking at Teng Luo in the sky with fear in his eyes. He held his injured arm tightly. Just what sort of attack was this?

    The audience gasped in surprise. Teng Luo held the title of leader for good reason.

    ¡°Take him into custody.¡± Teng Luo said to the people behind him.

    Throughout the whole process, Lu Ming was extremely calm. Although he was quite nervous about the current situation, all he could do was wait for his master to take action.

    Just as the Teng family elders were about to move out, another humongous amount of pressure spread throughout the stadium, suppressing them directly.

    ¡°Does the Teng family think that my valley is their yground?¡±

    Another colossal figure made his appearance within the stadium. All the valley elders stood up from their seats when he made his appearance.

    ¡°We greet the valley master.¡±

    The head of Pill Valley made his appearance.

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 Chapter 225

    225 REAPPEAREANCE OF BLACKFIRE-¡°The Teng family is quite gutsy to treat the stadium as their yground.¡± The voice carried an imposing tone within it. The aura released towards the aggregators suppressed them to the ground. The ones who were within the realm of kings were spouting out a huge amount of blood.

    The scene turned pathetic for the Teng family officers. It wasn¡¯t until Teng Luo released his own aura to counter this effect, that the situation turned a bit better.

    ¡°Is the valley master trying to oppress juniors with his aura?¡±

    ¡°I am just following your steps, Junior brother.¡± The words were filled with mockery towards Teng Luo¡¯s behavior. Most of the crowd present were aware of the fight some nights ago. Although the miscreants were not identified then, the events just now were pointing in the obvious direction.

    The elders slowly rose from their pathetic situations. They looked at the sky with fear in their eyes. None of them tried to move on Lu Ming, in fear of being killed by the valley master. The pressure exerted by the emperor was extremely outrageous.

    ............

    Crimson Lord World-

    ¡°Was he the powerful figure you were talking about?¡±

    ¡°This man is quite aplished. Initially, I ced him on equal standing with the other guy, but his cultivation level is a step ahead. He is at level 8 of the Qi Emperor. From the looks of the situation, he seems to be interested in you.¡±

    .....

    ¡°That is a normal reaction which I have expected. It would be an uneven situation if he wasn¡¯t interested. What I am worried about is the time he chose to take action.¡±

    ¡°You think he has some different motive to do this.¡±

    ¡°When you find a genius, who broke every single record ever created within the Pill Valley, anyone would be enticed to rush out and take me as their disciple. It was also the reason behind the old man¡¯s words. But the valley master remained passive.¡±

    ¡°It felt like he was waiting for the Teng family to take action. Once I officially got coronated as the champion, I would be a core student of the valley. It would tie the Teng family¡¯s hands. They had to take action before that happened.¡±

    ¡°The only thing I didn¡¯t expect was the arrival of the Teng patriarch himself. He is an old monster who stands at the top of the ten family alliances. He could instantly capture me. The only thing keeping him from doing so is maintaining his face in front of the crowd.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to concern yourself with the situation at hand. The valley master has arrived. Even if he had some sinister motive behind this action, he wouldn¡¯t allow you to be taken. You can use this chance to see the power of an Emperor.¡±

    ¡°What is the difference between thew energy of a king and an emperor?¡±

    ¡°Although you are far from reaching the step, you would reach it anyway. A King is defined as a Qi practitioner who has managed to convert his normal QI energy to formte aw. Now thew which he formted characterizes his Qi for the rest of his days. It can also be said that thew which he practices defines the path ahead of him.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t a singlew limit a practitioner¡¯s path then?¡±

    ¡°In theory it does. Practitioners with multiplew formtions are naturally preferred over those who have a singlew formtion. Those with 2w formtions are called good seeds. If you can reach threew formtions you are a genius among your pears. If you reach fourw formtions, you are considered the heir to be for major organizations.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that those with two humanws are better than someone with a single earthenw?¡±

    ¡°There is an avenue for discussion in that domain too. Earthenws are way more powerful than humanws and can¡¯t bepensated with numbers. It is the reason most people can reach only two or threews in their life. They concentrate on a higher level ofw than the numbers. It is better to have 1 heavenlyw and two humanws rather than having three earthenws.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t practitioners utilize thew they formted to create morews? Wouldn¡¯t I be able to have morews by then?¡±

    ¡°It is possible theoretically, yet hard to achieve. There are records of people being able to do that, and there may be some modern instances of that happening too.¡±

    ¡°That opens a new path for research. I will try and devise a proper method for the blend of the two or morews.¡±

    ¡°If you could do that, you would have a weapon of unprecedented power. Combinedws are always more powerful than their originalponents. Let¡¯s take the example of wind and water. If both of them were of human levels, theirbination which is called gale is ranked as an earthenw. The ice also behaves in a simr manner.¡±

    Lu Ming couldn¡¯t help but lick his lips at the thought of this new area for research.

    ............

    ¡°Now the emperor domain is different from the King domain by arge extent. During your whole tenure as a Qi King practitioner, you would just be trying to formte morew bodies within your body and enhance their quality. The process will continue until you finally reach a saturation point, in terms of quality and quantity.¡±

    ¡°It is one of the reasons is that the King boundary doesn¡¯t have any particr level limits like other stages. It differs from person to person and fromw tow.¡±

    ¡°Once you achieve saturation, you are said to have reached the end of the King¡¯s path. The Emperor level is just a continuation of that. You are going to form aw domain out of thew you have formted. Think of it as aw field created by your ownws. You have total control over the area inside yourw field.¡±

    ¡°I will exin the specifics in even more detail in the future. You should just try and feel the power exerted by these two people.¡±

    ..............

    ¡°Is a senior trying to block me from exerting justice on a criminal who killed my own family members?¡± Teng Luo spoke up.

    The valley master stood mid-air with an impassive look on his face. ¡°I am still trying to analyze the situation. You said that the Teng family members were killed by Lu Ming. The fight of king level practitioners must have caused amotion, which makes me think about that night¡¯s incident.¡±

    ¡°Another avenue of thought is the fact that we just conducted the second round that day and a confrontation urred amongst your family and one of the participants. Are you suggesting that your family was trying toy harm to a potential winner and student in my valley?¡±

    The statement was so wellid that any answer would result in the Teng family losing out. IF Teng Luo agreed to the situation, the valley master would directly suppress the Teng family with all the valley forces. IF he denies it, then all the ims so far will be null and void.

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 Chapter 226

    226 REAPPEARANCE OF BLACKFIRE-The trap set by the valley master was quite ingenious. Lu Ming got a glimpse of the enmity between the two factions. Although on the outside it may look like a coincidence, the whole thing was a staged set-up to trap the Teng family.

    ¡°Is brother trying to indicate that your family attacked Lu Ming? I would need to re-think my position in that case.¡± The valley master asked in a passive tone.

    ¡°I hope my elder brother doesn¡¯t stand in my way of capturing a criminal of my Teng family.¡±

    ¡°My stance is not of priority as of now brother. You need to rify the matter regarding the incident that night.¡±

    ¡°I have nothing to reply to. I will be taking the boy into the Teng family prison, whether you like it or not.¡± Lu Ming¡¯s face changed upon hearing this. Although a stalemate was reached due to the intervention of the valley master, if Teng Luo insisted to take action, it would be difficult to restrain him.

    ................

    ¡°You need to be on your guard boy. The Teng fellow is slowly gathering hisw energy.¡±

    ¡°The valley master seems to be on my side. I expect him to take action against Teng Luo.¡± Lu Ming was positive about his value.

    ¡°Do you remember the huge difference in power between thews? Ites into y here.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Did one of them cultivate aw of a higher degree than the other?¡±

    ¡°The Teng guy managed to cultivate a single Heavenlyw and more than three humanws, while I can only feel 3ws from the valley master. He too has a heavenlyw and two humanws.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t Teng Luo more powerful than the valley master then?¡±

    ¡°This is one of the reasons behind my disagreement to brief you about Emperor realm. You need to pass through the King¡¯s realm to understand theplexity of the situation. The theory ofpatibility ys a huge role in deciding whose set ofws are better than the others.¡±

    ¡°The valley master¡¯sbination is a bit better than the Teng family guy. This fact along with his cultivation realm being one stage higher helped to tackle the situation ahead. However, I highly doubt if he would be able to maintain this status quo for much longer. The Teng guy presently stands near the border of the next stage. He could make a breakthrough at any time.¡±

    ¡°Will the master take action or not?¡±

    ¡°I could distinctly feel his aura somewhere nearby, but he is trying his best to mask it. He may be waiting for these two to take action.¡±

    Lu Ming could only stand there with an apprehensive expression.

    ..............

    ¡°Lu Ming is an official core disciple of Pill Valley. Your family no longer has any jurisdiction over him. I will instruct the pill valley elders to carefully investigate this case.¡±

    ¡°Not good enough. I feel the need to take this boy into custody.¡±

    Teng Luo moved his hands towards Lu Ming. An invisible wave of energy rushed towards Lu Ming. A Qi general level cultivator couldn¡¯t act out in front of an emperor level cultivator.

    Another wave of energy rushed out and canceled it. Although the energy didn¡¯t directly hit Lu Ming, the residue energy still hit his body, sting him out of the way. Even after going through the arduous path of body cultivation, the power of a Qi emperor was just too much.

    The energy wave directly hit Lu Ming, whose skin was torn open and blood started flowing out of his body. All the participants suffered from the residual wave of the two emperors.

    ¡°I guess young brother truly wants to push me into a corner with his mighty power. Although these old bones don¡¯t have the splendor of the past, they could still give a fight to you.¡± The Valley head said in a shameless tone.

    ¡°Stop spouting nonsense. I will take possession of this brat even if I have to fight it out with you.¡± The Teng family head was pissed off at that moment.

    Multiple aurae came alive behind him. These were the elders and top-level members of the Ten family alliance. Teng Luo came prepared for this asion. The valley head remained impassive after seeing this scene.

    ¡°Does your group think that it can intimidate me with numbers?¡±

    Another set of auras burst from within the pill-valley. Pill Valley was a giant that existed within the central ins for a long time. How could they let an alliance intimidate them?

    ¡°Why do you go this far for a youngling like him?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t let you take action against one of the prospective future inheritors of my valley.¡± The Valley master spoke in a grim tone. He then looked at Lu Ming with a meaningful expression and said:

    ¡°Would you ept being my disciple?¡± The whole audience went into an uproar. They never expected the valley master to take such a drastic step. Most of the elders present sighed about losing such a good seed. Lu Ming¡¯s talent was simply too monstrous, which even the valley master thirsted for.

    ..............

    ¡°This old bastard. He is trying to use the situation to put pressure on me.¡± Long Tao couldn¡¯t help but curse out loud.

    ¡°This action is justified, brat. You possess too many precious things on you. ording to the exnation by Pill-sword saint, the valley master also appeared on the test previously. He must have known about the inheritance left within it. You managed to stay within that world for a much longer time.¡±

    ¡°Are you implying that he would try to extort information out of me?¡±

    ¡°He might even use sinister methods to pry your soul and get information out of it. The inheritance is left by a saint grade practitioner. How could they not lust behind it?¡±

    Long Tao couldn¡¯t help but curse out loud once more. He was powerless at the moment, and could only wait for his master to take action.

    ...??.........

    ¡°I would have to decline the valley master¡¯s offer.¡± People all around looked at Lu Ming with a stupefied expression. Who was the valley master? He was one of the top-level experts in the whole central ins and the current head of Pill Valley. Any cultivator of the younger generation would stake their life, just to get some simple teachings from him. Lu Ming just rejected such a figure.

    Anothermotion was created within the valley. The elders couldn¡¯t help but carry a weird expression on their faces. How did the situation develop to such an extent?

    ¡°Any particr reason for rejecting my offer?¡± The valley master¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change upon hearing these words.

    ¡°I would request the valley master not to misunderstand the situation. I have already epted tutge under someone, and hence can¡¯t ept you as my master.¡± Lu Ming¡¯s words were like thunder striking the whole stadium. Just which expert managed to rope in such talent?

    ¡°May I know the name of this master of yours?¡± The valley head spoke up.

    ¡°My master refrained me from speaking his name out loud.¡± Lu Ming remained expressionless throughout the conversation.

    ¡°I can¡¯t help the situation in that case. I guess the Teng family does have a good reason for pursuing the matter.¡± The valley master¡¯s words were quite direct. The hidden meaning was understood by many of the elders present within the stadium. Just how could he act so shamelessly? He was trying to force Lu Ming into epting him as the master.

    It was right at this juncture that another enormous aura was released out of the audience¡¯s stand. The aura is directly imposed over every single presence within the surrounding area. When people finally managed to find the source of this aura, all they could see was an old man and a youngdy sitting in one corner of the stands.

    Most of the people didn¡¯t recognize the duo, but the inner elders instantly recognized the old man. How could they not? Even The Valley Master and Teng Luo had a change of expression.

    The inner elders instantly rushed out of their stands and bowed to the old man.

    ¡°We greet the esteemed grand elder, ck fire emperor.¡± The whole stadium was taken by storm. The ck fire emperor, who was said to be the strongest among the three geniuses, made an appearance. All eyes were glued onto him.

    The old man stood from his seat and looked at the duo in the air.

    ¡°It looks like my absence has resulted in quite a disturbance within the Pill Valley. The elders seem to have be shameless, and patriarch level figures no longer carry any shame on their faces.¡± His words were directed at the valley master and Teng Luo.

    Although his appearance seems to havee as a shock to the two people, they managed to recover their previous calm mindset quite fast.

    ¡°My valley seems to be up for a huge celebration. Not only did we gain a genius, but one of the pirs returned from his journey.¡± The valley master said with a happy tone.

    ¡°You are shameless as ever, junior brother. I never expected you to try and force my disciple into bing your heir.¡± The first elder spoke up. The people around were confused by these words.

    ¡°What is my elder brother trying to say?¡± The valley master seems to havee to some conclusion. He was trying to probe the situation.

    .........

    ¡°Disciple greets the master. Hope you have a long and healthy life up ahead.¡± A voice sounded from the stage. When all the eyes turned, they saw the previously impassive youth bowing to the ckfire emperor. A realization dawned upon the audience.

    Lu Ming was the disciple of the ckfire emperor.

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 Chapter 227

    227 THE ADVENT OF GENIUS

    People within the stands were kicked into a daze by this statement. Not only was a genius born in the Pill brewingpetition, but a monstrous figure of Pill Valley also made his return. Even more of a shock was the fact that the genius was the disciple of that monstrous figure.

    The Valley master couldn¡¯t help but feel sore about the situation. He was being shameless trying to rope Lu Ming into his tutge, but this brother of his was one step ahead. He sent Lu Ming to participate in thispetition. The valley master could derive the idea behind the grand elder¡¯s choice of doing so. He wanted a dazzling event to mark his return and Lu Ming provided him with one.

    ¡°I hope brother Ti Shen is well. The valley was worried about your conditions after the war and sent multiple groups in search of you, but we failed to discover your hiding ce.¡±

    ¡°I am happy to hear about the amount of care you wanted to shower on me, Valley master. Now that I have returned, you will surely get multiple asions to show your grace.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha, your aloof attitude hasn¡¯t changed even a bit brother.¡± The Valley master spoke in an ted voice.

    ¡°Since the situation involves my disciple, I hope no one is going to oppose me when I try to intervene within it.¡± Ti Shen turned towards Teng Luo and stared with a nk expression.

    ¡°I greet the senior brother. Hope you have been doing well in recent years?¡±

    ¡°I was fortunate enough to survive the disaster. Although the recent years have been quite hard on me, now that I have returned, all can be made up for.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to choose another disciple after taking her into your camp.¡± Teng Luo turned towards the girl who was sitting beside Ti Shen. The gaze had a hidden meaning within it as if trying to prove her strength. In return to the stare, all the hall master gave was an expressionless face.

    .....

    ¡°My first disciple was working quite hard on her path of martial cultivation. She did force me to take another student to lighten her burden as a disciple. Also, his talent is unique, as you all must have experienced by now.¡±

    ¡°Did we experience it? I have to apud my marital nephew for his performance in thispetition. I am looking forward to his future achievements.¡± The valley master interrupted their conversation. He couldn¡¯t let this situation turn wild and needed to end it as fast as possible.

    ¡°I would love to hear about the crime which my junior brother was talking about.¡± Ti Shen spoke in a grave tone. How could he let Teng Luo off without proper repayment?

    ¡°My Teng family incurred loss in the hands of your disciple. Around 3 cultivators of king realm and 6 of Qi general realm were killed by him.¡±

    ¡°May I know when the confrontation took ce?¡±

    ¡°That is not rtable to the context. The fact remains that he did kill the cultivators of my family and needs to be punished ordingly.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you are capable of understanding your own situation. You are pinning an absurd crime on my disciple. Multiple king level practitioners were killed by a Qi general realm cultivator. Is your head in its proper ce?¡±

    ¡°I have already exined that some cultivators could jump realm and fight with those above their cultivation realm. I also suspect that he has got someone to support him from the shadows.¡±

    ¡°DO you have any proof that Lu Ming attacked your squad?¡±

    Teng Luo was immediately thrown into a dilemma. They did collect some proof, but he feared that it would clearly lead to an investigation into a direction he didn¡¯t want to go. If it was just the valley master, he might be able to take some action, but Ti Shen was different. He had stepped into the advanced Emperor realm even before either of them did. No one knew his current cultivation realm.

    Although he was injured in the previous cmity of the pill valley, a threat to life could also prove as a tempering stage for a cultivator to improve his strength.

    While Teng Luo was calcting the possible oues of the situation and what he could do to gain an advantage in this situation, an invisible aura was released from Ti Shen¡¯s body. Both the valley master¡¯s and Teng Luo¡¯s expressions immediately changed.

    ¡°8th level Qi Emperor.¡± The valley master spoke in a low tone. ¡°I guess my brother got some outstanding opportunities while roaming around the world.¡± Now that Ti Shen was in the same realm as him, he could no longer restrict his action.

    ...........

    Crimson Lord World-

    ¡°Your master is quite a character boy. Although he has cultivated only three types ofws, two of them are of Heavenly stage. The third one is an earthenw.¡± Lu Ming was shocked upon hearing this. Twows at the heavenly stage spoke a lot about his master¡¯s talent in martial cultivation.

    ¡°I guess none of the two can beat him then?¡±

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be able to beat him even if he is a stage weaker than them. Remember theplementary properties ofws. Both of your master¡¯s heavenlywsplement each other quite well. From the looks of it, they are fire and wood type. The earthenw is of the earth type. Quite an incredibleplementation.¡±

    Lu Ming couldn¡¯t help but fall in awe of his master¡¯s talent.

    ¡°You should discuss your dilemma with him. He could describe the difficulties while connecting with heavenlyws. Remember, you need to aim for chaoticws. You should use the remaining time to gain moreprehension and understanding ofw energy.¡±

    .............

    ¡°I am demanding an answer from you, junior brother.¡± Ti Shen was extremely calm. Teng Luo could feel a chill creeping up his spine. This brother of his was someone who neverpeted with either of them for power. Although one of them became the valley master, while the other made it to the leader¡¯s chair of ten family alliance, the fact remained that Ti Shen was the strongest among them.

    ¡°Is senior trying to undermine me with his power? I am not scared of Pill Valley¡¯s strength while pursuing justice for my n members.¡± Teng Luo didn¡¯t lose his ground.

    ¡°I am indicating that I will personally decimate your alliance if you don¡¯t give me a satisfactory answer for this situation. From the looks of it, your family tried to take care of Lu Ming even though no enmity existed between you two.¡±

    ¡°Even after sending hordes of troops, your family was the loosing arty in the confrontation. Yet you came here with zero amount of shame to demand justice for those scoundrels. Do you think I don¡¯t exist in this world?¡± Ti Shen was truly pissed this time. His disciple managed to create such a stage for his return. How could he not demand [roper justice for his disciple?

    A huge ck me began spreading within the atmosphere. Both the valley master and Teng Luo backed off instantly. How could they not recognize this me?

    Ti Shen was known as the ckfire empire for a specific reason. It was this specific earth me that resulted in this name. This me was one of the reasons behind the Pill Valley¡¯s disaster, and it was also how the war ended. Ti Shen personally incinerated Ten Emperors of the enemy camp, hence ending the war.

    ...........

    While the situation became quite grave, another voice rang from the depths of the valley.

    ¡°I request ckfire emperor to give me some face, and refrain from attacking within the grounds.¡± The voice emerged out of nowhere, surprising everyone.

    ¡°I greet the Valley protector. Hope senior has been well all these years.¡± Ti Shen personally bowed.

    ¡°All three of us should refrain from attacking each other. Come to my dwelling to have a chat. It a long time since I saw the three of you together.¡±

    .........

    Crimson Lord World-

    ¡°Just who was this man who could tame all three of these figures?¡± Lu Ming was shocked upon seeing the scene. He felt that his master was invincible within this fight, but a single sentence ended the whole brawl.

    The Keeper had discerned the expression over his face.

    ¡°I will not be able to help you while you are within this valley boy. We will onlymunicate once you enter thend of fire.¡±

    ¡°Do you have some work to do?¡±

    ¡°It is the voice which made me nervous. The man who just spoke is someone who is beyond the emperor realm.¡±

    ¡°A monarch.¡± Lu Ming asked. The Keeper nodded.

    ¡°It is better to not let him sense the artifact. I will temporarily hibernate within your body.

    ...........

    At a far of ce from Pill-brew city, a figure opened his eyes. He was sitting within a pool of thunder circting thunder energy through his body. His body glistened with white splendor, brightening the area around him. Small sparks began to circte within his eyes, as he looked around.

    ¡°Which stage did you manage to reach?¡± The sect master was standing beside the pool.

    ¡°8th stage.¡± The sect master couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. Only a single stage remained till the absolute peak of 9 thunder body art.

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 Chapter 228

    228 THE VALLEY PROTECTOR

    ¡°8th stage.¡± The sect master couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. Only a single stage remained till the absolute peak of 9 thunder body art. Even the top talents within the Thunder academy couldn¡¯t attain this point while being in the Qi general realm.

    The sect master tried her best to gain control over her tion. ¡°What about thest stage of 9 Thunder body art?¡±

    ¡°I feel like I have attained a bottleneck in that art.¡± Li Meng was trying his best to ovee the current stage, but failed multiple times already. It felt like an invisible barrier was holding him back.

    ¡°Thest stage of 9-thunder body art is not limited to theprehension of the practitioner, but also natural luck. The thunder energy within the pool would no longer be enough for you to practice in. It¡¯s time for you to prepare for the journey.¡±

    ¡°Can the master describe theplexity of 9-thunder body art?¡±

    ¡°The origins of 9-thunder body art are rted to another core art in the Thunder Academy. That art is called the body of Thundergod. It is one of the sect protection art that has been passed down since the first generation of Thunder Academy¡¯s ancestors. The art relies on the refining of one¡¯s body with the help of Thunder.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t master directly allow me to practice the Body of thunder god?¡±

    ¡°You are quite an amusing fellow. You couldn¡¯t even reach the end stage of art which was derived from Thunder-god¡¯s body, but wanted to practice the original art.¡± Li Meng lowered his head in shame.

    ¡°Your goal is set on a good target, but you need to understand the reason behind 9-thunder¡¯s creation. When the ancestors began practicing the original art, a huge part of the sess depended upon the natural luck of the practitioner. Those without a top tier thunder element body couldn¡¯t even take the first step. They would be directly incinerated by the thunder energy.¡±

    .....

    ¡°After lots of research, the problem was finally located. The reason for the fall of so many geniuses while practicing the Thunder-god¡¯s body was their ipatibility with the level of thunder required to practice it. The fact was established that one would require to train his body with thunder energy before practicing the Thunder-god¡¯s body.¡±

    ¡°Although there were multiple pathways to achieve the desired result, one of the ancestors decided to create a fixed pathway with the help of which you could meet the minimum requirements. This was how the 9-thunder body was created.¡±

    ¡°Mastering the 9-Thunder body art is the minimum requirement to practice the Thunder-god¡¯s body. Just what kind of art is it.¡±

    ¡°A tyrannical art which requires one to establish a Heavenly Thunderw within his body.¡± This requirement blew Lu Ming¡¯s mind even more. The base requirement was Heavenlyw. Just what was the grade of the art?

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t concern yourself with that art. You have managed to achieve the 8th step while being in 7th level Qi general. I hope your luck is good enough to help you reach the end of this art. Another lesser-known secret about 9-thunder body is rted to the base requirement for Thunder-god.¡±

    ¡°Does art help one to establish a Heavenly thunderw?¡± Li Meng looked at the sect leader with surprise.

    ¡°Only if you manage to reach thest step.¡±

    ¡°Then sect master must have established the heavenly thunderw.¡±

    ¡°I have.¡± The sect master said with a calm tone. She was one of the top students within the Thunder Academy, who was nearing the border of Emperor.

    ¡°You need to stay focused on your martial path. Thunder-god¡¯s body is just one of the core arts. There are many treasures within the Thunder academy, but you need to perform likewise to achieve them. The entrance exam is about to happen within the next month. I want you to suppress your cultivation and go through the exam.¡±

    ¡°The exam might be able to provide the necessary opportunity for you to break through thest stage and enter the 9th cirction of 9-thunder body.¡±

    ¡°Will Masters be returning to the Thunder academy too?¡±

    The sect master tossed a wooden te to Li Meng. A thunder symbol was engraved within it and a number was written on top of it.

    ¡°This is the identity te which establishes your identity as the disciple of this Thunder-god hall. You will be traveling alone to the location of Thunder Academy. I hope you can climb to the top of the rankings and make me and your master proud.¡±

    ¡°Can I meet my master before leaving?¡±

    ¡°Your performance seems to have instigated your master¡¯s mentality. He is preparing for his breakthrough into the QI King realm.¡±

    ¡°Did the master reach a peak of 9-thunder body art?¡±

    ¡°Due to a lucky encounter, he managed to get his hands on a Thunderous bamboo of peak King grade. It helped him break through thest level of 9-thunder body. He is currently consolidating his realm. He will shortly begin his breakthrough. Our hall will be gaining another King level practitioner. I hope for you to be the third.¡±

    ¡°We have a lot of hope resting on you. The entrance examination is also a trial for ranking the various Thunder god halls. We have never ranked higher than the bottom twenty. I hope you can elevate the situation for us.¡±

    ¡°I will try my best.¡± Li Meng bowed before the sect master and left for his journey.

    ........................

    Crimson Lord World-

    ¡°Does the 9-thunder body art act like the art which Pill-sword saint presented to me?¡±

    ¡°It should have a simr type of concept. He did say that the barrier which prevents someone from establishing a heavenlyw is generally their body. Your preparation is way abnormal and you have two more cultivation realms to pass before the next stage. Qi shouldn¡¯t be an issue. The 9-thunder body should also be concentrating on opening elemental acupoints.¡±

    ¡°I need tobine its theory with the cirction art provided by my ancestor. I may be able to reach the highest realm with the help of this art.¡± If he managed to achieve another metamorphosis before breaking through the King¡¯s realm, he might be able to connect with the Chaoticws.

    ........................

    Pill Valley-

    Hugemotions ranged throughout the valley following the return of the ckfire emperor, Ti Shen. He was one of the pirs of Pill Valley, who helped it get through the tribtion it had faced years ago. Although he was heavily injured in that fight, he seems to have made a breakthrough and returned to the valley.

    When the world found out about Lu Ming¡¯s identity, anothermotion was created. The ckfire emperor was even going to start a massacre on the grounds of Pill valley, seeking justice for his disciple. His name was resplendent throughout the central ins as one of the most powerful cultivators within the emperor realm.

    ¡°You have performed well above my expectations.¡± Ti Shen couldn¡¯t help but smile when he met his disciple. He had only asked him to rise within the ranks of top 10, but he was crowned as the champion of thispetition.

    ¡°It¡¯s all due to the blessings showered on me by the master. I wouldn¡¯t be able to reach this step without your guidance. I hope the master is satisfied with my performance and would show goodwill to his disciple.¡±

    ¡°No need to coax me with your honey-coated words, boy. I will be true to my promise to you. You will be awarded huge gifts. Let¡¯s leave this location first.¡±

    ¡°Is the master going somewhere?¡±

    ¡°The valley protector invited me to his peak. It would be disrespectful if I didn¡¯t oblige to his request. You will be apanying me to meet your martial grand-uncle.¡±

    ¡°The valley protector specifically asked for the three of you. Wouldn¡¯t my presence create an unnecessary distraction?¡±

    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting brat? Your martial grand-uncle is a titan-like existence within the surrounding area. It¡¯s a huge privilege to have a meeting with him. As a grand-nephew, it¡¯s your duty to pay your respects to him. Who knows, he might even shower some blessings on to you.¡±

    Lu Ming couldn¡¯t help but bite his tongue. His master was even more unbridled whenpared to him. He was thinking about extorting the valley protector in his name.

    Lu Ming was soon surrounded by an invisible aura and lifted towards the interior section of Pill Valley.

    .............................

    The interiors of Pill valley were separated into huge sections, which were differentiated into student and elders¡¯ areas, along with specific areas for herb gardens and alchemy caves.

    After traveling for some time a huge range of mountains came into view. Majestic natural monuments covered the whole area. Lu Ming was shocked upon seeing the view. Pill Hall was like a tiny ind whenpared to this ce.

    ¡°This is the area where core elders and the inheritance disciple practice cultivation.¡± After passing three mountain ranges, the group of two reached a location where individual mountains stood.

    A majestic mountain was surrounded by four others. The duo arrived at the foot of one of the four mountains. Two other figures arrived at the same time. They were the valley master and Teng Luo.

    ¡°All of you cane up.¡±

    The four people began to descend the mountain. They finally reached the top, which held a single hut. Four figures halted at the doorstep.

    ¡°Enter.¡± An imposing voice spoke.

    Upon entering, an old man was sitting in the middle of the hut. It was none other than the protector of the Pill Valley.

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 Chapter 229

    229 THE VALLEY PROTECTOR-An old man was sitting alone within the hut. By the look of the surrounding one couldn¡¯t begin to guess that this was the dwelling of the highest authority within the Pill Valley.

    The current protector belonged to the same generation as the previous valley master of the Pill valley. He had managed to make a name for himself long ago. Some of the younger generations might not even remember his esteemed name anymore.

    ¡°We greet Martial uncle. We hope that you have a long life ahead of you and advance by leap and bounds in the oath of your martial way.¡± The valley master spoke up.

    ¡°I congratte martial uncle on making another break-through in his cultivation.¡± Teng Luo was a sharp individual. He immediately identified the increase in strength the Dao protector had gone through.

    ¡°I hope martial uncle has been well during these perilous years.¡± Ti Shen spoke up.

    ¡°I am happy to have managed to see you three again. Ti Shen,e here.¡± Ti Shen moved forward and was inspected by the old man.

    ¡°It seems you have managed to have a recovery from the injuries you suffered. Your cultivation base has strengthened and you are about to reach thest stage of the Qi Emperor. I guess the whole valley is up for great news.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s all the blessing of Martial Uncle that I have managed to survive the cmity and gain someprehension to advance in my martial way. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a fire vein which resulted in my rapid recovery and advancement in cultivation.¡±

    ¡°All these years I have used many forces within the Pill Valley to search for suitable medicine for you. Now that you have recovered from your injuries these resources could be handed to you as a reward for your efforts in thest war.¡± The old man gave a small storage ring to Ti Shen who instantly kept it in his pocket.

    .....

    ¡°I thank Martial uncle for his blessings. I would like to inform my uncle about a fateful encounter I had during my recuperation. I was fortunate enough to have met an incredible genius and epted him as my disciple.¡±

    ................

    Lu Ming was soon called inside. When he saw the old man, he couldn¡¯t help but be baffled by his aura. Someone who has transcended the boundary of the emperor. The frontman was the pir who supported the whole Pill valley on his back.

    ¡°I greet martial grand-uncle.¡±

    The old manughed out loud and patted Lu Ming¡¯s head. His eyes couldn¡¯t help but shine after looking at Lu Ming¡¯s face.

    ¡°This bastard finally managed to find someone who lived up to his expectations as his heir. I am happy to see the face of my grand-nephew.¡± The old man instantly gave Lu Ming¡¯s body a check. His eyes couldn¡¯t help but crack open after the check wasplete.

    ¡°You managed to walk the path of body and Qi simultaneously and reach such a stage. Truly a heavenly talent. You deserve to be the only one in the recorded history who has ovee every single trial set by the ancestor.¡± The old man threw a wooden te towards Lu Ming. An aspherical ball with a sword in it was engraved on the que.

    ¡°This is a special identity te given to those who be the identified inheritor of the Pill-sword saint. I hope you never tarnish the reputation of our ancestors. With this, you are also allotted the chance to enter thend of fire. You can also ess every scripture within the vaults of the valley without any hindrance.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too irrational, Martial-uncle?¡±

    ¡°It is the rule set-up by our ancestors. Lu Ming has officially be one of the inheritors of the founder of this valley, and hence his authority is the same as one of the core elders.¡±

    All three people within the room were shocked on hearing this. Although they had their own presumptions about the possible benefits, they never expected Lu Ming to be granted such rights just by passing a single entrance test.

    ¡°You are allotted a mountain peak within the core elders¡¯ region. I hope you could break through the King realm before the next opening of thend of fire.¡±

    Lu Ming bowed in respect. ¡°I will try my best.¡±

    ¡°Can you leave now? I would like to have a personal talk with these nephews of mine.¡± Lu Ming nodded and left the hut after paying his respects.

    ....................

    ¡°These old bones of mine would fall apart at any time. I am happy to be able to see you three together once more in my life. I still remember the day your master left you people and the valley in my care. Watching you three grow is one of my most cherished memories.¡±

    ¡°The valley has grown well enough under your leadership. We couldn¡¯t ask anything more from you.¡±

    ¡°My tenure as the protector is going to end soon. I hope that one of you is capable enough to support the valley once I leave.¡±

    ¡± Why is uncle speaking such ominous words?¡± The valley master interrupted.

    ¡°The rules established by our ancestors can¡¯t be deviated from. Every disciple who is capable enough to enter the realm of Monarch could only stay for a limited amount of time. It has to be either the birth of another monarch or 100 years. My years are sooning to an end, and I will have to enter the inner hall sooner orter.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t support the Valley endlessly. This is something prohibited by our founders since the establishment of this sect. I wish for one of you to step into the realm of the monarch before my departure.¡±

    The three figures within the room bowed at the same time. ¡°We will try our best to satisfy these requirements, uncle.¡±

    ...............

    ¡°You must have a reason behind bringing your disciple in here, Ti Shen.¡±

    ¡°I did want to consult with Martial¡¯s uncle regarding something.¡±

    ¡°Speak freely. The valley owes you a favor, and would try its best to pay back.¡±

    ¡°I want one slot of that event to be presented to my disciple.¡± Ti Shen said in a calm voice.

    ¡°Are you mad?¡± The Valley master instantly lost his cool. He didn¡¯t expect Ti Shen to make such a demand. The old man signaled for him to calm down.

    ¡°I hope you understand the gravity of such a matter. The thing you are demanding can¡¯t be presented out so easily. The next event is going to ur in the time of three years. The boy is still too young to participate in it.¡±

    ¡°I have confidence in my student¡¯s aptitude Martial-Uncle.¡±

    ¡°The basic requirement for bing eligible for thatpetition is to enter the emperor realm before the age of 25. Although Lu Ming is quite talented, the path he walks is too absurd. He wouldn¡¯t be able to reach that step so soon.¡±

    ¡°I knew you would have your doubts. It was one of the reasons behind me bringing him to see you. He managed to cover the whole path from Qi master to QI general peak in thest year. Do you feel his talent is less monstrous than those figures?¡± All three men were stupefied after hearing this.

    ............

    ¡°I guess you struck a gold mine this time. Our valley is fortunate enough to have gained such a monster. Even then I have certain requirements which he needs to fulfill.¡± The old man couldn¡¯t help but get ted on their good fortune.

    ¡°Please state them.¡±

    ¡°The first requirement is for him to step into the King realm by the time of the opening of thend of fire. He not only needs to rank first in thatpetition but also be eligible for attaining the second piece of inheritance from in there.¡±

    Ti Shen, Teng Luo, and the Valley master were staring at the old man with a nk face.

    ¡°There is no reason to be shocked. Our founder was a saint grade practitioner. How could he have left just one inheritance? There is another within the Land of Fire, which was personally created by our founder.¡±

    ¡°That is the only means by which Lu Ming is assured to be able to attain the Emperor realm before that event.¡±

    ¡°The second requirement is even harsher. It can be stated when he finally steps within the Emperor¡¯s realm. Although we are a monarch level power, the number of slots we get are limited to three. Let¡¯s hope your disciple is capable enough of reaching such a stage.¡±

    ................

    Ti Shen exited the cave after some time and carried Lu Ming away with him.

    ¡°It¡¯s time for you to move into one of the cultivation mountains and prepare for the breakthrough to King realm. Only after entering the King realm can you contend within thend of fire.¡±

    Ti Shen handed lots of resources to Lu Ming. This included the promised rewards as well as the rewards from thepetition.

    ¡°Forge your path step by step, with proper precaution. You should prepare well before trying to break through to the King stage.¡±

    Lu Ming was all set to start his preparation for the next breakthrough.

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 Chapter 230

    230 THE WALK OF THE WILLY ONES

    The road to the realm of King was something that needed an extreme amount of preparation, especially when he wanted to take the step that hadn¡¯t been taken by anyone, no one knows for how many years.

    ¡°The path you desire to walk is quite long. Not only do you need to be at the top of your game, but the reserve of energy you need to achieve that feat is quite high.¡± The Keeper was preparing a list of things for Long Tao to do.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin with your current cultivation realm and how long you have to go.¡±

    ¡°I am currently at the eighth level of Qi cultivation in the normal method. If you consider Hell-Forger art, I am at the eighth level too, which means I have 3 more levels to go.¡±

    ¡°What about Blood Tempering art?¡±

    ¡°Two more levels till the very peak.¡±

    ¡°Your soul level is already quite high and hence wouldn¡¯t require much practice in the meantime, but I would still rmend practicing the Heaven Pestle art. The realm of Chaotic Laws is a mystery even for me.¡±

    ¡°But the Crimson Lords are an ancient race who represented the top of the food chain. How could none of them ever connect with that realm.¡±

    ¡°The path of martial arts is not set-in stones. There are multiple ways to reach the top level.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it mean that my ancestors were capable enough of standing at the top of the chain? They must have recorded their journey and how theyprehended their own martial path. Can I have a look?¡±

    The Keeper didn¡¯t say anything for a moment. He kept staring at the skies, trying toprehend something.

    ¡°Do you know the reason behind your supremacy over every other cultivator who stands within your realm?¡±

    ¡°It is because of the efforts I put in to build my martial path, making it incredibly strong.¡±

    ¡°No. The reason is because of the path you took. Every other major enemy you faced until now simply followed the pathwayid out by their ancestors, or someone else, making them incapable of ever surpassing their ancestors.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that I wouldn¡¯t be able to be stronger if Iprehended their paths?¡±

    ¡°I am suggesting that you need to set your goal right. What do you want to achieve through your martial path?¡±

    ¡°Absolute supremacy over the world itself.¡± The Keeper started at Long Tao once again.

    ¡°This is not the time to kid with me. I want you to think deeply enough andprehend the proper way for yourself.¡±

    ¡°Absolute supremacy over the world.¡± Long Tao repeated his earlier words without a change in expression.

    The Keeper couldn¡¯t help but be surprised to hear this answer. Was Long Tao truly this ambitious.?

    ¡°Walking the path of your ancestors wouldn¡¯t help you achieve that?¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that they reached the top of the food chain?¡±

    ¡°They did reach the top of the food chain, but they were not alone. I did say that there were multiple paths to reach the top of the food chain. Your ancestors just followed the regr path, and they did reach the top. But there was other too.¡±

    ¡°So, the Heavens is truly limited. It means that I would reach the top if I follow their path.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say they reached the top. I just said that they had reached the top of the food chain, not the top.¡±

    Long Tao couldn¡¯t help but be alert after he heard it.

    ¡°The top of martial arts is not defined yet. There are no records of anyone reaching the true top.¡±

    ¡°Even the Crimson lord failed?¡±

    ¡°I said there were no records. There were geniuses within the ranks of Crimson lords who managed to transcend this world, but they never came back, taking their teachings and experiences with them. The only simrity between them was the path they walked.¡±

    ¡°What is the simrity?¡±

    ¡°unique, irrational, dangerous, and near impossible.¡±

    ¡°What do you suggest I do then?¡± Long Tao was extremely agitated to get the answer to his query.

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t have an answer to your question. I can provide some tips, but the path is to be designed and walked upon by you. Even if you do manage to get your hands-on ancient records, I would rmend gaining some insights and motivation from it, but do not copy the path. It¡¯s not only irrational but useless at the same time. You would never be able to reach the top that way.¡±

    ¡°For now, you just need to follow our n earlier. Continue the practice of the Qi rotation method presented by the Pill-sword saint. Your normal Qi cultivation would reach the normal peak by default. The other two cultivation systems would work as a barrier after that.¡±

    ¡°That barrier will not only give you time for practicing your body cultivation but also provide more Qi reserve within the formation. I hope the preparation we made would be enough.¡±

    Long Tao followed the training exercise and started to open more and more acupoints. True to his theory, he automatically went through a break-through by the time he cultivated all the fir element acupoints. Long Tao now stood at the very peak of the normal Qi general stage.

    He then started to cultivate with the Wind element stone which he got from Teng Huan. The art he was practicing in parallel was Blood Tempering art. Although the Wind stones were not that great in quality, they were more than enough for the opening of wind acupoints.

    The power contained with the wind elemental stones was something only King level and above cultivators could practice in. It was due to his prior experience with the fire stones, that Long Tao managed to use them.

    After around a year of practice within the crimson lord world, Long Tao finally managed to open up most of the wind elemental acupoints. It was now time to switch to the Earth element. Long Tao continued his practice.

    .........

    Although he managed to get his hands on a huge quantity of frost dew from the spring, he didn¡¯t cultivate it instantly. Long Tao¡¯s body was predominantly practicing the fire element and immediately following it up with the water element would have been a huge mistake. He decided to cultivate other elements beforeprehending the water element.

    He was only halfway to the Earth¡¯s element acupoint when he managed to break-through the ninth level of blood tempering art. Long Tao could feel his acupoints loosening up and easy to find with every level of Blood Tempering he aplished.

    This urrence managed to spark his belief that thest cultivation method he was desiring to obtain, was as a matter of fact the Blood Tempering art he practiced since childhood.

    The Earthen element finally managed to reach its maximum limit by the time thest stage of Blood Tempering was achieved. Long Tao¡¯s blood was shining with a lot of mysterious runes within them. It was about to go through aplete advancement.

    ¡°It is time to begin the training with the water element.¡±

    ¡°You need to be a careful boy. Fire and water are the exact opposite of each other. Even after opening the other two types of acupoints and having an elemental lord body, you are still not assured about the sess of this process. Tread carefully.¡±

    Long Tao finally injected a thread of frost dew into his body.

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 Chapter 231

    231 THE WALK OF THE WILLY ONES-¡°The frost dew is a very concentrated ice essence of a natural oddity. The quality of the one you hold is the same as the fire stones you obtained. It is not something that a Qi general can handle directly. Try to infuse the thread energy gently and keep the fire energy at the bay.¡±

    ¡°The mixture would burst inside your body, possibly injuring your internals.¡±

    Long Tao infused a thread of the frosted dew inside his body and began to absorb and rotate it ording to the method. Although it seemed to be performing well, a burst of fire energy immediately rushed out of Long Tao¡¯s acupoints, directly infusing into the frost energy.

    With a bam, they canceled each other¡¯s effect. Although the bang was not big enough, it could be felt by Long Tao. He couldn¡¯t believe what would have happened if he directly infused a lot of energy into his body.

    ¡°I guess you felt the effect just now?¡± The Keeper said after looking at Long Tao.

    ¡°Aftereffect is quite bad. Only triple the amount of energy I just infused would be enough to cause an injury within my body.¡±

    ¡°Restrict fire energy.¡±

    Long Tao started to infuse another thread of energy into his body. The fire energy rushed out once again, but he tried to restrict it by using his Qi and other elemental energy. It took a lot of time just to restrict the fire energy and rotate that thread of frost energy throughout his body.

    Long Tao was sweating profusely by the time it was exhausted. He opened his eyes and rxed his body by taking a deep breath.

    .....

    ¡°This is just too difficult. The fire energy is too rampant, trying to dissolve the frost energy immediately. It would take me forever to open the water elemental acupoints this way.¡±

    ¡°The theory of forces is quite simple. Although opposing forces do cancel each other, simr forces do tend to support. You just need to infuse enough frost energy to have a certain amount stored within your body.¡±

    ¡°Once the amount of energy reaches the required point, it would start to support the induction of more frost energy into your body. You would need to exert less amount of Qi to maintain the bnce after that.¡±

    Long Tao followed the path designed by the Keeper. He infused small threads of energy into his body continuously and rotated it until the energy was properly absorbed. The process was going to be quite long due to the form embedded in his body.

    ¡°Only the ones with a great will could ovee this barrier and arrive at the required stage. You need to strive through the hardship.¡±

    ....................

    White Lightning City-

    Any outsider who has ever stepped even closer to this region will experience the mesmerizing view of multiple colors spraying throughout the night sky. Multiple lines spread throughout the ck heavens, illuminating it. Only when one step is close enough do they realize what the colored lines are.

    Multiple streaks of thunder were constantly bombarding the ground beneath. The city got its name from this weird phenomenon of lightning all over its skies. It not only proved to be the hub of great resources with a lightning attribute but housed one of the hegemonic powers within the central ins.

    The Thunder Academy was said to have been established by a powerful; thunder element cultivator of the past. During his journey of honing his martial path, he came across thisnd, which was blessed by lightning. It was the perfect ce for practicing lightning attributed arts.

    The uniqueness could very well be visualized from the residual thunder energy which was always present within the surrounding Qi. Long-term exposure could even enhance a cultivator¡¯s affinity towards the lightning element.

    Once the academy was established, it didn¡¯t take long for it to establish a name for itself throughout the world. The white lightning city even recorded strange battle dialects, which p[reserved the history of wars fought by the Thunder academy before it finally reached a stable period.

    The academy managed to take control of the whole area, and most of the resources. The real treasures which were formed by the massive thunder energy were immediately seized by the academy and ssified as a secret. Many enthusiasts who wanted to cultivate in thunder element, desired to enter the academy for this very reason.

    The principle of thunder academy was quite strict. It didn¡¯t hold a direct examination for cultivators to appear. Instead, there were only two ways for someone to get epted. The first way was to be found by one of the elders within the academy and getting rmended by him. One would need to undergo a test after that to get certified

    The other way is to join one of the subordinate forces first and get rmended by them. All the rmendations would be grouped, and a test would be held to examine the possible candidates who would go ahead and be disciples of the academy.

    The only policy presented by the higher-ups was the bone age and cultivation level of cultivators. One had to be within 25 years of age and within the Qi general realm to participate in the test. The test was also the keystone of verifying the standard of the subordinate forces.

    The gradation of their respective candidates determined their rankings among the various forces. It was the reason that the test was quite brutal. It was a race to get your hands on more cultivation resources.

    .....................

    The city was bustling as the time for the test has arrived once again. The entrance examination of Thunder Academy was going to be held in three phases. The first phase was to filter the participants to a mere hundred disciples. These disciples were going to appear in on two simultaneous tests.

    The top 50 were allowed to enter the academy as outer disciples. The top 50 would thenpete to filter out the top 10 people who would get to enter the inner court.

    The top 10 would thenpete in thest exam which would decide the top 3. Only those top three were eligible to be the core disciple. The filtration carried out by the academy was quite harsh and hence the talent which manages to pass through wee heaven-defying.

    ...................

    Li Meng entered the city along with another caravan of merchants. He had the token from the thunder-god hall to prove his identity and would soon be registering for the test.

    He was thrilled to find out the secret which was held within the examination. It was something that had the potential to clear his doubts regarding 9-thunder body art and reach its ultimate peak. He wanted to experiment with the reason behind the 9-thunder body being the optimum requirement to connect with heavenlyw.

    ¡°Should we get started then?¡± Li Meng spoke to himself and moved towards the arena.

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 Chapter 232

    232 THE ALTAR OF PUNISHMENT

    The white lightning city served as the entrance of the Thunder academy. If one wanted to take part in thepetition, they had to start here. The test grounds were set upright in the northern corner of the city, which bordered the area where Thunder Academy was situated.

    The academy tasked outer disciples and elders with the registration process for the uingpetition. They were to enlist the participants of this year¡¯spetition and formte the list into groups. Each group would take the examination separately.

    Only those who managed to emerge within the top 100 rankings were eligible to enter the next test.

    Huge lines were formed by the enthusiast who arrived here from the various subordinate forces of the Thunder Academy. Those rmended by the academy elders were also present within the groups. Participants needed to put forward their identity tokens along with the tab handed by their academy heads to register.

    Needless to say, the area was bustling with activity. With so many young cultivators present within the city, it was quite natural to see a few people discussing Dao within themselves. Major merchant organizations even set up an arena where people could go ahead and test each other out.

    This event was a huge source of ie for various parties. The audience usually ced a bet on the side they had hoped for. Even before the true examination started, thepetition was quite fierce. Li Meng visited these arenas to see the fights.

    He couldn¡¯t help but gasp in admiration after looking at the talent of these fighters. This without a doubt was one of the sacrednds for martial artists. Any one of them could easily bathe the whole great wastnd in blood. What was even more astonishing was the fact that they weren¡¯t even the top contenders.

    As the time of the examination was drawing near, the exceptional geniuses all decided to go into solitary cultivation, trying toprehend their future paths. They not only tried to be stronger but prepared for the uing examination too. There was spection about some of the top contenders.

    ¡°Have you heard about the Ling family boy? He seems to haveprehended the wind lightning art.¡±

    .....

    ¡°What about the little girl from Luo family. She too is a heaven-defying genius, who has a top-grade lightning body. Who couldpare with her? She is also said to be an exceptional beauty.¡±

    ¡°How about Yue Shen? He is someone who hasn¡¯t resurfaced since he went into seclusion, trying toprehend the 9-thunder body peak. He is about toe out for the entrance examination.¡±

    ¡°Geniuses are hidden within the masses of the white lightning city. Some of the rmendations remain a mystery even now. There are supposed to be some heaven warping talents in this year¡¯s test.¡±

    Li Meng moved around the city, trying to get as much information as possible. He wanted to understand the internal standings within the Thunder academy. He arrived before one of the top merchant guilds in the area, the brown-stone guild which he previously received a badge from.

    ¡°How can I help esteemed sir?¡± one of the store attendees came forward to greet Li Meng.

    ¡°I wish to seek some information?¡±

    ¡°If sir wouldn¡¯t mind following me to the internal caravans.¡± Li Meng followed the man to one of the upper floors. The caravan he was referring to was a simple room in the interiors that were secluded from the rest of the world.

    After patiently waiting for some time, he finally managed to get a glimpse of someone entering the room. It was an old man well within his eighties, maybe even higher.

    ¡°Would I be fortunate enough to know what information Daoist friend is after?¡±

    ¡°I have a series of queries which I would like to get information about.¡± Li meng handed a list out to the elder. While going through the list, the elder did have multiples changes in expression, as some of the information was quite sought precious.

    ¡°Let???s start with the cheap sections first.¡±

    ¡°The test conducted this time is quite a mystery to us. We only know that the final battle is going to be a one-on-one fight among the top 10 geniuses who make it that far. As for the first level, there are some spections, with the majority of believers supporting the ¡®Altar of Punishment¡±

    ¡°What is the altar of punishment?¡±

    ¡°It would cost you 100 Qi stones to get that information.¡± Li Meng simply handed over the amount. He was quite rich at the moment and hence didn¡¯t hesitate to pay.

    ¡°The altar of punishment is said to be something which was personally refined by one of the ancestors within the Thunder academy. It is directly linked with the thunder mountains via formations and hence can utilize some of the thunder energy which is produced within the region.¡±

    ¡°The altar is used to bombard the disciple¡¯s body with extremely powerful lightning. The longer one is able to sustain, the higher is the benefit gained from it. The thunder increases in power as time passes. When the system was first established, only those who could pass the whole process were allowed to appear in the next round.¡±

    ¡°But as new generations arrived, the cultivator wasn¡¯t able to sustain themselves through the process. That is why the amount of time is taken into consideration as of now.¡±

    ¡°It is rumored that one needs to have a great affinity with thunder energy, as well as a peerless thunder art if they want to sustain to the end. As of now, if you manage to hold out for 3 incense sticks, you could definitely enter the top hundred.¡±

    Li meng couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. This was truly and of geniuses. 3 incense stick was the base time for getting into the top 100.

    ¡°What is the record as of now?¡±

    ¡°Except for those ancient figures who managed to sustain themselves through the process, the longest record is 7 incense sticks.¡±

    Li Meng was truly eager to experience the lightning within the Altar of Punishment. He might be able to take the final step within the 9-thunder body art.

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 Chapter 233

    233 THE LAST RANKERS

    ¡°The frost dew is a very concentrated ice essence of a natural oddity. The quality of the one you hold is the same as the fire stones you obtained. It is not something that a Qi general can handle directly. Try to infuse the thread energy gently and keep the fire energy at the bay.¡±

    ¡°The mixture would burst inside your body, possibly injuring your internals.¡±

    Long Tao infused a thread of the frosted dew inside his body and began to absorb and rotate it ording to the method. Although it seemed to be performing well, a burst of fire energy immediately rushed out of Long Tao¡¯s acupoints, directly infusing into the frost energy.

    With a bam, they canceled each other¡¯s effect. Although the bang was not big enough, it could be felt by Long Tao. He couldn¡¯t believe what would have happened if he directly infused a lot of energy into his body.

    ¡°I guess you felt the effect just now?¡± The Keeper said after looking at Long Tao.

    ¡°Aftereffect is quite bad. Only triple the amount of energy I just infused would be enough to cause an injury within my body.¡±

    ¡°Restrict fire energy.¡±

    Long Tao started to infuse another thread of energy into his body. The fire energy rushed out once again, but he tried to restrict it by using his Qi and other elemental energy. It took a lot of time just to restrict the fire energy and rotate that thread of frost energy throughout his body.

    Long Tao was sweating profusely by the time it was exhausted. He opened his eyes and rxed his body by taking a deep breath.

    .....

    ¡°This is just too difficult. The fire energy is too rampant, trying to dissolve the frost energy immediately. It would take me forever to open the water elemental acupoints this way.¡±

    ¡°The theory of forces is quite simple. Although opposing forces do cancel each other, simr forces do tend to support. You just need to infuse enough frost energy to have a certain amount stored within your body.¡±

    ¡°Once the amount of energy reaches the required point, it would start to support the induction of more frost energy into your body. You would need to exert less amount of Qi to maintain the bnce after that.¡±

    Long Tao followed the path designed by the Keeper. He infused small threads of energy into his body continuously and rotated it until the energy was properly absorbed. The process was going to be quite long due to the formation embedded in his body.

    ¡°Only the ones with a great will could ovee this barrier and arrive at the required stage. You need to strive through the hardship.¡±

    ....................

    White Lightning City-

    Any outsider who has ever stepped even closer to the region will experience a mesmerizing view of multiple colors spraying throughout the night sky. Multiple lines spread throughout the ck heavens, illuminating it. Only when one step is close enough do they realize what the colored lines are.

    Multiple streaks of thunder were constantly bombarding the ground beneath. The city got its name from this weird phenomenon of lightning all over its skies. It not only proved to be the hub of great resources with the lightning attribute but housed one of the hegemonic powers within the central ins.

    The Thunder Academy was said to have been established by a powerful; thunder element cultivator of the past. During his journey of honing his martial path, he came across thisnd, which was blessed by lightning. It was the perfect ce for practicing lightning attributed arts.

    The uniqueness could very well be visualized from the residual thunder energy which was always present within the surrounding Qi. Long-term exposure could even enhance a cultivator¡¯s affinity towards the lightning element.

    Once the academy was established, it didn¡¯t take long for it to establish a name for itself throughout the world. White Lightning city even recorded strange battle dialects, which p[reserved the history of wars fought by the Thunder academy before it finally reached a stable period.

    The academy managed to take control of the whole area, and most of the resources. The real treasures which were formed by the massive thunder energy were immediately seized by the academy and ssified as a secret. Many enthusiasts who wanted to cultivate in thunder element, desired to enter the academy for this very reason.

    The principle of thunder academy was quite strict. It didn¡¯t hold a direct examination for cultivators to appear. Instead, there were only two ways for someone to get epted. The first way was to be found by one of the elders within the academy and getting rmended by him. One would need to undergo a test after that to get certified

    The other way is to join one of the subordinate forces first and get rmended by them. All the rmendations would be grouped, and a test would be held to examine the possible candidates who would go ahead and be disciples of the academy.

    The only policy presented by the higher-ups was the bone age and cultivation level of cultivators. One had to be within 25 years of age and within the Qi general realm to participate in the test. The test was also the keystone of verifying the standard of the subordinate forces.

    The gradation of their respective candidates determined their rankings among the various forces. It was the reason that the test was quite brutal. It was a race to get your hands on more cultivation resources.

    .....................

    The city was bustling as the time for the test has arrived once again. The entrance examination of Thunder Academy was going to be held in three phases. The first phase was to filter the participants to a mere hundred disciples. These disciples were going to appear in two simultaneous tests.

    The top 50 were allowed to enter the academy as outer disciples. The top 50 would thenpete to filter out the top 10 people who would get to enter the inner court.

    The top 10 would thenpete in thest exam which would decide the top 3. Only those top three were eligible to be the core disciple. The filtration carried out by the academy was quite harsh and hence the talent which managed to pass through was heaven-defying.

    ...................

    Li Meng entered the city along with another caravan of merchants. He had the token from the thunder-god hall to prove his identity and would soon be registering for the test.

    He was thrilled to find out the secret which was held within the examination. It was something that had the potential to clear his doubts regarding 9-thunder body art and reach its ultimate peak. He wanted to experiment with the reason behind the 9-thunder body being the optimum requirement to connect with heavenlyw.

    ¡°Should we get started then?¡± Li Meng spoke to himself and moved towards the arena.

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 Chapter 234

    234 THE COMPETITION BEGINS

    All the participants were gathered within the arena. One couldn¡¯t help but admire the architecture and materials used in the creation of this battlefield. If Thunder Academy didn¡¯tbel it as a testing ground, it was sure to be a diator arena. The admiration even extended to the sheer number of participants who were standing within the premises.

    Li Meng inspected his surroundings, trying to identify any of the known characters who were listed within the catalogue. Sure enough, he did find multiple personalities standing not far away from him. These were the participants of the top 10 Thunder-god halls, as well as some of the rmendations.

    ¡°May I have the pleasure to make an acquaintance of this brother?¡± Li Meng was surprised to find a figure standing behind him. Given his cultivation, there were not many people who could sneak up upon him.

    He turned around, to find a cute fat youngster, staring at him with his round eyes. Even though one would want tough after seeing his appearance, Li meng couldn¡¯t help but feel a special aura from this person.

    ................

    ¡°The boy in front is quite mysterious. Although his cultivation is quite simr to yours, his aura is retracted by a set of armour he is currently wearing.¡±

    ¡°Is the armour powerful enough?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s an emperor-grade artifact. Want to try and seize it from him?¡±

    Li meng was surprised to hear this. This little fat boy had such a precious artifact. His background would surely be tyrannical. He wasn¡¯t someone who would respond with hostility towards someone who showed him such discretion.

    .....

    .............

    ¡°I am Li Meng. May I know this brothers name?¡± Li Men¡¯s expression was quite natural and weing.

    ¡°Cao Wusheng is my name. I couldn¡¯t help but admire my brother¡¯s prowess.¡± The fatty was surprised to see such a neutral expression on Li Meng¡¯s face. When someone within the masses first sees him, they are sure to react mockingly.

    ¡°Why would brother say that? I haven¡¯t even participated in any of thepetitions. I am a small character from a low-ranking Thunder-god hall.¡±

    ¡°Brother doesn¡¯t need to continue his act in front of me. We are two pieces of meat from the same cow. I didn¡¯t expect to find someone like you amid these buffoons. I am sure my brother is going to overpower all these insects and rise to the top of the rankings.¡±

    Although the fatty¡¯s voice was low enough, Qi general realm cultivators were surrounding them. They had extremely sharp senses and hence managed to hear the words spoken by him. All of them looked at Li Meng with a huge amount of hostility in their eyes.

    Li Meng just smiled helplessly. How did he be amon public enemy? He looked at Fatty who still held an enthusiastic expression over his face. Li Meng couldn¡¯t distinguish whether it was intentional or not, but this fatty was too distasteful.

    ¡°Is something stuck on my face, Dao brother?¡± LI Meng wanted to captivate and spank this fatty butt, but he restrained himself.

    It was during this time that a group of people walked up to the duo. Their faces were filled with an apprehensive expression, as well as a hint of irritation. They clearly didn¡¯t arrive here out of goodwill.

    ¡°May I know who Dao brother is?¡± One of the group members asked Li Meng.

    ¡°Just a cultivator from one of the Thunder-god halls.¡± Li Meng replied with a solemn expression.

    ¡°Which Thunder-god hall do you represent?¡±

    Li Meng lifted his que to let them see. Once the verification was over, a huge round ofughter sounded through the stadium. The group of people couldn¡¯t control their gut.

    ¡°This swine from a bottom ranking Thunder-god hall says that he will overtake the wholepetition.¡± Theughter continued. Li Meng didn¡¯t exhibit any change of expression. It was useless to haggle with a group of weaklings. It¡¯s best to speak with his actions.

    ¡°What re you foolsughing at?¡± The fatty shouted at the group of youngsters.

    The sudden interference of this fatty surprised the group of people. They couldn¡¯t help but stare at this round ass fat duckling.

    ¡°What are you looking at? Have you ever seen a handsome man like me?¡± Li Meng even wanted to cough out blood after hearing the statement. It¡¯s just how egotistical is this fatty to talk like this.

    One of the members of the group wanted to step up and beat the shit of this fatty but a conch blew at the exact moment. All the cultivators looked towards the stage above, where a group of people were standing.

    The leader of this group of people was an old man who had a powerful air around him.

    ........................

    ¡°The academy is quite powerful. They sent an emperor level cultivator to head a ceremony like this.¡±. These words were a chock to Li meng. Even the Pill Valley wasn¡¯t so exuberant with their disy of power.

    ¡°I guess the actual power of Thunder Academy is higher than Pill Valley.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised by that. Alchemy is a profession which requires a huge investment of time and patience. Alchemists are naturally weaker whenpared to those who purely walk on the path of martial arts.¡±

    ¡°You will have huge opportunities to advance your strength in this ce. I am looking forward to seeing what the test actually carries.¡±

    ..........................

    The old man on the podium had a slight change of expression as he looked at the students below. He felt like a scanner had just swept through him. The one who did this hid his auras quite fast.

    ¡°I congratte all the participants who have managed to make it this far. Every single one of you represents your respective forces. We hope that you will perform well and be future disciples of my academy.¡±

    ¡°Before the beginning of thepetition, I have an announcement to make. The academy has decided to increase the number of rewards to be awarded to the winner this year. To be precise, we are going to triple the previous amounts.¡±

    The contestants instantly be wild after hearing this fact. Triple the amount. Just how huge were the rewards going to be?

    ¡°I would also like to announce another crucial matter. Although it might sound like an upsetting statement, the academy is doing it not only for its own good but also for you. The upper echelon was discussing the prospect of the subordinate forces under us.¡±

    ¡°They havee to an understanding to decide the ranking with this year¡¯s tournament.¡±

    ¡°The bottom 20 rankers would be eliminated directly to conserve resources.¡±

    Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but suck in a cold breath. This was a cause of concern for the hall master. She must have got her hands on this information.

    ¡°You will be representing your respective forces in thispetition and hence will be graded ordingly. I hope you can help preserve your force¡¯s reputation and help it gain more resources.¡±

    .......................

    ¡°The cultivator above is quite sensitive to my activity. I would be required to mask my presence, to not get identified by him. I wouldn¡¯t be able hep you brat.¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t be required. I am looking forward to the altar of punishment. Let¡¯s see how good it is.¡±

    ...............

    ¡°The first test is going tomence soon. All of you will be moving together onto the altar. Once you take your respective positions, the altar of punishment would start its functioning. I have to warn the participants regarding their destructive aura.¡±

    ¡°The longer you sustain in this altar, higher will be your ranking. Only the top 100 participants are allowed to enter the next phase.¡±

    ¡°I would also advise you, people, to not overestimate your own prowess and act recklessly. The thunder energy contained within the altar is no joke. It could even threaten your life.¡±

    A massive altar came into view. The participants couldn¡¯t help but be surprised by viewing this. The academy changed its general pattern of testing in groups. They must be nning something.

    ¡°The participants will hereby move inside and take their positions.¡±

    Li Meng along with the rest of the crowd moved in.

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 Chapter 235

    235 THE BODY REFINEMENT

    When Li Meng entered the altar, he couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. The energy contained within this altar was quite incredible. The first wave of energy which made contact with Li Meng¡¯s body instantly got absorbed. Li Meng didn¡¯t experience this feeling except for when he was cultivating with high-grade elemental oddities.

    Thest time his body acted his way was within the fire vein.

    ¡°Just how pure is this thunder energy?¡±

    ¡°Too pure. I couldn¡¯t help but be thrilled about experiencing this kind of feeling. If I am not wrong, the origin of this thunder energy is quite scary. It is of a higher grade than the fire vein we excavated.¡±

    ¡°How could that be?¡± Li meng couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. The fire vein was something which helped the artefact rise to the emperor level. It still possesses enough energy for Ti Shen to rush in and grab hold of it.

    ¡°The altar itself is an artefact which was refined by a very powerful character. If I am not wrong, the cultivator should at least be a Qi monarch.¡±

    ¡°The source of this energy must be the zone where the natural thunderstorm gathers. It must be a ce which is suitable for the cultivation of Qi Monarch and above level character. This altar is directly connected to the source. It filters and dilutes the energy contained within it. It not only lessens the impacts but can also help you to assimte it.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that it can help me with my body cultivation?¡±

    ¡°I am suggesting that you could do an array of things with this artefact. Thunder energy has quite a few unique properties. While fire energy helps in refining the body, thunder energy is even more beneficial in the road of body cultivation. It not only refines but also cleanses the body¡¯s impurities.¡±

    .....

    ¡°How should I proceed with this test?¡±

    ¡°Begin with cleansing your body. Just infuse more and more energy into your body, and it will automatically start. Body cultivation is a very arduous process, and you should always cleanse your body to excrete all the umted impurities. These impurities might hinder your future path.¡±

    ¡°Once the cleansing is over, move on with tempering your body. I would ask you to refrain from infusing the energy to open acupoints. Refine your body multiple times. You could also use the energy to temper your bones multiple times.¡±

    ¡°I believe that the barrier you have hit in the 9-thunder body should be because of those impurities. This might be the opportunity the sect master was talking about. Tempering your body multiple times might help improve the situation.¡±

    ¡°Only once you arrive at the perfect state, should you try to use the energy for the other two processes.¡± The Keeper exnation was quite detailed, but Li Meng listened patiently.

    ¡°Which path should I follow? Should I just follow the art provided by the ancestor and use the thunder energy to open acupoints, or should Iplete the 9-thunder body first?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s your choice to make. I can¡¯t hinder with the path you choose to take. I am here just to give you some clues in the path of cultivation. What you do with them is up to you.¡±

    Li Meng felt apprehensive. It looked like he could only leave it up to fate. He sat down and began to absorb the thunder energy along with the other people.

    ...................

    Li Meng was madly absorbing all the energy around him. He was excited to find that the Keeper¡¯s advice actually was working. His body was simply like a bottomless pit, devouring all the absorbed thunder energy.

    Although Li meng was immersed in the process, he didn¡¯t realize that the supply of thunder energy was limited and the area around him was bing devoid of thunder energy. The altar instantly increased the level and amount of thunder energy being infused became more.

    ¡°There is someone who is trying to wildly absorb thunder energy. Did they find the actual purpose behind this altar?¡± The elder above the stage spoke in a low voice.

    The altar was designed for the cultivation of younger generations. The thunder energy within the pool was too rampant for low-grade cultivators to cultivate in. The altar was designed to dilute the energy and feed it to the cultivator. Its very motive was to help cultivators to absorb and temper their body with energy.

    Li Meng initially felt that the energy was scarce, but suddenly it became abundant once again. He increased his absorption speed instantly. The process repeated itself over and over. The altar was increasing the level of difficulty quite rapidly.

    ¡°We are going to see elimination sooner this year. There is someone who madly absorbing the energy within the altar.¡±

    ¡°There is more than one figure. Those with adequate talent are trying to devour as much energy as possible. Those who aren¡¯t able to bear the burden of this energy are soon going to be eliminated.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t after an incense stick of time that Li Meng¡¯s body began to excrete ck substances. The cleansing was finally on its way. The thunder energy was bing more and more powerful, forcing out the impurities of his body. This attracted the attention of a lot of people within the crowd.

    ¡°The boy is using the energy here to cleanse his body. Quite a genius. He is sure to be one of the top 100 practitioners.¡±

    Another sound rang in a corner of the altar. The figure sitting there was going through disfigurement and reformation at the same time.

    ¡°He is trying to forge his bones with the thunder energy. Quite a devious method. The difficulty is going to rapidly increase from here on.¡±

    True to the elder¡¯s spection, by the time the second incense stick was about to get finished, hordes of participants couldn¡¯t bear the energy any longer and were directly eliminated.

    ¡°Nooo. I don¡¯t want to ...¡± Another figure was thrown out of the altar. The elders couldn¡¯t help but sigh.

    ...???...........

    Li Meng was engrossed in his own cultivation. It was around the end of two incense sticks that the ck substance excretion finally ended.

    ¡°I guess this is the time to start the reforging of bones.¡± He decided to start to absorb a tremendous amount of energy into his body. Once the energy reserve was big enough, he began to infuse it into his bones.

    Since he was a body cultivator, the bones began absorbing energy without any change. The thunder energy got more and more rampant. After a long time, the bones finally began to crack.

    ¡°Its beginning¡± Li Meng was apprehensive. This was the most dangerous part of reforging the bones. IF he dared to deviate at the moment, all the bones would be incinerated and he would cease to exist.

    The elders who were scanning the altar couldn¡¯t help but look at Li Meng once again.

    ¡°He managed to sustain himself through the cleansing process. This is a great seed. He is trying to reforge his bones with thunder energy. Will he be able to seed?¡±

    ¡°Only time will tell. If the boy can sustain, then this test would prove to be a huge blessing for him.¡±

    Multiple practitioners were being forced out of the altar by rampant thunder energy. Many of them tried to sustain themselves within the test but failed to do so.

    ¡°That is Cheng Luo, from the first monastery. He haspleted the bone forging and is trying to cleanse a body. Ifpleted, he could be certified to have undergone a metamorphosis.¡±

    ¡°What about the Chu family girl? She too is nearing thepletion of bones forging.¡±

    ¡°She is quite slow whenpared to some others.¡± One of the elders spoke up.

    ¡°Speed doesn¡¯t certify one¡¯s true talent. The test was always designed to see who couldst longer rather than w3ho could utilize the energy rapidly.¡±

    The elders continued to bicker through the process. They were trying to specte on the possible oue of thispetition.

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 Chapter 236

    236 BODY REFINEMENT-Li Meng¡¯s bone was crushed into powder and the marrow within it was being tempered by lightning energy. His body was like a small puddle as of now, which was being slowly rebuilt by the refinement. The marrow within the bones directly interacted with the thunder energy and began to extrude some impurities.

    These were the hidden assimtions which were umted over the long period of cultivation. Once the marrow extrudes enough impurities, it could finally begin the process of refining. Li Meng held his breath and persisted through the process. This was the first time he felt the pain after practising Hell-forging art.

    The marrow finally managed to extrude enough impurities and was shining with a bright red colour. Thunder energy then started refining it. A practitioner needs to control the amount of energy that goes into the refining of marrow. If it was too high and the marrow couldn¡¯t sustain its power, it would simply lead to a disaster for the cultivator.

    Li Meng tried to use his other elemental energies to guide the thunder energy properly. The marrow was slowly being refined. It felt like a hammer continuously bombarding his body. Li Meng couldn¡¯t lose his patience or consciousness at the moment. Even refinement was carried out in multiple stages.

    The marrow underwent minute changes as time passed. The thunder energy was increasing in intensity as time passed, and this provided a huge opportunity for the marrow to transform.

    ¡°You need to concentrate boy. Such a controlled infusion is a huge opportunity for you. It might seem like a slow process, but your marrow is undergoing huge changes. Guide it in the same way.¡±

    .......................

    Unknown to Li Meng, the outside world was in chaos. The number of practitioners on stage was decreasing at a rapid pace. The difficulty level was rising quite fast and cultivators couldn¡¯t bear the energy any more. Many were forcibly thrown outside, their bodiespletely charred.

    The elder immediately instructed medics to move out and help the injured participants. It was the first time the audience had to experience such horror. The elder¡¯s word seemed to have some meaning behind it. The altar might be able to take lives.

    .....

    ¡°Practitioners are requested to take some precautionary measures. From now on each upgrade in difficulty will bring about huge changes. You should immediately exit if you couldn¡¯t hold on. Forcing yourself is equivalent to inviting death.¡±

    The altar was showcasing huge changes as of now. Sparks of thunder could be seen within the air inside it. How could the concentration of thunder energy be this high?

    ¡°The Chu girl haspleted her bone forging. She is undergoing cleansing too.¡± Many geniuses were following the same procedure.

    Neglected by many, Li Meng¡¯s body was continuously excreting more and more impurities. This phenomenon was enough to shock the world.

    .........??................

    After continuous refining, the marrow was finally glistening with incredible lustre. The refinement is finallyplete. It was time to rebuild the bones around it. Li Meng patiently followed the process and the bones within his body began to take form, one after the other. If one could see this happening, they would be shocked.

    Multiple symbols were branded upon his bones, which now came to life and were absorbing the thunder energy. These runes were mysterious and couldn¡¯t beprehended in a short time. Li meng didn¡¯t notice this due to the bone recreation process.

    Finally, after the fifth incense stick was halfway done, thest bone of Li Meng took form. He managed toplete his bone forging. He could feel his strength had increased tremendously. These new bones were shining with incredible lustre and were madly devouring the lightning energy.

    ¡°What should I do now? The Keeper said that I could either of the two paths, or I could simply undergo another session of body refinement.¡±

    It was a difficult choice to make as the energy within the altar was bing more and more berserk. It had already reached the level where he could walk on the path of opening acupoints, but something in his heart said no. He finally concluded that he should undergo another round of cleansing.

    He started to repeat the process he followed in the first step.

    ..................

    ¡°That boy managed to undergo a round of tempering on his bones. He is sure to rise within the ranks of geniuses.¡± One of the elders said while looking at Li Meng.

    ¡°What is he trying to do now?¡± Many people were surprised to hear this remark and looked at Li Meng. Another set of impurities were being extruded out of his body.

    ¡°He is trying to cleanse his body again. What a monster?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be as easy. Each cleansing is more difficult than the one before it. The amount of pain it would bring is also quite high.¡±

    Li Meng clenched his teeth and persisted through the process. Soon enough veins were popping on his face. Just how berserk was the thunder energy. Even someone like Li Meng who had cultivated his body until the very limit was finding it difficult to persist. He knew that the rewards of this cleansing were going to be even more abundant.

    Many of the elders presented had their eyes glued to Li Meng¡¯s figure. They wished that this genius seeds through this path. It wasn¡¯t until the fifth incense stick finally went out that Li Meng¡¯s body rxed.

    ¡°He did it.¡± One of the elders said in a shocked tone.

    ¡°What an incredible talent?¡± The elder in charge of the event couldn¡¯t help but admire Li Meng¡¯s persistence. He was positive regarding his performance in this year¡¯s test.

    ¡°Which power does he represents?¡± The elder couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    The servant below looked through the list of participants, until his eyes finally lit with shock. ¡°What happened? Who does this boy represent?¡± Many people were eager to hear the reply.

    ¡°He registered under the banner of the 80th Thunder-god hall, the one in the wastnd region.¡± Silence dawned upon the whole area. Some of the elders couldn¡¯t help but spout cold air from their mouths. Many people had a change of expression. Some were surprised, some apprehensive, while some showed disgust and hostility.

    The elder on the stage was surprised too. Such talent was fostered within the wastnd region. It seemed that thepetition this time was brewing a storm.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how long he persists.¡±

    ¡°he wouldn¡¯t be able to enter the top 50.¡± Some of the previous supporters instantly turned against Li Meng. They belonged to the thunder-god halls which ranked at the top. How can they support a bottom feeder?

    ¡°Only time will tell.¡± The elder in charge showed an apprehensive expression.

    ......??...................

    Li Meng released a breath of relief when the cleansing was finally finished. His own body felt ethereal. He felt like undergoing a qualitative transformation. He was just inspecting the interiors and was about to decide the next step when a strange thing happened.

    His body began to rotate the thunder energy automatically. Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but be surprised after seeing this. 9-thunder body art activated automatically. The altar helped him break-through the barrier.

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 Chapter 237

    237 NINE ROTATIONS, NINE THUNDER

    The 9-Thunder body art was a miraculous art which was thought to be the baseline for cultivation Thunder god¡¯s body in the future. It was even rumoured that this art could help one connect to heavenlyw. The sect master advised Li Meng to practice it till consummate level before the breakthrough.

    The 9-thunder body started with its first rotation, but the process was very slow. The usage of this art increased the consumption of thunder energy. A huge amount of thunder was being infused into Li Meng¡¯s body. The rotations continued at full force while absorbing more and more thunder Qi.

    Li Meng couldn¡¯t believe this miraculous phenomenon. The rotation itself was consuming such a great amount of thunder energy. He simply observed as the first rotationpleted its path. He could feel some changes within his body. The thunder attribute has increased by a huge extent.

    The second rotation started soon enough. What shocked Li Meng now was that the consumption was way more than the first rotation. If this continued, just how massive would-be consumption is for the ninth rotation.

    .........................

    The outside world was going through a massive change. Li Meng¡¯s body suddenly changed into a massive vortex which madly absorbed thunder Qi. The area around him was slowly bing devoid of thunder energy.

    ¡°What is the brat trying to achieve this time?¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the art feel quite familiar?¡± One of the elders spoke up.

    ¡°The way the thunder energy is rotating around his body, tempering it, I have seen it somewhere. It feels like..¡± The elder spoke up ¡°9-Thunder body.¡±

    .....

    Many eyes were attracted to Li Meng. This brat cultivated the 9-Thunder body. He was nearing the extreme limits of Qi general. Every single one of them wanted to know his achievements within the art.

    ¡°How far could he possibly walk?¡±

    ¡°I would estimate his standing at 7th rotation. It may even be eighth if he was lucky enough.¡±

    ¡°The brat is quite talented. I hope for him to pass the base criteria for that art.¡± All the elders were surprised. The art referred to here was none other than the Thunder-god¡¯s body, one of the peerless scriptures of Thunder Academy.

    ¡°I think the elder overestimates his talent. To be able to reach the consummate level of 9-Thunder body while being in the Qi general realm is not easy. The main reason many geniuses failed was the abundance of energy which directly forced them to breakthrough.¡±

    ¡°Only time will tell.¡± The elder in charge said in an aloof tone.

    The first rotation waspleted, then came the second. The elders weren¡¯t interested until Li Meng reached the fifth rotation. The event was eye-catching as the thunder energy consumed by him forced the altar to increase the intensity of thunder energy. Many cultivators were thrown out of the altar.

    ¡°Only 100 people remain as of now.¡± Although this signified the participants for the next round, all the eyes were concentrating on a single figure.

    The sixth rotation ended, and the seventh started. This was the level Li Meng was estimated to have reached. When the rotation was about to end, Li meng showed a change of expression. Many people thought that it signified his limitations, but the reality was different.

    Li Meng had to adjust his body to cope with the immense amount of thunder energy within his body. The altar underwent two changes before the seventh rotation finally ended.

    ¡°This should be his limit, right?¡± Someone said.

    The rotation began once again. Everyone was surprised. 8-rotations signified a genius in body cultivation. The eighth rotation began, but it was extremely slow. Massive amount of thunder Qi was being absorbed by Li Meng. Slowly, yet steadily, the rotation went on, bringing with it an array of changes to the altar.

    More and more thunder energy was being pumped into the altar to maintain the supply. The ferociousness of thunder was quite high and participants were slowly being eliminated.

    ¡°He is trying to break through the eighth rotation using the thunder energy. It is a good strategy.¡± One of the elders appreciated Li Meng¡¯s efforts.

    The eighth rotation finally came to an end after another incense stick. This was already the seventh incense stick to get burned, just one incense stick away from the record.

    Participants were being eliminated rapidly and the changes within the altar were incredible. Only ten participants remained, all of whom had undergone bone forging and cleansing a while ago.

    ¡°This should be the end of hisprehension. It is a battle of persistence now.¡±

    Li Meng didn¡¯t immediately start to use the 9th rotation. He was madly absorbing the thunder energy into his body. Huge amounts of Qi descended on the participants and many of them coughed out blood, thus being kicked out of the tform.

    Geniuses were trying to persist through the bombardment, each one trying toe on top. Finally, only three people remained over the tform. One was the Chu girl, while the other was an unknown figure. The third was Li Meng.

    ¡°The boy is quite talented and has persisted until now. It is to be expected from someone who has cultivated until the 8th rotation. It¡¯s a pity he isn¡¯t the kind of genius whoes around every thousand years.¡±

    The elders had just spoken those words when a sudden feeling arises from the altar. Turning around, a shocking scene was awaiting their eyes.

    ¡°He began the ninth rotation.¡± The shock was visible over the faces of many cultivators.

    ...............

    The ninth rotation was extremely slow. Each movement was consuming a huge amount of thunder Qi from Li Meng¡¯s body. He could feel the burden of this rotation. The energy contained was so strong that his Qi veins were vibrating rapidly from impact. His whole body was in disarray.

    The altar underwent another change, and the third person was thrown out. It was just the girl and Li Meng remaining within the altar. Everyone felt that the girl would undergo a struggle, as Li meng was concentrating on the 9th rotation.

    But another surprising scene took ce. A huge figure generated from the body of the girl, absorbing the thunder energy around her. It was slowly being refined with the abundant thunder energy around her.

    ¡°This is....¡± The elders spoke with shock.¡± Lightning-devil art. One of the core arts of Thunder academy, simr in stature to the Thunder-god body. The girl managed to cultivate it while being in Qi general. Just what sort of backing does she have.¡±

    Although the Chu family was quite powerful, this was totally unprecedented.

    The duo waspeting with each other. Thest revolution against the lightning devil. Another incense stick passed and the ninth rotation was already half-way. Thunder energy contained within the altar spiked up.

    A small figure started to form behind Li meng too. It was a group of nine fine lines originating from the same point, trying to form a circle.

    ¡°Nine Rotations, Nine Thunder¡± The elder in charge, spoke up in an excited tone.

    This was the so-called extraordinary phenomenon caused when one can cultivate until the consummate level of 9-Thunder body. Once the figure is formed, the art would sessfully be refined to the peak.

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 Chapter 238

    238 NINE THUNDER VS LIGHTNING DEVIL

    The rotation was extremely slow, absorbing the thunder energy from the outside like a hungry demon. The problem with such a vast amount of lightning energy was the strength of Li Meng¡¯s Qi channel. He would be deeply wounded if they couldn¡¯t handle the pressure of this berserk thunder energy.

    ¡°It is a huge chance for you boy. The very fact that 9-Thunder body managed to kickstart on its own speaks a lot about its qualities. It might be rted to the opening of acupoints and the refining of your body.¡±

    ¡°Would I help me open up all the acupoints?¡±

    ¡°That is the mystery you need to solve by practicing it to perfection. The very ability to connect to a heavenlyw is a blurred stage. You could take the example of those who managed to reach the Heavenlyw stage without even practicing body cultivation. The Crimson Lords are an example of it.¡±

    ¡°I feel that their cultivation must have resulted in the automatic opening of their body cultivation realms. They might not have experienced a unique phenomenon like me, but they must have undergone these changes while preparing for break-through.¡±

    The Keeper couldn¡¯t help but specte. It might be a valid point. The Crimson Lords were famous for being able to connect with elemental Heavenlyws, some even managing to have multiple within his body.

    ¡°If the theory is correct, then the 9-Thunder body must be able to open up some of the Thunder elemental acupoints within your body. This should be enough for you to connect with a Heavenly Law.¡±

    ¡°The Girl in front is quite mysterious too.¡±

    ¡°Is there something special about the art she is practicing? The figure behind her does feel powerful.¡±

    .....

    ¡°There are multiple specialities within her body. The art she is practicing is of a much higher grade than the 9-Thunder body. It should be a body refining art on simr standings with the so-called Thunder-god body.¡±

    ¡°Thunder-god body is said to be the core refining art of the academy. Although the art feels special, it shouldn¡¯t be as powerful.¡±

    ¡°That might be the case, but it doesn¡¯t harm to be a bit cautious. As of now, if youpeted with her, the oue of a frontal confrontation of the body is undecided. Although your body cultivation has reached near the peak of what one can achieve, there are some arts which couldpensate for that while at lower levels.¡±

    ¡°I am not worried about thest round. There are too many hidden cards up my sleeve to be worried. Although this art is quite powerful, I possess at least three arts which could easily decimate her defences.¡±

    ¡°You need to behave with more humility. The number of geniuses around the world is scary. You are not the only one who has decided to walk the dual path of body and QI cultivation. Many people try tobine multiple arts into one. There are even those who practice multiple cultivation arts at the same time.¡±

    Long Tao didn¡¯t expect the Keeper to be so serious. It seems that his unting attitude has made the Keeper a bit apprehensive.

    ¡°I don¡¯t call myself the very top of Heaven. But I do believe that in the realm of my cultivation, I am invincible.¡± This wasn¡¯t arrogance, but rather confidence gained from hard work and perseverance.

    ¡°You will be confronting the girl in the uingpetition. Let¡¯s hope you cane out on top. Even without her at, she would still prove to be a difficult opponent.¡±

    ¡°Is it rted to the Qi she has cultivated?¡±

    ¡°It is rted to her body. She possesses a body which is on simr grounds to Su Menqi. I couldn¡¯t categorize it with certainty, but it has awakened.¡±

    It was Long Tao¡¯s first experience while confronting someone who has a high-grade body type like Su Menqi.

    ....................

    ¡°Both of these younglings are pure monsters. One of them is trying to practice the9-Thunder body to consummate level while the other one is cultivation Lightning devil art.¡±

    ¡°The confrontation in the final round is going to be thrilling.¡±

    ¡°The Chu girl is sure to seed in her venture. I can¡¯t say the same things for the brat. The 9-Thunder body is not that easy toplete while in Qi General level. This might be hisst chance at trying to achieve that. If he fails, he wouldn¡¯t get enough time before break-through.¡±

    ¡°The wastnd is not dead yet, managing to birth a talent like him.¡± Many of the elders sighed. Just how high could his achievements be if he belonged to one of the top-ranking Thunder-god halls?

    ¡°He is destined to fail.¡± One of the elders spoke up.

    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±

    ¡°The diagram being projected is an indication of the consummate level. I hope fellow Daoists can easily feel the amount of instability it is carrying.¡± It was the leader of the third Thunder-god hall.

    ¡°Although the diagram is shaky, it is still present. Only time will tell.¡± The elder in charge spoke up.

    ¡°What about the Chu girl? How did she get her hands on the Lightning-devil arts?¡± Many of the elders wanted to solve this mystery.

    ¡°It is spected that one of the core elders has some karma with her ancestor, and presented some of the beginning parts of Lightning-devil arts to her. The core elder might also be trying to rope her into his camp.¡±

    This is huge news for the masses here. A core elder was going to ept a new disciple. It was huge news for the world.

    The figure was slowly forming, from the first line, to second, third and finally eight. The ninth line was slowly growing from that point. The whole stadium went silent, watching the two figures slowly materializing.

    The elder in charge was concentrating on Li meng, hoping that he would be able to reach the consummate level.

    ...................

    The rotation was reaching its final stages. Li Meng¡¯s internal QI veins had gone through multiple cracks and rebuilds. Blood was dripping from the corner of his mouth. He bit his lips multiple times just to keep his consciousness stable.

    When the rotation was in its final stage, the Qi vein finally busted, forcing Li Meng to cough out blood, but he managed to sustain the pain and use the energy contained within all his acupoints to support the damaged veins.

    ¡°No need to force yourself.¡± The elder in charge advised. He didn¡¯t want a talent like Li Meng to fall here.

    Li meng was immersed in his own world, forgetting about the people around him. He was finally about to reach the consummate level. On the other hand, the devil figure finally materialized. It opened its eyes and lightning started to radiate all around.

    A huge amount of lightning rushed out of its body, signifying itspletion. When the berserk energy was rushing towards Li Meng, the audience couldn¡¯t help but suck in a cold breath.

    ¡°The boy¡¯s life is in danger.¡± One of the elders spoke up.

    ¡°We can¡¯t interfere with their battle.¡± The elder in charge spoke up.

    The energy was about to hit Li Meng when the figure behind it finally materialized and radiated immense energy. Thunder energy was directly devoured by the wheel and integrated within Li Meng¡¯s body.

    Two huge figures were facing each other. ¡°Nine Thunder facing the Lightning devil.¡±

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 Chapter 239

    239 THE OUTCOME

    Li Meng was undergoing a drastic transformation. The automatic rotation was not only making and breaking his meridians, but a unique feeling was slowly spreading throughout his body. He felt the thunder energy spreading and getting collected into small points throughout his body.

    ¡°These are the thunder element acupoints.¡± Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but get shocked. It was undoubtedly the acupoints of the human body. Although they haven¡¯t yet opened, the thunder energy was slowly gathering in these locations.

    The altar was raising difficulty at a mad rate and the thunder energy being produced now was quite dangerous. It wasn¡¯t something which a normal QI general level cultivator could possibly bear. The two figures were seated, absorbing and refining the energy.

    ¡°The Academy is going to gain two monsters this year. Although the Chu girl is already taken, we can still negotiate the affairs of LI Meng.¡±

    ¡°Have the elders of my fractione down to see this boy. He is sure to connect a heavenlyw now that he haspleted the 9-Thunder body art.¡±

    ¡°If he could connect to a heavenlyw, he doesn¡¯t even need to take this test. He will be promoted to a core disciple. The allure of heavenlyw is too great to miss.¡±

    ¡°How could he belong to that wastnd region?¡± Many of the top-ranking halls couldn¡¯t believe this fact. They never expected such a character toe up from the wastnd.

    ¡°The matter to concentrate on is whether or not he could defeat the Chu girl.¡±

    ¡°It is impossible to defeat her. The Lightning devil art is a scripture which isparable to the Thunder-gods body. The 9-Thunder body is just a requirement to practice it. How could the two of thempare with each other.¡± One of the elders spoke up.

    .....

    The elder in charge remained silent, didn¡¯t confirm or deny the situation.

    ¡°I have heard a strange rumour within the academy. It is said that the Lightning Devil art was something which was created by a practitioner who wanted to reach the peak of Thunder-God¡¯s body. It was said that Thunder-god¡¯s body has birth this Lightning devil art. The cultivator who created it was a peerless genius of the Academy, and couldn¡¯t ept the fact that he didn¡¯t reach the peak level for Thunder-God¡¯s body.¡±

    ¡°Theparison of Lightning Devil and Thunder-gods body is said to have originated because of him. During hisst year, it was he who dered that the Lightning Devil art wasparable to Thunder-god¡¯s body. Since no one other than him ever reached that cultivation level in the Thunder-god¡¯s body, they weren¡¯t able to confirm the truth.¡±

    ¡°Can the elder solve our dilemma?¡± One of the elders turned towards the one in-charge.

    ¡°Only those above the advanced Qi King could begin to practice the Thunder-god¡¯s body. You are free to make your own conclusions.¡± Anyone could guess that the Thunder-god¡¯s body was ranked higher.

    ....................

    Thunder energy was madly coagting within various points of his body. This was way different than any other skill he had ever practiced. Be it Weapon Tempering art or the exercise given to him by the Pill-sword saint, both had a step-by-step approach to open up meridians.

    The 9-Thunder body on the other hand was coagting thunder energy into multiple acupoints at the same time. Although the number of acupoints it coagted was not too high, it was around 20 or so.

    ¡°This must be the reason why the practitioner was able to connect with a heavenly Thunderw after practicing this art to the peak. It opened so many thunder elements within the body.¡±

    ¡°It must be the exnation. Although this could help you connect with Heavenlyw, it is still not enough for Chaosw. You need to open all the thunder acupoints. Once the acupoint sins your opens, begin practicing the exercise given by the ancestor.¡±

    Li Meng continued to absorb an insane amount of thunder energy from the surrounding area. When the eighth incense stick finally ended, a loud bang urred within his body, and all the Thunder energy within the surrounding area was absorbed by him.

    Even the girl sitting in front was forced to open her eyes due to his phenomena. She couldn¡¯t help but look at Li Meng with amazement. He must have undergone some kind of break-through.

    ...............

    Inside Li Meng¡¯s body, all 20 of the acupoints were open. An ethereal feeling rushed through his body. This was the first time he experienced the opening of these many acupoints at the same time.

    He was about to continue his cultivation when a voice sounded.

    ¡°I congratte fellow brother for the break-through.¡±

    He opened his eyes, to find a girl talking to him. She was shrouded in thunder energy. Although her face was covered in a veil, Li Meng could easily estimate her beauty.

    ¡°I thank miss for thepliment.¡±

    ¡°You and I are the only participants remaining on the altar of punishment. Would my brother mind giving me the first position to me?¡±

    ¡°What benefit could that bring me?¡± Li Meng asked in a smug tone. Just who was this girl to ask him to step down and miss such an opportunity.

    ¡°From the look of the figure behind you, it must be the 9-Thunder body art. I congratte you for having cultivated it to a consummate level before stepping into the King realm. You have already proved your talent. I have a need to obtain first ce.¡±

    ¡°I too don¡¯t want to miss such a good opportunity to cultivate thunder energy. If you manage tost until I am satisfied with cultivating in here, you can naturally win the first prize.¡±

    The girl¡¯s eyes grew cold. She was never treated this way by anyone of her generation. She was a fairy who possessed monstrous talent in martial arts and was already epted as the disciple of a core elder. Just who was this boy?

    ¡°Does brother want to have apetition with me? From here on the thunder energy would increase in a vicious manner. We wouldn¡¯t be able to cultivate with it any longer. It will be a matter of perseverance and stamina from here on.¡±

    ¡°That may be the case for you, but I am different.¡± Li Meng¡¯s smile was followed by the influx of a dangerous amount of thunder energy into the altar.

    The girl instantly closed her eyes and concentrated on guarding against the energy. LI Meng on the other hand, was still absorbing the energy.

    ......................

    Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°You should begin absorbing the thunder energy. I believe that it is helpful to you.¡±

    ¡°Although the thunder energy is quite a high grade, it still hasn¡¯t reached the level which should be umted by me. You should just concentrate on cultivating thunder acupoints. It will help in controlling the intensity of the energy. Let¡¯s see how long you are able to bear it.¡±

    Li Meng instantly began rotating the thunder energy ording to the exercise of Pill-sword saint and opened thunder element acupoints, one after the other.

    ...........................

    ¡°These two arepeting with each other. Let¡¯s see whosts longer. It¡¯s a battle of stamina as of now.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that to be the case. Look at the boy.¡± When the elders say what Li meng was doing they couldn¡¯t help but be surprised.

    ¡°He is trying to cultivate with the thunder energy. Quite a gutsy fellow. I hope he can still have a grab on his life at the end of the process.¡±

    The elder in charge instantly signalled the medic team to be prepared in case Li Meng was thrown out.

    Another incense stickter-

    The girl could no longer handle the thunder energy. The devil figure behind her was already covering her whole body, trying to guard against the thunder energy. Multiple cracks were visible on its body.

    After a final upgrade in difficulty, the thunder figure sted through and the girl was thrown out of the altar. Her eyes were filled with resistance, but she couldn¡¯t do anything.

    All the elders were shocked after seeing the oue of this match. Li Meng stood at the peak of all the participants, being able to sustain in the altar for nine incense sticks and still going.

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 Chapter 240

    240 A LEGEND

    The thunder energy was violently seeping into Li Meng¡¯s body. The energy was flowing into the 21st acupoint. The blockage was slowly opening up. Li Meng¡¯s acupoint slowly opened up. He was positive about being able to open all the thunder element acupoint with the thunder energy here.

    ¡°What is he trying to do?¡±

    ¡°From what I can estimate, 9-Thunder body consummation did bring some qualitative change in his body. Although many people have forgotten that art, it is said to have great benefits uponpletion.¡±

    ¡°Is there anyone who practised the 9-Thunder body topletion within the academy?¡±

    ¡°There are multiple figures who havepleted it to consummation over the years. The prime examples are the current Thunder child and the dean.¡±

    The elders present were shocked upon hearing this fact. The dean of Thunder academy had practised this art to consummation. Just what sort of secret did it hold.

    The tenth incense stick soon passed away. This was a record ever held within the entrance test.

    .......................

    Somewhere within the lightning mountain-

    .....

    ¡°This brat is quite talented. He was able to cultivate 9-Thunder body art to it speak while being in Qi general level.¡±

    ¡°Practicing the art is no big deal. The real question is how long he could stay within the altar.¡±

    ¡°How long did that bastard record before breaking through the Qi King level?¡±

    ¡°14 incense stick. It was said that he was assimting and absorbing energy till the twelfth stick. Technically he had to resist the thunder energy for only two sticks.¡±

    ¡°This boy is showing simr signs. What is your estimate over his performance?¡±

    ¡°13 incense sticks at most.¡±

    ¡°That is a talent worth reporting. Should we get master to adopt him as a student?¡±

    ¡°We will wait till he surpasses the 12th stick. If he couldn¡¯t do that, he is not eligible to be our junior brother.¡±

    ¡°That is some harsh criterion right there. You and I hold the 2nd and third record of 13 and 12.5. Can¡¯t we just be a littlex with him?¡±

    ¡°That event is drawing near and would result in the choice of who will be the next inheritor of our academy. Although the master holds the position as of now, he has to retire sometimeter and hand it over to the next generation. Both of us know the ambition of grand elder.¡±

    ¡°I do agree with this theory, but the post 12 category is the domain of crazy. No matter how many tricks and achievements I get to my name, I have to agree that the thunder child is a demon incarnate.¡±

    ¡°When you want to hunt down a demon, you need the devil on your side. Let¡¯s hope we can get our hands on one here. He needs to surpass the thunder child if he wants to be valued by us.¡±

    ......................

    Li Meng didn¡¯t know about the various eyes on his being. He was just concentrating on absorbing more and more energy and opening acupoints. Although he had the artefact and could ask for its help, there were too many emperor level practitioners here. They could sense the artefact¡¯s aura.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take any kind of action unless you are sure about not being recognized by anyone.¡±

    ¡°I need the thunder energy to be incredibly berserk to satisfy that condition. I wouldn¡¯t be able to help you until that happens. You can only depend on yourself.¡±

    ¡°What if I do reach that stage?¡±

    ¡°I guess I will help you open up all the acupoints in your body.¡±

    Li Meng persisted. The tenth incense stick soon stopped burning. The eleventh went out too.

    ¡°Just a little more and I could ask the master to watch this event.¡±

    Li Meng¡¯s body was going through heaven-defying changes at the moment. He has already managed to open up 10 acupoints with the help of thunder energy. An even more surprising fact was the continuous increase in the intensity of thunder energy.

    ¡°At this rate, I might be able to open up all the acupoints.¡±

    ......................

    The incense sticks finally burned out and the two men were having a satisfied expression.

    ¡°Can I call master now?¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and do it. He deserves an overview by the master.¡±

    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± An old voice sounded behind them. Both figures instantly jumped up. An old yet powerful figure was standing within the air.

    ¡°We greet the master. We wanted to ask you to have a look at this boy. He is quite talented.¡±

    ¡°I am keeping an eye on him since the beginning of thepetition.¡±

    ¡°Does he qualify to gainprehension under your guidance?¡±

    ¡°I would take him in as a disciple if he could surpass the record on this altar.¡±

    ¡°Is master referring to the record of the 14-incense stick held by thunder child?¡±

    ¡°I am referring to the record held by the most powerful figure ever to emerge out of our academy.¡± The old man said with a light expression.

    ¡°How high is the record?¡± The two men couldn¡¯t help but be interested.

    ¡°The theory behind the thunder altar isn¡¯t understood by your people. It was created to help the students in cultivation. Rather than trying to resist the energy, it was created to help the students absorb and refine their bodies with. None of you people have managed to understand it even now.¡±

    ¡°The altar was designed to help open a special trait within a practitioner¡¯s body to help him in his body cultivation. That trait is the baseline for being able to connect with a top-grade heavenlyw.¡±

    ¡°Is master referring to the special points which opened after we reached the consummate level?¡± The old man smiled upon hearing this. The two men couldn¡¯t help but be surprised on hearing this.

    ¡°The boy in front understands the theory perfectly and is doing just that. The only question is, will he be able tost till the end?¡±

    ¡°What is the record?¡±

    ¡°17 incense sticks.¡±

    ..................

    Li Meng continued to open more and more acupoints, but he had toe to a stop after the 13th incense stick finally went out. The opening of acupoints was a tedious process and he had to do a lot of damage every time he opened one.

    The damage this time was quiterge and he had to halt and heal his body to continue further. The thunder energy was bing more and more rampant as time went by. What surprised the viewers was the fact that Li Meng shifted to resisting the energy.

    ¡°Was I wrong?¡± The old man beside the two young men spoke up.

    LI Meng started healing his body while using his body to resist the thunder energy. Just half an incense stickter, his body was already riddled with scars. The thunder energy was too rampant.

    The only good oue was Li Meng¡¯s sess in healing some of the injuries. He once again started to infuse the energy and open up more acupoints. Opening up acupoints was a very lengthy process, but the berserk and powerful thunder energy made it easier to open them up.

    The 14th incense stick soon passed by and so did the 15th. Li meng had already surpassed the previous record held by the Thunder child. He currently stands at 40 open acupoints. He finally felt that the energy was too much for him to handle on top of the injury he got.

    ¡°Are you still not able to help me?¡±

    ¡°A little bit more and I woulde into y.¡± Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but curse out loud as he clenched his teeth and continued the opening of his elemental acupoints.

    The sixteenth incense stick was about to pass when Li Meng finally couldn¡¯t bear the energy. He couldn¡¯t even remember the number of times his Qi veins have ruptured and healed back. His whole body was now being tempered by the lightning energy. What scared him was the increase in intensity. If he didn¡¯t get the time to heal, his body would rupture and burst.

    ¡°A little more boy.¡±

    Li Meng¡¯s Qi veins were slowly cracking up, and multiple tears could be seen on his body. His skin was near charred, a ckyer all over it. Blood was dripping from his orifices and his vision was getting blurry. Pitiful screams rang throughout the altar.

    ¡°Prepare ahead medic immediately. We can¡¯t let a genius like him fall in here.¡± The elder in chargemanded.

    Li Meng was just about to lose consciousness when a gust of energy began to flow within his body. It healed his damaged meridians and repaired all his internal injuries.

    ¡°Just in time boy. This is all I can do for you. Any more interference than this and I will be sensed by the powerful cultivators controlling this artefact.¡±

    Li Meng once again followed through with the procedure and opened up more and more acupoints. His body was charred ck, with his shiny bones showing up.

    The seventeenth incense stick finally went out and the next one began.

    ¡°What a monster?¡± The old man couldn¡¯t help but speak up. The two men beside him were looking at the altar with shock.

    A legend was made today. Li Meng was finally able to open up all the lightning element acupoints of his body.

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 Chapter 241

    241 THOUSAND LIGHTNING LAW

    Li Meng couldn¡¯t feel any more response from his body. Most of his acupoints are now open. He opened his eyes and looked at a horrifying scene around him. The whole altar was covered with thunder energy, so dense that normal eyes couldn¡¯t even peek inside of it.

    ¡°Want to experience how powerful this energy really is?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°I am experiencing energy since the beginning.¡±

    ¡°You were experiencing it until the time when I stepped out. I have been barricading a huge amount of energy to save you.¡±

    ¡°Now that I have opened all the acupoints, I am confident about being able to bear the energy.¡± The Keeper simply smiled and flicked his fingers.

    A huge wave directly hit Li Meng and sted him out of the stadium, coughing out a huge amount of blood. His eyes were filled with shock. How powerful was the energy contained within the altar?

    ¡°I hope you aren¡¯t upset.¡±

    ¡°There is nothing to be upset about. I would have time to experience this energy again, once I step into the King realm. I have achieved my objective of practicing the art to consummate level and opening up all the lighting acupoints.¡±

    .......................

    .....

    Li Meng couldn¡¯t move his body due to the heavy injury that he underwent. Medics instantly rushed to his side, feeding him a huge amount of medicine. His injuries finally showed signs of healing. All the elders were looking at the figure with shock.

    ¡°18 incense stick. What is his body type to be able to sustain for such a long time?¡±

    ¡°The upper echelon must be eyeing him now. 18 incense sticks is a legendary record that might never be broken in the future. We are seeing the birth of a hegemon.¡±

    The elder in charge looked at the altar with an apprehensive expression. Towards the end of the process, he felt a minute aura from the altar that had a unique feeling. Although it disappeared swiftly after its appearance, the aura gave out an incredible feeling.

    ¡°This brat must have a substantial background.¡± Li Meng attracted his attention. The incredible injury he sustained proved that he didn¡¯t carry any artefacts. This aura must have originated from within him.

    ¡°I need to get the master to recruit him. He is a monster for sure.¡± The elder in charge thought and sent out a messaging token.

    .................

    ¡°The brat actually managed to do it. I couldn¡¯t believe my old eyes finally got to see the birth of a character like this. He might be the one who can fulfill my long-lost wish.¡±

    ¡°Is master referring to the 1000 lightningw?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    ¡°But you said that the lost part was situated within thatnd. He doesn¡¯t have the strength to enter it yet?¡±

    ¡°I believe he will by the time it opens. The area is rumoured to be the burial site of the then sect leader. He was carrying the 1000 lightning method with him.¡±

    ¡°How could someone like that enter those grounds?¡±

    ¡°You need to be powerful enough to know the answer to this question. That ce was an ancient battleground where a terrific war took ce. The sect master along with a lot of warriors from the academy took part in it. The artefact he was carrying listed the art within it. It was lost when he died on the battlefield.¡±

    ¡°Li Meng would need to have the cultivation of Qi emperor to enter that ce. Even we are not confident enough ofing out alive from that ce and we are about to reach the initial stages of emperor level.¡±

    ¡°I believe that brat. There are certain secrets you are not qualified to know yet. On the other hand, he might be able to fulfill the mysterious theory. I am waiting to see his performance in the next stage. If he manages to impress, I will have to instantly recruit him.¡±

    ¡°Who could snatch him from your hands master?¡±

    ¡°As I said, there are many secrets you are not yet aware of. I might be holding the position I am in, but I am far from being the strongest entity within the academy. There are some old monsters whose disciples themselves are core elders of the academy.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying such entities would take action for Li Meng?¡± Both men were shocked.

    ¡°The very fact that he could sustain 18 incense sticks is quite monstrous. He now holds the record for the longest time. Although they wouldn¡¯t fight for him, they might have their disciplese forward.¡±

    ¡°We also shouldn¡¯t forget Baili Chen. He is just a little bitcking whenpared to me. There is a dog fight awaiting us.¡± The old man smiled in a lunatic manner. How long had it been since his bones felt the itch to take action?

    .........................

    ¡°I announce participant Li Meng will have won in the first round. All participants are given time to recover. Once the recovery has been confirmed by the medics, we will start the second round.¡±

    Li Meng was shifted within a tent where many medicines were being applied on his body. He was surprised by the amount of expenditure Thunder Academy was born. These herbs were healing his injuries with visible speed. Once Li Meng was able to move freely, the medic handed him a series of bottles.

    After the medics left, he was concentrating on recovering from his injuries with the Keeper¡¯s assistance.

    ¡°You are a quite talented brat.¡± Li Meng was shocked upon hearing this voice. He instantly jumped out. He couldn¡¯t even sense this man entering his tent.

    ¡°This brat is quite a talented boy, just like that girl with Ti Shen. His cultivation is quite contrasting with his age.¡± Keepermented. Li meng didn¡¯t want a description as he could sense an aura which was much higher than Qi Kings. The man was undoubtedly a Qi emperor.

    The man looked at Li meng with an amused expression. He then threw a red bottle towards Li Meng. The bottle was radiating an incredible aura.

    ¡°Use it to heal yourself boy.¡± The manughingly said.

    Li Meng epted and ingested it. To his shock, an abundant amount of Qi filled his abdomen, instantly healing all his injury. Within a matter of minutes, his body was fully healed.

    ¡°Why did you give this to me?¡±

    ¡°So that you could perform well in the nextpetition. I have a huge amount of money riding on you and I believe you are talented enough to get me a win.¡± The man said in a rxed tone.

    ¡°What if I lost?¡±

    ¡°I guess I would have to go into seclusion and get my head straight. My instinct would be proven wrong by that urrence.¡±

    Li Meng was shocked at hearing that. An emperor level cultivator was casually talking with him.

    ...........................

    ¡°Who are you sending to confront him, master?¡± The two men spoke at the same time.

    ¡°Your fourth brother.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Both of them couldn¡¯t hold their breaths.

    ¡°You send that lunatic to confront him. What if he spooks the guy?¡±

    ¡°Your fourth brother is the best option for the job. I am confident that he can win the guy into our camp. Madness is a useful characteristic sometimes.¡±

    ......................

    The second round was announced soon enough.

    ¡°I hope all of you have healed your injuries. The second round is about to begin. The top 100 participants are eligible to participate. Only the top 10 would be able to attend the next round.¡±

    The top 100 stepped forward. The elder in charge waved his hands and energy soon surrounded them. They were flown to another location, hidden from the local audience. Only top experts were allowed to view this round.

    ¡°The second round is a test which would test your speed ofprehension. Although talent is required in the martial path, without proper intelligence one couldn¡¯t walk far enough. I wish you, people, the best of luck.¡±

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 Chapter 242

    242 THE SECOND ROUND

    ¡°In front of you is one holy ground of the academy. Although you will be entering a small part of it, you have a chance to obtain something amazing. The holy ground contains a unique steele which has an amazing art etched on top of it.¡±

    ¡°You are given a total of three incense sticks toprehend whatever you can from it. You will be made to disy your understanding in front of the examiners. Those who show the best talent will be allowed to move into the next round.¡±

    The gate to the ancientnd was opened up and all the 100 participants were thrown in. Entering the area, they could see a huge piece of rock standing in the middle of thend. As the elder said, there were lines etched on the stone piece. To the surprise of all the participants, cultivation mats were arranged for them to sit on.

    ¡°These younglings are quite lucky. They get toprehend one of the many famous arts within the Thunder Academy.¡± One of the elders sighed. Even if most of the people get appointed as outer disciples, they would still have much fasterprehension rates than their peers.

    ¡°Can the elder reveal the identity of this art? Which famous art is etched on that stone?¡± One of the audience members spoke up. Many eyes turned to the elder in charge.

    ¡°You might be able to recognize the art easily. It is a handprint created by a very famous figure from my academy. It is called ¡°Strike of thunderous palms.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that one of the main arts which that person used?¡± One of the audience members showcased a shocked expression.

    ¡°I remember it too. This art was created by the same person who created Lightning devil art. This was one of the arts where hebined all his knowledge regarding thunderws and palm arts. The final formtion was the ¡°Strike of thunderous palms.¡±

    ¡°Just how many parts are revealed in here?¡±

    .....

    ¡°I have heard that art has eighteen stages until one reaches extremeprehension. I assume that the first few would be enough to test theprehension of these brats.¡±

    ¡°Just one part would be enough. It was an art formted by one of the most powerful figures who emerged out of the Thunder academy.¡±

    ¡°I concur. Some talents are participating who couldprehend the art. The girl from the Chu family even practices one of the other arts the figure created. She might even have been exposed to art before thispetition.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t forget about the winner of thest round. That kid is simply a monster. 18 incense sticks is an insane amount of time. He must be even more powerful now that he has recovered from his injuries.¡±

    ¡°The stone stele contains every single volume of that art. This was the original piece crafted by the creator of this art.¡± This very sentence brought about absolute silence throughout the stadium. The whole wall was directly presented to the younger generations. Just what sort of lunacy was this?

    ¡°The academy truly went all out during this recruitment.¡±

    ¡°What is the purpose of giving the participants such a huge opportunity?¡±

    The elder in charge chose to remain silent, not answering this question. Some secrets were too private to be disclosed.

    ....................................................................

    Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°You are quite a fortunate boy. This Steele contains the original etching by the creator.¡±

    ¡°How do you certify that? You haven¡¯t even inspected it properly.¡±

    ¡°It is validated by the aura radiating from it. When you truly reach a state where yourprehension touches the very essence of aw, there will is radiated by every single movement. The art is etched by the martial artist after he attained the very essence of the art.¡±

    ¡°The markings are quite consistent and the first andst etchings were made by the same person. It all leads to the conclusion that it was made by the creator of the arts.¡±

    ¡°You should first try to feel the aura left by that figure. Given you can discern thews which went into the creation of this art, you would be able toprehend thew real fast.¡±

    Li meng sat in the middle of the room, not too near, not too far. He closed his eyes and began feeling the aura all around him. The space was filled with a unique kind of energy.¡±

    ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel like a pure thunder energy art.¡±

    ¡°What possible energies might be mingled within it?¡± The Keeper was trying to lift Li Meng¡¯s spirits.

    ¡°I feel a ting of multiple kinds of energy. I feel fire and water, as well as earth energy from it.¡±

    ¡°Try to remember the theory of dependability I spoke about. What you initially felt might just be deception. Concentrate or you would be lost.¡±

    Li Meng tried to feel it once more. To his surprise, there was no earth energy anymore, but wind energy was a new finding. How could this be?

    He tried to concentrate on the writing. It described a set of fist movements which was soon etched in Li Meng¡¯s mind. It was one of the benefits of having such a powerful soul. Once the art was etched, he made the avatars practice it individually. When multiple avatars were trying the art simultaneously, many insights were obtained.

    Li Meng tried to use logic rather than feeling the aura from the surrounding area. His extensive experience while creating the Dominator¡¯s fist helped him a lot while deducing the various elements which went into creating this art. Not only he managed to deduce many things, but he also got many inspirations for developing the Dominator¡¯s fist.

    The Keeper couldn¡¯t help but smile at this attempt. This was a test for Li Meng to solve, but it seems that he was walking in the correct direction. He decided to let Li meng proceed in his own fashion.

    Li meng was trying to understand the possible thought which went behind the creation of this art. The swiftness might be derived from eighter of wind or lightningws, while the force could be derived from a weaponw or element like fire. After a lot of trial-and-error methods, Li Meng was finally able to group the elements to four.

    Thunder was undoubtedly the core element based on which the whole art was formed. The next element Li Meng was confident about was the fire. Although the traces were extremely faint, it was present. Li Meng was confident after practicing the area attack mentioned in the art.

    The third element was water. Although it might seem conflicting, this art didn¡¯t merge the two elements in the beginner parts, theter parts must lead to an extremelyplexw which helps in blending the two. Water was used as a medium to make the thunder energy malleable. Although the element is not directly blended, itsws are surely used.

    Thest was a force. It was the most basicw of nature and it has been profoundly utilized in this art. Li Meng couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Just the first volume contained such a high variety ofws andbinations.

    ¡°Can you see how many volumes are listed here?¡±

    ¡°A total of 18 volumes.¡± Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. 18 stages of a single art. Just the first step was this profound, what did the other step contain.

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 Chapter 243

    243 RESONANCE

    The first volume was yed again and again within his mind and the avatars were continuously practicing it. He tried to integrate his understanding of all thews he felt were relevant to the first volume of art.

    ¡°Have two of them practice the art and you should view it from the side. It is one of the benefits of practicing Origin avatar art. Your natural duction ability is enhanced to a new level.¡±

    ¡°I already have a basic ouy which could very well be the foundation of this art.¡± The Keeper inspected the ovey but refrained from speaking up.

    ¡°Why would these people allow participants at Qi general level to try andprehend an art thisplex? The creator is surely someone who is way above our level.¡±

    ¡°The test would never be based on an impossible task. What could the higher-ups possibly want to do achieve this way?¡±

    Long Tao was racking his brain again and again. Just why would such aplex art be disyed to all the participants, most of whom are only going to be outer disciples? He reyed the art again and again. He then tried to have the avatars execute the second volume.

    The second volume was much moreplex and had a variety ofws involved within it. When he tried to feel thews, a shock appeared in his eyes. Thebinations are soplex that he could feel at least tenws at work here.

    ¡°What about the third volume?¡±

    The avatars tried, but no Qi was expressed out. Long Tao couldn¡¯t feel shit. ¡°Why is it this way?¡±. No matter how many times the avatars repeated it, he couldn¡¯t feel anything.

    .....

    ¡°Is there some defect with this art?¡±

    ¡°There certainly isn¡¯t. You are just unqualified to learn it.¡± The Keeper said in a mocking tone. He was a bit irritable sometimes.

    Long Tao was in a dilemma. No matter how much he tried, the avatars couldn¡¯t even execute the art above the third volume. The first volume was still in creation, and the second one was a mysterious mixture.

    It was while practicing the third set again and again, when a sudden idea stroked Long Tao¡¯s mind.

    ...................

    ¡°The core elders must be thinking of making this test quite creative.¡± One of the elders spoke up.

    ¡°It is the decision made by the higher ups. One could only assume the idea behind this move.¡±

    ¡°Who do you people think would win thispetition?¡±

    ¡°The biggest contenders in the Chu girl of course. She is someone who practiced Lightning Devil art. That man was said to have used a particr set of arts which perfectlyplemented each other. Lightning Devil and the strikes of Thunder are both parts of that set.¡±

    ¡°I support the idea too. The Lightning devil must-have elements which help in theprehension of the art. She is sure to win.¡±

    ¡°I bet on the boy to win.¡± A young man to the side spoke up. To everyone¡¯s surprise, no one was offended by this act. It was because of the young man¡¯s strength and status within the academy.

    ¡°Why do you expect him to win?¡±

    ¡°He is the most talented one in the bunch by far. Other participants feel like insects in front of him.¡±

    An elderly member of the Chu family clenched his fist but refrained from acting. The young boy himself was enough to wipe most of their whole family.

    ¡°I hope the young master will refrain from stating uncertain facts. The boy is certainly a talent seen once in a thousand years, but this isn¡¯t a test of talent, but ratherpatibility. Our young miss is someone who has practiced Lightning Devil arts. She is sure toe on top.¡±

    ¡°Would you like to bet with me?¡± The young man asked.

    ¡°What would a young master like to bet on?¡±

    ¡°1000 high-grade lightning element stones.¡± All the people present were shocked. This was not a small amount. Middle grade elemental stones were something used by Qi emperors to cultivate with. The elder hesitated, but after sometime made up his mind.

    ¡°Deal.¡±

    ...............

    ¡°Do you know the story behind the origin of Strikes of Thunderous palms?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°Please enlighten us, master.¡± The two men bowed.

    ¡°The creator was a peerless figure within the Thunder Academy. He was said to have been a heretic in cultivation, and would often try out crazy experiments with the arts he had learnt. He is the only figure who was said to have reached the peak of Thunder-God¡¯s body except for the original creator of that art.¡±

    ¡°During his journey, he tried to merge all his knowledge from various arts, and create a new set of arts altogether. The Lightning Devil and Strikes of Thunderous Palms are a product of his efforts.¡±

    ¡°What people often assume is the fact that these arts werepatible with each other. It waster found by some high-grade cultivators that the art had no rtion altogether. It was he who made them look sopatible with each other.¡±

    ¡°The arts hold no rtion with each other.¡± The two men were shocked. The two of them were also practicing the strikes of Thunderous palms and Thunder-god body.

    ¡°He even left a written document saying that the art of Lightning devil is way inferior to the Thunder-god¡¯s body, but had a huge road of improvement ahead of it. He desired to create something which couldpete against that peerless art, but ultimately failed and died in an incident.¡±

    ¡°This art, however, has an even more grand backstory. It was the art which he invested most of his time in. The number ofws which went into the creation of this art is simply unimaginable. That figure was also peerless for another reason. He is said to have connected with all kinds of elementalws.¡±

    The two men were again shocked. ¡°But how could one possibly connect with all thews?¡±

    ¡°He managed to connect with two heavenlyws of fire and thunder, while the rest of thews were earthen level.¡±

    ¡°Theoretically, he should be able to connect with another heavenlyw if he just concentrated on that part. Why did he choose to step down for earthenws?¡±

    ¡°This art is the reason for that. Those were the requirements for the creation of this art.¡±

    ¡°But if he chose to connect with thosews for this art, then it must have been...¡± The two men were shocked.

    ¡°It was the reason behind this test. The first two volumes of ¡°strikes of Thunderous palms¡± were created when he was still in the QI general realm. That art is his most precious creation and also his strongest.¡±

    ¡°The motive behind this test is to find someonepatible enough to connect with these arts while being in the Qi general realm. It is a risky move to find an inheritor of his legacy.¡±

    ........................

    Long Tao¡¯s eyes were glistening with light after he executed another set of moves. ¡± I was right.¡±

    ¡°The third volume could only be used by someone who has stepped into the King level. That is the reason I saw no responses from it while I practiced the exercises mentioned.¡±

    ¡°What about the first two?¡± The Keeper was interested in viewing the oue of the test.

    ¡°Your earlier statement did confuse me, but after experiencing it multiple times, I am sure about it. The creator must have established these two sets while he was still in the QI general realm. It was the reason behind it having such a huge number of elemental auras mixed within it.¡±

    ¡°He took the positive portions of many different kinds of elemental arts and integrated them into this one. Every move mentioned here requires one to have a grasp on an array ofws.¡±

    ¡°You finally did it. Well done. This art feels like it was tailored for you to inherit. Go ahead with your gut feeling.¡±

    Long Tao closed his eyes and followed the set of moves. Soon enough a rhythm was set and aura began to release out. Sometimes it was calm while being violent otherwise. It was often hard but also soft sometimes. After a set of rotations, Long Tao finally experienced an epiphany.

    A bright shadow was formted within his mind, practicing this set of moves automatically. All Long Tao had to do was look at it andprehend the meaning behind it.

    The stone tablet within the room began to shake. It made the old man up the sky open his eyes suddenly.

    ¡°Somebody actually managed to resonate with it.¡±

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 Chapter 244

    244 ¡°I HOPE YOU WILL PAY ME¡±

    Li Meng was immersed withinprehension. The shadow figure was disying the art continuously, and he could verify all his movements with uracy. Slowly yet steadily, he began to repeat the art disyed. Another projection of his was created along with the shadow showcasing the arts.

    Li Meng tried to have the projection copy of the skill disyed by the shadow. Initially, there was a huge disparity between their movements, but they began to slowly sync with each other. The projection got the first movements correct, followed by the perfect execution of all the movements mentioned within the first volume. The power projected out was quite surprising.

    Just what kind of figure was this man to have created such an art? The power wasparable to the first movement of Dominator¡¯s fist which Long Ta formted.

    ¡°Although the destructiveness iscking, it is stillparable to the first movement of dominator¡¯s fist. This person should be a real talent to have developed such an art.¡±

    ¡°I told you that there isn¡¯t any deficiency of monsters in this world. You should never limit your vision to those around you. There is always someone out there who could surpass you.¡±

    ¡°I should be able to surpass this person, now that I have gained multiple insights into his art. I have some grounds where I could improve the first two volumes of Dominator¡¯s fist. I even managed to create a rough ouy for the next volume.¡±

    ¡°You are not the only one with such a lofty objective. Many martial artists try tobine all their knowledge about the arts of the past andbine them. The walk-on martial path is always aimed at the very peak. There must be someone else who hasprehended this art and tried to develop upon it.¡±

    ¡°My arts are not something which can bepared by anyone else. White Dragon emperors, the royal family, all the sects, and even this art make up just the base upon which I develop the art. I am sure about its absolute power.¡±

    ¡°I hope you can maintain this confidence when you face a true genius in the future.¡±

    .....

    Li Meng ignored the Keeper for the moment and re-immersed himself in theprehension of the art. Once the projection was able to perfectly copy the first volume, a strange change took ce. A set of arts got imprinted in his mind. Not just the first volume, but even the second to the seventh volume were imprinted within his mind as of now.

    ¡°This must be the reward for being able toprehend the first volume.¡±

    He never expected this stone to be an inheritance left by the peerless figure who created it. Just theprehension of the first volume was enough to give him 7 consecutive volumes. What if he managed toprehend the second one?

    ...................................

    ¡°What is resonance?¡± Earlier the old man referred this term to the sudden sparkle which emerged from the stone stele.

    ¡°To bring out an artist¡¯s true potential, there are multiple requirements to be fulfilled by the cultivator practicing it. Not only do they need to have proper qualifications, but simr body types andw domains too. It is the reason that the same art behaves differently in the hands of different people.¡±

    ¡°Compatibility ys a big role in the expected output from the execution of a particr art. It is the reason that ancient inheritances can only be imed by a fated person. It is not because of talent, but ratherpatibility with the art to be passed on.¡±

    ¡°Resonance is a phenomenon which urs only when someone extremelypatible with a particr art tries toprehend it. An art as powerful as the Strikes of Thunderous Palms carries the will of its creator. When someone who is absolutelypatible with it appears, the creators will pass on the art to him/her, by a special method.¡±

    ¡°Is the master talking about the projection?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The will formtes into a projection of the figure who created the art. It then disys the art directly to the practitioner. If someone who doesn¡¯t have perfectpatibility tries to achieve that state, it takes a lot of time and work.¡±

    ¡°Is master suggesting that someonepatible with the art has appeared?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The stone stele created by that man is quite remarkable. Its secrets are still a mystery to us. Some people say that he has left his inheritance within the stone itself. From what we have discovered, the inheritance could only be obtained by someone who is in the Qi general realm.¡±

    ¡°Another mystery is the amount ofprehension one can achieve while practicing this art. Thunder Child was the only one who was ever able toprehend the first volume while being in the Qi general realm. Even then he said that it was not theplete inheritance.¡±

    ¡°Unknown to many people, this art is the life art of that figure. This was something he created and honed his whole life, pouring all his martialprehension into. The major reason why this stone is considered as an inheritance, even after the art being scripted on a manual is because of the foundations it requires.¡±

    ¡°During a secret meeting called to discuss the secrets of this art, Thunder child revealed something. He said that this art requires practitioners to have proficiency in multiple types of domains. If someone is not able to connect with all thews required for the execution of this art, they would be able to disy it.¡±

    ¡°It is one of the reasons this art has be a major reference art for the academy students and teachers, rather than bing a core attack art.¡±

    ¡°Thunder Child said that he only managed to connect with the first volume, and hence felt only the first set ofws required to practice this art. As per the second volume, it should contain the list of the rest of thews. He managed to connect with the mentionedws and some additionalws ording to hisprehension. He is one of the people who is practicing the Strike of Thunderous palm as their core attack art.¡±

    ¡°He said that inheritance can truly be achieved only when someone canprehend the two volumes while being in the Qi general realm.¡±

    The two men were shocked again. The tremor earlier meant that someone must have obtained resonance with the first volume. Was another thunder child going to emerge from this group?

    The old man was looking expectantly towards the group of youngsters below.

    ..............................................

    ¡°Someone actually obtained resonance with the stone stele.¡± The elder in charge spoke up.

    ¡°It must be the young miss of our n. She is the only one who couldprehend the art within the given time.¡± The old elder from the Chu family spoke up while looking at the young man beside him.

    The young man showed no expression of difort. He simply stared at the group sitting below. He tried to feel the aura and a smile emerged on his face. He then turned his head around. With a smiling face he said:

    ¡°I hope you will pay me.¡± The elder of the Chu family couldn¡¯t help but be agitated from such a reaction.

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 Chapter 245

    245 THE LEGACY OF MAD KING

    Li Mengprehended the first volume. After multiple repeats, he finally managed to touch the essence of it. Just how incredible was the man who formted an art like this. The main reason for Li Meng¡¯s awe was thews which went into the building of this art.

    The Dominator¡¯s fist was an art which not only contained the essence of elementalws but even included the secret of Ying-yang and Taoism in it. There was even the inclusion of fist and weapon intent within the attack, which made it such a dangerous, yet effective attack. The major reason behind Li Meng¡¯s choice of using it as ast resort is the fact that he couldn¡¯t bear the burden whiches with the execution of said art.

    The Strikes of Thunderous palm on the other hand was an incredible creation. The figure who created it managed to hone it to such an incredible level that, the burden over the body is massively reduced. The destructive impact on the other hand is stillparable to the Dominator¡¯s fist.

    ¡°It could only mean that I haveprehended the perfect blend yet. The art can further be polished to perfection. From what I can derive, both its smoothness and impact can go through a massive increase.¡±

    ¡°You shouldprehend this art and infuse its qualities into the Dominator¡¯s fist. This art can act as a guideline for you to develop your art on and can also act as a whetstone against which you can polish the Dominator¡¯s fist.¡±

    Li Meng nodded in agreement. There was too little time, and there was another volume which he could make sense of. Li Meng wanted to gain the top rank within thispetition and hence beganprehending the second volume.

    The initialws were the foundation on which the second volume was based. In addition to thosews, Li Meng could faintly feel the presence of intent.

    ¡°Just what kind of intent was used to create the second volume?¡±

    ¡°Palm and fist intent is the top choice when making an art like this.¡± The Keeper spoke.

    .....

    ¡°Although they are the best choice, I could feel the power output to be unconventional. Palm and Fist intent is the basis for this attack since it is a palm art, but the power output can¡¯t be achieved from just the two of them. There must be something else in y here.¡±

    ¡°Try it out with the various intents you have managed toprehend.¡± Li meng followed the Keeper¡¯s advice and began to experiment with all kinds of intent. He had managed to gainprehension in sword, sabre, spear, hammer and many more types of weapons. After all the various specimens were executed, Li meng eyes were filled with shock.

    ¡°Did you find anything?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°The art infuses weapon intent for sure. What surprised me was the number of intents in the second volume. It is no less than two. The creator of this art is sure to haveprehended weapon intent to level 3 just like me.¡±

    ¡°Could you feel the possiblebinations?¡±

    ¡°That is the part which hinders my path. I tried a simr experiment while creating the Dominators¡¯ Fist. To my surprise, I found that multiplebinations could act in the same manner. Thebination of spear and hammer intent is quite simr to that of sword intent. I need more time to experiment with the various possibilities.¡±

    ¡°Do you understand the major problem with the infusion of weapon intents in body arts?¡±

    ¡°The possible inability of the body to bear the burden of it flowing through its vein. It is the factor which forces me to use the Dominator¡¯s fist as thest resort.¡±

    ¡°What could be done to ovee such difficulty?¡± The Keeper asked.

    Li Meng thought for a moment and a sudden idea came to his mind.¡± Body cultivation.¡± He spoke these two words.

    ¡°Exactly. The motive of any attack art is to be destructive. If apromise is to be done, it shouldn¡¯t be in the domain of impact, but rather in the executor¡¯s body. You need to undergo extreme refining of the body to control such an art.¡±

    ¡°If I had known which body refining art he practiced, I might be able to understand the theory behind the second volume.¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t have that opportunity as of now. You should just take your own body as a guideline and try to create a blend which will not be a burden for you.¡±

    ¡°But he might also be able to have a body like me?¡±

    ¡°That is quite unlikely. The reason I am confident in this section is because of the series of stages you have undergone. You are someone who is aiming to connect with Chaotic Laws. The creator of this art is at most someone who connects with multiple Heavenlyws. ¡±

    ¡°Is it something you say with certainty, or just a hoax to promote my confidence?¡± The Keeper chose not to answer Li Meng¡¯s question.

    Li Meng didn¡¯t dwell on the matter any longer and decided to try out this theory. All the avatars avable began to execute the same set of art but with a different blend ofws and intents. When the execution was finallyplete, most of the avatars were sweating up, except for two.

    ¡°Sword and fist and the other set include spear, hammer and fist.¡± When the avatars managed to heal themselves up, Li Meng asked three of them to try the first set, while another two practiced the second set.

    The process continued.

    ¡°You have half an incense stick remaining before the time runs out.¡± The keeper reminded. Li Meng ignored him and continued his experimentation.

    Another hour within the Crimson Lord world-

    Li Meng finally came to his senses, with a smile over his face. ¡°Found it.¡±

    ¡°It is the infusion of a sword and hammer along with the fist. I initially thought of the spear, but the fluidity of the art went against that theory.¡± The Keeper was satisfied with the reply.

    Li meng closed his eyes and began executing the art again and again in his mind. When the final execution wasplete, a scene repeated itself. Another glowing figure came into Li Meng¡¯s mind.

    ......................

    The stone stele shined with bright light.

    Every observer was shocked on seeing this scene. The elder in charge gulped a mouthful of cold air. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes, and all his hair was standing straight with excitement.

    ¡°Someone actually managed to obtain it.¡± The old man spoke up. The two men beside him were surprised to hear these words. They could see the brilliant glow of the stone stele.

    ¡°Is it Li Meng?¡±

    ¡°If that brat managed to pull this off, I am abducting him after the end of thispetition. No one can take him away from me.¡± There was a hint of madness within his eyes.

    ......................

    The figures continued to showcase a set of moves and Li Meng¡¯s projection was simply copying it. As time went by, the moves were getting more and more synced. It continued until the projection was finally resonating with the figure.

    The figure stopped moving and looked at Li Meng¡¯s projection. It then raised its hand and attacked the figure. Li Meng responded with a simr attack. Both fists collided and the figures backed off. It was a tie. The figure rushed towards the projection once again.

    The bout repeated itself, but there were no certain oues. What remained consistent was the amount of energy that went into each attack.

    ¡°If that is the case, why don¡¯t I give you a surprise?¡±

    Li Meng utilized the most powerful blend which he experimented with. The glowing figure was instantly crushed to the ground. It then burst out and the scene changed.

    ................................

    Li Meng was transported into another world. He stood alone within a huge space, with a stone stele in the middle of it. Li Meng approached it and found something written in bold letters.

    ¡°MAD THUNDER KING¡±. This was the inheritance left by the creator of this peerless art.

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 Chapter 246

    246 MAD KING¡¯S WISH

    The stone stele was a majestic monument which stood alone in this space. The aura radiated from it managed to awe Li Meng. He couldn¡¯t help but get shocked by its power and was attracted to go near and inspect it. Li Meng took heavy footsteps until he finally stood before the stone stele.

    ¡°Just who was the creator of this art?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but talk to himself.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember what I am being remembered in the current world.¡± A voice spoke up. Due to his prior experiences, Li meng wasn¡¯t surprised. He simply nodded and started to inspect his surroundings.

    ¡°You are quite calm for someone who has managed to step into this ce. It seems like your luck is pretty good. I could see faint lines of some powerful fate on your body. This shouldn¡¯t be the first time you have managed to score a major inheritance is it, boy.¡±

    Li Meng was surprised to hear these words. The line of fate this voice was referring to must be the Pill-sword saint¡¯s inheritance. Even though it was Lu Ming who got the inheritance, the voice here managed to feel it. Just what sort of phenomenon was this?

    ¡°I did get the fortune to inherit a powerful figure¡¯s inheritance.¡±

    ¡°Can I know which figure it was?¡±

    ¡°The elder was called Pill-Sword saint.¡± Li meng didn¡¯t hide the secret.

    ¡°I guess that old man finally managed to gain a worthy disciple.¡± The voice said in a satisfied tone.

    .....

    ¡°Does senior know the Pill-sword saint?¡±

    ¡°He was a hegemonic figure when I was at my peak. The name of the sword-bearing alchemist wreaked havoc in the whole world. I didn¡¯t have the fortune to ever confront him in a fight, but the famed must be based on some amount of truth.¡±

    ¡°He must have a lot of criteria while epting a disciple. You certainly qualify to bear such a huge fortune.¡±

    ¡°I thank the senior for his kind words. This junior expects to know your identity.¡±

    ¡°As I said, I don¡¯t remember what they refer to me in today¡¯s world, but at my peak, I was called the MAD THUNDER KING. My identity doesn¡¯t hold relevance in this world anymore. Since you managed to pass my test and set foot in this space, I would deliver the fruits ofbour to you.¡±

    ¡°This world was created within the stone disyed outside, to hold a piece of my inheritance. The stele you see here contains the core arts which I formted and developed on for my whole life. Before my disappearance, I managed to create 18 volumes, all of which could be passed on to you.¡±

    Li Meng looked at the stone stele with expectant eyes.

    ¡°No need to get agitated for something which is yet to arrive within your hands. Before deciding whether or not to pass this art to you, I would like to ask something.¡±

    ¡°Please do so, senior.¡± Li Meng said in a respectful tone.

    ¡°What is the motive behind your martial path?¡± The question was something which had a clouded set of answers for most of the martial artists. The voice thought of giving some time to Li Meng but was surprised.

    ¡°To Dominate the Heavens themselves.¡± Li Meng answered without any hesitation. The voice was surprised for some time.

    ¡°Your emotion doesn¡¯t waiver from your words. I am impressed. There is someone who is trying to overturn the heavens himself.¡± The voiceughed for a moment and then continued. ¡°The art mentioned could very well lead you to that point.¡±

    ¡°Sorry to inform the senior, but this wouldn¡¯t be the core art of my choice. I want to create my path to hegemony based on the art of my own creation.¡±

    The voice remained silent for some time. ¡°Is art as powerful as the first two volumes of my art?¡±

    ¡°I would like the senior to judge that¡±

    ¡°Go ahead. Show me what you managed to create.¡± Li Meng shook his body and warmed up his body for some time. He wanted to showcase the most powerful version of Dominator¡¯s fist. He then went ahead and showcased it.

    For the whole duration, the stone stele kept quiet and analyzed.

    ¡°I have tomend your creation. I never expected someone to be able to integrate these manyws into a single art. How many intents did you manage toprehend?¡±

    ¡°I haveprehended sword, Spear, Hammer, Bow, shield, palm and fist intents.¡± The voice was speechless. Is there any kind of intent remaining that he needs toprehend?

    ¡°How did you manage to do that? Your bone age is only in mid-twenties. The only exnation is another bout of good fortune. I guess the other line of fate is connected to that thing.¡±

    Li Meng kept his silence. He couldn¡¯t reveal the secret of Crimson Lord¡¯s world. It was too big of a secret to be shared with someone.

    ¡°I guess you have your own reason. I wouldn¡¯t try to pry any further. You are the only one since the time I set up this stele to walk the correct path. You were destined to get the whole art the moment you stepped in here.¡±

    ¡°There were others who came before me.¡±

    ¡°There is nock of heaven-defying talent in this world. What this worldcks is proper wisdom to walk the correct path. You, of all people, possess that. The very art you managed to create showcases it. This was thest test I designed for my inheritor. The lure of this art is quite massive. Every single word I say is true. This world could truly lead you to be invincible in this world¡±

    ¡°There is always someone above the heavens.¡±

    ¡°I have already surpassed the heavens; hence I am confident in my words.¡± Li Meng couldn¡¯t understand the voice¡¯s words. Surpassed the heavens. What did that mean?

    ¡°Could senior rify a doubt of mine?¡±

    ¡°Something could only beprehended when you are strong enough. If one day you can step into the peak step within this world, you will understand what I mean.¡±

    ¡°I only have a single wish for you to fulfil. I want you to develop this art to the very peak of its form. During my time in the world, I failed to achieve it. I want you to morph it into a new art and leave it into this world for future generations.¡±

    Li Meng nodded in agreement. He was going to infuse the understanding from Strike of Thunderous palms into the Dominator¡¯s fist.

    ¡°I will start transmitting the art now.¡±

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 Chapter 247

    247 THE WINNER

    The art was slowly being transmitted into Li Meng¡¯s mind. All 18 volumes were slowly being passed to him. Once the whole art was imprinted in his mind, Li Meng opened his eyes.

    ¡°The whole 18 volumes have been passed down to you. If you someday managed to rise through the Heavens ande out on the other side, I wish we could meet with each other. I would love topare my art with the art you would have formted at that stage.¡±

    Everything that the voice was referring to managed to cause shock within Li Meng¡¯s eyes. After the whole art was transmitted into Li Meng¡¯s mind, a ball light emerged out of the stone. It then rapidly moved towards Li Meng¡¯s body and prated it.

    ¡°If you are ever able to step into the Saint realm, this ball of light will help you in forging the path ahead. I hope you will survive long enough to experience this fortune.¡±

    ¡°Is master alive or dead?¡±

    ¡°Even I am not certain about that. All I can confirm is the section you are talking with is just a remnant will I left behind in this world. I hope you could develop my art to an absolutely new height and achieve your dream to be a dominator of this world.¡±

    ¡°I will give it my all. I hope ancestor is safe wherever he is now.¡±

    ¡°I would also like to inform you of the fact that some of the fate lines around you are acting quite strangely, with some bing more and more violent. You should always take care of the Karma you left behind. Any unattained or bad karma is going to hinder your path in future.¡±

    ¡°I am aware of every single karma I ever came in contact with. I am sure I will fulfill all the promises I made to my ancestors.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Good. I would also like to inform you that this is not the only piece of inheritance I have left for the next generation. Within the Thunder Academy stands the other core art which I created, The body of Lightning Devil.¡±

    ¡°I am just a neer to the Academy and only aware of one or two core arts, senior.¡±

    ¡°Are you aware of the Thunder-god body art?¡±

    ¡°I am aware of the senior. It is said to be the core art of thunder academy when ites to body refining.¡±

    ¡°Body of Lightning Devil was something which I created with that art as the basis. I had a loftier goal in mind to create an art which surpasses the Thunder-god body. It was only when I reached the peak that I understood the many mysteries.¡±

    ¡°Thunder-god¡¯s body is one of the four core inheritances of Thunder Academy, along with two other arts. The creator of this art has gone through the same passage as me and rose through the Heavens. The art was quite profound. Although I developed the body of Lightning Devil, I could only rise to the eighth level of this art with all the eighteen levels I created.¡±

    ¡°Even during my time, practicing Thunder-god¡¯s body was extremely difficult and dangerous. It was only when I managed to create Lightning Devil art that I understood, some profound meanings could only be achieved through danger. The Academy was already side-lining the Thunder-god body art and recing it with my art.¡±

    ¡°I would prefer for you to practice both. Thunder-god¡¯s body is quite difficult to begin cultivation in. Hence starts with the Lightning Devil body. I created the art with the specific objective of enhancing the body top bear through the refining of other arts. It is the easiest inheritance to get your hands on.¡±

    ¡°I hope you can gain that figure¡¯s legacy. It is even more mysterious than mine. I was just about to reach the level but wasn¡¯t able to because of some shorings. You, on the other hand, get the opportunity to prepare and proceed properly.¡±

    ¡°Since the master is someone who stood at the top of the world, I would like to ask you about the view from there. What does Dominance all over the world truly mean?¡±

    ¡°Dominance refers to multiple things, but if I had to summarize it into a single word, I would say strength. If you be strong enough, you have dominancy over those who are weaker than you. When you stand at the very top and are stronger than this world itself, only then could you call yourself the Dominator of this world.¡±

    ¡°The view from there is truly lonely. I hope you can hone your mentality to the extent capable enough of bearing this process.¡±

    ¡°I will try my best.¡± Li Meng gained a lot through this encounter and hence was prepared to go through the hardships to attain the peak.

    ¡°You are the best seedling I ever managed to encounter. I hope you won¡¯t betray my expectations.¡±

    ...........................

    The stone finally grew dim, followed by thepletion of thest incense stick of time.

    All the participants were forced out of the restricted zone and the elder in charge appeared in front of them.

    ¡°I hope all of you have given it your best. You will now move one by one and enter the examination halls, where the elders will inspect your understanding of the art. The top ten performers will move into the next round, and the one with the best performance will win the round.¡±

    The participants rounded up and began to enter the examination hall one after the other. After some time it was finally Li Meng¡¯s turn. He entered the room to find an old man sitting alone.

    ¡°I greet the senior¡±

    ¡°State your name and credentials.¡±

    ¡°I am Li Meng from the Thunder-god hall situated within the wastnd.¡±

    The elder was surprised to hear this. He had heard about Li Meng¡¯s achievement in the first round. That wastnd of a ce had someone who could win the first round.

    ¡°What did youprehend from the stone stele.¡± The motive of asking was what were thews and movements which he managed toprehend in such a short time.

    ¡°Iprehended the first two volumes.¡± Li Meng said casually.

    The elder instantly stood up from his seat. He couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Did Li meng just said the first two volumes?

    ¡°Boy, are you trying to make meugh? Just gaining insights into some intents is too much of a burden, much less two whole volumes.¡±

    ¡°I am telling the truth, senior. I haveprehended the first two volumes.¡±

    ¡°Show the art to me.¡±

    Li Meng nodded and began to showcase the art. He had managed to perfectly sync with the illusionary figure and hence his movements were chiselled to perfection. The elder¡¯s mouth hung open from the view in front of him. Li Meng went from the first volume to the next one and continued his practice.

    When the movements finally ended, all he could see was an old man standing in the middle of the room with shock in his eyes. It took him a moment toe back to his senses.

    ¡°Your evaluation isplete. Please move out of the room.¡± The elder¡¯s voice instantly changes into one of extreme cordiality.

    ........................

    The evaluation finally ended and all the participants were awaiting the results.

    The elder in charge got his hands on the list and began to announce the names. The 10th ranker was announced first and then moved up the chain.

    ¡°2nd rank Chu Xiao.¡± The elder from the Chu family was shocked to hear this. Their young miss came in second.

    ¡°Ranked 1 and the winner of this round, Li Meng.¡± All the participants and audience members were spellbound. Just what sort of monstrosity is this boy?

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 Chapter 248

    248 THIRD ROUND

    ¡°How can this be?¡± The elder of the Chu family couldn¡¯t ept the fact that their young miss lost in thispetition.

    ¡°I would like to get the promised prize.¡± The boy said in a mocking tone.

    The elder ignored the boy and moved towards the elder in charge. ¡°I would like to inquire, sir. I suggest that there must be some discrepancies in the examination.¡±

    ¡°Are you doubting the methods which we used to examine the students?¡± The elder in charge asked in an irritated tone.

    ¡°I am sorry for my poor choice of words, but I do find the result to be absurd. Everyone within the audience realizes that the young miss of my family have the best chance atprehending the Strike of thunderous palms, due to the other art she cultivates. Yet she was only ranked second.¡±

    ¡°The boy is the winner of the first round and has managed to break every single record ever set on that altar. It was literally twice the time the girl managed to persist. He managed to cultivate the 9-Thunder body to the very peak. What makes you question his abilities.¡±

    ¡°Even if the boy managed to somehow persist, the young miss has also managed to cultivate the Lightning Devil art while being in Qi general level. Could she at least have the benefit of the doubt?¡±

    All the audience members were looking at the elder in charge with expectant eyes. These were high-level cultivators belonging to the subordinate powers of Thunder Academy. The elder in charge sighed and asked one of the servants to call the examiner.

    The examiner of this round was busyprehending what he had just experienced. Someone managed toprehend two whole volumes while being in the QI general realm. Wouldn¡¯t that mean this boy surpasses Thunder Child in the area ofprehension too? He was someone who belonged to the Thunder Child¡¯s camp and hence wanted to attract this talent to their side.

    .....

    ¡°I need to inform the great elder about this.¡± He was just about to leave when a person appears and informs him about the dilemma he caused outside. The man couldn¡¯t help but be angry. They dare to question his moral and educational integrity. He stormed out to meet with a group of people.

    ¡°Who among you dared to question my judgment?¡± The examiner asked in a serious tone.

    ¡°I am begging your pardon for the inconvenience caused. I am the representative elder of the Chu family. I was the one who raised the query. We are in no way questioning your abilities but are rather requesting to know the truth. We would like to know the reason behind him being ranked first.¡± The elder belonging to the Chu family pointed at Li Meng.

    The examiner controlled his anger. The Chu family was one of the core families of the Thunder Academy. He couldn¡¯t casually offend someone belonging to this group.

    ¡°The girl doesn¡¯t evene close to the boy¡¯s performance.¡±

    ¡°The miss must haveprehended most of the first volume.¡± The Chu family elder insisted.

    ¡°She did perform way better than the average practitioner. She managed to grasp the essence of thews that went into the creation of the first volume. But it still dims out whenpared to Li Meng.¡±

    ¡°Did he managed toprehend the first volume?¡± The elder in charge asked with expectant eyes.

    ¡°Heprehended both the first and second volumes of the Strike of Thunderous Fists. He literallyprehended the art to perfection within the Qi general level.¡± The examiner then turned to Chu¡¯s family representative. ¡°I hope your query has received a satisfactory answer.¡±

    The whole audience was shocked upon hearing the words of the examiner. Li Meng managed toprehend the first two volumes of the art. It was said to be the highest point one could reach while being in the Qi general realm. The participants were looking at Li Meng with shock in their eyes. He won the second round too.

    ¡°Now that the queries have been answered, I will officially dere Li Meng as the winner. Since he managed to win both the first and second round, the juries have decided to ce him in semi-final round.¡±

    ¡°The rest 9 will bepeting in a royal rumble fashion until the top three contenders are decided.¡±

    ¡°As you all must be aware, thest round is one on onebat. The rules are quite simple. Every fight will be conducted by a random pick of contenders. Each participant would get an incense stick of time to recover all their expended energy with the help of all the medics present in here.¡±

    ¡°After every singlebination is tried out, the top three contenders will be picked up and they along with Li Meng will participate in the semi-final match.¡±

    Li Meng was directed towards a recovery tent and he was to stay there or the audience stands while thepetition was going on.

    .......................

    Li Meng wasprehending the secrets of the arts he had just obtained when a figure appeared in front of him. It was an old man whose bones were visible from outside. Li Meng could feel that time has done a huge job upon him. The aura he radiated on the other hand instantly suppressed the world around him.

    ¡°Does senior have some business with me?¡±

    ¡°You did manage to inherit the mad king¡¯s will didn¡¯t you boy?¡± the old man had no change in expression.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the senior is talking about.¡± Li Meng tried to deny the fact.

    ¡°No need to act up boy. I am someone who has entered that world too. I can see the thread of fate around you.¡± Li Meng was shocked on hearing this.

    ¡°From your expression, you did manage to gain the inheritance. Well done. I have lived long enough to meet someone who passed that lunatic¡¯s test.¡± The old man passed a small stone te to Li Meng. When Li Meng looked it up, he was surprised to read the words.

    ¡°Lightning Devil body¡±. It was the art that the voice referred to as his other creation.

    ¡°Why is senior giving such a precious technique to me?¡±

    ¡°This is a present from me as a reward for your performance. I would like to ept you as my disciple.¡± The old man was extremely blunt with his words. Li Meng was surprised by the old man¡¯s honesty.

    ¡°Would the senior give me some time?¡±

    ¡°I am not only giving you time, but also a test to keep you busy. I want to see how far you couldprehend this art before breaking through the King level. If you manage to reach the expected guidelines, I will present you with another opportunity.¡± The old man vanished into thin air after speaking up.

    He acted like Li Meng was already his disciple. Li Meng had toplement the old man¡¯s attitude. He was simply impressed by his actions. He was seriously considering the old man on his offer.

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 Chapter 249

    249 FINALE

    Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°I have something to discuss with you.¡± Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but think back about the words of the voice. What did he mean by piercing through the heavens?

    ¡°Is it rted to the inheritance you got your hands on?¡±

    ¡°Yes. How did you know that I got an inheritance?¡±

    ¡°There are multiple indications around your body.¡±

    ¡°Are you referring to the lines of fate?¡±

    The Keeper was surprised to hear his words. ¡°Who informed you about the lines of fate?¡±

    ¡°The person who left the inheritance said these words to me when I was about to receive his inheritance. He said I have multiple lines of fate mingled all around my body.¡±

    ¡°Every action a cultivator takes affects the fate of this world. Although the effect for general actions is quite small, many fate lines are already weaved around your being. The ones which really stands out refers to the activities which are going to have a major effect on your future.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Take the White Dragon King for example. He left his inheritance for you in return for the promise that you could take revenge against his enemies. It directly paved the way for you, a path which directly led to the level of Qi emperor. It has a great effect on the world. Cultivation in general is an act against the heavens. A Qi emperor cultivator holds quite a significance.¡±

    ¡°The second inheritance was left by the Heaven Cleaving sect. It holds even more of an impact on the world. They directly provide you with art, while also providing the necessary resources to achieve such a realm. You also have hands-on such powerful weapons at your stage. All of this leads to having a major impact on your martial path.¡±

    ¡°While all of these inheritances provide huge benefits for the martial path, it also directly acts against the heavens. Such major impacts give birth to real prominent fate lines, which are visible. You would be able to see them when you manage to pass through the saint tribtion.¡±

    Li Meng was stumped into a daze. Saint tribtion referred to the heavenly cmity one had to pass to step into the saint realm.

    ¡°I have another query. The voice often referred to himself as having surpassed the heavens, piercing the heavens, being above the heavens etc.¡±

    ¡°You actually managed to gain the inheritance of someone like that. You are quite fated.¡±

    ¡°What those these words refer to?¡±

    ¡°He is referring to something which is referred to as Transcendence. He has already surpassed the power level which this world can contain within itself.¡±

    ¡°How would such an entity exist in this world then?¡±

    ¡°He is no longer within this world.¡± The Keeper said in a distant tone.

    ¡°Where did he went?¡±

    ¡°Something could beprehended once you achieve an adequate power level. I am not allowed to reveal the secret to yet.¡±

    ¡°I want to know the secret. I must design the martial path I want to follow.¡±

    ¡°Something would simply bring more destruction than help. You would naturallye to understand the secret of this world once you step onto that level. If you really insist on knowing the truth, I could reveal once you step into the peak of Emperor level.¡±

    Li Meng finally nodded in agreement., He knew that forcing the Keeper would lead to no results.

    ...............................

    The third round was proceeding astutely. The first round of chits was lifted and the royal rumble officially began. The first two contenders belonged to middle-ranked Thunder-god hall. One of them had practiced the 9-Thunder body art until the 8th level and was a sword cultivator beside that.

    The other contender was a Fist user. He was said to have learnt a set of Fist arts which were directly derived from the core arts of Thunder Academy. The referee came forward and exined the rules.

    ¡°The fight will continue until one side gives up or is unable to fight. Killing is absolutely forbidden with the arena. Once the opponent is proven to have lost, he will step down and the next group will step forward.¡±

    The gong sounded and the first match began. Both contenders started the bout with a bit of restricted power. They didn¡¯t go all out from the beginning. The fight continued and after a point of time, it was transformed into a match of stamina. It went on and on. Li meng slowly lost interest in their fight and returned to his tent.

    ¡°It would be better if I beganprehending the Lightning Devil body. It wants to see the secrets it holds. Mad Thunder King referred to it as an art which couldpare with the Thunder-god body, and wanted me to develop it to a new extent.¡± Li Meng said to himself. He took out the te and continued hisprehension.

    .............

    ¡°The boy is quite confident in his strength. He didn¡¯t even stay to verify his prospective opponents.¡± One of the representatives spoke up.

    ¡°Once the power reaches a certain height, it no longer matters whether you verify your opponent¡¯s strength or not. They just turn into ants in front of your eyes.¡± The boy sitting with a carefree manner spoke up.

    ¡°Your words are too arrogant. How could he be sure to win the match? Although he has great talent in martial arts, it doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that he is the strongest in here.¡± One of the elders spoke up.

    ¡°Do you want to bet with me?¡± The boy asked. The elder instantly turned silent. They just saw the Chu family losing a thousand elemental stones of middle grade.

    ¡°No guts when ites to real action. I despise people like you the most. Does anyone want to bet with me? The baseline is 2000 Elemental stones of middle grade.¡±

    No one raised a voice to reply. All of them were too nervous to contend with the guy. All of them had experienced the power of Li Meng.

    ..........................

    The three finalists were soon decided after a whole day of royal rumble fights. The girl from Chu family stood at the top with no losses, while the other two belonged to the Thunder-god hall ranked 1st and 2nd.

    Li Meng was soon called out and the four semi-finalists stood in the center of the stadium. It was time to conduct the final two fights.

    ¡°The contenders will be picked up randomly.¡± The elder was going to proceed when he saw Li Meng with a raised hand.

    ¡°I would like to request the eldermittee.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°I would like to have the three of theme at me at once. I don¡¯t want to waste any more time here.¡± The whole audience was shocked to hear Li Meng¡¯s vow. He was prepared to get the fourth rank. This was pure arrogance. He looked down on the other three contenders.

    ¡°This is a tant request. It wouldn¡¯t prove anything if you lose. It is simply a waste of time to opt for that choice.¡±

    ¡°If I lost this match, I will officially be ced in the fourth rank.¡± The audience was surprised by the confidence in his voice. Just how confident was this guy. The other three contenders were clenching their fists and biting their lips up. How dare this guy to undermine them?

    The referee looked at the elder in charge, who simply nodded his head. Getting the green signal, the referee asked the four people to move on stage.

    .......................

    ¡°Do you still dare to bet on this boy?¡± The elder asked.

    ¡°I would also bet with you.¡± Another elder mocked the boy.

    The boy simply looked at Li Meng for a moment and a smile appeared on his face. He looked at the group which spoke up.

    ¡°Why not? The baseline is 2000 middle-grade elemental stones.¡±.

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 Chapter 250

    250 DOMINANCE

    ¡°The two of you could go ahead. I would like to face him alone. I don¡¯t want himining about excessive bullying.¡± Chu Xiao spoke to the other two.

    ¡°What makes you think we want to team up to fight against him?¡± A contender from Third-ranked Thunder-god hall spoke up. The representative of the third thunder-god hall smiled on the wisdom of their representative. This sentence alone saved them a lot of faces.

    ¡°I guess my earlier statement hit a nerve, but all I said was true. Thest round is a waste of time for me. Juste at me with your strongest attack.¡± Li Meng¡¯s expression was extremely serious. The whole atmosphere turned awkward because of this. They didn¡¯t expect Li Meng to be confident in his strength.

    ¡°I will test him out first. It would be the best way to shatter his confidence.¡± A contender from the first ranked Thunder-god hall spoke up. He stepped forward and looked at Li Meng.

    ¡°I ept my inferiority to you in the areas of talent andprehension, but I am confident in the strength I have cultivated with all these years of hard work.¡± His name was Li Muyan. A pair of curved swords appeared in his hands, as visible threads of thunder started appearing all around his body.

    Li Muyan rushed towards Li Meng with all his power. It was time to show this brat just how powerful he was. Li Muyan had trained in the arts of the sword since his childhood and practiced a set of vicious thunder sword skills. The first sword cleaved down on Li Meng¡¯s head, and he simply dodged it with a sideways motion.

    Li Muyanughed after looking at this activity as if he was waiting for this opportunity. The second de cleaved horizontally from its location. The skill used surprised everyone. Wasn¡¯t he a thunder sword art practitioner, yet his other sword showcased another set of sword art?

    ¡°The boy is impressive. He not only learned the Thunder sword act to its pinnacle level but also managed to gainprehension in another sword art of equal prowess. Do any of you gentleman recognize this art?¡± The elder in charge spoke up. All the representatives present were thinking about their past encounters.

    ¡°The art is called the flowing river.¡± The boy spoke up.

    .....

    ¡°Would you mind exining its origin to us?¡±

    ¡°I hope you people have heard about the Aquarius academy. One of their core arts is named Water-mist sword. The origin is said to be quite grand, and only those who are extremelypatible with it could practice the art. The art is divided into 9 volumes and the flowing river art is the first volume of that art.¡±

    ¡°How did this guy get his hands on such a grand art?¡±

    ¡°A lucky encounter is the best exnation for this phenomenon. What surprised me is his ability to execute it with such perfection. The water-mist sword is said to be a special category art which requires the practitioner to possess a high-grade water elemental physique. Also, it requires a highprehension of sword intent to execute the first volume.¡±

    ¡°I recognize the thunder sword art. It is one of the derived arts from Heaven-Tearing Thunder sword. Even the derived arts require practitioners to have a high-grade thunder body.¡±

    ¡°The body is a dual elemental body holder. The academy seems to have scored big time.¡± The representative spoke up.

    ¡°I guess Li Meng would have learnt his ce by now.¡± The elder spoke while looking at the boy

    ...........................

    Li Meng paused at a short distance from the practitioner. ¡°Is this the best disy of your power?¡±

    ¡°Are you still trying to act tough in front of me?¡± Li Muyan spoke up.

    ¡°I guess a demo is required to make things clear.¡± Li Meng raised his hands and a sword appeared in it. It was a king ranked sword which he gained from the Heaven Cleaving sect¡¯s treasury. He initiated the art of the white Dragon emperor and cleaved at Li Muyan. There was no use of intent, just pure Qi.

    Li Muyan ignored the attack previously because of ack of intent in it, but his eyes were soon filled with shock. The Qi which constituted the attack gave him a dangerous feeling. He raised his sword and executed the flowing river to guard against it.

    The two attacks collided, and Li Meng¡¯s attack directly prated through Li Muyan¡¯s attack and hit his body. Li Muyan was pushed back with great force, he finally managed to gain his foothold just near the edge of the stage. He looked at Li Meng with shock in his eyes.

    ¡°Do you understand the difference between our strengths?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ......................

    The three participants were shocked by this disy of power by Li Meng. He simply raised his hands and signalled to them to rush at him at the same time. The guy from the first ranked Thunder-god hall was pissed by this disy. He instantly rushed out with his spear.

    A simr set of events repeated itself. Li Meng just dodged the spear and cleaved his sword back at him. He didn¡¯t use any sword intent this time either. The sword shed with the spear and a ng was heard. Although the guy managed to turn his spear to guard against the strike, the momentum was too great for him to handle.

    Li Muyan rushed at Li Meng at the same time. He cleaved his sword towards Li Meng¡¯s back. He simply clenched his fist and pushed towards Li Muyan. He operated the Strikes of Thunderous palms this time.

    Two figures sted away from the same location in front of thousands of eyes. The audience couldn¡¯t help but cheer. This was absolute dominance over the battlefield. Li Muyan¡¯s injury was much graver than that of the other guy since he took the direct hit of a high-grade art.

    Chu Xiao was looking at the scene with surprise. She never imagined Li Meng¡¯s prowess to be so high.

    ¡°Are you going to rush over or shall I finish the first? None of you three stands a chance to even contend against me for ten moves. Juste to me together. It might be the best chance you have in winning this round.¡±

    The three figures looked at each other and nodded. They understood that the opponent this time was just too powerful for them to handle alone. They rushed at him together. Chu Xiao utilized the Strike of Thunderous palms, which sheprehended from it, while Li Muyan used both his sword art in session.

    Li Meng simply raised his sword to guard against the twin sword attack, while using his other palm to tackle Chu Xiao. It was at this moment that a spear appeared out of thin air, directly striking Li Meng¡¯s abdomen.

    While Li Muyan was pushed back, Chu Xiao waspletely overpowered and sted away. The spear guy on the other hand could only feel shocked. Although his spear made contact with Li Meng¡¯s body, he felt like it had stroked a dense metal. Li Meng was standing right there, looking at the guy.

    He was unfazed by a direct attack from the opponent¡¯s spear. Just how powerful was his physique.

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 Chapter 251

    251 WINNER

    Li Meng was aware of the iing spear attack, but he wanted to test out his body¡¯s durability. The number of body cultivation art which he practiced is way more than anyone could imagine. He wanted to experiment with the stacking qualities of such arts.

    ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± The Keeper asked in a negative tone.

    ¡°Do you know how many body tempering arts I have practiced over the course of my training in martial arts? Although I felt like my body should be really strong, I truly want to examine the true limits of it.¡±

    ¡°If you truly want to try it out, why don¡¯t I suggest the best pathway? Just contend with the three of them with your body. No need to use any Qi for either defence or attacks. Your body cultivation is about to reach the peak of acupoints stage. It¡¯s time to test the real fruits from your ardent body cultivation.¡± The Keeper said in a sarcastic tone.

    ...................

    Li Meng held the spear in his hands and waved it off. The contender was thrown away like a stone. The power was so immense that he had to use a lot of Qi to finally gain a stable foothold.

    The three contestants were just staring at Li Meng with caution. Just how are they going to tackle this guy? He is just too powerful for them to handle.

    ¡°We need toe up with a n.¡±

    ¡°I have an idea, but requires three of us to work in sync. I am the strongest when ites to body cultivation. I will confront him head-on. You two need to do a synced attack on him. Try your best to merge the power of the two, so as to make it more effective.¡±

    .....

    Li Muyan and the spear wielder nodded in agreement. Chu Xiao was someone who managed to cultivate Lightning Devil body while being in Qi general level. She was undoubtedly the strongest in frontal confrontation.

    When the three of them were about to start attacking, Li Meng suddenly closed his Qi pores. He then looked at the three people and spoke. ¡°Thest attack reminded me of something I wanted to test out for a long time. I will fight without using Qi from now on. Let¡¯s see how long my body canst by itself.¡±

    The three people didn¡¯t even get the time to respond as Li Meng dashed towards them and started attacking. Soon the loud nking of hands against weapons began. Chu Xiao was the only one who was contending against Li Meng with bare hands. The longer the fight continued, the more embarrassed the three people felt. Li Meng was literally dominating the fight with pure physical strength.

    .............

    The audience couldn¡¯t even make an argument about the situation in front of them. Li Meng was just too powerful, dominating the whole fight with pure strength. The other three were even using their weapons, yet they were pushed back.

    ¡°I going to get rich today. I thank all of you for your generous donations of Qi stones.¡± The boy spoke up. No elder managed to refute this statement. They were bound to lose their money if this continued.

    The elder from the Chu family stood up and went near the edge of the stage. ¡°Why don¡¯t you use your full prowess, young miss? You are even allowed to use that. The patriarch wants you to win this match. Now is the best chance since he has his guard down.¡± Chu Xiao red at the elder, but she quickly turned and concentrated on the fight.

    Soon enough, Li Meng¡¯s body was riddled with injuries. Although he was at the very peak of body cultivation at this stage, the contenders were geniuses belonging to the three powerful backgrounds.

    He began to operate all his meridians and acupoints. His body visibly grew big. Every eye watching the match was shocked by his appearance. Li Meng continued to confront the three. After a whole incense stick of fighting 3 on 1, Li Meng¡¯s body was reddened with blood. The other three were no better.

    The spear wielder was hurt the worst, while Li Muyan and Chu Xiao were in a better state.

    ¡°I guess I would need to use it after all.¡±

    Chu Xiao closed her eyes, and her breath began to slowly change. A faint figure started to appear behind her, and waves of thunder began to discharge all over the stage. Li Muyan followed her lead and changed his weapons. The aura radiated from them was incredibly powerful.

    Li Meng¡¯s eyes turned serious. He managed to test out the durability of his body for quite a long time. It was finally time to turn serious. He began rotating the 9-Thunder body art and a prominent thunder circle appeared behind him. He picked up the sword and closed his eyes. A hu8mongous figure emerged out of the sword.

    The figure was majestic and held arge sword in its hand.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that.¡± Some elders were shocked to the extreme.

    ¡°Third level of sword intent. He managed to materialize it. This boy is also such an aplished sword cultivator. Just how many secrets does this boy hide? Is he an incarnation of some mighty saint of the past?¡±

    The three figures rushed towards him and Li Meng responded with an equal amount of ferocity. The 9-Thunder body art directly impacted the illusionary lightning body of Chu Xiao. The impact caused a lot of energy to disperse within the environment, affecting the other two attackers. The lightning devil and thunder circle were constantly colliding with each other.

    Li Muyan took the initiative to use his most powerful art. It was the second volume of Water mist art. It directly prated through the residual energy waves and rushed towards Li Meng. In response, the figure formed out of sword intent waved the sword in his hand.

    Taking advantage of this distraction, the third guy used a really powerful spear art imbued with spear intent at level 2 and rushed towards Li Meng¡¯s back.

    Li Meng instantly initiated the hell forger art and guarded against it. He then used the second volume of strikes of thunderous palms. It hit the guy directly in his stomach, sting him directly into the opposite wall. Blood was flowing through multiple crevices on his body, and he lost consciousness.

    Only two contenders remain. He continued to fight with Chu Xiao while asionally shifting his attention to Li Muyan. The fight continued, and the Qi reserves were getting drained. Li Meng didn¡¯t have the problems due to his body cultivation and avatars, but the other two started to show obvious weakness quite fast.

    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on much longer.¡± One of the elders pointed out.

    ¡°Like we couldn¡¯t see it.¡± The Chu family representative was disappointed with the situation. Their young miss should have won thepetition, but she was being absolutely overshadowed.

    ¡°The boy¡¯s Qi reserve is quite massive. He doesn¡¯t even look exhausted.¡±

    ..................

    Li Muyan soon exhausted his Qi reserves and a hit from Li meng ended his path. He didn¡¯t suffer as much as the spear-wielding guy, but his wounds were pretty deep.

    ¡°You are thest one remaining. Would you like to give up on your own or should I make you do it?¡±

    ¡°I guess I would make onest effort putting my all into it. If you could beat me after this attack, I would ept my loss. I just need some time to prepare. Mind giving me some?¡± Chu Xiao asked in a sarcastic manner.

    ¡°Sure. You can take all the time you want. I want to see how powerful an attack you coulde up with.¡± Li Meng said with a smiling face. This was even worse than before. He was just dragging Chu Xiao¡¯s name through the mud, by being charitable.

    Surprisingly, Chu Xiao epted the gift and began to prepare the art. At first, Li Meng thought of just using the Strike of Thunderous palm at its full potential, but a warning from the Keeper alerted him.

    ¡°You should take this attack seriously. She is using a high-grade king rank weapon, with all her Qi reserves poured into a single attack.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that I should use my best attack?¡±

    ¡°It is the only other artist whose power could contend with your opponent.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I will use it.¡± Li Meng took the posture required for the execution of the art.

    Chu Xiao rushed with her full power, and Li Meng rammed his fist while revolving the Dominator¡¯s fist art. The impact was so powerful that the stage broke from the pressure. There was smoke all around and a figure flew from within it. It was none other than Chu Xiao.

    Li Meng was the only person who remained standing. Although his fist was bleeding, the result was already set-in-stone. He won thepetition

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 Chapter 252

    252 THE OLD MAN¡¯S IDENTITY

    The elder in charge was looking at the stage with a spooked-up expression. Li Meng just won a 3 vs 1 fight with such ease. Even after fighting for such a long time, all he got was some bruises on his body and a bleeding fist. Which was partially healed already. As one of the top cultivators within the academy, he couldn¡¯t help but feel joy.

    The Thunder Academy had just gained another terrifying talent. ¡°Just which side is this boy going to end up?¡± That was the biggest question which emerged in his mind. Li Meng was someone with monstrous talent. The camp that is going to recruit him is going to benefit a lot from it.

    The academy was already divided into two major groups and being a student of the academy, Li Meng would have to pick one side. He just didn¡¯t want a talent like this to be caught between the two camps and get wasted. He truly hoped that Li Meng would have a sessful rise within the academy, and be a hegemon who would support this ce in future.

    ¡°Thepetition has officially ended. I thank all the audience members who have graced this asion with your presence. The top 100 students will now follow me to their first briefing.¡± The elder in charge took all the contestants and rushed into the Academy.

    The inner hall-

    ¡°Since thepetition has ended, it is time to distribute the rewards. As announced earlier, the top 100 people are allowed to join as outer disciples of the academy. You should get de-motivated as the resources of Thunder Academy are attained based on one¡¯s capability. You need to have the strength to achieve your objectives.¡±

    ¡°Being an outer disciple, you have a chance to get promoted into the inner academy. There are two possible pathways to achieve that. The first one is by bing a Qi King, while the other way is to participate and win the year-endpetition. Where there is a will, there is a way. I wish you all the very best luck.¡±

    ¡°The top 10 are allowed to officially join the academy as inner disciples. I have to brief you about the significance of carrying such a responsibility on your shoulders. Inner disciples are trained to be the future backbone of the academy and a huge number of resources are dumped into training, you people.¡±

    ¡°I hope that you will always remember that the prime aim of your life is to reach the very peak of your own martial paths. The academy will be opening its door, to give you ess to a huge number of resources, scriptures, knowledge, teachers and most important of all,petition.¡±

    .....

    ¡°You will be the future inheritors of the academy¡¯s legacy and there is a silver lining here too. This is not the end of your path. You could still turn into a core disciple of the academy.¡±

    The one ranked tenth spoke up. ¡°May I know the way to achieve that sir?¡±

    ¡°There are two ways to be core disciples. The first way is a difficult one, yet if you are motivated enough, you might be able to achieve it. It is to be an emperor level cultivator before the age of thirty-five. If your bone age surpasses that, bing an emperor would result in your promotion to the position of outer elder.¡±

    The participants were surprised to hear these requirements. Bing an emperor level cultivator within 35 years was not such an easy task.

    ¡°What is the other way?¡± One of the members asked.

    ¡°Every core disciple is given a probation period of 1 year. Inner disciples are allowed to challenge any core disciple who has surpassed this time. If you manage to defeat them, you will be promoted directly into the core area directly.¡±

    The inner disciples were looking at the top 3 contestants with fire in their eyes. They might a good chance to upgrade. Unknown to them, the elder in charge was nodding his head in disappointment. The difference between the number of resources in the core and inner area is too big to be estimated withmon sense.

    ........................................................................

    All the participants were gathered at the feet of the mountain. The senior students were instructed to show around the academy to the newly admitted students.

    Soon a group of disciples arrived and greeted the group.

    ¡°We are happy to wee every single one of you into the academy. We hope you will give it your all and cultivate to reach the peak of your martial path.¡± The leader spoke up.

    ¡°I would now like to invite the outer disciples to move out with the Shi Tan and Ligue.¡± Two people stepped forward and led the group of people away.

    ¡°As per the inner disciples, you will be led by Chu Ming here.¡± Another boy moved forward. He had an arrogant expression on his face, showcasing his pride as an inner disciple.

    ¡°Do we really need to show these newbies their home?¡± Chu Ming asked in a rude tone.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see the benefit of letting you do anything else. So you better show them around.¡± Li Meng replied. Everybody including the leader himself looked at Li Meng. A new disciple talked with a veteran in that tone.

    ¡°You have got a problem with me?¡± Chu Ming said in an angry tone.

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember the ranking right but aren¡¯t you an inner disciple of the academy. Doesn¡¯t that make my standing to be above you?¡± The leader couldn¡¯t help but break into augh.

    Chu Ming¡¯s face was dark red out of embarrassment. He walked angrily towards LI Meng and red at him with a serious look.

    ¡°Are you trying to prove that you are better at frowning at your fellow disciple?¡± even the senior members couldn¡¯t hold theirugh any longer. Chu Ming was being insulted in such a creative sense.

    ¡°I guess the position of the core disciple has got to your head. Would you like for me to teach you a thi9ng or two?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how an inner disciple could possibly do that?¡±

    ¡°By showing you how much better I am than you. How about I challenge you for a match, and you bet your seat as core disciple?¡± Chu Ming¡¯s words instantly caused a tremor in the surrounding area.

    Li Meng thought for some time and replied. ¡°I have the seat of core disciple, but I don¡¯t think you have something to exchange it with.¡±

    Another round ofughter was in order. All the disciples wereughing at Chu Ming. He was about to burst out of the madness.

    ¡°How about I bet something has the same value as your seat?¡±

    ¡°What would that be?¡±

    ¡°All the resources I have managed to collect until now. It includes everything I cultivate with, and also the things I am saving up for the breakthrough into the emperor realm.¡± Everyone was surprised. Although the resource gap between the core and inner disciple was too huge, thest part did carry a significance. Li Meng was enticed by the offer.

    ¡°I am still not up for the challenge. The bnce is still tilted to my side.¡±

    ¡°What if I add an emperor level weapon with it?¡± Chu Ming added.

    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you possess an emperor level weapon to bet with.¡± An inner disciple of Thunder academy was at most a QI king level practitioner. An emperor level weapon is not something a Qi King could obtain.

    Chu Ming initiated his Qi and infused it within his storage ring. A spear emerged out of it. The aura radiated from it was breath-taking, which awed everyone in the surrounding area.

    ¡°Good enough. The bet is on.¡± Why would Li Meng deny such an opportunity?

    ..............................................................

    Li Meng was then directed towards his residence. The academy allotted individual mountains to its core disciples and Li Meng got one in a prominent area. The disciple briefed him about the proceedings and informed him about his monthly resources collection, pill collection, the mission halls and many more things.

    Li Meng settled down in the cozy cultivation cave. The whole room was filled with Qi so dense that Li Meng¡¯s body began to operate automatically, sucking the whole Qi in. All his pores opened up in tion. He had never felt sofortable in his life.

    The next morning-

    ¡°You must be enjoying your new residence.¡± An old voice sounded. Li meng instantly jumped up from his practice mat and looked around, just to find a familiar face sitting in front of him.

    ¡°Senior is quite shy in his entrances. They are always filled with hints of mystery. May I know the reason for your visit.¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°How much did you manage toprehend?¡± The old man¡¯s question surprised Li Meng. Never has he seen someone asking for results just a day after they delivered a task.

    ¡°Well, no need to act aloof. Just go ahead and show it to me.¡± The old man had no change in expression.

    Li Meng was surprised. The old man thought that he might have derived something from the scripture. Although he did manage to practice the first volume of Lightning Devil art, he didn¡¯t want to show it out. It was too scary a phenomenon. Seeing the seriousness in the old man¡¯s voice, Li Meng did start to revolve around the aura but restricted it to arge extent.

    ¡°I am asking you to show me the true results achieved until now.¡± Li Meng was shocked at the old man¡¯s instinct. He finally obliged to the old man¡¯s request and showed it to him. The old man was surprised to see the scene in front of him. The boy managed to learn the first volume. His bluff proved to be useful.

    The old man stood up and looked at Li Meng. ¡°I am the dean of Thunder Academy. I would like to ept you as my disciple.¡± Li Meng stood there with a nk face.

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 Chapter 253

    253 ACCEPTING A MASTER

    Thunder academy was a ce whose top cultivators were way above Li Meng¡¯s imagination. He wanted to utilize the resources here too and gain strength as fast as possible. His beliefs were to dominate the world, and it required the influx of a huge number of resources into the pit.

    Having a master who had a huge influence of the academy was going to help out a lot, but he didn¡¯t want it to be the baseline for epting a master. The old man was a mysterious figure who had an absurd character.

    ¡°Why do you choose me to be your disciple?¡±

    ¡°I will be frank with you boy. I have watched your whole performance and appreciate your talent quite well. You are also the only guy in the whole group who ispatible with my style of cultivation.¡± The old man replied.

    ¡°What style would that be?¡± Li Meng was inquisitive.

    ¡°I too am a dual body and Qi type cultivator just like you.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°I guess everyone is practicing refining arts or something else. Thunder-god¡¯s body is one of the core arts of the academy while still being a body refining art.¡±

    ¡°I am not talking about body reinforcing arts, I am talking about body cultivation.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what the senior is talking about.¡± Li Meng tried to deny it.

    .....

    ¡°I have opened up all the meridians and all the acupoints too. I am currently in the channel tempering realm.¡± Li Meng literally backed off with a surprise. It is the first time he met an actual person who managed to surpass the acupoints realm.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to act surprised, boy. When you use meridians and acupoints, a fellow body cultivator can easily identify it. Especially when I am someone who is in a higher realm than you.¡±

    ¡°You actually managed to surpass the realm of acupoint opening and get into the Channel Tempering realm. I have tomend the senior¡¯s potential and talent for BODY CULTIVATION.¡±

    ¡°I actually managed to get my hands on an art which helped me reach this stage.¡± The old man said in a gleeful tone.

    Li Meng couldn¡¯t believe his ears for a second. An actual art which helps in body cultivation. This was like a death desire of Li meng for a long time. The Pill-sword saint did talk about a particr way like that, but he didn¡¯t confirm on an art.

    ¡°You actually managed to get your hands on a proper art to cultivate your body.¡±

    ¡°Well, I am an aplished body cultivator and I am about to reach the end of the Channel Tempering realm. I would even love to pass it on to my disciples, but unfortunately, there isn¡¯t anyone among them who cultivates in the body.¡± The old man said in an indicative tone.

    Li Meng had to appreciate the shamelessness of this old man. He was trying to entice him with bait. The offer was quite enticing.

    ¡°I want my master to be quite strong.¡± Li Meng spoke.

    ¡°Your master is the strongest of the bunch. Is that good enough?¡± The old man was boasting shamelessly.

    ¡°Fine, I give up. I greet the master.¡± Li Meng kowtowed. The old man simply showed a grim smile.

    ......................

    The old man and Li Meng finished up the disciple eptance ceremony.

    ¡°Can I have the art for my induction gift?¡± Li Meng said in a gleeful tone.

    ¡°Your shamelessness actually suits my character.¡± The old man spoke up ¡°But you are not getting it at the moment. I would like to see the true realm of your body cultivation.¡±

    ¡°I have nearly opened up all my acupoints.¡± Li Meng spoke up. The old man simply stared at Li meng for a second.

    ¡°You managed to open most of your acupoints while being in the Qi general realm. How did you manage it?¡±

    ¡°I experimented with all the data I could get my hands on.¡±

    ¡°You managed to get to this level by just experimenting with the ancient texts. I am impressed with your achievements. What are your goals for the king¡¯s realm?¡±

    ¡°I am preparing for that realm.¡±

    ¡°I am referring to your goals about whichws are you going to establish. Are there going to be multiple Heavenlyws?¡±

    ¡°I am thinking of trying something else out.¡± Li Meng replied in a calm tone.

    The old man looked at him with a serious nce. After a moment he opened his mouth and a strange set of words came out.

    ¡°You are trying to risk your future for something which hasn¡¯t even being proved to be true yet.¡± The old man said in an angry tone.

    ¡°What are you talking about Master?¡±

    ¡°I am talking about you trying to establish thews in that taboo realm, or even imaginary.¡±

    Li Meng¡¯s expression changed once again. What is the old man trying to talk about?

    ¡°Thunder Academy¡¯s history is still kind of unfathomable to you. Do you know that our ancestors have already left this world? I managed to get my hands on their records. I know that my disciple thinks of himself to be quite wise, but I am his master. I know about the realm above heavenlyws.¡±

    Li Meng was spellbound. Just how many secrets of this world did the old man know. He was a body cultivator in the Channel Tempering Realm and even someone who knew the realm above heavenlyws.

    ¡°I am trying to achieve that feat.¡±

    ¡°What preparations were you talking about earlier.¡± The old man wanted to know about the path Li meng was going to take. That realm was something which was described as unachievable by their ancestors. It¡¯s a taboo realm. Many geniuses had tried to achieve that taboo realm in this passage of time, but there were no records of anyone ever being sessful.

    ¡°I have nned out the passage just like any other cultivator would do. I am piling up Qi and resources for my break-through.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t try to act cocky in front of me brat. You know exactly what I am talking about. What I really wanted to know was your approach to that path. There are multiple records of those who have tried this in the past, all of them failing. I thought of giving them to you, but it looks like you have already found a way.¡±

    ¡°I am desperate in need of such scriptures.¡± Li Meng directly apologized to the old man. ¡°I had many theories over time and I think the first way to go was body cultivation. I want to open up all my acupoints before I make the break-through.¡±

    ¡°That is one of the popr theories. What else?¡± The old man had no change in expression from the beginning. He was just naturally going with the flow.

    ¡°I was thinking about other pathways, but have not achieved any results.¡±

    ¡°Did you ever think about an energy back-up which would help propel your figure during the break-through?¡± The old man asked. Li Meng got another surprise as this was what the Keeper was talking about too.

    ¡°How does master propose we do that?¡±

    ¡°With the help of the meridians and acupoints. They are going to be the first back-up. Before breaking-through you just need to fill up your body to its extreme limits, where you will die by another drop of energy being injected in you.¡± This was a fabulous path of thought. Li Meng made up his mind to try it out.

    ¡°The next stage is using formations. We could use formations which are able to hold and project all the types of energy which you are going to use to makews with. You could use that energy as a boost too.¡±

    The old man threw a ring at Li Meng. ¡°These are some of the resources for your preparation. You could use them to train until you reach the very peak of Qi general. I will start making preparations for the break-through. It¡¯s best if you practice the second volume of the lightning-devil body before you break-through. It improves the chances to connect with Thunderw by arge extent.¡±

    ¡°Do you have any advice for the otherws?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± The old man said in a grim tone. He then vanished from the ce and left Li meng alone in his cultivation cave, pondering over the strange set of information he had just got his hands on. The scriptures from the old man could really help to forge his path.

    ...............

    Some other ce within the academy-

    A young man was sitting in the middle of a pool. If one was to watch the scene carefully, they could notice that the pool was constituted of sparks and thunder rather than water. It was so condensed that it turned into liquid, covering the young man up.

    This was none other than the Thunder-child. He was said to be the most talented cultivator to have ever appeared within the academy before today. A new candidate just swooped in and stole his title.

    ¡°When are you exiting your seclusion?¡± An old voice sounded out loud.

    ¡°It will be soon, master. I have almost reached the peak.¡± The room was filled with pin-drop silence after that.

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 Chapter 254

    254 THE LIGHTNING CHILD

    The Lightning child had a past which was wrapped in mystery. He was a cultivator who appeared out of nowhere and created amotion in the central ins. It was said that he came from a grand background and was found by the grand elder while he was travelling. Although there were many theories around the world, the most popr one was him being the inheritor of the grand elder¡¯s friend.

    The major reason behind themotion and poprity of his name was his cultivation speed and strength. When he first entered the academy, he had to go through the same trials as the disciples who appeared in the entrance examination. It was soon found out what a monster he was.

    The grand elder invited all the high-ranking officials within the Thunder Academy along with many dignitaries from nearby forces to view the examination. The highest rank ever achieved in an official match-up was 9 incense stick. The record was held by the third disciple of the Dean, who scored a whopping 12 and a half sticks.

    Thunderchild came in and swooped the title by sustaining the altar¡¯s energy for a whopping 13 incense stick times. Every single force within the neighbourhood was rmed by his talent. While at the Qi general level, he managed to break multiple records within thepetition. It was said that he managed toprehend the first two volumes of Lightning devil art before breaking through the Qi King level and even managed to grasp the first volume of Strikes of Thunderous palms.

    Taking into notice the monstrous performance of the boy, the assembly of elders decided to invest a huge number of resources into training him. Some even say that the Grand elder allowed him to use his own cultivation cave while breaking through the King level. Themotion caused during his breakthrough set another record.

    It was a known fact that establishing a heavenlyw was quite a difficult task. It requires a huge number of resources of a particr category to establish a singlew. When everyone heard the aplishment of Thunder Child in cultivating the two arts, everyone simply assumed that he was going for the establishment of Heavenly Thunderw.

    When the day finally arrived, another astonishing view appeared in front of everyone within the Thunder Academy. The firstw to be established was thunder. Thunder child managed to establish a heavenly Thunderw and epted the Heavenly energy. Just when everyone thought that it was the end, another phenomenon took ce. Another light ray fell on the ground, carrying its immense amount of fire energy.

    This was rted to the establishment of Heavenly firew. Two Heavenlyws simultaneously, both being extreme attack types. Two Heavenlyws should already be the limit of a cultivator, but Thunder child didn¡¯t stop there, he also managed to establish an array of earthenws which included water, earth, sword, and body.

    2 Heavenlyws and 4 Earthenws, this was a huge record within the Thunder Academy, which only a chosen few could attain. When the upper echelon learned about these aplishments, they officially entitled him with the title of thunder. He soon became one of the core inheritors of the academy and was allowed to train with the blessednds of the academy.

    .....

    What came as even more of a surprise was the fact that he managed to climb up the level of cultivation quite fast. Within a simple stretch of two years, he was already at the advance level of Qi King. When he finally appeared in front of the world, he took upon a disaster level mission and managed to aplish it, returning with an upgraded cultivation base.

    No one has seen him since then. Some even assumed that he managed to set foot into the emperor realm and is now slowly rising the ranks of emperors, preparing for a special asion to appear once again.

    ......................

    ¡°How powerful is he now?¡±

    ¡°No one knows for sure. He had already stepped into the 9th level of QI King when he entered seclusion to break-through into the emperor level. If my assumptions are true, his cultivation must have upgraded to emperor level already. He is a contender for that event after all.¡±

    ¡°How could his cultivation speed increase by such amount?¡±

    ¡°Since you have managed to connect with the Heavenlyws, I hope you understand the powerful blessing it brings with itself?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°We do know of the power it brings with it. It is one of the reasons Heavenlyws are sought after. If you manage to connect with a Heavenlyw, your cultivation base will breakthrough directly into the peak of Initial QI King.¡±

    ¡°Thunder Child managed to connect with two Heavenlyws simultaneously. How big would his blessing be?¡±

    ¡°Does master know about his cultivation level just after break-through?¡±

    ¡°He directly stepped into the 4th level of Qi King and his preparation managed to boost his cultivation level to the fifth stage. When he finally ended his break-through, he was already at the fifth stage of Qi King. As per the cultivation speed, it is due to the pair of Heavenlyws he possesses. None of you would be able to match his speed with any external assistance.¡±

    ¡°There also remains the part that Grand elder is also helping with his cultivation with a lot of external forces.¡±

    ¡°Has he stepped into the Emperor realm master?¡±

    ¡°He has.¡± The old man replied.¡± You two should concentrate on preparing yourself for that event. It is going to be held in 3 years, and this time, every single monster within the Emperor¡¯s realm will participate in it.¡±

    ¡°We are confident with our strength, master.¡±

    ¡°If I were toment on your strength, you are just newbies within the emperor realm. You wouldn¡¯t be able to fight for the top 1000 spots in the fight.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t master hyping up the situation too much?¡±

    ¡°You are not aware of the number of monsters within the central ins. Even thunder child is like amon urrence within the ranks of Qi Emperors. Some old monsters have even broken their own cultivation path to try and reforge it just for this event. You should concentrate on cultivation as of now. We can talk about these thingster.¡±

    ¡°What about the fifth brother master?¡±

    ¡°He is trying to walk on a dangerous path, and if he seeds the amount of fortune, he might score is too big. We could only keep him away from Thunder child¡¯s influence and wait for his break-through. If he seeds, he might just be the most titanic figure to have ever originated with the Thunder Academy.¡±

    ................................

    Thunder Child¡¯s cultivation cave-

    ¡°Is master certain that the old bastard has leapt this new guy?¡±

    ¡°The old man was fortunate enough to be roaming around the academy at the same time. He must have seen Li Meng¡¯s talent and grabbed the opportunity to have him as his disciple.¡±

    ¡°Is the boy really that talented?¡± Thunder Child had an arrogant demeanour.

    ¡°Do you remember your record in the altar of punishment?¡±

    ¡°13 incense stick.¡±

    ¡°The brat managed to sustain for 19 incense sticks. Do you still doubt his talent?¡± The grand elder spoke up.

    The Thunder child opened his eyes in surprise. It was certainly a monstrous performance. He calmed himself down and spoke up. ¡°It would just mean that his body cultivation is that high. It doesn¡¯t prove his overall talent.¡±

    ¡°What if I said that he managed toprehend both the beginner volumes of Strike of Thunderous fists.¡± The Thunder Child was stumped into silence for a moment.

    ¡°It means that he manages to gain that guy¡¯s inheritance and also has the idea about the variousws required to practice it to the peak.¡± The Thunder Child immersed in his own thoughts.

    ¡°Did the master try to fetch him into our camp?¡±

    ¡°I already said that the bastard has taken action and isted him from the surrounding area. He must have gone through the disciple eptance ceremony already. We could only wait till he came out of seclusion to make any type of contact.¡±

    ¡°A single opponent was already making my head spin out and another monster appear out of nowhere. I think we will have to see how this junior performs in his break-through. If he exceeds my imagination, I will do everything in my power to get him to our side.¡±

    ¡°If he doesn¡¯te to this site, then we can only eliminate a future threat to our ns.¡±

    A sinister plot was being devised to take care of Li Meng. Unknown to all these undercurrents, He was sitting within his cultivation cave, preparing for his breakthrough into the Qi King level.

    ...........................

    Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°The day of reckoning is getting closer. Although we have managed to prepare a huge number of resources, we should also try and find some blessednds to have you break-through in.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the Crimson Lord artefact the best ce to carry out the break-through?¡±

    ¡°The number of avatars stationed within this ce has already exceeded the amount which could be properly propelled. You need to collect more resources or find multiple blessednds to carry out the break-through in.¡±

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 Chapter 255

    255 THE SEARCH BEGINS

    Long Tao was supposed to worry about the huge number of resources required to break-through the King level. ¡°Can the avatars undergo break-through at different times?¡±

    ¡°It should be possible to do so?¡± The Keeper replied.

    ¡°Master Ti Shen will take care of the break-through of Lu Ming. I need to discuss with him the amount required to propel me to that level. From what I deduce, the number of resources shouldn¡¯t exceed the training resources required by advance Qi Kings. The master should be able to arrange that for me.¡±

    ¡°As for Li Meng, the old man could handle it. He knows about my motive too, which would make the discussion unnecessary.¡±

    ¡°The dean at Star Emperor academy can take care of my break-through to Qi King. I can even ask him for some extra resources to help in the break-through of the other avatars.¡±

    ¡°Thest time we met the Dean, he was someone who was about to break-through to the Qi Emperor realm. What I assume by this instance is that Star Emperor Academy should be a Monarch level power, with multiple Qi Monarchs present within their ranks. It shouldn¡¯t be too much of a burden for them.¡±

    ¡°What I am worried about is the rest of the avatars. You have enough resources to help 2 people break-through the Qi King level, but your overall resources would be diminished.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t we have enough fire elements stones and the frost spring?¡±

    ¡°You are cultivating omni-elements art along with Hell- Heaven Qi. Although the fire and frost resources are enough to train until Qi King Peak, what about the rest of the attributes? They would be exhausted by the time the two avatars break-through. The major problem is our inability to estimate the number of resources required to reach the Chaosw level.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Can¡¯t we have a conservative estimate?¡±

    ¡°If we assume it ording to the conservative regtions of how each grade ofw differs from each other, I would say that we have enough resources. Since no one has ever attained such a realm in my knowledge, we couldn¡¯t start to fathom the insane amount required.¡±

    ¡°We should probably go through break-through one after the other. We will begin with Li Meng¡¯s break-through. It would not only help us grasp an idea about the number of resources required, it could also be a reference for future break-through.¡±

    ¡°That would probably be a good idea. To my knowledge, the most powerful Crimson Lord was only able to connect with four Heavenly Laws with a single body and he almost busted to death. ording to traditional sequence, single Chaosws should be more powerful than the four heavenlywsbined. The limit should be a single Chaosw per body.¡±

    ¡°I believe that should be the initial aim. Once I have multiple break-throughs, I could probably think about connecting with multiple Chaosws.¡±

    The Keepers nodded in agreement. One must have a perfect estimate of the requirements to achieve a single chaoticw. Long Tao could probably have more than one in a single body during thest phases.

    ¡°We will hence continue the collection of resources after these three undergo their break-through. While you consolidate your realms, I want all your training resources to be poured into the breakthrough of the rest of the avatars.¡±

    ¡°We also need to find some depositories of natural resources, a blessednd, or even an ancient inheritance. These are the best ways to gain a huge set of resources.¡±

    ........................................................

    Long Tao began tomunicate with the brownstone guild about the natural depositories and inheritances which were found within the central ins. Although the amount charged was quite hefty, he did get a huge list of possibly blessednds, depositories and ancient inheritances.

    ¡°The first ce is called the sea of bones, which is near the western boundary of the central ins. It was apparently the battleground for an ancient war and multiple figures fell within the Sea of Bones. The danger was so great that the minimum strength required to even inspect the surrounding area was Qi King.

    Since Long Tao possessed the power of a normal intermediate Qi King, he decided to check this ce out for tempering and collection resources.

    ¡°The second location is called the Emperor perishing range. It was created after internal strife broke out among the powers within the central ins and many emperors and higher-level cultivators died there. A hegemonic figure is said to have converted the whole range into a graveyard where geniuses of future generations could go in and try their luck out.¡±

    ¡°The third location is called the Death Frost valley, which is currently under the jurisdiction of a coalition of various forces who cultivate ice-elemental arts. It includes the frost-leaf sect, the snow valley, the pine-garden, The ice-god kingdom among others. It was opened to all with the baseline of paying a predesignated amount of Qi stones.¡±

    ¡°They would also have a part of any major inheritance one could find within the valley. 50 % of the resources will be the possession of the coalition, while the other 50% belongs to the cultivator who found it.¡±

    ¡°Another impressive sight is the Taiwan mountain range which is said to be housing multiple elemental veins. It is an active volcano and hence is a paradise for fire element cultivators.¡±

    The baseline for every single one of these ces was to be a Qi King. Only with the power of a Qi King would someone have enough assurance about their chances to score a set number of resources.

    ¡°Concentrate onprehending every single art you possess to its very peak. Other avatars could use the time to search for more regions to go into and gain resources from. Once Li Meng breakthroughs the Qi King level, he will be in charge of collecting the resources while the other avatars continue on their cultivation.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be impossible for the avatars to hold back a break-through when the energy levels reach their very peak?¡±

    ¡°It would be difficult, but they would be able to hold out if you use them as a support for the break-through of other avatars.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that I use one avatar¡¯s energy reserves to propel another avatar during its break-through?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s possible. Theoretically, they would be the perfect source for propelling another avatar as each one of them has cultivated the same type of energy. What do you say?¡±

    Long Tao thought about it for a minute and then agreed. This should be a good direction to follow up on. Li Meng could use the time to find resources in these restricted zones.

    ¡°You should send some of your avatars to the restricted zones to collect information about the situation there. It is better to have a clear perspective on which forces you are going to face during the seizure of resources.¡±

    .................................

    The old man and two of his disciples were busy discussing Li Meng¡¯s break-through.

    ¡°The resources are enough to set up the perfect formation for junior brother¡¯s break-through.¡± One of them suggested.

    ¡°I hope that he is capable of achieving the goal he is running towards.¡±

    ¡°Can master describe the strange realm he is trying to achieve?¡± Both of them were Heavenlyw cultivators who had already stepped into the Qi Emperor realm. They wanted to know about the mysterious realm.

    ¡°The realm is said to be the very pinnacle ofw domains, somece where one could connect with the unrestrictedws of creation itself. Heavenly Laws are still connected to Heaven, but the realm above that is constituted by the very essence of origin. No one knows the exact effects of such a realm.¡±

    ¡°Could junior brotherpete for a position in thatpetition?¡±

    ¡°The only ray of hope is to reach that realm. Even if he connects with Heavenlyw, he would be prepared for thepetition by that time. Only by achieving that realm is there any chance ofpeting in that arena.¡±

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 Chapter 256

    256 PREPARATION FOR BREAKTHROUGH-The concern of gathering resources was suppressed as of now. He decided to start practicing the art of Pill-Sword saint. The water element was the only category of acupoints which remained closed. Li Meng was the first one to go through the breakthrough. He started to ingest frost energy from the spring into his body.

    Cold energy rushed into Li Meng¡¯s Qi veins and started to assault its walls. He could feel icy spikes colliding against the walls, trying to pierce through. He applied ayer of Qi around the walls and began the process of rotating it ording to the art. The frost spring was proving to be a difficult resource to digest.

    Li Meng¡¯s body took a long time to amodate this pure form of energy. The keeper rmended opening up all the other elemental acupoints before trying to absorb the frost spring. True to his advice, the other elemental acupoints helped in the assimtion of this energy and began to rotate freely throughout his body.

    After a long time, he felt the first set of acupoints. It resonated with the frost energy and began to loosen up. Li Meng absorbed more and more frost Qi into his body. He was freezing all over. The energy began to assault his acupoints, and Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but spit out blood. To his surprise, it was frozen all over.

    ¡°The advice worked after all. The frost spring¡¯s energy is potent enough to freeze your body all over. You should take it slowly and steadily.¡±

    ¡°I would have to open up a couple of acupoints before I can rotate the energy freely throughout my boy.¡±

    ¡°I would still rmend taking it gradually.¡±

    ¡°I will be preparing the other formations required to assimte the energy for your break-through within the artifact. We need to iste the artifact in a certain location, preferably somewhere where a lot of Qi fluctuations ur regrly. Cultivators are quite sensitive tow energy and could easily feel the fluctuation when an abnormal situation urs nearby.

    We need a safe space where Qi fluctuations are amon urrence.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I be breaking-through within the artifact, why would any fluctuation be visible in the outside world?¡±

    ¡°When you assimte aw within your cultivation base, you essentially draw the energy from the world around you. When a cultivator break-throughs the King level, they get connected to the low energy around them and hence can establish contact with the environment or the world in general.¡±

    ¡°They could feel a new connection being established to the very same source. Although the change could only be noticed by those who have powerful cultivation base, at least a Qi emperor, we shouldn¡¯t take any chances for this asion.¡±

    ¡°A ce where Qi fluctuation is amon urrence...¡± Long Tao spoke to himself, and a sudden idea came to his mind. ¡°How about the ces where we decided to go find natural opportunities and gather resources? The sea of Bones is an ideal ce.¡±

    ¡°It might be a location where fluctuations define the environment around, but we need something more secure. The major concern which is bothering me is the event in which a random cultivator might think the artifact to be a lost artifact of high value.¡±

    ¡°Any artifact above the Emperor level extrudew energy on their own. When you break-through the level of Qi King, the artifact will start drawing energy from the environment to help you establish a connection with the world. Even I don¡¯t remember the exact details of what might happen.¡±

    ¡°That does make these locations quite dangerous for us to lurk in. Advance level Qi Kings are amon urrence in these ces. Even if I break-through, I would be able topete with intermediate Qi Kings at most.¡±

    ¡°I need to exin some details about your break-through. When a cultivator can establish aw within his cultivation base, he/she can gain another set of energy from the world. Normally people refer to it as the Law blessing/ Blessing of the world, but the most popr and epted theory is that the newly establishedw absorbs energy from the world after its birth to stabilize itself.¡±

    ¡°The cultivator who establishes it naturally gains a lot from this process and hence gets a cultivation boost. The boost differs from person to person as well as the category ofw you manage to establish. Humanws tend to give the least output, with only a slight boost in energy. Earthws, on the other hand, can provide a huge energy input, sometimes even helping the person to directly promote through a realm.¡±

    ¡°Heavenlyws, on the other hand, lead to heavenly blessings, which enables a cultivator to directly promote through two stages. The amount depends on how long the cultivator can sustain the Heavenly blessing.¡±

    ¡°The greater number ofws you establish more is the energy gained from them.¡±

    ¡°What about Chaosws?¡±

    ¡°That is unchartednd, whose oue is still not clear to me. Only when you can touch the realm, could we possibly know what benefits that realm brings to you.¡±

    Long Tao was demotivated for a second. He was trying to sail through a territory whose details are not yet clear to him. The Keeper couldn¡¯t provide him with the necessary details which could help him with an easy sail.

    ¡°We need to stake it all with each break-through. You are trying to experiment with theories which were proven to be impossible by our ancestors. It is natural to fail sometimes. You just need to keep pushing on. Even if Li Meng isn¡¯t able to establish a Chaoticw, you would still have 9 other avatars to go with. Just remember to be persistent through the process.¡±

    ¡°Each failure would give us a new set of parameters to develop on while trying the next break-through.¡±

    ...................................

    The frost energy rushed through the Qi veins and slowly opened one acupoint after another. The amount of damage incurred during each opening was massive and required a short break before continuing. After a long period of time, the awaited day finally arrived.

    Li Meng was sitting amid the artifact absorbing the frost essence when arge pop was heard from his body. He puked out another pack of blood, but unlike the vents before, his eyes remained closed. He didn¡¯t take a break and continued to ingest more and more energy. His body started to glow, and ck substances were pouring out of the pores.

    The metamorphosis has finally begun. He finally reached the apex of acupoint opening level and the fourth metamorphosis was about to take ce. After a huge amount of filth poured out of his body, his bone frame began to crack down and modify itself back up. Metamorphosis was never an easy task to undergo, as the pain of bones being crushed to power was excruciating, but he persisted.

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 Chapter 257

    257 PEAK OF QI GENERAL

    Li Meng was experiencing an immense amount of pain. Metamorphosis, as one knows, was never an easy process to go through. The reason being is the fact that each time you undergo metamorphosis, you are breaking your body to absolutely nothing before building it back-up.

    His bones were reforged multiple times due to the arts which he practised. Hell-forger art was being practiced by him till the Qi master realm. Each time a bone reforging takes ce, they are pasted into a muddle and built back, strengthened. The problem with a process like that was that the next reforging was not only going to take more effort but also the pain experienced is higher.

    Metamorphosis, on the other hand, would result in an entirely different kind of transformation. Eachponent of the body would be converted into a whole new form. The process starts with the reforging of the bone frames. Unlike reforging, the bones would be reduced to nothing but a muddle. A huge amount of Qi and blood essence would be ingested to refine the muddle off impurities.

    The next part was reforming the muddle into a bone frame. One by one the bones became visible,rger and stronger than before. An unountable number of symbols were engraved on the bone frame, radiating a mysterious aura out of them. When the bone frame finally took form, the symbols rearranged themselves and the bone seemed to have been engraved with gold.

    The next phase was the refining of blood vessels and Qi channels. The problem with such a transformation was the amount of time required to carry it out. The very objective of metamorphosis was to bring a huge qualitative change to the whole body, turning its brand new.

    The requirement to carry out such a transformation was a huge amount of natural Qi. Every body transformation technique required a huge load of natural resources such as pills and herbs, Qi stones, natural Qi etc. This metamorphosis uses natural Qi and is hence quite slow inparison to other phenomena. The only reason Li Meng can carry it out so fast was the formationid down within the artifact.

    The blood vessels were torn out first. Each tear felt like a hit from a whip. After the first set of tears wasplete, the blood contained within them dyed the inside walls of Li Meng¡¯s body red. Once could easily see a strange tomato colour appearing all over his body. The blood vessels were then refined by the use of fire energy.

    ¡°Put in more fire stones.¡± The keeper poured a huge amount of fire stones into the formation. The energy required for refinement was quiterge.

    The refinement was carried out, and loads of waste ejected from the blood vessels. Another set of symbols began to appear on the refined blood vessels. Once the blood flow circuits were established properly, the Qi meridians were next to go. A simr process took ce, and another load of filth was excreted out of Li Meng¡¯s body.

    .....

    The second stage wasplete. Thest stage was the refinement of flesh and skin.

    .................................

    ¡°This is going to take a lot of time.¡±

    ¡°Another particr reason behind such an assumption.¡± The Pill Hall master asked.

    ¡°He has used a tremendous amount of blood which originated from a variety of beasts. I am still in awe of the person who invented Blood Tempering arts. He formted a way to temper and transform the blood of a being to an even higher state with the help of foreign blood.¡±

    ¡°The only problem is the variousponents which get intermixed while practicing with the blood of these beasts. Initial stages are quite easy to cleanse, but as the beast bes more and more powerful, the refinement was going to take more and more time.¡±

    ¡°I also have doubts regarding the Tempering altar from Heaven Cleaver sect. How did they manage toe up with the theory to give an inheritor a whole pool of blood essence? Technically a person would be able to go through at most three temperings, but it is a simple treasure for someone like Long Tao. We need to inspect the history of that force.¡±

    ¡°There is a lot of mystery in this world, and only when this boy reaches a certain level of strength could we possibly look into them. The speed with which he is growing is incredible, but fate is bound to y games with even the most talented ones.¡± The Keeper looked at the Pill Hall master with a serious nce.

    ¡°Threatening me with that look is not going to help. You have to tell him the truth someday. He is got to know his real origins and the force which birthed a monster such as him.¡±

    ¡°That would only apply a lot of pressure on this child. He¡¯s not ready yet.¡±

    ¡°You do understand that he is the inheritor of that person. There must be a trigger in his body, fragments of memory which wouldn¡¯t remain locked for much longer. You will have to let the cat out of the bag.¡±

    ¡°The baseline of me even considering letting out the secret is that he can connect with the Chaos realm. His father managed to do it, and so will he. What I see in front of me is someone who has the potential to be the strongest being with the worlds. IF he seeds in his venture, he will be the only person in the whole world to have connected with more than two Chaosws.¡±

    ¡°If only that was so easy.¡± The Pill Hall master sighed.

    ¡°There is a reason behind my confidence in him. He will seed. Just imagine a person who could connect with 9 chaosws.¡± Just what sort of power would it bring to him.¡±

    ...................................

    The flesh tempering soon ended with Li Meng¡¯s body undergoing multiple expansions and contractions. Thest part was the outermostyer. It required a tremendous amount of fire energy to refine the outeryer of the body.

    The symbols within Li Meng¡¯s body shone within a bright light, as the fire energy around him began to form into a ball. A furnace was being created to refine the skin. The ball finally formted, and Li Meng¡¯s skin began to charr due to the destructive fire energy.

    Multipleyers of skin were being charred into ashes and reformted. After a series of refinements, a glistening cover appeared on his flesh, full of golden symbols. This was the first time these symbols came into being. The appearance of these symbols marked the end of the Metamorphosis process.

    After a short cooldown period, Li meng opened his eyes and began to check his newly formed body out. He could feel an immense increase in power and be confident to go against an intermediate level Qi king solely based on his body.

    When he finally cleaned himself up, he could feel that his Qi cultivation level had upgraded. Only a single level of Hell-spawn sutra remained. He sat down to practice it and the speed amazed him. Many hidden deformities were cleansed out by thest metamorphosis, and his cultivation base upgraded in a single day.

    ¡°Congrattions on officially stepping into the peak of Qi general realm.¡±

    Although Li Meng was filled with joy, he couldn¡¯t help but turn serious. It was time to break-through the Qi King level.

    ............................

    Somece within Thunder Academy-

    ¡°Your fifth brother has sent a message. He is finally prepared for his break-through into the Qi King level.¡± The old man spoke up.

    Three men were standing just below the pedestal where he was sitting. They nodded in agreement and left to make the final preparation. Invitations were sent out to every major cultivator within the academy. Many powerful eyes now rested on the region where Li Meng was about to break-through.

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 Chapter 258

    258 THE BREAKTHROUGH BEGINS

    Reaching the peak of Qi general was a huge achievement for Li Meng. There are ten tiers on the road of cultivation. The first is the stage of preparation and foundation building. After whiches the first triplets of levels. The first triplet refers to the building of Qi foundation. Qi child, Qi Master and thest stage, Qi general.

    The second triplet is referred to as the set of Law establishments. It had three realms, namely Qi King, Qi Emperor and the very peak Qi Monarch. Thest triplet is referred to as the three realms of refining. It included the realm of Qi Dominator, Qi Saint and the veryst stage of the mortal world, Half-god realm.

    Thest stage is referred to as god-hood. It was the ultimate stage dreamt about by all Qi practitioners. Li Meng was officially in the second triplet of cultivation level. It was a huge step for his future cultivation path. He formally began to prepare for the uing break-through.

    ording to the theory he had devised, he managed to achieve all the requirements to step into that realm. All he could do now was to prepare well enough supporting elements to help him pass through the hurdles. The first set of supports consisted of the formations inscribed on his body which had managed to restrict his cultivation speed by absorbing energy.

    They were already full and would break at any moment. Once that happens a huge amount of Qi would overflow through his body. He wanted to use this opportunity to make up for any energy deficit while establishing thews. The Keeper rmended forgetting about them as of now, as the formation will automatically reverse its status when it is drained.

    The second set of support was the immense number of resources prepared by the old man for his break-through. Once he discussed his idea with the old man, he agreed to act upon it. The preparation for the break-through into Qi realm always involves the huge expenditure of resources as the establishment ofws requires an immense amount of energy.

    It is due to the constituent power that goes into the formtion of aw base within the body of the practitioner. Heavenlyws already required a huge energy reserve to form, while chaoticws were a fully mysterious realm.

    ¡°I have prepared about twice the number of resources required when someone connects with a Heavenlyw. When I say that, I also refer to every single type of element you referred to. Technically heavenlyws can be connected with around twelve times. You better achieve that realm, or I am going to kick your ass.¡± The old man was bickering with Li Meng.

    ¡°No need to be so grumpy about your loss. I will make sure you get a proper return on your investment. I will try my best to connect with that realm and I will be sure to pay your back.¡±

    .....

    The old man looked at Li Meng with an amused expression.

    Thest set of support which Li Meng prepared for was his avatars. They were like batteries filled with every kind of power which Li meng was going to use for the break-through. They were filled with an immense amount of energy too. They could make-up for any energy deficit.

    He was all riled up for his breakthrough. The most abundant resources the old man got him were thunder elemental ones. The firstw he was trying to establish was a Thunderw.

    ...............

    ¡°I am curious about what change would this break-through bring about.¡± The Keeper spoke faintly.

    ¡°what are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°The Origin avatar art is a huge mystery to me, as are the other two arts. When we first experimented with the Origin avatar art, we didn¡¯t know that they could share all kind of energy which constituted his body. Even soul energy can be shared, although with a slow speed.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that this break-through is going to affect all the avatars?¡±

    ¡°I am just wondering if the same is true for this break-through too.¡±

    ¡°I guess we will have created something which can only be termed as a monster.¡±

    ¡°I guess we will see when the break-through takes ce.¡±

    ............................

    The formation was finally set up. It was set to amodate all the energy resources as the focal points and the formation lines as the veins. All the lines converged at a single point and that is where Li Meng sat down for the break-through. The location was isted from the outside by the old man.

    The very rumour that there was a talented individual who was about to break-through the level of Qi king. Thest time these many experts were attracted to someone was when the Thunder child broke-through. Li Meng held an even better position than him. They wanted to see the extent this new talent could go.

    Could he dethrone the Thunder child from his position? It was a question that burdened every mind.

    ...............

    ¡°You need to rx your body before starting to absorb all the energy through the formation. You could only begin the break-through once your body is absolutely full and could take no more energy inside.¡±

    The old man instructed Li Meng about every little detail concerning the break-through he was about to undergo. They couldn¡¯t risk a single miscement of information. ¡°Once the energy levels are maximum, try and sense thew energy within the world.¡±

    ¡°Concentrate on thew which you are trying to establish. The environment in this ce is best suited for thunder energy, hence try and connect with thunder energy first. Remember the fact that the sensing ofws will always begin with the Humanws. You need to push through the limits.¡±

    ¡°The objective is to be able to reach the realm of Chaosws. You would be able to sense Heavenlyws at the end, and the power exerted from them is going to be immense, but I do need you to push through.¡± The old man staked a lot of things on Li Meng seeding. ¡°I really hope that you can step into that realm.¡±

    ¡°I hope to be able to do that too. I promise to make history today. Even if I am not able to reach that level, I will connect with more than three heavenlyws.¡± Li Meng¡¯s eyes were incredibly serious. The old man was surprised by the boy¡¯s determination. The promise to connect with three or more Heavenlyws is still a humungous thing.

    Monsters who could connect with three heavenlyws did exist in the history of Thunder Academy. Even the most talented disciple, the Mad Thunder King, is even said to have connected with fourws, making him invincible.

    ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t overexert yourself. Every realm and milestone can be achieved, but the baseline is to stay alive during the whole time.¡±

    ...............................

    Three men were standing around the formation, controlling the power input. Li Meng walked up to them and bowed down. ¡°I thank senior brother for their help in my break-through. I will leave my life in your hands.¡±

    ¡°Master has already shared the objective behind this experiment of yours. As your brothers, we hope for the best. We wish you luck and will give it our best to supply all the energy required during the break-through.¡±

    ¡°I have something for you.¡± Another voice sounded. It was the same man who met with Li Meng during thepetition. He handed out a small circr disk. Everyone present, including the old man, was surprised.

    ¡°This is an ancient support disk I found in one of the ruins. It could help youprehend thew energy easily. I hope it helps.¡± Li meng thanked him and took the disk. He could feel the pressure of their expectations. He was going to try his best to reach that level.

    ...................

    Sometimeter-

    Li Meng was sitting in the center of the formation, absorbing all the energy around him. Due to immense input, the saturation point was soon reached, and he closed his eyes. He began to feel thew energy around him. As per the old man¡¯s advice, he began with the Thunderw. Sparks started to fly out of his body, covering the whole area.

    ¡°Start inserting Thunder energy towards him.¡± The old man instructed. The three men obliged.

    The first feeling was the immense amount of thunder around him. Li meng was surprised by the feeling. It was as if symbols around him had life in them, resonating with his body. It was quite alluring, but he resisted the temptation. He absorbed more and more energy and pushed through.

    Humanws have be extremely opaque and radiant. He tackled the energy around him and was finally able to break through the barrier. The first stage ofw was bypassed and a new, more powerful set of symbols began to emerge around him. He was within the Earthenw realm.

    .................

    The artifact within his body was slowly absorbing the humanw symbols. Although this was useless to Li Meng, this was a great energy supplement for a treasure like the Crimson World artifact. Thew symbols were starting to mend the damage of the artifact.

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 Chapter 259

    259 THE VISION OF LAWS

    ¡°Evenw energy could help the artifact heal its damage.¡± Long Tao was surprised to see this phenomenon.

    ¡°Law energy is the very representation of pure energy which constitutes the world. It is one of the most ethereal forms of natural energy and hence could easily help in mending the damage on the artifact. The only thing which differs for the cases we will see ahead is that the quality ofw also determines the energy contained within it.

    ¡°Humanws as you saw, could only work slowly. Earthenws are the reason where the visible effects could be seen prominently. Once you enter the realm of Heavenlyws, the quality of energy would be high enough that multiple damages could be healed at the same time.¡±

    ¡°ording to your theory, the energy which is formed during the break-through is a supplement for me which could help in raising my cultivation level and consolidating my foundation. In that case, the artifact is hoarding my energy and utilizing it for mending its damages.¡±

    ¡°There is so much that you don¡¯t know about the basics ofw energy eruptions. What you are doing is summoning thew energy from this world. Now you are going to be benefitted by it regardless of the interference by secondary objects like the artifact. Even when you didn¡¯t connect with the human or earthenws, the artifact still absorbed them.¡±

    ¡°A single being of your level has a limit for thew energy it could absorb in a single go. The rest of the energy is just conjured and then disperses into the world. The artifact is absorbing residual energy from the environment, without hindering your progress. In every single break-through, your avatars are going to go through, the artifact is going to absorb the residual energy.¡±

    ¡°Could it undergo an upgrade due to thew energy?¡± Long Tao was expectant for the mending of the artifact.

    ¡°It is bound to go through multiple changes. The amount of energy which the earthenw is supplying is quite good. Heavenlyws are going to be even more terrifying. Who knows if we may see a huge transformation in the level of the artifact?¡±

    ¡°It could directly jump from Emperor grade artifact to a yellow tier artifact, which could only be possessed by a Qi Monarch or higher-level martial artist.¡± The news filled Long Tao with tion. An upgrade such as that woulde with a horde of benefits which would help him pace up his cultivation.

    .....

    ¡°What about Chaoticws?¡±

    ¡°If you actually manage to step into that stage, and it is ording to the assumption we made, the artifact is going to upgrade multiple times, even reaching the peak of Yellow tier. You wouldn¡¯t need to fear walking through the nearby forces after that. There might also be some serious additions during this upgrade.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t the ssification of weapons the same as the Qi levels?¡±

    ¡°It is until the emperor¡¯s level. Above the Emperor level, there are three more stages. Yellow, Mystic and Legendary.¡±

    ¡°What is above the level of legendary?¡±

    ¡°Something which transcends this world itself, and hence is none of your concern as of now. Concentrate on your break-through. I could feel the Heavenlyw vision approaching.¡± The keeper warned in a stern tone.

    ¡°What is Heavenly Law vision?¡± This was an unfamiliar term to Long Tao.

    ¡°You will see.¡± The Keeper smiled.

    .........................................

    Outside the world, Thunder Academy-

    Li Meng was sitting amid the endless hordes of earthenw symbols, all of them possessing a spark. When he finally managed to break through the barrier of Earthen-Laws, the sky above began to change. Endless clouds began to emerge out of nowhere, sparkling with thick lines of thunder.

    ¡°The Law vision is presenting itself. Another genius is being born within the academy, connecting with the Heavenlyw of Thunder.¡± One of the elders outside the seclusion area spoke up.

    Thunder energy soon gathered within the clouds and began to coagte into thicker groups. The atmosphere began to change, and in front of the expectant eyes of experts, the first line of thunder fell, directly assaulting Li Meng¡¯s body.

    At first, it was quite painful, burning the outer skin to ck char, but Li Meng soon adjusted himself to the power levels. He couldn¡¯t absorb this energy as it would lead to the establishment of Heavenly Thunderws. He needed to sustain himself through the process to enter that realm.¡±

    Multiple lightning lines sted Li Meng¡¯s body, yet he didn¡¯t flinch.

    ¡°You need to sustain yourself through this temptation. Connecting with the Heavenly Thunderw is quite easy for you now. Sustain through the process, and you might be able to break-through that door.¡± The old man was bbering to himself.

    Thunder energy was assaulting Li Meng¡¯s body, and yet he was not even absorbing a little bit of it. The artifact on the other hand was devouring the lightning wave up. The damage was healing up fast. Heavenlyw energy was quite abundant. The energy reserves of Li Meng¡¯s body were clearly depleting and the old man was constantly directing the three men to pour more resources into the formation.

    The assault continued and thunder energy was all over the ce. Li Meng managed to grasp the sensation of the Heavenlyws but he still couldn¡¯t feel the Chaosw realm. He continued toprehend thew energy but didn¡¯t absorb any of it. The phenomena continued on and on.

    This very phenomenon was called the vision of Law. It enables a practitioner to directly experience the power of any particrw energy andprehend it. The vision of Lawssts as long as the practitioner can bear the bombardment of energy. His body was being continuously sted and healed. An absurd refinement was taking ce, yet he was nowhere close to a breakthrough.

    After a long period of time, he finally managed to understand the very essence of Heavenly Thunderw, and began impacting the higher level. But what remains ahead of him is a broken road. No matter how much energy he absorbed and expended, he couldn¡¯t feel the door to that realm.

    He continued hisprehension amid thew break-out. He finally understood what the Pill-sword saint meant by his words. He could feel that he was being chained down by a force, incapable of moving forward.

    The energy of Thunder became more and more violent, yet he wasn¡¯t able to surpass the Heavenly Law level. Finally, the moment his body could no longer hold arrived and Li meng had to give up. This was the first try, and it ended in a failure, but he did get aprehension of the path he wanted to take.

    He finally decided to connect with the Heavenly Thunderw at its most violent stage and consolidated thew establishment within his body. He officially established the first heavenlyw and stepped within the Qi King realm. Although the Old man was a bit disappointed, he continued to provide the required energy to him.

    After thew was established, an immense amount of Thunder energy directly poured into the body of Li Meng and even began to directly enter the Crimson lord artifact. Each avatar of Li Meng experienced the establishment of mysteriousw energy within their body and was blessed.

    This was a unique feeling for Li Meng. Although his avatar was not technically I Qi King level, their Qi bases had already upgraded to that level.

    ................

    ¡°I expected this to happen. Just what is the mystery behind the Origin Avatar art? Who created such a miraculous technique? One is sure to enter the very peak of martialprehension with this art.¡± The Keeper said to himself.

    ¡°So, the avatars are not technically at the Qi King level, but their Qi bases do get increased by the Thunder blessing.¡± If this continued for every Heavenly Law he connected with, just what sort of power level would eh have reached by the time all avatars had broken-through.

    ...................

    ¡°Prepare the next set of resources. He is going to try and connect with the Water element now.¡± The old man didn¡¯t lose sight of their objective. The familiar process repeated itself.

    ¡°He is going to establish his second Heavenly Law. A genius for sure.¡± Many elders were shocked by the scene. The secondw which Li Meng chose to try out was water. Another set of clouds began to gather around the altar. Huge droplets of water began to coagte within the atmosphere, and it soon began to pour upon the figure sitting below.

    The pressure exerted by the water droplets was humongous. While the Thunder lines were charring him up, the water-energy was trying to crush and drown him. He gained someprehension regarding the level above Heavenlyws. It was time to experiment with the various thesis he formted.

    The secondw was beingprehended, and Li Meng once again tried to feel the realm above. It wasn¡¯t long before he was left dismayed once again. The realm wasn¡¯t even vaguely visible from his perspective.

    ¡°Just what am I doing wrong in here?¡± This was the biggest doubt of Li Meng¡¯s.

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 Chapter 260

    260 THE UNSURPASSABLE OBSTACLE

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t able to connect to that realm after all.¡± The Pill-Hall master said to the Keeper.

    ¡°If the realm was so easy to achieve, it wouldn¡¯t be termed as the forbidden/ Unachievable realm. But one of our theories dide true. The Origin avatar art is truly miraculous. Each avatar was blessed withw symbols and energy. Although they have not yet set up a Law connection, they could freely use it.¡±

    ¡°You seem too rxed for someone whose expectation didn¡¯te true.¡±

    ¡°This oue was within my expectations. Even he didn¡¯t manage to achieve that in a single try.¡±

    ¡°How did he achieve it then?¡± The Pill Hall Master was confused. Crimson Lords were a high-grade race of extreme cultivators. There were many instances of past hegemons connecting with the Chaotic Law realm. He thought that most of them managed to do that because of how talented they were.

    ¡°Are you thinking that Long Taock the talent of his predecessor who managed to connect with the Chaoticw realm? You are gravely mistaken in that area. I may have lied to the boy regarding my knowledge of the Chaotic Law realm, but I never lied about his aplishments.¡±

    ¡°He is the most talented inheritor of this artifact to have ever existed.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not seat it. We both know that none of the inheritors before him were mortals. He doesn¡¯t even have the luck to start on equal ground with them, not to speak, their talent.¡±

    ¡°That is the reason why I am confident about him bing the strongest Crimson Lord ever. He started way below his predecessor and hence has way more room to improve upon. You will understand it once he reaches that level.¡± The Keeper didn¡¯t mind the prejudice in Pill Hall master¡¯s voice. It was justified given the current situation Long Tao was in.

    .....

    ¡°I guess we could only wait. I will give it my very best to nurture him in the alchemy domain. Let¡¯s hope he wouldn¡¯t betray our expectations.¡±

    ......................

    The Water Heavenly Vision slowly appeared and began to bombard Li Meng¡¯s body. He drowned in a pool of water element symbols, constantly pressuring his body into a paste. Li Meng clenched his teeth and began toprehend thews. He repeated the process of not absorbing thew energy, but feel andprehend the mystery behind it.

    The artifact continued to absorb the energy around him and mending its damages. The speed of recovery was quite astonishing and Long Tao couldn¡¯t help but gasp in the surprise of how miraculous the whole energy was. He tried again and again to sense the barrier to the next realm, but a familiar experience repeated itself.

    The energy just got stronger and stronger, yet he couldn¡¯t even sense the end of it. It was just as if the world was pulling him back from sensing the barrier, which needed to be broken. He tried to improve his understanding of a higher realm. To his surprise, thest experience while connecting with the Thunder Law did help him to sustain for a longer period of time.

    The sad news was that the time was still not enough to see the end of the Heavenly Law realm. Although he persisted for a way longer period, at the end of the day, his body wasn¡¯t able to handle it. He had topromise in the current situation and settle for a Heavenly Law base.

    Another failure was achieved.

    The same phenomenon repeated itself, and every single avatar was imbued with Law energy and their cultivation bases engraved withw runes. This phenomena was not only mysterious but might possess a huge significance during the Break-through of other avatars.

    ....................

    The old man was expectant when he saw that Li Meng managed to surpass hisst record, but was soon disappointed by the result. He kept pumping in more and more resources to help in Li Meng¡¯s Qi reserves, but the rate of input couldn¡¯t sustain the expenditure.

    Li Meng finally ended his trial by connecting with the water-elementalw base. He now possesses two Heavenly Law bases. Anywhere in the central ins, it would be considered monstrous, but Li Meng was not happy. He failed once again. He could feel his body¡¯s fatigue. Although this wasn¡¯t the end of the line, it was soon going to be reached.

    A mortal body possessed certain limits no matter how hard one tried to refine it. He opened his eyes and signalled to the old man. The old man nodded his head and smiled. Histest disciple went for a third Heavenly Law base. He himself was someone who possessed two Heavenlyws. His disciples might just create a record today.

    ¡°Which element do you prefer to try this time?¡±

    ¡°Wind.¡± Li Meng answered. It¡¯s time to try andprehend the Wind element runes. His understanding of Heavenly Law level was increasing with every connection he established.

    .................

    ¡°The second Heavenlyw has formally been established. We have another Thunder-child within our academy.¡± Many elders were overjoyed by this phenomenon. They were excited to get their hands on another capable inheritor for the academy. Just when the celebrations were about to begin, another Vision appeared.

    ¡°Just what is he trying to do?¡± A shocked voice asked around.

    ¡°He is trying to establish another Heavenly Law. From the looks of the vision, it is the Wind elementalw this time.¡±

    Many shocked eyes watched as the vision was apanied by catastrophic tornadoes pouring down on the tiny figure sitting in the middle of the formation. It tore through the skin and began to disperse Li Meng¡¯s blood in the atmosphere. Wind energy was constantly pouring into this under-skin, tearing huge pieces of it. Each blow was like a sharp strike from the sword, piercing right through his defences and decimating his flesh.

    He learnt a horde of lessons from thest two trials and hence applied all his experience in the break-through this time. He continued to bear the assault and understand the morphing of the constituent runes. The morph continues as time goes by and Li Meng¡¯s knowledge of the Heavenly Law realm keeps on increasing.

    The time spent within thew realm increasedpared to the previous trial, but the boundary was still nowhere to be found.

    ¡°What if there is no Chaotic Law realm to search?¡± Long Tao asked the Keeper.

    ¡°There wouldn¡¯t be any rumours about that realm if it actually didn¡¯t exist.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a fake rumour spread by someone who decided to mess with the generations toe.¡± Long Tao protested against the idea.

    ¡°We have seen relics and ancient texts referring to that realm. It cannot be a false rumour. You just need to try hard enough to achieve it.¡± The Keeper insisted with a serious tone.

    Long Tao was going to reply in a harsh tone when a realization dawned upon him. He looked at the Keeper with suspicious eyes.

    ¡°Something is bugging you boy?¡±

    ¡°I initially couldn¡¯t understand why you were so knowledgeable about a realm which wasn¡¯t achieved by any known personality of the history. You even knew the name of the realm. If it were just false rumours, you would have dismissed the idea until now, as I have already connected with three Heavenlyws, and am exhausted to go any further.¡±

    ¡°But you just keep insisting that the realm above does exist. That¡¯s when it struck me. Your confidence is not based on some shallow ancient scripture crap. You have experienced someone in the past achieving that realm and hence are sure it exists. The only catch in the whole thing is, why wouldn¡¯t you tell me the truth.¡±

    ¡°I remember confirming the fact that I might point out the path but would never interfere in it. The things that I can do tell you about would surface when you are strong enough to know them. As of now, you are still a non-existent insect in the martial world. Get your head right and focus on the barrier.¡±

    ¡°The realm you are trying to achieve is termed as Unsurpassable by many.¡±

    ¡°And since we are on the topic anyway, a realm above does exist and people have achieved it.¡± Long Tao wanted to confirm something, but the Keeper lifted his finger to point out silence. ¡°Before you try to confirm your doubts, I will not tell you how to achieve it. That is a path you will have to walk on your own.¡±

    .......................

    Wind energy was rushing through his body as Li Meng finally established his third Heavenly Law. It was just then that he realized something. His body was no longer capable enough of sustaining the burden of another Heavenly Law. The burden was just too great.

    It was time to switch for earthen Laws. He concentrated on the remaining elements on the Earthen level. After the connection with the other two elements, the first phase of Break-through finally came to an end.

    ¡°Its time to move on to the next phase. Consolidate your realm and ept thew blessing.¡± The old man was ted to have a disciple who connected with Three heavenlyws and two Earthenws. He wanted to see how far the Law blessing could take Li Meng

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 Chapter 261

    261 THE HYPOTHESIS

    The blessing ofw was a miraculous phenomenon which urs after the establishment of aw base by the cultivator. Many tried to pry the mystery behind an unusual phenomenon like this, but none were able to discern the truth. Cultivation, in general, was a path which went against heaven.

    Every cultivator used the energy obtained from the world to raise his cultivation level. The very energy which the world gives birth to is fed upon by people to raise their power and break-through the limits. It is the reason why the path of martial strength and cultivation is not easy. It is the reason why martial artist always finds their paths to be hindered by the world itself.

    Law blessing on the other hand is a miraculous phenomenon which only urs when a practitioner finally breaks-through the Qi King level. When one finally sets up aw base within their body, a strange modification takes ce within their body. The Law base induces runes within their Qi foundations, which then result in an automatic induction of energy from the environment.

    It differs from person to person, but the amount of energy induced is proportional to thew one sets as his base, and its pace is quite high. The practitioners just need to revolve and consolidate their base within the Qi King level. The energy is continued to be supplied, and the cultivation base goes through an upgrade.

    It is as if the world was blessing the practitioner with energy. No one could exin this natural phenomenon. Over the ages, many tried to pry into the mysteries, but no one came close to sess.

    .................

    ¡°You need to ept thew¡¯s blessing now. This is the part where the artifact will no longer devour the energy. It has managed to swallow enough during the time of your break-through.¡±

    ¡°Did it upgrade into a new stage?¡±

    ¡°It hase quite close to another upgrade. Another Break-through of this level might just be the catalyst required for break-through.¡±

    .....

    ¡°I guess I would require multiple attempts to ever reach that realm.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you get enough insight during this break-through?¡± The Keeper couldn¡¯t help but worry. This wasn¡¯t what he wanted Long Tao to achieve.

    ¡°The understanding is not yet enough for even feeling the barrier between the next realm. It feels non-existent to me, but your words and actions proved me wrong. I need to continue the pursuit of that realm. I may not be able to step in in the first few cases, but there are still 9 avatars remaining. I believe in a slow-paced development for myw base.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry about my inability to guide you through the realm, but I can give you a hint about the path to follow.¡±

    ¡°What is the hint?¡± Long Tao was eager to get any clues which could lead to a better understanding of the realm.

    ¡°Your avatars might hold the key to achieve that realm.¡±

    Long Tao looked at the eight shadows beside him and wondered what the Keeper was talking about.

    .......................

    ¡°What are your estimates regarding junior brother¡¯s Law blessings?¡± One of the three disciples asked the old man.

    ¡°I have little to no idea about what benefits this break-through might bring to him. Thunder-child went into seclusion for 3 months after his break-through and emerged directly as an intermediate Qi king. Your junior brother is someone who managed to connect with three simultaneous Heavenlyws.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that mean that he would prove to have a better cultivation base than Thunder-child?¡±

    ¡°The working of Qi is quite mysterious even to me. The general elementalw dictates that the elements are required to be in harmony with each other to give out the perfect situation for growth. In this case, Li Meng establishedw connections with three elements, Thunder water and wind.¡±

    ¡°When a cultivator establishes two different kinds of elementalws, they generally choose two harmonic ones. Any addition to this does create an imbnce, and hence the blessing might interfere with each other.¡±

    ¡°We could only leave matters to fate as Li Meng¡¯s capability to take on the blessing is what will dictate the whole oue. If he is capable enough to suppress all thews, and take on the full power from the blessings, I believe he might have a chance to reach the very peak of intermediate Qi King.¡±

    The old man was expectant of his disciple. Although their experiment did fail, his disciple was true to his words and connected with Three Heavenly Laws, with two earthen elementws. It was quite monstrous on its own.

    ...................

    ¡°Three Heavenly Elementalws. This junior brother is talented for sure. He even sustained the pressure andpleted the whole set with two extra earthen elementws too. Just how refined was his body.¡± Thunder-child couldn¡¯t help but get agitated by this urrence.

    He could have dismissed Li Meng¡¯s case if it were only two Heavenlyws like him. But the induction of a thirdw changed the whole situation, not to consider theplete set due to the two earthenws.

    ¡°You should concentrate on breaking-through the next realm. Li Meng could be taken care of by your henchmen once hees out of his seclusion. Concentrate on preparing for that event.¡± The old voice of grand-elder sounded.

    Thunder-child was still filled with a strange struggle. epting himself to have dethroned from the seat of the most talented was not easy toe to terms with. He instantly sends out a message to his underlings. It was time for them to prepare a little wee gift for the newly arrived junior brother.

    ................

    ¡°Just how could the avatars help me?¡± Long Tao was talking to himself. He was pondering over the Keeper¡¯s hint.

    The avatars each transformed Li Meng¡¯s break-through. Whatever connection each of them were bonded with not only allowed them to share a different kind of energy but also allowed the Law runes to incubate within their bodies. Just what could those signify?

    Long Tao began topare between the runes within Li Meng¡¯s body and the avatars. To his surprise, he did find a difference right away. The runes within the avatar¡¯s body were not responding or were rather inactive. On the other hand, Li Meng¡¯s runes were actively absorbing a huge amount of energy.

    ¡°Is this because of the break-through?¡±

    ¡°They shoulde into existence only when you break-through King realm.¡±

    Given the avatars do have Heavenly Law runes, will they y any role during their break-through? Long Tao decided to count up the runes andpare the size and quantity. They were the same as Li Meng¡¯s body. A sudden thought urred to him, and he was beaming with excitement.

    ¡°I have an absurd theory, but it couldn¡¯t be put into experimentation until the next break-through. What if these runes are not yet activated because of the avatar¡¯s cultivation base? Once he does break-through the Qi King realm, they will all be activated.¡±

    ¡°But that would mean that you have a Heavenly Law cultivation base directly. You wouldn¡¯t even need to go through the first step.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. That anomaly is what makes the whole theory so absurd.¡±

    ¡°Then you would just need to concentrate on connecting with other kinds ofws within the Heavenly realm. You would then be able to have multiple Law bases then, way more than three at least.¡±

    The whole hypothesis had multiple avenues to give a thought about. He could only patiently wait and test the theory out. It was time to consolidate the base with the Qi King realm and ept the Law blessing.

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 Chapter 262

    262 THE SECLUSIONS END

    Li Meng settled down in the middle of the formation, while the old man masked the whole area from the outside world. It was time for him to ept thew¡¯s blessing and consolidate his realm.

    ¡°Convert the formation. It should be able to infuse all the energy in the environment and project it towards your junior brother.¡± The old man instructed the three people through the whole process.

    ¡°The runes will absorb energy on their own master. I don¡¯t see the need to use a formation to infuse energy towards him. It seems a bit unnecessary.¡± The oldest disciple spoke up.

    ¡°This is the reason I ask my dear disciples to read the scriptures which rte to concepts other than the martial path. You could have gained so much, from doing so.¡± The old man spoke in an ironic tone, then caressed the formation lines and began to exin his motives.

    ¡°During the whole period where countless practitioners broke through the Qi King realm, there were experiments on each kind of avenue rted to it. Over the years our ancestors constantly experiment on thew blessing part, where they found out that there is a lot more energy than the practitioner can absorb.¡±

    ¡°The whole blessing was found to be affecting the world¡¯s energy in a much more powerful way than we thought of. The amount of energy which could be absorbed by the practitioners is highly limited due to overtime dissipation of the excess. With long years of research, people were able toe up with ideas which could help them in this situation.¡±

    ¡°The formation to attract energy and concentrate it towards the practitioners was the one they began with, but it overloaded the practitioners with an uncontroble amount of energy influx. That was when the containment formation came into the picture. It not only helped to influx the energy but also helped to regte the flow and help the process of absorption.¡±

    The three men nodded their heads, slightly embarrassed due to their master¡¯s statement earlier. They began to follow his guidance and flux in energy towards Li Meng. To their surprise, their junior brother was way better than the estimates.

    ¡°How is he able to absorb the energy so fast?¡± The estimated flow rate ofw energy was decided by the old man, but it soon led to a depletion of energy around Li Meng.

    .....

    ¡°Body cultivation might be the reason for this unprecedented behaviour. There are other exnations, but that is the best one ording to me. Your junior brother did manage to step into the Channel Tempering realm before even breaking through the Qi King realm. Those acupoints out to provide good storage of energy and a better absorption rate.¡±

    ¡°We should prepare for his uing assignment then. Once he ends his seclusion, he must ept a task. We could help with the choice.¡± The old man did think of it as a good move.

    ¡°Does master have somece in mind where he should go for his first task?¡±

    ¡°Your brother is one-of-a-kind genius in this world and hence requires a tempering which is one of a kind too. If he is to fight on the same grounds as you people, he is supposed to temper his martial base. Send him to the forbidden regions in the central ins. Like the Sea of Monsters, or the ice-valley.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be too soon for him to step into a region like that?¡± The second brother insisted.

    ¡°Natural luck is not something which can be obtained in closed doors. He is ought to face the world himself, and only then could he rise to the top of this world. he needs to seek out opportunities of his own caliber. Search for three missions. The three should rate from intermediate QI King level, to advance and the peak of Qi King at the veryst. He gets a single year toplete all of them.¡±

    ¡°I could agree with your first proposition, but now it feels that you are just trying to rush things over. Cultivation is not a path where you could just hurry up to the end line. His Martial base is going to be riddled with ws if he goes through with this n.¡± The eldest spoke up.

    ¡°Only when that happens, could he reach the specifications to enter a special ce I have designed for him to go.¡± The two men were confused at first, but they suddenly remembered a certain horrific memory. ¡°You couldn¡¯t master. That is equivalent to pushing him into hell.¡±

    ¡°Yet it is also the perfect gateway to enter the Emperor realm. Every disciple of mine has to go in there before breaking through the Emperor realm. It is even more necessary for your junior brother¡¯s case.¡±

    ..................

    Li Meng¡¯s body was continuously being filled with a huge amount of Law energy. Although there were times when the energy input could have resulted in a burst of his Qi veins, the artifact came to his rescue.

    ¡°It will only absorb any residual energy which your body is no longer able to handle. There is way more than you would ever require toplete the process. The artifact is this close from undergoing another break-through.¡± The Keeper exined.

    Li Meng decided to ignore them and concentrated on his runes. They were slowly absorbing the energy, refining it into themselves, and giving out a tiny fraction that went into Li Meng¡¯s cultivation base. A single cycle would like a very small amount for Li Meng, but the enormous number of cycles ensured that his cultivation base was constantly rising.

    The whole processsted a little longer than two months when finally, every bit of energy reserve within the formation was exhausted by Li Meng. He was rapidly rotating energy through his Qi veins. It started to rush through every meridian and acupoint, and finally ended up back in his Qi base.

    When he finally opened his eyes, he could feel that the surrounding was no longer filled with energy as before.

    ¡°Guess the whole process demanded a lot of energy from you.¡± He got up and exited the formation, just to find three exhausted faces looking at him with shock in their eyes. Their eyes were filled with a mixture of disbelief and relief at the same time. When Li meng finally exited the area, they fell to the grounds and began to cultivate their lost Qi over thest two months.

    Li Meng was about to enquire about their well-being when a familiar voice halted him in its path.

    ¡°its time for you to leave for your task junior brother. You have one day to prepare your reserves. We will leave tomorrow morning.¡± The same guy who made a bet with him spoke in a serious tone.

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 Chapter 263

    263 THE STAR BOARD

    ¡°What is Senior brother talking about?¡±

    ¡°You are epted as a true disciple of the academy only when you finally step into the Qi King realm. Once youpletely ept the Law blessing, the institute makes it mandatory for every practitioner to take on a mission of their own. It is to help the practitioner to temper his martial cultivation in the outside world.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this too direct of tempering for me? I have just broken through the realm, and would like to amodate myself before going on a mission.¡± He needed to n about the trip he was going to take before the other break-throughs.

    ¡°You could spend the next month getting yourself beaten to near-death by me. I would immediately postpone your mission after that.¡± The fourth brother looked at Li Meng with a mocking tone. ¡°The missions have been pre-decided upon by the master. He wants you to take on multiple missions over a period of time and improve your strength whilepleting them.¡±

    ¡°Can I meet my master before leaving for the mission?¡± Li Meng had multiple theories left to discuss with the old man and also wanted to get his hands on the next part of Body cultivation, the Channel Tempering art. ording to the scriptures provided by the old man, Channel Tempering was said to be quite a long procedure and required a huge investment of resources and time. It was even said that no one couldplete the process while being in the Qi Emperor realm.

    The old man didn¡¯t try to deny this idea and simply told Li Meng to meet him once he breaks-through the Qi King realm. He could start the path. Fortunately for Li Meng, time was one of the best resources he possessed due to the Crimson Lord artefact. He had confidence that he couldplete the process while being in the Emperor realm.

    ¡°Master has left to enter martial seclusion for his next break-through. He asked me to ry the order to you. He also suggested that I be the supervisor for these missions, and I obliged out of reluctance. I just hope you don¡¯t make me regret that decision. You have an incense stick of time to ask any doubts you have regarding the information already ryed to you.¡±

    ¡°We will then leave for a short walk around the academy to familiarize you with the environment and the inner workings of this institution.¡±

    ¡°Why do I need to take on multiple tasks so early?¡±

    .....

    ¡°The academy holds a strict analysis scheme for all its disciple and grade them ording to their contributions. You need toplete more and more tasks not only to earn points which are a currency within the academy but also require them to rate yourself into the StarBoard.¡±

    Li Meng was about to ask something when the guy interrupted him. ¡°The Starboard is a special artefact ced within themon area of the academy showcasing the rankings of various disciples within the academy. There are multiple steles which indicate various prospects where the students are graded. Martial cultivation, strength, soul power, alchemy, are the various gradations which the disciples are categorized into.

    ¡°Having a ranking on the Starboard not only ensures your earning ability within the academy but also makes you eligible to ess multiple facilities within the academy. Be in the cultivation grounds, refining ponds, or even Tempering fields, all of those could only be essed when you prove yourself worthy.¡±

    ¡°Higher-ranking assures better cement of resources to you every month and also allows you to take part within the yearlypetitions. The Earlypetition of strength for QI King level practitioners is going to be held in 6 months from now. The Masters needs you to rank first within thatpetition.¡±

    ¡°Are there any benefits of achieving the top rank within this year¡¯spetition?¡±

    ¡°This year¡¯spetition is marked with the opening of the Thunder Canyon. It is a sacred cultivation ground created by the Academy for Emperor level practitioners. It is also said to be the best ce to break-through into the Emperor realm. The winner of this year¡¯spetition would be allowed to have a ce within the Thunder Canyon.¡±

    ¡°I could achieve Emperor realm by searching for opportunities myself. There is no need to rush my cultivation like this.¡± Li Meng already suspected there to be some impurities and defectsying hidden within his cultivation base due to his speed. Although he wanted to achieve greater Strength as soon as possible, it should be perfect in every sense.

    ¡°Master ns for you to take part in a Heaven-defying event sometime in the future and that requires you to win this year¡¯spetition and ess the Thunder Canyon. He personally asked me to ry the importance of this matter. The task you have been assigned is hugely rted to this matter.¡±

    ¡°You will be taking on three tasks which range from Middle-grade QI King level to peak grade Qi King. You have 6 months toplete all of them, and the order you follow is not specified. If you possess the strength and confidence to go for the most difficult task, surely do so. All the master desire is for you to safely return after three months.¡±

    Three wooden tes were handed to Li Meng, each of different colors. ¡°The green one signifies the Qi King middle-grade mission. It is rted to aint lodged by a group of vige chieftains about a rogue group of bandits, lying somewhere near the Taiwan mountains.¡±

    ¡°Due to multiple attacks, many lives have been lost and the economic status has been in turmoil. This request is for the elimination of various bandit groups within the area. Their hideouts lie deep within the mountain regions.

    ¡°The location is quite dangerous due to the presence of many high-grade active veins, which give rise to even Emperor grade beasts and above. These guardians are fiercely territorial. Since the bandits are familiar with the topography, their hideouts are not easily found. You also need to be careful about any dangerous encounter.¡±

    ¡°Their leader is said to be a cultivator of middle-grade Qi King. He is a fire and water Elementalist, and some even suspect that he might have connected with a Heavenly Law. There are also many other middle grades Qi Kings, which are connected to earthenws. You need to remember that topography is on their side in the case.¡±

    ¡°All the details are enclosed within the te, along with the designated maps, contacts and the nearby subsidiary power of the Academy. You are not allowed to ask for help unless the task is way out of proportion of what was mentioned in the te. The results are to be registered in the nearby subsidiary, who will then grant you apletion token.¡±

    The young man started walking and Li Meng followed him. ¡°Before spelling out the other two tasks, I just need you to know that being your supervisor doesn¡¯t make me obliged to help you. The cruelty of this world is that the weak are not allowed to live. You could easily die while on the mission. My only concern is to monitor proper conduct on your behalf while attempting these.¡±

    ¡°The next mission is set within the Eternal Rainforest, which is situated within the western regions of central ins. The Eternal rainforest is said to be a treasurednd, which was cursed due to a horrible phenomenon in the past. It is still a natural resource hub and a paradise for practitioners who desire to practice wood and water elemental arts.¡±

    ¡°The task is rted to the hunt of Seven-coloured viper, a Peak Qi King grade beast. You are to hunt it down and bring the carcass along with the inner core. The essence of blood is not a mandatory requirement. The task is only allowed to be attempted once your strength reaches advance Qi King level.¡±

    ¡°Use of traps is allowed, as long as the required materials are obtained at the end. The method is left for you to decide. I am not going to supervise that task. ¡±

    ¡°The veryst task is the most dangerous one, yet something that the master wishes for you to obtain. It is personally designed by the master and you will be made aware of it once youplete the first mission.¡±

    Another ring was handed to Li Meng. ¡°This contains all the resources which would be allocated to you for the next few months, along with some manuals by the master and a set of artefacts specifically assigned to you. It also contains a protection talisman which masters reinforced with his own power for your protection.¡±

    ¡°It will be exhausted after three uses and hence apply the talisman wisely. You also possess an identity card and uniform for the core disciples of the academy. The time duration for the task is limited and you will be penalized if you fail toplete them by getting imprisoned in the valley of thorns.¡±

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 Chapter 264

    264 THE DISPOSAL PLAN

    ¡°The valley of thorns, what does that name signifies?¡±

    ¡°It was a ce created for imprisoning the ones who were deemed criminal by the academy and captured. Over time it was found to be a very effective ce for short term torture and punishment too. The elders in the academy used it to punish defaulters within the academy. Taking a task and not able to do it not only passes as a punishable crime but also results in a deduction of points.¡±

    ¡°But I didn¡¯t take up any task.¡±

    ¡°We did for you so that you wouldn¡¯t waste any time after exiting your seclusion. You will be leaving immediately with all the resources you require. You could go ahead and go through the details of the first two missions and exchange your belongings for the essentials.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I at least get the mission¡¯s essentials as a bonus for taking on a mission without even having a say in it?¡±

    ¡°I would like for you to remember that the choice was made for your own benefit. We couldn¡¯t teach you how to walk your own path and survive this world. We will not help you survive the academy. The only person you could depend on is yourself. The master will only teach some texts which would help you forge the path further, but you need to go through it by yourself.¡±

    ¡°The task seems to be a good motive on your behalf, but the rush with which you want me to leave is too fast. Something seems to be amiss from the tone of your voice.¡± Li Meng was quite suspicious of the master¡¯s decision. The young man looked at Li Meng with a smile. ¡°Your talent isn¡¯t the only thing which is good about you. There was an alternate motive which you were kept in dark of.¡±

    ¡°I think you have heard about the Thunder-child.¡±

    ¡°I have. He is said to be the strongest sessor of the Thunder academy in this generation. No offence to you.¡± Li Meng spoke up.

    .....

    ¡°None was taken. He is quite a monstrous talent which appeared out of nowhere. The reason for this decision is him. Thunder-child has been the reigning senior within the academy and has his own sea of followers who support his session.¡±

    ¡°Your talent put his throne at risk. Although he might be in seclusion, and the grand-elder, his teacher couldn¡¯t be bothered with taking care of you directly, the followers are going to be the tools they use. Your presence in the academy would be constantly challenged, not allowing you to go into seclusion for a long time.¡±

    ¡°Time is the most preciousmodity as of now. You need to prepare for an uing event which is going to ur, three years from now. You need to upgrade your cultivation base by a huge extent. These followers would hinder that process. Master designed the process briefly for this situation.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that make their task even easier? The academy is the only thing which is holding their action back. If I leave the boundaries of the academy, the rules no longer apply.¡± Li Meng suggested.

    ¡°Looks like someone is quite suspicious of the dangers around him. Are you afraid?¡± The young man smiled. ¡°The task has been designed privately by Master himself. He has kept every single detail to himself and his disciples. No one else knows. It is also the reason I am apanying you as your supervisor.¡±

    Li Meng was shown around the academy. He got to see the library, the martial pavilion, sses and lectures about martial cultivation taking ce in the temples around the academy. There were even training grounds to test the martial skills they have practised. There were even task pavilions, a medical valley, alchemy associations, pill hall and many more.

    ¡°The trip is over as of now. The details could be discovered by you when you finally return from the task. We leave as the first ray of sun hit the world.¡±

    .......................

    The Thunder-child seclusion den-

    ¡°Are there any details regarding Li Meng¡¯s ns.?¡±

    ¡°The spies set within the perimeter reported that Li Meng was apanied by that lunatic around the academy. It is also the reason no one took a chance at him.¡± Another person was standing right across the room in a very respectful posture. Thunder-child was known to be the biggest talent within the academy, but other monsters remain hidden within the academy.

    The lunatic being referred here was none other than Li Meng¡¯s fourth brother. There were multiple incidents to his name which established the said nickname. He was known to be one of the most bloodthirsty persons within the academy, someone even the Thunder-child didn¡¯t want to mess with.

    ¡°Check on him regrly. I need regr updates about all his movements. We need to find a window to have a discussion with him regarding our objective.

    Thunder-child¡¯s policy towards his path of ascension was nned with absolute precision and irond ideals. He didn¡¯t believe in co-dependency and group well-being. Either you were with him or against him. If Li Meng rejected his offer, he would need to n execution.

    The man left along with his group and Thunder-child was once again left alone in the seclusion chamber. He couldn¡¯t help but be cautious regarding this new variable which emerged out of nowhere. Thepetition drew near. The lunatic was already a pain in the ass and the biggest variable in this year¡¯spetition. Another Li Meng challenged his ascension.

    ¡°You need to calm your nerves down. Seclusion is going to prove harmful if you pursued the martial way in this manner.¡± The grand elder¡¯s voice sounded. ¡°Li Meng has justpleted his break-through and came out of his seclusion. He is going to be the centre of attraction for a period of time. Avoid attempting any suspicious activity at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Every single disciple of that old bastard has proved to be a thorn in my path. Although the Lunatic was the only one who could best me in a fair match-up this guy appears out of nowhere. The old man is quite cunning himself. He is going to prepare Li Meng as a weapon for that event.¡±

    ¡°The boy is quite a talent. Three Heavenlyws make even my eyes twitch. He evenpleted the whole elemental set just like you with earthenws.¡± The grand elder was impressed with Li Meng¡¯s talent. ¡°You need to adjust your state for your next break-through. I have prepared an incredible location for you to train in.¡±

    ¡°About Li Meng, I have nned a rather incredible n. Every disciple who has broken through the QI King level has to leave on a mission sooner orter. We will strike him down at that moment.¡±

    ¡°But that would be after he increases his strength to a certain level. The old man could categorically refer to it as preparing. He could dy the mission with his authority until a good amount of time before you could make a ruckus out of it.¡±

    ¡°The old man is quite cautious. Li Meng presence within the academy would result in our people challenging him all the time and affect his cultivation speed. It would result in him falling behind you. He must be nning to send him to a mission, probably a long one at that. We just need the details and send a strike team out.¡±

    Thunder-child took a deep breath and exhaled to rx his nerves. His master¡¯s idea was up to the point and he knew about his master¡¯s tenacity regarding him being the next inheritor of the academy. He resumed his training.

    .............................

    The group of men were hiding in and around Li Meng¡¯s residence, just to find him noting out of his dwelling.

    ¡°Should we move into the perimeter and search within his house.¡±

    ¡°It would alert him and might prove disadvantageous for us.¡± After a lot of argument, the group finally settled down for searching Li Meng¡¯s house, but a shocking scene awaited them.

    ¡°He is not present within his dwelling. He must have left for some time now. We need to report this news to the grand elder immediately.¡± The leader sent a message talisman to the grand elder.

    ..................

    Far from the Thunder academy-

    Two people were moving with a high speed towards the Taiwan mountains where the first task was about to take ce. It was time to start Li Meng¡¯s training and collect resources for the break-through of his avatars.

    ¡°I will be leaving you in the outskirts, and go on to supervise the outer regions and slowly move in. I will make sure no one from the academy could tail us to this location, but you need to be careful while attempting this mission. The procedure is up to you. Just remember that you need to follow the guideline provided by the te.¡±

    ¡°I will meet you right here after three months, with the hope that you would havepleted the mission by then.¡± The fourth senior brother left after saying that.

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 Chapter 265

    265 THE BEIYANG TOWN

    The Taiwan mountain was a resource-rich natural location which was known to be one of the highest heavens for fire cultivators. It was said to have urred naturally when the veins within the mountain range activated and spewed out fire energy. The terrain soon began to morph due to excessive fire energy concentrations, and an active volcano was formed.

    The nearby sects began to experience the tremendous benefits that fire element users gained by training within the surroundings a designated the whole mountain range as a natural cultivation ground. This led to huge hordes of cultivators migrating towards the mountain range, which soon led to a huge upheaval in the surrounding area.

    These barrennds were soon being upied by powerful sects and even unions of independent cultivators. War was beginning to get so frequent that not a single cultivator would be found cultivating. It wasn¡¯t until several powerful sects put together a coboration front andpromised with the independent union that the matter was put to rest.

    The sects involved were allowed to establish their strongholds around the mountain range, while the interior was restricted as a pure cultivation zone. Only cultivators were allowed to enter and practice within the mountain range, leaving it fairly open.

    The only problem with such a rule was that the mountain began to be an alluring site for rebels and bandits who soon sneaked into the regions to set up their own strongholds. The pact didn¡¯t allow the power to have a stronghold inside, and hence a thorough sweep was out of options. Over a long period of time, the bandits began to get extremely familiar with the difficult terrains, which helped them to create hidden strongholds.

    Li Meng remembered the strongholds he had to wipe out before and wasn¡¯t surprised to find that the regr cultivators couldn¡¯t even spot these ces. The mountain region wasn¡¯t only a natural resource ground, but also a ce where nature had given birth to incredibly powerful elemental beasts. There were even rumours of there being peak tier emperor level beasts within these regions, lying deep inside the fire veins.

    The bandits not only acquaint themselves to the terrain but became experts in analyzing the beast¡¯s behavioural patterns. They would continuously attack nearby settlements and even sect strongholds and get hold of resources for cultivation. Although the sects have tried to execute multiple expeditions into the mountains, all of them have failed with little results.

    The town whichy in the eastern corner of the mountains was called Beiyang and it was also one of the victims from the bandit¡¯s continuous attacks. It was also the hub of multiple strongholds representing sects within the central ins. One such stronghold was called a ck lightning guild.

    It was a stronghold created by the subsidiary powers of Thunder Academy. It was the ce which had submitted the request as a mission for the young students of the academy. The stronghold was always guarded by a peak king level practitioner, while an emperor level supervisor would be sent from time to time.

    .....

    A man was seen entering the premises of the guild and moving to the receptionist counter.

    ¡°How may I help you?¡± The receptionist was an old man in his sixties.

    ¡°I have been assigned toe here in response to a request sent to the academy by the guild.¡± Li Meng showed his identification along with the task te. Once the old man had inspected it, he rose and asked him to follow.

    ¡°We are happy to see that the academy was enthusiastic to respond to our request with an intermediate Qi King. We are gratified and relieved a bit. The arrangements have already been made, and you will be briefed about the mission tonight. All the resources here are at your disposal if you choose to use them.¡±

    ¡°Another detail which I insist on sharing is the fact that we are not allowed to interfere with the execution of this task and hence wouldn¡¯t be able to help with your mission. This is a protected area for the sect¡¯s disciples and hence would serve as a location to rest in case of trouble.¡±

    The old man directed Li Meng towards the room he would be staying in and gave some minor details regarding his stay here. The town was a base for multiple powers and hence disciples from hegemonic sects would appear frequently toplete the mission assigned to them. He asked Li Meng not to get entangled in any kind of petty conflict that could lead to a confrontation between powers.

    ¡°We have always believed in maintaining a certain order within the perimeter of this town and hence you would be reported against ording to the rules here. The stronghold might even choose to banish you from entering ever again.¡±

    The rules were strict but helped in maintaining the order around the Taiwan mountains. Li Meng was excited about the next day and began to n his follow up tasks to collect resources for the avatar¡¯s breakthrough. The bandits were a minor problem which could be taken care of easily, as long as they are still in the emperor level.

    The resources required were substantial. Thetest breakthrough gave Li Meng a core idea of how huge of an expenditure it requires, even after reaching such heights in body cultivation. He also needed to prepare fast as the first elder in Pill Valley wouldn¡¯t wait for much longer before trying to force Lu Ming to break-through.

    The event, which was frequently mentioned by his older brothers made Li Meng restless. His gut pointed towards the fact that even the first elder would be concentrating on the same thing.

    ¡°I need to start the experiment with the avatars break-through. The resources I have collected over the years should be enough for at least two trials. The only fact remains that I am required to find a region with continuous Qi disturbances and phenomena.¡±

    The Taiwan mountain seems to have regions ording to Li Meng¡¯s specifications. He could start exploring the terrain and find a suitable location for his next break-through. He was required to stay out of cultivator¡¯s sensing range and a location that was quite abandoned and inessible was the best choice.

    A bandit den certified as one of the best options in the category of inessible location within the mountains, but one that coincides with Qi fluctuations was difficult to find. The reason was the danger such a region would carry with itself. There was also the case of the artefact trying to mend itself with the fire veins. The keeper had already reported that it had sensed multiple energy areas where the veins might be located.

    If the artefact could get into the core of such regions and absorb the energy, it would be a huge gain for him. All of these phenomena required one thing inmon: Time. He didn¡¯t have much time toplete the mission. Therefore, he decided to let multiple avatars out, to search the locations. The avatars could easily take care of someone in the initial stages of Qi King.

    He also needed to fasten the pace of break-through for the so-calledpetition whichy ahead of him. It must hold quite some significance for his masters to take it so seriously.

    Multiple avatars were beginning to gather information regarding the Taiwan mountains and the various powers within these regions. Some even decided to join short expeditions to get a clear perspective of the whole terrain.

    ...................

    Thunder academy-

    ¡± Did you get any particrs about Li Meng¡¯s location as of now?¡± Thunder-child asked the group leader of spies.

    ¡°He seems to have vanished in thin air. We tried to locate him in the nearby areas of his residence, but not a single person saw him leaving.¡± The group leader was nervous about the bad results.

    ¡°the old man is quite cunning as expected. Go through the logs of the recently issued mission. Search especially for missions that are within the intermediate and advanced Qi King levels. Inform me once you have the list of all the particr areas.¡±

    ¡°Also find about any recent mission which has been undertaken by the four disciples of the old man. Try to find amon or nearby region with the recently issued mission. We need to narrow the window down. I am sure we will arrive at amon frontier.¡±

    Thunder-child didn¡¯t want to let go of such a perfect opportunity to get his hands on Li Meng.

    ...................

    Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°We can sense multiple energy sources from nearby regions. The artefact might be able to go through a huge advancement if we could get our hands on any such veins. You would also need lots of resources for future training and advancement in a martial way. ¡±

    Recent news had spread among the area that one of the independent hunter coalitions was going to n an expedition into the mountains. Li Meng decided to join one of that expedition.

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 Chapter 266

    266 THE TRACES

    The independent association¡¯s expedition was aimed at inspecting one of the inhospitable areas within the Taiwan mountains. Due to the immense amount of danger within the mountain range, the association decided to invite outside help for a good price. They decided to invite Qi generals and above level practitioners for this expedition.

    The martial path was filled with instances where the expenditure of resources was unnatural. It was difficult for independent practitioners to grow on their own and hence this offer enticed a lot of people. Hordes of Qi general and even Qi Kings rallied within the association¡¯s assembly grounds.

    Soon after a middle-aged man stepped forward:

    ¡°I sincerely thank every brother who has decided to take up arms with us on this expedition. I would be lying if I said that this would be a safe trip. I couldn¡¯t even predict the number of people who might be able to return from this expedition.¡±

    ¡°But all of you have gathered here after taking into ount the serious threats which lie ahead of us. A quarter of the reward will be paid before the expedition, and the rest will be handed over to you once you return. The aim this time is exploring one of the dangerous locations within the Taiwan mountains.¡±

    ¡°The location is situated in the south-eastern region of the mountain. The area is well popted with fire elemental beasts, some even of the advanced level Qi King. The orders are to be followed without any hesitation and you are not allowed to continue on a personal mission of your own.¡±

    ¡°The group will move in from the eastern region and travel through the outer borders to the entry point which lies mid-way. This is also the safest part of our journey. The real danger will start once you start entering the inner regions. The inner regions are densely popted with fire-elemental beasts, among which me wolves and raging bears are the mostmon.¡±

    ¡°engaging directly is prohibited unless the beast attacks you of its own vition. In that case, participants will be taking care of it in groups. Singr fighting is not appreciated as the mortality rate would immensely increase.¡±

    ¡°The next problem which lies ahead of us is rted to our aim this time. While the danger is immense, those who have managed to acquaint themselves with the area, roam these regions freely. I am talking about the bandits in this region. Our spies have reported a huge amount of activity in this area and hence we aremissioned with the task t inspect it.¡±

    .....

    ¡°You will be divided into three groups who will be verifying three different areas. Each of the groups will be led by one intermediate Qi Kings, and the rest will follow. The bandit¡¯s strongholds would be hidden from natural sites in the most absurd areas. You are requested to be on high alert all the time.¡±

    ¡°The area would also beid with traps, and thanks to our friends in the associations, we will be having help from the formation engineers. Any beast which would be killed has to be divided equally among the participants of the group. ¡±

    ¡°If the bandit stronghold is found and a confrontation takes ce, the rewards would be increased by 50%. Besides, you will all have a part in the seized treasures from the bandits.¡±

    The leader of this expedition proceeded to divide the practitioners into various groups. Three avatars of Long Tao were participating together. Li Meng, who had masked his aura with the help of the Crimson lord artefact, represented himself as an initial Qi King. He was appointed as one of the vice-leaders for this expedition.

    The other two avatars were Qi generals and left with the other two groups. Soon enough the expedition began.

    ........................

    One dayter-

    The group of martial artists were finally about to arrive at the entry point to the inner regions. It was time for them to separate into the pre-designated groups and follow their leaders to evaluate the area.

    The outer borders of Taiwan¡¯s mountains had mostly been cleared by the sects around for easy ess, and the differences were startling whenpared to the inner regions. Once he steps foot in the border area, he can feel the fire energy increasing in intensity. Although it wasn¡¯t up to the level which was visible to the naked eye, they could feel the increasing temperatures and Qi density.

    As the group entered deeper and deeper into the region, the intensity. Some even started to practice in the resting camps set up by the group. During the night meeting of Li Meng¡¯s group, another briefing took ce:

    ¡°The whole group would be divided into smaller teams of two who will be in charge of inspecting the area designated to them. While Qi generals are requested to take the major burden of searching the area, the Qi Kings would be in charge of overall safety and security, while inspecting the nearby regions.¡±

    ¡°Every team will be provided with a re signal and you are requested to use it in time of danger, be it bandit or beats rted. The nearby teams and the in-charge Qi king will rush in to provide support. Let¡¯s hope that every single one of you can return alive from this expedition.¡±

    The meeting was adjourned with dinner, and the group went back to practice in the area. No one wanted to waste the opportunity to practice in such a dense fire Qi environment. The qi had the potential to fasten their cultivation speed by a huge margin. The next morning soon dawned upon the group, marking the beginning of the search.

    ..................

    Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°I could feel the intense fire energy raging from the nearby region. The veins are nearby. You just to inspect the nearby area and I would be able to pinpoint the location of the Qi veins. Who knows, we might just get a glimpse of the location we are searching for.¡±

    ¡°I need to separate from these group which is to be assigned to me. The only way to do that is when the two-man team is finally formed. Li Meng shouldn¡¯t have a problem in that respect, but the other two could only strike out their partners after the division.¡±

    ¡°The veins here might even be as potent as the one on the Jiao country border. Who knows, we may even get a vein which is stronger than that one. This might just be the perfect location for improving the quality of the artefact.¡±

    ¡°We can think about the prospective growth areater. Just how many Qi veins of the level of Jiao country do you require to reach the yellow tier weapon level.¡±

    ¡°The requirement is going to be around three to four.¡± Long Tao¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t help but shrink with apprehension because of such high demand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with those eyes. IF it were a mere practitioner, just two veins would be enough to push him to the peak, but this is an artefact which we are talking about. It requires much more power. We would also be able to gain a good location based on the cement of veins.¡±

    ¡°The region where themon veins intersect is sure to give rise to Qi fluctuation phenomena on a huge scale. Such a region is the best option to go with during your break-through to the QI King level. I would also rmend you to connect with a set of weaponws in here, as they would garner the least discernible fluctuation.¡±

    ¡°Why not go with the elementalws which I could establishst time?¡±

    ¡°I suppose you want Lu Ming to set a fire elementalw base in front of the first elder. If our theory is correct, then he would already have a fire elemental base by the time he rushes into the Qi King level. Don¡¯t you think it would prove to be absurd for such a phenomenon to ur?¡±

    Long Tao nodded his head after understanding the possible consequences of a sessful experiment. He didn¡¯t want to try out the weaponws until everyst moment where he had connected with all the elementalws, but he had no choice.

    ..............

    Thunder Academy-

    ¡°We managed to find a simrity between the recently issued Qi King missions and the Qi emperors missions undertaken by the three seniors.¡± The leader of the spy group spoke up.

    Thunder-child opened his eyes with a d smile. ¡°Which person is it simr to?¡±

    ¡°The lunatic. He had undertaken a mission with the Taiwan mountains and the eternal rain-forest. The mission is to collect exotic herbs and kill Qi Emperor level criminal who is hiding within the Eternal Rainforest. A simr task has been issued in the intermediate and advanced Qi King levels.¡±

    ¡°The tasks are rted to a bandit stronghold wipe-out and a task to gather some resources.¡±

    ¡°Are there no other simrities?¡±

    ¡°There were, but these two struck me as the best options. ording to the mission hall, it wasn¡¯t a mission which was present for a long time, but rather something which was recently issued by someone higher-up. The time of issue is simr to the appearance of Li Meng. Hence I think these two are the probable locations.¡±

    Thunder-child couldn¡¯t help butmend the mind of the spy leader. This was also a closerade of his withparable strength to himself. It was time to start a hunt for Li Meng.

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 Chapter 267

    267 THE HONEYTRAP

    ¡°Prepare a team of top peak Qi Kings who have connected with Heavenlyws. He is someone who is an unpredictable variable. The only person in my knowledge to have connected with three Heavenlyws.¡±

    ¡°You will carry a proposal for me. Ask him to join me and record the benefits he is going to obtain from supporting me to rise through the ranks. He should agree with the proposal. You are allowed to use force in case of a disagreement. Your leader will be in charge of fending off the lunatic.¡±

    ¡°The rest of you need to catch up to Li Meng. Try your best to bring him alive to a secluded location. He must have some protective artifacts and talismans. You will also be provided with your own sets Prepare a barrier before taking any kind of action. In an impossible scenario, I hope you do know what to do.¡±

    ¡°Finish him off.¡± The informer replied. Thunder child smiled and nodded. He couldn¡¯t let another variablee into y on his path to session. Either Li Meng is on his side, or he dies.

    After the group left Thunder-child took out a device from his storage ring which recorded the names of the group members. This was an artifact which bounded a soul connection with them. He was a very cautious man, and wouldn¡¯t let his men be captured by the enemy. The artifact was a safeguard in case his men were captured and enabled him to instantly decimate them.

    ¡°You need to focus on your preparation. Each of them has a soul created which was personally set by me for cases like these. I will take care of the matter in case of some mishappenings.¡±

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but get the feeling that this boy is going to be my greatest enemy if left alive. We can¡¯t let another lunatic grow up in the enemy camp. Especially when his theoretical talent is higher than mine.¡±

    ¡°The old man is not a fool. If I am right about the matter, the lunatic¡¯s job this time is to keep the boy safe. Most of the spies are not going to return alive, including their leader. We could just leave it to fate and hope that they take care of li Meng before dying.¡±

    ¡°Are you rmending an assassination? Shouldn¡¯t we try to bring this guy to our camp?¡±

    .....

    ¡°The old man is probably the oddest personality I have ever seen in this world. If someone chose to be his disciple, they are not going to be someone with amon taste. I think the matter is well proven by the four disciples he has undertaken. It is useless to try and attract him to our side. Even if he pretends to join us, he will betray us and run back the first chance he gets.¡±

    ¡°It is better to take care of such a person.¡± The grand elder¡¯s words were cold like ice. Li Meng didn¡¯t even expect that the murder n was being hatched behind his back, and a group of peak Qi Kings were rushing in to kill him.

    ............................

    In a secluded corner of the Taiwan mountains-

    ¡°Sir the mole has sent his report. The group of cultivators will be passing by the marked area by tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect for the independent association to be so impatient that they sent a group of intermediate kings to search the area. I guess I haven¡¯t made my stance clear enough yet.¡± The Bandit leader spoke up.

    ¡°They don¡¯t even know what is going to hit them in the valley of the seventh mountain.¡± Laughter raged through the bandit den. Unaware of the group of practitioners, this trip was already known to the bandit groups and a trap had beenid out to massacre the whole regiment.

    ¡°Alert every scout within the area and start toyout the trip. The teams have been divided into smaller groups of two. Prepare five forces with four hunters in each group and directly ambush the groups and gang upon them. No need to confront them in a fair match-up. It is time to make them aware that the Taiwan mountain is ruled buy use ck-dragon stronghold.¡±

    ¡°Also prepare back-up troops in various strongholds, prepared tounch a surprise attack in case the teams manage to alert the rest of the regiments. Leave the intermediate Qi Kings to me. As per the initial Qi Kings, take the vice leader with you to take care of them.¡±

    ¡°We will try our best to wipe the whole force out.¡± The second-inmand reported.

    ¡°No need to go after such a lofty goal. It is good enough if we can take care of half-of people. Another quarter should be taken care of by our spies within the party.¡± Thest quarter should beprised of our spies and the rest of the hunters.¡± The bandit leader replied.

    ¡°The informer did stand true to his promise and delivered us with the right set of information regarding this excursion.¡±

    ¡°This was just a movie made by the bigger sects to reduce the strength of the independent martial association. They are using us as their swords, and we in return use them to gain resources and information.¡± The whole conspiracy ran way deep within the region. The friction within the various forces seems to have given rise to an internal me, which was soon going to eat out the power of each force present here.

    ................

    In the interior regions of Taiwan mountains-

    Li Meng was busy inspecting the region around the allotted area. He wanted to move deeper within the mountain range, with smaller groups were on his way. He thought of disarming them and sneaking out after staging a surprise attack by the enemy, but something surprising took ce.

    ¡°I feel the aura of multiple Qi Kings in that location. There are at lead two Qi Kings and about ten Qi generals moving in sneaking toward the group up front.¡± The keeper reported.

    ¡°Are you sure that it wasn¡¯t the members of our group?¡±

    ¡°I am positive about my ability to sense the differences with Qi nature. The way this group is moving, they seem to be familiar with the terrain.¡±. Li Meng followed the group, just to find them moving in sneakily. The way the group was moving confirmed Li Meng¡¯s suspicion that this must be a group which was inherent to this region. There was only one exnation in such a situation.

    ¡°It must be the bandit. But how did they know about the search areas.¡± The paths which led here had been properly cleared up by the excursion team, and hence might have alerted the bandit stronghold. Yet such a small group of people were moving out.

    There seemed to be something amiss in this situation and hence Li Meng decided to sneakily follow the group into the woods. The group slowly moved on to a group of two Qi generals and stayed close to them, until they separated from the rest of the groups. The situations lowly turned into an extremely precise trap designed by the bandits.

    All ten Qi generals attacked together and killed the two practitioners instantly. The scene was instantly cleaned up and the group once again went into hiding.

    ¡°Bandits for sure. They must have realized the ns during this excursion. The only possible theory is that someone gave them the information about the arrangements followed. That person is probably a part of this excursion. They have nned well to take care of most of the practitioners in here.¡± There must be a mole in the excursion team, and he must be a high ranking one at that to be able to provide such urate intel.

    ¡°This is the best opportunity for you to sneak out. Just report it as a fight with a Qi King level bandit. We will hunt some high ranked bandits while we return to the city. You will gain both merit points and rewards for your bravery.¡±

    ¡°Following this group might be the best idea. Although you could sense fire energy, and we might eventually be able to find a Qi vein, it is best to follow these people to a bandit stronghold and directly extract the information from them.¡± Li Meng simply followed the group as they continued to massacre more and more groups in the nearby areas.

    None of the groups even stood a chance with such a domineering ambush. The numerical advantage was double in this case and hence none of the excursion members even got a chance to alert their teammates. It wasn¡¯t untilte noon that a group finally managed to fire in the danger signal, and the groups of bandits began to retreat from the scene.

    The damage incurred by the independent association was quite huge this time. An initial Qi King was already dead, and two were severely injured in thest confrontation. Even if the group tries to retreat to the city, most of them are fated to die in this location. A serious honeytrap had been set in the mountain regions and the party fell for it.

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 Chapter 268

    268 BLACK-DRAGON¡¯S BASE

    ¡°Are you not going to protect the people in this excursion?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°I guess we both know by now that this is not any of my concern. The allied army was formed by people who were prepared to venture even after understanding the consequences. They had iting for someone whose ns were exposed to the enemy. My alibi would have been exposed if I helped everyone.¡±

    ¡°But since I was made in charge to try and defend against the bandits, I will help the remaining survivors escape.¡± Li Meng instantly instructed the avatars to converge and execute the enemy forces.

    ¡°The avatars should be capable enough of killing the initial Qi Kings easily since most of them have just connected with human and earthenws.¡± LI meng instructed them to instantly contact him in case aplicacy arises, such as an intermediate Qi king.

    Li Meng¡¯s strength had increased immensely after break-through. Incidentally, thew blessing was able to propel his cultivation base directly into the intermediate Qi King level. Although further experiment remained, he theorized that he wouldn¡¯t be needing any more cultivation training while being in the Qi King realm.

    If each of the avatars undergoes a break-through, the power which is hence delivered should be enough to propel each one of them to the peak of Qi King.

    ¡°That is just a theory which your brain formted. If that really was the case, the ancient Qi Kings would have been extremely fast in their cultivation, but each of them had to go through the same arduous process.¡±

    ¡°But none of them began training in the Nirvana art before surpassing the limits of Qi King. Hence this experiment is kind of a novel theory in itself. I am feeling quite optimistic about its chances toe true/. You have to agree that it would lead to direct promotion to the peak of Qi King in this way.¡±

    ¡°We will see when you do find a suitable ce for the next breakthrough.¡± The Keeper could help but be apprehensive of this absurd theory.

    .....

    The bandit group were slowly trailing deeper into the Taiwan mountains, unaware of the ghost following them in shadows. They finally reached a fairly secr mountain range which had no differences with the surrounding terrain. The leader nodded his head and took out a small hexagonal te from his vest.

    He threw the vest at the person standing in front of the group. The person got hold of it and inspected the feet of the mountain for sometime before taking the te and inserting it into the ground. Li Meng found the process bizarre at first but was soon stumped for words.

    The ground slowly shook and the seemingly ordinary mountain began to shake slightly. A small hole soon came into existence on the sidewall, big enough for the bandits to enter. Li Meng didn¡¯t expect the bandits to have such powerful means.

    ¡°How did such lowly bandits get their hands on a location like this? Last time I managed to experience something like this, it was during the beast hunt. A huge force such as the Frost-leaf sect possessed it as a treasured location. These bandits, on the other hand, are a bunch of independent cultivators.¡±

    ¡°The leader must havee across a secret opportunity ande across the key to this ce. Your luck is up to the mark this time. If my assumptions are correct, and this ce is just as I theorize, you might be up for an incredible opportunity this time.¡±

    ¡°What are you suggesting?¡±

    ¡°Locations like this are created with one of two purposes in mind. Either it is the location for a tactical retreat or a cultivation cave. If I have to guess, it must be a secret retreat for some powerful cultivator. I could sense rich fire energying out of the cave.¡±

    ¡°From the looks of the terrain, the person who created this must be trying to create a cultivation environment by going below the mountain. It would be fairly visible if done outside, and hence the cave was created within the mountain itself. The creator must also be a formation master, or get the help of a skilled one for the creation of the gate itself.¡±

    ¡°From the fire energy, I sensed earlier that the cave must have ess to one of the fire veins in the Taiwan mountain range. We might have struck gold this time. Whoever created this wanted to excavate the fire vein¡¯s power on his own.¡±

    ¡°What masks you think are not the bandit leader himself?¡±

    ¡°Boy, you can be extremely ignorant sometimes. DO you not even see the formation line which came into life when the gates opened? It is the work of a grade 5 formation master. Minimum cultivation of peak Emperor is required to achieve that. DO you think the bandit leader is a Qi emperor?¡±

    ¡°We have no irond information about what is inside of this cave. The bandit might just be fooling around while hiding a QI Emperor within their ranks. We will know for sure, once we can get inside.¡± If the enemy was a Qi Emperor, the task ahead would be impossible to perform without exceptional circumstances.

    Li Meng followed the bandits into their den, just to find that the architecture was quite precise. Whoever designed the area had managed to carve out proportionate halls deep into the grounds. From outside, it looked like a normal mountain, and only when one entered through the gates could they find the ce so well hidden.

    ¡°The formation master has even employed tones of fire energy-absorbing formations. It must be made to hold the energy from rushing out through the crevices. With this in ce, you will someone will never be able to notice the energy flow like the Kemono mountains. You need to be careful; the bandit leader might be more powerful than our initial assumption.¡±

    ¡°Just having the ce to himself is not going to help his power.¡± Li meng wasn¡¯t too bothered by the fact.

    ¡°Look at the formation carefully. I am sure you could find some clues from them.¡± Li Meng followed the Keeper¡¯s instruction and began to examine the fire absorbing formations closely. The formation wasposed using the basic fire absorbent theories, and Li meng could pick some clues from them. He didn¡¯t find any peculiar differences at first, but as he continued to examine them, he saw something unusual.

    An additional set of formation lines were protruding out of the formation. It wasmon to all the various forms to improve their power, but these lines signified a very different kind of theory. These lines had the ability to run the fire energy through them. But the fact remains, why would someone use these?

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the formation lines and the unique arrangement remind you of something simr?¡± When Li Meng tried to connect the said lines to the formations he hade across in the past, he did feel two instances when something simr happened.

    ¡°These lines are quite simr to the formation which the master created during my break-through. There are some simrities to the formation you established too. If these work on the same theory, then these lines are present here to transport the fore energy into a particr ce.¡±

    ¡°What if the creator has established them with a simr objective as us?¡±

    ¡°It would create an extremely suitable location for a fire element cultivator.¡± Li Meng¡¯s eyes instantly widened. What if the bandit leader managed to find the core formation where the energy gathered? He would get a huge boost in his cultivation speed, even if he is an earthenw user.

    ¡°To make things a bit more realistic, let¡¯s assume the worst scenario. Your enemy is a fire element cultivator who has established a Heavenly Law base. The Keeper¡¯s words gave rise to a cold current in Li Meng¡¯s heart. If that were true, the enemy this time was going to be extremely powerful, maybe even impossible to ovee.

    ¡°We need to inspect the interior first. Let¡¯s just hope for the best-case scenario.¡±

    Li Meng followed the path into the interiors of the cave, just to find a clear establishment in this ce. The bandits were using this ce as one of their hideouts. He followed the group, which returned to the mountain, into their residence. The rooms were arranged in a cobweb manner, with extremely confusing pathways.

    Li Meng understood that he required a hostage who could give him a rough idea about the whole location, but doing so would cause an instant rm within the surrounding area. This was not simr to thest case in Jiao country. He needed to be careful. He found a secluded location and tried to pick up on the conversation of the bandits.

    .........................

    ¡°Has there been any orders regarding the remaining participants of the excursion?¡±

    ¡°The vice-leaders have made it clear that no one is allowed to exit the stronghold for now. A group of spies is out to navigate, and once the reportes in, we will immediately strike on the remaining participants.¡±

    The strike would be the perfect asion to sneak in and take a hostage within the stronghold. A vice-leader would be the perfect target.

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 Chapter 269

    269 THE HELL-HEAVEN LAWS

    ¡°Theyout of this formation is fairly unique in the sense that it could ward off the fire energypletely. This would be the perfect ce to break-through to a fire elementw base. It¡¯s too bad that you couldn¡¯t proceed in that direction as of now. But the formation would still provide a great location for break-through.¡±

    ¡°Such a grand formation is sure to give rise to the turbulent Qi conditions we were looking forward to.¡±

    ¡°You still haven¡¯t briefed me about the requirements while connecting with a weapon or bodyw.¡±

    ¡°Bodyws and weaponsws are not that different from each other. The only real difference urs in the ability you are looking forward to while you break-through. Bodyw, as the name suggests, is a path which helps you connect to physically attributedw. Although newpoundws are being discovered continuously, the most powerful bodyws which I know of are the Divine Barbarian and Fiendw.¡±

    ¡°There are also specific attributedws, like thew of force, strength and speed. But the thing remains, that they wouldn¡¯t give you an all-round development like the first twows. You also need to have proficiency in these domains to be able to realize it.¡±

    ¡°I have practiced arts which are concentrating specifically on these attributes. I guess I should be able to connect with them.¡±

    ¡°You might have a good affinity with each one of them, but you need to choose thebination ofws wisely. Thebination whichplements each other the best is what you should go with. Another fact which you need to keep in mind is to consider the path ahead of you.¡±

    ¡°Thew which you connect with dictates what sort of Emperor you will be, and the stages thereafter will also be affected.¡±

    ¡°Could you give me a hint about what an Emperor means in the cultivation world?¡±

    .....

    ¡°The three intermediate stages refer to the path which you need to take before beginning your preparation to ascension. Qi King is the level where you connect upon a certain set ofws and continuously practice them until you reach an absolute saturation point. That is when you are said to have reached the peak of Qi King.¡±

    ¡°The next step is to reform your body with the help of thews you have connected with. The Emperor level corresponds to creating aw body. Think of it as refining your own body with the help of thews you have practised.¡±

    ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be extremely difficult to refine your body with your ownws? External agents would be the best option for this.¡± Li Meng spected the reason the Ti Shen was able to recover so soon is because of the Qi vein.

    ¡°That is the misconception most of the Qi Kings have before they enter the Qi Emperor stage. It is not a realm which could be climbed with the help of external agents, no matter how powerful they are. Only thew which is cultivated by you can be used to refine your body. Each refinement leads to an upgrade in the base.¡±

    This might be the reason why cultivation decreases immensely as one upgrades his cultivation level.

    ¡°There is another matter which I want you to concentrate on.¡±

    ¡°Is it a possiblebination you want me to connect with?¡± Li Meng was hopeful that the Keeper would hint him toward a potential path.

    ¡°No. What I want to discuss with you is rted to the other two methods you are practicing. You are probably the only cultivator whom I know to have followed three simultaneous cultivation systems in the Qi domain alone. For the Crimson World scripture, you are about to connect with elementalws. But what about the other two?¡±

    ¡°The normal cultivation system is just a bunch of additional scriptures which I need to cultivate to cover the power of the other two. It¡¯s just a hoax and could beplemented by the elementalws and the weaponws which I am going to practice.¡±

    ¡°I am insisting on the Hell-Heaven Qi you practice in.¡± The Keeper came directly to the main point he was concerned about.

    ¡°I have no clear idea whichws wouldplement Hell-Heaven qi the best.¡±

    ¡°Hell-Heaven Qi are diametrically opposite QI which havee to an absurd coexistence in your body. Both of them concentrate on strength and vitality above anything else. Hence, I suggest that the best way to appease the Hell-Heaven Qi requirement is bodyws.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that I connect with Fiend and Heavenly Barbarianws?¡± Those were the two most powerful bodyws ording to the Keeper¡¯s description.

    ¡°I suggest you practice some additional bodyws along with it. A possible path to follow is bloodw. Although it is generally thought of as a sinisterw of the dark path, it does give you extreme control over your blood energy. You have tempered your blood to a very high level. You might be able to connect with it quite easily.¡±

    ¡°I have also tempered my flesh and skin. Are there anyws whichplement that?¡± Li Meng was trying to be sarcastic, but the Keeper didn¡¯t mind.

    ¡°The fiend and Heavenly barbarian could take care of those attributes. You need to think about it seriously. It is a path you need to follow to maintain proper bnce in your cultivation base. But breaking through the Qi King level and connecting with the bodyws is quiteplicated.¡±

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be moreplicated than the elementalws.¡±

    ¡°In the elementalws, you just take the help of resources which have the same attribute as your element and try to connect with thew. The resources work both as a catalyst and a back-up energy module. In the case of bodyws, resource quality changes drastically. Instead of elemental stones, you will use Blood essence, and some earthen element resources.¡±

    ¡°Fire and earth element resources work as a booster resource which gives you the replenishing effect, but the boost is provided by the blood essence and your own flesh energy.¡± Li Meng got nervous about hearing this factor. This was going to be a huge hurdle while connecting with thews. He could easily remember the amount of energy required to connect with a single Heavenlyw. He was drained countless times.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to fear. We just need to modify the formationid before and make it capable enough of transmitting blood essence as it did with Qi. The source will be the blood essence pool in the Heaven Cleaving sect¡¯s treasure. The formation would be formted by me, just concentrate on thebination as of now.¡±

    ¡°What attributedw should I go for ording to you?¡±

    ¡°Rather than an attributed connection, I would suggest that you connect with both the bodyws I suggested initially.¡± The Keeper wanted Li Meng to connect with both the fiend and Heavenly Barbarianw.

    ¡°But that would be impossible. The essence of energy within the body is way less than the QI reserves. I managed to connect with three Heavenlyws because of my huge Qi reserves, but Avatars couldn¡¯t share essence energy during break-through. I also don¡¯t believe that two-bodyws would be all that necessary for me.¡±

    ¡°The twows are way different from each other. Fiendw corresponds to Hell QI, while Heavenly Barbarianw, as the name suggests, is aw which corresponds to refining your body with Heavenly energy. If you choose either one of them, you are going to create an incredible imbnce within your system. It is exactly like the fact that you need toplete the whole element set.¡±

    ¡°A single difference between the magnitude of the two energy sources would give rise to devastating results.¡±

    ¡°The iplete element set isn¡¯t showing any disfunction as of now.¡±

    ¡°It is because youpensated somewhat by connecting with earthen elementws. Even that set would show a huge misgiving shortly. You need toplete the set by connecting with the other two elementalws.¡± Li Meng nodded in agreement. He needed to think about ways to connect with both of them at the same time now.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t I just connect with one of them at the moment, and connect with the other sometimeter?¡±

    ¡°Some bnces would be instantly disfigured and reactive if you don¡¯t take care of either side. This cave might be the best opportunity for trying to connect with the weapon and bodyws. If we can find an ancient cultivation retreat of someone quite powerful, you could begin to use this as the perfect retreat for future breakthroughs.¡±

    ¡°I guess we need to find the leader of this stronghold soon enough. Not only do multiple Qi veins remain hanging by his news, so does my future break-throughs.¡±

    Li Meng finally reached the very end of the entrance tunnel, which led to a fairly smallmon hall. He hid in a secluded corner and began to examine the surroundings. The cave didn¡¯t seem to have any trigger formation, so he was fairly certain that his location had not beenpromised. It¡¯s finally time to find the leader of the group.

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 Chapter 270

    270 THE BANDIT¡¯S LEADER

    As Li Meng proceeded towards the central hall, he could see the various rooms attached to it. After inspecting multiple rooms within the vicinity, he found out that the base was fairly crowded with a huge number of bandits hiding within it. Theyout was perfectly designed and each of the rooms had a unique facility to itself.

    The first few rooms were designated for storage of weapons and all the loots collected from hoarding different cities and viges around. There were intricate rooms for nning and rooms where the bandits stayed. Li Meng was impressed by the whole set-up, which goes against the general perception towards bandits.

    He continued to explore until he finally found the room which belonged to the upper echelon. He didn¡¯t want to rush a fight with the bandit leader, hence he wanted to capture a vice-leader if possible. He hid in the hallways, and soon enough, a meeting was held by the group.

    ¡°The search squad is on their way back to the city. We aim to engage and eliminate as many people as possible without incurring much damage on our side. The n is to intervene while they are about to cross into the outer borders of the range.¡±

    ¡°No one of you is allowed to enter proximity to the town itself, as a receiving and back-up squad must be present right there. I also want all of you to return alive from the fight, and hence we will not engage in a battle which is over our own capacity. The aim is to force the independent alliance into a retreat. We need to teach them the price for trying to enter into our territory.¡±

    ¡°The groups would be divided into simr proportions, with a difference in numbers. Two squads will attack the retreating group directly, while the third and fourth squad willy in ambush. The ambush is going to be carried out in this location.¡± The vice-leader pointed to a location within the outer borders of the mountain range.

    ¡°Be sure to maintain your formations, as there might be some powerful cultivators hidden with the group, who are waiting for us to make a move. They must have been aware of their losses today and will waste no time while retreating. I also want a group of four people to continuously report the progress within the n. The reward this time includes all the personal belongings of the practitioner which you have killed along with medium grade Qi stones.¡±

    The group instantly cheered after hearing the huge number of rewards which they were about to receive. ¡°The pursuit will result till the outer borders and the emergency irs will be provided to each one of you. If a variable did ur during the operation, you are to immediately report it to us.¡±

    The squad leaders were appointed, all of which were initial Qi Kings. The vice-leaders of the group had taken care of the intermediate QI Kings within the area long ago. Only the initial Qi Kings and very powerful intermediate Qi Kings remained within the excursion force.

    .....

    The squad slowly began to exit and two of the vice-leaders left along with them. Only thest vice-leader and the leader, whose face Li Meng was yet to see remained in this area. Once the troops exited the cave, Li Meng slowly slipped towards the residence of the vice-leader.

    ....................

    ¡°Just what are your objectives behind such a passive attack on the search party? We might not get such a chance in the future. Missing out feels like a huge waste ofbour.¡± The vice-leader seems to be talking with someone.

    ¡°The proposal for attacking the search party was not my idea. We managed to get our hands on the information because of the internal strife within the various parties. If it wasn¡¯t for them trying to undermine the strength of the independent union, we wouldn¡¯t be able to attack them.¡± Another voice spoke up. The tone was a bit raspy, yet the way of speech was quite normal ording to Li Meng.

    ¡°I understand your decision as to the leader of this stronghold, but I would like to know the source of this information, as the group is collectively affected by any consequences which result from this expedition.¡±

    ¡°The force which approached me was the Fire-Dawn pce which is a subsidiary of the Volcanic sect. The man informed me that the independent union has decided to be the first in taking action towards the Bandit groups within the Taiwan mountains. They would be sending an excursion group which would be in charge of surveying the area.¡±

    ¡°The deal was that I would be taking care of the strong cultivators within the group, and in return, they would not only provide me with regr updates of any attacks by forces which they are not allied to but also pay a huge amount of QI stones aspensation.¡±

    ¡°We are just like the independent union bastards and require a huge number of resources to advance in cultivation. I took the deal because it was mutually beneficial for us, and they were just eating out their own internal strength.¡±

    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t that mean we would be in the path of establishing a good rtionship with the fire-dawn pce? What if they decided to betray us?¡±

    ¡°We are never going to choose aside.¡± Just stay neutral in your stance. I also want to send an envoy to the independent union who would help reveal the fact that it was the fire-dawn pce who leaked their activity. Since there is no p[roof, the independent union would have to pay back the fire-dawn pce while in shadows.¡±

    The vice-leader couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°That is when we came into y. We would benefit from this internal strife and gain any news regarding the fire-dawn pce trying to send an attack towards us. But it is too risky.¡±

    ¡°Out ck-Dragon stronghold is not as powerful as the other bandit groups, as they have practitioners in the very peak of QI King, and some even entered the realm of emperors. We can operate so smoothly because of our integrity and this location which provides the best cultivation situations.¡±

    ¡°We need to take the risk to collect enough resources for our cultivation. We wouldn¡¯t be able to keep this location a secret for too long. It is time to hasten our speed.¡± The vice-leader understood the leader¡¯s concerns regarding the difficulties they were going to face in the future.

    ¡°I am going to retreat for my next break-through. You will need to handle the proceedings of the group until then.¡± The leader spoke to the vice-leader and left.

    Li Meng was hidden all this time, listening to their conversation.

    .................

    ¡°Did you manage to sense his cultivation level?¡± Long Tao asked the Keeper.

    ¡°He is presently in the seventh level of QI King, nearing the saturation point for the next break-through. I couldn¡¯t sense his Qi quality and attribute, and hence am unable to verify the element he practices and the Law he connected to. We will know once you begin a fight with him.¡±

    Li Meng entered the vice leader¡¯s room, finding him to be reading through some documents.

    ¡°I hope I am not interfering with your activity?¡± Li Meng said in a calm tone. The vice-leader was instantly rmed by the sudden voice, which came from the door. He waved his sword with fire Qi and attacked Li Meng¡¯s figure. Li Meng responded by dodging the sh and hitting his abdomen.

    The figure was sted around by Li Meng¡¯s incredible physical prowess. Hebined it with a little of his qi, and the vice-leader looked injured.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect these guys to be so talented in cultivation.¡± The keeper responded. ¡°The man in front has managed to connect with Heavenly Firew, and around two earthenws.¡± Li Meng was surprised. In a location like this, there was a bandit vice-leader who managed to connect with a Heavenlyw.

    Li Meng had initially decided to eliminate the whole group part by part, but he must change his n if the bandits were so talented. With the perfect number of resources, they would be able to be a great group of underlings for his force.

    ¡°You want to make these bandits a part of your force?¡±

    ¡°I do want to open up that avenue. They have an adequate talent which is required to be a part of my force. All they require is resources.

    .............

    The bang seems to have created amotion, and the Keeper warned about another person rushing towards them. LI Meng instantly attacked the vice-leader once again, rendering him unconscious, while the closed-door suddenly opened, revealing the face of the Bandit leader. A handsome man in a battle garment stood in front of Li Meng.

    It was a man in histe twenties, not much older than Li Meng himself.

    ¡°Who are you and how did you manage to enter this ce.¡± A violent aura radiated from his body, filling the atmosphere around.

    ¡°Two Heavenly Laws.¡± The Keeper responded.

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 Chapter 271

    271 THE SCARE OF TWO LAWS

    ¡°Two heavenly Laws. The Bandit leader is a geniusparable to Thunder Child.¡± Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but get surprised at this discovery. This was the first time he was going to face an opponent who has connected with dual heavenlyws and has a cultivation realm above him. This wasn¡¯t going to be easy.

    ¡°Whichws are they? I am sure I could ovee them with thebination of three Heavenly Laws.¡±

    ¡°Do you remember thebination theory which I had you remember?¡±

    ¡°I do remember that somewsplement each other better than others. Is that the point you are trying to make?¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Somewplements each other far better than others, enhancing the mutual power of each other. Thews you have practiced are thunder, water and wind, but there is fairly no bnce between them because of the odd arrangement.¡±

    ¡°He, on the other hand, is connected with fire and water.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that mean that his power is highly diminished due to the mutually opposingws of fire and water?¡±

    ¡°This is the exact reason why I found you extremely ipetent. I said that establishing the two mutual oppositews would be a huge problem. I don¡¯t remembermenting on the power they would create¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that the twowsplement each other in a much better way than mine?¡±

    .....

    ¡°Sadly yes. The boost given out by thebination is nearly the same as having three Heavenlyws. This is an equal match if ites down tow power. You need topete with him in terms of Qi capacity, soul strength and physical power. I couldn¡¯t estimate the overall strength unless you sh with him.¡±

    ¡°I guess we will find out.¡± Li Meng took out his sword and hammer.

    .........................

    ¡°Who are you?¡± The bandit leader directly released the aura of advance Qi King. The environment instantly went through a transformation with the air getting heavier by the second.

    ¡°I presume you are the bandit leader of this stronghold,¡± Li Meng said in an eased tone. The leader¡¯s expression turned serious after looking at Li Meng¡¯s eased expression.

    ¡°I am sorry to interrupt the normal flow of things. I would like to ask for your assistance in finding a special resource within the Taiwan mountain.¡±

    ¡°I would have been happy to give you a chance at talking if you hadn¡¯t sneakily attacked my subordinate. Discussion is off limits as of now. But you needn¡¯t worry. I will capture you barely alive and torture information out of you first.¡± The leader smiled and rushed towards Li Meng.

    ¡°You seem weirdly confident in your strength. One shouldn¡¯t be so sure of his environment.¡± Li Meng rushes backwards while waving the sword sideways. Another sword appeared out of nowhere and shed with it, leaving sparks all around. Li Meng was pushed backwards by the brute force invested within thest confrontation.

    Li Meng raised his hammer sideways and bashed it towards the bandit leader. The leader replied, but raised his arm guard and defended against the iing attack. To his surprise, his hammer¡¯s strength came short in the sh, and Li meng was sted sideways. The hammer flew out of hands, falling at a small distance away.

    Amazed by the sudden urrence, Li Meng concentrated on the leader¡¯s armguard, just to find it shinning with bright light.

    ¡°It is a quasi-emperor grade artifact. Your hammer couldn¡¯t match the level of the armguard.¡± To no one¡¯s surprise, small cracks were visible on the hammer.

    The leader smiled, and rushed towards Li Meng, waving his sword at his abdomen. Li Meng rushed forward and jumped horizontally, just a gap above the sword sh. His robe was torn open, leaving a huge hole in it. He turned his body mid-air, punched at the leader¡¯s body and used the recoil to jump a short distance away from him.

    ¡°Good dodge. How long would you be able to continue this farce?¡± The leader didn¡¯t allow Li meng to grab a breather and sent a punch towards him. A huge amount of Qi rushed towards Li Meng, who raised his hands to block it, forgetting that the leader rushed behind the attack.

    When the impact finally came to an end, it was followed by the sudden appearance of a violent sh. Li Meng had no choice but to dodge sideways and let a small gap appear in defence. The leader took advantage of this urrence and kicked Li Meng¡¯s side legs. Although he had a powerful body, an attack from advance QI King was still quite powerful.

    It forced him to lean sideways, allowing the leader to punch him directly in the face. Li Meng¡¯s body was sent flying towards the opposite wall.

    .................

    ¡°Boy, you are losing the fight. He¡¯s going to crush you.¡± The Keeper couldn¡¯t help but sarcasticallyment.

    ¡°We will see.¡± Li Meng stood up and wiped the blood off his mouth. He then proceeded to open up all his acupoints. The Qi pressureing out of him increased exponentially, astonishing the opponent.

    He rushed towards the leader and punched him. The punch was so powerful that it directly pierced through the defences of the leader andnded on his chest. To his surprise, Li Meng felt a unique feeling of softness over his hands, but the moment didn¡¯t allow him to analyze the situation.

    The leader was pushed back and bumped onto the door. His body armour caved and he was forced to spit our blood. He looked at Li Meng with shock. How could his opponent suddenly be so strong?

    He rose and released hisw energy. Two heavenlyws of fire and water came into life and the atmosphere changed again. It felt hot and cold at the same time. Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at the sudden change. Although he himself experienced the power, this was the first time he was facing an opponent use it.

    ¡°I guess you are scared now, genius.¡± The bandit leader said with a tone.

    ¡°Trying to scare me with two Heavenlyws. You really are a simpleton, aren¡¯t you?¡± Li Meng wanted to feel the energy that was born from thebination of twows. He rushed at the leader with the full power of his body and waved his fist at him.

    The guy replied with the usage of the twow energy at the same time. Li Meng¡¯s fist was freezing and burning at the same time. He dodged back and waved his hand to shake off the ice. Multiple collisions followed and to Li Meng¡¯s surprise, he was being suppressed quite violently.

    All one could see was small frozen lines of blood all over Li Meng¡¯s charred body. The robe was destroyed halfway through the process, and Li Meng¡¯s energy was slowly being sucked out of his body. The consumption to ward off the energy delivered by the blows was taxing to his body.

    ¡°How does it feel to be simultaneously cooked and freeze to death? I am sure you would find it more appealing to see all the blood crystals on the ground. Let¡¯s hope you could appease my appetite for a little longer.¡± As the fight proceeded, the leader¡¯s character was slowly morphing towards a more violent and bloody alternative.

    ............

    ¡°I guess you hit an iron te this time. It is not going to be easy to fight against a guy like this.¡±

    ¡°I still haven¡¯t used all my cards or any of the arts which I have learnt.¡± Li Meng objected.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t use any either. He possesses some hidden cards too. The feeling which I received during the sh where you managed to hit his chest was unique.¡±

    ¡°Is he have some special kind of natural body like me?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it is quite special. You will be aware of it as you proceed with the fight. I suggest you try to conserve strength by regting the Qi flow. Your physical abilities include extremely fast healing and hence allow it to take damage.¡± The Keeper¡¯s advice was quite urate and Li Meng decided to follow it for the time being.

    ............

    The sh continued with more and more injuries appearing on Li Meng¡¯s body as time passed by. The only benefit was the incredible rate at which he healed.

    ¡°I guess you have a natural body that allows you to heal fast. I guess we will just have to increase the intensity of the attacks.¡± The auraing out of the leader¡¯s body increased in intensity. There was no visible stress on his face.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t use his full power earlier.¡± Li Meng was taken aback by the sudden boost in his opponent¡¯s strength.

    ¡°Talk about hidden aces. I guess you need to use some of your cards now.¡± The Keeper tried to annoy Li Meng.

    ¡°I guess we do need some of the unused cards.¡± Li Meng had to agree with the demand of the current situation.

    ¡°Are you ready to give up?¡± The bandit leader spoke up with mockery in his voice.

    ¡°I am a Qi King too you know.¡± Li Meng smiled and released hisw energy.

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 Chapter 272

    272 CLASH OF LAWS

    The bandit leader failed to understand the reference at first, but soon enoughw energy began to emerge out of Li Meng¡¯s body. The firstw he released was that of water, and the atmosphere began to morph once again. The water-energy began to birth tiny droplets within the surroundings.

    ¡°Is this your desperate attempt to try and wow me? It¡¯s too sad to say that you failed to do so.¡± The bandit leader remained unfazed by the sudden emergence ofw energy out of Li Meng¡¯s body. He directly rushed towards Li Meng with his sword cleaving diagonally.

    Li Meng responded with a powerful attack of his own, yet the sh resulted in him being pushed back and suppressed. None of the parties had used any kind of advanced art until now. Li Meng was lost in pure Qi confrontation.

    ¡°Adding singlew energy to the equation, I should be able to tackle on equal footing with him. Why is it still tilted in his favour?¡±

    ¡°It is because he too is a body cultivator who has opened up his acupoints. Although he isn¡¯t as aplished as you, he seems to have refined his body multiple times with the help of natural resources. It would be ironic if the confrontation turned into your favour so easily.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that this not yet his full strength?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. The truth will reveal itself as you proceed with the fight.¡±

    Li Meng finally decided to drop the fa?ade and used windw. This was the first time the leader¡¯s face went through a change in expression. The fact that Li meng was also connected to two Heavenlyws surprised him. He didn¡¯t lose confidence and continued to fight. It was the first time Li Meng was having difficulty fighting someone who was just a realm above him in cultivation.

    ¡°It is time for you to realize that you are not the only one who could jump realm sand fight with opponents stronger than you. There are many geniuses under heaven, some are even more aplished than you.¡±

    .....

    The fight was finally beginning to shift towards a stalemate, but the bandit leader had an upper hand in terms of Qi capacity and hence, if the battle were supposed to draw, out, Li Meng would ultimately be the loser. Although he could use the avatars to get an almost inexhaustible Qi source, he wanted to fight the bandit leaders on equal grounds.

    The bandit leader was also getting serious by the second. The opponent seems to be someone who was confident in his battle skills and could confront him on equal grounds.

    ¡°I guess you did possess the skill to confront me.¡± He stepped back and took out a set of red coloured beads from his pockets. As soon as the beads emerged, the Keeper warned about them to Li Meng but was a stepte. As the bead was thrown towards him, Li me4ng instinctively dodged a direct impact. The bead made contact with the ground and exploded.

    To Li Meng¡¯s surprise, the impact was quite big and he had to suffer a powerful st, as his body was thrown away. When he finally managed to stable himself, he felt that multiple beads were thrown towards him at once, and he kept on dodging while trying to defend his body with his Qi.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be able to survive the continuous attack of my explosive beads. That makes taking you on that much fun.¡± The leader wasn¡¯t demotivated by the failure of his ns and rushed towards Li Meng.

    ¡°His tactics are quite suitable in this situation. He used the explosive beads to drain your Qi and lower your stamina. The opponent is quite resourceful himself.¡± The Keeper¡¯s nagging continued but, Li Meng paid no heed to them. He needed not to lose. Given the disadvantageous situation in front of him, he needed to switch to defence.

    ¡°You should use your thirdw as well brat. It is time to get serious about this fight.¡±

    ¡°I am serious. Given the current situation of my body, I need some time to employ the breathing technique and recover some of my Qi. I will have to rely on my bodypletely for this.

    Li Meng began to use his body as a meat shield. ¡°Do you really hope to recover your Qi by using your body as a meat shield? How could you possibly believe that I would be allowed such a thing?¡± The leader¡¯s attack became more and more brutal as time passed. To Li Meng¡¯s surprise, he wasn¡¯t using his full power even during their previous confrontation.

    He could feel his body being continuously pierced, and blood flowing out. Even his healing ability couldn¡¯t cope up with the absurdly high number of attacks,

    ¡°I guess it is time to use it.¡± Li Meng directly released his thirdw and bashed his hammer directly at the leader. To his surprise, this sudden attack managed to pierce through the leader¡¯s defence andnd directly on his body. The leader was shocked by this sudden change and couldn¡¯t apply his defences on time.

    This negligence forced him to incur a threatening injury in Li Meng¡¯s hand. He simply couldn¡¯t believe that there existed another heavenlyw that his opponent connected with.

    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be possible. How could you connect with three heavenlyws?¡± The leader couldn¡¯t believe his eyes at first, but he was forced toe back to reality due to another attack by Li Meng.

    ¡°I hope you are enjoying yourself now. We should see how long this fight is going tost now.¡± Li Meng finally gained an upper hand and began his barrage of attacks on the enemy. The powerfulw energy shed, and threews began to dominate thebination of the twows. The very quality of thosews beingplementary restricted the disadvantage that the bandit leader faced.

    The situation was reversed and the injuries on the bandit leader¡¯s body began to increase. He was being pushed back, which forced him to use the strongest arts he practiced.

    ¡°Fire Dragon fist.¡± The bandit leader rushed towards LI meng after using a powerful technique. Although Li Meng could have used the water element to counter, there wasn¡¯t a powerful water element fist art among his possessions. He decided to use the strike of thunderous palms. Thunder energy was said to be the most effective type of energy while attacking.

    True to the legends, Li meng came on top in this confrontation. As the bandit leader was pushed back, LI meng used his left hand to swing the sword at the leader¡¯s waist. Although his instinct managed to dodge the full impact of the attack, a deep cut was made right below his stomach.

    Li Meng directly rubbed the word through the cut, which increased the damage to the blood vessels, and blood spurted out of the injury. The bandit leader couldn¡¯t help but avoid further confrontation and rush back. As they separated, Li Meng threw his hammer with full force towards the bandit leader.

    As he was pressing the injury in his waist with his right hand, he tried to block the iing attack with the sword held in his left hand. Too bad for him, the force broke his hand. An immense amount of pain dawned over the leader¡¯s mind, and he bit his lips to focus on the fight. Li Meng had tomend the leader¡¯s tenacity and calmness in this situation. He didn¡¯t let the situation overwhelm his confidence.

    The fight continued when Li Meng once again rushed towards the bandit leader and attacked the very point which was injured before. Trying to defend his injured side, the leader bent towards his right, creating a small gap within the lower-left half. Li Meng instantly took advantage of the situation and kicked right at the back of his joint with full force.

    The sudden attack forced the bandit leader to kneel and another kicknded directly on the side of his head. His body rotated sideways and flew away from thest position. Before the bandit leader could even fully rise, Li Meng attacked with his sword. The bandit leader was being pressed onto the ground by the brute strength of Li Meng, yet he tried to resist.

    ¡°I guess we need to try a recent which I managed to learn.¡± Li Meng began to use the lightning devil body art and was directly pushed down with his sword. The sword directly pierced the right shoulder of the bandit leader, ending in him screaming out loud. Li Meng stopped his attack, pressed the sword against the leader¡¯s neck and said in a threatening tone.

    ¡°Would you like to give up, or shall we see where this situation leads from here?¡± The tides finally turned and Li meng managed to beat the strongest opponent he faced until now. It was time to reap the benefits.

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 Chapter 273

    273 REAL IDENTITY

    ¡°It looks like I won the match.¡± Li Meng decided to rub it on the Keeper¡¯s face. Yet he was greeted with a fairly amused expression.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t count your fruits before they have reaped boy.¡± The Keeper replied.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Li Meng was about to pose his second question when he saw the bandit leader¡¯s body shining with a faint light. He immediately pressed his sword to sh his neck, but it directly went through the figure. Li Meng couldn¡¯t understand the situation at first and tried to attack again, just to find the figure to have disappeared.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect someone from the Thunder academy to havee to hunt the bandits in the Taiwan mountains.¡± The leader¡¯s voice sounded from afar. When Li Meng turned around, all he could see was a bloodied man standing 10 feet¡¯s away from him with a hunched posture. His legs were shaking, but the confidence in his eyes didn¡¯t seem to diminish one bit.

    ¡°How did you identify the force I belong to?¡±

    ¡°Lightning devil art is said to be one of the three top body refining scripture within the Thunder academy and is ranked second within the group. It was something that the Mad Lightning Emperor created during his training period. Who in the world would fail to recognize as scripture like that?¡±

    Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but curse himself for this negligence. He forgot that the Lightning Devil art is an incredibly famous art within the whole of central ins. But it also meant that the Bandit leader did belong to a top tier organization for him to have detailed information about this art.

    ¡°Last I heard, Thunder-child was the most talented individual to have ever existed within the Thunder Academy. I didn¡¯t expect another monster who managed to connect with three Heavenly Laws to have appeared. I guess the central ins are still not informed about your achievements.¡±

    ¡°I am surprised by the fact that you know so much about the powers of central ins. I believe that you too belong to a top tier power.¡±

    .....

    ¡°This news is fairlymon within the central ins.¡± The bandit leader tried to deny it.

    ¡°Other news might bemon news, but the detail about the Lightning Devil body is not something which could have been known by everyone. Only someone who belongs to a top tier power should be able to recognize on the first try. It would be even more exinable if the person had experienced the power somewhere before.¡±

    The Bandit leader couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud. ¡°I guess we should continue the fight. You need to defeat me first if you want any kind of information toe out of my mouth.¡±

    ¡°I have already defeated you. I don¡¯t need to fight with an opponent whom I have defeated before.¡±

    ¡°I have to apologize for underestimating you before. I thought that the zing dragon fist arts should be able to finish you off, but you used something I have never expected to see. I guess it is the Strike of Thunderous Palms, which was also created by the Mad Lightning emperor.¡±

    ¡°I will now use everything single-core art which I have cultivated to date. Let¡¯s see how strong you really are.¡±

    The atmosphere around the guy changed instantly. Li Meng felt an incredibly threatening murderous aura seeping out of his body. The danger seems to be giving him the same feeling as the Blood general. A huge double-handed sword appeared in the leader¡¯s hand. The sword was dark red in colour and was emitting a bloodthirsty aura from its body.

    ¡°Be careful boy. I just felt him activating multiple artefacts. The sword is just one of them. It feels like blood tempered Weapons. It requires killing a huge number of cultivators to make a Weapon this potent. Incidentally, it is an Emperor grade weapon. Except for that, I could also feel a high-grade water element artefact. It must be the reason he could manipte his body like this.¡±

    ¡°There is also an unknown auraing from his body.¡±. This statement was followed by the Leader¡¯s body healing rapidly.

    ¡°You are the first person whom I have deemed worthy of using all my artefacts against. I hope you don¡¯t let me down.¡± The leader rushed towards Li Meng at an incredible speed. Li Meng failed to react at the proper moment and an incredible deep cut appeared on his body secondster. The leader attacks were incredibly urate and the power contained within it was far more than before.

    A series of shes resulted in multiple deep cuts appearing on Li Meng¡¯s body. He was injured near the abdomen and the blood flow had reached a critical level.

    ¡°I guess we need to utilize the full power to confront this bastard.¡± Li Meng finally decided to utilize the power of his avatars to draw energy.

    The aura increased exponentially, and to the leader¡¯s surprise, Li Meng also healed instantly. ¡°I guess I am not the only one with means in here. I am sure your master must have provided you with enough artefact to protect itself. This fight will be won by the one who has got more card in his hands.¡± The leader once again rushed towards Li Meng with all his power.

    Li Meng took out all his blood refined weapons. Ten weapons directly appeared in the air giving a simr aura to the sword held by the Bandit leader. To his shock, the bloodthirsty auraing out of the ten weapons were more powerful than the sword he held. Although it was an emperor grade weapon, the opponent held ten king rank weapons with a higher bloodthirst.

    The bandit leader felt his confidence lowering with every passing second. He decided to attack continuously, and Li Meng responded in kind. The fight continued, and the blood refined weapons began to show their strength. One of the biggest strengths which Li meng obtained from the blood refining skills was life drain.

    The technique was applicable through all of the blood refined weapons and hence the bandit leader was continuously losing his energy with every single injury he was inflicted with. Li Meng was using this technique for the first time since he learnt it. The opponent this time forced him to use up all his means.

    The battle continued and the Bandit leader found it more and more difficult to hold his ground against Li Meng. It felt like his energy was being sucked dry by something. He tried to use more and more of it while attacking, but the energy being sucked increased with his attacks. Even the artefact which he used to recover his Qi couldn¡¯t restore the lost energy with adequate speed.

    As the fight drew out, he was losing his ability to even confront himself properly with Li Meng. The wounds on his body were worsening and the blood lost in the confrontation couldn¡¯t be recovered in a short period of time. Li Meng took advantage of the leader¡¯s situation and attacked mercilessly at his weak points.

    ............

    An hourter-

    The leader wasying down within a pool of his own blood, in a near-death situation. His body no longer possessed the energy to resist Li Meng¡¯s attack. Li Meng was in a grievous situation as the whole process was incredibly taxing on both his body and mind. He finally managed to defeat the leader for good this time and imprisoned him with Qi restricting chains.

    ¡°The fight this time seems have opened your eyes to the reality of the world around you. This boy was just a realm above you yet he managed to drag the fight to this extent and forced you to use all your avatars while fighting. You need to understand how big the heavens actually are.¡±

    Li Meng had to agree with the Keeper¡¯s words. The fight this time was too taxing on his body. He had to develop his skill to a much higher level if he wanted to overpower an opponent like this easily in future.

    The two people soon regained their consciousness just to find themselves tied down with a cloth forced into their mouths.

    ¡°You woke up. I have been waiting forever to talk to you.¡± Li Meng removed the cloth from his mouth and began his questionnaire. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The leader tried to avoid the question, but Li Meng simply stuck his sword directly into the upper thigh of the Bandit leader. A miserable scream rang through the cave. After a long period of torture and many broken bones, the bandit leader finally lost his confidence and began to speak up.

    ¡°My name is Xuan Lao. I am an inner disciple of the Shengluo pavilion.¡±

    ¡°Why would a disciple of Shengluo pavilione to the Taiwan mountains and be a Bandit leader.¡± The leader tried to ignore Li Meng¡¯s question, but another stab to the leg forced him to spell the truth out.

    ¡°I came here topletely awaken my blood sword and improve my cultivation for a fortingpetition within my sect.¡±

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 Chapter 274

    274 THE SECRET OF THE CAVE

    ¡°Apetition, you say. I don¡¯t feel that it is the prime motive behind a student belonging to a top-tier power to rush down and train in a Bandit stronghold.¡±

    ¡°I began to train in the Taiwan mountain after I discovered this ce. It has a natural converging array that could help gather fire energy into the center. It helps me with training my Qi.¡±

    Li Meng picked up his sword and stabbed the leader in the other thigh. Just as the leader opened his mouth to scream, he broke his jaw with a single hit. Li Meng then healed the leader with his strength and asked him once again.

    ¡°What is your true purpose? The next time you lie, I will cut one of your limbs.¡±

    ¡°Competition is the actual reason that I began my training here. My speed increased after getting into this location.¡± Li Meng once again repeated the previous process, but with much more brutality. The leader¡¯s body was decimated to the point of near-death before being healed back by Li Meng.

    ¡°I will ask once again. What is the true reason for training in this location?¡±

    ¡°Everything that I said to you holds. The real reason why I came to the Taiwan mountains was a task undertaken by me from the sect. Due to some internal rivalry with a resourceful candidate, I was forced to take on three different and difficult tasks.¡±

    ¡°The reason dide with a lot of danger but it also proved to be the best location to nurture my blood sword in. I came in here and became a bandit. Initially, I was associated with a local Bandit group and slowly raised my power step by step.¡±

    ¡°It was during my training that I came across this location. I was a fairly powerless cultivator at the intermediate stages of QI King, but the power here helped me break-through multiple times and reach the current stage.¡±

    .....

    ¡°This location proved to be the best cultivation cave I have ever got my hands on and hence I continued my training in this location with diligence. After I managed to reach the advanced level of Qi King, I managed to kill the previous leader of my Bandit troop and be the current leader.¡±

    ¡°I decided to use this cave as a stronghold for my group. We slowly rose to power and I am near break-through at the next level. I wish to continue my cultivation and am sure to rise directly to Qi Emperor before returning to my sect.¡±

    ¡°What is your reason behind leaving the sect resources and cultivating here?¡±

    ¡°There is a risk of losing my life within the sect. I couldn¡¯t hope to survive within it with my current strength. I need to break-through as soon as possible and reach the very limit before the beginning of the selectionpetition.¡±

    ¡°You are a genius with two heavenlyws. Aren¡¯t you supposed to be valued within the sect?¡±

    ¡°The politics within sects is not so easy to understand. I belong to a fairly low background and managed to rise to this level with the opportunities I gained through continuous struggle. Although I am the disciple of a fairly strong cultivator, the internal workings are tooplicated.¡±

    ¡°My life was threatened multiple times while being within the academy. Due to my master leaving for a mission, the enemies who hid in the dark began to emerge out and attack publicly. This is the reason why I rushed out of the sect.¡±

    ¡°These attackers belonged to the fractions in which geniuses simr to me existed.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect your sect to have multiple cultivators who managed to connect with two heavenlyws.¡±

    ¡°Thunder Academy is only one of the hegemonic powers within the central ins. The real strength of the region will scare you to death. You shouldn¡¯t get too high on yourself just because you¡¯re connected with three heavenlyws. I have seen other geniuses who have managed to achieve much more.¡±

    Li Meng was surprised to find another cultivator with a simr situation to his. Although his prime motive was to collect resources for the break-through of his avatars, there were powers in the dark who wanted to harm him. At least that was what his senior told him.

    Another reason for the surprise was the fact that there existed other geniuses who managed to connect with more than two heavenlyws. The fact that he used almost all his power against someone who is connected with two heavenlyws began to feel embarrassing.

    ¡°What would a break-through to emperor signify then? Those forces will still be able to attack and im your life.¡±

    ¡°If I manage to rise to power and im a spot within the chosen few to participate within thatpetition, I will be specially guarded by the institute and hence the forces in dark won¡¯t be able toy hands on me.¡±

    ¡°Which event are you referring to?¡±

    ¡°The Royal road.¡± The bandit leader spoke in a grim tone.

    ¡°What doespetition signify?¡±

    ¡°It is apetition held within the central ins. It presents a chance for emperor level cultivators to rise to the next realm, Qi Monarch.¡± Li Meng was shocked. A Qi monarch was a true backbone of any hegemonic sect within the central ins. He was truly attracted to this piece of news, but he didn¡¯t want to divert his mind away from the present necessity.

    ¡°We will discuss thister. I would like to inquire about the real secret of this cultivation cave.¡± The cave was too extraordinary to be ignored. If the Keeper¡¯s estimation were to be true and the cave actually conceals a powerful Qi veins underneath it, just how strong was the cultivator who created it was.

    ¡°I told you that I identally came across the key to ess this ce and hence was able to train here. There is nothing special.¡± The leader retorted with a harsh tone.

    Li Meng shed his midrib, and blood began to flow out. ¡± I said that I no longer appreciate hearing any lies from your mouth. Juste up with the truth about this ce. The leader screamed in pain once again, but Li Meng paid no heed. He healed him up and asked once more.

    Li Meng once again removed the healing energy, andbroke another set of bones. Once the condition was too dire, he once again healed the leader. It was an endless amount of torture, but the bandit leader¡¯s perseverance wasmendable. But everything has a limit. Even the Bandit leader couldn¡¯t cope up with this pain endlessly.

    ¡°This is an ancient inheritance of a Qi Monarch.¡± He blurted out, while begging Li Meng to stop.

    ¡°A Qi Monarch. You are saying that a mighty Qi Monarch designed this dwelling. Why would a magestic and powerful cultivator like them be using such a lousy ce? How did you know that this cave belonged to a Qi Monarch?¡±

    ¡°I was not too sure and thought this ce to be something a QI Emperor created, but a piece of evidence changed my mind. There is an inscription present within the central cultivation room. It records the details regarding the Qi Monarch who built this ce as a cultivation retreat.¡±

    Although the cave seems to have belonged to a very powerful character, something didn¡¯t feel right about the whole situation. Somewhere in his mind, Li Meng still felt that something was amiss in the leader¡¯s exnation. He might have told the truth, but he certainly was not telling the whole truth.

    Li Meng decided to y along for now. ¡± Guide me towards the main cultivation room.¡±. The leader had no choice but to do so. The central cultivation room was quite grand with the fire energy concentration at its densest.

    There was a stone stele inscribed within one of the walls of the room. As Li Meng walked near to the inscription, he found that a detailed record about the owner had been written within it.

    ¡°Hell-Fire monarch.¡± Bright red letters mentioning the details about the owner were inscribed on the stone stele. LI meng could feel powerful energy being radiated from the stone stele.

    ..........

    ¡°I could feel the energy formation converging in this room boy. If I am not wrong, the room must have been established on top of a Fire Qi Vein.¡±

    ¡°Could you sense the grade of the Qi Vein?¡±

    ¡°The power radiated from it is quite faint, but the formation seems to be collecting energy from it.¡±

    ¡°What about the stone stele in front of us?¡±

    ¡°It is fake. Although the energy radiating from it seems to be quite powerful, it is simply connected to the formation. The brat is lying to you.¡±

    Li Meng couldn¡¯t help butugh at the daring attitude of the bandit leader. Even after being tortured for so long, he still dares to lie.

    Li Meng took out his hammer and bashed the bandit leader in his abdomen. The Bandit leader sted towards the walls, blood from all corners. His terror and shame-filled eyes, which looked at Li Meng in shock.

    ¡°You still dare to lie, straight to my face. I will give you onest chance before I change my mind and do a soul search.¡± As soon as the bandit leader heard the word soul search, his whole body shook with fear.

    Soul search was a deadly technique that could only be executed by someone who has soul power higher than his counterpart. The main problem with a technique like that was the potential risk of permanently damaging the soul of one being searched. It was the reason behind it being banned was out ofmon practice and no sect actively teaches techniques like this.

    ¡°You should stop bluffing, boy. Even I have my pride as a martial artist. How could I fall for such an obvious plot?¡± The vice-leader whi manage to gain consciousness, shouted out loud. Soul search was an extremely devious method which was banned in the martial world. He thought that Li Meng was bluffing.

    Li Meng wanted tough out loud but decided to hold himself back. He pulled the vice-leader, who was lying beside the leader. Grabbing his head, he directly infested his soul energy into him.

    A scream rushed out of the vice leader¡¯s mouth. His body was shaking endlessly out of the pain induced by the soul search. He finally got ahold of a lot of information regarding the past of the vice-leader and the internal workings of the bandits.

    After a whole round, a pale body fell directly on the ground, lifeless. Li Meng looked at the terrified face of the leader.

    ¡°Are you ready to spill out the beans, or shall I help in the process?¡±

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 Chapter 275

    275 THE INHERITANCE OF HELL-FIRE MONARCH

    The bandit leader was terrified by the view of hisrade lying on the ground. The vice-leader looked lifeless as if someone sucked all the life out of his body. Soul search was imed to be one of the cruellest techniques in today¡¯s world and the view in front proved it to be true. The vice-leader was screaming like his life was being sucked out of him, and hey unconscious on the ground.

    The motionless figure of the vice-leader filled the Bandit Leader¡¯s heart with extremities of fear. He never expected Li Meng to have such horrendous techniques in his arsenal. Methods such as this were banned from being used by the practitioners of the righteous path. Especially the Thunder Academy which signified an apex existence within the Righteous path.

    It was the reason that the Bandit leader was fearless when Li Meng imed to have used the soul search technique on him. He never expected that a high ranked disciple of the Thunder Academy would use such a violent and inhumane technique against his opponent. But the situation now implies otherwise. Not only was Li Meng capable of using the technique, but he was also incredibly calm while using it. Not a single expression of unrest appeared on his face.

    He was like the incarnate of a cold-blooded demon. The Bandit leader was too scared to even shout out and resist Li Meng¡¯s act. His body was shaking violently.

    Li Meng, on the other hand, was organizing all the information he had received after searching the vice leader¡¯s soul. He had to acknowledge the fact that the technique was not only too vicious but incredibly taxing on his soul¡¯s energy too. The sudden inflow of such a huge chunk of information was also a potential risk while executing this technique.

    ...................................

    From the memories of the vice-leader, he did confirm that the first time he encountered the Bandit leader, he was truly a cultivator of intermediate Qi King level. The first encounter was fairly coincidental as the vice-leader came across the bandit leader when he was attacking a group of explorers. He thought that this person was a weak character and decided to threaten him.

    But only when the attack started did, he understood what sort of character they offended just now. The Bandit Leader appeared out of nowhere in front of the vice-leader who was a rtively powerless character back then.

    ¡°Are you willing to follow me?¡± The mysterious man offered for him to follow in his footsteps.

    .....

    ¡°Why should I? I am a part of a fairly powerful bandit group in the region.¡± The vice-leader replied. He was a member of a fairly vicious group of bandits who have spread terror throughout the cities near the Taiwan mountains.

    ¡°I could provide you with the perfect opportunity to rise above everyone in the region.¡± Just to prove his point the Bandit leader killed everyone in the vicinity of the Taiwan mountains except for the fairly talented cultivators. He subdued them and forced them into servitude under him.

    The best thing about conditions ced forward by him was an enticing gain in strength for every cultivator who decided toe under his banner and the assurance that he would make this stronghold the strongest bandit group in the whole Taiwan mountain range. They regrouped and began to eliminate theirpetition.

    After a long period of massacres, the ck-Dragon bandits were the leader of the border areas. The monstrous figure holding a blood-red sword was one of the main topics of discussion in the whole Taiwan mountain range. His ambitions touched the skies, and he rose in strength, reaching the peak of the seventh level of Qi King. All the members were incredibly enthusiastic regarding the increment in strength they had experienced while working under this leader.

    Li Meng had tomend the bandit leader¡¯s personality to have gathered such respect from his subordinate. In a treacherous world, the person who seems closest to you is the one eyeing your power the most. Yet the vice-leader was whole-heartedly devoted to this guy. His natural disposition was something even Li Meng had to appreciate.

    ................

    ¡°The boy is a rare sapling. The very fact that he is someone who has connected with two heavenlyws qualifies him as a worthy consideration for the subordinate. Moreover, he has managed to connect with such aplementing set ofws, making his battle power extremely close to someone who has connected with three heavenlyws.¡±

    ¡°His character is quite suited to lead a group of subordinates, be it battling or managing an institution. He should be the best chess piece for you to ce in your arsenal.¡±

    Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but nod at the Keeper¡¯s suggestion he himself was thinking in the same line. Although the leader was quite a stubborn character when ites to his secrets, he certainly is talented. Using soul search on this brat would definitely harm his cultivation and soul base, hindering his future martial path.

    ¡°The earlier action of yours should be enough to give him deadly scare which would live with him for the rest of his life. I think he would be willing to talk with you now.¡± As the Keeper suggested, his opponent¡¯s face was deathly pale out of fright. He didn¡¯t want to be a victim of a ruthless technique like soul search.

    Li Meng moved towards the Bandit leader and raised his hands to indicate a grabbing motion towards him. A loud scare could be heard from the bandit leader¡¯s mouth, trying to beg Li Meng for mercy.

    ¡°I will tell you the whole truth. Please let go. I don¡¯t want to be a victim of soul search.¡± His legs were shaking constantly and the confidence he had showcased earlier hadpletely crumbled. He was a powerful cultivator at the advanced Qi King stage with the ability to easily surpass ranks while fighting, yet the cmity which was awaiting him was too dangerous.

    Although he was acting extremely haughty earlier, the sight of his subordinate being crippled horrified him. Li Mengs topped his hand and silently stared at the bandit leader, waiting for his answer.

    ¡°My name is Sima Yu. As mentioned earlier, I am truly a core disciple of the Shengluo pavilion. Moreover, my father is the current leader of the pavilion. As I reported earlier, I did arrive at the Taiwan mountains to eliminate the bandit groups andplete a task given to me by the institute. My aim was one of the core groups which constituted the area.¡±

    ¡°Although I was powerful enough to eliminate the group anytime, it was extremely difficult to find the hidden stronghold. I searched for a long time, during which I managed toe across this area. As I said earlier, this truly is an inheritance ground, but the name Hell-fire monarch was too foreign to me. I didn¡¯t know of any powerful monarch by that name. Yet, someone who has attached the title monarch beside his name is no small matter.¡±

    ¡°Even powerful institutions like ours have a limited number of Qi Monarchs who guard our inheritance with their life. They are the true pirs of a powerful institution. I was enticed by the offer and decided to inspect the surrounding.¡±

    ¡°Although my techniques were quite powerful, this ce is truly a mystery. I decided to cultivate here while trying to pry into the mysteries of this location. Due to some mysterious grand formation, the fire energy from the surrounding area converges right into this room, aiding my cultivation speed. It was also the reason behind me being able to reach the peak of 7th level Qi King from a fourth level QI King so soon.¡±

    ¡°After an extensive search of the whole area, I finally managed toe across a chance to get the inheritance. The chance is the stone stele right at the secluded corner of this room.¡± Li Meng turned his head towards the area to find an extremely ordinary stone embedded into the wall.

    ¡°The stone stele might look ordinary, but after applying a huge amount of martial power, I was able to discover a secret to this cave. The cave inheritance was designed to be gained by someone who has attained the level of QI Emperor. As per the next few steps, I don¡¯t know the details.¡±

    Li Meng followed the directions mentioned in Sima Yu¡¯s words earlier and tried to instil his martial power into the stone stele. To his surprise, such a huge quantity was being directly absorbed into the stone. After a long period of instilling a huge amount of Qi, the stone stele finally changed.

    ¡°This is the cave of the Hell-Fire Monarch, the supreme leader who ruled this world in the past. Those who are fateful enough to chance upon this ce are allowed to enter the trial set by the founder.¡±

    ¡°Passing the trial would allow you to inherit the treasures left behind by the Hell-Fire monarch himself.¡±

    ¡°Requirement- The cultivator must at least be a Martial Emperor with a Heavenly Firew base.¡±

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 Chapter 276

    276 PREPARING FOR THE BREAKTHROUGH

    ¡°Only Qi Emperor can appear on the test. That is some harsh requirement. Are a Qi Monarch¡¯s treasures that valuable?¡± Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but ask himself.

    ¡°In general, when a powerful cultivator looks for inheritors to his legacy, they search for talent rather than cultivation realm. The reason behind such a choice is for the inheritor to be able to continue the legacy to a higher realm than the previous possessor.¡±

    ¡°The only reason why a cultivation realm is specified is because of an absolute need to inherit whatever he left behind for you. This would mean that emperor realm power is required to get hold of whatever treasure is inside the cave. You need to be careful while attempting this test. The very fact that an emperor is required to control the power of the treasure signifies that the treasure is quite dangerous.¡±

    ¡°I have a battle strength which could surpass levels of cultivation directly. I think I should be able to get my hands on the treasure once I enter the peak of QI King level.¡±

    ¡°That might not be the case here. Emperor power signifies many things. You can surpass the level due to a multitude of reasons. Be it the three types of Qi which practice together or the body cultivation you have achieved by opening up all the acupoints, they together help to push you through the limits.¡±

    ¡°But if a test is present just to let you have a try on that treasure means that it required to power on the equivalent level of Emperor in all aspects. If it had been a fairlymon Qi Monarch, I might not be suggesting such drastic measures for you. Hell-Fire monarch seems to be a fairly powerful character of his time. He is someone who has connected with Heavenly Firew. We are not even sure as to what otherws he might have connected to.¡±

    ¡°What is your estimation on the level of cultivation this guy might have achieved in his life?¡±

    ¡°I would say, he should be fairly near the peak of the monarch realm.¡±

    ¡°He was that strong!¡± Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at the Keeper¡¯s guess. A peak Qi Monarch was no joke. Even the Thunder Academy might not own a peak Qi Monarch. They might not even have someone who is in the advanced Monarch realm. The very fact that this Hell-fire Monarch was a peak Qi Monarch changed the whole scenario. The news of a peak Qi Monarch¡¯s inheritance would paint the whole central ins red with blood.

    .....

    Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but think seriously about this matter. If he wanted to appear on the test, he would need to be a Qi Emperor at the very least. That changed the whole scenario. He thought to kill every single bandit in the whole group and take their heads to im thepletion of the task. But things have changed now.

    ...................

    At the borders of the Taiwan mountains. The avatars were hiding within the group awaiting the bandits to ambush them. As soon as the group is annihted, they would personally kill every single bandit who was part of this attack group and im the prize. All the preparation was ready and Long Tao had nned the process perfectly.

    The group of explorers proceeded through the same path which they came in from. The speed of retreat was extremely fast. The damage incurred due to thest ambush was too severe for them to stay in this ce any longer. The bandit group could easily annihte them with their current strength.

    As the group proceeded towards the end of the border area, the avatars began to worry. If no one attacked the exploring group, they would have wasted their time by ying along with the flow. They should have just rushed back directly and annihted the remaining troops.

    Fortunately for them, the attack arrived just before the explorer group was about to reach the end of the border areas. The attack was extremely sneaky, but who could avoid the detection of the Crimson world artifact. The Keeper warned them about the iing attack and they decided to y it slowly.

    The group gathered some losses, but eventually, the avatars began to actively participate within the fight and the explorer group began to gain momentum. The initial choice was to finish the matter and return to the subsidiary power and deposit his kill number. Given the amount of contribution he was showing, there was no way anyone would have denied his ims.

    But Li Meng¡¯s message arrived right when they were about to begin the killing. The n had to change. The avatars began to help the bandit finish off the explorer group. It wasn¡¯tte when someone found out about the avatar¡¯s unnatural activity, but Long Tao didn¡¯t care about these things. Every single person in the explorer group was about to be killed. There is no way they would be able to report this matter back to the city.

    The killing ended quite quickly. While the Bandit group did manage to finish off every single one of the explorer team, they still incurred some losses on their side. It was not easy to fill the ranks of a group such as them. When they found out that the three people had helped them carry out their mission, the leader of the ambush came forward and raised his sword towards Long Tao.

    ¡°Who are you? Why did you help us?¡±

    ¡°There are certain things that shouldn¡¯t be exposed. All you need to know is that your master sends me here to help in carrying out the mission.¡±

    The vice-leader immediately released his energy and pointed the sword in a threatening manner. ¡°Do you take us to be fooled? There is no way that you know who our leader is, much less him having an acquaintance with you. I will give you onest chance. Spill the truth or you die.¡±

    Killing the leader would have been an extremely easy task for the avatars as the vice-leader was only a peak initial Qi King who had connected with an earthenw. But the situation seems to have changed for now. He required the assistance of these people to hide the location of this inheritance cave. There is no way he would allow this chance to fall into someone else¡¯s hands.

    ¡°I already know about your hide-out within the mountain cave. My master is a friend of your master and he had sent me to assist you. They are waiting for you to return.¡± Long Tao detailed out the exact path which leads to their hide-out and the bandits had no choice but to believe him. There was no one except their group who knew about this location.

    If what the man is iming seems to be true, they would have no problem. Even if he lied, they would just kill him within the hide-out.

    .........................

    Within the cave-

    Li Meng sighed out a breath of relief. He didn¡¯t want the situation to get too messy and the oue lived up to his expectations. He then looked at the Bandit leader.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start from the beginning. How did you manage to get your hands on the key to this ce?¡±

    ¡°I discovered this ce while exploring this area. As I said earlier, my blood sword was something that requires blood essence to grow in strength. This region was perfect for me to hunt down cultivators without anyone hindering my path. I epted the task for this very reason.¡±

    ¡°When I was hunting down bandits, I came across a small group of people who had managed to sneak off and live through my attacks multiple times. This location was the spot where I would always lose their trails. After a long time, I came to think that there might be a hide-out nearby this mountain. To my luck, after a long period of wait, they decided to show up once again, right out of this mountain.¡±

    ¡°So you are saying that you are not the first person who came across this ce.¡±

    ¡°I certainly am not. A group of people came across this ce first.¡± The Bandit leader admitted.

    ¡°Are you sure that the group of people didn¡¯t leak the information about this cave to outsiders?¡± That wouldplicate the matter in this ce. There is no way they would be able to hide the news for long in that situation. If the group which reached here was able to find the details mentioned on the site, it might lead to a catastrophe. The inheritance of a Qi Monarch was no small deal.

    ¡°I am not sure about the group earlier, as they didn¡¯t have many records of what they did while being here. They also didn¡¯t possess much equipment or powerful cultivators. I even waited for some time before deciding to create my own group. If this news had been leaked, they would have appeared by now, but no one did.

    Li Meng still felt restless in his heart, but the matters of the future were not something he could control.

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 Chapter 277

    277 THE STORM BREWING

    Li Meng didn¡¯t want to make the matter regarding the inheritance public. A Qi monarch¡¯s inheritance was not only extremely precious, it was also a chance for cultivators who have halted in their progress to raise their level. An inheritance like this would force even old monsters in the Qi Monarch realm to fly out of their dens.

    Hell-Fire monarch seemed to be a very aplished cultivator. The very fact that one requires to have the cultivation of Qi Emperor to even attempt his test showed how high his requirements were. The quality of the test indirectly gave Li Meng an idea regarding what sort of character the Hell-fire monarch was.

    ¡°You need to consider the situation at hand. I suggest that youy some formations in here.¡±

    ¡°Although I have broken through the Qi King level, the level of my formation is still at the peak of grade 3. You couldn¡¯t possibly be suggesting me toy a grade three formation to ward off Qi King level cultivators right.¡±

    ¡°This is the exact reason that I sometimes feel your mindset to be incredibly conceited. You often act like a frog at the bottom of a well.¡± Li Meng was ashamed by the sudden reprimand of the Keeper.

    ¡°I am sorry for speaking out so fast. The situation has tensed me up. A Qi Monarch¡¯splete inheritance is no small joke. Although I could be considered as the inheritor of the Pill-Sword saint and the Mad-Thunder king, they didn¡¯t leave anything except techniques for me. I could at most be considered as a pseudo-inheritor.¡±

    ¡°This remains on the other hand gives me the feeling that Hell-fire monarch left all his possession for a future inheritor. Hence I couldn¡¯t help but be enticed by the allure.¡± Li Meng was not speaking out of ttery. He was truly attracted to the treasure within the Qi Monarch¡¯s inheritance.

    The Keeper didn¡¯t object to Li Meng¡¯s point of view. The Crimson lord artefact also wanted to find the monarch¡¯s inheritance to gain some resources which could help mend its damage. A monarch would certainly possess a yellow grade weapon with himself, which if devoured by the artefact, could help promote it to yellow-grade.

    To speak the truth even the Keeper was feeling agitated after knowing that a Qi Monarch¡¯s remains were located in this cave. If Li Meng is truly able to achieve the treasures here, he would get a huge boost in his martial path. Increasing Li Meng¡¯s strength was the Keeper¡¯s main objective anyway.

    .....

    ¡°I am not asking you to rashly make up some formation. Your soul power has already stepped into the soul grandmaster level and hence you are capable of earning both grade 4 and 5 formations.¡± Li Meng was surprised to hear the Keeper¡¯s words. His soul power was only that of a soul grandmaster, which was analogous to Qi King in terms of Qi cultivation. How could he learn level 5 formations?

    ¡°I could guess that you are thinking about the analogy between martial and soul cultivation. You shouldn¡¯t press your mind too much. Qi and soul cultivation don¡¯t follow the same type of path. While Qi cultivation has many levels, soul cultivation is much alike to body cultivation.¡±

    ¡°You will be able to understand the topic by the fact that with your current body cultivation you could contend with mid-level Qi Kings using your body alone. Yet the only thing you have opened is acupoints. The reason behind this is the tangled analogy between the three systems.¡±

    ¡°While it is true that body and soul cultivation are extremely difficult whenpared to Qi cultivation, the benefits each breakthrough brings about is muchrger whenpared to Qi cultivation. You will feel the effect once you start tempering your Qi channels. You will manage to understand why this disparity urs.¡±

    ¡°Pondering on this fact at the moment is not going toyout any distinctive fruits. You should just understand that the soul grandmaster level corresponds to both Qi King and Qi Emperor level. The next stage of soul cultivation is called soul king. It corresponds to the cultivation of Qi Monarch.¡±

    ¡°Above it lies the Soul Emperor level which corresponds to soul Qi Dominator. Above it is Saint-soul, which corresponds to the half-saint(ancestor) and saint level. The final stage is called God soul.¡± Li Meng was left pondering about how long the path of martial arts is.

    ¡°Rather than wasting time pondering over how long your future path is going to be, why not hurry up to learn level 4 formation techniques.¡±

    ¡°Where would I find level 4 and 5 formation techniques? I still haven¡¯t joined any sect which excelled in formation.¡±

    ¡°Boy, did you forget the actual reason behind joining the various powers? It was so that you could collect resources in a much faster way. What makes you think that their arts are what you would require. The Crimson Lord artefact already opened up the fourth and fifth level formation techniques for you when you stepped into the soul grandmaster level.¡±

    Li Meng instantly smiled at hearing this fact. ¡°I would still require some time toprehend the techniques.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that you have a top-grade Emperor artefact in your possession. Although we will not help you deliberately, you could always escape with the help of the artefact. If I were you., I would have concentrated on learning the formations.¡±

    Li Meng no longer wasted his breath.

    ............

    In the cave-

    ¡°I will be asking you a simple question and you have ten breaths top consider your options.¡± He raised his sword and held it against the Bandit leader¡¯s neck. ¡°Either you be a subordinate of mine and enjoy the tribtion of life together of me, or else you die. Choose.¡±

    ¡°I ept.¡± There was no hesitation in the Bandit leader¡¯s eyes. The choice was extremely easy to make because of the stakes.

    ¡°Very well. I assure you that I will not treat any of my friends in a lowly manner. You can cultivate in this room together with me. I will also help you improve your cultivation.¡± Li Meng took out a small pouch and threw it towards the bandit leader. When he opened up, he was shocked to find the contents of the pouch to be Fire and water elemental stones.

    He looked at Li Meng with a strange expression. The contents of this pouch were too valuable. They were enough for him to reach the peak of QI King level. He didn¡¯t know why Li Meng would be so charitable towards him. ¡°I will also let you try the test of Hell-Fire monarch should you break-through to the Qi Emperor faster than me.

    The bandit leader was surprised to hear Li Meng. He didn¡¯t know how to respond to the fact.

    ¡°My subordinates helped your troops to exterminate the exploring teams. You need to take care of them, while I am in secluded cultivation.¡± The bandit leader was surprised by hearing that Li Meng was entering closed-door cultivation. He even had his subordinates help the bandits in exterminating the city troops.

    ¡°I will try my best to help you and your group to be the hegemons of this mountain range. Not only is this a great cultivation ground, but this cave should also provide the perfect hide-out. Hence, I wish for you to rule the whole range. We will start eliminating thepetition in the mountain range and the outer area as we increase our strength.¡±

    He once again took out a lot of cultivation resources. ¡°Use this to improve the cultivation of your group. The next time I exit the cultivation room, we will begin our expedition.¡±

    Li Meng loosened the shackles which held the Bandit leader and released him. ¡°I hope we can cooperate and benefit each other.¡±

    ............................

    In the city-

    The news that the whole exploration squad was eliminated soon spread to each force present within the city. This was too humiliating for the independent cultivation alliance and they requested a meeting with the various powers within the city. The aim of the meeting was simple. They wanted to eliminate the bandits.

    A letter was sent to every power within the city by the leader of the independent cultivator alliance. The contents of the letter were fairly the same.

    ¡°We request all the power to meet together and pool in our resources to eliminate the bandits within the mountain. Although we couldn¡¯t scale the whole mountain, by working together, we could surely eliminate the groups which lie in the border areas.¡±

    Although friction within the various powers often prevented them from acting together, the allure this time was too great. If they manage to eliminate the groups in the border areas, the treasures gained would be quiterge. Everyone was enticed by the opportunity to get a piece of the action.

    Soon enough the powers sent their reply back and an official talk began to start within them.

    A huge storm was brewing within the city limits and Long Tao waspletely unaware of the situation.

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 Chapter 278

    278 BODY LAW BREAKTHROUGH

    The invitation arose the interest of every single power within the city limits. The independent association sought the help of many powers, but the initial reaction was somewhat negative. No powers were willing to let out their strongest warriors for the excursion to eliminate bandits.

    The reason for this pattern was the fact that the city powers didn¡¯t hold any sort of advantage within the Taiwan Mountains. Except for the sites which were forcefully controlled by strong powers within the central ins, the rest of the sites were left barren. Even the huge deposit of resources couldn¡¯t create enough allure for the powers to work together.

    Although a huge excursion was a failure, one had to understand the fact that theck of knowledge regarding the terrain posed a huge disadvantage for any power that tries to eliminate the bandits. Although some powers have tried to establish their strongholds, most of them failed to persist for even a week. Only those who have extraordinary means or dangerously powerful backing could sustain their camps from the raid of the bandits.

    The powers situated within the city had often requested the help of the powers who upy huge deposits within the mountain range. But they were not sessful in the slightest. The powers who managed to establish themselves didn¡¯t want to allow the emergence of anotherpetitor, as that would lead to a decrease in the number of resources for them.

    ¡°We need to take some serious steps, or the alliance would lose its face in the world.¡± One of the top echelon members spoke up.

    ¡°Are you willing to lead the expedition into the mountains then?¡± One of the vice leaders asked. The elder who spoke earlier lowered his head. He didn¡¯t want to act as a Guinea pig. The potential danger was too great.

    ¡°I thought so. bbering about the problem around you is quite easy. If someone couldn¡¯te with a solution, I advise them to shut their mouth up.¡± The vice-leader spoke up. He was a powerful advanced-level Qi King. He has contributed immensely to the development of an independent cultivator organization.

    ¡°Calm down. We need to think seriously about this matter. Although thement earlier was somewhat inappropriate, we do need to take some strict action against the bandit groups.¡± Another man spoke up. Although he wasn¡¯t a vice-leader, his seniority surpassed the man who spoke earlier.

    ¡°I have an idea for preliminary action. We need to increase the rewards for live capture. If a powerful cultivator who roams around the range is capable enough of catching one of the bandit members, we would be able to learn the site where they have established their stronghold.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Even if we are going to increase the rewards, it wouldn¡¯t be able to entice an advance Qi King cultivator. The disparity in strength is too much. Intermediate Qi Kings might be enticed, but the bandit¡¯s groups would be able to take care of them quite easily. We need to do something so huge that even the Qi Emperors are forced to act against the bandit¡¯s groups.¡±

    The vice leader¡¯sment attracted the attention of the members around. ¡°Anyone have any suggestions regarding this matter?¡±

    ¡°I might have a solution for you.¡± A figure suddenly appeared within the assembly. All the upper echelon members instantly raised their weapons in defence, but the vice-leader raised his hand to stop them from acting.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± The vice-leader asked with a grim tone. The men were covered in a ck drape covering his whole body. No one could identify him due to the cover over his face. Although the weaker members couldn¡¯t sense anything, the vice-leader could feel a dangerous aura seeping out of his body. He felt that he wouldn¡¯t be a match for this man.

    ¡°I am ready to help you, but you need to help me in return.¡±

    ¡°What do you propose?¡±

    ¡°The n has the potential to create a storm within the city, framing the bandits for things that they didn¡¯t do. I will create a scenario where every power would be forced to act against the bandits hiding within the mountains. All you need to do is to capture one of the bandits within the mountain.¡± A mental message was heard by the vice-leader.

    The vice-leader gave it a deep thought and finally agreed to the proposal. The n was quite enticing because it would force every single power within the city to act together. They would manage to eliminate many bandit groups with the help of their power. The man presented him with a portrait of the target about to be captured. When opened, a young man¡¯s face came into view. It was none other than Sima Yu.

    The ck figure was trying to capture Sima Yu.

    .................

    In the cave-

    The group returned after eliminating the excursion group and began to report the results to the vice-leader. The leader soon approved the identities of Long Tao¡¯s avatars. After that one of the avatars entered the cultivation room, where Li Meng was training. Soon after that, a formation wasid by Li Meng which concealed both him and the avatar from the surrounding area. Sima Yu didn¡¯t mid this action as he knew that everyone had their own secrets.

    Li Meng started setting up another formation that would be able to promote the avatar¡¯s chances in the breakthrough. The formation was designed to circte blood energy from the Crimson Lord world into the formation and finally inject it into the avatar¡¯s body. The avatar was going to break-through Qi king level using bodyw.

    The reason for this proposal was the fact that bodyw was going to create a much smallermotion than the elementalws and hence wouldn¡¯t attract any unwanted attention to the mountain. Bodyw manifested itself directly within the cultivator¡¯s body rather than its surroundings.

    The Keeper soon connected the blood-essence pool with the formation and Li Meng began to operate it. The avatar soon felt his body getting filled with an immense amount of blood energy and tried to sense the bodyws. At first, the avatar encountered a huge barrier, which led Li Meng to narrow his brows.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t get distracted by his expressions. Bodyws are not easy to achieve as elementalws because the human and earthen level doesn¡¯t contain any. If you wanted to connect with a bodyw, it had to be directly connected to the Heavenly level. The barrier is quite natural.¡±

    Hearing the Keeper¡¯s exnation, LI meng began to rx, but even after a long time, there was no progress. The avatar was simply unable to connect with bodyw. When Li Meng nced toward the Keeper, he could see an unsightly expression on his face.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t natural right?¡±

    ¡°Even I am not sure about the reason behind this anomaly. All I can say is that the procedure seems to becking.¡±

    ¡°What could be done to increase our chances?¡± Li Meng asked. Both men were forced into silence as they couldn¡¯te up with a solution. The avatars continued to extrude more and more blood energy to connect with a bodyw.

    Sometimeter a slight change urred within the avatar¡¯s body. Unknown to him, the meridians began to act automatically. The avatar felt that the barrier seemed to have loosened a bit. This phenomenon was observed by the Keeper and Li Meng. They nced at each other and smiled.

    ¡°Use the meridians while extruding the blood essence energy.¡± The avatar followed the instructions, and miraculously the barrier began to shake. A huge amount of progress was found.

    ¡°Start using the acupoints one after the other.¡± The barrier began to fade slowly. Soon enough the highest amount of power was extruded, and the barrier was extremely thin. The avatar managed to feel bodyws.

    Many options appeared in front of the avatar. But Li Meng had decided that he would concentrate on overall bodyws. The two prominent options which appeared were Heavenly Barbarianw and Hell Devilw. The avatar tried to connect with one of thews, but soon enough an absurd phenomenon took ce. When thew energy flowed into the avatar¡¯s body, it led to a sudden imbnce within his body, and he suffered a bacsh. Blood flowed out of the avatar¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Li Meng grew nervous.

    ¡°This is what I feared the most. A singlew connection would lead to an imbnce in your body and it would burst. You need to connect with both of the energy at the same time.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane? It is near impossible to control singrw energy, much less two.¡±

    ¡°That is the only way you would be able to connect with either of thews. Theye as a set and you need to connect with them as a set. It is the only way you would be able to maintain a bnce between the two conflictingws.¡±

    Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but nod at the fact. The process was going to be quite difficult.

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 Chapter 279

    279 RISK

    Heavenlyws were quite uncontroble by themselves and hence it was very difficult to even sense a single one of them throughout the break-through process. Many geniuses around the world could sense the presence of a Heavenly Law but would not be able to surpass the barrier restricting them and connect with it.

    Long Tao¡¯s avatar was able to sense many Heavenlyws with rtive ease. The easiest of thesews were the threews of thunder, water and wind which Li Meng connected with. To its surprise, even though he hadn¡¯t broken through the Qi King realm, when it tried to resonate with a Heavenly bodyw, the threews automatically began to absorb energy.

    When Li Meng and the Keeper experienced this phenomenon, they couldn¡¯t help but be shocked.

    ¡°Your assumptions seem to be on point this time?¡± The Keeper spoke to Long Tao. The situation replicated his words exactly. During his breakthrough, they found that variousw runes had directly entered the body of the avatars too, and remained dormant in there. When the avatar tried to connect with the Heavenly-Barbarianw and the Hell-Devilw, thew runes started to absorb Heavenly energy.

    The only difference between the newly connectedw and thew runes which were embedded within the avatar¡¯s body was the fact that they didn¡¯t imbue a huge amount of energy into its body, unlike the newly formedw. They acted like old, establishedw runes which were just activating after a long time.

    ¡°I guess that while the avatars would be able to directly connect with thew which other avatars had already connected, they wouldn¡¯t receive much of an enhancement. Only when they connected with a new type ofw would they receive the benefits which a newly formed Qi King receives.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that even if you didn¡¯t connect with a neww, your avatar would still be connected with the previously connectedws?¡±

    ¡°They would be. The only difference would be that they would step into level 1 of Qi King realm.¡± The Keeper was surprised by this conclusion, yet he couldn¡¯t deny this fact. This was the first time he managed to observe the effect of such a powerful art. Just who managed to create Origin avatar art. It would practically make LI Meng both undying and invincible against his foes.

    The only problem at this moment is the huge burden inflicted on his body due to the simultaneous tapping of twows. Although body cultivation before the breakthrough did help in sustaining him through the process, the infused energy was too conflicting. They couldn¡¯t be stabilized easily. Even after so many attempts, only a small portion of energy was being held within the avatar¡¯s body.

    .....

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that he has already connected with the threews of thunder, water and wind?¡± The pill hall master suddenly appeared beside Long Tao.

    ¡°It seems like that.¡± Long Tao replied.

    ¡°I might have a way to help you infuse the two types of conflicting energy within your body. Would you like to give it a try?¡± The Pill Hall master came up with a theory.

    ¡°I would try any possibility.¡± Long Tao wasn¡¯t hesitating to use any means necessary to achieve his goal. He didn¡¯t have a way to ease the process himself.

    ¡°I have to warn you that it would be an extremely dangerous process. There is no guarantee that your avatar would survive it.¡±

    ¡°I am totally into experimenting. We could always give it another go if we fail in the process.¡±

    ¡°The danger I am speaking off is not rted to the failure of assimtion. It is a danger to your very life. If the process fails, there are huge chances that your avatar wouldn¡¯t be able to cope up with the huge amount of energy and burst.¡± Pill-Hall owner warned.

    ¡°It is a given in any of the experiments I have conducted so far. We could just create a new body for it. There¡¯s no reason to worry so much.¡±

    ¡°You seem to underestimate the power ofw energy. If a high-grade Heavenlyw such as the Heavenly Barbarian and Hell-Devil collided to burst, it would very well decimate the soul of the avatar too.¡± Long Tao couldn¡¯t help but clench his fist out of hesitation. He was scared of this oue.

    Avatars were the manifestation of his soul, and if they were to be extinguished, he would suffer a huge bacsh. The bacsh would not only destroy that particr part of his soul, I would immensely affect the remaining soul too. In the best case, there will be minor damage, in the worst, permanent damage would be caused resulting in his soul being hindered in the soul grandmaster level for all lifetime.

    He had to weigh the pros and cons. There was no other way forward. ¡°I would like to hear the details regarding the process. I will be able to make my decision after that.¡±

    ¡°The theory which I have is rted to the base principle behind alchemy. The art of pill making depends on aplete fusion between all the conflicting energies present within the pill itself. The range is extremely broad, yet a pill is capable of being formed.¡±

    ¡°I would suggest that you use the three energies which you previously established to form a holder/ cauldron of sorts. You that to assimte both the conflicting energy and fuse them before assimting into your body.¡±

    ¡°The way to do it is rtively simple. You could use the pill-making principle and form a cauldron with an inlet and an outlet of sorts. While the inlet would provide the entry of either of the energies, the outlet would help it assimte into your body as abined and harmonious product.¡±

    ¡°What are the risk factors in this process?¡± The Keeper interjected.

    ¡°Simr to Pill refining, where your soul energy and aura are handlers, either of them will be used to handle this holder too. The only salient difference is the fact that the cauldron is outside your body, while this is inside. The reaction would be the same, while the danger is simr too. Like an unstable energy condition that destroys a cauldron, your holder will break apart in case of failure too.¡±

    Long Tao began toprehend the technique and discuss it with either the Pill Hall master or Keeper. This process would not only require concepts of alchemy, but formations and Qi maniptions were also required. A preliminary agreement to use this method had been established.

    While Long Tao was busy making his breakthrough, the city was going through a huge number of disruptions.

    .................................

    The city-

    Multiple bodies were discovered in the vicinity of every single power within the city. The bodies were not of regr members, but prominent and powerful martial artists of these powers. The bodies were decimated to an extreme level, making it impossible to even recognize the identity of that person. The only identification that was avable was their title tes.

    The region where the bodies were found was marked with another horrifying scene. The nearby walls contained a message written in blood.

    ¡°Revenge¡±

    Every single power within the city was rmed by the situation. The words revenge and the heinousness with which the corpse had been dismantled, pointed in a single direction. The bandits within the Taiwan mountains. This was an open provocation to every single power within the city. Only the bandit groups had that sort of mentality.

    The provocation resulted in the emergence of distress within every force. The invitation, which was ignored some days earlier was being responded to in massive numbers. The independent cultivator alliance soon received confirmation letters from every single power within the city.

    The vice-master was sitting within his chambers reading the reports of various urrences within the city. He felt an intense chill in his spine after verifying the means which the person in ck-hood used. He killed such a huge number of people without a single rm being raised within the city. He knew that the means which the man possessed far surpassed anything he had experienced until now.

    ¡°Just what would happen if we failed?¡± The very thought became the nightmare he had to live with.

    ..........................................

    ¡°I am ready to begin the breakthrough.¡± After meticulous preparations in every single area which the three could think of, Long Tao decided to go through his break-through.

    ¡°Are you sure? This is the end of my wits, yet I can¡¯t say with certainty that we will be sessful.¡± The risk presented by the process was just too much.

    ¡°If I want to climb up the stairs to hegemony, I couldn¡¯t prevent myself from taking on dangers presented by the world. I have to try it out. I am confident enough in the efforts that we have put into designing the whole process. It will be a sess.¡±

    The avatar once again started to use blood energy and began his breakthrough.

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 Chapter 280

    280 SUCCESS

    Three different lines ofw runes emerged within the avatar¡¯s body and began to coagte ording to its will. The formation specified by Li Meng and the Keeper was designed specifically to be formed out of three different kinds of energies, which made it quiteplicated. The Keeper had to constantly guide him through the process.

    There were many hurdles faced while creating the formation, and often enough it vanished directly after the link was established. The reason was because of the unstable control over it. The power extruded by the formation was extremely berserk and an additionalyer of Qi was required to simply hold it together.

    ¡°Should we have the avatars supply more QI into him?¡± Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but notice the energy deficit caused due to excessive use.

    ¡°The other avatars wouldn¡¯t be of much help, as this is an intrinsic bodyw. You could only depend on yourself toplete the process. The formation set up around him should be able to satisfy his energy demand. What he actuallycks is the proper amount of control over it.¡±

    After simultaneous trials, the formation finally stabilized within his body, and the breakthrough process could finally begin. Once he started to connect with the bodyws, two sources of energies directly came into life. The previous connection made it easier for him to connect with them.

    Two simultaneous forces entered the avatar¡¯s body and he used a huge amount of QI to direct the two energies through the two inlets of the formation. Once the energies entered the cauldron, they began to mix slowly, and the berserk nature was being controlled with the help of the threew energies.

    To their delight, the formation was actually capable enough of containing the two types of energies, and hence they could move to the next phase of the process. The next part was rtively easier. They just needed to wait for a harmonious set of runes to exit through the outlet and then establish thew base.

    The formation was like a reactor that was continuously being feed withw energy. The only thing the group fail to ount for is the fact that a reactor would ultimately give rise to a reaction that would lead to an indeterminate product.

    They had theorized a harmonious set toe out of the exit but fate had a different thing in mind.

    .....

    ...............

    ¡°How can this be possible?¡± Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but gasp in shock when they visualize the interior of the avatar¡¯s body. Theoretically, a set of two runes of different kinds should emerge out of the outlet. They assumed that the set would be harmonious with each other due to being in equal amount.

    But the view in front shocked them. There was a single kind of rune exiting the outlet, and it was not of either category. It was a new kind of rune altogether. Li Meng tried to sense the runes and he was surprised on experiencing them.

    ¡°It feels like both of them at the same time.¡± The new rules were not characterized in gold like the Heaven runes or red like the Hell runes. They were a bit on the brown side and yet the feeling given out by them were that of either of them.

    ¡°It seems you have managed to fuse the two runes. I never expected the theorized cauldron would be able to fuse two opposite kind ofw runes like this.¡± The Keeper words surprised the pill hall master. He didn¡¯t expect his theory to birth such a contrasting result. He couldn¡¯t help but be baffled by it.

    ¡°Are you sure that this is a hybrid rune?¡±

    ¡°Although I am sure that you can sense the aura, the best way to check these out is by infusing your Qis into it. We will know the truth once you do that.¡± The Keeper¡¯s idea was feasible, but Long Tao had to put it on hold. The avatar was barely able to keep up with the incredibly taxing process. He couldn¡¯t add another set of a burden on top.

    ¡°That is not a feasible option until now. We could just hope that this new type of rune is on simr lines of what we assume.¡±

    ¡°I only fear that they might turn out to be dead runes.¡± The Keeper¡¯s voice was filled with some hesitation. The Pill-Hall master couldn¡¯t help but alertly nce at him.

    ¡°What are dead runes?¡±

    ¡°Dead runes are sort of by-products which are always formed when a practitioner undergoes a breakthrough. These are runes that don¡¯t belong to a category that the practitioner trains in, and hence are unable to be used by him. They could be visualized as a deadweight whiches along with Heaven¡¯s blessing.¡±

    ¡°In your case, things are a bit different, as you will be using every kind of rune by the end of the whole break-through process. Theoretically, your body wouldn¡¯t be possessing any kind of dead runes. But this hybridisation might bring out a varied set of results. That is something I fear deeply.¡±

    ¡°I guess we can only bid with me having a good bit of fate, and continue with the process. If it is a blessing, all is well. If it is a disaster, it couldn¡¯t be avoided.¡±

    ............

    The city-

    The forces had already gathered within the vicinity of the independent cultivator¡¯s alliance. All forces had sent a powerful representative to the meeting. It was the first time so many advanced QI King level practitioners were gathered in a single ce.

    The vice-leader of the independent cultivator¡¯s alliance stepped in and spoke:

    ¡°Brothers, I thank every single one of you and the forces you represent to have replied to our request for an alliance. As every one of you had been made to realize, our ignorance towards the bandit groups has led to an increase in their confidence in carrying out crime in this area.¡±

    ¡°They have exploited the previouslypetent rtionship which we had within ourselves, to garner their forces to an unprecedented level. The infighting has led them to believe that we couldn¡¯t work together for the greater good. But it¡¯s time to prove them wrong. It¡¯s time to show them that we are united amo0ng ourselves.¡±

    ¡°We have tolerated their heinous actions of wiping out viges for a long time. All of us concentrated on sustaining our forces because we were too alone to take any action against those mongrels. But no more, since we all are here today to collectively gather and take revenge for our deceased brothers.¡±

    ¡°Each force within the city has lost a significant number of powerful cultivators. These were our brothers in arms and we must avenge their pitiful death. The muttion on their face signifies immense torture before their respective death. Those bastards were not only sneaky but even threw away their morals while trying to provoke us. It¡¯s time to answer them.¡±

    ¡°A debt of blood should be paid by blood.¡± Every single cultivator felt their blood rushing at full speed. A loud cheer reverberated throughout the hall. The whole city was aware that something major was about to take ce.

    .................

    A hidden room within the independent cultivator alliance-

    ¡°I have carried out your orders milord. The forces within the city have agreed to provide us with enough manpower topletely anni9hte every single bandit group within the eastern region. It will be the first step to conquering the whole Taiwan mountain.¡±

    ¡°I would like to congratte milord on the uing sess of your venture.¡± The vice-master was trying to curry favour with the hood.

    ¡®Bootlicking me wouldn¡¯t result in an additional reward for you. I would also suggest you tone down the huge expectations you carry around your brain. The eastern region is not as simple to capture as you expect. I fear even theplete force would find it extremely difficult to dominate the entire eastern region.¡±

    ¡°I have to remind you that multiple hegemonic forces are residing within the southern, northern and the middle areas of Taiwan mountain. They naturally lookout for any newpetitors in this area. These forces aim to increase their influence too. Cause too big amotion and your group would be taken advantage of by the forces in dark.¡±

    ¡°You just need to concentrate on gaining a proper foothold within the eastern region. I am sure about the guy being within the eastern region.¡±

    The ck hood was obviously talking about Sima Yu.

    ................

    Long Tao had no idea that a huge force was on its way to the bandit base, wanting to eliminate them. He was immersed within the current breakthrough process. After a long period of ardent cultivation, the Law runes were finally coagted to form a Law base within his body.

    ¡°Sess.¡± Long Tao couldn¡¯t help but jump out in joy.

    The Heaven Blessings soon descended and Long Tao was expectant to see the improvement in cultivation provided by the blessing. To his dismay, an incredible scene took ce within the body of the avatar. Heaven¡¯s blessing was not absorbed by the Law runes.

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 Chapter 281

    281 SPECIAL SIGN

    ¡°Why is it not absorbing Heaven¡¯s blessing?¡± Heaven¡¯s blessing wasn¡¯t absorbed by the runes which were within the avatar¡¯sw base. The situation was slowly morphing towards the worst-case scenario imagined by the three people. If the newly formed hybridw runes turned out to be dead, a huge amount of resources and efforts would have been wasted.

    ¡°Does anyone have any idea which way to proceed in?¡±

    ¡°I have a spection. I think that Heaven¡¯s blessing is to bebined just like thews. Only then would you be able to create the energy which could be absorbed by thew runes.¡±

    ¡°This process is getting much moreplicated than I expected. If the process were to go in those lines, how would I train in thew energy in future? Would I have to constantly fuse two kinds of energy first and then cultivate in it?¡± Long Tao was getting desperate towards his situation.

    ¡°I think thew runes would be able to take care of that once they activate. You have to understand that, they are dead as of now. But once you manage to activate them, they will begin to swallow energy on their own.¡±

    ¡°And you are suggesting that they would be able to mix the energy into the hybrid type on their own?¡±

    ¡°I think so. There is no fault in giving it a try. Just use the same cauldron created by the threew energies to morph the two types of blessing into the hybrid type.¡±

    Long Tao had no choice but to give the situation a try. The avatar closed his eyes once again and began to absorb the two kinds of blessings. After absorbing the two energies, he began to manipte them to enter through the cauldron formation. To the avatar¡¯s delight, the two kinds of energy easily mixed within the cauldron and began to flow out on the other side.

    This new type of energy felt very simr to the hell-Haven Qi which Long Tao practiced in, yet was much more powerful. It had an impressive quality to it, and thew runes began to devour them. Soon enough a simr process to what happened during Li Meng¡¯s breakthrough appeared. After the whole of heaven¡¯s blessing was absorbed by the runes, a drastic change urred within the avatar¡¯s body.

    .....

    The Hell-Heaven Qi within its body began to be absorbed by thew runes along with a lot of Blood essence energy from the connection pool. At first, Long Tao was rmed by the incredibly fast rates and thought that it might lead to an overload which would ultimately push the avatar¡¯s body to death.

    But to his surprise, the Hell-heaven Qi was slowly morphing. It wasn¡¯t the same kind of energy as before. It slowly started to give out the same feeling as the hybrid Qi after thebination of the two Heaven¡¯s blessings. The avatar¡¯s body slowly changed bit by bit, as the Qi quality went on increasing. It slowly began to change the body¡¯s attributes too.

    The Hell-heaven Qi was utilized by Long Tao to train in a lot of arts. Be it Hell-forging art or Weapon Tempering art, each of them was formted based on Hell-heaven Qi. As of now, they were slowly morphing due to the new kind of energy.

    ¡°I guess we managed to sessfully activate thew runes. You are going to gain a lot due to this.¡± The Pill-Hall master couldn¡¯t help but feel ted about this urrence. The formtion was his idea after all.

    ¡°We still need to see whether the runes would be able to absorb energy on their own or not.¡± The Keeper spoke. All they could do was wait for the oue. They could only hope that the newly formed rune was capable enough of absorbing either kind of energy on its own.

    The three people waited for a long time, looking expectantly at the person before them. Brown lines were visible all over the body of the avatar, and every bit of his body was going through a change.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t see this sort of variation when I connected with the elementalws.¡±

    ¡°That is because elementalws were mainly concerned with your Qi type, and the changes brought by it would at most change your Qi quality. Bodyws are a bit different. They change your body altogether. It is even more so in your case as the whole Qi type that was used by you to practice your bodyws is being changed. The process is going to belong.¡±

    Long Tao understood the Keeper¡¯s point of view and decided to wait for the process to end. It finally came to an end, and just like the previous breakthrough, a set of neww runes entered the body of every other avatar. Only in the case of Li Meng, a change urred.

    The new set ofw runes were pre-activated and hence they began to absorb power on their own. Li Meng body started to undergo the same change as the avatar, but the change was much faster inparison.

    ¡°This Origin of avatar art can even replicate bodyws. Who created such powerful art?¡± The Keeper couldn¡¯t help but specte about the situation.

    The second avatar has finally finished his break-through and went into closed-door cultivation to digest all the Heaven¡¯s blessing epted by it.

    Li Meng, on the other hand, could feel his power had grown. Although it didn¡¯t bring out a drastic amount of growth in his cultivation base, it was still substantial so to say. He felt that if all his avatars were to breakthrough, his cultivation base would continue to rise, and may even enter the Qi Emperor level directly.

    The only matter of concern was the fact that he still wasn¡¯t able to sense the Chaosw realm. Even after connecting to 5 differentws, the barrier seems to have thinned a bit but was still present.

    ¡°Just continue the flow and give it your best. Even if you are not able to connect with Chaosw, you are still going to be connected with so many Heavenlyws. They would easily overpower someone who has connected with a single Chaosw.¡±

    ....................................................

    Unknown to the group within the cave, huge upheaval had taken ce outside. Due to the breakthrough at King level, the area around the cave seems to have changed due to Heaven¡¯s blessing. Even the continuous QI changes within the Taiwan mountains weren¡¯t able to hide the QI fluctuation brought about by the break-through.

    This scene attracted the eyes of the explorer groups of both the bandits in and around the area, as well as the spy group belonging to the newly formed coalition of the city powers. Each rushed out to report the matter to their superiors.

    A secluded region of the Taiwan mountains-

    ¡°Milord, we have observed a huge fluctuation, which felt like Heaven¡¯s blessing whenever a cultivator connects with Heavenlyws during their breakthrough.¡±

    ¡°Are you saying that someone within the Taiwan mountains had a breakthrough into QI King level by connecting with a Heavenlyw?¡± The leader asked.

    ¡°Yes, sire.¡± The man replied.

    ¡°We need to investigate the matter. Find the guy who connected with the Heavenlyw. Have him join our group.¡± The leadermanded.

    ¡°What if he denies doing that?¡±

    ¡°Such a powerful entity couldn¡¯t be ignored. They could either work for us or be eliminated by us. Offer them the best of conditions to join our group. If he/she dares to reject the offer, kill them.¡± The leader said with a sinister expression.

    The men under him began to show the region around the cave where the phenomena had urred. The leader ordered them to search all nearby locations and the groups within this ce. Their group was one of the most powerful Bandit groups within the Taiwan mountain range. No other bandit group dares to ignore their orders.

    ................................................

    City limits-

    A spy group could be seen to have rushed into the city¡¯s borders and made their way towards the independent cultivator alliance. The vice-leader was analyzing the reports which came in yesterday when one of the guards reported the urgent arrival of a dispatched spy group.

    The spy leader greeted the vice-leader and then went on to convey the message.

    ¡°You are saying that someone recently had a break-through within the Taiwan mountains and even managed to connect with Heavenly Laws.¡±

    ¡°The phenomena resembled Heavenlyw blessings. We couldn¡¯t confirm the exact location due to the continuous Qi distortions which are urring with the mountain range, but we did manage to encircle an area which would have the location where the cultivator carried out their breakthrough.¡±

    The vice-leader nodded and dismissed the group of bandits. A figure soon appeared within the hall, just beside the vice-leader.

    ¡°Could this be the man who sir is looking for?¡± The vice-leader was extremely respectful towards the hood.

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be. The man I am looking for had already broken-through the Qi King level thest time I saw him. This must be someone else. Have some of your force lookout for this new variable.¡±

    The vice-leader nodded in agreement. The hood vanished out of sight a few momentster.

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 Chapter 282

    282 THE COMMOTION

    The sudden appearance of someone breaking into the Qi King wouldn¡¯t cause a hugemotion in a ce like the Taiwan mountains. But the phenomena signified that thew which the neer had connected to was a Heavenly Law. Due to the strangendscape and geological features, the Qi within the Taiwan mountain was quite unstable and hence people couldn¡¯t identify whether a singlew was connected to or was a doublew encountered.

    The very appearance of a new QI King who connected with heavenlyws was a piece of huge news. Every force which has been hiding in the dark rush out to recruit talent like that. A Heavenlyw user would be an incredible addition to the overall power of any force present within the Taiwan mountain.

    The division of forces within the Taiwan mountains signified that the leader of every major group was an advance, QI King, while the more powerful forces had a QI Emperor supporting them. The fact to be remembered was that even though there were Qi Emperors within the range, most of them had only connected with Earthenws, limiting their future in the path of cultivation.

    People who had connected with earthenws could at most rise to the level of QI Monarch but no higher than that. The number of resources required to boost someone with earthenws to a level higher than that required a monstrous number of resources. The other factor to take into ount was the speed of cultivation.

    Earthenw users are significantly slower than those who managed to connect with Heavenlyws in rising through the realms of cultivation. All these factors made the appearance of a new Qi King with Heavenlyw a huge factor on who is going to get stronger. Any force that manages to obtain the support of this new variable might rise through the ranks.

    While the Bandit groups in the area were busy getting ted, the groups within the city limit couldn¡¯t help but get worried. The cultivator seems to have broken through the Qi King realm within the Taiwan mountains. It most likely signified that he was a part or at least an acquaintance of one of the forces which reside within the Taiwan mountains.

    What was more disturbing was the fact that the phenomena urred within the eastern borders of the Taiwan mountains, which was predominantly popted by bandits¡¯ groups. Those powerful forces within the central ins were present within the middle areas. This meant that a great threat might have just appeared within the Taiwan mountains.

    ¡°We need to move out now¡± One of the representatives present within the independent association¡¯s hall spoke up. ¡°This event might signify that a great threat has just appeared within the Taiwan mountain range. We couldn¡¯t let this threat grow or the forces within the city will be incurring huge losses.¡±

    ¡°Why are you so sure that it is a threat. It could also be the disciple of some just factions or even a very talented independent cultivator who just seems to have chosen the Taiwan mountains as his ce for the breakthrough.¡±

    .....

    ¡°In either case, we have to understand the fact that a variable has just appeared. It would be the best-case scenario if he doesn¡¯t belong to any bandit group. Yet we still should make haste. If he isn¡¯t part of a bandit group, they would still try to recruit a powerful cultivator like him. We can¡¯t let such a talented individual fall into the hands of bandits.¡±

    ¡°Even if he is of the right mind, they would just end up ganging up on him and eliminating him for good. We can¡¯t let either of the situations happen.¡±

    ¡°And if the worst-case scenarios are to ur?¡± Another person within the assembly asked.

    ¡°We need to decide among ourselves how to tackle the situation.¡± The man replied.

    ¡°How about we capture him and make him one of us after an adequate amount of discipline being inflicted upon him.¡± One of the other representatives asked.

    ¡°You just want to steal the guy for your faction.¡± Another leader protested from the side.

    ¡°We can¡¯t fight within ourselves during such a critical time. We need to take care of the enemies first. I suggest we should just kill him.¡± The man spoke up.

    ¡°Let¡¯s capture him.¡± For the first time today, the vice-leader who had been sitting silently spoke up. ¡°All the allied forces are to send an equal amount of talented Qi King practitioners who should be at least within the intermediate QI King level. Beginner Qi Kings are just going to be a hurdle in the path.¡±

    ¡°I also request all of you to appoint an advance Qi King as the leaders of their toons. This time we are going for a serious venture within the Taiwan mountains. Our main objective is to eliminate as many bandit groups as possible. The New QI King practitioner is just the secondary objective.¡±

    ¡°I request for the representatives to follow me to the inner room.¡± The vice-leader got up and guided the rest of the group to the war room of the independent cultivator¡¯s association. ¡°I want you to ry the information to be supplied to you. Ask them to make their decision as soon as possible because we can no longer dy our ns.¡±

    A huge map was present within the central table and multiple routes and marks were present on it. The whole eastern borders were depicted with every possible route which was known to the city forces.

    ¡°After a long analysis, our experts have managed to certify the route to be taken. We will be starting the operation within 2 days. Ask your leaders to gather as many forces as they can within the two days. We will be leaving by then.¡±

    The representative was handed an individual letter to be delivered to their leaders. After the group left, the only person remaining was the vice-leader. He was waiting for the ck-hooded man to appear.

    ¡°Sir, I know you are here. Could you please make an appearance?¡±

    ¡°You are getting more intuitive after thest advancement in strength.¡±

    ¡°It all thanks to your guidance sir. Could you please tell me if the route selected was the right one?¡±

    ¡°Are you challenging my decision?¡± The guy sounded displeased.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare sir. All I want to confirm is that this time we will get those bastards and get them to pay for their deeds until now.¡± The vice-leader was quick to reply.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget your main objective. I gave you the strength you have now so that you could get me the location where the bastard is.¡± The man in the hood said.

    ¡°I will capture him for you. I would even kill him if you want me to.¡± The vice-leader spoke up.

    ¡°Kill him.¡± A low chuckle was heard from the hooded man. ¡°You and your group of jokers would be lucky enough toe back alive after you manage to spot me. If he did manage to notice you, none of you is going toe back alive.¡± The vice leader looked surprised.

    ¡°What do you mean by that sir?¡± The vice-leader asked.

    ¡°The man you are searching for is possibly the best disciple of one of the top-ranking powers of central ins. You think you could just kill him.¡± The hooded man said. The vice-leader was bbergasted upon hearing this revtion. He was beginning to regret his decision to ept the hood¡¯s proposal.

    ¡°Regretting your decision, are you?¡± The Hood said with a sarcastic voice. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t change the situation you are in. If I didn¡¯t get results within the scheduled time, I will not only eliminate you but your entire independent cultivator organisation.¡±

    The vice leader¡¯s back was covered with sweat. He had managed to climb up to the peak of Qi King level due to the hood¡¯s help and hence can no longer ignore his proposal. Even with that advancement he still couldn¡¯t feel the hood¡¯s strength, which meant that he was much more powerful than him. He had to go through with the n. If only the leader was here.

    ..........

    The cave-

    The seclusion ended soon and the avatar managed to absorb most of the blessing and his cultivation base grew by a lot. To Long Tao¡¯s surprise, the avatar¡¯s strength grew to a simr level as Li Meng. Even the Keeper who managed one of the most powerful artefacts of the world was surprised by this phenomenon.

    The origin avatar¡¯s art not only managed to imbue thews practised by one avatar into other but also managed to induce a simr level of power to both of them.

    ¡°We need to do a more detailed investigation on this topic. This art is too unbelievable. We need to experiment more on this art¡¯s origin.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t this mean that I wouldn¡¯t need to train at all in the Qi King realm?¡± Long Tao spoke in a surprised tone.

    ¡°Why would that be?¡± The Keeper was confused.

    ¡°When every single of my avatar breakthrough the Qi King level, I would have enoughw energy to reach the very peak of QI King level. Why would I need to train then?¡± The Keeper understood Long Tao¡¯s logic. ¡± You should concentrate on gaining battle experience at the Qi King level. That would help in consolidating your cultivation base.¡±

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 Chapter 283

    283 WAGING A WAR

    ¡°You just need to test the theory out. The fact that the avatar art could connect both the bodies to have the samews and cultivation base is already proven right before our eyes. 9 more avatars remain. If the calction regarding the Qi King level is correct then, those 9 breakthroughs should be enough to propel you to QI King Peak.¡±

    ¡°My thoughts exactly.¡± Long Tao confirmed.

    ¡°What about the other two arts. Did you gain anything from the beats god scripture this time?¡±

    ¡°A new art seems to have emerged. But it is way off the level of what we expected.¡± A shocking new development sudden emerged from the beast god scriptures.

    ¡°What is it?¡± The Keeper was anxious to know the secret. The subsequent breakthrough of 9 avatars was enough to propel Long Tao¡¯s cultivation in both crimson world scripture and normal energy arts to Qi Emperor level. What remained was the Hell-Forger art and the Beast god scriptures.

    The best god scripture hadn¡¯t presented any sort of art in the Qi general level, but something generated out of the beast scripture this time.

    ¡°Dragon battle body. This is the name of the art which suddenly emerged out of the beast-god scripture.¡±.

    The Dragon battle body was quite different from the regr blood arts which generally originated from the Beast God scripture. Until now it only provided the methods to increase the level of his bloodline, but Dragon Battle body was art was a body art.

    ¡°Have you heard of this art?¡± Li Meng knew that the Keeper was still hiding a lot of stuff from him.

    .....

    ¡°Dragon Battle body is the base body cultivation art of the Dragon kind. Although it is a fairly insignificant art among the ones possessed by the Dragons, it still requires one to have a bloodlineparable to an infant green dragon to practice.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that after all the tempering, the blood in my body is onlyparable to an infant Dragon?¡±

    ¡°I am saying that the blood in your body is onlyparable to the blood quality of an infant of the lowest kind of Dragon race.¡± The Keeper¡¯s word was like a bucket of ice water that fell on Li Meng¡¯s had.

    ¡°The lowest of Dragon race. Could you describe the ranks within the Dragon race?¡± Li Meng was anxious to know about this. Before this, he thought that he was invincible with the set of arts he possessed, but the revtion just now made him understand how insignificant he truly was.

    ¡°The dragon race is way more powerful than you could understand. The world we are currently in is just too small for you to be aware of the whole thing. Dragons are mythical creatures who have been ruling the cultivation world for a very long time. What you need to understand is that even the weakest of Dragon kind is way more powerful than a normal human QI cultivator.¡±

    ¡°The Dragon species is not only divided within the pure-blooded ones but there are also many sub-division and branches of impure blood-lines present with the lineage of Dragons.¡±

    ¡°The art you are practising is something which belongs to pure-blooded lines of Dragons. Although it is an art practised by the lowest-ranked Green Dragons, it is still something which could be practised by pure-Dragons only. The blood energy required is quite immense, and I guess that the art you practised before was forging your blood for this moment.¡±

    ¡°Even the Crimson Lords were not powerful enough to forcefully practice the Dragon Battle body. By the time they did reach the required level of Blood-essence, they found a fundamental problem with this art. The art was specifically designed for Beast with the power of Dragons, hence normally bloodlines are just notpatible.¡±

    ¡°The Beast god art must have forged your blood to that level with it beingpatible with the art itself. Once you do manage to practice the art, your blood itself will start changing in characteristics and you are going to inherit the traits of Dragons. If you do manage to cultivate it to perfection, you might just open a whole new avenue for your future martial path.¡±

    Long Tao managed to grasp the essence of what the Keeper was indicating. It would be a huge boost to his strength if he could practice the Dragon Battle Body. He started to go through the details of the art. The initial step was simr to the stance of Dragon which Long Tao used to cultivate in the beginning.

    The stance of the Dragon allowed one to absorb the world energy and convert it into the Dragon essence which was required to practice the Dragon Battle body. The minimum requirement of being able to practice the Dragon Battle Body was to be able to create a strand of Dragon essences.

    ¡°The art is quite difficult. I need to practice Dragon stance for a long period to collect just a tiny strand of Dragon essence. It is going to take a lot of time. Since I have practised the Dragon stance for such a long time, wouldn¡¯t I have collected some Dragon essence until now?¡±

    ¡°Dragon essence essentially require a very strong body to hold itself. Although you did practice the art, your body was simply not able to hold the essence. Now that you and some of your avatars have stepped into the QI King level, your body is refined until the level that it could hold the essence.¡±

    ¡°As per the long time you are worried about, it would have if you were still in foundation period. You are in Qi King level as of now. You could easily gather Dragon essence, especially with the set ofws that you have managed to practice until now.¡± The Keeper reminded.

    ¡°You need to understand that the Dragon Battle Body is ultimately a body refining art. You just connected with two ultimate Heavenlyws of Body and even managed to mutate them. I would say that you could easily practice it and even reach the very peak of the arts.¡±

    Long Tao pondered over this idea and it made sense. The only way to find out was to start cultivating it and try to collect Dragon essence. After going through the details, one of the avatars began to practice the Dragon stance. It was the base for the art they were about to execute.

    After a whole day of practising, he finally managed to sense a new kind of energy within his body. When the avatar finally managed to tap the gathered energy, an immediate burst of energy urred within his body, almost damaging his meridians. If it weren¡¯t for the level of body refining, he was on, this burst would have crippled him.

    Long Tao was shocked.

    ¡°This is what happens when you carelessly tread into uncharted territory boy. The energy you collected is Dragon essence. The amount of power contained within it is far more powerful than you could imagine. You need a proper art to regte the energy, and that is where Dragon Battle bodyes into y.¡± The Keeper exined.

    ¡°Just concentrate on collecting enough Dragon essence for now. You would be able to use it once you began to utilize the art.¡±

    As the avatar was immersed in the training, a new situation had revealed itself in the world outside.

    .......................................................

    The Taiwan mountains-

    ¡°Are you positively certain that every power within the city has gathered manpower to hunt bandits?¡± Li Meng was fairly surprised by this situation.

    The friction within the various power was too huge. What made them band together?

    ¡°There was an incident some time ago within the city limits. Top cultivators from every single power within the city were assassinated and messages of provocation left at the site. The independent cultivator association was the one who sends the request for teaming up.¡±

    ¡°No matter what sort of rivalry they had in between them, the incident changed the scenario. The powers didn¡¯t have any other choice than to take revenge on the bandits to gain back the lost face. The invitation provided the perfect opportunity for them to act, and they took it.¡±

    ¡°Numerous teams of Qi Kings led by Advance experts have already begun to eliminate the groups present within the borders and are making their way to here.¡±

    The situation was fair. An attack of killing top experts was not something that could be easily carried out. There had to something going on in the background. Li Meng had a very bad premonition about the situation. He barely had half a month left before he had to report to his senior brother.

    A conspiracy was underway and Li Meng decided to prepare for it.

    ¡°They have dered war on every single Bandit group within the eastern side. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the bandit groups present start to pit together. Although our location is well hidden, we do need to get out to collect supplies. We can¡¯t let them take control over this region.¡±

    Li Meng began to line up the top experts within the group. It was time to carry out some covert operations.

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 Chapter 284

    284 MAD LION BANDITS

    ¡°We need to think about this matter carefully.¡± Xuan Lao had lots of experience in managing the group within the Taiwan mountains.¡± The situation within the mountain is quiteplicated.¡±

    ¡°When I first arrived here, it took me lots of resources and struggle just to establish the current group. The only reason I was even sessful was because of this cave. Without such a hiding spot, a novice group of bandits would be wiped out and devoured by the ravagers in the mountains, unless you are powerful enough.¡±

    ¡°Even with the cultivation base of 8 rank Qi King, I could only be counted as a peak of middle-grade bandit leaders. If I want to be the top power within the eastern side, I need to enter the peak of Qi king level. Only then would I be confident enough to face the emperor level cultivators .¡±

    Feeling the uncertainty within Xuan Lao¡¯s voice, Li Meng decided to probe further.

    ¡°What do you mean by being top of middle grade? Are there bandits within the eastern borders who have emperor level cultivators within their ranks?¡±

    ¡°Why do you think that the city forces are not able to take control over the border areas even after being led by emperor level cultivators. The top bandit groups within the Taiwan mountains are no small matter. The top tier powers within the eastern borders are all led by Qi Emperors.¡±

    ¡°But they must be earthenw cultivators at most right. Why are you scared of them when you have connected with two Heavenlyws. You should be able to fight them on equal standing.¡±

    ¡°You are underestimating the might of Qi emperors.¡± The bandit leader spoke. ¡± Once one steps into the Qi emperor level, a qualitative leap in his body takes ce. Even though I have connected with Two Heavenlyws, I am only able topare to them based on Qi capacity.¡±

    ¡°But the additional benefits such as Body upgrade and control over their Qi is not something I could rival. Even you, who connected with three heavenlyws wouldn¡¯t be able topare to them in the two areas when you are in 8th level of Qi King.¡±

    .....

    Li Meng understood Xuan Lao¡¯s logic. He was quite different and was confident in his ability to contend and kill Qi Emperors once he steps into the advanced level of Qi king. The confidence could be attributed to his body cultivation and the huge number ofws which he would have connected to by the time he reaches that stage.

    ¡°Another secret which deters the city forces is the fact that some of the Bandit leaders are Heavenlyw users. They are criminal from major sects or desperate cultivators like me who are trying to increase their strength to contend with their enemies.¡±

    ¡°What I fear are those who are on the same level as me. Although two Heavenly Laws sound like a huge matter, every forceparable to Thunder Academy and Shengluo pavilion has many of them. Even your thunder academy has multiple. I have heard rumours that the strongest bandit leader in the eastern borders is not only a Qi emperor but also someone who has cultivated multiplews.¡±

    ¡°People are sure that one of them is Heavenlyw and are uncertain about the others.¡±

    Li Meng came to understand how mysterious andplex the power structure was within the Taiwan mountains. If the border areas are dominated by figures such as those, what about the inner and core area where the resources are most abundant.

    ¡°We need to increase our strength as fast as possible.¡± LI Meng decided to follow the same procedure which he used in the Jiao country military.

    ¡°Call all the avable personals back to the cave. I will be training them and making them stronger. We are going to take control over the eastern borders.¡± He flicked his hand and a pouch flew to Xuan Lao.¡± These are some top-grade pills that I concocted for my training In Qi King level.¡±

    When he opened the pouch, a deep medicinal smell assaulted every corner of the room. The strong smell easily depicted the effectiveness of the pills. Xuan Lao was bergasted by this scene.

    ¡°You are an alchemist. ¡± This was too much to take. Not only was the person standing in front of him cultivating three Heavenlyws, but he was also a King rank alchemist too.

    ¡± No need to get agitated over this matter. Take these pills and improve your strength. You should be able to reach the peak of the Qi king level with the help of these pills and the stele. I will be leaving this region so0n, And I will do my best to train and make your troops stronger until then.¡±

    Xuan Lao bowed to Li meng and began his retreat.

    ................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°You are investing a lot of resources in this ce. Are you sure about making it one of your bases?¡± The Keeper understood that Li meng was trying to establish one of his forces in the Taiwan mountains.

    ¡°I had to begin so0mewhere. This ce is perfect for covert operations and it is a well-formed group of bandits with enough battle experience.¡±

    ¡°On the other hand, I am only investing resources in Xuan Lao who is going to be one of my subordinates in future. As per the rest, they need to hunt their resources through battle and prove their worth before being rewarded with my investment.¡±

    ¡°What is the next step?¡± The Keeper couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°I have decided to have Lu Ming break through the Qi King level next.¡± It was time toe out of the academy and join the Pill Valley. Only in that ce could he hope to gather enough resources.

    ¡°Whichws is he going to connect with?¡±

    ¡°I have decided to have him connect withws of fire, wood and earth. Wood and earthplement each other quite well and fire would provide the perfectplement to waterws which I have connected to. It¡¯s time for me to see the power ofplementaryws which you were bragging about.¡±

    ¡°You are just upgrading these threews from the earthen level to the Heavenly level. It wouldn¡¯t take much time for you to seed. I guess you want toplete the breakthrough before leaving the Taiwan mountains.¡±

    ¡°I have to take control over the whole region and make it one of my bases. The Feng Sui and natural luck of this ce are quite great and would be perfect for my future force. The only way to seed is by bing strong enough to overwhelm every single force in here.¡±

    ¡°I have decided to leave a clone in here to help with the expansion of our group. I will eliminate most of the city forces before leaving this ce. It should provide Xuan Lao with enough time to break through the Qi King level. He should be able to conquer the eastern borders with the help of that strength.¡±

    The n was straight forward. He was going to leave for the next mission by his master. He aimed to return once all three mission isplete and takeplete control over the eastern area of the Tawian mountains by the time he reaches the Qi Emperor level.

    .......................

    ¡°Sir Li. It is an emergency. One of our scouts within the mountain has reported back with an invitation letter.¡±

    ¡°Who is it from?¡± Li Meng was interested in whoever had the gall to invite bandits.

    ¡± It is signed by the vice-leader of Mad Lion Bandits. They are one of the hegemon forces within the Taiwan mountain led by a Qi Emperor. They have decided to invite the bandit leader from the whole mountain to ally against the city forces who are about to reach this location.¡±

    Even bandit groups know how to ally in a time of need. The city forces must have been quite powerful to provoke such a grand reaction. There is no harm in seeing what the leader had to suggest. He was confident in his strength ever since his soul broke into the Grandmaster level and he opened all the acupoints.

    ¡°Call back all the scouts from around and make sure that they are not followed by anyone. I will be attending this meeting to see exactly what the leader of Mad-lion Bandits wants.¡±

    He gave the vice-leader a huge list. ¡® this the training regime which I have formted for the troops. They are to follow it from now on and be prepared to go to war any time. If we want to rule ove rteh eastern borders, we need to prepare adequately.¡±

    ........................

    Near the Mad-lion gorge-

    Leaders had flocked in huge numbers in response to the invitation from the Mad-lions. The threat presented by the city forces was too much for any force to handle single-handedly.

    ¡°I thank all of you to respond positively to the invitation. Please proceed inside for the meeting.¡± One of the vice-leader personally appeared to escort the leaders.

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 Chapter 285

    285 SPIES WITHIN

    The Mad-lion were one of the most powerful factions within the eastern borders. Having two Qi emperors was quite a huge force. Even Li Meng felt nervous by the thought of facing an emperor. Although he had managed to connect with so many Heavenlyws and could hold his ground against peak Qi Kings, but Qi Emperors were far beyond his limit.

    QI Emperors were practitioners who have managed to use theirw energy topletely transform their body. The hallmark of bing a Qi Emperor was to form the body ofw, and every single move of theirs would havew energy imbued in there.

    He wasn¡¯t even sure about being able to contend with the lowest of emperors with the base of advanced Qi King. Only when he reaches the peak of Qi King level would he be able to kill them.

    Entering the hall of Mad-lions, he could find their key members waiting to greet the guests who have just arrived. The hall was too decorated for a meeting of truce, and Li meng couldn¡¯t help but feel suspicious.

    The mad lions were trying too hard on this event, and this meet was getting suspicious by the second. Li Meng decided to y along and see how the events y out.

    ¡°I wee everyone to the meeting halls of Mad-lions. Our leaders are not present at the moment because of a critical moment in their seclusion. I hope the leaders present wouldn¡¯t take offence.¡±

    Although disrespectful, not a single leader dared to make any kind of remark. A Qi Emperor was way beyond the level of everyone present and there were two within the Mad-lion stronghold. Being disrespectful is suicidal. The leaders present decided to bury their animosity.

    ¡°I will be presiding over the meeting by the authority granted to me by the two leaders.¡± The vice-leader was a peak Qi King who was as powerful as the leaders present here, making him their equal. It just went on to show how powerful the Mad-lion were.

    ¡°I hope everyone present here had managed to learn about the newly formed coalition of city forces. A mysterious string of events seemed to have created a perception that one of the bandit groups within the eastern borders had killed top experts within their forces.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Our spies within the city reported that the killing resembled the way our groups do things and hence the city leaders are more than convinced that it was one of us.¡± Multiple voices sprang up in the halls. Every single group was talking among themselves trying to make sense of the situation.

    ¡°The city forces have already begun their march.¡± The vice-leader reigned in the chaos. ¡± Every single unit is headed by an advanced Qi King and they have already eliminated multiple bandit stronghold.¡±

    ¡°The campaign this time has already surpassed any of the records. As time is passing the army is gaining momentum and it wouldn¡¯t be soon until anyone one of our forces is to face them.¡±

    ¡°Every single group here is involved in a fight for power within the borders. They are isting and conquering us one by one.¡±

    ¡°Why not attack them suddenly. All it would take is for us to strike a deathly blow and they would be done.¡± One of the leaders spoke up.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t take such rash decision. Although the emperors wouldn¡¯t directly participate due to the fear that the emperors on our side would take action, they would help out, and might even try to sneak attack on the top echelon of various groups.¡±

    ¡°But covert strike still sounds like the best option. They don¡¯t know the mountains like us, which provides us with the inherent benefit of terrain. We could strike when the iron is still hot.¡± Another bandit leader supported the idea.

    Bandits are ravenous people who are bloodthirsty. Patience and perseverance weren¡¯t some of the many qualities they possessed.

    ¡°The information we havee to get our hands on reveals certain nks within the whole matter. I feel that someone must have framed the bandit group and used the matter to propel the city forces to act against us.¡±

    ¡°Another matter to take notice of was that the independent cultivator association managed to lead the whole thing. Don¡¯t any of you find that a bit unsettling?: The vice leader¡¯s words provoked a huge reaction in the assembly.

    ¡°Are you suggesting that the independent cultivator association is behind the whole thing?¡±

    ¡°I suspect them to be the main maniptors behind the scene.¡±

    ¡°What do you suggest we do?¡± One of the leaders spoke up. The Hall instantly quieted down. Even Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but be interested in the topic. He didn¡¯t have any resources within the city to collect information and n. This might just provide him with the opportunity.

    ¡°I suggest that our groupse up with a coalition to confront the enemy. The city forces are too huge for any of our forces to handle alone. Sooner orter they wille for all of us. We need to pool our resources and manpower together and tackle the problem.¡±

    ¡°Our interests are quite different from each other and we wouldn¡¯t be able to sustain the group in long run.¡± An old bandit leader spoke up.

    ¡°I understand your concern sir poison. But you need to understand that if you die, your interest no longer exists.¡± The vice-leader spoke in a grave tone.

    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± The old man asked provokingly.

    ¡°The coalition is more than threat enough to distract us. I don¡¯t wish to waste useless words with anyone here. Your groups alone are not strong enough. Even if two or three of you merge, you will still be wiped out without an emperor cultivator among yourself.¡±

    ¡°I suggest that the leaders present here think about it.¡± A spark of conversation spread through the hall.

    ¡°How could we trust you? It is quite obvious that the Mad-lions are trying to take advantage of the situation to gain control over the groups presents here. Your interest is well- taken care of. What about ours?¡±

    ¡°You need the power to take control over your fates and fulfil your interests. As of now, you don¡¯t possess that power. We are willing to lend it to you. Hence you need to pay an adequate price for it. The Mad-lions are going to benefit from the deal, but so are you. The only difference would be the intensity of the benefit.¡±

    ¡°What are you suggesting, vice-leader?¡± The poison man spoke up.

    ¡°I am suggesting the form of a coalition among the bandits, just like the one in the city. It would not only strengthen our forces but also safeguard our position in the Taiwan mountains. We could not only utterly destroy the city forces, but with enough time, we could even expand. And every single group is going to get their fair share of meat.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that you be the leader of the coalition?¡±

    ¡°You have a more powerful and feasible leader for the coalition we are hoping to form.¡± Silence subsided over the whole assembly as no one could object to the fact that Mad-lions were the strongest here.

    ¡°How about wee up with a whole parliament and a structure of power levels.¡± Li Meng suddenly spoke up. He couldn¡¯t let the Mad-lions get full control of all the group. They were on his ¡®to be eliminated list¡¯.

    ¡°And who are you?¡± The vice-leader asked Li Meng.

    ¡°Just some bandit from around. I am qualified to attend this meeting right. Or are the Mad-lions dominating enough to ignore people like me?¡± Li Meng¡¯s words instantly provoked a reaction from the crowd. Everyone around was thinking the same thing. If the Mad-lions are allowed to go through with their n, their power would double in a single moment and continue growing.

    ¡°I have no such intentions, sir. Since you have the invitation with you, it makes you qualified enough to speak.¡± The vice-leader was irritated by Li meng¡¯s actions. The whole assembly was on the opposite side of their intentions, and the man¡¯s words just fueled the mes.

    ¡°How do you suggest we do that?¡±

    ¡°I have an idea if the people present here are willing to listen.¡±

    ..................

    ¡°While the assembly was going on, a single horse rider was making his way, en-route to the location where city forces were residing him. All unknown to the rider that there was a shadow following him.

    Soon enough the scene changed and three people were residing in the tent.

    ¡°They are trying to form a coalition within themselves?¡±

    ¡°Yes, sire. They are sure to seed. The Mad-lions are nning to attack you as soon as the matter isplete.¡±

    The vice-leader of the independent association was starting to be nervous by the second. His n was based on the selfishness of the bandit leaders. But the situation was turning against him. If the coalition is a sess, there is no way the city forces are going to survive this venture. The Qi Emperors are not going to take part in this struggle, and the bandits had the benefit of favoured terrain.

    .......................

    In the headquarters of Mad-lions-

    The leaders were in seclusion the whole time, trying to break through to the next level.

    ¡°So there are spies within the forces.¡± One of the two men spoke up. The rider had been followed by one of the vice-leader of the Mad-lions.

    ¡°Not only is there a mole in our group, I think one of the other forces is trying to weaken our power, possibly eliminate us with the help of city forces.¡±

    ¡°This is going to be a long drawn battle.¡±

    ¡°We have to go through with it if we want to reach the next level. We aim to eventually take control over the eastern borders and then the Taiwan mountains.¡±

    ¡°Some things are proving to be hurdles for us.¡±

    ¡°Are you speaking about the boy who suggested that we create a parliament? I have the vice-leader act against him. He won¡¯t be alive for too long.¡±

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 Chapter 286

    286 THE SECRET PLANS

    ¡°How could you be so reckless. If we do anything to the guy now, it will create chaos within the association. The damage is already done. Every single force ising up to support the creation of a parliamentary system with ranks of power. He was the initiator. We can¡¯t eliminate him until the coalition is established.

    ¡°I know about that. I just want the vice-leaders to keep a track of his actions. He managed to manipte the whole situation against us with a single sentence. Something tells me that this guy is not simple. Do we know which force he belongs to?¡±

    ¡°He seems to belong to one of the mysterious forces out there. Their leader was an advanced level, Qi King, during hisst and only appearance in the Taiwan mountains. Now the operations are carried out by the subordinates of his, like this guy.¡±

    ¡°Is the leader who doesn¡¯t show himself to the world is what makes the group mysterious?¡±

    ¡°He is one of the reasons. The other being the fact that we can¡¯t locate their actual base.No one knows where the groups originate from, but we are sure that they live somewhere within the Taiwan mountains.¡±

    ¡°A mysterious and well Hidden base. That is something worthwhile researching. We would benefit a lot if we could get our hands on such strategic locations. Hopefully, the vice-leader can situate the way to their base to uncover the mystery.¡±

    ¡°I have a feeling that he won¡¯t be able to. Maybe he won¡¯t even return alive.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t believe that the group could kill a peak level Qi King?¡±

    ¡°I suspect that they can. I even believe that they would be the biggest hurdle we have to face in our n to control the whole eastern border.¡±

    .....

    ¡°They don¡¯t even have a Qi Emperor level cultivator among themselves. Like hell, we need to fear weaklings like that.¡±

    ¡°I have a premonition that their group has got their hands on some legacy within the mountains. I have been suspecting their leader from the day he made his appearance. The way he, managed to dominate multiple bandit groups and then vanish into thin air, with all their resources and people is quite surprising.¡±

    ¡°What is even more mysterious is the sudden rise of a new power who couldn¡¯t be traced within these mountains. Even if he brought a powerful treasure with him, it would still leave traces. The only exnation is some kind of a treasure trove inherent to the mountain itself.¡±

    ¡°You got all of that just from a single incident. I don¡¯t know whether to call you a genius or a hyper-perceptive, moron.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to believe my words. The events urring is soon going to reveal the mystery. A major change is going to ur within the Taiwan mountains.¡±

    ¡°We are forming a coalition to take over the eastern region. That is a major upheaval.¡±

    ¡°Do you expect the other powerful forces within the eastern region to take this matter lightly? They have practised up to their levels due to their thirst for power. How could they allow someone like our group to simply dominate all things? We must consolidate our standing and help in the birth of another Qi Emperor within our ranks. Only then could we be somewhat safe.¡±

    ¡°Is he ready for his next breakthrough?¡±

    ¡°Third brother is the reason why we were confident enough of going through with our n. Our family was blessed by fate to have someone who managed to connect with Heavenly Law. He is bound to rise and shine in the world. When he does, our family will bath in his glory too.¡±

    ¡°I know that we are in a hurry, but I think we should give him more time to build his resources. Stepping into Qi Emperor level from Qi King is quite easy. The only problem is the amount of reserve you manage to create. The more powerful your reserve energy is, the more powerful will be thew body.¡±

    ¡°What if I say that it was the third brother who suggested us to go through with the n? He had managed to get his hands on some kind of treasure trove and has sent a lot of resources our way. There is no way we could have broken through our level so easily and near another breakthrough without them.¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t he trying to open the deepest section? What happened to that?¡±

    ¡°He confirmed that his n was a sess and he managed to tap into the core region of the treasure. He is currently building his final set of reserves with very powerfulponents. Once he manages to break through, he could take full control over the treasure. He wants us to be ready for huge improvements in our cultivations.¡±

    The guy was ted upon hearing this event. Their third brother was the greatest genius to have been born within their family. They were no match for him once he stepped into peak Qi King. Once he managed to break through the emperor level and form hisw body, they would seize control over the whole eastern borders.

    ¡°I guess we will have to wait and see how the events y out. I just hope that he manages toplete his n soon. The other Qi Emperors have begun to eye the coalition with hungry eyes. A single loophole and they would swoop in to seize benefits.¡±

    ....................

    In another region of the eastern borders-

    Li Meng soon entered a distant mountain range and continued to go deeper. It was a region which his avatar had recently discovered, that housed no Bandit group. He entered one of the deepest locations and stopped.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you peoplee out and we could greet each other?¡± Li Meng said with a smile on his face.

    Nothing happened to the surrounding. Li Meng waited patiently until eventually, he turned around to look at a dark corner. ¡± I guess a disy of might will be the perfect way to go.¡± He waved his hand with incredible speed and the whole corner was sted with an incredible amount of power.

    He decided to use 50 % of his power with all thews blended in. A grey figure immediately sted out of the corner and appeared in front of Li Meng.

    ¡°Impressive power. Although I could sense that your cultivation base is in intermediate, the power you imparted just now is on the same level as mine. I didn¡¯t expect a genius to have appeared within the Taiwan mountains.¡±

    ¡°You are quite cheerful for someone who was just attacked.¡± Li Meng was quite rxed.

    ¡°You seem confident in your strength to deal with the current situation. I guess you have a trump card.¡± The vice-leader said.

    ¡°I thought you havee up to strike a friendly conversation. Now that you have showcased your hostility towards me, I no longer need to show sympathy.¡± Li Meng¡¯s smile erged.

    ¡°How could you be so sure to deal with a peak Qi King like me.¡± The vice-leader was interested in uncovering Li meng¡¯s actual strength.

    ¡°I could deal with you just by myself. Although it would be a bit of haggling, an earthenw user is a total waste to me. Sadly, I am in a hurry, hence we need to finish you up soon.¡± Immediately four additional figures appeared beside Li Meng. One of them was an intermediate Qi King, and another was an advanced Qi King.

    The vice-leader was taken back by the sudden appearance.

    ¡°So you prepared for this event.¡± The vice-leader was trying to buy time to get out of the situation. He had already begun activating his message talisman. As long as other vice-leaders meet him mid-way, he could stay alive.

    ¡°Trying to buy time. Man, you can¡¯t even read the situation. I said I could easily deal with you, just by myself. With four other people appearing do you think you are going out of here alive?¡±

    Li meng immediately used the Thunder fist, while Xuan Luo used one of the consummate techniques from the Shengluo pavilion. While the vice-leader was busy holding his ground against two very powerful attacks, a figure suddenly appeared behind him, and directly pierced his back.

    It was a very lethal attack, which instantly made the vice-leader spout out a huge mouth full of blood. He was surprised by the power of the three people. Each one of them was at the same level as him. The situation was turning for the worse.

    He tried his best to hold out, and negate the power directed at him while imbuing the message talisman with more power. It finally powered up enough, to shine brightly and fade into the wind.

    ¡°You are dead now boy. Every single one of you will be killed.¡± The vice-leade shouted.

    ¡°You took too long to send the message. I was hoping you would send it sooner.¡± Li Meng smiled.

    He suddenly used his full power andpletely overpowered the vice-leader.

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 Chapter 287

    287 THE COALITION FORMED-(1)

    The vice leader¡¯s situation instantly took the turn for the worse. Xuan Luo was not even acting against him. Just the three intermediate Qi Kings were enough for him to be suppressedpletely.

    ¡°How could you three be this powerful?¡± The vice-leader blurted with a grim expression. Each of the figures was equivalent to a 9thyer Qi King. His situation was getting worse by the second. He was almost out of Qi. If this went on, the backup wouldn¡¯t be able to reach here in time.

    ¡°Still hoping the people you just contacted woulde to rescue you?¡± Li meng couldn¡¯t help but smile. Each of the three figures suddenly used the full force of theirw energy. When thew materialized, the vice-leader following them by scared silly.

    ¡°Heavenlyws!! The two of you are heavenlyw users.¡± A shaking voice was heard.

    ¡°Great guess. Too bad you didn¡¯t realise this earlier.¡± Li Meng used. Two incredible beams of light hit the vice leader¡¯s body, sting it to the wall behind. His figure prated through the wall and stayed there, unable to move. Blood could be seen flowing out of every crevice, and a sharp decline in the aura was felt by the group.

    ¡°Take him to the cave and interrogate. Make him spill the whole n of the Mad-lions. Although he wouldn¡¯t be knowing all of it, we would be able to get a general idea.¡±

    Xuan Luo was shaken awake from the shock he had just received. The attack back there would have been enough to inflict serious injury on him, and the two figures were not even sweating. This mysterious group from Thunder-academy was too scary.

    ¡°Why did you insist on dealing with him here?¡± After picking the vice-leader, the four figures were on their way to the cave. Xuan Luo couldn¡¯t help but ask the reason behind the decision.

    ¡°The talisman he sent back there was not only a message but also enabled the receiver to learn the location from which it was sent. The cave and the area nearby is way far from this ce, and hence would remain away from the suspicious spot.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Why would they try to investigate this case anyway?¡±

    ¡°The Mad-lions are trying to form a coalition to take over the city forces. Their sess would result in them bing the hegemonic force of the eastern borders. I couldn¡¯t allow them to control the situationpletely, and hence managed to suggest a change in arrangement.¡±

    ¡°My idea managed to gain the support of all other groups and hence has incurred a great loss on the Mad-lion¡¯s ns. They sent him to investigate our group and eliminate me.¡±

    ¡°The Talisman would convey the message that a whole group of Qi King ambushed him, which would lead them to believe that our base must have been somewhere nearby the area, for us to be able to dispatch so much force. They would be kept busy due to the matters of the coalition and the search.¡±

    ¡°Try to find out as much information as you can from the vice-leader. I need to know every single detail regarding the whole power structure of the organisation. We need to n ordingly. You need to return to secluded cultivation and increase your power. One of the other members of our group is also going to break through soon, and he will be assisting you in future.¡±

    ¡°You will be leaving?¡± Xuan Luo was surprised.

    ¡°I need to leave within another week. Meanwhile, you need to prepare for the future. It would be better if you could have another breakthrough before I leave the mountain. We need to consolidate our power before the situation goes haywire. You also need to prepare a backup n for unforeseen circumstances.¡±

    ¡°I need to have two more breakthroughs and reach the peak of Qi King if I want topletely dominate the situation. Only then could I have the confidence to confront Qi Emperors.¡± Xuan Luo was serious.

    ¡°This is going to be a force which belongs to you and me. It needs to grow strong enough topletely control the Taiwan mountains. Although that not going to be easy or happening in near future, we do need to prepare. Neither of us will be staying here after breaking into the Qi Emperor level.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re going to take part in the Royal road too?¡± Xuan Luo asked.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? I need to grow strong and dominate everything. I also need you to grow strong and try to im the heritage here before me. The outskirts already have the inheritance of a QI monarch. I hope to see even more mysterious and powerful possessions in the middle region. But those parts are dominated by sects and filled with emperors.¡±

    ¡°We need to increase our strength as far as possible before and during the royal road. Only by bing a Qi Monarch could we have a chance to takeplete control of the region. Meanwhile, nt seeds for the future needs.¡±

    Xuan Luo nodded.

    The two figures soon became busy nning and conspiring against the Mad-lions. Soon enough spies were sent to other forces. The best way to take down a tree is by devouring it from the roots.

    ...........................

    Mad-lions-

    ¡°The reply from all the leaders were received. They have agreed to participate in the coalition and appoint the Mad-lions as the leader. I have nned to host the ceremony three days from now.¡± Lion ti, the strongest vice-leader spoke up.

    ¡°What about Mingde? Did you manage to locate their base?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t. Although we suspect that the group is situated somewhere in the region near which the message talisman was discovered, the area is just too big. Even the reply from their leader arrived out of nowhere at our doorstep.¡±

    ¡°We need to find them fast. The situation has advanced too deep to change now. If the vice-leader spill the beans on all our preparation, we might some great hurdles while establishing the coalition. ¡±

    ¡°What could a lowly vice-leader like him do? The information avable to him is not too big to bring harm to us. We need to focus on the coalition.¡± The Qi Emperor spoke in a casual tone.

    ¡°The guy who interferedst time is no simple man. He could devise a lot of our n from the slightest of clues, which the vice-leader is more than capable enough to provide.¡±

    ¡°The situation can¡¯t be changed now. We could only proceed with the n.¡±

    ¡°What if they try to make an exchange?¡± Lion Ti spoke.

    ¡°Use bait to draw the rat out of his hole. We will eliminate them after that.¡± The Qi Emperor said with a grim tone.

    ¡°What about the third brother?¡±

    ¡°The third brother said that he will be returned within the month-end. He is confident enough to break through the QI Emperor rank by then. He wants us to protect him while he does that.¡±

    :¡± That goes without saying. Just ask him to be patient. We are more than capable enough to control the situation for a long time. There wouldn¡¯t be any sudden movement from the shadows during the first month. Unless of course, they manage to n real good.¡±

    The Mad-lions started to rush the situation. They wanted the coalition formed as soon as possible.

    ...................................................

    Pill valley-

    ¡°Are you sure about the situation?¡± Ti Shen just got a shocking piece of news.

    ¡°He insists that he will be breaking through the Qi King level in 3 days.

    ¡°It is only the second month since he went to seclusion. He has enough time to build his foundation. He shouldn¡¯t rush things.¡± Ti Shen was insistent on having Lu Ming stay within the Qi general realm for some more time.

    ¡°He said that he is more than confident of breaking through the Qi King level.¡±

    ¡°DOesn¡¯t he wants to connect with multiple Heavenlyws?¡± This was the reason behind Ti Shen¡¯s concern. He knew that Lu Ming can easily break through the Qi King level and connect with a Heavenly Law. What he wanted was for his disciple to connect with multiple Heavenlyws. He would be more than happy if he could connect with morews than him.

    What sort of a genius would someone who manages to connect with three Heavenlyws be like. He recently got a piece of news about someone managing to achieve the feat in the Thunder Academy andher pce.

    ¡°He says that he will connect with 3 Heavenlyws at the very least.¡± Ti Shen¡¯s eyes bulged out on hearing this. Lu Ming was confident of connecting to 3 Heavenlyws. Even their valley founder wouldn¡¯t speak with such confidence.

    ¡°It¡¯s his path. Let him do what he desires. Prepare all the resources ording to his requirements. Tell him toe to me after 3 days for proceeding with the breakthrough.¡±

    ....................................

    Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°Are you sure about trying to connect with four Heavenlyws? It isn¡¯t that simple boy. Three Heavenlyws almost made you half-deadst time. Just how are you nning to do this?¡± The Keeper understood the reason behind Long Tao¡¯s ambition, but this was just too much.

    ¡°I have a n charted out which could help me reach that level.¡±

    ¡°Your soul wouldn¡¯t be enough.¡± The Keeper spoke frankly. The only Heaven-defying thing that all the avatars had inmon was the Grandmaster level soul.

    ¡°I am thinking about activating the bodyws during my connection to the four Heavenlyws. I already havew bases that would be directly activated as soon as I begin my breakthrough. I could use it to propel my body for the event.¡±

    ¡°Why are you in such a rush?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°The barrier to achieving Chaosw is no small matter. It is only now that I understand how powerful it is. I fear that continuing at the same pace wouldn¡¯t enable me to connect with a Chaosw.

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 Chapter 288

    288 THE COALITION FORMED-(2)

    ¡°The barrier is getting thinner with every breakthrough but I fear with this pace, I will never be able to get there. The number ofws that I need to connect to get enough power is just too high.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°So we are going to try and connect with 4ws at once.¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°That is just the start. The number ofws present in the Heavenlyyer is just too many. I feel like, the more I connect to, the easier it bes to connect with more. Especially, hybridws.¡±

    The Keeper pondered over the point for some time. He turned to Long Tao and said:

    ¡°My guidance isn¡¯t going to help your case. You could only rely on yourself to reach the Chaosw realm. But I promise you, once you do, there will be no one in this world who could measure up to you.¡±

    Long Tao nodded and left to n for his next breakthrough. Unknown to him, two figures appeared beside the Keeper as soon as he left. They were none other than the Pill-Hall master and the training hall guardian.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell him the truth. He could easily achieve the realm, once he knows what it signifies.¡± The Pill-Hall master spoke in a questioning tone. He had already begun to groom Long tao as his sessor and couldn¡¯t help but feel pity for him.

    ¡°That man asked me to not interfere in Long Tao¡¯s path during critical moments in cultivation such as these. He wanted him to find his path by himself.¡±

    ¡°That bastard managed to reach the Chaosw level because of the hordes of records and guidance provided by his ancestors, masters and old records. How could he be so smug as to leave Long Tao to his means?¡±

    .....

    ¡°You two are not aware of this fact, butter in his path of cultivation, he found out that his path of cultivation was wed. Although the guidance provided by all those sources, and his incredible talent help propel his power quite fast, he found that the ws created were too critical and deep.¡±

    ¡°His foundation and understanding of martial path were too shallow when he tries to pursue the ultimate power. That is the exact reason he is spending his time trying to make up for his ws. He could have easily reached even greater heights and gain so much power to overwhelm the whole world, but he didn¡¯t.¡±

    The two figures remained silent on hearing the Keeper¡¯s words.

    ¡°Do you know what his words were thest time we talked?¡± The two figures were alerted by the Keeper¡¯s words.

    ¡°He said that he had rushed so much to gain power, that he forgot the most basic things which build up his cultivation. He decided to hide and prepare for his future while eliminating his ws and growing his power. He asked me not to interfere with Long Tao and pressurise him to create his path. Only then could he surpass the whole world and dominate it.¡±

    The two masters nodded their heads. ¡± I guess we could only pressurise him to be more and more thorough in his cultivation.¡± The Pill Hall master said.

    ¡°I have to agree with your point. If this boy seeds in this path, I guarantee that we are going to see something the world has never seen before.¡± The training Hall master said.

    ¡°That is true. The avatar art has enabled him to do something never possible. If he achieves Chaos realm with the n he has in his mind, we will get to see the birth of the most powerful cultivator of all time.¡±

    .......................................

    Three dayster-

    Lu Ming made his way to Ti Shen¡¯s cave. Once there he knelt and prayed to his master:

    ¡°Disciple Lu Ming is here to visit the master. I want to start my breakthrough today.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about your preparation for the Qi Kingyer?¡± To Shen¡¯s figure emerged out of the hut.

    ¡°I am confident in my ability to connect with more than 2 Heavenlyws.¡± Lu Ming spoke without any hesitation.

    ¡°I have tomend brother¡¯s ability to ept his disciple. To have such a confident and talented progeny is quite a fortune.¡± The valley master of Pill valley emerged out of nowhere.

    ¡°I greet martial uncle.¡± Lu Ming said in a calm tone. ¡± I thank you for the gracious words.¡± He spoke with a tinge of sarcasm in it. Lu Ming didn¡¯t have a good memory of the Valley master since the time he tried to force him by manipting the situation against him.

    ¡°I guess nephew still hasn¡¯t pardoned us.¡± The Teng n patriarch arrived on the scene.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anyint against anyone. Our world runs on strength. The day I get strong enough, who would dare to question me even if I massacre the whole world.¡± Lu Ming¡¯s words were devoid of any emotions. The faces of both the leaders darkened upon hearing this. This guy was not going to let go of his animosity towards them.

    ¡°I see that you four are jolly as always.¡± An old voice sounded beside the sky. An old man soon descended on the mountain.

    ¡°We greet martial-uncle.¡±

    ¡°Disciple greets martial great-uncle.¡± Lu Ming bowed with respect. A Monarch level QI practitioner was no joke. All Lu Ming wanted to know was the level of cultivation the old man had reached.

    ¡°You seem confident in your capability. What are your ns for this break-through.¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°Nephew Ming is confident to connect with three Heavenlyws.¡± The sect master interrupted before Lu Ming got a chance to speak.

    The old man¡¯s expression changed on hearing this. Three Heavenlyws. It had been hundreds of year since someone managed to do that in Pill Valley. It would be the oing of a new era if someone within the inheritors was capable enough to connect with 3 Heavenlyws.

    ¡°You are wrong valley master. I didn¡¯t mean to say that.¡± The four figures looked at Lu Ming. ¡± I am saying that I am confident enough to connect with three heavenlyws at the very least.¡± The atmosphere suddenly turned cold. Everyone was silent upon hearing such a tant im by Lu Ming.

    ¡°If you managed to connect with 4 Heavenlyws, I will directly dere you as the future sect master of Pill valley, and instantly concentrate every single resource avable to the sect to groom you.¡± The old man spoke up. He then turned to the other three. ¡± The second requirement will also be invalidated and he will directly be allotted with a spot for the Royal road.¡±

    Lu Ming bowed to the old man before proceeding with Ti Shen to the altar which was specially prepared for him. The resources requested by Lu Ming included Elemental resources of all five elements along with a lot of resources that were used for refining blood essence.

    ¡°I am hopeful for your sess brat.¡± Ti Shen gave Lu Ming his blessing before proceeding to activate the altar formation.

    .......................................

    Mad-lion¡¯s hall-

    The procession to establish the coalition wasplete. Every force which would join the coalition was invited to the huge ceremony which was personally preceded by the two Qi Emperor level practitioners of the Mad-lion group.

    ¡°I thank all of you for agreeing with the proposal and attending the ceremony. From today onwards the bandit¡¯s groups present here will be bind with the coalition pact to fight with every single enemy who stands in our way of conquering the eastern region.¡±

    The ceremony reached its peak soon, and all the leaders signed the pact. Huge rounds of ceremonial drinks were presented to the leaders and everyone presented their congrattions to the two Qi Emperors.

    ¡°From today onwards, we dere the formation of the Great-Lion coalition.¡±

    ¡°We congratte the Mad-lion leaders.¡±

    ¡°I present my blessing to the groups.¡± Every single bandit leader came forward to congratte the group.

    The next round of discussion soon began as the parliamentary system was established, and all the Bandit leaders were assigned important positions within the administration. It was the first time the eastern borders had seen the formation of such arge group.

    Li Meng was present throughout the ceremony, and the leader of their group was assigned as one of the vice-leaders of the Coalition. The message from the vice-leader had confirmed the power f their group and hence the Mad-lions had started to treat them seriously.

    ¡°I would like to talk with a vice-leader lion.¡± Li Meng sent a message to Lion Ti.

    Lion Ti responded with a nod and followed him to a corner of the hall.

    ¡°Are you about to present me with terms of exchange? I would like to point that it would be unnecessary. You could just kill him. Although I do have to suggest that the repercussion would be quite massive.¡±

    ¡°You should hear my side before making a promation vice-leader.¡± LI Meng said with a smug smile on his face.

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 Chapter 289

    289 COALITION FORMED-(3)

    ¡°You have got to say something.¡± Lion Ti spoke sarcastically.

    ¡°Your vice-leader is a burden on either of us. I already expected your leaders to abandon him, and hence I am not here to suggest an exchange. He is a waste in my eyes. He did manage to give us some details regarding ns, and I am surprised by your ambitions. You could say that I am looking forward to your nsing true.¡±

    ¡°Why would an adversary of ours want such a thing,¡± Lion Ti said in a questioning tone. Li Meng¡¯s words aroused suspicion. He was the biggest hurdle that prevented their ns froming to fruitionpletely.

    ¡°You can¡¯t me me for being selfish in some matters. We can¡¯t let Mad-lions haveplete control over the situation. Not only is it a selfish move, but a move for the future too.¡±

    ¡°Future move yous ay. I am not interested in discussing ns with you. What do you want?¡± Lion Ti was straightforward, demanding the reason behind this approach.

    ¡°I would like to support the Mad-lions in making their nse true. To prove my faith in you, I am willing to lead the team you create in the war against the city coalition. I will be in the first line of offence, standing in the very front. If the enemies want to go against the wish of the coalition, they will have to go through me first.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°You are quite a funny guy. You just made Mad-lions lose substantial power in the coalition. What makes you think that we will let you have a core role in the coalition army? We will be striking hammer on our own feet by doing so.¡±

    ¡°I want to make it up to the Mad-lions by gaining profits for you. What if I say that I will capture their advance Qi Kings alive. Although capturing all of them would be difficult, some of them could be captured by me. All the credit for the raid will go directly to the Mad-lions, along with the resources gained.¡±

    ¡°Both of us know that wouldn¡¯t be the case. The groups that constitute the coalition wouldn¡¯t allow such a thing.¡±

    .....

    ¡°I have a way to make it possible. Not only will you be earning profit from the battle itself, but you would also even earn the respect of every group present within the coalition.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°I will not..¡± Li Ti was about to speak up when a voice transmission arrived. Once the content was read by him, he turned towards Li Meng and said, ¡± Our leader would like to talk with you. If you do have the guts, kindly follow me.¡±

    ¡°Why not.¡± Li Meng smiled and followed behind Lion Ti, to one of the inner halls. The two leaders of Mad-lions were seated on a high pedestal looking down on the surrounding area. When Li Meng arrived in their line of view, invisible pressure emanated out of their bodies andnded on Li Meng.

    ¡°Absorb it.¡± Li Meng said to the Keeper. He kept moving towards the foot of the pedestal and came to halt right in front of the two leaders. The scene surprised the two. They didn¡¯t expect Li meng to be able to move freely under the pressure emanated from the two Qi Emperors.

    ¡°I hope the leaders of Mad-lions are doing well.¡± Li Meng spoke in a jolly tone.

    ¡°I have tomend your guts for walking right into the tiger¡¯s den. How do you suppose you are getting out of here.¡±

    ¡°I havee here to propose a truce between us. I know that my actions have given rise to someplications in the procedure, but I would like to make it up to you.¡± Lion Ti came forward to inform the two leaders of Li Meng¡¯s proposal.

    One of the Qi Emperors directlyshed out. ¡± Are you taking us to be fooled? How the hell do you expect us to give a powerful position in the coalition to a rat-like you?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t listed my whole proposal yet. I would like to take part in the operation as one of the Mad-lions members. You just need to forge an identity for me and I will lead them to battle. Also, the whole troop will constitute the members from Mad-lions and hence will be counted as a contribution from your side.¡±

    ¡°This would be a demonstration of the Mad-lion¡¯s power as well as your willingness to fight against the enemy. They wouldn¡¯t be able to question your position anymore and would have to respect you as their leader. This will consolidate your position in the coalition.¡±

    ¡°The loot will be yours, so will the hostages and the fame for conquering the enemy forces.¡± Li Meng spoke with a serious tone.

    ¡°All of this stands on the fact that you would be able to defeat the city forces.¡± Lion Shen, one of the Qi emperors spoke up. ¡± How do you expect us to be sure about your victory?¡±

    Li Meng passed on a ring to the Qi emperor. ¡± Take this as a downpayment from my side. It will work as a mortgage against your belief in me. I will also be returning your vice-leader in one piece. No harm is inflicted on him. You could hear the whole process of his captivation from him.¡±

    The three people near the pedestal were surprised to hear this. Lion Shen inspected the ring and found it filled with fire crystals. His eyes went wide, looking at the quantity.

    ¡°This is the loot we received from our operation against the city forces. That is pretty much half of our loot.¡±

    ¡°Why would any force be willing to lose half of their resources just to make a truce?¡± Lion Ti was suspicious of Li meng¡¯s behavior.

    ¡± I am asking for my group to be given a top-level position in the coalition, with an equal division of resources to us. I will be leading multiple operations for you, and in return, you will help my group grow stronger.¡±

    The leaders were astounded by Li Meng¡¯s proposal. He was willing to pay such a huge price for getting a higher rank in the coalition. Not taking into ount theplications which woulde with the proposal, just the fact that he was willing to invest for such a long term period was a surprise.

    ¡°We will give it a thought. You cane back 2 days from now to get our answer.¡±

    ¡°Very well.¡± Li Meng bowed and left the hall.

    ¡°That guy is sly as a fox. We need to be alert around him. I just don¡¯t understand what he is trying to achieve. The whole n is dependent upon the fact that he could win the round and he doesn¡¯t even get credit. On top of that, he was willing to pay such a huge mortgage and even risk his life, just for a higher rank in the coalition.¡±

    ¡°he is nning something. I could feel it in the depths of my soul. I just can¡¯t put my hand on the thing that is going to happen. We need to eliminate him.¡±

    ¡°He is still profitable for the organization. His ns bring no harm to us and we even got paid just to do a favour. On top of that, if he could pull it off, we get the treasures, the fame and reputation, and the hostages. What is the problem with taking advantage of him for now.¡±

    ¡°We will kill him once he is done with the job. He is right. If the eventse to be true, we will gain a strong foothold in the coalition. We wouldn¡¯t even need to wait for Third brother¡¯s breakthrough. Just let him get on with it.

    .................................

    The Crimson lord world-

    ¡°You are putting a lot on the line for such a small operation.¡±

    ¡°This event will let me infiltrate the very core of Mad-lions. I will slowly devour them from inside.¡±

    ¡°Trying to control such a huge army wouldn¡¯t be easy even if you use all the avatars.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to control the whole army. Just half of them would do. The rest of the half would be conquered by the time I enact my n. If I am not wrong, the third brother of these two is surely a talented cultivator. He might even be another Qi Emperor. I just need to control the strongest subordinates of theirs.¡±

    ¡°You still aren¡¯t strong enough to control multiple peak Qi Kings. Your soul is at the grandmaster level, but it requires more tempering.¡±

    ¡°I would be able to do it once Lu Ming achieves his breakthrough.¡± Li Meng said to the Keeper.

    ¡°I will not be able to help you this time. A Qi Monarch is watching the whole process. He might even help you through the process if you show enough talent. I hope everything works well.¡±

    ¡°I hope you will be able to absorb thew energy.¡±

    ¡°That is another one of theplications. I will be staying within your body the whole time absorbing the Law energy. Your body is going to suffer during the next breakthrough. Prepare for it. The two-bodyws will support you well, but in the end, it will depend on you.¡±

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 Chapter 290

    290 QUAD-LAW BREAKTHROUGH-(1)

    ¡°Do you have a n for the break-through?¡±

    ¡°I think I will firstplete the elementws since thest remaining wood and fire element are already at the earthen level. Connecting with them would be the easiest. For the other two, I am wondering if I am ready to connect withpoundws.¡±

    ¡°You want to connect withpoundws. Do you have experience in usingpound energy, except for highly drainingst-minute refuge arts, like the Dominator¡¯s fist?¡±

    ¡°I manage tobine ten different kinds of energies while creating the art, and it has just three moves until now. I am confident to connect withpoundws. I feel that it would make it much easier for me to walk that path.¡±

    ¡°I understand where you areing from. But connecting with so many energies at the same time isn¡¯t simple. Especially when you connect with multiple types of elemental energies. You could be prone to bacsh.¡±

    ¡°What kind of bacsh are you talking about?¡± Long Tao was intrigued.

    ¡°Too many kinds of energies, while powerful, bring too manyplications within your body. If your body and soul is not capable enough, the extremebinations and contradictions bring about a lot of bacsh. Your body might not be able to handle it, even with thepound bodyws.¡±

    ¡°The bacsh wouldn¡¯t be too much for me. I am nning to use the formation that we used earlier.¡±

    ¡°That is too risky. The depletion of soul energy is just too much for you to handle alone. Last time it took all your avatars tobine supply you with every type of energy possible to get the work done. Even if you are acquainted with the process, it is not going to be possible for you to do it alone.¡±

    .....

    ¡°What if my teacher help?¡±

    ¡°He is just a Qi emperor. Transmitting soul energy is not going to be possible for him. He wouldn¡¯t be able to satisfy your supply needs. If there is someone who could help, it would be the Qi Monarch. He could help you formte the formation.¡±

    ¡°A Qi Monarch supplying me with soul energy might be the key, but the old man would be suspicious. If he is the one who is going to provide me with the soul energy, he would be able to sense the secrets of my body.¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you showcasing your talent this time? Why are you nervous?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°What about the otherw energies he is going to sense when I connect with Heavenlyws. All the otherws are going to suddenly activate. What will I do then?¡±

    ¡°I have an idea for you. You could say that you are using special equipment which you found in a QI monarch¡¯s inheritance. Tell them it is a breakthrough treasure which helps in boostingw energy within the body.¡±

    Long Tao¡¯s eyes sparkled. This was perfect. He could use the Qi monarch¡¯s power to create a very powerfulw formation. The energy supplied by a QI monarch would be way more than what his avatar could supply, which meant that he could even vie for morews.

    Unknown to the Keeper, a very dangerous n was being formted in Long Tao¡¯s mind

    ........................

    Pill Valley-

    ¡°Martial Granduncle. I have a request.¡± Lu Ming bowed before the Qi Monarch.

    ¡°Speak boy.¡± The QI monarch was interested in what Lu Ming wanted to request.

    ¡°I am going to taking a great risk during the break-through. If I am sessful in my effort, I might be able to reach the level of our ancestor.¡± The Qi monarch¡¯s eyes instantly shot open when he heard this. The three QI emperors were amazed when they heard this too. This boy dared to say that he could reach the level of the ancestor.

    ¡°Even if you are talented, you are not allowed to blemish the name of our ancestor. His name can¡¯t be allowed within jokes you formte.¡±

    ¡°I am not joking. I am confident in being able to reach his level.¡±

    ¡°I have a new respect for you shamelessness boy. You picked up a very unique talent senior.¡± Teng family patriarch said sarcastically. Ti Shen had no reply to this statement. He was in awe of what Lu Ming had said. He knew of his character and understood Lu ming¡¯s personality. He would never say something he was not confident in doing.

    ¡°What if I say, that I can? Not everybody is incapable like you.¡± Lu Ming spoke to the Teng patriarch in a despising manner. He then looked at the Qi Monarch and said.¡± I am 80% confident in achieving, but I want your help in doing that.¡±

    ¡°What can I help you with?¡±

    ¡°During my experiences in mum, I came across various inheritances of powerful cultivators. One of them was extremely unique, as the cultivator himself had obtained it from some ancient depository. It is a treasure which can be used while formtingw energy.¡±

    The Qi Monarch was intrigued by the sudden information.¡± Can I see it?¡±

    ¡°I am sorry to reply that I am not capable enough of controlling it yet. What I want my grand-uncle¡¯s help in is to control the equipment in a better way.¡±

    ¡°What can I do to help?¡±

    ¡°I want you to provide me with soul energy.¡± The four figures were amazed upon hearing Lu Ming¡¯s words. Soul energy was the most difficult of the three categories of cultivation. Only a Qi Monarch was properly able to manifest and control it. Lu Ming wanted him to supply soul energy.

    ¡°With enough soul energy, I would be able to control the treasure to formte a formation powerful enough to harnessing Heavenlyws power and ingest it into my body at an extremely fast pace while controlling the energy at the same time. I would help convert the energy into my body¡¯s inherent power so that I can control the power ofws.¡±

    ¡°And that would help you to connect with five heavenlyws.¡±

    ¡°The only problem while connecting with so manyws is the bacsh I would have to encounter while trying to connect with too manyws. It is the reason it is extremely difficult to connect with more than two heavenlyws in the first ce. The artefact helps in negating the bacsh, and controlling the energy more efficiently.¡±

    ¡°How confident are you?¡± The Qi Monarch¡¯s tone was extremely calm. He was seriously considering the proposal.

    ¡°60%.¡± Lu Ming decided to speak truthfully.

    The Qi Monarch was silent as if considering his proposal. He then looked at Lu Ming with a determined nce and spoke. ¡± I will help you. If could achieve the feat, it would be a huge blessing for the Pill valley. If you are unable to bear the burden, reduce the number ofws immediately. You are one of the most talented disciples of ours, and we can¡¯t lose you.¡±

    ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± Lu Ming was appreciating the Qi Monarch¡¯s mindset.

    ¡°Enter the formation. You three will be controlling the supply of every type of energy that Lu Ming requires. I on the other hand will be supplying him with soul energy.¡± He immediately ordered aplete lockdown of the peak they were in.

    ..........................

    In the inner courtyard of pill valley-

    ¡°Why are they locking down the peak?¡± one of the inner court disciples inquired.

    ¡°The valley master and two martial uncles along with the protector are helping the new guy in breaking through Qi King level.:¡±

    ¡°They attach too much importance to a puny Qi King.¡± One of ten top genius in the inner door spoke up. His name was Zhang Li.

    ¡°We never know the motives behind their actions. They are too powerful for us to understand as of now. I still feel some resentment about that new guy. Although he was talented to gain a partial inheritance of the valley founder, why are they acting so weirdly around him.¡± Another one of the top ten inner disciples, Li Ruong spoke up.

    ¡°I guess we will have to wait and see. I will await his presence in the inner door. We need to teach the newbie that he needs to respect his senior brothers.

    Every single disciple of the top ten in the inner door was an advanced Qi King cultivator. How could they not be jealous of the importance attached to Lu Ming?

    A huge conspiracy was underway. Meanwhile, Lu Ming had entered the formation and begun his breakthrough to the Qi King level. He first decided to formte the formation with the help of the soul energy provided by the Qi monarch. He didn¡¯t want to arouse any suspicion within the Qi Monarch¡¯s mind. He could only use the formation to hide the multiple Heavenlyw bases present within his body.

    As soon as the formation was formted, Lu Ming¡¯s body began to glow and energy around him began to change. The objective this time was toplete the elementalws first and then switch over topoundws.

    He began to connect with the fire elementalws, which instantly sprang up to the earthen level. The four-figure were amazed that Lu Ming¡¯s ability to connect withws was so terrifying. Only the Qi Monarch was having a suspicious expression.

    Lu Ming was indulged in his cultivation, entering the Heavenlyw level and connecting to fire heavenlyw.

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 Chapter 291

    291 QUAD LAW BREAKTHROUGH-(2)

    The fire energy sensed by Lu Ming instantly rose to the earthen level and touched the Heavenly level. The people around were surprised to see the speed with which the fire Heavenlyw was activated.

    ¡°He is quite talented in fire arts to have activated the Heavenlyyer so fast.¡± The Qi Monarch was still doubtful of Lu Ming¡¯s body. He could already feel multiplew powers being emitted. Lu Ming¡¯s exnation regarding the treasure was the only exnation viable at the moment.

    ¡°Something feels odd.¡± The Qi monarch tried to delve deeper, but Lu Ming suddenly interrupted him. ¡°It¡¯s time for an ancestor to provide me with soul energy.¡±

    The Qi Monarch didn¡¯t have time to think anymore. Transfering soul energy was a very taxing task. He couldn¡¯t risk being distracted, as it would directly harm his soul.

    Lu Ming¡¯s body was suddenly flooded with soul energy from a Qi Monarch and began to formte the formation. He used all thews present within his body to formte the same type of formation he usedst time the avatar broke through with bodyws.

    The formation which was formted this time was extremelyplex and much more powerful than thest time. Thew energy entering Lu Ming¡¯s body was digested and converted into his power extremely quickly.

    The Qi Monarch was shocked after visualizing the speed of the breakthrough. He was starting to believe Lu Ming¡¯s word about him having a treasure that could help in the formtion ofw energy.

    ¡°Just what sort of monstrous figure created a treasure like that. It must be something from ancient times. Even then, the previous owner of this treasure has to be a top-level figure.

    Just as he was trying to figure the mystery behind the treasure, Lu Ming¡¯s fire energyw base finally settled down. He had managed to acquire the fire Heavenlyw now. He tried to break the barrier to Chaosw once again but failed in doing so. He was now switching to the next type ofw energy, wood.

    .....

    Suddenly, life energy around the mountain began to behave awkwardly and increased greatly. The observers around the mountain were astounded. The person was connecting with anotherw energy. Lu Ming¡¯s life energy started to break through the earthen level and reached the Heavenly level. He tried to force it to rise even more and break the barrier to Chaosw again but failed once again.

    ¡°Dual-Law cultivator. He sure is quite talented. But brother Tianwu is also a dual Law cultivator. Howe the valley master and protector are so biased against him.¡± One f the inner disciple spoke up.

    ¡°It seems to be the fact that he could connect with the two of corews rted to alchemy, fire and wood. Although brother Tiianwu is also a dualw cultivator, he only connected with fire and earth. That is way below this guy. He is morepatible with the path of alchemy.¡± Another inner disciple interjected.

    ¡°The only disciples who couldpete with this guy are those monsters who reign over the core disciples. I even heard there is someone within the core level who has managed to connect with two heavenlyws and 5 earthenws. He is even more talented than the great elder, who is also a dualw user.¡±

    ¡°HI heard that he has also managed to connect with apoundw. Compoundws are way difficult to understand and connect to

    ¡°How many earthenws do you think this guy can connect with?¡±

    ¡°He is surely going to connect with at least two.¡±

    ¡°I would say three.¡± The disciples watching Lu Ming¡¯s breakthrough were busy discussing his progress.

    Now that the two remaining basic elementalws were connected with Lu Ming had to choose whichpoundws to connect with. Out of all thepoundws, thew which Lu Ming was the most familiar with was the ying-yangws.

    ¡°Should I try to connect with Ying-Yangws?¡±

    Lu Ming began to implement his understanding o ying-yang. The art of reversal, the ying-yang attacks within his Dominator arts, all came into his mind and began to increase his understanding of Ying-yang.

    Ying-yang was a set ofplementaryw in a single entity. It was aw, whoseposition not onlyplimented each other but also were opposites to each other. Yin was cold, while yang was hot. Yin was dark while yang was bright. Yin was ck while Yang was white.

    Li Meng began to practice his art while amid the formation. The four QI Emperors were instantly shocked on seeing this.

    ¡°What is this brat trying to do? If he wants to stabilise his base, he should do it after finishing his breakthrough. What is the soaking up the energy for.¡± The Teng family patriarch was dissatisfied with Lu Ming¡¯s action.

    ¡°Don¡¯t disturb him.¡± The QI Monarch suddenly spoke up. When the three figures looked at him, they saw a pale figure, who was sweating all over, trying to maintain his supply of soul energy to Lu Ming. They were surprised on seeing the scene.

    ¡°Are you okay Martial-uncle?¡± The valley master couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Concentrate on maintaining the formation. He is trying to connect with one of the most powerfulpoundws there is. We can¡¯t risk being distracted at the moment.¡±

    ¡°What is the trying to connect with?¡± Ti Shen was worried about Lu ming¡¯s action.

    ¡°He is trying to connect with Yin-Yangws. He trying to use up the energy being supplied to him and convert them into two opposite butplementaryw power sets. If he is capable enough of stabilising the two sets, he would be able to gain a proper understanding of the Yin-Yang power. He could then use the knowledge to connect with the Yin-Yang Heavenlyw.¡±

    The three figures were astounded. They knew how powerful apoundw was. How could they not understand the difficulty faced by Lu Ming in his action of trying to connect with it.

    ..........

    The Keeper was busy controlling the artefact within Lu Ming¡¯s body and absorb thew energy. It was slowly repairing itself. Due to the continuous break-through of Long Tao¡¯s avatar, a huge number of cracks on the artefact had been healed up. A lot ofw energy was being consumed, but it was worth it.

    ¡°Do you think that the artefact would level up any time soon?¡±

    ¡°The artefact might go through a qualitative change by the time youplete the break-through of all your avatars.¡±

    ¡°You mean it would enhance into a Monarch level weapon.¡± Long Tao was astounded by the Keeper¡¯s words.

    ¡°It would directly breakthrough to the peak of Qi Monarch type of weapon. Once it manages to reach the level of a Monarch weapon, or yellow grade, it would open up all its functionality to you. You would be able to use the artefact to attack.

    ¡°It would also be able to start energy on its own. You wouldn¡¯t need to act as an intermediate medium for it to absorbw energy anymore. It could now separate itself from your body and leave out to find resources to mend itself on its own.¡±

    Long Tao couldn¡¯t help but be happy. Finally, a qualitative change was going to ur within the artefact. He would be able to use it as a weapon for attacking. He couldn¡¯t help but think about the possible way of using the artefact.,

    ¡°What form of attack could I use?¡±

    ¡°It would be revealed to you once you break through the Qi Emperor. An attack from, a weapon such as the Crimson world artefact is no small matter. You wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the Qi drain for more than one time even when you reach the Qi Emperor level¡±

    ¡°Did you manage to gain an understanding of the Yin-Yangws?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°I have reached nearpletion. If I canpletely set the two opposite set of energies, I would formally be able to set the Yin-Yangw base.¡±

    ¡°I congratte you for connecting another triad ofws.¡±

    ¡°Why are you congratting? I am going to connect with anotherw at least.¡± Long tao sounded irritated. How could the Keeper make fun of him like this?

    ¡°You will understand once you connect with Yin-Yangws. I should have said this to you before your break-through, but I didn¡¯t think you would try to connect with Yin-Yangws.¡± The Keeper sounded de-spirited.

    Long Tao couldn¡¯t help but feel that something was wrong with the Keeper¡¯s expression. What did he mean by connecting with Yin-Yangws? Was something going to happen.

    ..................................

    Lu Ming managed toplete the two sets of energy with the help of the formation. The Qi Monarch¡¯s face waspletely pale as of now. He was at hisst means. He wouldn¡¯t be able to supply soul energy for much longer. He was still happy that Lu Ming managed to connect with Yin-Yangws, but he sadly knew that it was going to be the one do the process.

    ¡°Thew bacsh of Yin-Yang was too difficult for cultivators to handle, especially when the cultivator had already tried to connect with two other Heavenlyws. Lu Ming wouldn¡¯t be able to continue his breakthrough anymore.

    As thest bit of his soul energy was expended, Lu Ming finally managed to set up the two set of energies within his body. He managed to formte aw base. Lu Ming finally managed to set up the Yin-Yangw base. Thew bacsh arrived instantly

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 Chapter 292

    292 QUAD LAW BREAKTHROUGH-(3)- THE BACKLASH

    Suddenly all the energies within Lu Ming¡¯s body went wild. It was as if all the energies that conflicted with each other suddenly started attacking. His body started to swell up, and his skin turned bright red.

    ¡°What is happening to him?¡± Ti Shen was bbergasted.

    ¡°I have read about this in an ancient record of our library. Thew he connected to Yin-Yang, is said to have a terrifying bacsh on the user¡¯s body. It is rumoured that everyw energy within your body would go berserk when encountering its opposite within your body.¡±

    ¡°The main reason for it being so scary is the fact that thews needn¡¯t be from yourw base, anyw can do. Your body is aplexposite of manyws, and hence the scare of this bacsh. If the user is not capable enough of controlling the oue they are going to because of the Qi burst.¡± The Qi Monarch said.

    ¡± I never saw him using any kind of Yin-Yang arts. Just how did he manage to set up aw base.¡± Ti Shen was thinking.

    ¡°He must havee across a very powerful art which constitutes of Yin-yang properties. There is no known art having Yin-yang power below Emperor level, hence either he manages to get his hands on an ancient beginners art, or he had practised multiple arts which had pieces of Yin-yang within them.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember there being any such art in our library.¡± Ti Shen pondered over the source of this art.

    ¡°There was an art. It is called the art of reversal. If he managed to master that art, he might have been able to grasp the meaning of ying-yang.¡± The Qi Monarch spoke.

    ¡°The art of reversal.¡± Ti Shen tried to remember. True to the monarch¡¯s words, he did saw Lu Ming practising the art of reversal once. He didn¡¯t practice it and hence wasn¡¯t aware of its qualities. To his surprise, this manages to help Lu Ming understand the base of Yin-Yang.

    .....

    ¡°This is where his breakthrough ends. He wouldn¡¯t be able to continue it while experiencing the bacsh of Yin-Yangws. ording to what I know, the conflicting energies within the user¡¯s body begin to act against each other. The body will go through a series of energy bursts.¡±

    ¡°So he needs to concentrate on maintaining his body and control the energy released by the conflicting bursts. He wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up his breakthrough.¡±

    ¡°Exactly.¡± The Qi Monarch was happy that Lu Ming managed to connect with three Heavenlyws and one of them was Yin-Yang. But he wouldn¡¯t be able to connect with any morews as the bacsh was too terrifying.

    ........................

    ¡°What is happening to the body?¡± Long Tao was worried.

    ¡°That is the bacsh ofws. Everyw that a Qi General connect toes with a bacsh. That is why it is extremely difficult to continue to connect with multiplews while breakthrough.¡±

    ¡°Somewse with minor bacshes, such as elementalws and there are some whose bacsh is extremely scary. Yin-Yangws are of the second category. Theye with a tremendous bacsh. Your avatar can¡¯t continue with his breakthrough. He needs to stop here and stabilize his body condition.¡±

    ¡°I should be able to do something.¡± Long Tao continue to observe the condition of LU Ming¡¯s body. The break-through conditions were diminishing as time was passing, and yet Lu Ming was busy controlling Qi bursts within his body. Just how do you prevent this from happening? I want to connect with one morew.

    ¡°The energies within your bodies are going to grow in conflict as long as they are present. You can¡¯t stop the process once it has started.¡±

    The Keeper remembered the scriptures he had in storage. There was no known way to negate the effects of the bacsh of Yin-yangws.

    ¡°There is a way.¡± Long Tao¡¯s eyes had a tinge of insanity in them. He looked at the Keeper and said. ¡± what if I have no energy left within my body?¡±

    ¡°Are you insane boy? Do you think no one other than you thought of this way? There is a reason why cultivator needs to experience the bacsh. They could only get the blessing when they experience the bacsh.¡±

    ¡°If you empty your body, you will be forfeiting the bacsh, and hence wouldn¡¯t be receiving the blessing of yin-yangws.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t need the blessings at the moment. I could always power the base up once I have attained the Qi King realm. What more important is to connect with one morew at the very least.¡±

    ¡°The blessing from apoundw is very high. Especially Yin-Yang. It would directly push the cultivation of yours into the 7thyer of Qi King.¡±

    ¡°I can always cultivate within Qi King realm. Connecting tow is more important.¡±

    The Keeper couldn¡¯t help but sigh. There was a hidden smile on his face. Long Tao chooses the correct option after all.

    ..................................

    The Pill Valley-

    ¡°Master!!!!¡± Lu Ming shouted at the top of his lungs.

    ¡°What is it? Are you okay? Should I intervene and help you?¡± Ti Shen was nervous about Lu Ming¡¯s condition.

    ¡°I want you to believe in me. No matter what I do next, don¡¯t intervene with the process.¡± Lu Ming said with serious eyes.

    Ti Shen couldn¡¯t help but frown. What was Lu Ming talking about? He saw Lu Ming¡¯s struggling face and after a short moment of thought, he nodded his head. No matter what happens, he would support Lu Ming.

    Lu Ming instantly began to exert every single ounce of energy within his body. Soon enough all the energy was drained, leaving an extremely pale-looking figure within the formation.

    ¡®The brat is ying with fire here.¡± The QI Monarch spoke in a grim tone.

    ¡°What is he trying to do uncle.¡±

    ¡°he is trying to drain every ounce of energy within his body to forfeit bacsh.¡± The Qi Monarch dered. ¡± I suspect he would then use the formation to continue to connect with anotherw.¡±

    ¡°That seems to be a feasible idea.¡± Ti Shen spoke.

    ¡°it is not you idiot. By forfeiting the bacsh, he is also forfeiting the blessing of Yin-yangws. Also, the energy drain would result in most of his energy being drained out. If he can¡¯t sustain his body within the transition process, he will die.¡±

    Ti Shen felt a shiver down his body. How could this brat such a huge risk? He didn¡¯t want Lu ming to risk his life to connect with fourws. It was just stupid. He wouldn¡¯t be able to use the power if he is not alive at the end of the day.

    Ti Shen tried to move towards the formation to prevent Lu ming from following up with the n.

    ¡°Stop. Let him continue with his n., It is toote for us to intervene anyway. If he lives, he will be the first Quadw King in the pill valley since the founder. If he dies, then it is his fate.¡±

    Lu Ming managed to rain most of his energy, and in thest moments, the bacsh finally ended.

    ¡°Finally. I guess I can try sensing anotherw with the help of the energy from the array.¡± Lu Ming began to absorb the energy from the array.

    ¡°Did you manage to certain thew you are going to connect with?¡± The Keeper spoke up.

    ¡°Galews.¡± Long Tao said with a confident tone.

    ¡°Anotherpoundw. Although gale isn¡¯t as dangerous andplex as Yin-yang, it is still apoundw. Combined with the fact that you have never even trained in art which could help you sense its power, just why are you taking the risk?¡±

    ¡°Gale is constituted of wind and earth intent. Those are the oldestws I have connected to and thews I know most about. Don¡¯t you think it would be a good option to go for?¡±

    ¡°Your body might not be able to handle the bacsh.¡±

    ¡°I have to try.¡±

    ................................

    The Qi Monarch closed his eyes to concentrate on recovering soul energy when he suddenly felt something nearby. He opened his eyes and looked at Lu ming with an astound expression.

    ¡°He is trying to connect with anotherw. He seeded in abandoning the Yin-yangw bacsh. We might be up for some good news today.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but smile. The boy stood up to his ims. A fourthw vision was breaking out.

    ¡°Does uncle knows whichw this is?¡± The valley master couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Galews.¡± A murderous tone was heard from Ti Shen. The three figures looked at Ti Shen, whose eyes went bloodshot. Teng patriarch and Valley master weren¡¯t able to understand what the matter was, but the Qi Monarch did.

    ¡°Just how could I forget the tragedy all those years ago. That bastard¡¯s mainw was gale after all.¡± The Qi Monarch could only sigh in regret. The very fact that Lu Ming has now chosen galews meant that some huge turmoils are going to ur within the sect.

    The Law vision presented itself and directly shot up to the Heavenlyyer. Lu Ming began to repeat some movements just like he did when connecting with Yin-Yangws. His movements were extremely slow due to theck of energy, but his understanding was increasing by the second.

    He decided to use his soul energy to fuel the formation and digest the Qi of Galews. He continued his trials. Soule energy was continuously expended, but thew energy couldn¡¯t be used. Almost half his soul energy was already wasted, but the formation only showed a slight movement.

    ¡°It will all work out in the end.¡± Lu Ming stayed positive and continued to fuel it. Finally, at the brink ofplete exhaustion, the formation began to devour thew energy and thew base of galews was formed within Lu Ming¡¯s body.

    His eyes were filled with exhaustion, and he lost his consciousness. It was the same time when thew blessings began.

    ...........................

    ¡°He will not be able to absorb thew blessings. What should we do?¡± The valley master asked. Lu Ming was bound to be the biggest character of their valley sooner orter.

    ¡°Use the formation to lock thew blessing power. Leave his body inside. Although it would be slow, the body will absorb the blessing on its own. As to what level he manages to promote into, depends on his abilities and fate.¡±

    The whole mountain was sealed and Lu Ming was left within it. He had finally managed to be a Quadw King.

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 Chapter 293

    293 THE RAID ON THE CITY FORCES

    Sheng Luo was sitting within his room near the altar, practising cultivation. It was thanks to the water element crystal provided by Li Meng, along with the fire energy from the altar which was helping his cultivation.

    ¡°Did you manage to break-through to the 9thyer of Qi King?¡±

    ¡°I can feel the level drawing loser. I am confident in breaking through level 9 of Qi King within the next week. Myw base is almost full.¡±

    ¡°I guess there would be a slight dy in the ns. I can¡¯t wait within the mountains for too long. I have two more weeks at max before I need to return to the sect for another task. I will have your breakthrough at the Qi Emperor level by that time.¡±

    ¡°How can that be possible. To you want me to suffer from cultivation deviation.¡± Sheng Luo couldn¡¯t help but criticize Li Meng. Anger was visible on his face.

    ¡°You have got some guts, to try and shout at me like that.¡± Li Meng vanished from sight and the next moment something pulled Sheng Luo¡¯s torso and banged his body against the nearest wall with a great amount of force. Sheng Luo immediately felt his internal organ shaken. The blood almost reached his mouth.

    Veins were popping his eyes, as he looked at the figure holding his neck. ¡± Your recent improvement to 8thyers seems to have increased your confidence by quite a bit.¡±, Li Meng simply threw him on the floor and looked at him with serious eyes. ¡± Remember, you would never be able to surpass me with such a pathetic attitude.¡±

    The words were like sword strikes to Sheng Luo, and he immediately vomited blood.

    ¡°How did a weakling like you manage to form twow bases with suchpatiblews?¡± Li Meng looked at him. He then threw a pill at Sheng Luo. ¡± Eat it.¡± Sheng Luo looked angrily at Li meng and threw it away.

    .....

    ¡°Aww.¡± Li Meng gave out a condescending look, before grabbing the pill and forcefully pushing it into Sheng Luo¡¯s mouth. ¡± this is thest time I will remind you. You are my servant. My orders are absolute.¡±

    The pill showed its effect quite fast as Sheng Luo¡¯s injury healed up. The Crimson-fox¡¯s me was quite helpful to LI Meng in concocting powerful pills like that. He then took out a small pouch from his vest and threw it at Sheng Luo.

    ¡°Within this is a special type of pill which I managed to formte specifically for you. They are formed from the purest power of element stones and will help you in filling up the required limit to break through the 9th level.¡±

    ¡°It will not cause any bacsh, as it will not be promoting you to a higher level, but rejuvenating and filling thew base. Once you manage to step into the 9th level, I left a manuscript to teach you formation, which might be able to help you reach the very peak of Qi King. That is my parting gift before l leave this ce.¡±

    Sheng Luo was surprised to see such a calm expression on Li Meng¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t even flinch a little bit while giving out such a huge amount of resources. He grabbed the pouch and looked inside just to see shiny pills extruding incredible medical energy.

    ¡°I won¡¯t be helping you in your breakthrough to the emperor level. That is something you need toprehend on your own. But I will be providing the necessary resources required for the breakthrough.¡±

    ¡°The date of my departure ising near and you are the key to the sess of my ns. You will be the one who is going to capture and take control of the Taiwan mountains. I will be taking my leave now.¡±

    ¡± How did you manage to break through so soon? I felt your aura before, and it was in the 7th level of Qi King. Thew energy was even moreplex than earlier. How did you?¡±

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t mingle your brains into matters which doesn¡¯t concern you. I haven¡¯t applied any sort of restriction on you because I need you to serve me faithfully. If you want to avenge your humiliation, you would need to be stronger than me. Show your face to me when can do that.¡±

    ¡°I will be wreaking havoc in the eastern region from now on. Before leaving, I will open up the path for your to follow in capturing the whole eastern border. That is going to be your aim before you can try to obtain the treasure within this mountain.¡±

    Sheng Luo was shocked upon hearing Li meng¡¯s words.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°What else? I would have taken the inheritance if you would have managed to assure me that you would be able to hold your grounds in this world. The brawl just now proved that you are not much. You will need to improve your strength. Use the inheritance in the cave to improve your strength.¡±

    ¡°Your mission is quite clear. You will be taking over the eastern region before appearing on the royal road. Meanwhile, I will try to find another inheritance for you which couldplement your otherw.¡±

    ¡°This is going to be one of the most important locations of control of my force. This is where the dominator¡¯s n will set up its root.¡±. Li Meng¡¯s expression turned evil at the moment.

    Sheng Luo couldn¡¯t help but feel both admiration and fear from the man in front of him.

    ¡°The information collected from the vice-leader indicates that there is another brother of the Mad-lion¡¯s leader. He is said to be the strongest and most talented of the three. If I have to predict, I will say that he is a Heavenly Law user, who is at the peak of Qi King at the very least. He must be bust breaking through the Qi Emperor level.¡±

    ¡°He will be returning soon, and that is when Mad-lions will be takingplete control over the region. You need to be aware of the fact that they would be having three Qi Emperors at that times, making them by far the most powerful force within the border areas.¡±

    ¡°Even if you break through the Qi Emperor level, you would at most be able to confront the three of them on equal footing. You need the inheritance to be powerful enough and take control over the whole region.¡±

    ¡°Today will be thest appearance of our group. The next time you will make an appearance will be when you break through and obtain the inheritance. I have left enough resources in the hands of the vice-leaders to help you train all the troop members to the adve level of Qi King. I even left a lot of martial arts for the troops to learn.¡±

    ¡°I hope the next time we face each other, I will see a new you. I would like to get the news of our group to have dominated the eastern borders of Taiwan mountains¡±

    Li Meng turned around to leave the room when Sheng Luo spoke again.

    ¡°What do you want to name it?¡±

    ¡°Crimson Dominators.¡± Li Meng said.

    He then vanished from the spot.

    .....................

    ¡°I guess you have begun to set up your force within this world.¡± The Keeper said in a questioning tone.

    ¡°I had to do it at some point in time. Why not now. I could feel that the Taiwan mountain holds much more secrets than we could fathom. It is only fair that I treat it as the treasure trove it truly is.¡± Long Tao said.

    ¡°I guess the Crimson Dominators is going to be the base for the future Crimson Lord sect.¡±

    ¡°Who said I am setting up a Crimson Lord sect?¡± Long tao said in a sarcastic tone. The Keeper couldn¡¯t help but look at Long Tao with an irritated look.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me with such animosity. Also, know your ce.¡± Long Tao gave a serious nce to the Keeper. For some reason, the Keeper felt a slight shiver in his back.¡± I am not requesting you to oblige, I am ordering it.¡±

    The Keeper gave a confused look to Long Tao.

    ¡°I might think about setting up a Crimson Lord sect If I felt like it.¡± LonG tao gave a cold smile and left for the throne room.

    The Pill pavilion master and training hall master appeared beside the Keeper.

    ¡°He is slowly turning into that man. I feel that he might be even more cold-blooded than him.¡± The training hall master said.

    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

    ¡°That man was cold, but he relied on his strength to achieve the things he did. This boy doesn¡¯t care about face, strength, honour. His only objective is toe out at the very top. He is unconcerned of the consequences as long as he is the winner.¡±

    ¡°Maybe that is what wecked which resulted in the current conditions of ours. He might just be the right person.¡± The Keeper said to himself while looking at the departing figure of Long Tao.

    ..................

    Mad-lions headquarters-

    ¡°I hope the troops are ready to depart vice-leader Lion.¡±

    ¡°It is. We await the iing of good news.¡±

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 Chapter 294

    294 THE RAID ON THE CITY FORCE-¡°When are we going to begin?¡± Li Meng asked Lion Ti.

    ¡°The scouts have returned and we have managed to confirm the location where the city force¡¯s campsite. You will be escorted by one of the scout teams to the location.¡± Lion Ti¡¯s word was apanied by a man in a ck sneak-suit who appeared. ¡± This is the leader of the scout¡¯s team. He will be assisting you in every possible way he can.¡±

    ¡°I thank the vice-leader to have enough faith in me. I will show you that your belief¡¯s very not unfounded. I will make the city force bear a loss they will remember and make them sink back to their stupid hole.¡±

    ¡°My trust in you doesn¡¯t matter. Since our leaders have decided to show their support, so will I. I wish you good luck for your expedition.¡±

    ¡°I wished myself lucky too.¡± Li Meng turned around and left to meet the group.

    ¡°The men we have chosen to apany you for the mission are some the best fighters among the Mad-lions. They are not only incredibly talented but extremely skilful. Make sure to bring them back alive.¡±

    The group soon came into sight, but Li Meng was shocked. He could see a group of pathetic looking people, who didn¡¯t look skilful at all. All of them were in the early Qi King level, and they weren¡¯t even carrying any decent weapon.

    ¡°So this is what you meant by skilful peoples.¡± LI Mengmented.

    ¡°Do we have a problem in here?¡± Long Ti asked with a mocking grin on his face.

    .....

    ¡± Not at all. I will manage with them. All you need to do is wait for the good news.¡± Li Meng ordered the group to follow him.

    ..........................

    Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°What is your n for this battle?¡±

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time to use thetest version of our Qi bombs. I was thinking of using them in future, but it seems I am going to take a good amount of loss today.¡±

    ¡°Even if you hand those bombs out, the most each can do is seriously injure a group of early Qi King level. All the fighters within the city troupe are of intermediate Qi king and better.¡±

    ¡°That is the exact reason why I said you to learn from my actions. If you can¡¯t ovee a hurdle with quality, you still have the option of using quantity.¡±

    ¡°Do you understand the amount required? You would need to a lot of the bombs to do some considerable damage.¡±

    ¡°I am thinking about using a fifth on the city forces.¡±. LonG tao replied.

    ¡°Are you insane? A fifth ould be enough to annihte a group of advanced QI Kings in an instant.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. I need the city forces to learn their ce. They aren¡¯t allowed to stay within the Taiwan mountains. They would pose a hurdle to Sheng Luo, and I don¡¯t want it. The Crimson Dominators needs to concentrate on the Mad-lions for now. Once Sheng Luo breaks through the Qi Emperor level and takes the inheritance, he would take care of the city forces by himself.¡±

    ¡°Good idea. I guess we need to prepare the amount required.¡±

    ¡°Take out half of the whole storage.¡± The Keeper instantly turned around to face Long Tao.

    ¡°What would you do with half of the Qi bombs?¡±

    ¡°I am not only nning to take care of the city forces. The Mad-lions needs to be taught a lesson.¡±

    ¡°But why are you taking such drastic steps?¡±

    ¡°I initially wanted to control the group of fighters and scouts apanying me and unleash a small massacre with the mad-lions for fun, but it seems that would being to fruition since these lousy bastards would get themselves killed. I can only use them to nt the bombs and disy a firework to the Mad-lion group.¡±

    ¡°That is some firework we are talking about.¡±

    ¡°Have all my avatars within the Crimson Lord worlde out and spread through the path. Half of them will take care of any scout following us. The other half will be in charge of the group present here and taking care of the city forces.¡±

    The Keeper nodded.

    ..................

    The City force¡¯s campsite-

    ¡°When shall wemence our next attack. We have already plundered and taken control of five bandits groups in the eastern borders. The city has taken control over these five areas.¡±

    ¡°Our soldiers are exhausted from the continuous battles. We need to rest for a bit. I say we dy the next attack by a day.¡± One of the leaders spoke up.

    ¡°We can¡¯t lose this momentum. Although the forces are exhausted, their spirits are at an all-time high. This momentum is going to help us win another battle or two. We can have the rest after that. We need to make use of our resources.¡±

    ¡°I want to have a vote. Those who wish for the expedition to continue to raise their hands.¡± More than half of the leaders raised their hands.

    ¡°I guess the next n of action is decided. We will be attacking at dawn. A new group of enemies will also be waiting for us.¡±

    ¡°IS that news from our scouts?¡±

    ¡°An informant of mine came up to me with the news. The Mad-lions seems to have sent a group toy an ambush for us within the path. They are supposed to attack us within the creek.¡±

    ¡°Is the source trustworthy?¡± One of the leaders asked.

    ¡°I have personally trained and nurtured him. He is the most loyal followers of mine within the bandit group. I trust his words since he reports everything he hears.¡±

    ¡°What if the enemy is using your follower to lure us into a trap?¡±

    ¡°I said he is one of my followers, not all there is.¡± The vice-leader of the independent associationughed with a cruel smile.

    ¡± I guess the vice-leader has nned for this expedition for a long time. The enemy wouldn¡¯t see thising.¡±

    ............................

    ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected this? There was a mole capable enough of learning about the expedition. The vice-leader seems to have some deep pockets and high capability to have managed to done something like that.¡± The Keepermented.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it is the vice leader¡¯s achievement. I think this was set up by the Mad-lions. The followers he is talking about should be someone from the Mad-lions who is portraying as his follower.¡±

    ¡°So someone is ying double agent here.¡±

    ¡°I also have a premonition that the vice-leader is not the one with actual control. There should be someone helping him from behind the scene. An advanced Qi King isn¡¯t capable of such a huge feat.¡±

    ¡°What are you suppose to do now?¡±

    ¡°We follow the n. There can be as many moles as possible. My ns aren¡¯t known to anybody. Tonight will be a great night for the city forces. They would never forget this.¡±

    ..........................

    Later that night-

    While the camp was deep in sleep, multiple figures came out of their tents and went into the forest. The awkward thing about these people was the fact that they were moving as if they were being manipted by someone.

    A group of people appeared in front of them holdingrge boxes.

    The group just received the boxes and returned to the campsite. Once there, they began to spread out and go from one tent to another cing small loads of spheres in and out of the tents.

    Soon enough all the spheres were ced in various locations, except for one box. The group sneakily approached the main tent where the meeting was being held. The leaders were still busy nning their next move for the uing battle. The figures just ced the remaining boxes around the tent, while slowly spreading the contents around.

    ..........................

    Within the main tent-

    The vice leader of the independent cultivator association was busy talking to the man apanying him. Although the man looked like a subordinate, there was something amiss about him.

    ¡°Are you sure about the next move sir?¡± The vice-leader asked in a low voice.

    ¡°I am positive. Yous should just attack the group that isying the ambush. They are constituted of weaklings.¡±

    Just when the figure was about to say something more, he suddenly felt a moment outside the tent.

    ¡°Who the fuck is in there?¡± The man waved his hand and grabbed the air in front of him. Soon enough a figure appeared within the view, injured and suffocated.¡± Who are you?¡±

    ¡°That is one of my men.¡± One of the leaders spoke up. He then looked at the man and asked. ¡± Why were you sneaking around the tent.¡± To his surprise, the man didn¡¯t answer.

    The man beside the vice-leader looked serious and began to operate his qi when the injured man gave out a brilliant smile. He looked the everyone around and opened his mouth.

    ¡°Boom.¡±

    Every single sphere sted apart.

    ....................

    The calm night sky was suddenly shaken by a loud bang within the middle of the forest. Li Meng who was standing far away from the ce saw the whole ce light up one after the other and said with an appreciative smile.

    ¡°That is one beautiful firework I created.¡±

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 Chapter 295

    295 THE RAID ON THE CITY FORCE-The explosion was powerful enough to st apart the whole area into nothingness. The fire finally subsided and revealed two figures standing at the location where the main tent was standing previously. Bodies were lying around him, most of them dead, and others gravely injured.

    The vice-leader was shivering with fear after experiencing a horrible scene around him. The lively party which was brimming with confidence and passion some time ago was lying in ruins, with most of the soldiers dead and the alive ones grave injured.

    If it hadn¡¯t been for the man beside him, the vice-leader would have been gravely injured at the very least, just like the rest of the people here.

    Fortunately, the other leaders were all practitioners of peak QI King level and had enough treasure for protecting themselves from such a powerful st. Even then, the outburst was strong enough to injure each one of them.

    When the group looked around them, they just found burnt destion.

    ¡°How did this happen? Just what caused such a disaster?¡± One of the leaders couldn¡¯t help but desperately blurt out. He was depressed on watching the troops belonging to his group dead. He couldn¡¯te up with anything that could justify this loss.

    ¡°It was due to that man I caught.¡± The figure blurted out.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± The man who pointed out that the guy spoke up.

    ¡°The man was the one who set up the bombs within the area. Just before the explosion, he said boom and sted himself up with the bombs. He must have nned it well and took the troops out with him.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Are you suggesting that my man was a traitor? Are you trying to sow discord against my group within the coalition.¡± the man instantly released his Qi, directing it at the figure.

    ¡°I am not using you or yo0ur group of anything. I am not even saying that it was the man¡¯s fault.¡±

    ¡°You just said that.¡±

    ¡°What I am trying to imply is that he was the one who nted the bombs and initiated the explosion sequence. I never said that he nned it out, acquired them or even had the conscience of nting them. I saw his eyes when I managed to catch him. He was being controlled.¡±

    ¡°You mean hypnotised because that is not possible. Or are you saying that the one who did it had any kind of leverage against my man?¡±

    ¡°You bumpkins might not have heard about this, but there are ways to control people. Although the method is spiteful and hated throughout the world, such a method exist. They are called soul controlling method.¡±

    ¡°The conspirator must have managed to control their soul and turned them into his puppets.¡± The man beside the vice-leader exined.

    ¡°I never heard of such kind of power being used within the Taiwan mountains. Where did such a persone from? Which group does he belong to? How can we win against such an entity?¡± The whole atmosphere turned nervous.

    Even the man in the hood was bummed out. Although he hadn¡¯te across such a skill himself, he knew that the requirement of soul control was having a soul power that is much higher than the one being controlled. The cultivator earlier was a Qi King level practitioner, which makes his soul power to be that of a soul master at the very least.

    ¡°The enemy is a soul grandmaster at the very least, which makes him a Qi Emperor in Qi cultivation basis.¡±

    ¡°Are you suggesting that a Qi Emperor personally interfered within the battle between the bandits and city forces and wiped out the coalition forces? If he was a Qi Emperor, he would have done that openly. No need to use methods like this.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how fools like you manage to hold such high positions within your organisation. If a Qi Emperor were to show up and directly confront the group, the emperors on our side would get involved. That would turn the current situation into a mess. He didn¡¯t want such a thing to happen.¡±

    ¡°We need to retreat and report these to our leaders It stime they step into the battlefield themselves.¡± One of the representatives said.

    ¡°The enemy didn¡¯t leave any traces behind that could prove that a Qi Emperor was involved. You wouldn¡¯t be able to gain the assistance of a Qi Emperor this way. They wouldn¡¯t even think about interfering without any hard proof. Sadly, the man earlier blew himself up. If I could have retained him, I might have been able to get the proof.¡±

    ¡°Retreat is still the only option here.¡± The leaders finally decided to retreat. They had just suffered one of the biggest losses ever recorded within the city¡¯s history. Every organisation had lost a lot of intermediate Qi Kings and even many advance QI Kings from their ranks. Almost 50% of the troops were dead, and the remaining were gravely injured and couldn¡¯t continue the battle.

    The coalition forces immediately began their retreat back to the city.

    .........................

    The crimson lord world-

    ¡°Using the soul control art frequently would result in burdening your soul space. Although it is better to use others to do your dirty work, you wouldn¡¯t be able to sustain the process.¡±

    ¡°Soul controls quite dangerous, but it¡¯s also the best way to increase my soul power and control. This is one of the best shortcuts I havee across. I will continue to use it to simte my soul space. I might even be able to derive new skills from this one.¡±

    ¡°What are your ns for the Mad-lions. There is no way they are going to just let you set up those bombs. Their base well-guarded.¡±

    ¡°I have a well-devised n of attack for them. I am going to use his own medicine against him.¡±

    ........................

    The Mad-lion¡¯s headquarters-

    ¡°Have anyone of you managed to find the reason behind the inability to get updates on the situation?¡± Lion Ti couldn¡¯t help but shout.

    ¡°Sir, the scout teams are not responding to their message talisman. Do you think they might be in some sort of danger?¡±

    ¡°That is not possible. The only ones who knew about this raid are the top echelon of our group and the scout teams, along with Li Meng. I have been watching his footsteps and he hasn¡¯t done anything suspicious until now. There is no way he would even know about the Team tailing him from shadows.¡±

    ¡°The attack is going to ur tomorrow at dawn. I need an update with an incense sticks time. Send another team of scouts if you have to. Get me the info. ASAP.¡±

    A soldier came running into the hall. ¡± Sir, the scout team captain has arrived to report an emergency.¡±

    Lion Ti rushed out and saw the scout team captain, all sweaty and breathless. ¡°What is the matter? You seem to be quite nervous.¡±

    ¡°Sir, bad news. We underestimated Li Meng.¡±

    ¡°Did he betray us?¡± Lion Ti asked.

    ¡°No. He attacked the base some time ago, and killed around half of the cultivators, injuring the rest.¡±. The scout¡¯s team¡¯s captain¡¯s words were like thunder falling from the sky.¡± What did you say. He attacked and managed to eliminate half of the groups present within the coalition forces.¡±

    ¡°And the rest are seriously injured. How did this happen?¡± Lion Ti gulped down a mouthful of saliva, trying to keep himself calm.

    ¡°He used some kind of explosive to take out the forces within the campsite. Not a single casualty is recorded on his side. He is currently on his way back to the base.¡±

    ¡°I guess we did underestimate him. He seems to have extraordinary means.¡± Lion Ti turned around and said to a man nearby. ¡°Prepare to receive his group. I am going to report this incident to the two captains.¡± Lion Ti left for the central hall. This was too big an incident. A single group led by Li Meng was capable enough of massacring half of the coalition forces. The disparity was too big.

    .........................

    ¡°You¡¯re saying that he managed to take care of half of the coalition forces, and made the rest injured and forced them to retreat. He did that in the short amount of time which he left with the group in.¡± The Mad-lion¡¯s leader asked.

    ¡°Yes. The scout captain personally rushed back to report this matter. He said that the means of Li Meng is too mysterious. The explosive he used seems to be some kind of special device, and the explosion was powerful enough to take care of every intermediate Qi King within the coalition forces.¡± Lion Ti replied.

    ¡°I guess we underestimated that bastard. Have him meet us as soon as he arrives. We can¡¯t let him go free. We need to change our ns regarding him. If his group has such powerful means, they would be a huge danger to our group.¡±

    ¡°What is your n regarding him.¡± The second brother asked.

    ¡°I guess we need to pass him a carrot. If he epts then good, otherwise we will have to substitute it with a stick. We can¡¯t let him and his group slide. He is not even the group leader, which means there is someone even more powerful and resourceful than him in the shadows.¡±

    Lion Ti was about to say something when he received a message from his talisman.

    ¡°He has arrived.¡±

    ...............

    The Mad-lions meeting hall-

    Li meng had made his way through the gates into the meeting hall with his group. All of them looked exhausted and rested on the floor while waiting for Lion Ti.

    Soon enough, Lion Ti came to the floor.

    ¡°Congrattions to captain Li Meng forpleting your mission. You stayed true to your words.¡±

    ¡°Your group could find the location with the help of one of these guys. All the remains are left there and I didn¡¯t interfere much with the retreating group. I hope you can take care of the rest yourself.¡±

    ¡°I would like to invite you for a meeting with the leader.¡± Lion Ti led Li meng to the inner halls. What he couldn¡¯t see was the cruel smile on Li Meng¡¯s face

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 Chapter 296

    296 LI MENG¡¯S REVENGE-(1)

    Soon enough the figures appeared within the core hall of the Mad-lions. The two emperors were waiting for Li Meng¡¯s arrival. The two figures looked at LI meng who was calmly standing in front of them.

    ¡°You seems to have lived up to your words. I am surprised by the extent of your means. I didn¡¯t expect you to be able to eliminate half of the coalition forces.¡±

    ¡°I could have taken care of the whole group if you would have presented with a better team. I guess the Mad-lions are not satisfied with my actions.¡± Li Meng looked at Lion Ti. The two leaders didn¡¯t understand what he meant. They told Lion Ti to provide him with skilled force.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you meant with your usation.¡± One of the two emperors looked at Lion Ti, who was smiling nervously while looking at them.

    ¡°What I meant was the tant use of power by your servant to provide me with lousy men who couldn¡¯t even follow orders properly, and useless during a fight with the coalition forces. I had to use some other means to take care of those bastards. It would have been a lot easier if you had just provided me with the proper force to go with.¡±

    Lion Ti didn¡¯t expect Li Meng to be so blunt in his usation. He couldn¡¯t deny the fact, since Li meng had already proven his capability.

    ¡°He acted on my orders.¡± The other emperor stepped in to save face for Lion Ti. ¡± I just wanted to test your capabilities in leading the group. You did well. I ampletely satisfied with your achievements. That is all we did.¡±

    ¡°As an apology for my actions, I would like to provide your group with the title of a second-grade authority within the coalition. You will be directly under the Mad-lions. As per your position, you can act as one of the vice-masters of the coalition.¡±

    ¡°Another position will be created for your leader.¡± LI meng was surprised by the drastic actions taken by the Mad-lions¡¯s leader. He had a good grasp of control over any kind of situation.

    .....

    ¡°I hope you are satisfied with these conditions. In addition, we will also allow you and the leader of your group to enter and choose treasures from the Mad-lion¡¯s treasury. You could each choose to take 2.¡± Li Meng¡¯s impression of the two leaders was increasing by the second. The two managed to adapt to the situation quite well.

    ¡°I thank the leaders for their generosity.¡± Li Meng bowed and said to the two men.

    ¡°We like to get a detailed report from you. Just how did you manage to carry out the mission?¡±

    ¡°Well, I managed to use some of our group¡¯s treasures to Formte an area attack and take care of the enemy forces. I am pretty sure that more than half of them are dead. As per the remaining, most of them are gravely injured and wouldn¡¯t be able to take any actions against us.¡±

    ¡°I watched the city forces, retreat quite fast. They should be near the city as of now.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you eliminate the enemy?¡± The leader asked Li Meng.

    ¡°My men were exhausted from the battle and wouldn¡¯t be to continue the momentum. We were forced to retreat.¡±

    ¡°My scouts informed me something else about the mission. They aid that there was an explosion within the enemy camp, which was arranged by you. Not only did you not tell us the truth about your attack, but you also try to say that your men were exhausted.¡±

    ¡°Someone told me that was all they did. I guess the Mad-lions didn¡¯t believe me after all.¡± The leader who just spoke up felt like he had fallen into Li Meng¡¯s trap.

    ¡°I also didn¡¯t hide anything from you. I just didn¡¯t give out the whole information to you. Yet you not only set spies on my tail but also use me o flying. Is this how Mad-lions treat their benefactors.¡± Li Meng rasied hi svoice. ¡± I guess your words earlier were just filled with crap.¡±

    He then looked at the two leaders and said.¡± DO you take me to be some weak wimp, who will fear your threats?¡± A murderous expression appeared on Li Meng¡¯s face. The three figures who saw the expression felt a shiver in their soul. They were Qi Emperor, but a Qi King managed to give them a good scare. This was embarrassing.

    ¡°We were just kidding earlier, brother Li. You shouldn¡¯t take the words of my younger brother seriously. We would like a truthful ount from you.¡± The eldest brother spoke up.

    ¡°I said the truth earlier. The men you provided me with were involved in the whole preparation and hence arepletely exhausted from the secret mission. The efforts that went into executing this dangerous mission is quite immense. Their mind and body are exhausted. I can¡¯t continue the killing, as it would only result in my group being eliminated.¡±

    ¡°I will trust brother Li¡¯s words for now. I find that the rewards provided earlier are too little for someone of your calibre. I would like to propose another deal with you. You are sure to profit from it.¡±

    ¡°I would love to hear it.¡± Li Meng spoke.

    ¡°I would like for you to join the Mad-lions as our vice-leader. What do you say? Your rank will be right below us two, and you will be the lordmander of the Mad-lion army. All of its forces will be avable for you to use.¡±

    ¡°We would also assist you in your cultivation so that you can reach the peak of Qi King as soon as possible. We would also protect you when you break through the Qi Emperor level. Given yourws are powerful enough, you might even be awarded the position of leader of Mad-lions shortly.¡±

    Lion Ti¡¯s expression was aghast on hearing this. Even the second brother was shocked to hear the proposal of the eldest. They didn¡¯t expect him to try so hard to win over Li meng. Was he worth that much?

    ¡°I have to thank you for considering me worthy of recruitment. Your proposal also seems to be fair. Would you give me some time to figure things out and give you my reply?¡± Li Meng requested.

    ¡°You have until the end of tomorrow to decide. I will be awaiting your reply.¡± The eldest¡¯s body suddenly emanated QI which began to suppress Li Meng. He felt like a huge force was pushing him down. He couldn¡¯t believe that even after breaking through the advanced Qi Emperor realm with so manyws, he isn¡¯t able to even resist the pressure.

    ¡°I hope you make the correct decision. It is vital for the survival of you and your group.¡± The eldest gave out a friendly smile.

    ¡°I will be taking my leave now.¡± Li Meng bowed and left the room.

    .........................

    The Crimson lord world-

    ¡°I am still not able to resist a newbie Qi Emperor, even after breaking through the advanced Qi King ss. Is the disparity so strong.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about the disparity, but rather the condition under which you confronted him. He is not a newbie Qi Emperor. He is currently on the verge of entering the 4th level of Qi King. He must be talented with more than three earthenws at the very least.¡±

    ¡°Another reason is the fact that you haven¡¯t cultivated your body recently. While your Qi is in the Qi King level, your body cultivation isn¡¯t. Only when youpletely break through the QI King level would the Hell-forge scripture provide you with any new arts.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯tpare your current condition ording to what you¡¯ve experienced before breaking through Qi King level. Even if you manage topletely break through the QI King level with all your clones, you would still need to spend a lot of time within it before you could break through the next level.¡±

    Long Tao calmed his head down. The Keeper¡¯s word was filled with merit. He hadn¡¯t followed the same procedure as when he cultivated in the previous four levels. There was still Hell-forge and Crinson world art to practice for the Qi Kingyer.

    ¡°Another aspect which has been neglected for some time now is the body cultivation. You haven¡¯t even seen the art which would help you to cultivate the next level of body cultivation.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to push through the level fast since the Royal road is approaching near. I need to prove myself to get a ticket.¡± Long Tao¡¯s objective was to conquer the whole royal road. The exam might provide him with immense power along with the secret of entering the Qi Monarch level.

    The resources collected until now could only sustain him for the Qi Emperor level. QI Monarch and above would require a whole other set of resources which was of much higher quality.

    ¡°We still have time for the nextpetition to ur. You could use the time to grow up and be powerful enough.¡±

    ¡°I guess I should concentrate on the matter at hand.¡±

    .................

    Mad-lion¡¯s core hall-

    ¡°Was it worth it to offer so many rewards to Li Meng?¡± The second brother and Lion Ti were waiting for the eldest¡¯s reply.

    ¡°He seems to be hiding his means. He didn¡¯t even flinch when I tried to pressurise him with my aura, and I am about to break through the 4th level. We need such men within our group if we wish to conquer the Taiwan mountains. We both know that the minimum requirement to even think about entering the central zone is for us to have at least three Qi Emperors in the intermediate level.¡±

    ¡°What do you think about the strongest power residing within the core region of Taiwan mountains. They have controlled the region for god knows how long. Their leader is at the peak of Qi emperors. They might even be of some higher level. DO you think we three would be able to capture the whole mountain with just our strength?¡±

    The two people understood the eldest¡¯s intentions. They were about to say something when an explosion was heard within the Mad-lion¡¯s base camp.

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 Chapter 297

    297 LI MENG¡¯S REVENGE-(2)

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°Are you going through with this?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°I am. How could I let go of my revenge? I would have just made a spectacle of their weakness and killed some small figures within the sect, but they vited the baseline. I could have easily taken care of the whole army except for those who were at the peak of Qi King If I had the help of a skilled Qi cultivator.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect them to give me any advanced Qi King due to the risk factor, but I did expect intermediate Qi king. I didn¡¯t expect them to give me absolute trash.¡±

    ¡°Your group is filled with Qi generals. Those guys were no trash whenpared to your group as of no.¡±

    ¡°All my group members are Qi King snow. Also, I have personally trained them and together they have the confidence to even kill an advance, QI King. The mongrels which I got are worthless shit who lie at the bottom of the chain in Mad-lions.¡±

    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my preparation with Qi bombs, no matter how skilled I was in leading people, we would have been exterminated.¡±

    The Keeper couldn¡¯t find an argument to deny the fact.

    ¡°I am going to cripple their organisationpletely. It wouldn¡¯t matter if they have QI emperors within their ranks, they are bound to be destroyed by me.¡±

    .....

    ¡°You need to think this through. If you do attack the Mad-lions you aren¡¯t just taking your revenge. There are consequences of your actions.¡±

    ¡°The Mad-lions dare to plot against me by giving the enemy information about me.¡±

    ¡°And yet you not only seeded but annihted half of the city forces, injuring the other half. This has taught the leaders of Mad-lions to take you seriously. That is the reason he is trying to extend a carrot to you.¡±

    ¡°It would soon be a burnt piece of carrot. I don¡¯t need such a thing.¡±

    ¡°If you go through with this n, you wouldn¡¯t just have Mad-lions as your enemy. They would make sure that the city forces also knows that your group was responsible for their current state. You would have enemies on two frontiers and no one to help you.¡±

    ¡°You need to understand that they wouldn¡¯t be able to conquer and unite the eastern region if you cripple them like this. You n to take the throne from them, not build the throne yourself. You are just too impatient for something like that.¡±

    ¡°I guess you can say so.¡±

    ¡°Just reign in your feelings for now and bid your time. When the timees, that guy would be sure to take revenge for you.¡±

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t even know that I did something like this. How do you expect him to take revenge?¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t in a y. You could always take back your words and meet him once again before leaving. Update him on the current status and what his objective should be.¡±

    ¡°I have no interest in that. I gave him a task, and he is supposed toplete it. If he can¡¯t, it means that he is just a worthless burden, who isn¡¯t eligible to be a part of my force.¡±

    ¡°I need blood to appease my anger. So0meone is going to die today.¡±

    ........................

    The core room-

    The hall was shaking due to the loud explosion which urred mear seconds ago.

    ¡°What is happening?¡±

    ¡°It is the work of Li Meng. He is the only one with the means to carry out something like this. We need to capture him before he could leave the base.¡±

    ¡°Take care of the explosives first. we can¡¯t let the same thing repeatedly. The Mad-lions can¡¯t bear losing arge fraction of our forces.¡±

    ¡°Second, you take charge of capturing Li Meng. Ti and I will be in charge of diffusing the explosives and safeguarding the base.¡±

    The second Qi Emperor nodded his head and left the room. Lion Ti and the eldest Qi Emperor left for the other halls. Unknown to them, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was none other than Li Meng.

    ¡°Although I can¡¯t kill you because of your utility, I do need to teach you a lesson.¡± Li Meng left for a passage that led even deeper into the Mad-lions base. It was where the Mad-lions treasury was. The two emperors guarded it by themselves.

    ¡°I guess we need to see what the Mad-lions saved until now.¡±

    Li Meng rushed into the depths o the Mad-lions base, just to find out a big door obstructing the view. He pushed it open, just to find out that it wasn¡¯t moving.

    ¡°They must have used some sort of formation to lock it in.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect bandits to be so resourceful. Could you assist me this time? I am in a rush.¡± The Keeper nodded in response. Li Meng began to open the treasury with the Keeper¡¯s help.

    ..................

    ¡°Did you manage to find Li Meng?¡± The eldest asked the second brother.

    ¡°he is not present in any of the rooms. He must have hidden with the halls or the underground prison.¡±

    ¡°Ok. You need to rush to the prison. I will go to the halls. We need to find him. The bombs couldn¡¯t be found by me. He must have hidden them somewhere where we couldn¡¯t detect them. Only he could help us find it. Regroup the soldiers and send them to find him.¡±

    The two figures nodded and left the room. Only Lion Ti remained. He thought about the possible location where Li Meng might be present.

    ¡°His objective wouldn¡¯t be to destroy the Mad-lions as that wouldn¡¯t benefit him in any way. The only feasible option is to do something which would affect the Mad-lions while not depleting our manpower.¡±

    It was at this juncture that a thought came to his mind.

    ¡°What if he went to that ce? But that should be a secret location unknown to most of the people in Mad-lions. Even if he reaches there, the formation guarding the room is not something he could breakthrough force.¡±

    But something felt wrong with the situation. They couldn¡¯t find any explosives in the Mad-lion base. Where were they exactly? Lion Ti tuned towards the inner rooms and rushed towards the treasury.

    .................

    The inner halls-

    After a good amount of work, the formation was finally broken by Li Meng. He burst through the door after the formation was destroyed. Once inside, Li Meng saw huge piles of treasures lying all around the room. The resources present was enough to groom soldiers for the Mad-lions.

    ¡°The leaders must have spent a lot of effort to gather the treasures.¡±

    Li meng decided to take the ones which were useful to him like the elemental stones and High-grade Qi stones.

    ¡°Take the ck sword which is embedded within the rock. That is the best weapon present within the treasury. Take the incense burner within that corner too. They are the only two treasures which I find to be useful to you.¡±

    Li Meng instantly put the sword and the incense burner within the Crimson Lord world. He was about to destroy the rest of the treasures when the Keeper reminded him of something else.

    ¡°Do you see that rock lying at the end of thest pile?¡± Li Meng turned around to find a big rock lying undisturbed in thest pile. It had no special features which distinguished it from other things in the room. It was too casual a thing to store in the Treasure room.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Potentially the best possession of the Mad-lions. It could be the pathway for you to brek-through the Chaosw level. Take it fast.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°We have no time to discuss. Just take the rock. I could feel a figure rushing in this direction. We need to leave the room.¡±

    Li Meng decided to ask the Keeper at ater date. He took the rock and kept it within the Crimson Lord world and was about to inflict some serious damage to the treasury when a figure appeared within his range of view.

    ¡°As expected. You are here.¡± It was none other than Lion Ti. He took out a message talisman and burst it. Li Meng just smiled when he saw that.

    ¡°I guess we need to cut it short.¡± He took out a storage ring and emptied the content within it. Hundreds of spheres appeared within the view of Lion Ti.

    ¡°May we meet again.¡± Li Meng vanished from his view.

    ...................

    ¡°He is within the treasury.¡± The two emperors received the message from Lion Ti. They rushed towards the treasury, just to find a group of figures blocking their way. They were the same people who apanied Li Meng during the attack on the coalition forces.

    The figures began to swell up, and before the two emperors could act out, the ten figures ignited their core and exploded. The two figures used a curtain Qi to guard against the force of the explosion. They decided to analyse the situation at ater time and rushed towards the treasury, just to find a figure rushing out of it.

    ¡°Fall back.¡± Lion Ti shouted. A huge explosion took ce secondster and the scene changed.

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 Chapter 298

    298 THE SECRETS OF CHAOS LAW-(1)

    The force from the explosion pushed Lion Ti forward. The gate guarding the Treasury was blown apart, along with the walls of the passage leading to it. The two emperors who were rushing in his direction tried their best to get hold of him and guard against the st, but it was too powerful.

    Lion Ti¡¯s body smashed into the second and the two figures were bashed onto the opposite wall.

    ¡°Are you ok?¡± The eldest emperor couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°We are fine. Just some minor injuries.¡± The second emperor verified his body and spoke up.

    ¡°Who did this?¡±

    ¡°It was Li Meng. Although the man inside was covering his face, the sphere used by him was of the same kind as that of the spy reported of being used during the attack.¡±

    ¡± We need to find some proof to take action. The situation as of now is too messy. We haven¡¯t even checked the damage received due to the sts which urred in the halls.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about the figure being Li Meng?¡± The second insisted on taking action on Li Meng.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the treasury first.¡± Three figures rushed into the treasury, just to find most of the contents wasted. ¡°Most of the contents are destroyed. Only the king level weapons and Qi stones were still present, although heavily damaged.

    .....

    ¡°We just lost half of our treasury¡¯s content.¡± Lion Ti was bbergasted by the urrence.

    ¡°We need to verify the valuables first. Ti you search for the ck sword and the incense burner. Second search for the elemental stones and the other emperor weapons. I will search for the rock.¡±

    They regrouped after some time with disappointing results. ¡± That bastards took everything valuable we possessed. Especially that rock. It was the mainponent of the inheritance that our brother obtained. He would be so disappointed with us.¡±

    ¡°Given he doesn¡¯t kill us, it would be a disappointment.¡± The second brother pointed out.

    ¡°What was that rock?¡± Lion Ti asked.

    ¡°I asked him once. He said that the rock might be the key to us dominating the whole Taiwan mountain. The rock must have a great secret within it.¡±

    ¡°We need to find it before he returns. Order all the men to assemble in the main hall. A quarter of them will be taking care of the construction. The rest are going to search for that bastard¡¯s group. We must recover our treasures. The sword, along with the incense burner was also something that he left for us to use. He is going to kill us.¡± The eldest brother was too agitated.

    ¡°We will find it.¡± Lion Ti ran out of the room.

    ¡°he will pay for this.¡± The second brother gritted his teeth.

    .........................

    The Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°What is that rock? I almost got caught because of it.¡± Long Tao wanted to know the secret about the rock.

    ¡°That rock might be the key to achieve what you have been trying all this time.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°What have I been trying to do?¡±

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you trying to reach the Chaosw level? This is the key to that realm.¡±

    ¡°This dirty piece of rock is the key to Chaosw level. Would you care to exin it in detail?¡±

    ¡°DO you even understand what the meaning of Chaosw level is?¡±

    ¡°It is something even more powerful than Heavenlyyer. It is much near to the creation of Qi.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s just one of its properties. The actual meaning of Chaosw Is far more profound. Chaosw is named likely because of the base it is created upon. Would you like to guess what the base is?¡±

    ¡°I guess I have to say the elements of the world we live in. Like the otherws we connect to, Chaosw must be based on something which is connected to the world, but is extremely near in meaning to the source.¡±

    ¡°Wrong answer. The base of Chaos Laws is nothing. The namees from the word Chaos which means nothingness, and hence is something brand new.¡±

    ¡°When someone wants to connect with Human, earthly or Heavenlyws, they try to connect with the attribute of the world which they are acquainted it, have practised and understood the meaning of. Chaosw on the other hand is not something which already exists in the world and hence is not bound to it.¡±

    ¡°The reason behind cultivators dying to establish aw base of Chaos is the fact that it is not something which is limited by the Heaven itself. Everyw base is limited by the power attainable by taping its source. The Heavenlyws can never be as powerful as Heaven itself. Hence its power is limited.¡±

    ¡°But Chaosws are not limited.¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°There is no limit to the power attainable by chaosws. It would depend on the person who is using it. Depending on the person¡¯s capability, Chaosw could be as weak as Humanws, or even weaker, or can be stronger than the Heaven itself. Of course the former is not feasible;e possibility since anyone who is remotely capable of establishing a Chaosw base is quite talented.¡±

    ¡°I initially wanted you to find the truth with your efforts and l; eave it up to fate, but you manage toe across a treasure like this rock. We can¡¯t let the opportunity go to waste. You can use the rock to understand the actual meaning behind Chaosws.¡±

    ¡°How is this waste looking rock going to help me?¡±

    ¡°As I said, Chaosw is something which is created out of nothingness. But the fact remains that its structure is simr to any otherw present within the world. You are just trying to create a neww, but simr structure. The only difference is that thew will belong to you alone and no one else.¡±

    ¡°To achieve a feat like that, you need to understand twoponents. Whatw is and how it is formted. To understand the first part, what you are doing as of now would be more than enough. The morew you manage to connect to, the more your understanding about the structure ofw increases and hence it increases your chances to formte a new one.¡±

    ¡°The otherponent is equally important. It is to understand what the building block of anyw is. Inyman¡¯s term, it can be called world energy. When you try to establish a neww, what you are trying to do is to shape the world energy into something which would be aponent of the world itself.¡±

    ¡°Hence you require to understand what world energy is to formte any kind of neww.¡±

    ¡°Every single entity who has managed to establish Chaosw until now has spent a lot of time in understanding the world energy and the various kinds ofws. It takes a lot of time to reach the level required to even try forming a Chaosw.¡±

    ¡°Fortunately you take two incredible cheats in this region. You have the Crimson lord artefact to take care of the time required, and the avatars to gain understanding regarding the structure ofws. The only thing remaining is to understand world energy.¡±

    ¡°You can do that with the help of twoponents. The first one would be that piece of waste rock which you collected and the second would be the artefact itself. As you can see, that Crimson lord world is independent in itself and is not bound by thews of this world.¡±

    ¡°If you try and understand the source of its power, you could gain an understanding of what world energy means. But trying to grasp the meaning of something which is far beyond your level is not something that could result in sess. The only way to go is to take the reference from something which could give you an understanding of world energy.¡±

    ¡°And that rock is such a thing?¡±

    ¡°That rock is not the thing we are looking for. The thing which is trapped inside of the rock is what we are trying to get our hands on.¡±

    ¡°What is inside it?¡± Li Meng was getting excited about the hidden treasure.

    ¡°Do you still remember the meaning behind cultivation level which I discussed with you?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Yous aid there are three varied categories of cultivation level each containing of threeyers. After that, you went into details of each of the category.¡±

    ¡°Yes. When you enter thest category of cultivation level which begins with the Qi Dominator realm, you begin to understand the meaning of many different kinds of energies that constitute the world and yourself. It is by mastering these energies that you¡¯re able to reach ascension and be a Qi god.¡±

    ¡°One of the energy is the world energy.¡±

    ¡°So there is something within that rock which belongs to someone in Qi Dominator realm.¡± Li Meng¡¯s breathing rate was getting faster by the second.

    ¡°It is much more valuable than something that belongs to a Qi Dominator.¡±

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 Chapter 299

    299 THE SECRET OF CHAOS LAW-¡°Although Qi Dominators do manage to understand the various types of energies, they mostly concentrate on energies which could refine the body and theirw domain. They don¡¯t concentrate on anything else. It is only when one steps above the Dominator realm that they manage to grasp an understanding of what true energies are.¡±

    ¡°The rock belongs to someone who was above the Dominator realm.¡± Li Meng was getting goosebumps just from imagining the value of this rock.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What are the cultivation levels above Dominator realm?¡±

    ¡°Above Dominator there is half-saint and saint realm, which ultimately leads to the path of ascension.¡±

    ¡°Then the rock belongs to a Half-saint.¡±

    ¡°Yes. A truly powerful one at that. If I have to estimate his cultivation level, he would be extremely near the saint realm. Another hundred years and he/she would have broken through the saint realm easily.¡± Li Meng was bbergasted on hearing the source of the rock.

    ¡°A half-saint.¡± He went into a joyful trance for some time.

    ¡°You should concentrate on the matter at hand. Even if you have a treasure like this, you wouldn¡¯t be able to use it to break through the Chaos level.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Why not?¡±

    ¡°Because the rock itself is not the treasure. The actual treasure is hidden inside it. The cultivator to whom this rock belonged had left a powerful seal on its surface. It is not something you could break.¡±

    ¡°But the Crimson world artefact should be able to break it right?¡±

    ¡°It can. But you need to make a very important decision before we go ahead with the formation.¡±

    ¡°What is the decision about?¡±

    ¡°Whether you would give in to the treasure, or let most of its power go to waste and try to attain the Chaosw realm.¡± The Keeper¡¯s words struck a chord in Long Tao¡¯s heart. He had to let most of the treasure go to waste if he wanted to attain the Chaosw realm.

    ¡°We don¡¯t even know for sure that you would be able to attain the Chaosw realm or not. But if you were to give up on Chaosw, then the treasure inside is capable enough of boosting your Qi strength to the Qi Dominator realm, along with the inheritance left by the cultivator himself.¡±

    ¡°Why would the treasure go to waste if I wanted to use it to understand the worldw?¡±

    ¡°The treasure inside is something which was once an integral part of the Half-saint. If you directly absorb it, it would begin to modify both your Qi and body and boost your cultivation level directly to a Qi Dominator without any side-effects.¡±

    ¡°The person who arranged the treasure must have thought a lot about his future inheritor. But the fact remains, that Chaosw can only be achieved in the QI King realm. Hence you would need to use the treasure as a catalyst to understand world energy.¡±

    ¡°But the problem with such an activity would be the expenditure of the treasure¡¯s power, which couldn¡¯t be regained. Hence if you want to understand the secret of world energy, while remaining within the Qi king realm, you would need to give up on most of its power.¡±

    Long Tao was pushed into a state of dilemma. He wanted to obtain power as fast as possible. The treasure would be the shortest way to gain a huge amount of power without any side effects. But he walked the path of Dominators. How could he be satisfied with heavenlyws?

    ¡°I have decided. I would like to use it as a catalyst. I am going to learn the world energy and formte myws.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡± The Keeper was happy to see that Long Tao didn¡¯t lose sight of the bigger picture. They aimed to make Long Tao the strongest being within the world. How could that be achieved with heavenlyws? They had to surpass the world itself to be powerful enough to dominate it.

    ¡°What is the treasure within that rock?¡±

    ¡°The cultivator whom the rock belonged to had gathered all his energy, understanding and power into creating a stream of blood essence. The rock contains that blood essence within itself. Once an inheritor is capable enough of unlocking the formation, he/ she would be able to gain the blood essence of the half-saint.¡±

    ¡°If a cultivator tries to absorb it and is capable enough to sustain his soul through the process, not only would he be endowed with a huge amount of energy which the half-saint concentrated within the drop of blood, they would also benefit in terms of their body.¡±

    ¡°The blood essence which he hid within the rock has been refined to an extreme degree to not have any impurities which had been gathered by the original owner. Hence it would directly lift the absorber¡¯s body to the very peak of martial Dominator realm at the very least.¡±

    ¡°There is another hidden reward within the blood essence, which is the memory of the Half-saint. All his life experiences along with his knowledge and arts would be transmitted to the inheritor.¡±

    ¡°If those idiots would have been able to discover its secrets and absorb the essence, wouldn¡¯t they be powerful cultivators by themselves?¡±

    ¡°This is where the irony lies. If the inheritor is not fated enough, not only would he not be able to absorb the essence, but in turn, his being would be absorbed by the essence itself.¡±

    ¡°When I said that the body of the cultivator would be promoted directly to the peak of Qi monarch, that is all there is to it. I never said that the soul power would increase too. If the cultivator who absorbs it doesn¡¯t possess enough soul power, his will would be crushed by the tribtions of Martial Dominator realm.¡±

    ¡°Since the body had been suddenly upgraded to the highest level, subsequent tribtion will fall one after the other. If he could survive, his body would burst as a result of overload and the blood essence would absorb all the energy and search for another inheritor.¡±

    Long Tao gulped a mouthful of saliva. His hair was standing up upon understanding the cruelty with which this inheritance was designed.

    ¡®Would my current level of soul cultivation allow me to bear the inheritance?¡±

    ¡°No. Your soul energy is still not powerful enough. You would require to jump a whole level to reach the basic requirement that would give you a chance to even obtain the inheritance. The best state is to try and absorb the essence when you have reached the peak of Qi Monarch realm.¡±

    QI Monarch realm was quite far for now. Long tao couldn¡¯t wait for such a long time.

    ¡°What are my chances of forming Chaosw without the essence?¡±

    ¡°Your understanding ofw energy is enough already. But you would need to start concentrating on world energy and that would only be possible if you start meditating and studying the world energy only. It would take you 20 years in the outside world to be able to reach the level required for establishing Chaosw base.¡±

    ¡°You mean to say that I would require 200-year of actual cultivation time to set a chaosw base. How difficult is it?¡±

    ¡°Very difficult. The path of domination is not an easy one to walk, and it¡¯s not a fast one.¡±

    ¡°I guess there is only one way to go then. We will use the blood essence as a catalyst to understand world energy. When can we begin?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not easy to extract the blood essence, and it¡¯s certainly not easy for the artefact to control it in the way we want. The artefact would require another update before it could handle the power.¡±

    ¡°So, I need to break through one or two more times.¡±

    ¡°You can do that, or find resources of emperor and monarch level which could heal the damage of the artefact. Only by upgrading the artefact once again could we control the energy within the essence.¡±

    ¡°You would also need to increase your soul energy and enhance the understanding ofw even more. It is going to take another2 or 3 breakthroughs to reach that level.¡±

    ¡°It means that I would have only 3 more chances to form Chaosw base.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± The Keeper said in a serious tone. Long Tao nodded in understanding. Initially, he thought that with each breakthrough he would be able to get closer to the required level. But the truth disappointed him.

    ¡°I guess we can only leave it on fate. Let¡¯s leave to find a second brother and get the details regarding the second mission I have toplete.¡±

    ¡°You should hide your cultivation level. He might get shocked by your speed. Gathering attention on yourself is not an intelligent move unless you have absolute power over your surroundings.¡±

    ¡°No need to hide. I would just say that I came across a good fortune within the mountains. I need to show the authorities my value, or they wouldn¡¯t find me the worth of investing in.¡±

    ..

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 Chapter 300

    300 THE SECOND MISSION-The damage inflicted by the st was too huge to even cover-up. Soon enough all the forces within the eastern region were aware of the fact. Many of the organisation sent their messengers and some even began to send their spies secretly, trying the verify the situation within the Mad-lion¡¯s base.

    ¡°Howrge is the damage?¡±

    ¡°That bastard nned quite well. He managed to force the men sent with him to be suicide bombers. We didn¡¯t manage to find the bombs because they were carrying them with them. Some of our men would have been able to reduce the damage, but those men blew themselves up.¡±

    ¡°As of now, the rough estimate stands at half of our base being destroyed and a quarter of what is left is in near rubbles. As for the treasury, he took every single important stuff within it including the elemental stones, high-grade Qi stones, king and emperor level weapons, and the three treasures left by our brother.¡±

    ¡°Have we managed to trace his location?¡± The eldest emperor spoke up.

    ¡°There is no trace of him left within the base or the nearby area.¡± Lion Ti was exhausted from all the search.

    ¡°What about the location of his group¡¯s base?¡±

    ¡°That remains a mystery too. We haven¡¯t been able to find any of their members roaming around within the eastern area. I am even starting to feel that they might not be from the eastern area at all. For all we know, they might be a part of some powerful group from other areas.¡±

    ¡°The bombs are too absurd a resource. To have something like that within their possession proves their capabilities. I don¡¯t even know of anyone who could create something like that. A weapon like that requires one to know weapon refining, alchemy and formations. They should at least be a Qi King to be able to create something.¡±

    .....

    ¡°The number of resources which goes into the creation of these bombs should also be humongous. Just where could they find so many resources from?¡±

    ¡°I think that they wasted a lot of their inventory in this attack. They might not even have much of it left with them.¡± The second brother but in.

    ¡°Even if they used most of their bombs, that doesn¡¯t change the fact that they could always make more. It is an incredible weapon if used properly. If the numbers are enough, it might even be able to kill Qi Emperors.¡±

    ¡°Send a notice to every group that we are searching for a notorious bandit group who tried to take advantage of us and are hence branded as criminals. Have every yes within the eastern region search for them.¡±

    ¡°As you wish¡± Lion Ti bowed and left for the main hall.

    ¡°We need to get our hands on the treasures which brother left behind. He said that they would be the source of endless power for us. How could we let such a powerful treasure be stolen? It would be even better if we could find a way to make the bombs. Our ns would be cut short with the help of those.¡±

    .................

    The City-

    The guards were on alert of an attack on the city walls. The expedition force whichprised of peak Qi Kings returned with most of them exterminated and the rest being severely injured. Except for the peak Qi kings, everyone else was hurt bad. The morale was down due to the immense loss.¡±

    ¡°The burnt of this failure ultimately fell on the shoulders of the independent cultivator¡¯s associations since they were the ones who initiated the campaign. The vice-leader who was in charge of the quest was heavily penalised and punished.¡±

    ¡°I guess we do need something to show to the masses. This would also take out a lot of burden off our shoulder.¡±

    ¡°Do it.¡± The leader was pissed at the situation they were in. Never since the establishment of this association did he undergo this type of humiliation.

    ¡°We could cut his sry.¡± Someone proposed.

    ¡°That is not going to help. He is a valuable resource of the association and a very powerful practitioner at that. This is a time of desperation for our association. We need all the manpower we could gather for the enemies we are going to face from now on.¡±

    ¡°Especially the punishment you just rmended is not a feasible option since the loss is quite huge. He wouldn¡¯t able to make up for the losses even if he works his bones off to next ten years.¡±

    ¡°We need to use his power for the benefit of our organisation. We could publicize the fact that he is being imprisoned at the prison while using him to conduct covert operations for the benefit of the organization. Agreed is the fact that he will no be provided with anypensation for his work for at least a year or two. How is that for a punishment for the crime.¡±

    ¡°We are just pying a me game as of now.¡± The vice-leader insisted on keeping everyone in the team.

    The independent cultivator association¡¯s leader thought for a moment. This was an adequate option to choose.¡± We will proceed with your idea for now. Order our whole workforce to return to the headquarters. Also, ask them to bring about any resources they can on their way.¡±

    ¡°we will organise teams which will go and assist other forces during some of their excursion. Use that as a way topensate the forces for their losses. We will also actively start spending resources on training our people from now on. We will have to bear the humiliation for now, but I promise every single one of you, revenge will be taken.¡±

    ¡°Every single force who dares to shame us will have to pay back the cost of this humiliation added a hundred times. Go and prepare well. Remember I am going to enter secluded cultivation to break through the intermediate QI King level. Once I reach that state, we will start our operation.¡±

    ¡°it will be your responsibility to train yourself and every other member of the association to the best of your ability and be strong enough to stand at the top.¡± The vice leader nodded in agreement and left the room.

    ....................

    Near the eastern entrance to Beiyang town, there resided the most famous inn in the nearby area. It was famous for its delicacies and its alcohol. Practitioners, cavalries as well as merchants stopped here to recover from the fatigue of the journey and rx their minds.

    The inn was called Red-lily. It was divided into three sections ording to the mary capacity of the guest who came there. The highest floor was reserve for VIPs and extremely powerful Qi experts who would asionally pass by the inn.

    In one of the top roms, there sat a man, sipping a small cup of wine , enjoying the view of a nearbyke. Faint music could be heard throughout the floor, which rxed the tired mind and rejuvenates it with spirit. The alcohol was some of the finest the inn possessed and the young man was ferocious enough t order the whole batch of today.

    He even went as far as to reserve the whole floor for himself, and no one else was allowed to set foot in here.

    At the moment a figure entered the third floor and began to walk towards the room where the young man was seated. He gently opened the door, and a strong smell of wine hit his nose, intoxicating him for some milliseconds.

    ¡°You seems to be enjoying yourself, Brother Ren.¡±

    ¡°Aah, junior brother you finally manage to reach here. Honestly, I was waiting here for a long time. I had this floor reserved for the two of us for five days in expectations of youring back fast. We could have enjoyed ourselves before the official date of the second mission begins.¡±

    ¡°But, you betrayed my expectations, arriving at thest date. Nevertheless, it¡¯s a pleasure to see my favourite brother here. Come sit and have a drink with me.¡±

    Li Meng proceeded to pick up the other wine ss and drank a small sip of the wine. Surprisingly, it started to have some effect on his body as he felt mildly intoxicated. Even after practising immunity to positions, the wine was strong enough to affect his brain.

    ¡°That is one strong wine.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the best product of the red-lily inn. It is said to have been brewed by a medicine emperor. Hence the strong vour and powerful intoxicating ability. I have to say, it has proven to be a pain in the ass. I had to exterminate three groups simultaneously to have some peace of mind.¡±

    ¡°Were they the enemy you were sent to kill?¡±

    ¡°No. They just distracted me when I was drinking wine by disrupting the peace on the third floor. I replied by killing every single one of them.¡± Li meng felt chills on his bod. This brother of his deserved the reputation of a lunatic. He just killed tree groups, who are sure to have emperor practitioner within them, to have ace while drinking wine.

    Li Meng maintained a calm face and replied. ¡°It¡¯s true, what they say. The best wines can only be appreciated in absolute istion or thepany of a dear one.¡± He then lifted his cup. This is a toast to the mood.¡± Ren Wang was surprised at his junior¡¯s casual reaction. Even his third and second brother would show a change in expression when hearing such a piece of news.

    ¡°You should have just killed everyone within the building except for the workers and owner. Istion is the best environment.¡± A bloodthirst vibe emanated from LI meng¡¯s body as he crushed the ss he was holding.

    ¡°So shall we discuss what my next task is going to be?¡±

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 Chapter 301

    301 THE SECOND MISSION-¡°You are quite insidious, junior. But I like this personality of yours. finished three cups of wine with me as a mark of our brotherhood. Mission details could be discussedter.¡±

    The two lited their wine cups, interlocked the hands holding them, and drank the liquid clean. The ceremony was repeated two more times and had established a formal brotherhood between the two.

    ¡°We should enjoy the wine and the view for some more time. I am expecting some guest who I need to take care of.¡±

    ¡®Who are you waiting for? Is it a friend of yours?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that they are an inconvenience to this mission of mine, and hence need to be eliminated. But before the guest arrives, I have to ask. Wh is your cultivation level now?¡± LI Meng was an intermediate Qi king when he left the academy to do his mission. Ren Wang expected him to have improved his base by a level.

    ¡°I dide across some fortunate encounters.¡± Li meng released his Qi, which soon covered the entire room. Ren Wang was shocked after feeling the sensation. Peak level7 of qi king. How is this possible. Even surprising than that was the fact that thew energy emitted from Li meng¡¯s body was ten times stronger and purer than before.

    Ren Wang gulped down a mouthful of saliva. He never expected his junior brother to be such a monster in cultivation. Just what sort of fortunate encounter did hee across.

    ¡°Did you gain any inheritance within the Taiwan mountains?¡±

    ¡°You know about the inheritance present within there.¡± Li Meng was surprised that Ren Wang knew about the inheritances.

    .....

    ¡°Taiwan mountain was an ancient battlefield whichter levelled up into a volcano. It is said that two great forces practising in elemental energies shed here and hence there are many inheritances within the mountain range.¡±

    ¡°The encounter I came across isn¡¯t some sort of inheritance. It was a powerful Qi vein. The level of energy was not too high for me, and hence I was able to devour its energy and grow my cultivation base.¡±

    ¡°You managed to devour a Qi vein.¡± As time passed, this younger brother of his brought more and more surprises with him/. If he could easily gulp down a resource such as a Qi vein., wouldn¡¯t it mean that he would have no problem levelling up to the peak of qi king if he has enough resources?

    ¡°Let me check your body.¡± Ren wang inspected Li meng¡¯s body and couldn¡¯t find any side effects. H managed to gulp down a whole qi vein. Even he wouldn¡¯t be so casual in absorbing energy.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that your strength has increased by so much. It means you can y a role in the next event. Get ready for a showdown.¡± The door was busted and a ck hooded figure walked in holding an injured person.

    ¡°Just who dares to book the whole third floor. You have got guts to hinder my teams from enjoying some time of rest.¡± The ck-hooded figure was about to continue when he looked at Ren Wang. All the arrogance from before went to drain directly. Why is this bastard here?

    ¡°The guest has arrived. We should get on with the show. There are 10 people in their team, two of which are Qi emperors. He is one of them, and the other one is on the second floor at the moment. I will take care of the two.¡±

    ¡°Your task is to kill the other 8. I have to warn you that they are highly trained assassins. Be on your guard>¡¯ Ren Wang didn¡¯t exin the situation any further and attacked the man in front. The man couldn¡¯t react in time as he couldn¡¯t make sense of the situation. Ren Wang¡¯s attack was on a whim.

    LI Meng didn¡¯t waste time and rushed towards the bottom floor. That was where the 8 people were. When he reached the ground floor, the 8 people were proceeding to go up.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to go there.¡± LI meng said.

    The 8 people were instantly on guard. When they saw Li Meng they were surprised. Isn¡¯t that what they were trying to find? He was Li Meng, the person whom the Thunder child wanted to meet.

    ¡°You are Li Meng.¡± The 8 people released their energies. One of them picked up his message talisman to inform their two leaders who were on the third floor.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to inform the two. They are busy with their rights. You should think about the situation you are in as of now.¡± The 8 people found the situation to be a bitical. The situation seemed pretty clear to them. They were having an advantage in the cultivation and numbers.

    ¡°I think the situation is pretty clear. Why don¡¯t youe with us? Thunder Child would like to talk with you.¡± Thunder Child was the one who sent these assassins. Li Meng expected them to find his location, but he was hidden within the Taiwan mountain for so long, howe they didn¡¯t know of his location.

    ¡°That bastard knew about this group and he let them stay alive until I finished my mission.¡± He was sure that Ren Wang knew about these people for a long time. This was a test of his strength.

    ¡°So my guess was correct. You are sent by Thunder Child after all. I have to say that brother n things well. He could have easily eliminated you, but he waited for me toplete the first mission.¡±He tried to use words to spook them and it worked. Their expression changed to that of surprise.

    Li Meng took out a long sword from the Crimson Lord world. It was the ck Dragon sword that belonged to the first inheritance he gained from the royal grounds.

    It was only after reaching the Qi King level could he manage to understand how remarkable ck Dragon Emperor was. This sword was a peak Emperor weapon.

    ¡°Who is the strongest one of them?¡± Li Menga sked the Keeper.

    ¡°the one who took out the message talisman and the one who is on the extreme left.

    ¡°Good.¡± Li Meng lifted his sword and pointed at the two people the Keeper mentioned.¡± I will give you two people a chance. Surrender and I will just ask a few questions.¡±

    ¡°Is he insane?¡± One of the other six thought. He was brimming with anger to see Li Meng acting so high and mi8ghty. He was someone who had stepped into the peak of intermediate Qi king. How could he just be ignored? He rushed out with his dagger.

    Li Meng didn¡¯t even look in the attackers¡¯ direction. He just swung his sword, and a powerful force swept out of it. Intent, art andw3 energy were mixed in the incredible attack. The attacker realised the might at thest point, but it was toote. The sh swept through his neck.

    Blood sshed in all direction as the head separated from the attacker¡¯s body. The remaining people were looking aghast. They couldn¡¯t even see the attack, and their friend was already killed.

    Li Meng was still looking at the two people he had pointed out to. ¡± I will give 20 breaths to decided. Meanwhile, you will see the result if you dare to defy my suggestion.¡±

    An assassins biggest weakness was being in the light. You lost the upper hand in assassination if you are discovered by the opponent. L meng didn¡¯t give them time to n their attack, much less seek shelter in the shadow.n It was the first time he was trying out the might of weaponws he had cultivated. Combined with the weapon intent, which was at the peak level, the attack was equivalent to Dominator¡¯s fist¡¯s first move.

    ¡°I never expected the blend of intent andw to be this powerful.¡±

    ¡°You should find more opponents to get acquainted with your cultivation base. You don¡¯t need to concentrate on upgrading your cultivation since your normal breakthroughs will make that happen. You need to gather fighting experience. The battle is the best way to go.

    One of them died, then two, then three, until the remaining five people were killed, leaving only the two most powerful Qi kings alive. It was difficult for Li Meng to fight them at the same time. Even if he had the power of so manyws, both of the remaining two were at the peak of the Qi king level.

    He was confident in killing them, but if they suddenly chose to escape, only one of them can be taken care of.

    ¡°Did you two make your decision.¡± Li meng asked in a serious tone. These two were talented assassins who were at the peak of Qi king. This was the challenge he wanted to experience.

    ¡°It was a wrong move to kill them. Now the result is certain for sure. You are not going to leave this ce alive. He took his message token and busted it, informing his group members about the emergency.

    ¡°I told you that you needn¡¯t expect your leaders at the top floor toe o your rescue. They are busy in their matters.¡±

    ¡°We assassins are brothers of each other. Since you killed our brothers, they will be avenged by your deaths. Did you think that the two on the third floor are the only ones looking for you? There are many of our brothers spread throughoutthe region. That message token informed everyone of them about you.¡±

    ¡°You are formally marked as the number one target of our group.¡±

    ¡°I guess you choose to defy me. I guess we need to go with soul search then.¡± Li Meng rushed ta the two. Just in time, one of them took out a pouch and threw it at the floor. ck smoke burst out of the pouch.

    ¡°Such -pathetic smoke bombs. The creator must be a newbie at this stuff. Help me find the two.¡±

    ¡°Both of them are rushing towards different directions.¡±

    ¡°As expected. Choose the stronger one. We will let the other one go.¡±

    ¡°Go to the left, and continue for ten steps, before turning north-west. You should be able to get out of the smoke, and you can see the stronger one trying to climb the floors.¡±

    Li Meng didn¡¯t say another word and rushed towards the indicated direction.

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 Chapter 302

    302 THE SECOND MISSION-He managed to reach the guy before he could go up the stairs. Li Meng decided to lead with a sword attack. The assassin was too busy to defend against the iing sword, that he failed to escape. Li Meng continued his attacks until he managed to push the assassin back to the first floor.

    He wanted to avoid the smoke which filled half of the room. He couldn¡¯t give a favourable environment to a capable assassin like this one. He decided to rotate the sword sideways, which forced the assassin to defend horizontally leaving his upper body unguarded.

    LI meng took advantage of this and used a thunderous palm strike on the left shoulder. The defence wasying a huge burden on the assassin¡¯s arm, and the thunder strike to the jointed, forced him to drop his sword, as half the arm suddenly lost its sensation. The figure jumped backwards to create some distance, but Li Meng didn¡¯t let him have a breather.

    He used the sword to slice towards his right arm, and as the assassin tried to lean backwards to avoid the strike, the left arm was once again exposed, which became prey to Li Meng¡¯s palm strikes. Another two sets of attacks to the same region resulted in breaking the arm and made it unusable.

    The assassin couldn¡¯t help but cry out of pain, but he remained rational to read the situation. He was at a disadvantage. His left arm was no longer functioning and he had lost his weapon. He had to flee the scene if he wanted to preserve his life. The only way to do this was to use a set of smoke bombs.

    He needed to grab an opportunity to unleash another set of smoke bombs towards Li Meng. Li Meng continued his attacks. This time he aimed to cripple the legs of the assassin so he couldn¡¯t move around. He sliced towards the abdomen, which the assassin avoided by turning sideways while exposing his right leg.

    Li Meng used his body cultivation to strikje a powerful blow to the right leg joint.

    ¡®Crack¡± A cracking sound was heard from the assassin¡¯s leg as he wailed in enormous pain. Tow of his limbs was crippled by Li Meng. He had no choice but to use his crippled arm to try and distract Li meng with a faint attack, and while Li Meng tried to avoid it, he saw the man reaching into his clothes and taking out two more pouches.

    The man then dropped them directly on the floor nearby, releasing a huge storm of smoke that blinded Li Meng for a second. Li Meng asked the Keeper to find his location, but he suddenly felt an attack approaching from above. He raised his sword to guard against it and was pushed back a little in the process.

    .....

    ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°He is gone, boy. I have to say. These are a skilled group of men. They managed to judge the situation so urately and even managed to escape from you. They must have been trained by a high-level master to have learnt such absurd battle skills.¡±

    ¡°Their battle experience is also immense. It is much higher than you. Although you could easily overwhelm him in terms of strength, his battle instincts are much more polished than yours. He knew that the situation was in your favour and didn¡¯t think twice before sacrificing his arm to escape.¡±

    ¡°Just what are their origin. They shouldn¡¯t be students of thunder academy. I never heard of there being someone so skilled at the king level, much less a whole group of them. Also, he said that they are not the only ones, which means there are more toe who are at least on the same level as the man before.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope that your senior brother managed to capture some of them. Only they could answer these question of yours.¡±

    Li meng nodded his head and rushed to the third floor. He could see extensive damage caused to the second floor and the stairs which lead to above. He climbed up the stairs, to find the third floor in an utter mess with all the walls and rooms destroyed. Only a single table remained with a man sitting beside it. There ewer two figure lying on the ground beside the table.

    ¡°You managed toplete the task brother.¡± The man was none other than Ren Wang.

    ¡°I let two of them escaped. But both of them are severely injured, with one missing two of his limbs.¡±

    ¡°that is higher than the result I expected from you. You managed to kill the other 6 and injure the other two who were at the peak of Qi King level. You even had one of them lose two of his limbs. You have proven your strength. I dere you to have passed the first test. You can officially attend the second job.¡±

    ¡°That was a test to observe my strength.¡± Li Meng expected this situation. It was quite obvious, but he still acted aloof.

    ¡°The second task is no small matter. It is highly dangerous even if you manage to break through the peak of Qi King.¡±

    ¡°Where is the location of the task?¡±

    ¡°The location is within the bone-grave swamp near the water mist vige.¡± Li Meng had heard a lot about water mist vige. It was a great cultivation ground for the water element practitioners. It was one of the marked locations where he could find water element resources to practice in.

    ¡°The Bone-grave swamp is something unknown to me.¡±

    ¡°It is one of the forbidden grounds within the central ins which requires one to have a cultivation base of intermediate Qi King to even approach the location. ¡±

    ¡°And my task is within the swamp.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s first discuss what the Bone-grave swamp is all about. The reason for its to be dangerous location is because of the environment within it. It is a location with extremely high poison miasma. The whole area is filled with deadly poison mist. Just like the water mist vige is a heaven for the water element, the Bone-grave swamp is a heaven of posion, or hell would be a better term to describe it.¡±

    ¡°It is a location which is scoured by the top masters in search of poison born treasures, or poison arts users, an alchemist who need to find some materials also venture within their depth. It is said that it is a natural treasure trove filled with many poisonous resources.¡±

    ¡°Why is it a forbidden zone then? Wouldn¡¯t it be a heaven for alchemist and poison master to practice in?¡±

    ¡°It is to some extent, but even QI Monarchs have died inside of it. Not just any Qi Monarch, high-grade Qi Monarchs. Is it enough for it to be termed as a forbidden zone. Records are stating that even Qi Dominators have died inside of it. No one had managed to venture to the deepest part of the swamp yet.¡±

    ¡°Given your cultivation, your mission is far from the core region. You are just going to enter a little deep within the swamp and stay there for some time collecting herbs and practising cultivation. Your thunder cultivation is quite good, and there are certain things within the swamp which could help your thunder energy purify and be even stronger.¡±

    Reng Wang took out a message token which was filled with the details. There were a huge number of herbs mentioned within the slip along with their pictures, descriptions, possible region to find them, as well as a brief description of what they could do.

    ¡°The reward for the first mission was something good, but you no longer need it, hence I will search for something more suitable for you. Meanwhile, the reward for this mission is quite generous. Only bypleting this mission ould, you can reach the minimum qualification to attend the third task.¡±

    ¡°I will not be interfering in your mission anymore. Every single enemy that thunder child send towards you will be reaching you unhindered. You need to survive on your own starting from now. It will be the survival race of the fittest. Also, the dangerous thing about the swamp is not its poison, it¡¯s the people within it.¡±

    ¡°You must have seen the situation in Taiwan mountains, where bandit runs wild. The swamp is ten times more heinous than this. The posion masters who live tee are mostly ruthless serial killers and exterminators, some of whom are beyond even my level. You need toe out of there alive, and return to the academy.¡±

    Li Meng was shocked by the news. He didn¡¯t expect the second task to be so dangerous. But with danger came opportunity. There was something he wanted to practice for a long time but wasn¡¯t able to. He wanted to gain the body immune to poisons, and this swamp seemed to be the perfect location for that.

    ¡°Do you ept the mission?¡± Ren Wang asked.

    ¡°I ept.¡± Li meng took the message token and kept it in his ring.

    ¡°I will meet you in the academy then. The time limit is a half-year at most. If you can¡¯t return within that time, you will be marked as to have failed your mission.¡±. Li meng nodded. The journey was going to take a long time and he had to search for so many herbs. There were many hidden enemies and more toe. He needed to be prepared.

    ¡°I will take my leave then.¡± Ren Wang nodded and got immersed in his wine. Li Meng got up and left.

    ....................

    After Li Meng was gone for a long time, Ren Wang was still sitting at the table, when the owner who was previously injured by the assassin entered the room.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell him the truth?¡± The owner¡¯s voice was different from before. It sounded young and powerful.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to have broken through the advanced realm. The second task was for him to enter the advanced realm which he hadpleted. It is only fair to have sent him to attend the third task.¡±

    ¡°I am asking about the lie which you said.¡±

    ¡°You need to say words of motivation to younglings. That is the best push for them to improve upon.¡±

    ¡®Are we not going to protect him in the journey. Master asked us o do so.¡±

    ¡°A tiger can¡¯t grow wings in a shelter. He needs to fight his way to the top. He needs to pile up a huge amount of corpses for that.¡± Ren Wang lifted his cup. ¡± Come on elder brother, you know my style. You shouldn¡¯t be so grim about the situation. Our junior brother is quite powerful. He will be sessful.¡±

    The owner turned out to be Li Meng¡¯s third senior brother.

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 Chapter 303

    303 THE WATER-MIST VILLAGE

    ¡± He should be informed of the danger rted to this mission. There was a reason why the master wanted him to go to the second location. There was no guarantee as to what he could have obtained from there. He might even be able to break through another realm if he went there even now.¡±

    ¡°That location is quite useful for those who are at intermediate Qi King realm. Advance Qi King realm is different. Whatever miracles you are referring to happened to only those who entered that ce while at intermediate Qi king. There is no guarantee that he would obtain anything, much less a miracle that could help him improve another cultivation realm. It is better to not go there.¡±

    ¡°That is his choice to make. You shouldn¡¯t interfere in his matters.¡±

    ¡°I am qualified to do so given I have theplete authority of observation of his actions. Anything more you would like to say?¡±

    ¡°You are getting gutsier since your cultivation realm increased a bit. Want to go around. I might be able to remind you a bit about your actual ce.¡±

    ¡°You should give your younger brother a breather. Shouldn¡¯t you act more conservatively to provide an ideal image for me to follow?¡± The third brother and fourth brother of Li meng were blood brothers who came to the Thunder academy together and epted as the students of the old man.

    The name of the elder brother was Ren Dao, and he was two years older than his younger brother, with either of them having immense talent in martial cultivation. They were sent on the task of protecting Li meng together, along with some of the missions of their own.

    ¡°I fear any ideals left by me wouldn¡¯t be followed by my dumb younger brother who does only what he li8kes.¡±

    ¡°Well, you aren¡¯t wrong.¡± He got up from the chair and threw the wine cup at his brother, who gently lifted his hand to shoot it at the other side of the room. In the meanwhile, Ren Wang had released a series of fist attack towards his brother, who simply used his other hand to guard against him.

    .....

    ¡°It is unfair for you to use treasure like the glove you wear to guard against my attacks.¡±

    ¡°No one said about using your strength only. If you can¡¯tprehend the situation, you are bound to die in a real fight.¡±

    ¡°We are unting treasures then. Fine.¡± Ren Wang took out a blood-red sword. ¡± I guess I would get to try my blood sword which I took away from the blood tribe leader.¡± He rushed towards Ren Dao with the sword in his hands.

    The two shed for a bit and Ren Dao had the upper hand since his cultivation was greater than his brother. The two continued, and soon the blood sword was starting to show its power. The artefact was specially created by the leader of the blood cult to be able to control and absorb the opponent¡¯s blood.

    As the fight continued, ren Dao could feel his blood being affected by the Blood sword. ¡± That is a weird artefact you got to hold off. It would be extremely beneficial if you were on a battlefield where death is amon urrence. You would have unlimited power.¡±

    ¡°That guy did say something like that when he was about to attack. Too bad, his cultivation level was too low and couldn¡¯t stand up to me. I got a great weapon which suits my taste.¡±

    ¡°I guess I need to pull out some big guns too.¡± Ren Dao took out a golden spear. ¡± This is something which I recently got crafted from one of the best weapon craftsmen in the Star-Luo association. Let¡¯s test it out against your weapon.¡±

    The two weapons shed against each other and destroyed the area nearby. Both the figures were pushed back, but Ren Dao had the advantage at the end. Ren Wang was not willing to give up so easily and continued the fight. After hours of fighting with each other, they finally halted their steps.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s my win. ¡± Ren Dao said in a gloating tone. Ren Wang¡¯s expression was nasty. He didn¡¯t like to lose a fight even if it was his brother.

    ¡°I need another match.¡±

    ¡°You are such a bad sport. We need to follow junior brother now. He might be in danger already.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to. He has his trump cards. I couldn¡¯t even find him once he entered the Beiyang town. He managed to disappear from within my vision. That is how skilled our younger brother is. He can take care of himself. You don¡¯t need to needlessly worry about him.¡±

    ¡°I told him to stay alive ande back to the academy after finishing the task. I hope he would be able toplete it and remain alive.,. I need to go and prepare a gift for him. I did promise a reward for the first task.¡±

    ¡°What are you going to give him?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t give him any joining gifts. This is going to be abination of that and the mission rewards. I guess I could prepare a good thunder resource for him to give his thunder energy an attribute.¡±

    ¡°You want to give him a thunder seed/. Are you crazy? Do you know how valuable those things are?¡±

    ¡°I do know. Incidentally, I came across something like that some time ago. I will just pass it to him. The grade of the seed is lower than what I possess.¡±

    ¡°Even then swallowing it would help your thunder energy grow in power and enhance its quality. It¡¯s a waste to give it to him.¡± Ren Dao protested.. ¡± why not give it to me if you don¡¯t want it.¡±

    ¡°Your shrewd mentality is preventing you from gaining valuablerade. Younger brother is someo0ne who is bound to be extremely powerful once he enters the QI Emperor realm. He has three heavenlyws and two earthenws. That alone speaks about his capabilities. This is just a long term investment.¡±

    ¡°Whatever. It¡¯s your possession, hence you get to ultimately decide where it goes.¡±. Ren Dao said and walked away. ¡®I can always take it from junior brother. He needs to pay something in respect of his elder brother after all.¡¯

    ¡°yous shouldn¡¯t have any thoughts regarding this treasure. I have observed the junior brother¡¯s attitude. He is much more ruthless than me, and he remembers a grudge. He is bound to pay it back ten times. He might not be able to resist at this time, but we don¡¯t have any certainty about the future.¡±

    Ren Dao didn¡¯t reply to Ren Wang¡¯sment.

    ....................

    Water Mist Vige-

    The topography of the water mist vige was quite alluring to water cultivators. One could find dense water element energy within the atmosphere itself. It rained all year within the water-mist vige and it was said that if a water cultivator managed to practice in here for 100 years, he would be able to understand the origin power of water itself.

    ¡± It was situated in the southwestern part of the central ins, just some thousand d miles below the Taiwan mountain range. Just like the mountains, there was no leader of this vige or the Bone-grave swamp which was nearby. The only rule which existed here was the survival of the fittest. Cultivators from around the world arrived here to practice water element energy.

    Duels and looting weremonly seen activities within the area, with no force enacting anyws. The major sects which established their powers here jointly tried to regte the area, but the number of cultivators was toorge and the territory too huge. The topography was quite uneven, making its ruling quite difficult.

    The reason water mist vige was so famous was because of the water element resources which could be found here. Often people managed to find water element stones, heavy water sources, water element herbs, as well as water element source fluids. The allure of these resources was too great.

    ¡°This ce is quite nice.¡± The Keepermented.

    ¡°I could feel a very powerful water element energy within the atmosphere. IF I practised water element cultivation here, I could increase my speed by double.¡±

    ¡°We might have hit a jackpot. This area is much easier to navigate than the Taiwan mountains where every resource was buried deep within the mountain crust. I could easily sense water element resources around. Want to go for a stroll. We might be able to strike it rich.¡±

    ¡°We will do that at ater time. We first need to gather information about the area and the Bone-grave swamp. I need to n a proper approach to ovee this task.¡±

    ¡°No matter how easy it is to navigate, I am still a Qi King. My power isn¡¯t counted as good enough in this region. We need to n our activities properly. Only profits along with preserving our own life are the option to go for.¡±

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 Chapter 304

    304 THE WATER-MIST VILLAGE-¡°We will first go to a merchant guild that is capable enough of providing a good amount of information. We need to buy some of the herbs too, as long as it¡¯s not too costly. We will also need to get a list of all powers which managed to establish themselves within the water-mist vige as they would be our target.¡±

    ¡°What are you nning to do?¡±

    ¡°My brother reported that this ce is ten times more heinous than Taiwan mountains. Looting and killing was a normal urrence. IF we do have such good preys in front of our eyes, why not eat them. It would be a waste to leave the resources in their hands. I have great ns for this ce. It has the potential to be the second base of our group.¡±

    ¡°This ce. Aren¡¯t you choosing too hastily?¡± Keeper understood the logic behind making Taiwan mountains their base, but even water-mist vige is a potential location.

    ¡°Crimson Qi is a five-element Qi type which uses all the elements andbines them to form the Qi of Crimson lords. If we want to establish bases, the best location would be those with high elemental affinity. The future members who will be a part of Crimson Lord sect would be allowed to learn the Crimson World scripture, and hence having a base at these type of location is the best.¡±

    ¡°Are you thinking of recruiting cultivators into the Crimson World sect?¡±

    ¡°haven¡¯t I already started with thest group of bandits?¡±

    ¡°The leader is a suitable candidate, but what about the other people. They are not suitable to be a part of Crimson Lord sect.¡±

    ¡°Who said that? I don¡¯t care about cultivation talent. That is a thing that could easily be modified and grown based on the hard work one put in their cultivation. I want absolute honesty and dedication to the organisation. If a cultivator can prove on the three grounds, I will recruit him into the Crimson World sect and change his fate.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Do you know the number of resources which you would require to maintain such a huge force?¡±

    ¡°I know. That is the reason I chose to walk on the path of Dominators. I knew that I wouldn¡¯t be able to just collect such arge amount of resources. I need to snatch it from someone else. And that force I am about to build will be the one doing it, with my help.¡±

    ¡°But we would need to hire someone who would grow to be the leader of this base. Have someone in your mind for that task?¡±

    ¡°I guess we would need to survey the whole region to find someone. The way we are growing is too slow. Our target for ice and water element would soon lean towards the Frost-leaf sect and the ice valley. They are the forces which I need to eliminate at the end of the day.¡±

    ¡°Why not have her be the representative of water element division. She would be perfect for this job. She would put her best foot in since she has to take revenge on her enemies. The frost leaf sect is a power that ranks on the same line as Thunder Academy. As for the ice valley, they are even scarier. I fear it will have Martial Dominators within them. The path ahead is long.¡±

    ¡°I will let Menqi break through the Qi King realm first. I want to see how manyws she could connect with.¡± Su Menqi was the best option for the leader of the water division since she possessed the absolute frost body, one of the top ice element body type. But she was still in the middle ofprehending the ice element power which she obtained from the frost spring. The power was too huge for her to digest at once.

    ¡°Do you know the time required for her to begin Breakthrough?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°If I have to put a conservative estimate, it would be somewhere around a monthter. She has already spent a lot of time digesting the power. He should being out of trance any minute. Her breakthrough to Qi King would be very easy if she concentrates on water elementws. There are many hybrid types like ice and mist.¡±

    ¡°Do you think she would be able to connect with more than onews?¡±

    ¡°IF it were before, I would doubt the fact, but now the situation changes drastically. Absolute frost body is too powerful a natural body of ice-type. She shouldn¡¯t have a problem connecting with water and icews. IF we are to considering anything more than that, it would depend on herprehension of the water element.¡±

    ¡°What about other elements?¡±

    ¡®She did practice other elements within the Qi general period, but I am highly doubtful about her choice. Ideally, she would concentrate on ice and water typesws, as the absolute front body is a pinnacle natural body in that domain. There are no records of the body types restricting one from practising otherws since none of those who had this body tried to do so.¡±

    ¡°Even if she does practice otherws, her water-basedws will always remain a step ahead of the others.¡±

    ¡°I guess we should leave it on her to decide the oue.¡± Li Meng began to explore the vige. Ideally, he would choose a low-grade power that would have a lot of potentials, capture it and help it grow. But he had enough time to grow his power from the base. This gave him the time to establish a proper force whilepleting his mission.

    He wanted the first line of recruits to be the best of the best in the region. The only way to do so was to filter the whole batch properly. He needs to interact with the cultivators and find the most talented ones.

    ¡°We need to go for an adventure around the area. I need to capture some powerful cultivators. Let¡¯s go to the nearest merchant guild first.¡± The nearest visible merchant was the ck-pearl association. Li Meng entered the building to find it heavily crowded. The alerting aspect was the fact that the environment was quite grim for somewhere with a huge huge crowd.

    Water mist vige lived up to its name for being a location of extreme bloodshed. One could easily taste the tension and bloodshed within the air. Li Meng walked up to the nearest counter which had a frail-looking man standing behind.

    ¡°I would like to buy some herbs.¡±

    The man looked up and saw a fresh face with no sense of tension. The young face hadn¡¯t gone through much hardship and had a face feel to it. He could see that there was a neer within the water-mist vige. He tried to check the cultivation level, but fail to verify it. Much to say, this guy was quite young and wouldn¡¯t be too powerful.

    ¡°Which herbs are you trying o buy?¡±

    Li meng proceed with handing down the list. ¡± Give me everything avable within this list. You should also add 3 extra stalks than the written quantity of whatever is avable.¡±

    The man looked at the contents, and the shade of his eyes, turned from calmness to shock. Just the mere volume of content shocked him, much less the value of the herbs which were mentioned within them. He then looked at Li Meng with suspicious eyes and said.

    ¡°Follow me.¡±

    Li Meng followed him to the inner chambers, where the number of buyers was much less. The man approached one of the people in there and said. ¡± Go inform the manager that a big trade might be on our doorsteps.¡± He gave the list to the man and whispered something in his ears. The man looked at Li Meng before leaving for the inner chamber.

    Soon enough, another man appeared beside the man who had left. He was none other than the manager of the floor.

    ¡°Are you the guest who is trying to buy these herbs at our guild?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°I hope you are capable enough of paying the requiredpensation.¡±

    Li meng threw a small pouch at him, which when opened socked the manager. He hurriedly closed the pouch and bowed to Li meng. ¡± I am sorry for my negligence. I would like for you to follow me to the second floor. The materials along with the rest of the catalogue will be presented by you as you enjoy our guild¡¯s hospitality.¡±

    Li Meng was led to a small dining hall which and soon enough the manager arrived with the requested materials along with some delicacies.

    ¡°Sir, the requested herbs are within this ting. There were many which were not present due to the high demand and rarity. I will make sure to inform you as soon as our guild obtains some. Would I be honoured to know sir¡¯s name.¡±

    ¡°Meng Li.¡±

    ¡°Sir, Meng Li. This is the catalogue of everything avable in our guild along with some delicacies of our guild. Do enjoy.¡± The manager was about to leave when Li Meng said something.

    ¡®I would like to buy information about every single of the missing herbs from you. I would also like to know the details about the whole area, wits topography, the powers residing within it, the general power structure and locations where I could find opportunities.¡±

    The manager turned and sat down in the chair in front of Li Meng.

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 Chapter 305

    305 THE WATER MIST VILLAGE-¡°How deep does the information needs to be?¡±

    ¡°I want to know every single detail about every herb and natural resources of any kind which is found within the water-mist vige as well as the bone-grave swamp.¡±

    ¡°The bone-grave swamp. That is an in-demand location we are talking about. The information about the water-mist vige is somewhat affordable, but a Bone-grave swamp is a ce where 50% of the people don¡¯t even return from. The information about it is going to cost you way more.¡±

    Li Meng took out a white sword from his ring and threw it at the manager. The manager grabbed it instantly and the moment he verified it, his eyes were bulging out.

    ¡°Emperor sword.¡±

    ¡°A beginner grade emperor sword made out of white dew rock and millennium adamantine. This should be enough to buy all the information right.¡± The manager looked at Li Meng with serious eyes. He initially thought Li Meng to be a newbie, but this sword proved otherwise. It was seized from someone, and stealing an emperor weapon was no small task. Li Meng appeared quite mysterious.

    ¡°It would do. I will be taking it to my superiors.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say I am exchanging it. I will be putting them on the auction. You will deduct your cut along with the price of the information from the final selling price. The rest will be mine.¡± The manager¡¯s expression hanged. He was making quite a bit of profit in the deal, but Li Meng¡¯s words changed the scenario.

    ¡°And you should be honest with your dealings, cause I know the exact price for the information I desire.¡± Li Meng sounded like a seasoned veteran. The manager sat back on his chair.

    .....

    ¡°What are the contents of the requested information except for the herbs and natural resources?¡±

    ¡°I would like to know about the major powers within the two regions. Although the Bone-grave swamps are too dangerous to operate in, there should be some operating in its outskirts. I would also like to know about the specific topograp[hy and environmental conditions, the best locations to test out my luck and the top trading houses.¡±

    ¡°Our organisation should be enough to satisfy your trading demands. As per the other information, you will be able to avail of them here. The only problem is the price. Although the second and third demand is quite easy to fulfil, the first two aren¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Especially the second one. If we are going to report the exact details of the Bone-grave swamp, you will have to be one of the premium members of our association. That will be costing you some extra money.¡±

    ¡°How about this? I will be given a VIP title, which should within the first two tiers, along with a 20% discount on every future purchase of mine from your association, and you can have the sword. You will be giving me all the information I required in addition to that too.¡± The manager consulted with the association rule book and some of his superiors through talismans.

    ¡°We agree with the offer. But we would also like you to make this guild your first choice while trying to sell yourmodity.¡±

    ¡°Done deal.¡± Li Meng got up. ¡± I would be expecting all themodities by the dawn of tomorrow along with all my herbs. I hope you will provide me with the information suited to my rank.¡±

    ¡°We will.¡± The manager greeted Li Meng and went into the higher floors to submit the request to his superiors.

    ............................

    ¡°Why are you asking about the herbs within the region.¡±

    ¡°I am thinking of continuing my research in the bombs and formation fields. I might even start a separate set of experiments for weapon crafting. Although my knowledge is fairly shallow, the variety has given me some great ideas. If I seed in making the ideae to life, We would in the way to creating the greatest tier 4 and 5 weapons in the world.¡±

    ¡°Qi Kings will be killing each other just to buy my creations.¡±

    ¡°What are you trying to make?¡±

    ¡°I am thinking of creating a self energized set of weapons which would be able to give a substantial output of energy on its own without the interference from the user. It would also be able to absorb energy on its own and work in reverse, like a battery for the user to charge from.¡±

    ¡°That is the theory of advance grade weapon development which you would being across in future.¡±

    ¡°What you are referring to is made up of formations. I am talking about a reactor-based device that would have a separate unit instead of a formation to carry out the required processes. In theory, I would just be using my knowledge of a level 34 weapon refiner to create something with applicability range of level 7 or 8.¡±

    ¡°It would remain that the power wouldn¡¯t be able to match with weapons of those grades, but who requires them at Qi King levels. If I am sessful we might be able to temporarily diminish our demands for mary funds to run the forces under me.¡±

    ¡°That is a good idea. Let¡¯s see If there a herb we could find.¡± The Keeper enquired.

    ¡°it would take a lot of time toe up with the requiredbination. All the other avatars are busy with their tasks, and hence this mission provides me with the perfect opportunity for my research. I would be able to take my research to a new level in this half-year. Who knows, my invention might be able to push me higher in the rank of level 4 refiners.¡± Long Tao said with a gleeful tone.

    ¡°What about Su Menqi?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°She is about toplete her istion. I will be discussing the matter of breakthrough with her in a short time.¡± Long Tao reported the current situation to the Keeper.

    ¡°I havee up with a theory which would be the perfect path for her. Ask her to concentrate on water and icews first. It would be best if she could connect with both. If she manages to do so, her third choice would be to go for stormws. Although it a hybrid wind typew, its characteristics match with ice and water a lot. She might be able to establish it.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°I will report this to her. Thews she connects to at the end is her choice.¡± Long Tao said.

    ¡°I know that.¡± The Keeper replied.

    ......................................

    Water-mist vige-

    Li Meng decided to stay in a famous inn within the vige. To be running an establishment in the middle of the battlefield like this meant that the owners had substantial power backing them up. Such an establishment was legitimate most of the times. Li Meng approached the counter and threw a small pouch at the receptionist.

    ¡°I will be staying here for about 6-months. The first set of payment is within here. Come up to me once you need more.¡± The receptionist looked into the pouch and was shocked by its content. He then stood up and directed Li Meng to follow him up.

    Soon enough they were in a cosy yetvish room. ¡± The meals are included in the boarding charges and would be sent to your room every 6 hours.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Li Meng kept his bag in the cupboard and sat on the floor to begin his meditation. The journey wasn¡¯t tiring for someone like him, but he tried to rest his mind for what is toe. He needed to start preparing for the establishment of a force here. It requires quite arge amount of manpower and workforce.

    ¡°I guess I need to pick some wealthy targets. Money and resources are the first requirements.¡± The list was to be received tomorrow.

    The night dawned upon the sky and LI Meng drifted off in his training.

    ..................................

    The next day-

    ¡°is it all in there?¡±

    ¡°Every bit of information you requested for along with all the resources we could gather from our treasury. We have included the possible spots and sources which could provide you with the rest of the resources.¡± The manager then took out a small ring and gave it to Li Meng. ¡± This is our VIP insignia ring given to top-grade customers.¡±

    ¡°Your requests have been epted by the organisations and we will work ording to the prior arrangement requested by you. We hope to do more business with you in the future.¡±

    ¡°you will be doing a lot of it with me.¡± Li Meng looked around the guildhall and thought that this would be the perfect target to satisfy all his basic needs. But he decided to give up on that thought. The guild was guaranteed to have at least a few advanced levels emperors sitting right inside of it.

    He didn¡¯t even have any idea about who the backer of this guild was. They had to have a Qi Monarch backing them up to be so influential in the water-mist vige.

    LI meng went back to his room and began to look through the information.

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 Chapter 306

    306 MISTY RIDGE-Li Meng went through the list and found the information to be fairly detailed. The merchant organisation seems to have assumed him to be the subordinate of some powerful faction and didn¡¯t mess with their product.

    ¡°The number of powers are more than I initially assumed to be there. I guess water-mist vige is a fairly coveted region for water Elementalist. I see some powerful forces like the water-ridge manor to have set their bases up here. There is the Samyang valley and the flower-pool sect too.¡±

    ¡°And there are some top-level organisation belonging to sects like Shenluo pavilion and Thunder academy. But I won¡¯t be able to ess that of now because of Thunder Child. My power is still in the growing phase. I won¡¯t be able to defend against a Qi Emperor of the beginner level.¡±

    ¡°You need to wait for some more time. Maybe the 8th level of Qi king bring some changes and enhance your power. You also need to concentrate on body cultivation. It is one of the reasons why you aren¡¯t able to jump levels as easily as before.¡±

    ¡°The channel tempering art is extremelyplex. Fundamentally there are just too many channels in the human bodies, to begin with. What more strange is that the manual which the founder gave me contains the art for humans only. My blood and body have been tempered with beast blood as well as Hell-Heaven aura.¡±

    ¡°I assume that my body must have gone through some drastic changes. I honestly have no idea how many channels I contain.¡±

    ¡°I guess I do have a path, but it¡¯s extremely unorthodox. I might be the first practitioner to have followed this path.¡±

    ¡°What do you want to do?¡±

    The Keeper was intrigued.

    .....

    ¡°I want to inspect the interior system of one of my avatars. When I say inspect, I mean open it up from toe to head and inspect every piece of it.¡± The Keeper was bbergasted by the suggestion. He immediately started emitting blood lust and dissatisfaction from his body.

    ¡°I am trying to cope with your insanity, but this is not allowed. The avatars are a part of your soul itself. If you try something like that, you would end up losing a vital part of your soul as well as a powerful clone.¡±

    ¡°I understand your concern, which is why I want to discuss it with you. I won¡¯t be able toe with a proper way to cultivate the channel tempering art if you don¡¯t help me up. I need to understand my own body and it requires some sacrifice to be made. But the price is too high if we decide to just kill one of my avatars. Which is why I want to follow a different path.¡±

    Li Meng had fragments of memories that had him experimenting on various creatures. Most of them were carried out in a specified vessel with the organism being constantly healed.

    ¡°I want your help toe up with a system of research instruments that would help me carry the whole operation out without killing the avatar. We will experiment with it while keeping it alive.¡±

    ¡°You understand that would mean you torturing your avatar, and every single of those feelings would also be going back to your brain.¡± Any avatar of lI Meng was connected to him by both body and soul. He would feel every bit of pain and experience the torture the avatar would feel.

    ¡°I know, but that is the price to be paid. That is the only way to create a system of cultivation that is just for me. The path of domination requires sacrifices like this.¡±

    The Keeper asked the hall master of pill hall and battle area toe to the main hall where he and Long Tao were present. He narrated the whole situation to the two of them and both of them were left looking aghast.

    ¡°You are essentially just trying to destroy your self boy. The Origin avatar art is not something we understand and hence we don¡¯t know off its implications.¡± The Pill hall master said. ¡± Think about the possibleplication which could arise if your soul strength were to act in the opposite way of what you want it to do.¡±

    ¡°Your soul strength might take permanent damage and in the worst-case scenario you might not only lose a part of your soul but heavily damage the rest of your souls too.¡±

    ¡± I suggest you go with a more traditional method of understanding your body through training. You will never reach the level of metamorphosis if you aren¡¯t able toplete temper everyst of your channels.¡±

    ¡°But how much time would that take. I am sure the creator of body cultivation didn¡¯te up with the idea by just practising. It is impossible to manipte something like this without a clear understanding of your target. He must have followed a procedure which is simr to mine.¡±

    ¡°I know that there are a lot of possibleplication that could lead to some disastrous losses, but I think if we prepare well for the whole operation, we might be able to seed in my n. If I managed to understand the anatomy of my own body properly, I might just be able to create a body cultivation path just for me.¡±

    ¡°What are the requirements?¡±

    ¡°If I want to seed in operation, my avatar needs to be conscious throughout the process, while healing himself up.¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding? The pressure would be so much that I couldn¡¯t even guarantee that you would be capable of experimenting, much less heal yourself at the same time. We could use a healing formation for that.¡±

    ¡°A healing formation would be able to heal him at a very rapid pace. I am trying to experiment to understand my anatomy. If I couldn¡¯t even get a glimpse inside, just how am I going to seed. The only way to go is for the host himself to control the whole process.¡±

    ¡°I am 90% confident that you wouldn¡¯t be able to continue experimenting if you divert your mind in healing. I do have a way which would help you, but the risk is extremely high.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°From our investigation into the avatar art, we know that the bodies have both soul and body link to other avatars as well as your main body. But what if we disconnect the links for some time. It is an independent entity and would be able to survive, and you can use another avatar to heal it with the help of formations.¡±

    ¡°Due to the disconnection, the avatar wouldn¡¯t be able to function, yet it still has a part of your soul and blood essence, hence it will survive, but as an independent entity.¡± The other hall master was amazed by the suggestion. It was simr to be the way people used their puppets and disconnect from them if the situation seems impossible to recover from.

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it mean Long Tao abandoning an avatar?¡± The Pill hall master asked.

    ¡°I agree with that conclusion, but the origin avatar art is quite different. The link is extremely strong and might be easily recoverable.¡±

    ¡°But what if I fail to reconnect?¡±

    ¡°You will lose an avatar of your permanently. You can devour its soul and blood essence to gain back the power though, but the cultivation would bepletely lost.¡± The Keeper said. ¡± at least this way you wouldn¡¯t end up losing any blood essence and soul power. Just the qi Base.¡±

    ¡°The price is still too high. We are talking about destroying one-tenth of our investmentpletely, along with a chance to understand world essence better. This not only cost us our past, but our future is at risk too.¡±

    ¡°I have a suggestion.¡± The Pill hall master said. ¡± What if we use a backup-cum-reconnector source in the avatar. Think of it as a security instalment that would prevent the avatar from beingpletely disconnected. We can¡¯t manipte the links between the avatars and your body, but we can connect your souls with an additional pathway. If we broke one link, there would be one to spare.¡±

    ¡°The only difference would be that we are inplete control over that other link. As soon as one of the links is destroyed, the other would automatically start to function, and we could block the other pathway with the use of formation.¡±

    Long tao¡¯s eyes began to sparkle by this suggestion. It was a great option. ¡± there is one problem though. I don¡¯t think the other links would be able to remain blocked, for the whole duration of this experiment. If we forcefully block it, the link might overload on one side and get destroyed.¡±

    ¡°That is the problem I was going to refer to. And the solution to that is the creation of multiple links. Each time one link gets overloaded, we open it up and destroy it after it stabilizes.¡±

    ¡°That would require a huge man-force. I would need half of the avatars to concentrate on this process alone.¡±

    ¡°A price to pay after all. For the first time, you might not be able to climb through the levels like you wanted to.¡±

    ¡°hahaha.¡± Long Taoughed out loud. ¡± It¡¯s a price I am willing to pay. We need to gather some powerful healing herbs first, and I managed to go through the information that the manager provided.¡±

    .............................

    In the room-

    ¡°We have our first target. One of the missing herbs is the frost lily. It generally grows in the regions where the water element energy is extremely condensed. There is a region in the water-mist vige that is said to be the only source of this herb.¡± Li meng said.

    ¡°where is it?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°Misty-Ridge¡±

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 Chapter 307

    307 MISTY RIDGE-¡°Where is the Misty-ridge located?¡±

    ¡°It is located towards the southern borders of the Misty vige. Frost lily is an incredible healing herb that is graded at level 5. It requires a ce that contains a powerful concentration of water and ice element energy. The only ce we could find them is in the extreme borders of ice element forbidden ces.¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, Misty-ridge is somewhat of a mutated region because the depth of the ridge has promoted the environment to produce huge amounts of ice energy, and the water-mist vige is best one for the water element.¡±

    ¡°The frost lily is one of the rare herbs which grows there, and it is the only ce known that is nearby. We need to have some of the frost lilies present in that region.¡±

    ¡°What would the frost lily help with?¡± The Keeper was intrigued with Li meng¡¯s choice.

    ¡°For our formation, we need a herb which could provide us with an incredible amount of healing Qi. Frost lily, not only has the healing properties, but it could supply the formation with incredible amounts of ice energy too, which would be helpful during the experiments as we want the body to survive.¡±

    ¡°Ice qi does have the property to lower the erosion rate, but could the herb provide that much of power, and the additional condition of finding the right amount is also a concern of ours.¡±

    ¡°Well, I would say that the power is perfect. As per the quantity, I guess we need around 100 stalks for the whole experiment, which given the ice resources in the Crimson lord world, would need an additional 30 stalks. We need some for future use too.¡±

    ¡°Why not connect the ice pool directly?¡±

    .....

    ¡°The amount of energy which would be consumed is too much for the pool. Even the herbs would consume a lot of energy, but they would also help it grow if we could nt them nearby. I am also thinking of using half the amount to enhance the quality of water and ice element within the pool.¡±

    ¡°Well, we could make the pool go up by around 2 levels if we could just incubate around 100 of these herbs within it. That is true, and given the period of development, I would say it would e better if we could find the required amount within the misty valley itself.¡±

    ¡°We need to leave then.¡±

    ¡°I need to make some preparation first. I would require a very powerful fire element armour, and I think I have the perfect ce to look out for it.¡±

    ¡°Are you thinking aboutmissioning a fire armour?¡±

    ¡°No. I have heard that the people of Emerald amethyst hall have a base in the ce. They need a lot of ice and water element herb to practice their cultivation art, and they are one of the top yers in the water-mist region.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to buy one from them?¡±

    ¡°Are you crazy? Do you even know how much such an artefact would cost me? I am not going to spend money just for frost lily. Besides I am not looking for a very powerful artefact either, as the QI is helpful for my ice and water cultivation. It would be best if I could snatch one of them from one of the people belonging to the Amethyst hall.¡±

    ¡°You are thinking of robbing a member of one of the top fire element cultivation grounds in the central ins.¡±

    ¡°What is the best location to do so except for this ce. The set-up is just perfect for my purpose and I would have no problem in covering up my tracks. I even found the perfect target.¡±

    ¡°Who is it?¡±

    ¡°It is the newly appointed provisional holy son of the hall, who is in town.¡±

    ¡°I hope you are taking into consideration the fact that this guy is a holy son. The title is called holy for a reason. The guards would at least be having a cultivation base of a whole realm higher than him. Anyone with the title of holy-son is a talented and powerful person himself.¡±

    ¡°He is a peak Qi King expert, which makes him the perfect target for us. As for his guards, they wouldn¡¯t be apanying him this time. He is out on a cultivation journey which is the basic requirement for the sect to make his title permanent. He needs toplete the task by his efforts and I am willing to make the bet that he is apanied with some great equipment.¡±

    ¡°I would also like to y it risky for once. When would I use all the defensive artefacts given to me by my master? A Qi monarch protection mark should be enough to kill some guards in the Qi Emperor level.¡±

    ¡°What about his protection marks?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be providing him with enough time to use them. He is going to end up dead before he is capable of using any of the protective artefacts.¡±

    ¡®And what if he was protected from shadows?¡±

    ¡°We are going to need a suitable environment to carry out the whole operation, and that is where my other nes into y. I am going to use poison.¡±

    ¡®You can¡¯t create a poison potion powerful enough to deflect the power of Qi Emperors. You would be able to if you had upgraded your alchemy grade to another level higher.¡±

    ¡°The poison is for the holy-son. I am going to abduct the bastard and steal all his treasures. Once I manage to take him, hostage, it would easy for me to threaten his protectors, if any that is.¡±

    ¡°That is a good n, but where are going to execute this n of yours.¡± An operation like this requires a perfect set-up as its base.

    ¡°The Amethyst Hall is nning on an expedition to the misty ridge and it is kind of an important one. ording to the information from the merchant guild, I think they are about to send their annual resource batch after this expedition, and this has to be an important one for them. Say, a holy-son would take part in something like that right?¡±

    ¡°He should take part in that.¡± A holy-son wasn¡¯t just an honorary position. It was a position of power and respect and you need to show your contribution to the sect to be crowned with the title. This would prove to be a perfect situation to gain some contribution point.

    ¡°I do need to take care of the whole party. If I am not wrong they should also have a lot in reserve for the annual tax payment.¡±

    ¡°You are eying their annual spoils too. Let me guess, you are going to use your hypothetical hostage to get the resources. That seems a feasible option, but the resource is surely protected by a Qi Emperor, and the hostage to be is just a provisional Holy son.¡±

    ¡°Well, that is a way to go, but I have something else in mind. You see the poison would be used in more than one ce.¡±

    Li Meng¡¯s n was more sinister than it appeared. He was going to do permanent damage to the branch of the amethyst hall in the water-mist vige.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get started. I would require the other reserve of bomb too. This event is going to end up with a bam.¡±

    ...............................

    The merchant guild-

    ¡°I am surprised to see sir again on such short notice.¡± The manager directly greeted Li Meng.¡±May I know how I may be of help to you.¡±

    ¡°I need another set of herbs along with some special information.¡± Li Meng handed the list of herbs that went into the creation of the bombs and the poison he had in mind. It was a special variety of poison that was characterised by its slow reaction to the host.

    ¡°We have the herbs in our stocks. How much do you need?¡±

    ¡°About a dozen of each kind.¡±

    ¡°What information would you like to get your hands on sir.¡±The manager replied after whispering something in the worker¡¯s ear.

    ¡°I want every single piece of information you have on the emerald Amethyst hall. Your oldest record to your newest one. The more detailed, the better.¡± The manager¡¯s expression changed into seriousness.

    ¡°The Amethyst hall is quite a powerful group, and we don¡¯t have too detailed information. What I d have is going to cost you a fortune.¡±

    ¡°I am willing to pay the required price to get the details.¡± Li meng handed another pouch to the manager. The manager bowed without even inspecting the pouch, just when the worker walked in. He was carrying a small ring with him.

    ¡°This ring contains all the requested herbs and the te that contains the required information. I hope you are satisfied.¡± LI meng went through the outlines and was impressed by the details mentioned within the te. He nodded at the manager.

    ¡°I would like to know if sir is open to undertake a special mission for our guild?¡±

    ¡°I would if the rewards are worth my time.¡±

    ¡°The rewards can be discussed based on your contribution. The task is to collect frost lily. The higher the number of stalks you can collect, the better.¡± Li meng didn¡¯t expect the guild to be looking for frost lily too. He understood behind the merchant¡¯s idea of hiring him since he was going to look for them eventually.

    ¡°I ept the task. Will meet you when the timees.¡±

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 Chapter 308

    308 MISTY RIDGE-¡°Sir misunderstood the meaning. The guild wants to hire you for an expedition that is formted to collect frost lily. We would like you to enter the Misty Ridge with our guild forces and then collect the frost lily. You would also be expected to provide some help in case of sudden unexpected danger.¡±

    ¡°So you are trying to hire me as a mercenary for your guild. That is going to cost you a lot more than you probably expect.¡±

    ¡°The rewards for the number of stalks gathered would be counted as per the normal arrangement. We would be paying you an additional royalty for helping the guild forces. We are gathering many Qi Kings in the area to venture deep into the Misty Ridge. Our informants have suggested that the poption of frost lily down there is quite high.¡±

    ¡°Is your guild the only force that is going to enter the Ridge during this time?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t control the Misty Ridge. Many forces continuously enter and exit the location. If you agree to join the expedition, my guild will be providing you with the necessary information about every single force which is going to enter the location during this time. The Emerald Amethyst Hall is one of them.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it lead to a sh between various forces?¡±

    ¡°That is a possibility, but we do expect it to work out if we can hire capable people like Mr Meng.¡±

    ¡°Will the guild take responsibility for the attacks we would be doing to enemy forces in the location? Since I will be providing support, it would mean that I will be dirtying my hands during the sh with other forces, which provides them with the verdict to target me as one of their priorities. What is your guild¡¯s n in that area?¡±

    ¡°Mr Meng lives up to his name.¡± The Manager was hesitating to answer. ¡± Sadly, the guild wouldn¡¯t be taking any responsibility for your deeds once you exit that location. But thepensation ould be adequate.¡±

    .....

    ¡°You aren¡¯t kidding right. You might be able to fool others with your words, but I am not going to risk my life and a possible future where top tier forces would put me on their cklist by joining your expedition. I need extrapensation from your side.¡±

    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°The guild will be providing me ten catties of Healing herbs which are of level 5 at the very least. Along with that, I need a smallpensation in terms of earthen pith, a batch of level 5 would do. I also require you to prepare 100 batches of the following herbs.¡± The herbs enlisted included those which would be going into the creation of Qi bombs.

    The Manager¡¯s face turned pale after hearing Li Meng¡¯s condition. ¡± isn¡¯t sir Meng going overboard with his demands. This is too much for a small force like mine.¡±

    ¡°We aren¡¯t discussing in here. These are my terms for working with you. I also want to state clearly that every single enemy which I will be ying will belong to me. From his body to every single of his belonging. You aren¡¯t allowed to ask for anything. I also need a signed agreement that your force will be giving me 100% assistance as long as I don¡¯t betray you.¡±

    ¡°I am afraid I will have to reject your offer.¡±

    ¡°I guess the right way isn¡¯t something which fits my character. I will be blunt.¡± Li meng looked at the manager. For the first time in his life, he felt a sense of mortal danger. He could feel bloodlust curling against his skin and all his hairs were standing straight. ¡°If you don¡¯t expect my offer, I will enter during the same time as your force enter the location and wipe you all out.¡±

    Li Meng said it with an indignant smile, which creeped the manager out. He could feel an extremely bad premonition regarding Li meng. Although the guild had Qi emperor as its top echelon, they wouldn¡¯t be interfering with such a small expedition. Li Meng might be able to wipe their force out as suggested.

    ¡°Is master Meng threatening my guild?¡±

    ¡°You said yourself that the Misty Ridge is a ce where shes happen regrly. I couldn¡¯t help but cut down my enemies when they decide to act against me. I do have to protect myself right.¡± Li Meng¡¯s expression remained unchanged.

    ¡± Would master Meng be able to give me some time to think about the situation? I would be able toe up with a reply after consulting with my superiors.¡±

    ¡°Please do so. I am waiting for a positive response from your side.¡±

    Li Meng decided to stay in the guild lounge for some time.

    ...........................................................

    ¡°What should we do master? He seems insistent on having us pay the price. I would be best If you could interfere in this matter.¡±

    ¡°Do you think that he doesn¡¯t know of the Qi Emperors residing in the guild, yet he dared to give us such tant conditions? He must be confident in whatever force is backing him up, or he is hiding his true strength. We can¡¯t make any rash decision.¡± An old man spoke.

    ¡°But the price is too steep. We will take a loss in this condition.¡±

    ¡°Tell him that he needs to make sure every single one of our cultivators returns safely or he wouldn¡¯t be receiving anything other than the initially guaranteed price.¡±

    ¡°Would that take care of the situation? Shouldn¡¯t we fix a particr quota he needs to fulfil to get the prize.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what time this is? It is the end of the year and the annual offering from the branch of emerald amethyst is going to ur soon. They are going to enter Misty Ridge to collect cultivation resources. They would inevitably sh with ur group and in return would lead to casualty on our side. We wouldn¡¯t have to pay that brat in that case.¡±

    The manager¡¯s eyes shone with a brilliant light. The old master was a clever fox after all. He managed to control the situation so easily.

    ¡°I will be taking m leave master.¡± The manager bowed and left the room.

    ¡°This brat is interesting. If he manages to gain the upper hand in the situation, we might be able to talk some actual business with him. This would also prove to be a good opportunity to take care of that brat.¡±

    ....................................

    ¡°The upper echelon has responded positively, but we have a condition which must be met if you want such a huge amount of rewards. Sir Meng would need to guarantee that every single member of the expedition will be returning alive from the ridge. If you can do so, you can make sure that the condition is met, we will be providing you with the rewards.¡±

    ¡°That is quite a difficult proposition you have there. I agree with it. I like the challenges which it poses in this situation. If I have to guess, you made this bet because of the annual offering of Emerald Amethyst Hall right?¡± LI meng spoke up.

    The Manager¡¯ expression took a turn for the worst.

    ¡°I guessed right. Tell your superior I ept his challenge. I will be waiting for your guild to hand down the rewards you promised me. When is the expedition beginning?¡±

    ¡°Exactly 1 day from now the forces will be gathered in the hall. You cane and join them.¡±

    ¡°Since I am going to be in charge of their safety, I am eligible to be the leader right?¡±

    ¡°Sir Meng can hold the position if you desire. Our only concern is whether or not you would be able to deliver the requested goods and fulfil the conditions for the rewards.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡± Li Meng left the hall.

    ......................................

    The Misty Ridge-

    A group of ck-hooded people were surveying the situation within the ridge right now. They were making their way into the depths with incredible speed.

    ¡°Sir, the core region of Misty Ridge is quite deep. We wouldn¡¯t be able to handle the frost energy with our equipment.¡±

    ¡°I understand your concern. I have decided toe to this location because we would be preparing an ambush in this region. We aim to enter the core region and we require fire attributed treasures for that. Emerald Amethyst Hall is nning the expedition for their annual offering.¡±

    ¡°As the top fire element force. They are bound to have immense artifacts of fire attribute. I heard that a provisional Holy son is also entering the region. That makes things easy for us. We¡¯ll eliminate them and take their treasures. The holy son¡¯s ornaments and artifacts would be a great offering for Commander.¡±

    ¡°When is themander arriving?¡±

    ¡°He is supposed to reach the location any time now. He had recently undergone a breakthrough and managed to enter the peak of Qi King. He is heading here for the treasure location. We will make sure that The ck-Devil Church obtains the inheritance and the treasure within that ce. Ourmander must obtain them if he wants to enter the heaven Cleaver sect. ¡±

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 Chapter 309

    309 REUNION WITH THE BLACKDEVIL-¡°Is it that important for us to risk our lives for this treasure? Young master¡¯s cultivation is already at the peak of Qi King. He should be able to reach the Qi Emperor realm before thirty quite easily.¡±

    ¡°There is a reason why you are still a captain while he was able to gain the position ofmander even when both of you have the same level of cultivation. Age is a different matter. What matters the most is foresight. Do you think the Heaven Cleaver sect would have some mediocre power when its basic requirements are for one to reach the level of Qi Emperor before the age of thirty?¡±

    ¡°They are surely a top tier power and are filled with incredible geniuses from around the world. Do you think that reaching Qi Emperor before attaining the age of thirty would be a meritorious achievement? Every single cultivator there would have done the same. Young master doesn¡¯t want to be the same as any disciple. He wants to reach the very top of the world.¡±

    ¡°The only way to do so is to acquire incredible powers before the age of thirty. Masters wants him to use the treasure and inheritance found within the treasure site and increase his strength to the highest possible level before thirty. From what I infer, he wants to reach the intermediate level of Qi Emperor at the very least. His actual aim is to enter the advancedyer of QI Emperor before the age of thirty.¡±

    ¡°By doing so he would be recognized as a top-grade talent within that force and he would be able to acquire the support of the top echelon within the sect. Only then could he think of reaching the top. The ck Devil church needs to rely on him to climb up the heavens. We would risk everything for the young master.¡±

    The figures reached the inner region of Misty Ridge. The ridge was dangerous not only because of the cold energy, but the number of beasts that were present in it. ughter was amon urrence and so was banditry. Humans were the worst enemy of all. They decided to prepare a small camp in hidden regions and began preparing for the ambush.

    Later that night, another man reached the location where the group was preparing for the ambush to ur. He slowly approached the camp using tablets in his hand. Soo enough al the figures appeared in his field of vision.

    ¡°We greet Devil Commander Li.¡± One of the leaders spoke up.

    ¡°There is no reason to be so formal in my presence. I assume that the preparation for the operation isplete.¡± It was none other than Li Xuanfa, the young master of ck Devil church and a holder of one of the inheritances from the Heaven Cleaver sect.

    .....

    ¡°Sir the initial set-up is already prepared. Our target this time is the Emerald Amethyst Hall¡¯s young master. ording to the spies he possesses a Purple Amethyst armor which was gifted to him by one of the faction elders in regards to his talents. He is sure to be a holy son with his current strength of the peak Qi King realm.¡±

    ¡°Who do you think is stronger, me or him?¡± Li Xuanfa asked with a serious tone.

    ¡°You are the inheritor of the blood-devil as well as one of the inheritors of the Heaven Cleaver sect. There are not many people who couldpare to you.¡±

    ¡°But the Holy son is said to have connected with two different Heavenlyws. He is incredible¡±

    ¡°Not as incredible as you are. Not only have you managed to connect with three Heavenlyws, but you have also established your sword and spear soul. Who could be your opponents in this world?¡±

    ¡°I have heard that the new inheritance disciple of Thunder Academy has also managed to connect with three Heavenlyws. He has alsopleted the whole element set with 2 earthenws and the rest is unknown. We have no idea regarding his proficiency in other areas>¡± One of the group members said.

    ¡°Even then, young master is incredible for his age. Did you forget that the young master also has the Blood magic and Blood soul within him and is a body cultivator? No one in the central ins could measure up to him.¡± The leader of the group said.

    ¡°Your ttery is quite pleasing to the ears but you shouldn¡¯t underestimate the central ins like his. The ck Devil wasn¡¯t even considered to be the top-grade power of the central ins in its heyday. The most powerful geniuses aren¡¯t showing their faces because they are preparing for that event.¡±

    ¡°I have already met people who are far more powerful and talented than me in the past. Even now I am not sure whether or not I have managed to surpass him on the grounds of talent.¡±

    ¡°Is master talking about a boy from Jiao country?¡±

    ¡°He is the best opponent I havee across in the past. He managed topete on equal footing with me even when I was 5 levels above him in cultivation. He even managed to obtain the upper hand in the fight. The only reason I wasn¡¯t injured was that he was wary of my trump cards and the numbers were in our favour.¡±

    ¡°Sadly we lost track of his movement the moment he entered the central ins. But he is bound to appear in this world soon. I and my sister went through hell to obtain multiple inheritances and an incredible amount of resources were spent. I need to obtain this resource if I want to formte the element-King body.¡±

    ¡°Only when I obtain that would I be able to reach greater heights before my time of preparation is p for the Heaven Cleaver sect.¡±

    ¡°We will assist you to the best of our limit young master.¡±

    ¡°Prepare carefully for the event. We can¡¯t let anyone among the group escape from this location. Being the provisional holy son, he is sure to have some protection sigil that would convey his status to the Emeral Amethyst Hall. Killing him and the other would inevitably arouse the wrath of the hall, but they wouldn¡¯t be able to identify the perpetrator if we don¡¯t leave any survivors.¡±

    ¡°Is there any other force which is supposed to have an expedition into the Misty Ridge?¡±

    ¡°We have heard that the Birchcorpse sect and the Penang valley are already in the depths of Misty Ridge collecting resources and killing beasts. There is also a rumour that the merchant guilds are trying to formte teams that could enter the Misty Valley and collect resources for them. If they have enough frost lilies, they could gain a good monopoly in the market.¡±

    ¡°There are also hordes of independent cultivators who havee into the Misty Ridge in thest couple of days. We need to prepare for any sudden disturbances.¡±

    ¡°We need to iste the Emerald Amethyst group. Kill everyone in the surrounding area of 1 KM. Also, collect and nt frost lilies in and around the region. Spread the rumor that this is the best location to find frost lilies. If anyone other than the Emerald Amethyst tries to enter this area, actively hunt them down. You can use two of the units who came with me. As per the rest of the units, you will be setting up a base for us.¡±

    ¡°The location needs to be in the deepest part you could reach and far from here. The Emerald Amethyst hall is bound to send reinforcements to survey the actual reason for the holy son¡¯s death.¡±

    ¡°I have also asked for reinforcements to wait for some distance away and surround the whole region. They will not only take care of any extra baggage but also kill the Emeral Amethyst group if necessary.¡± Li Xuanfa said n a stern tone.

    ¡°Don¡¯t this seems to be too overboard sir?¡± The leader asked. ¡± The holy son isn¡¯t even protected by powerful Qi Emperors.¡±

    ¡°We can never be too sure about the situation. This provisional holy son is no small deal. I have heard rumors that his background is quite substantial in the Emerald Amethyst hall. He is sure to have some hidden protection.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t we have support from the Qi Emperors elders in our group? They are stationed in the mist vige for now.¡±

    ¡°They are here to help me take the treasure away and guard the inheritance with me. We can never be sure of the situation. If words get out that there is such a powerful inheritance in here, every single force within the Misty Vige will damage this ce. We can¡¯t ask for their help in this situation as they might alert the Qi Emperors within the vige. Let them stay hidden.¡±

    ¡°It is essentially up to us to execute the mission.¡± The leader bowed and left to do the task assigned to them.

    .........................

    Water-Mist Vige-

    ¡°I hope sir Meng is ready.¡± The manager said.

    ¡°I am.¡± Li Meng proceeded to meet the group of Qi kings who would be apanying them into the valley. ¡± Out of the people assembled here, half are the subordinates of our guild, while the other half are mercenaries like you.¡±

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 Chapter 310

    310 REUNION WITH BLACK DEVIL-¡°He is the one you were talking about. He looks pretty weak for someone wanting to be our leader.¡± A middle-aged QI King came forward. He must be in histe 30s and looked quite crooked. ¡± Where did this man¡¯s childe from.¡±

    ¡°He does look funny.¡± Another man interjected.

    ¡°We should be mocking a newbie. It¡¯s a worthwhile experience for him to join us. He must be extremely strong to be able to lead us.¡± Another woman in herte 20s spoke up. The contempt in his tone was discerning.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t behave like that.¡± A youngdy who was in her early twenties spoke up. It was surprising to see someone capable of being this young. She was at the peak of intermediate Qi King.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t stand up for mongrels like this. He needs to be taught his ce.¡± The old man spoke up. The manager wasn¡¯t interfering in the fight. He wanted to verify Li Meng¡¯s strength.

    Liu Meng simply looked at the manager and seeing the other party stay neutral he decided to spice things up. He walked towards the man who insulted him first. ¡± You seems to be wanting to teach me a lesson. why don¡¯t we proceed with the lecture.¡± He said in a mocking tone.

    The man gritted his teeth so tight that his veins were bulging. How could his guy act so arrogantly in front of his seniors He lifted his hand sideways and attacked Li meng by using his Qi The man was nearing the peak of Qi king, and the power contained within the punch was quite huge.

    Li Meng didn¡¯t even dodge the attack and let it hit his body, right below his chest. Everyone thought that Li Meng was done for after taking an attack like that, but to their surprise, he didn¡¯t even budge from the location.

    ¡°Being funny, are we?¡± Why don¡¯t you attack me seriously.¡± Li Meng said in a sarcastic tone. The old man¡¯s expression changed. He had used more than half of his strength in that punch and the guy didn¡¯t even budge from his location. How could it be? He once again concentrated the Qi on his finger and attacked with all his strength.

    .....

    I meng didn¡¯t act out this time either, but his body was pushed back by a great distance. They could see his shirt tore open and him bleeding from the location he was hit in.

    ¡°Still can¡¯t take a full-powered attack from a Qi King with just my body. The damage seems to be quite deep.¡± Li Meng looked up to see a paled-faced man looking at him. ¡± I guess it¡¯s my turn then.¡±

    Li Meng tightened his fist and applied three different heavenly low energy, and executed a move from the Thunder fist art. The man raised both of his hands to guard against the attack, but the power was so immense that it prated directly through the hands and caved into his chest. The man spewed a mouthful of blood and lost consciousness.

    Everyone in the room could hear a loud cracking from the guy¡¯s body. They were pretty sure that he had cracked a lot of his ribs due to thest attack.

    ¡°Howe the teacher went down so easily? I guess he is just tired from teaching other students.¡± Li Meng then turned towards the other three who spoke against him. ¡± I guess I have to consult one of you for advice.¡± All three of the mercenaries took a step back. They were scared shitless after watching thest attack.

    ¡°Sir Meng.¡± The manager was about to interfere in the matter when Li Meng suddenly vanished from sight. He appeared before another man and hit him so hard in the face that it caved in and most of his skull was badly damaged. Then he turned towards the other guy and soon enough he suffered from the same fate, only now it was the limbs instead of the face which took the damage.

    Thest remaining person was thedy who was pale with fright. She turned towards the other person in the room and shouted. ¡± Save me please.¡±

    ¡°Why is the teacher running away from me? I, your humble junior, want a lot of advice from you.¡± Li Meng said with a wide smile. One could see his pearl white teeth reflecting the light away. Everyone could feel their hair standing up. A sinister atmosphere reined within the room.

    Li Meng moved towards the woman and grabbed her face in his big palms, he then lifted her body and using a lot of energy bashed her directly into the ground. Another bunch of bones cracked up.

    ¡°I suggest you start to look for some more people.¡± He said to the manager, who remained silent. He could feel the irritation and disappointment in Li Meng¡¯s voice. He seems to have made a mistake by not interfering in the matter.

    ¡°I will be your leader for this expedition. I expect you to be ready and willing to take my order during the expedition. We can always fix any misconception one might get about the situation.¡±

    ....................................

    The guild managed to gather some more mercenaries by the dawn of the next day and they all gathered on the edge of the ridge. The aim was clear. They were going to collect s many frost lilies as possible.

    ¡°We will be moving in from the right border. The group has already been divided by me into three different sections. The first was responsible for defence and will be surrounding the troops from the shadows. The second part would be responsible for attacking the enemy. You will be in the group who will be actively moving in the field.¡±

    ¡°Thest group will be in charge of reconnaissance and scouting the area. The group responsible for scouting is to subdivide itself into minor groups and spread in all directions. The situation within the ridge is known to all. Since the enemy wouldn¡¯t be kind to us, no need to be kind to them. Move-in groups and kill everyone in sight, regardless of their backers.

    The men within the group were shocked to their core. The leader was asking them tomit mass murder. ¡± I will support all the positions. You will be keeping the talisman which I provided to you at all times and giving me updates regarding the situation every minute.¡±

    The groups spread and began their search. Soon enough, news of killing more and more people came rushing in. The group was slowly getting their hands on a lot of treasures and they were being seized from others. Soon enough, a small massacre had already filled the Misty valley.

    ..........................

    ¡°Boss, I think I have found somece important.¡±

    ¡°Where is it?¡±

    ¡°It is within the depth of misty valley¡¯s eastern borders. Recently there had been a rumour spreading within the vige that a lot of frost lilies appeared in this ce. I decided to scout the situation for her and I think I have possibly uncovered a huge conspiracy. I found a group[ of people dressed in ck overalls, preparing ambushes in the region.¡±

    ¡°I have been watching them for some time, and they have already killed a lot of people. I am not sure about our ability to take care of them.¡±

    ¡°Could you estimate the cultivation of the group members?¡±

    ¡°Most of them are advanced QI King and a lot of them are the peak of Qi King level.¡±

    ¡°Are they from the Emerald Amethyst Hall?¡±

    ¡°I Don¡¯t think so. One of the other scouting team reported having seen them near the borders they haven¡¯t reached the center yet.¡±

    ¡°Stay there I aming. Ask some other teams for backup too, including the ones which have peak Qi kings leading them.¡±

    .................................

    Crimson Lord world-

    ¡°Which organization is this?¡±

    ¡°I am not too sure about that. We will know when we reach there. If they have multiple peaks, Qi King, we might run into someplications in this operation.¡±

    ¡°Are you thinking about using the Qi bombs?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think they would be very useful in this situation. Advance QI Kings and many of them are peaks. They might get a little hurt, but not eliminated. We need to enhance the power of these bombs.¡±

    .................................

    Mist Valley-

    ¡°Where are they?¡± Li meng came to the site where the guy reported from.

    ¡°Right in front 20 yards from here sir. They¡¯re hiding within the rocks, waiting for the prey to approach and killing anyone who enters the region of their attack range.¡±

    Li Meng instructed his group to slowly surround the whole region and changed location to get a better view of the enemy. It was only when he reached a particrly higher area that he managed to get a clear view of the enemy.

    ¡°Well isn¡¯t this a great turn of fate? Look who we have here. The members of ck-devil church. I have been searching for their meaning for so long, but couldn¡¯t find them. Yet they suddenly appear at my doorstep, and these are powerful top levels of their forces.¡±

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 Chapter 311

    311 DEVIL CAPTAIN YIN LUO

    ¡°Have the captains from other teams responded yet?¡± Li Meng asked.

    They will be arriving soon. They are gathering forces from around and wrapping their work.¡±

    ¡°Tell them to surround this base first. Half need to be on the lookout from shadows and make sure that no other force interferes in this raid. We also need to be on the lookout for any backup they might have.¡± Li meng didn¡¯t want his hunt to be interrupted by anyone. He was insistent on taking his revenge from the ck-Devil Church.

    ¡°The other half is going to follow me in and attack the group. We aim to kill as many of them as possible. They are sure to have the required frost lilies which we are searching for.¡±

    ¡± They are sure to have a lot of treasures with them. We have estimated that they are having three peaks Qi Kings, and the rest are advanced Qi Kings. Taking them one on one is not favourable and hence you are to form small teams and kill the three peak QI king first. The scouts are responsible for not letting any of the other practitioners escape.¡±

    ¡°We need to perform a surprise attack, and hence we need to take care of two peak Qi Kings immediately. The captains who are in the peak Qi kings will be responsible for taking out the first one. Don¡¯t let him get the time to respond and alert the others.¡±

    ¡°I will be responsible for taking out the other qi king. Thest Peak Qi King will be the captain as he is bound to be a difficult opponent. We just need to surround their camp so that they don¡¯t get to escape and bring reinforcements. As for the other practitioners, the rest of the group members should be taking care of them.¡±

    ¡°We just need their captain to be alive to get information about their expedition and the location of their actual base.¡±

    ¡°We might have hit the jackpot brothers.¡± One of the mercenaries spoke in an enthusiastic voice.

    .....

    ¡°Move in slowly andmunicate with the scouts.¡± Li Meng directed his men as they approached near the hiding spot of the ck-devil group.

    .......................

    Hiding spots, depths of Misty-Ridge-

    ¡°Captain YinLuo, how long would you be waiting here? Th escouts are back and they have reported that the Emerald Amethyst group has just entered the Ridge.¡± One of the peak Qi King asked the man named Yin Luo.

    ¡°Themander has ordered us to be the first one to ambush them. He has asked me to let the group from Emerald Amethyst in, and when the whole force is gathered near the main base, we will be attacking them from behind. The sess of the operation pretty rests on our shoulders.¡±

    ¡°But sir, the more time we spend within this spot, the more will be the chances of our force being discovered by other people.¡±

    ¡°A scout team is ced at the entrance to the valley ording to themander¡¯s orders. They will be responsible for conveying any irregrities which might ur within the valley to us. They will alert us as soon as the group from the hall enters our region and also warn us if any other groupes in our range.¡±

    ¡°Our n is quite simple. We will be waiting at this location and moving forward through this passage once the group from Emerald Amethyst Hall passes our checkpoint. Wait for them to engage the core group in battle while taking care of any backup that mighte to assist them.¡±

    ¡°After the main group is busy dealing with our core group, we will initiate an attack from their back and take them by surprise. Themander¡¯s instructions were clear. We are not going to let anyone live. The aim is the provisional Holy son of the Amethyst Hall.¡±

    ¡°Should we proceed into hiding then.¡±

    ¡°Please do. Before that, contact the rest of the group members.¡± The men who were instructed started to initiate the message talisman and send message to the group members. To their surprise, they weren¡¯t receiving any reply.

    ¡°There seems to be a problem with the message talisman, sir. We aren¡¯t receiving any reply from the other side.¡± When Yin Lupo heard this, he immediately rushed out from his station and looked around their base, just to find the atmosphere submerged in dead silence.

    ¡°Something is wrong. Try to contact others immediately. The talisman was personally formted by the top formation masters of our church. There is no way they were dysfunctional. The men tried contacting the other leaders but to their surprise, there was no response from the other side.

    ¡°They are dead.¡± Yin Luo immediately took his weapon out and so did the other two. The men who were apanying them were preparing for battle too, but soon enough an arrow appeared out of nowhere and hit one of the lower grade practitioners in his head, killing him.

    ¡°Group up. Cover all directions and leave no blind spots. The enemy is trying to attack from the shadows.¡± Yin Luo had just said that when a whole bunch of arrows appeared out of nowhere and the group lost another two people even after increasing their defence.

    ¡°Bring out the shield and proceed towards one of the corners fast. Another set of men begin to initiate their earning talisman and inform the main group about this attack. Fast people.¡± But another three people were killed. The men didn¡¯t get time to warn about their backup. Soon enough the only people left were the three peak Qi Kings and two advanced level Qi Kings.

    ¡°I have tomend you on your ability to stay calm. Anyone else would try to rush out and escape from the situation.¡± Li Meng came out from the shadows and confronted the group.

    ¡°That would only result in me lowering my defence and I would be taken down easily by your group.¡± Yin Luo said.

    ¡°As I said earlier,mendable performance. Would you like to give up on your own, or should I kill two more of you and then watch the other give up?¡±

    ¡°Whoa re you?¡± Yin Luo¡¯s voice was calm and collected. He didn¡¯t lose hisposure in the situation. He was trying to survey his environment and collect information about the situation from the enemy. Even if he were to die, he wanted to warn the main group about this sudden interference from Li Meng¡¯ group.

    ¡°Good way to try and buy time. Too bad I am not patient enough to waste time on you. Li Meng raised his hand and the whole group of attackers came out of the shadows. Yin Luo thought that the group attacking them would be a moderately powerful one, but the number of enemies scared him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a chance to escape. You all have to use the warning talisman and alert the main group.¡¯ Yin Luo thought.

    ¡°I initially thought of taking care of the other two beside you, but they hid in the centre of the group. Doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± He turned towards his group and said. ¡± You will be taking care of the two peaks Qi Kings in the group of five. Leave the leader to me.¡± The group rushed out and started to assault the ck-Devi team.

    The advanced Qi kings were the first ones to die since they weren¡¯t able to cope with the attack from five people simultaneously. Li meng¡¯s group wasprised only of advanced Qi Kings and peak Qi Kings. It was a formidable force. The attack turned into a one-sided massacre.

    ¡°The ones who are finished with the attack join with the other two groups.¡± The two peak Qi King was soon riddled with scars. Yin Luo was too amazed to act fast enough. He didn¡¯t expect the enemy to be so brutal. They didn¡¯t even think of taking them hostage. He was going to kill everyone except him.

    ¡°I hope you choose wisely. You are still of use to us.¡± Li Meng shed his sword towards Yin Luo who instinctively dodged back, avoiding an open gut. He then came back to his senses and took his sword out from the sheath. He then flung it at Li Meng with a swift side movement, which Li meng countered with his sword pointing downward.

    He then pushed him back and moved towards him with his sword held sideways. As he approached Yin Luo, he flipped his body around and attacked him with a powerful thrust. The body movement distracted Yin Luo, preventing him from actively guessing the sword¡¯s direction. His defence was sloppy and resulted in a deep injury in the stomach area.

    Yin Luo pushed back quite a bit and finally managed to hold his ground. ¡± If I am going down, I will take half of you with m for sure.¡±

    ¡°Quite a dedication you have towards your church for you to actively sacrifice yourself. They wouldn¡¯t even bother to collect your corpse.¡± Li meng said with a mocking tone.

    ¡°Mymander will take revenge for me. You are powerful, but he is stronger.¡±

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 Chapter 312

    312 DEVIL CAPTAIN YIN LUO-¡°There is someone above you present in another group. It¡¯s quite unusual for the ck-Devil church to send so much force into the water mist vige.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°How did you know I am from the ck-Devil church?¡± Yin Luo was surprised that Li meng managed to identify his identity.

    ¡°Well, I had a bone to pick with one of your members and hence I vowed that I will kill every single ck-Devil church member until I get my hands on him. So here we are, right in front of your deathbed. I honestly don¡¯t want you to suffer, and hence request you to cooperate with me. Who knows, I might even let you live.¡± Li Meng tried to persuade the guy.

    ¡°No matter who offended you in our church, we aren¡¯t coward enough to let you get a hand on our member. I might die today, but my grave will mark the beginning of your destruction. We ck-Devils never forget a grudge.¡± Yin Luo began to operate his Qi and attacked Li Meng.

    Even though Li meng wasn¡¯t practicing body or soul cultivation with equivalent enthusiasm yet, he had stillpleted two realms of body cultivation. His strength after four metamorphoses was enough to contend with an advanced Qi king. In addition to his Qi, how could Yin Luo be his match?

    The two shed, and Li Meng¡¯s sword was chipping out Yin Luo¡¯s flesh bit by bit. His whole body was riddled with wounds and blood was flowing unceasingly.

    ¡°Just give up. I value the information you might have. I will pay a good price for you to just spew out all the mysteries and even let you join my force. I promise I will make you a Qi emperor within the next year if you join me.¡±

    Not only Yin Luo but every practitioner present within the battlefield was surprised by Li meng¡¯s words. They didn¡¯t expect Li Meng to be so resourceful, much less to give Yin Luo such a high valuation.

    ¡°I am willing to cooperate and tell all the secrets of the group. Please spare me.¡± Another peak Qi king shouted. He was on the verge of dying and wanted to grab thest rope of life.

    .....

    ¡°See, some people know how to make the best of the situation. It¡¯s a pity that he is not talented enough.¡± Li meng cleaved his sword sideways and a Qi attacknded on the man¡¯s head, sting it apart. Only two people on the ck-Devil¡¯s side remained.

    ¡°I can give you the same amount of information as him. Why are you killing us?¡± The other surviving Qi King asked. He was on par with Luo in strength and wanted to survive this battle. Now that his partner was dead, he knew his fate was a dead end since the enemy would gang upon him.

    ¡°You traitorous bastards. How could you betray the Hall? How could you betray themander?¡± Yin Luo harshly cursed at the man.

    ¡°Will the hall guarantee my survival from this situation? I am the one responsible for my well being.¡± The man looked at Li Meng and said. ¡± I am confident that my clearance is as good as him. I want to keep my life and would request you to spare me. I am willing to disclose all the details regarding our forces in the Misty-ridge.¡±

    Li Meng looked at him and gave him an inscription talisman. ¡± Mention every detail regarding all your forces, your objectives, the motive with which you havee here. The power of each officer who has arrived in the misty valley as well as the details regarding yourmander.¡±

    ¡°You have to promise that you will let me go.¡± The man said. Yin Luo was too angry and attacked the man, but Li Meng simply waved his sword pushing Yin Luo back.

    ¡°Let him do his job. He ought to survive. Unlike you, some people are intelligent enough to understand the situation they are in.¡± Li Meng¡¯stone was full of mockery.

    ¡°I promise.¡± The man began to inscribe every detail known to him and handed the te to Li Meng who immediately used his QI to read the content. The details were incredibly thorough and he came to understand the reason why they came here. It turns out that there is a treasure within the Misty Valley that they need to procure.

    Unfortunately, the man didn¡¯t know the identity of themander, but he did know that they were trying to ambush the group from Emerald Amethyst Hall and seize their treasures to enter the deeper part of Misty Valley.

    ¡°So they came with the same objective as me.¡± LI Meng thought.

    ¡°Please spare me.¡± The man begged Li meng and cried out loud. Li Meng simply looked at him and waved his sword, separating his head from his body. ¡± You shouldn¡¯t believe your enemy¡¯s words.¡± Li meng said with a cold tone.

    ¡°You are a bastard to the core. You didn¡¯t even hold your side of the bargain. You are a coward.¡± Yin Luo shouted.

    ¡°I am surprised you still have the guts to shout like that in my face. Given you just lost half your worth, tell me whether or not you will cooperate. Your talent is quite good. It¡¯s not every day I see someone capable of using To Heavenlyws along with the powerful body.¡± Yin Luo was surprised. He had never used hisw energy since he was gathering it for a sudden attack and escape from this situation.

    ¡°I want talented people like you to work under me and create a powerful force which will dominate the central ins. I will give you a chance toe and work for me, or your end will be quite disturbing, and honestly not something I desire to see.¡±

    ¡°I will never betray Commander Li?¡±. Yin Luo used up his low energy and attacked Li Meng in a trial to escape. To his surprise, Li Meng simply raised his hands to block the attack and was pushed back.

    Yin Luo tried to escape, but to his surprise, he felt dangering from behind and turned around to guard against it but to his surprise, a powerful force directly pushed him into the ground. Momentster he could feel his face being grabbed by a tight palm and lifted in the air.

    The atmosphere has suddenly turned grim and bloodlust filled the air. Li Meng¡¯s amicable appearance had turned scary and every single cultivator who was present within the battlefield could feel their hair standing.

    ¡°Commander Li you say. I would love to see who this guy is.¡± The name Li strung a bad chord in Li meng¡¯s heart. He still remembered that the only enemy whom he didn¡¯t manage to kill in an encounter was none other than Li Xuanfa. He had managed to save a whole group of people from his attack.

    Yin Luo had lost consciousness in thest brawl, and Li Meng tied him up with a rope artifact which he got from one of the victims.

    ¡°Leader. Scouts have reported that the group from Emerald Amethyst have entered the core region and are headed this way. What should we do?¡±

    ¡°Tell all the members to go into hiding and let the group from the hall enter the core region. We will let the group from ck-Devil church take care of them and wait to fish benefits for ourselves.¡±

    How could Li Meng let go of an opportunity to take out two enemies with a single bullet?

    The group followed Li Meng¡¯s order and went into hiding.

    .....................

    ck Devil base, core region, Misty Valley-

    ¡°Sir, the scouts have reported that the Merald AmethystHall forces have entered the core region and headed to this ce.¡±

    ¡°Inform all our personnel to be ready. Also, tell captain Yin to begin his preparation his to attack them from the back.¡±

    The man tried tomunicate with Yin Luo but didn¡¯t get any response. ¡± Sir, there is no reply from the other side.¡±

    ¡± He must be busy with another task. We don¡¯t have time to wait for his reply. Just message him and begin the operation.¡± Li Xuanfa was tensed up. Emerald Amethyst was no small group. They were powerful enough to even scare the ck-Devil church. He could let his identity leak out and needs to eliminate everyone within the group.

    Sir, they have reached the range of our attack. What are your orders?¡±

    ¡°Draw them in. We need to have a proper advantage tond a perfect surprise attack on them.¡± The men held their positions and waited for the convoy to enter deeper into their ambush zone. The convoy from Emerald Amethyst was quiter?ge with the provisional holy son of their riding in one of the carts in the middle.

    *Inform Yin Luo to proceed towards this region. He will attack as soon as we actively engage them in battle. Ask the scouts to be alert for any other forces who would be passing this region.¡±

    Little did they know a whole other group was proceeding towards their base.

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 Chapter 313

    313 NINE YIN ARTS

    Emerald Amethyst group-

    ¡°Young master Huang, we are approaching the core region, sir.¡± One of the soldiers spoke to a cart in the middle.

    ¡°No need to rush in. Send the scouts in to survey the situation. We will proceed only when they give a green signal.¡± The man bowed and instructed the scouts to survey the topography and the situation in the core region. A group of scouts immediately rushed in.

    Soon enough, they returned with positive news.

    ¡°Sir the road ahead is clear. The scouts reported traces of battle but it seems there is no one present with the core region at the site we are approaching. The parties involved must have been hurt and went into hiding.

    ¡°Is the news credible? We would be wasting time here if Frost lilies aren¡¯t present in a good quantity.¡± Young master Huang spoke up.

    ¡°The news came from a reputed merchant house and was crossreferenced with many cultivators and guilds. Many people are rushing into this region as it is said to be filled with frost lilies. ¡±

    ¡°What does young master suggest we do?¡± The man asked.

    ¡°Began preparing your troops. We will rob every single cultivator who steps into the Misty Valley. No matter which force they belong to, we will eliminate and snatch their resources. It is the only way I will manage to make up for the quota required by the mission. Assume you know the importance of me bing a holy son.¡±

    .....

    ¡°We will do everything to make young master Huang a holy son of the Hall. I just hope that when a young master climbs to the top of power, you don¡¯t forget our efforts.¡± The man said.

    ¡°Help me be a holy son, and the least I can promise is to make five of your top-ranked Qi Kings into Qi emperors within half a year, with the power of my authority.¡± The words were too shocking for the man to respond. Five Qi Emperors within half a year, he just couldn¡¯tprehend how powerful he would be if that became true.

    ¡°And I said at the very least. There is always the option of cooperating in the long run with me supporting your branch. If all goes well and I manage to be a cardinal, I will make your group the strongest in Misty valley. We might even be able to dominate the whole region.¡±

    Young master Huang¡¯s words were too appealing, and the leader couldn¡¯t resist the bait.

    ¡°Let¡¯s proceed to the core region, sir.¡± The convoy went in deeper. They began to kill the very cultivator they came across in their path and the pile of treasures began to grow. The team finally decided to set up camp in one of the secluded regions they could find with the core area. The tents were set up and the men were resting for the next day.

    ¡°What are our gains?¡±

    ¡°We have managed to collect around 15 stalks of frost lilies and many artifacts from independent cultivators. We didn¡¯t find any small group or the profit earned would have been bigger than this.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t even 1% of my whole requirement. We need to hurry up. Tell the soldiers that we will be leaving the camp in 6 hours and they better be ready for a long journey. We can¡¯t waste time here.¡±

    ¡°Sir, if worsees to worst, we will just have to buy frost lilies from other groups. We can easily make-up the whole quota of yours.¡±

    ¡°You seem to underestimate the Hall a bit. There is always a surveince team on my back, recording every move of mine. DO you think no other holy son ever thought of this way to pass the assessment? They had, but the result which came out of it wasn¡¯t good.¡±

    ¡°I need to earn the amount with my efforts. And even if I buy them, it has to be with my own money. I suppose you all know the price of frost lilies. The amount required will need your branch to spend all its savingspletely in addition to a debt which you will have to repay by other means. I am not that resourceful. In the history of the guild, only the second holy son managed toplete the task that way.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry for my unfilial act. I will get my men ready immediately.¡±

    ¡°I am ruthless, but not a fool. Have them rest for a bit. The journey into Misty valley is not an easy one. For all we know, an enemy is watching us from the shadows even at this moment, listening to our conversation.¡± Young master Huang said with a smile.

    ¡®I am impressed with your detection ability.¡± Another voice rang within the tent. The captain and young mater Huang turned to see a fairly pale-looking young man standing at one corner of the room. The captain was shocked that he hadn¡¯t managed to sense an enemy within their tent.

    ¡°Well, it isn¡¯t detection, as much as it was intuition. I threw a bait, and you took it.¡±

    ¡°Since the bait is taken, we shall begin the sh then.¡± The pale young man took his sword out and shed towards the two people. The after from the sh was felt by every single cultivator in the area and they immediately rushed out to see. It was also a signal for the ck-Devil¡¯s troops to attack the camp.

    A full frontal sh immediately took ce.

    .............................

    ¡°When should we interfere, sir?¡± One of the peak Qi Kings asked Li Meng.

    ¡°We are going to strike it rich this time. Not only will we be able to get a lot of resources in our hands, but I might also even be able to set a coalition between the guild and Emerald Amethyst Hall. You might even be rewarded for your efforts.¡±

    ¡°What about our ns to act as a fisherman who gains benefits when two sharks fight?¡±

    ¡°I have to make a few modifications to the original n. If I am not wrong, the group which is currently shing with Emerald Amethyst has another subsidiary group hiding in the shadows waiting for a signal to attack Hall¡¯s convoy from behind. We took care of one such group, weakening their forces substantially, and this might work as a distraction to themander which we could use to gain profits.¡±

    ¡°Prepare yourself. We are going to assist the Hall troops and have them promise a reward to us. Prepare for all our forces to surround this region and attack simultaneously.¡±

    ¡°What if the Amethyst Hall denies us rewards after we save them?¡±

    ¡°I am asking you to assist them, not save them. Act in a way that their casualties increase at the same rate as now. Their force needs to substantially weaken too. IF they didn¡¯t reward us, they will die in the region and we will take all the benefits.¡±

    Something that the Keeper reported about the convoy and the provisional Holy son, managed to changed Li Meng¡¯s whole attitude towards the situation.

    ............................

    The area-

    Li Xuanfa was activelymanding his troops by being in the frontlines and directly taking all the burnt from the attacks. He was determined to get his hands on young master Huang¡¯s treasures so that he could rush into the depths of Misty Valley.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Young master Huang asked. He had never faced such a skilled enemy. They were getting suppressed even when they were fighting two to one with this person. Such a powerful, yet young Qi King wouldn¡¯t be a no-name in the region.

    ¡°I prefer not answering that.¡± L Xuanfa continued his attack. All the captains under him were shing against the peak Qi Kings of the Merald Amethyst Hall. Surprisingly although the ck-Devil¡¯s werecking in troops, they have covered up the weakness with skills. But a battle of attrition would ultimately go in the favor of the Emerald Amethyst group if this continued.

    ¡°Do you know who I am? This sphemy would cost you your life.¡±

    ¡°The provisional young master of Emerald Amethyst group seems to be a bit of an exaggerator. You are on a task toplete the mission required for you to be a holy son. I am quite sure that the Hall will take notice, but will not be delving as deep as you suggest since there are other contenders.¡±

    Young master Huang was pissed at the mention of this. He immediately took out a ming spear and attacked Li Xuanfa with it. Li Xuanfa¡¯s expression changed due to the weapon.

    ¡± I didn¡¯t expect the Hall to present you with a top-grade emperor weapon, and someone even refined it for you.¡± Li Xuanfa was getting nervous about this situation. The first unexpected event had already urred with a top-grade usable weapon at the enemy¡¯s hand.

    ¡°What is your name?¡± Young master Huang asked in the middle of their sh. The spear was too high grade and directly broke Li Xuanfa¡¯s sword apart, which was a top-grade Qi King¡¯s grade weapon.

    ¡°This humble man¡¯s name is Li Xuafa. I hope the young master will die at my sword.¡± Li Xuanfa¡¯s hand suddenly transformed and turned shiny ck with a ck aura covering the air around it.

    ......................

    ¡°So this is the Nine -yin arts of the ck-Devil. It is quite powerful. Even though I feel a little dreadful.¡±

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 Chapter 314

    314 FLOWER OF BLOOD DEVIL-The ck mist forced Huang to back off. He looked at his hands and could see the ck mist starting to corrode his armaments. He then used his Qi toward that energy off and attacked Li Xuanfa from a distance. Spear is a weapon that gave the maximum possible range out of all.

    But Li Xuanfa didn¡¯t mind his action as he knew how powerful his Nine Yin arts were. It was one of the core cultivation art of the ck-Devil church and rumored to be a God-level energy art. The aura of Nine-Yin was said to be able to corrode and destroy everything.

    True to the description of the art, even after using the spear, the aura managed to climb up and stick to Huang¡¯s equipment, corroding it slowly.

    ¡°You should stop resisting Young master Huang. You would never get rid of my energy arts. It is like a bane to you.¡±

    Huang didn¡¯t react shocked or surprised. He simply took a very deep breath and held the spear straight towards the enemy. He then closed his eyes, and powerful energy began to rotate in his body, emanating a blood-red aura into the environment.

    As soon the Blood-red aura came in contact with the ck energy, it directly canceled and eliminated i. Li Xuanfa was shocked by the view in front of him. How could this be? Just what kind of energy was able to cancel out his Nine Ying aura so easily.

    Li Xuanfa was left shocked. He didn¡¯t imagine that Hunag would have art that could produce energy that was powerful enough to supersede Nine-Yin energy. His energy was directly eliminated, and may even have been devoured as the fluctuation increased in power. LI Xuanfa tried his best to identify the energy art, but couldn¡¯t collect reading about something like this.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Holy son to be so strong. You must have a powerful background to get your hands on such a powerful art.¡± Li Xuanfa said.

    ¡°I too am surprised to see a warrior of the bLack-Devil Hall presenting itself in front of us.¡± A man¡¯s voice sounded from one of the carriages behind Huang. He had been within the carriage the whole time. He came out and stood beside Li Xuanfa in a defensive position.

    .....

    Li Xuanfa¡¯s body stiffened when he heard the name of his organization. How could someone be able to recognize where he was from.

    ¡°My guess is right on point. The change in your expression told me the truth. I am impressed to find that ck-Devils church is actively participating in assassinating our Holy son, just after rising from its grave.¡± The man said.

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°By the nIne-Yin arts, you just used. As one of the top assassination organizations of the past, the ck-Devil church¡¯s Nine-Yin art is famous throughout the central ins. Although the young generation might not recognize it, how could I be so ignorant? I remembered the day when your church was thought to have been exterminated.¡±

    ¡°I guess some of the survivors managed to get their hand on the core legacy and continue to build the organization. Still, you shouldn¡¯t have grown to the point where you could freely exist within the central ins. I am surprised by your actions.¡±

    ¡°I suppose senior is quite the powerful martial artist.¡±

    ¡°I am not. I am a small peak Qi King who is part of a force that buried your church in the past and lost a lot of our fighting prowess in the process.¡±

    ¡°A peak Qi King shouldn¡¯t be able to live until now. If I have to guess, you must have a Qi Emperor whose cultivation base degraded due to an injury.¡± Li Xuanfa said with a calm voice.

    ¡°Quite an urate guess right there. I was one of the warriors in the war and was attacked by the then vice-leader of your organization. I am lucky to be alive. What I am surprised about is your guts to try and confront Huang. I hope you have investigated his prowess properly.¡±

    Huang¡¯s energy got more and more powerful until Li Xuanfa could see a Blood-red projection forming at his back. ¡± I hope you can amuse me.¡± He then looked at the man and said. ¡® You are responsible for disposing of the rest of the enemies. I will take him on myself.¡±

    The man followed the instruction and jumped towards a nearby peak QI King. Huang then raised his spear pointing it at Li Xuanfa and released his prowess. Li Xuanfa could feel his heart palpitating.

    ...................................

    ¡°Spear body. That boy managed to reach the level of spear body. That is the next step after reaching the very peak of spear intent. This battle might give you an insight into the real weapon cultivation world. Wath him carefully.¡± The Keeper instructed.

    Long Tao had to admit his surprise as he hadcked behind in his weapon training. After all this time he could only reach the peak of all the weapons he practiced. So this was the next step.

    ¡°What about the man who just appeared?¡±

    ¡°I could feel that his body is way stronger than a peak Qi King. He must have been a Qi Emperor cultivator who had suffered from a grievous injury while battling somebody or has experienced a regression in cultivation due to inner devils.¡±

    ¡± I guess we need to modify a n a little bit. I might need to wait longer than the predicted time.¡±

    ¡°Whose side are you going to be on?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it conformed. I will help the Merald Amethyst group, for a price of course. I will take everything in Huang¡¯s possession in return for his life.¡±

    ¡°Instruct all you colleague to cover themselves up. They shouldn¡¯t be recognized or else we will be in trouble if the news gets out.¡±

    ...............................................

    Emerald Amethyst Hall was a renowned force with arge arsenal of weaponws and spearws were quitemon in there. The only problem was that most of the people didn¡¯t even pick those up due to the absurdity of the spear¡¯s length and the weight distribution. But Huang was different.

    He was fascinated with the weapon from the very beginning and started to learn the basic spear arts. After having sess in his training and achieving the level; of intent, he finally moved on to powerful spear arts, but the Emerald Amethyst Hall had lost many of its scriptures to time, leaving quite a small amount to assist people like Huang.

    That was when he started to treasure hunt for spear techniques around the world. He managed to head-hunt 9 spear arts in the course of his missions from merchant houses, ancient treasuries as well as some underhanded means. Yet he couldn¡¯t find one which suited him properly.

    Huang was marked to be quite talented and a prospective Holy son of the future quite early in his practice. Yet theck f spear art had halted hisbat experience to those of physical arts and Qi cultivation. Being the ambitious person that he was, Huang took the risk to finally get his hands on the art which would help him climb the ranks of his peers.

    The art was called ¡± Spear arts of Blod Devil¡±. A majestic name like that surprised Huang, as to who could the creator be, but he looked through the contents, just to gain enlightenment in spear and reaching the level 3rd spear intent.

    ¡°How could this be? The creator of this should be someone who stood at the peak of the Martial world. He ha managed to gain enlightenment just by reading the introduction, just how powerful the art was going to be.¡±

    Little did he know that this art would be the key to his sess in the martial world and his being chosen as the provisional Holy son. His strength was already certified, and all that remained was his skills to be tested during this venture. This mission is nothing but a fa?ade which Hall put forward to justify his credibility.

    He had reached the spear body level with the help of this art and was continuing to make great progress every day. The Blood Devil¡¯s art didn¡¯t only contain spear art but also had cultivation sutra. This was a Godly art, which meant that it could be practiced up to the level of QI saint. How could such art not give results?

    ............................

    The two continued confronting, and the sword and spear shed with each other.

    ¡°The Li guy has also reached the level of sword body. I am impressed. He is indeed someone who got the same inheritance as you.¡± The Keeper said. Li Meng had recognized the power instantly as it was simr to Huang¡¯s energy.

    ¡°You are quite powerful. As an acknowledgment of your strength, I will show you one of my core techniques. This is called the Flower moves of Blood Devil.¡± Huang contracted his body and sprang towards Li Xuanfa with a powerful attack.

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 Chapter 315

    315 FLOWER OF BLOOD DEVIL-The reason spear of Blood Devil was so powerful was because of its ability to adapt to the situation. Unlike traditional spear arts, the spear required a specific type of spear that had to be crafted ording to the procedure enlisted within the scripture. When Huang first tested the theory out and had a spear crafted ording to the procedure, he was shocked to find out that the spear was way different.

    The spear was not only longer than the traditional ones but was extremely light whenpared to others. The other shocking thing was the grips on the spear, as it had two grips, but Spear of Blood devil was strictly concentrating on single-handed use. It was onlyter that he managed to understand the reason behind the two grips.

    Blood Devil, the supposed creator of this art, was a spear fanatic. He didn¡¯t have any particr style or a dominant hand at first. Hence the spears art he designedbined left, right and both used at the same time. The grips were specifically made for that purpose.

    The Flower steps of Blood Devil was an ever-changing art that didn¡¯t rely on any particr sequence. When Huang started practicing the Blood Devil¡¯s spear art, this was the first skill he learned. The Flower of Blood Devil was named after the footwork used while performing this art.

    The footwork seemed to be leaving Floor imprints in the ground, as the art was well suited for all types of attack. It is especially useful when the user is fighting against multiple enemies at the same time.

    The footwork executed by Huang immediately increased his speed to a higher degree. Li Xuanfa tried to keep up, but the spear arts were too unpredictable while being powerful and fast. The speed limits Li Xuanfa¡¯s movement while the unpredictability restricted his defense. He had to use a huge amount of Qi to form a barrier around himself to actively detect the iing attack.

    Li Xuanfa was not only pushed back but was slowly being overwhelmed. In thest few encounters, he not only wasted a lot of Qi but was inflicted with a lot of injuries on his right and left abdomen.

    ¡°I am impressed by your ability to run away,¡± Huang said to Li Xuanfa.

    ¡°Dodging is not a cowardly act. In a battle, everything is right as long as you eliminate your opponent.¡± Li Xuanfa was unfazed in the face of this usation.¡±

    .....

    Huang was pissed at the attitude of his rival and continued his attacks on Li Xuanfa. He soon understands that Li Xuaaf wouldn¡¯t be able to continue this stance for a very long time. He prepared himself for his true attacks.

    ¡°Since you were kind enough to show me your secret skills, I will respond in kind. This art is called ¡°Yin-Thurster¡±, a sword art that was formted by the ancestor of our ck-Devil Hall.¡± Li Xuanfa¡¯s sword was covered with ck energy as he shed with the iing spear.

    The sh continued, but the result was soon visible. Even if a lot of ancestor¡¯s efforts went into the creation of the ¡®Yin-thruster¡¯, ¡®Spear of Blood Devil¡¯ was a godly art that was created by a cultivator who must be a saint at the very least. Huang was slowly gaining the upper hand in the battle.

    The ck energy was slowly being consumed by the Blood devil¡¯s energy, making it stronger as time went by. Li Xuanfa was shocked by the revtion that his art fell behind his enemy in this sh. Just what grade of art was he using?

    Li Xuanfa rushed backward and created some distance between himself and Huang. He understood that he will never be able to win against Huang if he continued to use the ¡®Yin-Thurst¡¯.

    ¡°I guess the origin of your art is quite grand.¡± Li Xuanfa raised his hands and fired at the sky. It was a signal for the reinforcement teams to attack the Emerald Hall¡¯s forces from behind. Huang was alerted by the sudden development. He realized that the attack was some kind of signal to someone.

    Soon enough the backup forces arrived, but to his surprise, Li Xuanfa found that out of the two forces he had ced in the Misty-Valley, only one responded. He had a bad premonition about this development but decided to proceed with the situation.

    Emerald Hall was taken in by surprise and lost quite arge chunk of its force to the surprise attack. The equivalence was soon broken, as the ck-Devil¡¯s side was overwhelming the Emerald Amethyst Hall. The number ratio in their troops was now 2:1, which meant that Emerald Hall started to rapidly lose their forces.

    ¡°You must have nned this for a long time,¡± Huangmented on the situation.

    ¡°How could I expect to eliminate the provisional Holy son of Emerald Amethyst Hall without proper preparation? I wee you to see the massacre of your forces with me.¡± Li Xuanfa¡¯s energy changed once again as a ck figure now emerged behind him. It was not as grand as the blood outline behind Huang, but it radiated a powerful aura.

    ¡°This art is one of the core parts of the church, named ¡®Yin Cleaver¡¯. It is an honor for me to go against you.¡± Li Xuanfa¡¯s new skill managed to sh properly with Huang¡¯s spear without being devoured or eliminated. It showed that the Yin-Cleaver was art on the same level as Flower of Blood Devil.

    The two continued their fight, forgetting about the situation around them. Li Xuanfa was at ease since he knew that they had an upper hand in terms of numbers. Huang was feeling confident because the vice-leader who apanied him, hasn¡¯t revealed his full strength yet. A spear and a sword could be seen shing with each other, leaving sparks all around them.

    .................................

    ¡°Prepare yourself. We will be moving in anytime now.¡± Li Meng instructed his party members. He was surprised by Li Xuanfa¡¯s battle ns, as he didn¡¯t expect there to be another backup troop. It seemed that the Emerald Hall was going to lose the battle unless a miracle urs on the battlefield.

    ¡°Wait for some more time.¡± The Keeper said in an alert voice

    ¡°Did you discover something?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°I could feel a unique change within the Emerald holy son¡¯s body. It is as if something sealed is going to burst out soon. Be alert. Probe the situation for some more time.¡±

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 Chapter 316

    316 RAKTA TRANSFORMATION

    Huang¡¯s momentum was slowly decreasing as time went by. While the arts were matched equally, his speed was slowly reducing, but his expression didn¡¯t change a bit. Li Xuanfa didn¡¯t manage to properly analyze the situation. Huang¡¯s momentum was decreasing, by something that fell off.

    He could feel a bad premonition regarding this event. He felt the energy around him slowly increasing in density and flowing into Huang. It was subtle, but it was present. The two continued to sh with each other and fought like savages. Injuries were dealt with on both sides, but Li Xuanfa had incurred more because of the earlier encounters.

    Wounds like this wouldn¡¯t be a big deal for cultivators at Li Xuanfa¡¯s level but the sh made it impossible to tend to their wounds, which meant slow yet continuous blood loss. After another couple of rounds, neither of them felt their strength weakening bit by bit. The wounds had managed to let a lot of blood essence flow away, draining a lot of Huang¡¯s strength.

    ¡°Could we take a small break?¡± Li Xuanfa tried to mock the situation, but Huang suddenly looked serious. The air around him started to feel different. Suddenly an overbearing aura fell upon Li Xuanfa, pressing him to the ground. Li Xuanfa tried to escape the aura¡¯s grasp, but the strength exerted was too strong.

    ¡°You are the first person who managed to force me to this level. Since that is the case, I will show you the second skill of Blood Devil. This is called Rakta Transformation.¡±

    Huang thrust his hand directly into the ground below him, and special energy made it to the ground from his body. Soon enough the blood, which was spread due to the crash, started to react and converge at a single location. Not only blood from the ground but also blood from the wounds of the cultivators. Low-level cultivators began to forcefully shrink.

    Be it friend or foe, many were killed when the blood coagted and flowed towards Huang. The blood energy flowed through the ground and began to spread throughout Huang¡¯s body, into the blood outline which had formed when he began using the Power of Blood Devil. The outline slowly started to materialize and grow in size, until it almost grew to 2 times that of Huang.

    When I looked around him, one could see that there wasn¡¯t a single drop of blood left on the field, and 20 low-rank Qi Kings were killed from blood loss to the phenomenon. Li Xuanfa¡¯s eyes were filled with disbelief as he never imagined that his opponent would be so resourceful and practiced such powerful arts.

    The process finally stopped as the figure behind Huang slowly started to merge with him, forming a sort of body cover around him. The breath released from his body was around 10times of what it was before.

    .....

    The figure standing before them looked like being covered in a Blood Red battle suit, holding a long spear in his hand. Huang¡¯s eyes hadpletely turned red as he stared at Li Xuanfa with a scary look.

    ¡°You should be honored to fall by this art of mine,¡± Huang said as his hands disappeared. Before li Xuanfa could even react, a tremendous force hit him in his abdomen, piercing him through his defense and sting him backward. The defensive weapon on him broke down and fell on the floor, as he spouted out a huge amount of blood.

    Li Xuanfa was trying to stand up when another attack hit him in the head, and once again his body was sted towards the distance. The injuries incurred from thest two attacks were ten times what he had before. Li Xuanfa¡¯s bodyid motionless on the floor. The ck-Devil group that theirmander may have died and lost confidence in the battle.

    ¡°Imend your battle instincts. Even though you couldn¡¯t match up to my reaction speed, you managed to concentrate enough on the perfect ce to guard against the kick. You must be an elite member of the bLack-Devil Church.¡±

    Li Xuanfa¡¯s body suddenly rose from the ground as a blood-covered face looked at Huang with a smile. ¡± I never expected that a provisional Holyson would have this much strength in reserve. You must have been promoted to holy son already, or else you are hiding your strength.¡±

    ¡°Why do you feel that?¡± Huang asked casually. He wasn¡¯t fearful of Li Xuanfa¡¯s action. He had absolute confidence that he could easily fight against Qi Emperors in his current condition.

    ¡°There is no way you wouldn¡¯t be famous within the central ins with your prowess. I have killed a lot of talents in my time, and never have Ie across someone like you. I have to say, I am shocked by your Rakta Transformation.¡±

    ¡°Are you considering surrender? You shouldn¡¯t give it a try. I am hell-bent on killing you and no one can stop me.¡± Huang said as he disappeared into mid-air once again. The next moment he appeared beside Li Xuanfa, thrusting his spear toward his head. But to the surprise of everyone, Li Xuanfa raised his hands to counter it and was just pushed back without any injuries.

    When the dust cleared one could see Li Xuanfa¡¯s body to be covered in a simr type of battle suit as Huang, but the color was Emerald-ck.

    ¡°You too are the second one who has managed to push me this far that I am not even certain of getting out of here alive after our fight. Since you underwent a taboo transformation, allow me to showcase my trump cards. This art of mine is quite simr to yours.¡± A frightening amount of ck energy was released from Li Xuanfa¡¯s body, as the air around him turned extremely heavy.

    ¡°It is called Gorefiend body art.¡± Gorefiend was demon-level creatures who were said to have materialized out of yin energy. They were very powerful figures and using a transformation like this was going to harm Li Xuanfa¡¯s essence. But he had to risk it for survival.

    Although Huang seemed impressed by the sudden art, he was still picturing a casual expression.

    ¡°You do understand that your gore fiend art is nowhere nearparable to my Rakta Transformation,¡± Huang said to Li Xuanfa.

    ¡°I am just using it to even our defenses. As for the attack part, I have something else in mind.¡±

    Li Xuafa raised his sword, as a huge outline of the sword appeared in the sky. A huge sword projection reigned over the skies, as it looked down on the people below. For the first time in this battle, Huang felt a sense of mortal danger. His instincts were telling him to run, but space had restricted his movements.

    ¡°This is the most precious lineage I have obtained until now. The art is called the External Killing canyon¡¯s first move.¡± As he said that, the huge sword dropped down directly on the duo. The space around them waspletely wrecked as the Qi cultivators around them have basted away.

    Everyone was waiting for the dust to settle down to identify the victor. This may as well be the end of this fight.

    ........................

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect him to be able to learn the sword canyon from his inheritance. It is quiteparable to my Heaven-cleaving canyon. I guess we will get a chance topare soon. I might even snatch his inheritance from him. I should be able to do that with could control right.¡± Long Tao asked the Keeper.

    ¡°You should be able to. However, there might be something even more precious than that in front of us.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Long tao asked.

    ¡°The art which the Huang guy used. I felt a simr sensation to the art from Blood general¡¯s.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°You think that it might be rted to the Beast-god scriptures.¡±Long Tao was alerted by this find. He was trying his best to search for the next part of Beast-God scripture but was unable to find any traces, until now.

    ¡°I guess that the spear of Blood Devil is the next part of the Beast-God Scriptures.¡± Long Tao felt a wave of excitement flowing through his veins. He might have hit the jackpot with the current situation. All he had to do was act as a fisherman. A huge amount of treasure was awaiting him toe and grab.

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 Chapter 317

    317 BLOOD FIEND¡¯S POWER

    ¡°You should hold your action for now. The battle is not yet finished.¡± The Keeper reminded Li Meng.

    ¡°I guess we need to use some more underhanded means this time too.¡±

    ¡°Please tell me you are not thinking of using Qi bombs again.¡± The Keeper said. He was appreciative of Li Meng¡¯s realistic approach to any situation, but this was too shameful.

    ¡°I am not here to prove my superior strength to those people. I just need to obtain every single one of their possessions. Everything is fair in love and war. This is war.¡± Long Tao spoke with a serious face. The Keeper stared at him with disbelief. Just how his son could be so shameless. He never expected Long Tao to use such underhanded means to take out an already injured enemy.

    ¡°Before you begin to judge me, I have to point out the fact that we are not involved in a situation that requires me to fight. Why should I waste my efforts when I could easily take care of the enemy.¡± Long Tao was radiating a positive energy w3hile he spoke these words.

    ¡°Shameless to the very core.¡± Keepermented. Long Tao decided to ignore him.

    .................................

    In the hiding spot-

    ¡°I need you guys to follow my instructions from now on. If you do so, I promise that the battle will be over before it even begins.¡± The mercenaries were scared silly after experiencing the power of Li Xuanfa and Huang. When Li Meng reminded of the situation, they suddenly jolted from the shock back to reality. Many were still lost to trauma.

    .....

    ¡°Get up¡± Li Meng sends a soul wave through the cultivator¡¯s mind, clearing it of any fear or anxiety.¡± I know that most of you are feeling scared of the power disyed by the two enemies we are going to face today, but I am going to make it easy for you.¡±

    He took out multiple crates filled with ck spheres. ¡± Your work is quite simple. You will be entering the battlefield and throwing the sphere allotted to you at the enemy once I signal it. You will understand the rest of the situation immediately.¡± Li meng then began to use his soul power to calm the masses down.

    Although they were aplished cultivators of the Qi King realm, their souls weren¡¯t evenparable to Li Meng¡¯s, making it easy for him to control the crowd mentality.

    The mercenaries soon began to pick the spheres allotted to them and began their preparation to go down. Li Meng signaled that they would stay put for some more time as this was a critical juncture in the fight. The winner of thest bout might be able topletely change the tide of the battlefield.

    Li Meng had experienced how [powerful the sword canyons from the Heaven-Cleaver sect were. He knew that even the Rakta Formation of Huang would be destroyedpletely by the art since it was a godly art too, an attack one at that. He then prepared his weapons and started to concentrate his energy reserves.

    The dust finally settled, showing two figures. One was on his knees, while the other oney on the floor. The attack had not only crushed Huang¡¯s Rakta Transformation but also injured him so badly that his life or death was uncertain. Li Xuanfa on the other hand didn¡¯t look good either.

    Extensive bleeding was urring throughout his body, slowly draining his blood and energy. His situation was quite simr to Hunag¡¯s except he was still conscious and smiling.

    ¡°I guess it paid off to pay the price.¡± Li Xuanfa said in a happy voice. He then turned around to the others on the battlefield and spoke. ¡± Yourmander is dead. I will give you a chance of surrender, or the massacre will begin. You have ten seconds to consider.¡± Li Xuanfa¡¯s voice extruded a huge amount of confidence.

    ¡°What is the rush to act so fast?¡± Li Xuanfa¡¯s face immediately changed when he heard the voice. It was none other than Huangs. The blood-spattered around, including his, started to coagte towards Huang, and his wounds healed at a visible speed. Soon enough he managed to raise his back and make an attempt to stand.

    He was soon on his knees, and as the blood coagted more and more, his strength was returning o him. Li Xuanfa looked at him with a horrified expression. Just how could it be possible. He had executed the core spell from his sword canyon, and yet Huang managed to recover.

    Huang finally stood up, looking pristine. His injuries had vanished from sight and the energy radiated from his body was quite strong. ¡± I am surprised that someone like you is a member of ck-Devils. Especially that sword art of yours. It is the most powerful sword attack I have ever experienced in my life.¡±

    ¡°It managed to eliminate my Rakta Transformation. I would have been dead if not for this battlefield which provided me with the blood essence of cultivators. Especially yours, which restored my power quite a bit. I have to say, Rakta¡¯s transformation was defeated for the first time in my life, and you are a worthy foe.¡±

    ¡°In respect of your strength, I will now give you a single chance to redeem yourself. Surrender your weapon and be a part of my hall. I promise you the benefits you will receive will be much higher than that of the ck devil.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the proposal, but I have to refuse. I am shocked by my inability to win over you with myst attack. Since this is the case, why not contend once again to see if you could survive the next time.¡±

    ¡°I am sure to die if you use an attack of the same magnitude. Unfortunately, I believe you aren¡¯t able to do that anymore. If I am guessing correctly, you are barely managing to keep standing since the mora of your group will crumble if you fall. I have tomend your camaraderie and courage, but it is a fool¡¯s move to try to provoke me.¡±

    Li Xuanfa bit his lips in frustration. It was as Huang said. He no longer had any power to attack or defend from Huang¡¯s attack. He was trying to analyze the situation to try and instruct his group to achieve victory.

    ¡°Did you choose your option?¡± Huang asked with a firm voice. He immediately pointed his spear at Li Xuanfa. Li Xuanfa became nervous as the only thing he needed at this moment was time.

    ¡°What is the hurry to make a decision? Let¡¯s y for some more time.¡± A figure suddenly appeared amid the battleground and raised his hands.

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 Chapter 318

    318 WE MEET AGAIN

    What happened in the next few seconds couldn¡¯t beprehended by the cultivators on either side of the battlefield. Suddenly a hooded man came into the battlefield and raised his hands. In the next moment, the whole sky above the battlefield was covered with ck spheres they slowly started to descend and the cultivators didn¡¯t have time to react.

    The sphere initially just dropped at them, without having any reaction from the fall, which led to the cultivator to lower their guard to them. Just when the cultivator was to turn towards the hooded man, they saw him especially folding his hands.

    ¡°Get away from those.¡± They could hear Li Xuanfa shout, but it was toote. The sphere exploded one after the other, and soon enough the whole battlefield was immersed in a bright red glow, followed by ck clouds all around. When the dust finally settled, the loss of life was finally ounted for.

    The battle earlier had taken a toll on both sides. They were gravely injured by the continuous shes, and most of the practitioners were bleeding heavily. The explosion sealed the deal for many of them. As the dust settles, a horrific scenees into view between the two sides. Around three-fourths of the remaining soldiers on each side had died in thest explosion.

    To their surprise, the man from before was still standing in the same position unharmed. He then looked at the two leaders from either side, who seem to have managed to survive too. Li Xuanfa was in a critical condition as the earlier attack had deepened his injuries, but Huang was a bit better since he had managed to recover his strength due to Rakta Transformation.

    ¡°I am impressed by your abilities.¡± The hooded man says to Huang.

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Huang asked in a serious tone. The situation was not in this favor as a new enemy had entered the yground, killing most of their men in just one attack. Huang wanted to analyze the situation as he was recovering from his injuries using his own Qi.

    But to his surprise, the hooded figurepletely ignores the two of them and stares at the remaining soldiers on either side. ¡± I will say this one time, and all you have is one chance. Surrender now, or each one of you will be dead in the next second.¡±

    The emotionless voice scared many of the cultivators as they knew that the spheres earlier were thrown by a third party, which meant that there was a force hiding in the shadows. Soon enough many of the soldiers gave up their weapons and knelt before the figure.

    .....

    ¡°We surrender.¡± The men who knelt spoke up.

    ¡°How dare you betray our side? You will be paid for your actions.¡± The man who remained unmoved from the proposal shouts curses at the cowards who gave up before the fight.

    The hooded figure signaled and then raised his hands once again. The troops thought that the signal was to initiate another attack like the one earlier, and they began to rush around trying to find cover. To their dismay, though, attacks from the shadows soon hit many of the men, who died almost instantly.

    Figures began to emerge from the shadows, and soon enough the whole battlefield was surrounded by them. The hooded figure then turned around the face the two leaders. Li Xuanfa, who was badly injured and o the verge of losing consciousness, looked at the hooded figure and asked.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The hooded figure looked at him and then walked towards the two.

    ¡°It makes me sad that you aren¡¯t able to recognize one of your old acquaintances. I had imagined that you would be able to recognize me instantly, but I guess not.¡± The hooded figure then proceeded to remove the hood and a face came into view. Huang couldn¡¯t recognize the guy, but Li Xuanfa¡¯s eyes went wide.

    If one could see it clearly, he would experience abination of shock, disbelief, fear, and excitementing from the pair of eyes.

    ¡°Long Tao.¡± Li Xuanfa spoke in an excited tone.

    ¡°So you do remember my face. I imagined you would have forgotten me since ourst encounter. We meet again.¡± Li Meng began to joke around.

    ¡°How could I forget the first guy who managed to defeat me while being at a realm lower than me. I am just surprised to see you here. Feeling good to see a sect brother bing so powerful.¡± Li Xuanfa¡¯s words shocked Huang. This guy had managed to beat Li Xuanfa while being in a realm lower than him.

    ¡°You are someone from ck-Devil church.¡± Huang pointed out.

    ¡°If I was, you would have been a corpse by now.¡± Li Meng said in a sarcastic tone. He then looked back at Li Xuanfa. ¡± I am disappointed at how weak you have be. You could even take care of a weakling like this, and you call yourself my sect brother. Laughable¡± Li Meng then looked at Hunag and spoke.

    ¡°I will give you a chance. You will surrender immediately and gift me with all your treasures., every bit of it. Then I might consider making you a ve. A natural body is quite hard toe by.¡±

    Huangughed and said. ¡± Do I look scared of you? I have already recovered from my injuries. Let¡¯s see whether you have what it takes to subjugate me.¡± Huang assumed an attacking stance.

    ¡°Recovered you say.¡± Li Meng suddenly disappeared from the view of the two figures. When he reappeared, a leg was directly in contact with Huang¡¯s abdomen, sting him to a nearby rock. Huang stood up and spewed huge amounts of blood instantly.

    ¡°Sky Cleaver sword canyon is one of the core arts from the Heaven Cleaver sect. Do you think your art would be able to help you recover instantly? You may have had a good advantage if the battlefield was filled with an endless amount of blood, and you have perfect mastery over the art. But you are just a rookie.¡±

    ¡°I am surprised to see that you managed to survive the attack from this guy. I guess he hadn¡¯t nned on me executing his other backup.¡± Both Li Xuanfa¡¯s and Huang¡¯s expressions changed almost instantly. Huang was shocked to hear that Li Xuanfa had nned on another group to ambush them. Li Xuanfa was shocked that Li Meng was the one who killed them.

    ¡°Anyway. What do you think of my proposal.¡± Li Meng confronted Huang.

    ¡± You are just boasting your strength in front of us when we are gravely injured. Do you think you can even scratch me if I was in my prime?¡± Huang wanted to taunt Li Meng. Li Xuanfa simply looked at Huang with contempt in his eyes. He had no idea what sort of monster he was currently facing.

    ¡°Oh really.¡± Li meng raised his hands and an outline began to form in the sky. Soon enough a sword simr to Li Xuanfa¡¯s earlier attack came into view. But to either of their surprise, the power extruded from the sword was much devastating than Li Xuanfa¡¯s. They were almost suffocated under the pressure.

    ¡°My sword canyon is part of the true core arts after which the sect is named. It is called Heaven cleaver. This isn¡¯t even the real scale of my movement. It¡¯s just something I formted in abination of another sword art of mine.¡± Li Meng turned his hands into a fist, and the huge sword instantly divided into countless short swords.

    ¡°I call this movie, ¡°Train of Thousand swords.¡± Huang was petrified at his location. He was sure that he was about to die when the attack suddenly diverted towards their forces on the field. Thousands of swords instantly annihted everyone besides the two leaders. Even the injured Qi Emperor died.

    ¡°I will give you a chance to prove your strength. Use your Rakta Transformation to absorb the blood and heal yourself. We will fight once you are done.¡± Li meng simply sat down and started to look at Li Xuanfa. Huang hesitated for a bit before agreeing with the situation. This was the only way he might be able to escape from this situation.

    ¡°Do you want to present me with the same conditions?¡± Li Xuanfa asked in a serious tone.

    ¡°You are the only enemy of mine who managed to live for such a long time after fighting with me. I sort of want to eliminate you, but that would take out the fun and interest I might have again in the future. So the only question is, what price could you possibly pay for your life?¡±

    Li Xuanfa was surprised by Li Meng¡¯s words.

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 Chapter 319

    319 BLOOD FIEND VS. DOMINATOR¡¯S FIST

    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Li Xuanfa was calm in the situation. He knew that the situation demanded a calm mind if he wanted to get out alive. Thest sh had created enmity between him and Long Tao, and hence he knew that he wouldn¡¯t get out of the situation unharmed.

    ¡°I guess your life is quite valuable. First, I would like to have all the treasures, every dime of it that you carry at the moment.¡± Li Xuanfa¡¯s eyes were filled with hesitation, yet he agreed with the condition if he could get out of the situation alive. No amount of time would help him get an upper hand.

    ¡°Second thing I want is the art which you received in the Heaven Cleaver inheritance. I want the Sky-Cleaving sword art.¡± Li Xuanfa¡¯s expression took a turn to the worst when he heard it. Was Long Tao insane? How could he ask for the Sky-cleaving sword?

    ¡°I can¡¯t give you that. The inheritance denies me the ability to share the art.¡± Li Xuanfa tried to take a hardstand.

    ¡°I think you are misunderstanding the situation you are in. This isn¡¯t a discussion we are having. Either you give it to me, or I will forcefully snatch it from you.¡±

    ¡°And how will you do it? The only way you could snatch it from me is.¡± Li Xuanfa was going to say something when he remembered the way the art could be snatched from him. ¡°You know soul search method.¡±

    ¡°How else could I be so sure to get the art? I am just holding myself back since it might result in your soul being damaged, which in return would limit your future cultivation path, taking out a potential rival of mine. I don¡¯t want that.¡± Li Meng¡¯s words shocked Li Xuanfa. He owned the forbidden soul search method.

    ¡°What is your choice?¡± Li Meng was getting impatient.

    ¡°I agree.¡± Li Xuanfa¡¯s veins were popping from the frustration he had just experienced. He was so powerless in front of Li Meng. He had to get out of here alive.

    .....

    ¡°Well done. Men do get shameless when facing death.¡± Li Meng¡¯s mocking words were like thorns prickling on Li Xuanfa¡¯s skin.¡± Should we move on to thest requirement? It is rted to your mission this time.¡± Li Xuanfa experienced a bad premonition.

    ¡°I want to know the location of the treasure you are trying to obtain.¡± Li Meng¡¯s words instantly resulted in Li Xuanfa extruding bloodlust, even in the injured condition. Li Meng looked at him with a mocking look. He then flicked his fingers, to have two men drag a figure to the battlefield. He was badly beaten to a near-death condition.

    LI Xuanfa instantly recognized the man as Yin Luo. So Li Meng kept him alive at the end. Li Meng turned around and kicked the injured figure so hard that the cracking of a few bones could be heard. Yin Luo even flinched a bit in pain as he couldn¡¯t do anything else.

    ¡°This Guy was a tough nut to crack man. I finally had to apply soul search, but his soul is quite sturdy for someone in Qi King. I was able to dig all the information with minimal damage. As it turns out, there is a treasure in the depths of Misty Ridge which you wanted to obtain before breaking into Qi Emperor. I guess that is the reason for attacking Huang right.¡±

    ¡°Provisional Holy sons are said to be carrying a powerful fire element artifact provided by the hall itself. You wanted to seize it and rush into the depths to obtain that treasure. Too bad you didn¡¯t ount for me.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°I will be receiving the treasure on your behalf. So please do tell me what the treasure is.¡± Li Xuanfa tried his best to keep hisposure, but this was a huge blow to his confidence. He might have even received a heart demon due to Li Meng, which would prove a hurdle in his future cultivation.

    ¡°I will give you the information but I have a demand you need to fulfill.¡± Li Xuanfa said.

    ¡°Let us hear it.¡±

    ¡°I want you to heal Yin Luo at least to a level where he could start healing himself. He will be leaving with me to the church.¡± Li Xuanfa calmed down and rationally analyzed the situation. He knew that Li meng hadpletely overpowered the situation and there was no other way to escape.

    ¡°You have got guts to ask such demands from me. Do you think I will let you take a person who not only has two heavenlyws but is a natural body holder? He is the best candidate for my servant. How could I let you have him? I just brought him here to make him understand how weak hismander is.¡±

    ¡°Either you let him go, or I wouldn¡¯t disclose the information even if it marks the death of me.¡± Li Xuanfa stood his ground. Li Meng then proceeded to grab Li Xuanfa¡¯s head and ingest his soul energy when the Keeper suddenly interrupted him.

    ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t inject your energy. His soul is being protected by a charm created by some ancient method. You will not only receive a soul sure but also be marked by the curse and they could spot you anywhere in the world.¡± Li Meng stopped his hand and threw Li Xuanfa to the ground.

    ¡°You have made some good preparation. Even your soul is protected by some ancient talisman. Well, I guess soul search is not an option at the moment.¡± Li Meng then walked towards Yin Luo and started injecting him with wood energy. Yin Luo¡¯s condition began to improve slowly, and finally, he managed to gain consciousness.

    When he opened his eyes, he saw hismander lying not far away from him in a pool of blood, struggling to be alive. He wanted to say something, but Li Meng had restricted his movements.

    ¡°You can have him. But I would like to have my demands fulfilled first.¡± Li Xuanfa took out all his possessions, including around ten storage rings, and handed them to Li Meng. He then took out an ancient-looking map. ¡°The details are mentioned within the map itself.¡± He then proceeded to remove another wooden que from his vest and threw it at Li Meng.

    ¡°It has the Sky-Cleaving sword inscribed within it.¡± Li Meng verified the possession and was satisfied.

    ¡°I would like for you to wait and see the oue of the next battle.¡± He then turned towards Huang, who looked much better than before. His body was radiating an immense amount of power

    ¡°How much longer?¡±

    ¡°1 more incense until Ipletely recover from my injuries.¡± Li Meng waited for another incense stick and Huang finally opened his eyes.

    ¡°Shall we begin the battle?¡± Li Meng began to proceed towards Huang.

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 Chapter 320

    320 BLOOD FIEND VS. DOMINATOR¡¯S FIST-¡°Before we begin the fight, how about we raise the stakes a little bit.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°What do you have in mind?¡±

    ¡°If you manage to win the match, I will let you get out of here alive after you leave all your treasures behind. If you lose, you will be my servant ad follow me.¡± Huang was surprised at the stakes. It was too unfair for me. He was going to lose all his possession either way. The only difference was he would be allowed to leave.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that it is a little tilted in your favor?¡± Huang said.

    ¡°I guess you too are unable to understand the situation you are in. I don¡¯t even have any attachments to you and don¡¯t even consider you as a worthy rival to have. You are just a weakling who can neverpare to me in terms of power. The fact that I would let you go if you win is to signify that you will be qualified to be my rival.¡±

    ¡°If you lose, you will either end up bing my dog or be dead.¡± Li Meng¡¯s words were an absolute insult to Huang. He clenched his teeth and fist, but couldn¡¯t deny LI meng¡¯s words as that was what the situationmanded him to do. He had lost the match even before it started.

    ¡°Now for the whole list of treasures which I will be taking from you. This includes every single possession you and your convoy members had along with all the weapons and carts. I will also be taking all the armor and defensive treasures. Thest item is your skill. I will be taking the Blood Devil¡¯s spear art from you.¡±

    Huang was instantly enraged and threw the spear in his hands towards Li Meng. It was an impulsive move and he regretted it secondster, but to his surprise, Li Meng didn¡¯t even move. He simply raised his hands to catch the spear mid-air, without even applying any energy to it.

    He had managed to cancel out such a powerful attack with pure physical strength. Both Huang and Li Xuanfa were left astounded. Yin Luo¡¯s eyes were wide from the experience. Just how monstrous was this guy¡¯s physical strength. Li Xuanfa was the first one to calm down as he remembered his previous encounter with Long Tao and knew that he was a body cultivator.

    .....

    ¡°It¡¯s rude to interrupt when someone is talking. Good spear though. I guess I will take this with me too.¡± He then arched his back and threw it back at Huang with physical strength. Huang tried to stop it the same way Li Meng did, but his figure sted backward. The momentum was too huge to control.

    ¡°Your skill is the most important part of the price you are going to pay in exchange for your life. We wouldn¡¯t even be discussing it if not for the skill.¡± Huang had calmed down and was even nervous due to thest experience. Li Meng was still looking at him with a smile on his face.

    ¡°shall we begin?¡± Li Meng asked.

    Huang screamed at the top of his lungs and activated the Rakta Transformation. To Li Xuanfa¡¯s surprise the transformation this time was way more powerful than the one during their battle.

    ¡± You managed to get some inspiration regarding the art in yourst fight. Quite perceptive of you.¡± Li Meng simply raised his hands and another sword appeared above them. The sword was far bigger than the one he used previously, which meant that he hadn¡¯t used the full extent of his powersst time.

    ¡°killing you s quite easy with my sword art. Even if you had managed toprehend spear body, the difference in our power couldn¡¯t be closed by simple enlightenment. But where is the fun in that? I will show you something far more interesting.¡± Li Meng lowered his hand, yet the sword was still floating above them.

    He then proceeded to walk towards Huang while extruding a blood-red aura. The energy was extremely simr to Huang¡¯s in nature. Both Li Xuanfa and Huang were surprised to see the view.

    ¡°This is the same feeling as my Blood Devil¡¯s spear art. What art are you using?¡± Huang asked excitedly.

    ¡°An art which forms the base of your art. You could say that your art might be the sequel to mine.¡± Li Meng said. ¡± te abilities provided to me by this art are quite vast. I will show you something that is quite rtable to yours.¡± The energy began to coagte in Li Meng¡¯s hand, as a long outline was formed. It was a spear.

    This was none other than the spear which was formed by Li Meng¡¯s blood essence with the help of Weapon Tempering art. ording to logic, they would be ssified as peak King tier weapons as of now, but the heterogeneous energies in Li Meng¡¯s body had imbued many foreign energies into them, making them far stronger.

    ¡± A spear formed out of blood essence.¡± Huang was the first one to realize the situation he couldn¡¯t mistake the object. It was something created out of blood essence and energy. To his surprise, that was not the end of it. Li Meng¡¯s eyes suddenly turned blood red, as he shouted. ¡°Berserker art.¡±

    While Huang¡¯s body was covered in the battlesuit created by Rakta Transformation, Li Meng¡¯s whole body turned Blood red and transformed into a giant. Li Xuanaf couldn¡¯t evenprehend Li Meng¡¯s power as of now. Was this the same guy who had once lost to me?

    Huang was shocked by the scene in front of him. Li Meng didn¡¯t hesitate after transforming and directly rushed towards Huang. The spear pierced through the air as it directly appeared before Huang¡¯s face. He dodged sideways, only to see Li Meng waving the spear towards his face and smashing it hard.

    Huang tried to back off, but Li meng simply threw the spear towards him while rushing from the front. Huang had to dodge mid-air, which restricted his movements making him unable to dodge Li Meng¡¯s next attack. The force of Li meng¡¯s punch was so huge that his armor was crushed as he could feel his bones cracking.

    The sh soon turned into a one-man show with Li Meng savagely thrashing Huang.

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 Chapter 321

    321 UTTERLY DISAPPOINTED

    Huang was being thrown around the field, but Li Meng¡¯s attack. He was unable to even respond to them in time and was thrashed mercilessly. There came a time when Li Xuanfa felt pity for their previouspetitor of his. He had lost the battle against this opponent, and yet he was experiencing hisplete suppression in the hands of someone else.

    ¡°Try to fight back, boy. Your art is a step above mine, but all I see is a rookie cultivator who couldn¡¯t even properly control his arts.¡± Li Meng¡¯s attacks were also formted by the blood energy which the Rakta transformation was formed of. Due to this, the active defense against his attacks was minimal.

    Just a series of consecutive strikes could easily break the Rakta Battleguard and injure Huang. However, he was able to recover from his injuries. One could see that the power of his Rakta Transformation was decreasing as time went by. The blood energy was getting fainter as time went by until it was almost translucent.

    ¡± Is this the end for your art? Come on, show me some more strength.¡± Li meng attacks finally went through the armor easily and prated deep into Huang¡¯s body. Huang hastily pushed himself back, but Li meng simply gave a powerful thrust on the back of the spear to make it [prate even deeper.

    The attack missed Huang¡¯s heart by a few inches, yet he could feel his body being pierced through and his internals destroyed. He wasn¡¯t able to move as freely as before, but to his surprise, LI meng simply grabbed his head and threw him to a distance.

    ¡°I am utterly disappointed at your performance. I gave you such arge quantity of blood essence and sufficient time to work with and this is all you cane up with. Your Flower of Blood Devil art is even more pathetic, or should I say it is you who is undermining the true strength of the art.¡±

    Huang spewed a lot of blood from his mouth due to frustration from Li Meng¡¯s words. He was being ndly insulted, yet he couldn¡¯t say otherwise.

    ¡°Fine, I will give you some more motivation. ¡± Li Meng raises his hand and the sword above them once again disintegrated into smaller swords. He then lowered his hands, and the sword pierced through this own group members, killing them instantly. Li Xuanfa stared at the horrific scene.

    The three people who remained alive except for Li meng were watching the scene with horror. He massacred his own group just so that Huang could have more power to fight with him.

    .....

    ¡°I will give you onest chance to show me your incredible power. This one will be thest.¡± Huang couldn¡¯t reply, yet he followed the flow of the situation and began to use his art to recover. The Rakta Battlesuit which had previously been broken began to recover and soon enough it shone brightly.

    ¡°Finally an interesting turn of events.¡± Li Meng¡¯s blood was rushing when he saw a modification urring in the Rakta Battkesuit. It seemed that it suddenly transformed due to the continuous battle. The suit was slowly growing in size and runes began to appear on top of it.

    Incidentally, Li Meng recognized the runes as being the same as the recovery runes in his blood veins. So this art truly was the sequel to his Beast God art. He sat down and waited for the transformation to ur. Li Xuanfa, on the other hand, was busy trying to recover his strength. To his surprise, Li meng wasn¡¯t even prioritizing his and Yin Luo¡¯s condition.

    ¡°is he that sure in his strength that he doesn¡¯t care for what I do.¡± He began to use his qi to recover his wounds and started to meditate while lying on the ground. Yin Luo was doing the same thing, but his speed was way slower than Li Xuanfa.

    Li Meng was unconcerned about the duo as he had already nted Yin Luo¡¯s body with a soul and qi seed. He could track them anywhere in the world. He was even less concerned regarding them calling for backup as he knew lI Xuanfa¡¯s character. He would never let someone else get what he wanted.

    How could he possibly reveal the secret of there being a treasure in the Misty Valley? He must havee here without the knowledge of his higher-ups. The men who were killed on the battlefield must be his subordinates. He simply waited for Huang to recover his strength. He couldn¡¯t wait to get a new servant.

    ¡°I am ready,¡± Huang said after two incense sticks were consumed. Li meng who was sitting with closed eyes, slowly looked at him and smiled.

    ¡°I guess you managed to reach another epiphany in our battle. Well done. I hope you wouldn¡¯t disappoint me this time. Huang had managed to upgrade his prowess twice in two consecutive battles. Natural bodies lived up to their name.¡± The two began to attack each other and for the first time in their confrontation, Li Meng was the one who was pushed behind.

    He regained his stability and one could see excitement shing all over his face. Finally, a tough opponent. He began to use his first ability, which was blood drain. The shes continued as Li Meng¡¯s blood spear slowly began to chip out the Rakta armor pieces and absorb them.

    Every sh would result in Li Meng¡¯s power being restored and he didn¡¯t seem to lose momentum. Meanwhile, Huang was once again on the verge of being exhausted from the overuse of Qi. He was at hisst reserves when I meng suddenly used another attack on him.

    ¡°If you can receive my next blow, I will let you go.¡±

    ¡°I ept.¡± Huang didn¡¯t have a choice but to oblige with the situation.

    ¡°This is an art which I formted myself over the years bybining everything I had learned about first art. The art is named Dominator¡¯s fist. This is just the first move. It is called Mountain crushing fist.¡± Li meng¡¯s fist was enveloped in powerful energy, but Li Xuanfa and Huang failed to recognize what type it truly was.

    It felt like abination of numerous heterogeneous arts which. The power radiated gave out a sense of mortal danger to all three remaining enemies. Huang subconsciously backed away, but how could he escape Li Meng¡¯s grasp. The attack arrived right in front of him. He tried his best to guard against it.

    The next scene recounted Huang¡¯s armor being pulverized and the sound of his bones cracking into pieces. His body was riddled with holes, as his figure could be seen flying to the distance.

    ¡°What a disappointment.¡± Li Meng said to himself.

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 Chapter 322

    322 SUDDEN BREAKTHROUGH OF LI XUANFA

    Huang¡¯s bodyid at a small distance away, blood draining out of it. Li Meng, who had just finished his attacks, stood far from it, looking disappointed.

    ¡°Just a single skill addition was all it took to crush him. Just what idiotic breakthrough did he make in thest two battles. I expected him to show me something incredible, but I am feeling pity for him as of now. I have just wasted a lot of my time here.¡± He then turned towards the other two.

    ¡°You seem to have recovered some of your powers. ¡°Hemented on Li Xuanfa¡¯s situation. ¡± I initially hoped for him to show me something incredible amid the battle, but that seems to be his limit. I guess we can try the same situation with you.¡± He then threw a small wooden box towards Li Xuanfa.

    ¡°What is this?¡± Li Xuanfa asked with an alert tone.

    ¡°Open it and see for yourself.¡± Li Xuanfa struggled to open the box up. A powerful medical smell spread throughout the battlefield. Assaulting Li Xuanfa¡¯s nose. He could feel his Qi rotating faster than usual just by smelling the pills that were within the box.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°This is a pill I formted out of grade 5 Healing herbs from around the world. It is one of the core medicines I use in my daily life. There is enough for you to gain your original strength back. Eat them.¡± Li Xuanfa didn¡¯t have a choice but to follow Li Meng¡¯s instructions. Subconsciously he was excited too as he knew that the healing properties of these pills are immense.

    When Li Xuanfa put the pills in his mouth, they dissolved instantly forming an elixir solution that cleansed his body and began to heal all external and internal energies it had until now. To Li Xuanfa¡¯s surprise, even thew-based injuries were mended which meant that the alchemist who formted them is at least at the very peak of grandmaster level and had imbued in hisw energy into the pills.

    Li Xuanfa could feel his bones being reattached, his tendons recovering, his flesh regenerating and his Qi bing more and more vigorous as time went by. He had recovered back to 800 % of his strength after taking half of the pills in the wooden box. To his surprise, the medical effect remained the same even after taking such arge quality of these pills. It certified how powerful they were.

    .....

    ¡°Why did you give this opportunity to me?¡± Li Xuanfa asked. The Pills were too valuable to be wasted on him in this situation.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said? I want to be entertained. My first test subject failed my expectation and hence you will take his ce. Prepare yourself. We will start the fight after 20 breaths.¡± A heart demon had already been formted in I Xuanfa¡¯s body, and this action had an even deeper impact than thest one.

    His enemy was using him for his entertainment. He prepared his most powerful move. To his surprise, though, Li Meng canceled out the berserker art and the blood essence spear he used during the confrontation with Huang. He simply took out a pair of gloves from his storage ring and put them on.

    ¡°I guess I will be experiencing the Dominator fist art.¡± Li Xuanfa said.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t need that to deal with the likes of you. If I were to consider overall prowess, you are far beneath that guy. He doesn¡¯t know how to use transformation art properly and he doesn¡¯t even have the basic arts whiche before his art. On the other hand, I guess that the ck-Devil church has the full art of Nine-Yin.¡±

    It just goes on to conclude that your art is far beneath his. Hence, I don¡¯t need Dominator¡¯s fist to test you out. I will use another set of fist techniques which is a core part of the force that I belong to.¡± Li Meng had decided to use the Strikes of Thunder art against Li Xuanfa. He had specially created this pair of gloves for the execution of the arts.

    Li Xuanfa assumed that Li meng was undermining him, whereas, in reality, only Li Meng knew how powerful the Strikes of Thunder was. Just the first move wasparable to the second move of Dominator¡¯s fist. It was a core art based on which Li Meng developing Dominator¡¯s fist.

    ¡°Here Ie.¡± Li Xuanfa had just executed his Nine-yin art when Li meng rushed at him and waved his hand at full force. The Nine-Yin energy that surrounded Li Meng was broken apart by the powerful force and LI Xuanfa was sted back. He stabilized his movements faster than Huang could.

    If talent were to bepared between the two, Li Xuanfa woulde at the top since he had talent in every area ofbat. Huang¡¯s art is best suited for a massive battlefield where he would have an unending supply of blood energy. Another aspect was their battle instincts. Li Xuanfa had polished his skills for a very long time with actualbat.

    ¡± Since you are undermining me, I will show you my true power.¡± Li Xuanfa thought in his mind. He then made a series of hand signs and the energy being released from his body slowly began to change. Soon enough the previous battle armor had morphed into a giant figure which enveloped Li Xuanfapletely.

    ¡°This is my ultimate move. It is the core art that only I was able to learn in thest century. It is called Yin-Devil Transform.¡± Li Xuanfa then jumped at Li meng with all his strength, brandishing his fist at him. Li Meng responded to the attack with Strike of Thunder. The two men were equivalent in strength and a series of moves were exchanged.

    The fists on either side weren¡¯t even visible to the naked eye, as the area around them was crushed. The area was filled with dust as the view was restricted. The two figures continued their brawl even in this condition. For the first time in the whole incident, Li Meng could feel his fists going numb even after using Strikes of Thunder. This Yin-Devil transformation is quite powerful.

    Li meng finally choose the use the second move of Strikes of Thunder and finally he was able to match up with Li Xuanfa. Yet he could feel that Li Xunaf¡¯s transform was getting more and more powerful as time passed by.

    ................

    ¡°The art must be a battle-rted one which gets more and more powerful as time goes by. You need to end the battle fast.¡±

    ¡®You mean to say that he might undergo a breakthrough if we continue to fight.¡±

    ¡°He is bound to undergo a breakthrough. He will be more powerful as time goes by.¡±

    ¡°Then I might be able to test my limits with him.¡±

    ...................................

    Li Meng began to dy the battle, and Li Xuanfa was getting stronger as time went by. The devil so formed was gettingrger andrger, and Li meng even felt that Li Xuanfa might be losing control over the devil. Finally, when the devil reached a height of 2 meters, the energy began to morph.

    ¡°Finally.¡± Li Meng had an excited look on his face.

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 Chapter 323

    323 WE SHALL MEET AGAIN

    Li Meng was a battle freak who hadn¡¯t unleashed his full strength for a very long time. He initially undermined Li Xuanfa, but the Yin-Devil transform awakened his hope in him. He felt that this guy was a worthy rival if he could use art like this with the proper expertise. He then began to use all his meridians and acupoints, unleashing the full power of his body.

    The Strikes of Thunder he used this time was going to be the actual extent of power that he could extrude through his body. Months of practice within the Crimson Lord world had increased his proficiency in the art to the maximum. He waited for Li Xuanfa¡¯s transformation toplete while using the runes within his body to heal himself up.

    The deal transformed into a more opaque form, with the energy surrounding it getting denser.

    ¡°I thank you for the help in transforming my devil to the second form. I will use its energy to defeat you. Li Xuanfa pointed out. He then raised his hand and a ck sword materialized in his hands. Li Meng responded by using his fist intent to cover both of his gloves. He knew that Li xuanfa had managed to reach the level of sword-body and the only way he would be able to confront him was bypensating for the power by other means.

    That is where the body cultivation andw energy came into y. Strikes of Thunder was constituted of multiplew energy working together in harmony and it gave Li meng the perfect opportunity to fight against Li Xuanfa.

    The two confronted once again. Li Meng¡¯s fist came in contact with the ck sword and sparks could be seen flying around. The residual energy from the tackle resulted in the surrounding area being destroyed, but the two remained static mid-air. LI meng then turned his body to attack with his left fist.

    LI Xuanafa responded by tilting the de in the direction and brandishing his other hand towards Li meng¡¯s face. The attack resulted in LI meng being sted into the distance. He could feel his skin being peeled off and burned. The force from the attack was massive. Li Meng decided to be serious in his attacks.

    He took out the ck Dragon sword and used the energy from Strike of Thunder to execute a rarebination of sword art he had recently invented. The sword energy directly cut through the ck sword and stopped halfway into it. Li Xuanfa left the sword handle, which resulted in the sword vanishing from the spot. while raising his other hand.

    The sword reappeared in his other hand and he swiftly shed it at Li meng. Li Meng was surprised by the capability of this Yin-Devil. He simply turned around and tilted his whole body towards the upper edge of the sword, escaping it by inches. He then pushed the Phantom¡¯s body and managed to create some distance between them.

    .....

    While Li Xuanfa didn¡¯t agree with giving LI meng a chance to figure out a n, Li Meng decided to y a dodging game. His movements arts were much more profound than Li Xuanfa who couldn¡¯t even use most of it due to Yin-Devil transformation. Li Meng decided to mix up multiple movements art, which resulted in a rather awkward, but random set of movements.

    The Yin-Devil grew impatient and tried to attack Li Meng in a hurry, but he couldn¡¯t keep up with LI meng.

    ........................

    ¡± Do you have any suggestions for me?¡± Long Tao asked the Keeper.

    ¡°Using the full potential of your body cultivation along with Strikes fo Thunder should be able to take care of him. Another way is to use Dominator¡¯s arts. You have managed to create 4 types of Dominators arts, and two simultaneous movements should be able to take care of it.¡±

    ¡°Any other means. I want to frustrate him.¡± Long Tao¡¯s character was getting worse as time passed by.

    ¡°The Yin-Transform consumes a humongous amount of energy and he must have sacrificed a lot of reserves just like he said to even keep it running. If you continue to evade his attack for another incense stick or two, you should be able to exhaust him. Either he gives up, or he will die due to overconsumption of Qi.¡±

    ¡°That is the way to go then.¡± Long Tao had decided.

    ¡°But I have to warn you that he seems to possess simr characteristics to Rakta Transformation. His strength, instincts, and speed will go higher as more time passes. The more you try to dy it, the higher will be its strength. I don¡¯t think the game could run for much longer with your current arts.¡±

    ¡®What if I used windw energy?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t even practiced windws properly and you have never tried to infuse it with any movement art. Trying to do so wouldn¡¯t only be impractical, but also will consume a lot of Qi and unforeseen events might take ce.¡±

    ¡°I guess we could only try it out.¡±

    ...............................

    Li Meng activated all the acupoints in his legs, as his speed increased by a notch. He was actively avoiding the Yin-Transform¡¯s attack while trying to look serious. He managed to create an illusion in LI Xuanfa¡¯s mind that he might be formting some ns. It led to LI Xuanaf getting more aggressive and attacking him.

    It was only after a series of attacks have been wasted for no reason, that Li Xuanaf realized his own mistake.

    ¡°You deceived me.¡± He figured out LI meng¡¯s ns. He was trying to exhaust his reserves.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Li Meng pointed out.

    Unfortunately, a lot of Qi had been wasted. Li Xuanfa tried his best to calm himself down. He couldn¡¯t let his mentality suffer an attack or the yin-Devil will consume him and turn into a beast with no leash.

    Li Meng decided to change the pace a bit, by using the dragon emperor de to attack. He used the one of moves in the Heaven Cleaver tome, and it managed to pierce through the transform and cut Li Xuanfa. Li Xuanfa acted back with another attack, and the brawl continued once again.

    It was only after a lot of time had passed, that Li meng got a good vantage point. Both the parties had exhausted quite a bit of Qi, but Li Xuanfa¡¯a condition was much worse than Li meng. He decided to take the opportunity and jumped above the Yin-Devil, using the Dominator¡¯s fist art.

    He decided to use the second move, which was called ocean piercer. The power was so immense that LI Xuanfa¡¯s transform was pierced through and itnded on his lower chest area, breaking all the rib bones in the process. LI Xuanaf was forcefully ejected out of the transform, and st backward. His chest was caved in, and he spewed a lot of blood.

    The attack¡¯s impact was too huge to recover from, and he soon lost his consciousness. The battle was concluded and LI meng turned towards Yin Luo.

    ¡°Since I promised him to let you go, I will let you take your master to safety. There must be some pills left in the box. If you could crawl towards him and take some of those, you should be able to recoverpletely and save yourmander. Good luck.¡± Li Meng then went towards Huang¡¯s body picked it up, and began to leave.

    He was almost out of sight when he turned around and said.

    ¡°We shall meet again.¡±

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 Chapter 324

    324 I WILL SHOW YOU MERCY

    Li Meng rushed towards quite a distance away from the spot they were present in and found a secluded location where he dropped Huang¡¯s body. He then proceeded to give out wood element energy into Huang¡¯s body and heal it up. The amount of Qi expenditure was quite huge, and just when his internals had gone through the first round of healing, Li Meng decided to stop.

    He then took out another wooden box simr to what he had given to Li Xuanfa. He proceeded to take the pills out and inject them into Huang¡¯s mouth, while simultaneously operating his energy to create chains around him. He even used a sealing artifact to contain Huang, as he was quite exhausted from thest fight. He didn¡¯t want to take any chances.

    Huang¡¯s wound rapidly healed and his internals had been fortified by medical energy. His outer injuries were healing at a good pace when he opened his eyes up to find himself lying in a cave all chained up. He decided to move his hands and free himself up but to no avail.

    ¡°You should give up on resisting. Those chains havepletely sealed your Qi. Unless your body cultivation is higher than mine, I hope you will not resist.¡± Huang calmed down.

    ¡°I hope you remember our bet. Now I would like to get the art before epting you as my ve.¡±

    ¡°I would rather die than be your ve, much less give you art which is more precious than my own life.

    ¡°Nothing is more precious than your life, since they lose their value to you once you die. I have other ways to get my hands on the art, but I would rather have you hand it to me personally.¡± Li Meng insisted.

    ¡°I said no.¡± Huang stood his ground.

    ¡°I guess we will have to use soul search and extraction. I have you warn you though that the process would not only be painful but has a huge chance of damaging your soul permanently which is virtually impossible to heal. It would lead to limit your future martial path and you may not even be able to reach the next stage.¡±

    .....

    ¡°So will you hand it to me, or I shall take it myself.¡± Huang was petrified out of nervousness. He had heard Li Xuanaf talking with Huang about this sinister technique. He knew the possible side-effects of the art. Yet he didn¡¯t want to give up his Spear of Blood Devil.

    ¡°I guess you chose not to give it up.¡± Li Meng proceeded to hold Huang¡¯s head and ingest his soul¡¯s energy. He soon entered his soul space, just to find a simr talisman as in Li Xuanfa¡¯s case.

    ¡°His soul has been protected by someone else too. How can it be possible? Why do they have these?¡± Li Meng was frustrated. He wanted to snatch the art for himself, but was restricted by the talisman. He didn¡¯t know the actual power of the one who created it as his soul power might be higher than Li Meng¡¯s.

    ¡°The force they belong to must have imbued these into their brains to prevent them from spilling out the core secrets to the enemy. It is amon practice among the top sects. You might be able to ovee the power if you reach the next realm of soul cultivation, namely Soul saint level.¡±

    ¡°But that is a very difficult realm to achieve. Even Martial Dominators are not sure to be able to achieve that realm. Only intermediate Martial Dominators and above have a chance to reach it normally. I expect you to reach that level by the time you be a peak Qi Emperor.¡±

    Li meng calmed down and thought about his next steps. He then came up with a proper idea. He looked towards Huang visibly in pain, and said.

    Your will is quite powerful to be able to resist my soul¡¯s strength. How about we make a deal. I can¡¯t risk wasting my energy on your soul when I have other missions to carry out in the Misty-Ridge. How about we make a deal? Since you are giving me art, I will do the same to you.¡±

    ¡°Which art couldpare to my Spear of Blood Devil?¡±

    ¡°I told you before that your art is a sequel to mine, which means my art is the one you need to practice to create a perfect base for advanced skills. Your control over the art is not even at the beginner level. The only reason you even won is because of the grade of the art.¡±

    ¡°How about I give you the art of Blood Drain and Berserker? They would help you to understand the art properly and boost your strength by at least twice its current level. Think about the power you could unleash if you use Rakta Transformation and my berserker art at the same time.¡±

    Huang was spellbound. He did imagine the possible power, and he knew that the oue would be far more powerful than Li Meng¡¯s estimation as neither of them has ever tried thebination. But he remained skeptical of whether or not he should give it to Li Meng.

    ¡°I will give you the Spear of Blood Devil if you give me the art for the Blood spear in addition to the two arts.¡± Li Meng¡¯s expression changed. Huang was demanding his weapon tempering art. Li Meng wanted to kick Huang when the Keeper interrupted him.

    ¡°ept the deal. He will never be able to even reach a quarter of your power since he doesn¡¯t possess the Blood tempering art or the body cultivation art. The most he could pen with Weapon Tempering art is ten acupoints.¡±

    Li Meng began to consider the situation and ultimately agreed with the Keeper. He was gaining much more than he was spending since he knew that the whole art of Blood Devil contained much more than the two arts.

    ¡°I ept.¡± Huang was surprised to see LI meng epting his offer. He thought that LI meng would retaliate, but his offer was epted.

    ¡°Before proceeding with the transaction, how about we both make a soul vow that we will be giving the full details and contents of the art we are about to exchange.¡± Huang hesitated for a bit, but then recalled that he didn¡¯t know much details about Li Meng¡¯s art either. He might be scammed by him too.

    He then epted the proposal and both proceeded to make the vow. After which the contents were exchanged. After the transaction wasplete, Li Meng proceeded to the next problem.

    ¡°What about the promise to be my ve?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡® I can¡¯tply with that request.¡± Huang was straightforward. Li Meng felt helpless. He wanted to kill Huang, but he knew that the talisman would safely secure his soul and he would be on the radar of the Emerald Amethyst Hall.

    ¡°I will show you mercy this one time. Make another soul contract to ever disclose any details or rted items to the events which happened in thest few days or me to anyone or anything.¡± Huang decided that it was a fair transaction as his mind was hell-bent on revenge too. But he wanted to get that in his own hands.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope we meet again.¡± Li Meng kicked Huang¡¯s gut with a powerful kick which made him lose consciousness. He then left the cave, leaving an injured Huang with the rest of the medical pills in the box.

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 Chapter 325

    325 EMERALD WANTED LIST

    After some time Huang finally gained consciousness. He couldn¡¯t feel his lower body and as he looked, he could see his abdomen caved in. An incredible amount of pain was induced due to the fracture. He tried to move his body, but the pain almost made him ckout.

    It was at that time when he saw a wooden box lying beside him. He tried to reach it and finally managed to open it up. A powerful aroma filled the room, and he felt his body getting better just by inhaling the aroma. He looked inside and found a bunch of pills.

    ¡°Such potent medical pills. Why did he give it to me?¡± Huang tried to reason but ultimately decided to let fate work its way. He picked the pills up and injected one into his body. An immense amount of energy flowed into his body, healing his internal wounds. He picked another one and ate it too.

    Finally, after taking in a dozen pills, he found that his abdomen had properly recovered from the injury, and most of his internals had recovered quite a bit. He decided to stop the process and move his body a bit. He then meditated for some time and healed some of his injuries with his own Qi.

    The pills which Li Meng had given him were quite potent and he wanted to save some of them for future use, and have the pharmacist t the Hall take a look into it. This potent pill might even prove to be a huge contribution to Hall and he might be promoted despite his failures.

    It took him a whole week to recover his breath back to normal. He then decided to leave the Misty-Ridge as all his treasures had been snatched by Li Meng. He made his way out of the Ridge and hurriedly returned to the branch office. When the officer saw the provisional holy child in tattered clothes, they immediately apanied him into the halls and informed their superiors.

    The top echelon decided to first help Huang heal and then asked him to meet them in the main hall.

    ¡°Sir Huang, may I know the reason for your pitiful condition?¡± The Branch leader asked.

    ¡°I apologize to have betrayed the expectations of Branch elders and all the members of the branch.¡± Huang recounted very detail regarding the expedition and how they were ambushed by Li Xuanfa and his group. Since he had made a soul vow, he couldn¡¯t disclose the information about Li Meng.

    .....

    ¡°The ck Devil church has returned to the central ins. Are you sure about the attackers from ck Devil church?¡±

    ¡°The vice-leader confirmed it in his own words.¡± The Branch leader decided to inform the main hall about this and asked Huang to carefully recollect and mentioned every detail regarding the incident. Huang did so and reported all the details about the incident.

    ¡°I think that your promotion will be halted for the time being.¡± The Branch leader exined. He was an intermediate Qi Emperor who was responsible for Huang¡¯s evaluation for the promotion to Holy son.

    ¡°I might have got my hands on something else which may be able to help my candidacy.¡± Huang decided to present half of the pills he currently possessed. When the hall master called an alchemist to look at the pills, the alchemist was shocked.

    ¡°Sir. This is a miraculous creation. The materials used in it are so bnced that the pill¡¯s potency wouldn¡¯t reduce even after multiple uses by someone. I have been an alchemist for a very long time and never have Ie across such a pill. If we could sessfully recreate the recipe, the usage of this pill would fundamentally change our strength.¡±

    ¡°I am not even considering the profit we might get in the long term by selling it to the public. I have never seen a product like this. Frost lily is nothing inparison to this.¡±

    ¡°Can you recreate the recipe?¡± The hall leader asked in an excited voice.

    ¡°I can, but it will take time.¡± The alchemist replied.

    The hall master then looked at Huang and asked. ¡± Where did you obtain this pill from?¡±

    ¡°I managed to snatch it from one of the enemies,¡± Huang answered. The Hall master then looked at Huang with an appreciative look and spoke. ¡± I reinstate your evaluation and dere that your contribution to the hall is enough for you to be crowned as the next holy child.¡± Huang bowed in respect and epted the proposal.

    ¡°Everyone except the new Holy child can leave this ce.¡± Only Huang and the hall master remained in the hall. He then looked at Huang and said.

    ¡°Can you tell me the truth now?¡± The Hall master asked.

    ¡°Unfortunately I can¡¯t,¡± Huang replied nervously.

    ¡°is the matter soplicated that your father doesn¡¯t deserve to know.¡± The Hall master asked in a kind voice. Turns out he was Huang¡¯s father.

    ¡°I am truly in a bind. If I someday manage to ovee the restrictions, I will report the truth to you.¡± The hall master understood Huang¡¯s character. He knew his son wouldn¡¯t lie to him.

    ¡°All the perpetrators will be listed on the Emerald wanted list. You should prepare yourself for the voyage to the main hall. You will leave it to the alchemist to figure out the actualposition of the pill.¡± Huang bowed and left the hall.

    ...............................

    ¡°You have profited a lot from this trip. Although I couldn¡¯t understand the logic of killing your group. Are you sure that the merchant association will not take revenge?¡±

    They will suspect me, but I will report that it was the ck Devil hall who attacked us. By that time it would be amon knowledge since Huang will report them to the branch office too.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± The keeper was skeptical about Li Meng¡¯s assumptions.

    ¡°How else would he exin his situation? He can¡¯t report me. He will make them the scapegoat. It is simple logic. It¡¯s time to check the treasures we obtained.¡± Li Meng emptied all the rings he had collected during the battle. A massive pile of treasures appeared in front of him.

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 Chapter 326

    326 DEPTHS OF MISTY-RIDGE

    The huge pile of treasures in front of Li Meng looked quite enticing but he controlled his urges and began to inspect them one by one. Soon enough he had separated a pill of Qi stones and elemental stones. There was quite a big pile of elemental stone which had managed to restore Li Meng¡¯s reserves.

    The next pile was of pills of all kinds, including healing, Qi restoring, berserker, blood boiling among others. These pills were useless to LI Meng but could be sold for a good sum of money to the guilds. The next piles were of weapons including a few emperor rank weapons. He couldn¡¯t believe that Li Xuanfa and Huang were carrying these things.

    ¡°I earned quite a bit in terms of weapons and money. I guess killing them was a good idea. I can¡¯t wait to get the returns on my belongings.¡±

    The next piles were formed of scriptures from the mercenaries as well as the forces from two groups. Most of them were general arts which would pay well, but he managed to find some core arts from either of the groups which if released could cause amotion. Especially LI Xuanfa and Huang¡¯s ring.

    Li Xuanfa¡¯s Nine-Yin arts were present within his ring and Huang had the Emerald fire scripture within his. Li Meng was surprised that Huang didn¡¯t use the emerald Fire scripture during any of his fights and concluded that he must not have a good mastery in it.

    ¡°What should I do regarding this Nine-Yin arts?¡±

    ¡°There must be some requirements to practice an art like this. For example, the Emerald Fire scripture requires the user to continuously devour Fire energy of any kind and increase his Qi as well as fire energy. It is crude scripture but quite effective even at higher levels. The Nine-Yin art seems to be godly, and not from this ne.¡±

    ¡°You mean to say that it came from some other ne of existence.¡±

    ¡°I am just pointing out the truth. No one on this ne could possiblye up with the Nine-Yin art. They would at least require a reference for the creation of this thing, and the only one who could create something like this are nes where Yin-energy is quite abundant.¡±

    .....

    ¡°So should I learn it?¡± Li Meng came straight to the point.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a predominantly Yin-rted art in your arsenal. Your body has already amodated quite a several energies starting from Elemental, Hell-heaven, and normal Qi among others. I don¡¯t think another type of energy would harm it given you cane up with a proper way to control it.¡±

    ¡°Which means either you start practicing it hard, or you find a suitable Yang rted art which is of the same quality as the Nine-Yin art. The two opposing energies will keep each other in check and you will be able to harness the power without any problem.¡± Li Meng considered it and decided to keep it for now.

    He switched to the Emerald fire scripture. It was a powerful fire element art. He hadcked behind in collecting elemental art scriptures and his stock was outdated. He decided to gather up arts of simr strength to other elements. It would help his fire control and might even help in progressing his alchemy talent.

    ¡°I have heard that Emerald Amethyst Hall¡¯s fire scripture is more profound in terms of cultivation than our Pill valley¡¯s Fire tome. This is a great gain to my arsenal.¡±

    ¡°Should we get to the main course? Take out the ring which Li Xuanfa handed to you.¡± Li Meng brought the treasures within it out. The contents were a piece of paper that looked like a map, a ck steel te, as well as a record that had details regarding the operation.

    ¡°How can this be?¡± The Keeper spoke with a surprised voice.

    ¡°Did you find something?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°The steel te is not something from this ne. It is formed of a mineral called Nether-Brazen Steel, which is only found in Hell and otherher energy ins. Given that the te is something from that location, I believe that the treasure must belong to an entity rted to that ce as well.¡±

    Both the figures began to inspect the map carefully as they found that it was quite simr to the map of Misty valley with some deeper areas marked in it. This must be the path that leads to the treasure. Li meng beganparing the two maps, and finally formted the path which he needs to follow.

    ¡°The treasure must exist in the depths of the valley as that is the pce with the highest concentration of Yin energy. Who knows what the treasure might hold. We might have even strike dit rich.¡± Li Meng pointed to the Keeper. The Keeper nodded in agreement.

    The Nether-ze steel was enough to pique his interest as its value was far superior to anything they had obtained so far. It was one of the resources that could facilitate the healing of the Crimson Lord artifact. He decided to support Li Meng as they ventured deep into Misty-Ridge.

    The first few miles were easy for Li Meng, it was only when they began to approach the 20th mile that he started to feel a bit ufortable.

    The cold energy here is quite pure. It is extremely beneficial for water and ice element cultivators. You should use this journey as a way to temper your water and ice element energy, making it purer and purer. Also, remember to rotate your fire energy to cleanse your body from time to time.¡±

    ¡°You will need to use the treasure from Huang¡¯s ring, but it is not the time yet. F I have to say, it would take another half-day before we reach the region where the treasure will be a necessity. All of that could also be avoided if you are willing to train here. If my guess is correct, it would take you a month to adjust to the cold and not be affected by the inner region.¡±

    ¡°A month you say. But that would mean me getting less time to form the force I want to establish. What if Ibine training along with the armor?¡±

    ¡°The effect of training will be less, but you could easily approach the destination. I guess that is the option we are going with.¡±

    Li Meng nodded and took fire armor out of the ring. This was the defensive treasure everyone was after.

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 Chapter 327

    327 HONEY OF THE FROST BEES

    The armor was the prized possession of Huang which he got as a reward from the Emerald Amethyst Hall. The fire energy armor was made of Qilin Steel and Fire element crystal embedded throughout the armor¡¯s inner hide. The armor also worked while consuming Fire element stones, and Li Meng had to start putting in more and more the deeper he went.

    ¡°How many do I need to consume for the trip?¡±

    ¡°I estimate around a thousand pieces at the very least will be required.¡± Li Meng¡¯s face twitched when he heard the overall estimate. A thousand Firestones was a high price to pay. Fortunately, Li Xuanfa had prepared a lot of Firestone for this trip. He had around 700 fire stones in his rings. Which lessens the burden on Li Meng.

    ¡°300 fire element stones are to be spent at the very least. ¡±

    ¡°We have a very valuable treasure in depth. I think it is worth it.¡± Keepermented. He knew that whatevery at the end of the marked area, was a valuable resource. The evidence was the Netherworld-Brazed steel te.

    Li Meng didn¡¯tin any further and rushed into the depths of the Misty-Ridge. Eventually, they managed to pass through the inner region and the number of cultivators¡¯ insight grew less. The only ones who were present here were extremely powerful Qi King cultivators, and everyone was warry of each other,

    The surprising fact was that there was no conflict in the region since everyone knew that the other person is a powerful cultivator to have made it here. No one wanted to be a scapegoat for others to profit from. Another astounding scene was the fact that frost lilies were visible all around the area.

    Li Meng thought that frost lilies were a precious herb, but the view in front of himpletely blew his mind. Every single healing herb he had in mind was most likely present around the region. He began to pick up a lot of the herbs, and the area was so vast that he didn¡¯t interfere in anyone¡¯s hunting ground.

    After an incense stick or two, the number of frost lilies, snake nts, ice-dew flowers, and snowvender had reached a humongous amount. Li Meng decided to stop here and proceed to a deeper region. His objective was to collect as many healing herbs as he could find since he needed them for the experiment he was going to conduct on the avatar.

    .....

    The four listed herbs were quite potent, but Li Meng had heard that there were even rare herbs in the depths of Misty-Ridge. A warning came with the data though. From this point onward he was going to face creatures who lived within the Misty-Valley. Having avoided any confrontation until now made Li meng a bit confident in his luck, but the thing took a different turn after another incense stick of time.

    It happened when he was collecting a flower called the winter hyacinth. He could feel that the ground was filled with a small tremor which grew in intensity as time passed by. Something was making its way towards him. Li Meng initially decided to hide and watch from the sidelines, but the Keeper reported that he could easily take care of the enemy.

    Turns out, it was a hive of winter bees that lived within the Misty-Ridge. When Li Meng got a view of them, his face turned pale. Every bee within the attacking force was a Qi King-level beast. He could even spot beats at the advanced Qi King level.

    ¡°How dare you fool me?¡±

    ¡°I am doing this for your ow3n benefit. If I am not wrong, these bees must have a hive nearby. We need to collect the honey within it. It might be the best cultivation resource you have found. Its healing properties would also be at the very top. This is the best medicine which could help you in the experiment.¡±

    ¡°Are you out of your mind? How will I beat this group of bees?¡±

    ¡°Just direct the towards the other cultivators around the region. Let them take care of the bees. Whatever is left, you should be able to take care of.¡± Li Meng loved the idea, but it meant that they were going to deflect from the pre-decided path. In the end, LI meng decided on the whole idea.

    Li Meng attacked the swarm to gather their attention and once they began toe for him, he ran towards the direction of other cultivators. Misty-Ridge was always filled with Mist and it was very difficult to have a clear vision. Hence many cultivators were not even able to locate the swarm until it was too close to them.

    A small war took ce in the region, as the cultivators around the area began to hunt the bees down. Li Meng had changed both his face and location so many times, that there shouldn¡¯t be any evidence regarding his involvement in the matter. He then followed a group of bees back to their hive. The bees were pouring into the region of battle, the hive was essentially left unattained.

    Li Meng slowly climbed into the huge hive and made his way through theplex path with the help of the Keeper¡¯s instructions. They slowly made their way into the inner region when he first spotted the worker bees.

    ¡°Careful. Do not attract their attention We need to carefully collect the Honey and leave this ce. You can¡¯t risk being trapped in the middle of the hive.¡± Li Meng proceeded with caution and finally managed to make it to the region where the honey was located. He thanked fate that the Queen bee wasn¡¯t present in the region.

    Li Meng slowly started to collect the honey within the Crimso world artifact. 1 incense stick went by and so did two and three. After around 10 incense sticks in time, the Keeper instructed Li Meng to stop. The honey collected was a huge chunk of what was present in the hive and the bees will begin to notice it quite soon.

    It was at this time that Li Meng heard a weird growling from one of the passages.

    ¡°Dodge back¡± The keeper instructed. Li Meng followed and soon enough a huge figure came into view of Li meng.

    ¡°Forst bee queen.¡± Li Meng cursed his luck to have encountered the queen in the inner region. It was an indication of trouble for him. He began to attack the queen, which she managed to dodge, noticing that it was a fluke to help him rush into one of the passages. He was trying to escape the hive.

    The frost bee queen began to signal the worker bees and followed Li Meng into the passage.

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 Chapter 328

    328 ESCAPING THE HIVE, NETHERWORLD RIVER

    Li Meng was shocked by theplexity of the hive. Reaching the phone was easy, but he made a mistake by rushing into the nearest pathway. He thought that he might have rushed deeper into the hive. To his surprise, the queen was managing to keep up with his speed. Fortunately, it was still in King level beast realm.

    What he worried about was the queen¡¯s signal, which alerted the worker bees around the hive. He kept changing the passageway and soon enough he came across worker bees blocking his way. He decided to kill them mercilessly with the ck-Dragon sword. To his surprise, the blood spilled from these bees stuck to his body.

    ¡°The blood will attract the bees even faster than the queen. You need to escape fast and find a way to clean all the blood and eliminate the smell. Li Meng tried to burn the blood and to his delight, he found that the blood of the bees was inmmable.

    ¡°I have an idea.¡±

    ¡°You are thinking about blowing the whole hive up.¡± The Keeper guesses almost instantly.

    ¡°Yes, once I have managed to kill numerous worker bees, I will just start a me and blow the whole hive. Then I can take out all the honey out.¡± Li Meng proceeded with his n. The best way to set a powerful me was to burn up the passages rather than the open area.

    He just changed passages one after the other and killed any bees he came across. Soon enough many passages were covered with the blood of the bees, but Li Meng had lost a lot of Qi in the process. He was continuously ingesting pills into his found while killing more bees in the process.

    ¡°This is not a feasible n.¡± Keeper said.

    ¡°Direct me towards the honey again. I will start the me anytime now. The Keeper scanned the area and directed Li Meng towards the honey. Once he was in the core region, Li Meng used his Crimson Foxfire to set the blood on fire.

    .....

    The fire soon spread through the passages and the queen was blown back due to the fire. The blood was quite inmmable and all the passages were on fire. The intensity increased and even live bees were set on fire. Many bees were dying as time passed by while Li Meng was collecting the honey in the artifact.

    He finally managed to collect all the honey and began his escape. To his surprise, all the passageways around him were on fire. There was no way he would be able to make it out unscathed.

    ¡°Is there any way I can break through the walls with the help of the remaining bombs?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. The hive is made out of processed cold steel. The thickness is too much for the bombs to destroy. The only way is to rush through the fire towards a nearby exit.¡±

    ¡°But the bees will attack me as soon as I get out.¡±

    ¡°You can use the fire armor to st your way through the hive.¡±

    ¡°Are you insane? Fire armor is a necessity to reach the depths of Misty-Ridge. How can I use it in this area?¡±

    ¡°You have the Frost-Bee honey now. If you ingest small portions of it over time, you will grow potent to the cold energy. It is enough to let you reach the marked location. What is more interesting is the fact that your strength will improve as you ingest more and more honey.¡±

    ¡°By the end of the trip, your body will be refined thrice at the very least. You could be a bit stronger if your body doesn¡¯t get resistant to the honey.¡±

    ¡°Still the armor is quite valuable. It is an emperor weapon.¡±

    ¡°The honey is way more valuable. It is even more important for your experiment. You will need the honey to create the potent medicine which will keep the avatar alive. You need this. You will require around half the quantity for the experiment. It will also result in improving the avatar¡¯s body.¡±

    ¡°So we need to sacrifice the armor.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± Li Meng finally agreed with the n and rushed towards the exit. The armor helped him get through the fire, and soon enough he reached the exit. But he came across a huge swarm of bees who were stationed at the exit who were waiting for Li Meng toe out. They would attack him almost instantly.

    Li Meng decided to first attract the bees and then attack them from a good vantage point. The only problem was that there was no clear passage for him to rush in. He decided to use the remaining qi bombs. He threw directly at one of the corner areas and made hand signs which resulted in them sting away.

    He then rushed out, to a nearby hill, and finally managed to get to a higher area than the bees, and they were grouping under him. He took the armor out and threw it into the swarm. Another hand sign was activated and the armor sted and the swarm was enveloped in a huge explosion.

    Li Meng didn¡¯t wait to verify the situation. He rushed to a nearby river and jumped into it. The stench of blood was washed away by the water, but eventually, he felt his skin burning up.

    ¡°Get out of the river now.¡± Li Meng agreed with the Keeper¡¯s instructions and jumped out of the river. He could still feel some lingering aura on his body slowly rotting. He used all his QI to eliminate the energy, and at the final reserve, he finally managed to get rid of it. Li Meng¡¯s expression was that of a scared person.

    ¡°What is this river? What is the weird energy which managed to rot my body?¡± Li Meng was horrified by the river¡¯s energy.

    ¡°It is one of the most dangerous creations from hell. It is called Netherworld river.¡± This energy was extremely corrosive. ¡°We might have just found a great secret of Misty Ridge.¡±

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 Chapter 329

    329 NETHERWORLD RIVER-¡°What is this river?¡±

    ¡°How many times do I have to say it? It is called the Netherworld river which flows throughout the Netherworld into the unknown. The energy in it is said to be so corrosive that even an immortal wouldn¡¯t be able to escape should he falls into the depths.¡±

    ¡°How was I able to escape then?¡±

    ¡°The river you fell is not the real deal. If I have to guess, it is just a manifestation of the original river¡¯s tributaries in this ne. It must have managed to appear in this world through a tear between the two nes, but thews of this world prevent it from manifestingpletely.¡±

    ¡°So there is a dimensional tear present within the depths of Misty-Ridge?¡±

    ¡°I guess so. You need to be careful. The only reason you managed to negate the effect so easily is because of the presence of two superior types of energy within your body. One is Crimson world Qi while the other is Hell-Heaven Qi. You can understand the power of the original river just from this example.¡±

    ¡°It was able to corrode your body even after you possess two incredibly powerful types of energy, and it¡¯s just a manifestation of the real deal. If you want to safely navigate just the manifestation, you would need to have the power of a Qi Monarch. In terms of body cultivation, you would require topletely achieve the channel tempering realm.¡±

    ¡°isn¡¯t it easier to reach the level of power by body cultivation?¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t actually as you have a higher chance to make it to Qi Monarch level before you even achieve the Channel Tempering realm. There is an even easier way than normal QI cultivation though.¡±

    .....

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Practice the Hell-Forging sutra at the emperor level. It should induce enough Hell_heaven energy within your body to enable a smooth journey.¡±

    ¡°I wanted to ask a question for a very long time. I cultivate Dimrson World Qi as well as Hell-heaven Aura. Why aren¡¯t there anyws rted to these energies?¡±

    ¡°It is because you will need to visit these ins to connect with thews in there. You can¡¯t connect with theirws in any other way. Forget about that for now. If you can connect to a Chaosw at the end of the day, you will understand just how big the world is.¡±

    The Keeper said.

    ¡°Something even more important has arrived in front of us. If there is a Netherworld river in the Misty Ridge, we might be able to find the legendary tree which only grows in the middle of this river. It is one of the most valuable resources in hell and would be an item of great importance to you. If you could obtain it, you might be able to set foot in Hell and connect with itsws during your next breakthrough.¡±

    Li Meng was excited after hearing this news. He wanted to continuously surpass his limits, and His Hell heaven aura was one of the best energies he possessed. He didn¡¯t have anyws rted to them, but The Keeper just said that he might be able to step into Hell, with a resource that is generally found in the middle of the Netherworld river. He had to check it out.

    ¡°What is the three¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°It is called the Great Yin tree. If you manage to find it and connect it to your body, your body will fundamentally transform to amodate thews of Hell too. Think of it as a transformation to the very core of your being. Once you can do that, use the art mentioned in Hell Forger to open a door to hell.¡±

    ¡°Previously you had been unsessful in your attempts at going to hell. My initial estimate was that you would need to break through the Dominator realm and practice your Hell haven Qi to that level to be able to bear the pressure of Hell¡¯sws. But the river changes the situationpletely.¡±

    ¡°Forget the treasure which is marked on the map, this river by itself is a great treasure, but it is one which we couldn¡¯t use as of now. The Great-Yon tree is something we need to get our hands-on. If you can open a pathway and sessfully step into hell, the artifact could start to absorb the purest energy from hell itself.¡±You need to understand that Hell is a higher ne than the current one you exist in. Itsws and energies are fundamentally many times stronger than the ones here.¡±

    ¡°The artifact is sure to recover much faster in Hell.¡± Li Meng finally understood the importance of the Yin-tree. He had to get his hands on that treasure.

    ¡°Begin to ingest the honey you obtained from the hive. You will be consuming a hug of that honey on every incense stick to maintain the peak level of your powers. We might have to face a powerful enemy in the depths.¡±

    Li Meng followed the Keeper¡¯s instructions and ate the hiney. He could feel his body being filled with power and all the cold he felt before vanishedpletely. He could also feel his body getting stronger and being refined by a strange energy. The honey was quite miraculous. No wonder the Keeper asked him to sacrifice the armor for it.

    ¡°Follow the Yin river closely while marking the path in the map. We will go for the treasure once we manage to find the source of this river. Let¡¯s hope there is a Yin Tree at the end of the path.¡±

    The river was lifeless as it flowed to the depth of the Misty Valley. Li Meng soon walked into a region where no more masters could be seen beside him. He continued to go deeper and finally, he managed to reach a location that seemed like ake from where the river had originated from.

    To his surprise, theke by itself was quite big. He never expected Misty Ridge to be so immense.

    ¡°What should we do?¡±

    ¡°We need to cross the river.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°And how are we going to do that?¡±

    ¡°When there is a Netherworld River in this ce, there must be a Netherworld sailor. Use your Hell energy to instigate the water within theke. You will see what happens next.¡±

    Li Meng followed the instruction, and soon enough a huge shadow began to emerge from the depth of theke. It soon resurfaced and took the shape of a humongous boat.

    This is called the Ship of the Dead. The main transport vehicle used by the citizens of Hell to traverse the Netherworld river. But the usagees with a price.¡± Soon enough a figure emerged at the head of the boat and extended his hands.

    ¡°What should I give him?¡±

    ¡°Give him the honey you just got.¡± Li meng carefully gave a huge jug full of frost honey to the rider who epted it and extended the boat¡¯s stairs for Li Meng to climb on.

    ¡°Take me to the middle of theke.¡± Li Meng instructed. The man nodded and the boat started to sail.

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 Chapter 330

    330 THE EXTREME YIN TREE

    ¡°How did you know that there will be something like this in the Netherworld River?¡±

    ¡°Boy, the treasure you are holding once belonged to the strongest race in the whole universe. Do you think we were called strong for some casual reason? At my peak, I could devour one or two hells easily. But we shouldn¡¯t delve into the depths. The main reason for there being a boat in the first ce is the corrosive properties of thisherworld river.¡±

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe it if the boat was constructed of a material that is even precious for me to find out. I could have gone through 4 rounds of transformation if I had just absorbed this boat.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we do it then?¡±

    ¡°Because eth Netherwolrd boat is always guarded by a Netherworld captain. A being who has already surpassed the saints level at the very least. Not only will we be captured by it, but you will also die and I will be devoured. You should not have any thoughts about this boat.¡±

    ¡°What is interesting though is the fact that this bat could potentially lead you directly to the Netherwolrd, or Hell if I have to say it more clearly. Hence, I do have a proposal for you. Why don¡¯t you find the treasure which we are supposed to hunt for in the man and once we are done, use this boat to go for a trip in hell.¡±

    ¡°That is not within my ns. I can summon Hell anytime I want. Why would I need to use a boat to go there?¡±

    ¡°It is because when you travel through this ne to Hell, you will have to cross the Dimensional Barrier between the two worlds. This is a spot perfect for you to sense the world¡¯s energy in. We will do 1 trip forward and 1 trip back, which should be enough to let you gain a goodprehension of what world energy truly is.¡±

    ¡°We can try that out.¡± Li Meng agreed. A chance to understand the oneponent which is keeping him from connecting to Chaosws. How could he miss it?

    .....

    Li meng began to insect the boat and soon found that he couldn¡¯t find anyone on it.

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I see anyone?¡±

    ¡°All of the creatures who are traveling are on the floor below. You can¡¯t go there due to the limitations of your cultivation level. You might want to take a trip to this ce once you enter the Dominator realm.¡± The Keeper rified Li Meng¡¯s doubts.

    Li Meng decided to give and verify the boat itself. He took out his sword and tried to attack the floor with his full power, even a scratch wasn¡¯t left in there. This amazed Li Meng as he didn¡¯t expect the materials to be this stuff. When he verified his ck Dragon sword, he could see a small part of it chipped out. His sword was damaged by thest sh.

    ¡°Your ck Dragon sword is just an emperor-level weapon. How could it work against something that can do a dimensional jump? Even a saint-level weapon wouldn¡¯t make a scratch on this boat. You are quite gutsy to even try something like this.¡± Keeper warned Li Meng that the possible repercussions could be huge.

    Li Meng finally decided to give up on the idea and began to look around the boat. It was quite vast, and he felt like the boat was formed out of a special formation that prevented people from knowing how big it was. Boat speed had caught up and after a few hours of neck-breaking travel, it finally started to slow down.

    ¡°It seems like we have reached our destination. Let¡¯s hope there is an Extreme Yin Tree here.¡± LI meg slowly moved towards the exit and finally saw the ind before him. It was big, and yet there was one thing that stood out even from this distance. A majestic outline of a tree was present in the middle of the ind.

    ¡°That is the Extreme Yin Tree. You are quite a fortunate boy. Let¡¯s rush in.¡±

    ¡°Do you know the most surprising factor about this trip?¡±

    Li Meng asked.

    ¡°What is it?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°The location we are currently in is exactly the one marked in the amp. I initially doubted this, but the pathway mentioned in the map seems to just spiral around and lead to the same location.¡± Li Meng said, pointing at the map in his hands.

    ¡°That is even better. We get to shoot two birds with a single stone. Let¡¯s hope your conjecture is true and that the treasure lies on the ind.¡±

    ¡°What if it is the Extreme Yin tree? Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Not many people in this ne can recognize the Extreme Yin Tree. But if your guess is right, then the map belongs to someone quite powerful. They must be at the top of Qi Dominator at the very least to know about the secrets of other nes.¡±

    ¡°So we might be dealing with an entity who was one step away from half saint?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately yes.¡± The Keeper said.

    The duo proceeds into the depths of the ind. During the trip, Li Meng came around some king-level beast but was able to kill them almost instantly. What surprised him were the indigenous nts which grew on the ind. These nts required a very high concentration of Yin Qi to grow and were quite precious, some even at grade 6 and higher. Li Meng collected many of them and stored them in the Crimson World artifact.

    ¡°There is a Dark Mahogany, splinter wood, Death-corpse vine. So many herbs could be found on this ind. The Keeper was identifying the precious herbs and Li Meng was busy plucking them up. Soon enough he managed to collect around 100 stalks of a bunch of herbs and a variety of species of trees.

    Li Meng finally walked into the depths of the ind and finally came across a weird location that was secluded from the rest of the ind by a huge stone mountain around it. There was a cave at the entrance and the words at its entrance were.

    ¡°Netherworld Cave.¡±

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 Chapter 331

    331 NETHER KING¡¯S INHERITANCE

    ¡°This cave is quite spooky.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t scan what was inside of this ce. Something is warding off my powers. It means that the is at least a sealing power present which is higher than the Monarch level. You need to be careful.¡± The Keeper warned Li Meng. After some thinking, Li Meng finally decided to go inside.

    As he entered he could see that numerous runes covered the walls of the cave and they slowly lit up as he walked past them, lighting the passage. Li Meng could see that the passage was unusually long and he decided to inspect the walls first. He slowly began to inspect the runes one by one, which eventually led him to touch them.

    A weird vibration suddenly took ce.

    ¡°Jump to your right.¡± The Keeper was immediately warned, and Li Meng did what he was asked to do. When he looked back at the position he was standing in, he could see metal spikes covering the whole space.

    ¡°This passage is rigged with traps. You should inspect them from a distance.¡± Li Meng continued his examination. He found some of them quite familiar and soon enough a pattern began to emerge in the passage. He decided to test some of his theories out and used objects which he had received from the rings as scapegoats.

    The first inspection was when an object was thrown at a nearby location and a voice opened and it fell inside. When Li Meng decided to get a grasp of what was inside the void, all he could see was darkness. Ominous feelings arouse in his heart when he looked down at the passage.

    ¡°I can feel the energy from the river from this passage. This hole must be leading to a deep part of the river. A sure kill if someone identally falls into it.¡±

    After a series of attempts, Li Meng found a dozen traps around the cave passage. Some were spiked, while others were axes, voids, and even on fire. Li Meng was sure that he would be long dead if it weren¡¯t for the Crimson World Artifact. As he went through the passage, they finally managed to get a grasp on the exit.

    .....

    Although it was far away, it was in sight. Li Meng carefully inspected the area, and with the help of the Keeper managed to identify a formation that was hidden beneath walls.

    ¡°It¡¯s an illusion formation with a specific design. I can¡¯t imagine what its contents are, but it must be pretty horrible. The one who designed this cave didn¡¯t want intruders toe rushing into his resting ce. Li Meng had to take some time and try to devise a pathway across the formation.

    He finally managed to formte a set of formations which would work as antigens, keeping him conscious as he walked through the formation in front. It all depended upon the power of the formation, and Li Meng decided to cross the passage at full speed.¡± He bent his body and rushed forward.

    The formation beneath the walls began to act, but so did the set of formations that Li Meng had managed to devise. The two were opposing each other¡¯s power. He was around halfway done when he felt the formations starting o crack. They wouldn¡¯t be able to hold out for much longer.

    Li Meng decided to utilize his full power and all his energy onto his legs and instigated the thunder and windws to rush out of the passage at full speed. He was just about to reach the end lines when the formation brushed out, but the explosion managed to kick him out of the passage. He sighed a breath of relief, before standing up and inspecting the hall he was in.

    To his surprise, the hall was quite massive and had been decorated with strange sculptures all around. He could see, what he assumed to be figures of devils marching around, attacking, and conquering the world. He then even saw scenes of gigantic beasts and devils fighting with each other.

    It felt like he was in a trance as he managed toprehend many things from the sculptures. He could feel weird energy rising from within his body.

    ¡°Snap out of it.¡± A loud shout from the Keeper managed to get him out of the trance.

    ¡°What happened earlier?¡±

    Li meng was surprised that even after having such a powerful soul, he was still entrapped in the hallucination.

    ¡°The sculptors around us are created by powerful beings. Although it doesn¡¯t contain their Qi, it does contain their wills. Your soul is not strong enough to directly oppose theirs, and hence you were entrapped in the hallucination. The weird energy in your body is Yin-Energy which you need to take out.¡±

    Li Meng sat down and managed to extract the energy from his body. Just who created such a mysterious cave? He began to look around and soon found a que describing the situation.

    ¡°Ahead of you lies the tomb of the Nether King. Only those who deem themselves worthy of bing the next Nether King may proceed. Others will be punished by death.¡± The words were straightforward, but a weird feeling arose in Li Meng¡¯s heart as if someone or something was watching him.

    ¡°What should we do?¡± He asked the Keeper.

    ¡°The only way to get your hands on the Yin Tree is by going through the passage to the core area. That is the only way you would be able to ever gain aprehension of world energy.¡± Li Meng decided to ignore his nervousness and began to proceed through the cave.

    ...................................

    In the core region-

    ¡°A rather interesting being has entered the cave just now. From my observation, he is a human.¡± A voice spoke out in the dark.

    ¡°It¡¯s starting to get interesting after such a long time. Thest time someone tried to pass through the passage of eternal suffering was around some centuries ago, maybe more. Let¡¯s see how he performs.¡±

    ¡°You seem to be interested in him.¡±

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be. He simply trespassed through all the traps Iid at the entrance which proves his talent and knowledge. Let¡¯s see his will and power next. The other voice said.

    ¡± I just hope we don¡¯t see another idiot perishing in front of us.¡±

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 Chapter 332

    332 THE PASSAGE OF ETERNAL SUFFERING-¡°I think the boy will be able to survive the passage of eternal suffering. If he does, we might have hope for the future of this world.¡± The voice said.

    ¡°This might be thest time someone can walk into this area. If this boy doesn¡¯t seed, then the most probable situation is that thing being freed from its chain and unleash hell onto this ne. He might be ourst chance for redemption. Yet I don¡¯t think he could achieve the desired results.¡± The other voice was skeptical.

    ¡°The reason I am interested in this guy is his cultivation level.¡±

    ¡°He is just a Qi King.¡± The other voice said.

    ¡°You are not from this ne and hence you couldn¡¯t feel hi w base properly. If you could, you would have understood what sort of a demon this guy is.¡±

    ¡°So he might have connected with multiplews. All of us have done that in our nes. It¡¯s not that big a deal.¡±

    ¡°How many heavenlyws did you manage to connect with?¡± The voice asked.

    ¡°I remember being able to connect with 6 and my ne was higher than yours, meaning myws were far more powerful. Even if he has connected to the same number, I still look down on him.¡± The skeptical voice stated sarcastically.

    ¡°That is the surprise here. I can feel more than ten different kinds ofws from his body, at least 3 kinds of energy, 2 of which are far superior inparison to yours and mine. So tell me, is he worth it.¡± The voice said.

    .....

    The skeptical voice was silent for a long while. He was shocked by the revtion. More than tenws and 2 energies are superior to either of their reneges. Which meant that he practiced art from a higher ne than theirs. Just where did this guye from?

    ¡°Even more astounding is the fact that he is also a body cultivator. How long has it been since I saw someone who is pursuing body cultivation with this much enthusiasm? He has managed topletely open all his acupoints and is heading towards the Channel Tempering realm¡±:

    ¡°A meager QI King has reached thepletion of Acupoint opening and is approaching Channel Tempering.¡± The Skeptical voice sounded shocked.

    ¡°He might be able to do what other failed at.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how he does in the passage of eternal suffering. If his will is powerful enough, we might just be lucky.¡± The voice said.

    The two voices faded in the background as they looked at Li Meng going into the passage of eternal suffering.

    ................................

    Li Meng finally went to the end of the hall, when he came across what looked like any other passage he passed through. The only thing he could see at the other end was darkness. He wasn¡¯t sure whaty at the other end but all the signs pointed in this direction if he wanted to get the treasure.

    ¡°Should I go in?¡± Li Meng wanted to confirm this with the Keeper.

    ¡± I have to inform you that the passage in front of you is different. The only problem is we can¡¯t rig it like thest time, since this isn¡¯t a formation but a treasure. You need to pass it with effort. I won¡¯t be able to help this time.¡±

    Li Meng took some time to analyze the situation. He then decided to proceed into the passage since the extreme Yin tree was a must-have treasure for him. He wanted to start cultivating hell and understand the world¡¯s energy.

    ¡°Once he set foot into the cave, nothing happened and he continued walking until he felt something different about the situation. The passage went on and on, but there was simply no end to it. LI meng seemed to be walking for a very long time. but he couldn¡¯t reach the end.

    He looked around the passage, but the walls were quite thick. He tried to use his Qi, but there wasn¡¯t even a scratch. The energy waspletely absorbed by the walls. Li Meng tried to attack a few other spots, but there were no effects. The path looked even longer this time, and he could feel a huge amount of heaviness in himself.

    It was as if the attack were converted into some weird power that was working against him. Li Meng tried some other methods, like the QI bombs and physical attacks, but he wasn¡¯t able to do so. He once again tried to reach the other end of the cave, but he couldn¡¯t reach it even after walking.

    He tried to contact the Keeper, but there was no response from the other side. He tried to rush to the other side but failed to do so. He tried hisw energy and failed too. Thew energy seemed extremely weak in this passage as if it didn¡¯t exist.

    ¡°Could it be that this cave is from another world?¡± Li Meng guessed. Time passed by, days if not weeks, but he couldn¡¯t feel the passageing to an end. He tried to find another alternative approach by using Crimson World energy and Hell-Heaven Energy, but they failed too.

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t the cave called Netherworld Cave?¡± Hell-Heaven energy should work here. Why isn¡¯t it working?¡± Li Meng was beginning to lose his mind to the situation. He couldn¡¯t calm himself down. He tried every single method in the bag and still couldn¡¯t reach a good conclusion.

    There was something he hadn¡¯t tried. It was his soul¡¯s energy. Since he had reached the soul grandmaster level, he could protrude his soul out of his body. That was the only alternative remaining to try out and he decided to go forward with it. He sat down and began to activate his soul energy. A transparent figure popped out of his body and came into the passage.

    He began to explore the walls around him, and a sudden disturbance took ce in the passage. The whole walls were starting to break down and a big void appeared at the top. It exerted a force and sucked Li Meng¡¯s soul into it.

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 Chapter 333

    333 PASSAGE OF ETERNAL SUFFERING-The scene in front of him changed instantly and Li meng had suddenly arrived at a very different ce. He tried to look around what was like a roof. To his surprise, he couldn¡¯t move his head, and even a little movement was quite difficult for him and tiring. He tried to speak up, but heard something like a crying out of his mouth.¡±

    ¡°Is my baby hungry?¡± Two hands suddenly extended out of nowhere and grabbed Li Meng, picking him up. As he opened his eyes, he could see a gigantic face looking t him, smiling with an affection-filled eye. Li Meng looked down and saw that his hands were extremely tiny and he could barely move.

    Soon enough the situation was evident to Li Meng. He had arrived in someone else¡¯s body and is currently a child. Unable to think the next move he decided to wait and see how the scene ys itself. To his surprise, like any normal scene from a movie, the mother was taking good care of the child. Soon enough the baby¡¯s father was introduced who was a good man.

    It was a small yet happy family with lots of love between them. Li Meng felt an unknown sense of warmth when he experienced the whole family¡¯s love, and he slowly went to sleep. The scene changed and the next one yed out.

    ...............................

    The next scene was within a ck room. Specks of light were visible to Li Meng. He felt uneasy and difficult to breathe. He tried to reach out and move, but he couldn¡¯t he was losing consciousness. It was only then that he realized that the ckness was smoke and eth specks of lights were fire spread through the room.

    Li Meng was scared shitless as he was powerless in the situation. He tried to escape the situation but was unable to. He struggled, yet the only source of rescue came in the shape of two bloodied hands that hurriedly grabbed him and ran away from the house. He could see his mother¡¯s bloodied face, scared and anxious to get her child to safety.

    They managed to escape to some distance when the sound of a horse neighing could be heard. His mother hid him under a nearby tree trunk and began to run to the distance. Soon enough the hordes appeared and the next moment a woman was pulled through the ground by the horses. She was killed in front of his eyes. Li Meng was helpless to respond.

    Li meng had tears flowing through his eyes as he watched the scene. The scene went nk and the next scene appeared.

    .....

    .......................

    Li Meng was no longer a small baby, but a young man who had a great build for his age. He felt like he was around ten years and was training at the edge of a mountain. He had a master who trained him in cultivation and martial arts. He soon enough mastered all the weapons he could get his hands on decided to enact his revenge.

    He managed to kill the group of people who raided their vige that night. He seemed aimless now until he finally managed to gain another thing to live for. He found his passion for cultivation and trained in Qi cultivation on a dail basis. He managed to join a powerful sect and soon enough he had be a core disciple.

    Time passed by and by the time he was twenty he was already the youngest elder of the sect. Never had the sect seen a talent like him. He decided to stay aloof of the world. he managed to climb up the rank of great elder by the next two years.

    It was at this tie that he decided to leave the sect and continue his journey of cultivation. The scene changed once again.

    ..................................

    He was now in his thirties and his power had grown by hundred times in recent years. He had lived a long seven years as an adventure and traveled around eth world trying to find top cultivation sports and treasure grounds. He finally decided to settle down in a small sect, because he had found another objective to live for.

    It was a beautiful woman in he mid-twenties who he fell in love with., he decided to stay with her. The marriage soon happened and they had managed to set up a small world for themselves. It soon bes his sole objective to live, but happiness didn¡¯tst long.

    Arge sect had taken notice of them and decided to suppress them. It resulted in friction between the two forces which eventually led to the girl dying in war, and him being severely injured. It was at this time that he gained his motivation for cultivation back. He wanted to gain revenge for his dead wife.

    ..............................

    The next scene showed him training hard without rest until finally, the day came when he hunted and killed every single one belonging to the force. He had be merciless to his very core and killed cultivators, women, and even children alike. The whole sect was wiped directly from its roots.

    He thought that his life had lost meaning but he learned that his revenge was not over. The vent had been instigated by a powerful force from the dark. He tried his best to find and kill his enemies. By the tie he finally managed to identify the actual perpetrator, he had already be a very powerful cultivator.

    Wiping out the sect responsible for his wife ¡®s death was easy. They were powerless against his sword and were annihted. Heid in the middle of a sea of blood wondering what he should do next. He decided to live the rest of his life as a hermit and began to travel around the world.

    He had lost his motivation until he came across another guy with a simr situation as his. The boy¡¯s family had been killed by bandits and he was trying his best to prepare for revenge. Li Meng decided to train the guy and have him achieve his revenge. He had suddenly gained a disciple.

    He began to find a family within this disciple of his. To his surprise, the boy had a great talent for cultivation and soon grew into a dragon. His disciple went ahead to enter top sects and be a very powerful cultivator. In the path of helping his disciple, his previous passion for martial arts had increased.

    He bes more and more powerful and started to get tangled in many conflicts, all of which were won by him. It was at this time that he came across his disciple from back then, who hade forward to deal with him.

    His disciple begged him to surrender, but how could he agree to it. A fight ensued, and he ended up killing his only remaining family. Li meng¡¯s conscience had grown ck by now. He decided that it was no longer possible for him to control and protect the people he had once loved. The only way to control the world is by transcending and gaining control over it.

    The scene changed again.

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 Chapter 334

    334 THE ENDLESS LOOP

    This time he was seen looting and eliminating many evil sects andpletely looting their treasury. Anyone who dared toe in his way was killed in his hands and the sect to which he belonged was annihted. Soon enough Li Meng¡¯s name was famous throughout thend as a Mad Demon.

    Cultivators began trying to hunt him down and rewards were posted on his head. The only situation was that he cut through every enemy who came across his way. He not only killed them but their family and the group they belonged to. The threat was eliminated from the very roots.

    He became more and more powerful and went through numerous breakthroughs. By the time he had managed to step into the Qi Dominator dream, his name struck terror in thends around him. He began to put more effort into cultivation as time passed, and his breakthrough began to be more frequent.

    The scene changed again.

    .......................

    This time had started to challenge powerful cultivators by himself. People stoppeding after him after they realized what happened to every force who dared to oppose him. It soon started to get boring. He tried to cultivate quietness, but he couldn¡¯t. His pace of growth had almost stagnated in the same realm.

    Without battles, he was no longer growing at the same pace. It was when an idea urred to him. If enemies were not going toe for him, he decided to go for them. His first victim was a young master from a powerful sect. He needed up killing him, and so began another cycle of merciless killing

    ...................

    Sects were being destroyed here and there. By the time the guy had be a hundred years old, he had already stepped into the peak of Saint realm. There was no morepetition left in the world. he decided that the tie for transcending hade. He decided to break through to immortality.

    .....

    People were waiting for him to start breakthrough to start attacking him, but LI meng had an even sinister n in his mind. Before he started his breakthrough, he massacred any force with whom he had a conflict. He killed them, the forces they were rted to and every single one of their members, to their branches.

    Virtually no one remained to oppose him. He started his Breakthrough, and soon enough the tribtion for immortality arrived. But so did the attack from his bad karma. People believe that he will fall here, but to their surprise, he not only faced the attack expressionlessly, but he also transcended his limits quite easily.

    The tribtion finally ended, and he managed to reach the higher ne.

    The scene changed once again.

    ...............

    This time he was moving from ne to ne continuing his cultivation and bing more and more powerful. He finally reached Hell which was rigged with battle. He felt that this was the perfect ce for him to start a new adventure.

    Soon enough he had managed to im a small part of hell as his territory and the battle continued. He grew in power and more and more devices were sacrificed to his bloodlust. He started on an unending streak of wins, as he managed to gain arge part of hell under himself.

    It was until that time, that he came into the face of the Devil Emperor. He experienced his first defeat, and the Devil Emperor decided to spare his life and made him his subordinate. He finally managed to find a ce to settle in, as he became a Devil King. He continued his reign and became more and more powerful.

    Soon enough millennium passed, and he had already surpassed the Devil emperor, killing him and bing the emperor himself. He rules Hell itself and bes the controller of the ne.

    He finally resulted in the same position as he was earlier, aimless. The scene changed again.

    .....................

    This time LI meng was once again a baby, but the setting was different. He was born to a different set of parents, and his situation was different. Another cultivation journey started and to his surprise, he had all the memories from the previous scene.

    ¡°This is a reincarnation.¡± Li Meng finally understood the setting.

    The scene kept changing as the protagonist was growing in power and the experience was different every time. This time he had a fulfilling family life, and finally, he reached the peak of the world while protecting those who were dear to him. He once again reached the peak of cultivation level.

    Once again he reached the same ce, an aimless life. But at least he was with people he cared about. The scene changed once again.

    ..............

    This time the plot was quite different. He lived the life of a hermit this time, and once again reached the very peak of the world. The scene once again.

    ............

    He was born to a different ne altogether, bing a devil. Once again, he persisted through the path of the martial world and reached the peak.

    ...........

    An endless loop of cultivation journeys yed in Li Meng¡¯s eyes. Soon enough Li Meng was starting to lose his mind. It felt like millennia had passed since he was in the dream and it wasn¡¯ting to a halt.

    ...............

    ¡°Do you think he will be able to survive that?¡± The voice said.

    Inside that world is the numerous life of the Nether King. The number of lives which I had managed to ount for is around a thousand. Let¡¯s just hope he can keep his sanity and his soul is not destroyed by the dream space.¡±

    ¡°I think that the boy will show us a miracle.¡±

    ¡°Did you observe that his body isn¡¯t going through any damage and I don¡¯t feel his soul energy getting any weaker?¡± It was as if something was protecting him.

    ¡°he must have a great treasure to protect himself.¡± The voice confirmed.

    Even a treasure wouldn¡¯t be able to support him for much longer. Thousands live in no small matter. Nether King took a whole age toplete his thousand life cycles until he finally reached supremacy. Handling his power is no small matter.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope for the best.¡±

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 Chapter 335

    335 MEMORIES OF A IMMORTAL

    Li Meng experienced the first few lives. Although he was starting to lose his mind at first, he managed to learn a lot about the variety of the protagonist and how he managed to reach the very peak of martial arts every time. Soon enough the craziness became an attraction to Li Meng.

    Although it was a depressing thing to be stuck here in an endless movie, he began to getprehension about the various lives the protagonist had lived, and the meaning of deaths he had experienced during all the times. He kept dying and reincarnating into a different body every time, and soon enough hisprehension regarding the arts began to improve.

    At first, the protagonist¡¯s favorite weapon was a sword, which was then switched into a saber, then an ax, then a spear, and it continued on and on. Li Meng had stopped counting after the hundredth reincarnation. His own knowledge andprehension of weapons had suddenly increased. After experiencing a man walk to the peak of power with a sword, Li Meng was able to achieve the sword body.

    Every single one of his weapon cultivation was at the very peak of weapon intent, and he managed to simultaneously break through the weapon bodies of the spear, hammer, ax, saber, and many more. He didn¡¯t even know that his power had suddenly taken a qualitative leap due to this event.

    He continued experiencing one life after another. His fascination grew to know who this guy was. After an unknown period, Li meng finally arrived at life when the protagonist reached the top once again, but this time something else happened.

    The scene didn¡¯t change. Rather the protagonist began to umte and coagte the knowledge of every single life he had lived until then, and finally achieved enlightenment. His power began to grow and break through the barriers which had previously shackled him, tearing through the space around him, until he finally managed to break through the next level for the first time.

    Li Meng was experiencing a set of mixed feelings when he came across this view. The man had finally managed to reach a realm that he had never stepped in before. To his surprise though, the protagonist¡¯s life came to an end soon after reaching the realm. The scene yed once again, and this time he was in another body, but the result was difficult.

    The lives passed one after the other until finally, thest life came. Li Meng had grown mute and devoid of expression by now. His mind had been filled with memories of around 1000 lives of a single entity. Although he gained immense experience, he had also suffered through every single incident the protagonist had to pass through.

    His soul power had already increased by a huge extent and so did his understanding of weaponws and cultivation. He had seen the protagonist rising from the ashes and reaching the top every time. But the only thought which remained in his mind was.

    .....

    ¡°Why is the end always the same?¡± It was as if he was in some horrific, never-ending repetitive y that was just rerolling with some slight changes.

    ¡°That is what fate had in store for me .¡± a voice replied from behind. As he turned around he saw a person with the same face as the protagonist had in his first life.

    ¡°I am impressed that someone of your cultivation level can survive through the Passage of Eternal suffering. Do you know why it is called that?¡±

    ¡°Because it is just a never-ending loop of the same suffering you had to go through in a thousand lives.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. To my horror, every time I lived life the same thing would happen with me ultimately losing my loved ones at either time or fate, or enemies, and even when I reached the very top, I would always be alone. This made me realize something. We are just ythings in the hands of fate, and I always wanted to transcend it. Yet I failed.¡±

    ¡°The passage of eternal suffering is said so because no matter how many times I reincarnated, the same result awaited me. What I wanted to show the next generation was that if you didn¡¯t want to suffer like me, you need to transcend fate itself and reach the realm beyond.¡±

    When you are watching this, I will be living another one of my lives, and hope that we can meet someday. You are the inheritor of my first thousand lives and hence this makes you eligible to pass through this passage. I don¡¯t have anything to gift you, so all I can give you is experience and insight.¡±

    The figure raised his hands a small ball of lightning gathered in his palms.

    ¡°This is an umtion of knowledge which I had gained during the first thousand years of my life. I wish for you to use it as a reference to design a path that could lead to transcendence. You are still a Qi King, hence will not be able to unlock these memories and insights as of now. As your realm increases more and more insights will be unlocked and help you forge the perfect path for yourself.¡±

    ¡°May I ask what realm did you manage to reach now?¡±

    ¡°This treasure is imbued with my consciousness when I had just passed through my thousandth life. I may not even be alive at the moment and hence can¡¯t tell my exact realm. But I can report my realm when I was at the peak of thest life recorded here.¡±

    ¡°I was at the peak of Exalted Immortal, and the insight you hold in your body is from me then. Hope you can reach the top since if I am alive, I will be waiting for you there.¡±

    Li Meng bowed in respect to this great man. The whole world began to crack apart, as Li meng¡¯s soul returned to his body.

    ............

    ¡°He managed to pass through the trial. Great, we finally have a sessor who could help us eliminate that thing.¡±

    ¡°Act fast and lead him to this ce.¡± A skeptical voice sounded.

    ¡°It¡¯s finallying to an end.¡± The voice said in an excited tone.

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 Chapter 336

    336 THE EVIL SOUL

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± The keeper was concerned about Li Meng¡¯s condition.

    ¡°How long was I out?¡±

    ¡°You were in trance for two whole days.¡± Li Meng was surprised to hear the actual time he was within the dream. Just two days had passed in the outside world whereas he had lived around a thousand different lives, not knowing how many millennials had passed.

    ¡°I saw your soul being shackled into some weird space as I tried reaching you but something restricted me from reaching in there. Just what did you find in that world.¡±

    ¡°I met the remaining consciousness of a very powerful cultivator in that world. I was forced to experience 1000 of his reincarnations one after the other as he always made it to the top of the cultivation world.¡±

    ¡°You seem to have gained a lot bying here.¡± Keepermented.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡± Li Meng was still uncertain as to what he had learned from the experience.

    ¡°I guess you still can¡¯t feel the changes in your body. But it is typically given your current predicament. Please try verifying your body once again, and use any one of your weapons. Li Meng tried to do that and he felt quite different. It was as if the weapon was an extension of himself, not a separate object. The power exerted by his normal moves were equivalent to what he could exert with second-level intent.¡±

    ¡°What happened to me?¡±

    .....

    ¡°A thousand lives which you experienced must have granted you enlightenment regarding weapons, and you have managed to step into the weapon body realm in all categories.¡± Li Meng was shocked upon discovering his unknown growth in the past two days. What would have taken him years of practice was achieved in a smear of two days.

    ¡°You should be thankful to him. Did you manage to know his name?¡±

    ¡°He didn¡¯t give out a name, but I did manage to know his cultivation realm.¡±

    ¡°What was it?¡± Even the Keeper was intrigued.

    ¡°He said that when he left this consciousness, he was at the peak of Exalted immortal level.¡± The Keeper was silent for a very long time before saying something.

    ¡°It seems that you have lucked out. I will tell you what that level signifies once you reach the Half-saint realm at the very least. Knowing too much would be detrimental to your growth. What I can do say is, from the ce where I belong, that level of cultivation isn¡¯t even considered an ant. I hope you understand how far your path of martial cultivation is.¡±

    Li Meng was shocked after learning about the grand origin of the artifacts, but he decided to forget about it and train to grow his powers.

    ¡°Leaving that aside, I guess it¡¯s time to tell what the next level of weapon cultivation is. Once you manage to enter the level of the weapon body, you need to enhance it by ten levels before you reach the very peak. Once you reach the peak, your body can transform itself into a weapon.¡±

    ¡°It is ext path of weapon cultivation and you are required to practice for a very long time even for the next breakthrough.¡±

    ¡°What lies beyond the Weapon body?¡± Li Meng was inquisitive.

    ¡°Beyond the level of weapon body is the weapon heart. There is no way to reach that level with practice alone. You need to grasp a very lucky encounter or a miracle to even reach the peak level of the peak of the weapon¡¯s body, much less the weapon¡¯s heart. You should concentrate on the matter at hand.¡±

    Li Meng nodded in agreement. It was his fortune to have managed to reach the weapon¡¯s body level. But his true objective was yet to be fulfilled. He had to connect with a Chaosw, and the only way to do that was by getting the extreme Yin tree. Li Meng was rushing into the exit when he came across anotherrge hall.

    In the middle of they arge voyeur altar, on top of which was the extreme Yin tree that Li Meng wanted. The altar seemed a little strange and Li Meng refrained from rushing in without any ns. He decided to verify the situation around the altar and looked for clues on how to get it.

    He tried throwing an object into it, but there was no response on the altar, and he decided to wait for some time.

    ¡°Do you find something odd with the altar?¡±

    ¡°It looks like a binding formation from ancient times. The only thing I can¡¯t verify is that it is binding?¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°It is binding a very powerful creature from the ancient times.¡± A voice sounded in LI Meng¡¯s mind. Not only Li Meng but even the Keeper was astonished upon hearing the voice. He scanned the hall earlier and couldn¡¯t find anything.

    You should stop looking around. I¡¯ll be right in front of you.¡± The two looked in front and the Extreme Yin tree was the only thing in sight.

    ¡°The tree has grown a consciousness of his own.¡± The Keeper deduced.

    ¡°I have gained consciousness. They are confirmed. The Keeper was surprised that he was found out.

    ¡°You are quite a mystery to yourself boy. To hold such an ancient and powerful treasure in your hands, you must havee across a very fortunate encounter. I couldn¡¯t even deduce the source or grade of this treasure, which means that it is something from a higher ne of existence than mine, which is surprising.¡±

    ¡°May I request the entity within the boy toe out and speak with me. The tree said.

    The keeper analyzed the situation first and then decided to go through with it. He came out of Li Meng¡¯s body and presented himself to the Tre.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t youe forward and greet the guest too.¡± The tree said. Another vibration took ce and a voice sounded.

    ¡°It is certainly something from a very high ne.¡± It was the altar that shook this time.

    ¡°May we be allowed to know which ne sires from.¡± The tree asked.

    ¡°You are not worthy enough.¡± The Keeper replied without any emotions. The altar and tree were silent for some time, before finally speaking again.

    ¡°I guess we will not be able to know too much about you. Anyway, congrattions on passing through the passage of eternal suffering. You must have gained the treasure left behind by the Nether Sovereign. It was his lifelong teaching and experience. We both belonged to the Nether Sovereign too and we¡¯re left here to seal an entity from ancient times.¡±

    ¡°It must be an evil soul right?¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°It indeed is an evil soul and a powerful one at that. We would like to request your assistance to help us solve the problem. With this, we could finally rest in peace after fulfilling the mission granted to us by our master.¡±

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 Chapter 337

    337 DEALING WITH THE EVIL SOUL-¡± You want our help. Why not do it yourself?¡±

    ¡°As you would be aware by now, that neither of us is going tost for a very long time. We are waiting for someone who could help take care of the evil soul with our help, and either of us will die along with it.¡±

    ¡°Why should we help you then?¡± The Keeper asks in a questioning toe.

    Both the tree and the altar are silent as they couldn¡¯t find a feasible reply. ¡± You are asking us to apany you into a situation whose severity is not known to us, nor is the sess rate. You want him to risk his life, and in return, the only thing which motivated him toe here is going to get destroyed. So where is the logic to help them.¡±

    ¡°It would be much more feasible to help the evil soul and take your weakened bodies forcefully. If I absorb you, much of my powers will be restored and I would go through a series of transformations, enabling me to contain the evil soul. Hence I would like to reject your offer.¡±

    ¡°Are you trying to threaten us?¡± The altar¡¯s irritated voice spoke up.

    You have quite a strong voice for someone who is at the end of his life, unable to do anything but contain the evil soul. Where does your arrogancee from.¡± The altars were forced into silence by the words since he was surprised that the artifact could sense his real condition.

    ¡°The evils soul is too powerful and evil to be let out in this world. He would end up destroying the whole ne, and hence I request you to help us. Is there any way you would agree to help us?¡±

    ¡°There is. Give me half of your remaining essence as a reserve for the situation. Should they fail, the essence would help Li Meng survive the situation. As per the altar, your weapon soul will be absorbed by me, and you will not resist. I can easily suck all of it with you being helpless, but I have decided to help.¡±

    .....

    The tree and altar finally agreed on the proposal, when the Keeper interfered once again.

    ¡°Anything that is left of the two of you will also go this boy, or be absorbed by me. If you agree, start with a soul vow.¡± The tree and thetter finally gave up to the Keeper¡¯s demands and made a soul vow, leaving all of their remains to Li Meng and the Keeper.

    ¡°I will start the process by helping you put another set of seals on the area. Once I am done with it, we will start the process of eliminating the evil soul. I will try my best to contain the destruction within the area and you can concentrate on destroying the evil soul.

    ¡°What is the evil soul exactly?¡±

    ¡°It is an abomination built within the depths of hell. It is a herald of destruction that brings death along with it. Especially powerful ones like this one sealed here. The owner decided to destroy it with his own hands, but it was too powerful for him to deal with. That¡¯s when he came up with a n to drain it out.

    ¡°The river which led you here is created out of its energy. You can also describe it as the core of Hell too. It has the potential to affect the world core of any ne and attach to it like a parasite, eventually changing it. The world¡¯s core slowly morphs into a hell core and ends up eliminating the beings present within the ne.¡±

    ¡°It will eventually start changing the environment and the energy within the ne. Then it will start affecting thews of the world, slowly devouring it, and morphing it into thews of hell. In the end, nothing will remain of the world as we see it now.¡±

    ¡°What do you want me to help with?¡±

    ¡°We will siphon our remaining energy through you while you destroy the evil soul inside the altar. Your job is to tire it out. The formation was designed to continuously drain it of energy. The more he tries to move and attack, the faster it will be devoid of energy. Your task is to tire him out and force him to utilize his energy.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more feasible to directly destroy it?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°You overestimate our power. If we were able to kill it, we would have done it long ago. Its power could only be eliminated after a prolonged fight with it, draining its energy as time passes. Eventually, all that will remain is a hollow shell and its energy drained by the formation.¡±

    Li Meng decided to consult with Keeper before rushing with the process.

    ...............

    ¡°Can we utilize its energy?¡± Li Meng asked. He practiced Hell energy himself, and it would be a huge supplement for him if he could use the energy of the evil soul for himself.¡±

    ¡°If you were a little more powerful, I would have asked you to try and devour it directly. I can work something out by connecting with the formation. We might be able to collect all the energy which the formation drains off the evil soul.¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be harmful right?¡± Li Meng was still concerned with theplications which might arise due to the evil soul.

    ¡°When it finally weakens, and the two entities are at theirst bit of strength, you could try and devour it directly. You might bring the transformation which we were expecting by absorbing the Extreme-Yin tree.

    ¡± If it is a tree from hell, why is it insistent on killing the evil soul? Shouldn¡¯t it support the evil soul in its path?¡±

    ¡°A tree with sentience is somewhat difficult to find. The owner of this cave not only found one but managed to tame it and make it his servant. It now works based on the will of its master. What is more important is that the evil soul is also consuming the tree¡¯s energy. So it must sacrifice itself if the evil soul is to be destroyed.¡±

    ¡°The more concerning point is the possibility that the evil soul can overpower and take control over you. We might face a cmity then.¡±

    ¡°What do you suggest we do?¡±

    ¡°I suggest that in the case of a possession like that, you blow yourself up.¡± The Keeper was straightforward. It instructed Li Meng to blow himself up in case of failure. Long tao would end up losing an avatar in case of failure, which he didn¡¯t want. But the lure of the treasures was too great. At the moment the weight of the treasure far outweighed the avatar¡¯s value.

    ¡°I guess huge rewardes with huge risk and this is a risk I am willing to take.¡±

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 Chapter 338

    338 DEALING WITH THE EVIL SOUL-¡°Can you control the formation properly?¡±

    ¡°I should be able to. I will be absorbing every single ounce of energy which is drained by the formation and whatever is stored within it. So by the end, you should have a great pool of Hell energy within the Crimson Lord world. The next problem is devouring the evil soul. If you could do that, we might have achieved the objective we came here with.¡±

    ¡°It might even help you increase the quality of your soul. When I say quality, I don¡¯t mean the stage of soul cultivation. I mean how abundant and dense your soul is. Forparison, by the difference of a single stage of quality, your power difference will be equivalent to half a realm in soul cultivation. I hope you understand the reason for my excitement.¡±

    ¡°The evil soul, although a notorious and devastating creature, is a valuable resource for soul cultivation. It all depends on you.¡±

    ¡°How should I take care of it?¡±

    ¡°The best way to tackle this situation is to use thunder element energy and your most powerful art, like Dominator¡¯s fist. Also, use the full extent of your body cultivation holding back nothing. It might be the reason for your demise if you decide to hold back. During the fight, if you can, try to absorb the energy within the seal. It will be helpful for your cultivation and also enhance your power.¡±

    ¡°Let us get ahead with it then.¡±

    .................................

    Li Meng finally prepared to enter the altar where the evil soul was sealed. The altar and seal began to channel their power into Li Meng¡¯s body, and he could feel his strength growing. Soon enough he had already reached a PowerPoint which he had never experienced before. He felt that the guardian of Pill valley and his master in Thunder academy were ants before him.¡±

    .....

    The problem though was that he could feel a heavy burden both on his body and his soul space. Which means that he wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain this form for a very long time.

    ¡°Open the channel fast. I need to end the fight fast.¡±

    The tree and the altar knew that his ims were correct. They couldn¡¯t keep siphoning energy to him for a long time either, and his body would break down before they were even done. The tree began to control the formation with the Keeper supporting it, as it pours its power into the altar.

    ¡°You will be supported by the altar bombarding energy onto the evil soul. You need to attack it all at the same time.¡± Li Meng nodded.

    A passage appeared and Li Meng began descending into the altar. Soon enough he came across a dome that looked like a fortified hemisphere of energy. All he could see inside was ckness. His heart began to palpitate, but he held his breath and asked the altar to transfer him inside. The altar wished him the best of luck and sent him inside.

    ...............................

    Li Meng felt like he had been thrown into pure darkness. He decided to examine the surroundings and began to utilize his hell energy to create a pathway. As soon as he used it, the energy outside began to coagte into him, increasing his power substantially. The heaviness he had felt until then vanished almost instantly.

    He felt more and more powerful as time passed by. He felt like his body had been drugged, but the feeling almost instantly as if being canceled by something. After examining the surroundings and heading deeper into the darkness, Li Meng finally came across what looks like a human figure.

    He decided to stop at a small distance away from the figure and began inspecting it. He felt like the human figure although looked substantial was not the true body of the evil soul. To his surprise, the form was that of a woman. The evil soul must have manifested its energy to take this form.

    Just as he was about to step out., he saw another figure of what looked like a guy, then another man, a child. Soon enough almost ten figures came into view, all of them sitting with their heads down.

    ¡°These must have been the guys who tried to eliminate it before.¡± Li Meng guessed.

    ¡°You must be the new guy that two bastards chose to take care of me.¡± A voice soundeding from all ten figures at once. The ten figures looked up to see li meng, their eyes morphing into a bright red shine.

    Li meng felt a powerful jolt in his soul space but was able to regain hisposure.

    ¡°You managed to cancel my soul attack so easily. How could that be possible? Even if you are a soul cultivator you must at most be at a grandmaster level. How did you fend off my attack.¡±

    ¡°I had a fortunate encounter in the cave earlier which resulted in my soul quality being upgraded.¡±

    ¡°I guess that old bastard left a support resource for his sessor, but even that wouldn¡¯t be able to help you avoid an attack like mine. The only exnation is that your origin is simr to mine. But the two guys above wouldn¡¯t choose someone from hell to help them out. So who are you?¡± The evil soul looked as if talking to himself. He was slowly losing control.

    He then looked at Li meng and his eyes had changed once again. This time they had a shine of blue. Once the shine fadedpletely, the evil soul had a smile on his face.

    ¡°You are a sessor to one of the suzerian of hell. Just how did you fool the people here to help you.¡±

    What do you mean by the sessor to a suzerain of hell?¡± Li Meng began to question the evil soul. He had a lot of questions regarding the art she was practicing. Maybe this evil soul could solve his doubts.

    ¡°This is absurd. You don¡¯t know the source of the art you are practicing. What is even more absurd is that you¡¯re a human in the core, yet your body had been forged with the power of hell, multiple times at that.¡±

    ¡°Answer my question.¡± Li Meng said in an irritated voice.

    ¡°The art you are practicing is called Hell-Forge sutra. The core part of one of the top twelve hell ins. The art can only be practiced by someone of the Hell Suzerian dynasty. Why do you have it?¡± The evil soul was questioning the situation too.

    ¡°We can solve the mysteryter. Why don¡¯t you help me get out of here and I help you understand your art properly and progress greatly in your arts?¡± The Evil soul proposed.

    ¡°I have something else in mind. How about I kill you and absorb your energy to advance in my cultivation.¡± The evil soul beganughing when he heard this.

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 Chapter 339

    339 DEALING WITH EVIL SOUL-¡°You are quite confident for someone so weak.¡±

    ¡°Well, I do know that my energy quality is far above yours. Hence most of your arts wouldn¡¯t even be effective on me. I have seen Hell energy before, and I know that if my energy art is high enough in quality, I can absorb even the attacks of lower Hell beings. From your description from before, I presume that you are from a rtively lower hell.¡±

    The Evil soul¡¯s expression changed when it heard Li Meng¡¯s words. He knew that Li Meng was telling the truth. That is a result of the difference in energy arts. But how could it surrender to death?

    ¡°You might be able to absorb but are you willing to show your true powers to the two guys above. They might decide to seal you here next.¡± The evil soul tries to sow discord between the two parties.

    ¡°The two guys above are already on theirst breath. They will die while taking care of you and they have taken a soul vow to not harm me, and give me half their remaining power already. Even if they decide to act against me, I have a guy above there too. he can easily overpower those two and directly absorb them.¡±

    Li Meng decided to actively absorb the hell energy around him. The Crimson world artifact was not only absorbing the energy from the formation but also from lI meng¡¯s body. E felt like a bottomless pool that wasn¡¯t filling up.

    The evil soul was irritated and decided to attack Li Meng. Li Meng kept either dodging or absorbing its attacks. He felt his body filled with power. Even after being sucked by the Crimson World artifact, there was enough energy to advance the quality of his hell energy. The weapons within the acupoints began to absorb the hell energy and transformed.

    They felt more substantial, more powerful, and even radiated horrifying energy. Li Meng felt that a cultivator in the same realm would be crushed just by the feeling from this weapon. He continued to absorb more and more energy. Whenever the evil soul was about to get to Li Meng, a fierce st of energy would st him away.¡±

    In addition to the energy which the Extreme Yin tree siphoned into him, his body was filled with almost inexhaustive power. He never felt more powerful than now. He decided to attack with strikes of thunder and the thunder sword art. The evil soul was soon tormented by him and began to lose its shape.

    .....

    Ten figures were simultaneously attacking LI meng, but he managed to get through and absorb more and more energy with help of the sts from the altar. The evil soul finally decided to merge all the ten figures and took the shape of a big hound. Li Meng felt that the evil soulcked battle instincts.

    The bigger he became, the easier it was for Li Meng to dodge his attack and retort back. It was only after he attacked, that Li meng understood the actual horror of the evil soul. Its movement speed had gotten even faster than before. Li Meng was injured in a fast attack from the hound but healed almost instantaneously.

    He continued to attack with his fist and sword and the evil soul was starting to fainter by the second. The evil soul finally decided to stop in a corner and tried to negotiate again.

    ¡°Whatever the two figures promise you, I can provide better. You are much better off making a deal with me. You will even be guided by me in your arts.¡± The evil soul said in a serious tone.

    ¡°I told you that the main reason I came here was because of you. You are the resource which I am looking for.¡± The evil soul¡¯s expression changed.

    ¡°You want to weaken and absorb my power to strengthen and advance your soul energy.¡± The evil soul guessed.

    ¡°You are quite perceptive to have guessed that. Would you like to give up first, or shall we continue?¡± The evil soul was visibly angered by the words and attacked Li Meng. Li Meng on the other hand stood at the same spot and decided to sue the Dominator¡¯s fist¡¯s first move, mountain crusher.

    the attacknded and resulted in the evil soul being sted away. To his surprise, Li meng didn¡¯t feel any bacsh from the skill. the energy which was siphoned into him healed his body almost instantly. He was surprised to see the true potential of Dominator¡¯s fist at his current power level. It was devastating. Just the mountain crusher almost decimated the whole ground.

    He simultaneously unleashed multiple attacks from Dominator¡¯s fist. Sea divider, Sky breaker, and fist of domination soon came into view, while the evil soul¡¯s figure could be seen sted from one ce to another as it grew more and more blurry.

    Li Meng as well as the artifact was madly absorbing the hell energy in the formation. During their fight, the artifact had also started to absorb the energy which the tree siphoned into LI meng. Although Li Meng didn¡¯t feel anything, the extreme Yin tree felt its energy being drained at a rapid pace.

    Yet it couldn¡¯t stop since he thought that a bitter struggle was going on inside the formation and Li Meng was fighting with his life on the line. He must have been suffering severe injuries to absorb the power with such rapidness.

    Horus went by and even the hell energy within the formation began to grow thinner. Li Meng¡¯s power was still at its peak, yet the evil soul was about to run out. It struggled bitterly against Li Meng, but to no avail. Li Meng continued thrashing it until the keeper finally instructed him once again.

    ¡°It is time to absorb it. Devour it directly and begin the assimtion. This is the only chance with the two objects not finding the truth out.¡±

    Li meng followed his instructions and directly grabbed onto the figure of the evil soul and began to devour its energy. All his pores opened up as he madly absorbed power.

    ¡°Since there is no exit for me, I will take you down with me. You¡¯ll be sealed right in this ce by them. The evil soul instantly began clearing the hell energy inside the formation, revealing Li Meng¡¯s figure. Li Meng finally managed to devour itpletely and fell into a state of unconsciousness.

    Unknown to him, something else was going on on the outside.

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 Chapter 340

    340 THE BACKSTABBER AND THE SCHEMER

    ¡°What just happened?¡± The tree asked.

    ¡°It looked like the evil soul entered the boy¡¯s body.¡± The Altar was trying to make sense of the situation too. It knew that the evil soul was extremely weakened at the moment since Li Meng¡¯s power was beyond its level to handle and destroy most of Hell¡¯s energy. What he didn¡¯t understand is how it could enter Li Meng¡¯s body at such a weak state.

    ¡°Are you sure? I felt like his power levels were normal and the era even now. He is actively consuming my power and dealing with the hell-energy. You might have read the situation wrong.¡± The extreme Yin tree insisted.

    ¡°I am reporting what I just saw. I did see the evil soul entering the boy¡¯s body¡±

    ¡°What should we do then?¡± The extreme Yin tree asked.

    ¡°It is not up to you to decide. The evil soul was sessfully purged by the boy and hence our agreement was fulfilled. You will now keep your end of the bargain.¡± The Keeper spoke straightforwardly.

    ¡°The deal was to eliminate the evil soul.¡±

    ¡°Could you sense any hell-energy within the formation?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°No,¡± The altar said annoyingly.

    .....

    ¡°Then the request has been granted. Please fulfill your end of the bargain.¡± The Keeper insisted.

    ¡°We made a soul vow and hence will fulfill it. But we would like to check the boy¡¯s body to make sure that the evil soul ispletely eradicated.

    ¡°Are you trying to go back on your words?¡± The keeper spoke.

    The atmosphere suddenly turned cold. Both the artifacts felt that an invisible yet substantial force was weighing down on them. ¡± Did you think just because you are an artifact you could remain unaffected by the soul vow? Your artifact soul will be destroyed.¡±

    ¡°As I said, we will verify the boy¡¯s body first and then decide whether or not the situation ispletely over. ¡±

    ¡°There has to be a lot of remnant hell energy within the boy¡¯s body which will take a lot of time to clear. What are you going to do about it¡± The Keeper asked

    ¡°He will remain sealed within the altar until hepletely eradicates Hell¡¯s energy.

    ¡°I guess you were nning on backstabbing us from the beginning.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± The extreme yin tree said in a serious tone. H wasn¡¯t joking around. His orders were to destroy the evil soulpletely. He couldn¡¯t let Li meng out until he was sure that the evil soul had been eliminated.

    ¡°Step aside.¡± The keeper said.

    I am afraid I will have to decline.¡± The Extrem Yin tree said. Invisible energy began to radiate from its body. Although it was at the end of its life span it was still a very powerful creature.

    ¡°I wanted to proceed civilly, but you need to understand that you backstabbed me first.¡± The keeper said in a mocking voice.

    The formation around them began to rotate rapidly and the Extreme Yin tree, as well as the Altar, felt like they were bound by something.

    ¡°what did you do?¡±

    ¡°A pathetic formation like this is no big deal for me. Your so-called master is no greater than an ant in my face. I wanted Li Meng to experience the horror of the world and decided to let him take the risk. I thought at least one of you would die, but I underestimated his strength. He managed to obliterate the evil soul by himself.¡±

    ¡°Since he did that, you two will be sacrificed here to be his strength.¡± The formation started rotating and the energy from the two objects began to leak rapidly. The extreme Yin tree and the altar were surprised for a second, beforeing to their senses.

    ¡°We admit our wrongs. Kindly let us n We want to hand our powers personally to the boy.¡± The Extreme Yin tree said. It was sincere in its words.

    ¡®didn¡¯t I say that you backstabbed me first? That chance is long gone. Your wish no longer matters.¡± The artifact began to shine brightly, as a beam of light prated the formation and shone upon the damaged altar Soon enough its began to vanish piece by piece devoured by the Crimson World artifact.

    ¡°How could this be? What are you doing? How can you absorb my energy in this way?¡± The altar had lost itsposure, but he was unable to do anything. He was being devoured by the artifact. Without the vanishing of every single piece, the rate of devouring increased as the damage on the artifact was being rapidly healed.

    This could be counted as Li Meng¡¯s most sessful venture so far.

    ¡°Either yous top yourself now, or I will st myself up.¡± The altar warned the Keeper. To his surprise, a lightugh could be heard.

    ¡°You can try that if you want to, would change a thing though since I would be devouring every bit of you at the end.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°The altar spirit tried to calm down, but the situation prevented it from. Time passed by and the two figures looked helpless a quarter of the altar had already vanished.

    ¡°I am going to blow myself up.¡± The altar messaged the Yin tree and started to utilize its core. To its surprise, he couldn¡¯t ess its power anymore.

    ¡°Trying to reach the core of your power? You see, it would have been sessful if you had tried it out when you first threatened me. Sadly, you have lost that chance now. Just resign yourself to fate and be consumed by me.¡±: The devouring force increases drastically. To the horror of the altar, almost half of it was gone in a quarter of the time it previously took.

    ¡°Please spar eme.¡± The altar said.

    ¡°You have fulfilled the mission your master gave you. There is no longer a need for you to be here.¡± The Keeper finally managed topletely devour the altar and nothing remained of it. Its soul was directly integrated and healed the soul of the Crimson Lord artifact.

    ¡°It¡¯s power was far more than I had initially imagined. The power is enough for me to transform thrice and directly reach the peak of Monarch grade weapon, Maybe I even reach the Dominator level with the help of this energy. I couldn¡¯t believe the artifact had this much power lying around.

    The artifact then turned around the Extreme Yin tree.

    ¡°So what should we do about you.¡± He spoke in a sarcastic tone.

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 Chapter 341

    341 THE TERROR OF EXTREME YIN

    ¡°How did you do it?¡± The extreme Yin tree just saw itspanion vanishing moments ago.

    ¡°You see, the formation of yours was designed in a very specific way. Your creator not only abandoned you but also bound you with the evil soul on the altar. So as time passed, no matter how powerful he bes, your end would have eventually meant its end too.¡±

    ¡°You are lying.¡± The Extrem-yin tree said. He couldn¡¯t believe that its master had betrayed it.

    ¡°You believe what you want to do. I don¡¯t care at all. What I am about to tell is a single and final offer will hereby be presented to you. I will be devouring your physical form to heal the damage on the artifact, while you will be concentrating your soul seed with all your remaining power and merge with the boy.¡±

    ¡°That would result in me losing my consciousness.¡± The Extreme Yin tree said.

    ¡®For now yes. But as he grows stronger, so will you and you will gain consciousness soon.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°I would rather blow myself up.¡± The tree said with a strong-willed voice.

    ¡°When I said that it is toote, I meant it for both of you. You see I not only tookplete control over the formation, but I also modified the hell out of it as I grew stronger thanks to the altar. The modifications I carried out not only control your energy, drains it, but also gives meplete control over your whole being.¡±

    ¡°If you had been at the peak of your power, you might have been able to break out of the formation. Too bad, you are so weak now. I will give you the time of another incense stick to consider whether you will do it willingly or should I force my way through.¡±

    .....

    The Extreme Yin tree was silent for a long time. He couldn¡¯te up with a proper path of action.

    ¡°Suppose I have to do it forcefully.¡± Before the tree could even retort, the formation suddenly rotated with incredible speed, and the Extreme Yin tree lost huge amounts of power to it. The artifact¡¯s energy grew stronger and stronger until the tree had practically sunk to the width of a stick.

    The Keeper then lifted his hands which began topress the whole stick down to a single sphere which radiated huge amounts of energy.

    ¡°I hope you can bear the power of both of them assaulting you at the same time, but that is the only way to guarantee a high chance of sess.¡± The Keeper directed his hand towards Li Meng¡¯s direction and the sphere directly rushed into his body. The sphere instantly melted within the body and incredible transformations were taking ce.

    The sphere directly hung into essence energy which began to integrate with Li Meng¡¯s blood and flowed into every corner of Li Meng¡¯s body. The essence energy came out of the blood and integrated with Li Meng¡¯s flesh, his bones, and his meridians. Soon the acupoints and Qi channels began transforming too.

    It was the same as the metamorphosis which took ce every time hepleted a realm of body cultivation. But the pain infused by the transformation was 10 times of metamorphosis and hell forged artbined. Li Meng¡¯s veins were popping out and he was continuously coughing out blood.

    The reason he was suffering so long was the evil soul which was on its way to integrate with his own. His soul was slowly cracking up and reforming, stronger than ever and the quality was upgrading a whole stage. The pain from the body metamorphosis multiplied the overall pain by a whole level.

    Soon enough Li Meng started bleeding from all the crevices of his body. The blood was ck for some reason and Li Meng¡¯s body was pale by the second. He was losing his life essence which meant his life would be at risk soon. The Keeper decided to take out the avatar from the artifact.

    The avatar began to infuse their energy into Li Meng¡¯s body, slowly helping him from the injuries. The power slowly began to heal Li Meng up and the color of your body. Yet he still screamed with pain. Li Meng¡¯s soul transformation was finallypleted and he calmed down a bit. The painful moans came to an end even though the metamorphosis

    The pain from the soul transformation had plunged Li meng¡¯s body into unconsciousness. He couldn¡¯t feel what was happening to his body. Slowly, his whole body was drained of a huge amount of ck blood, and his bones began to restructure themselves, longer and stronger than they were before.

    After that, the muscle and tissues began reconnecting and the skin glistened with a grayish shine. Thest and most important transformation was the changing of acupoints and channels. It took around half a day for that toplete and finally LI Meng¡¯s body rested static on the grounds. The Keeper decided to wait until he wakes up naturally.

    Another 2 days passed, and LI meng finally regained consciousness.

    ¡°How do you feel?¡± The Keeper asked.

    LI meng made rapid movements and after trying out his new body for several hours, he finally decided to stop.

    ¡°My strength has increased by at least ten times than before. I could also feel my Yin-Yangw base getting stronger and my Hell energy flowing smoother and stronger than before.

    ¡°Congrattion son obtaining the Extreme Yin body. Not only hell energy but your period of training will be shortened by at least half for all arts of yin properties. Your control over Hell heaven energy will improve to arge extent, and you can finally start your true cultivation in hell. Your endurance will have increased by at least ten times. That doesn¡¯t make you invincible, but you can resist it for much longer.¡±

    ¡°You will be able to adapt to the situation much faster than before and we can finally leave for the boundary between the nes toprehend the world energies.¡±

    ¡°I also have very bad news for you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Li Meng felt his heart palpitate for some reason.

    ¡°Now that you have gained an extreme Yin body, we need to search for a treasure which could grant you the extreme Yang body. If not done in a particr period, your body andw base will burst, probably killing you, and most definitely crippling you in the process.¡±

    Li Meng was scared shitless, but the Keeper consoled him that they will find an extreme yang treasure soon and he will be able to advance in his cultivation fast.

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 Chapter 342

    342 THE VOYAGE BEGINS

    ¡°I am feeling cheated on at this moment.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°There is no cheating here. You wanted to travel to the world border to get an understanding of world energy. Since the border we are traveling on is rted to hell, you need an Extreme-Yin body to survive in that condition. I made the decision based on your needs.¡±

    ¡°Why will my body burst if I don¡¯t find dan extreme Yang treasure? Don¡¯t I have a Yin-Yangw base. It should be able to help me control my body.¡±

    ¡°It is precise because of the Yin-Yangw base that you are facing that problem. If you had just connected with Yinw, this wouldn¡¯t have urred. Yin-Yangws require a proper bnce between the two opposing forces which couldn¡¯t be achieved without a bnce of all opposing energy types.¡±

    ¡°Fortunately due to the recent upgrade in your soul and you practicing such powerful arts, thew base¡¯s energy is being suppressed, but it will burst out one day or the other. You need to prepare an extreme Yang treasure to obtain the Extreme Yang body which would ultimatelybine with Extreme Yin to give rise to the Yin-Yang body. Only then will thews be fullypatible with you.¡±

    ¡°Where could I find an Extreme Yang body?¡± Li Meng was depressed on hearing his inevitable condition.

    ¡°The best way is to search for extreme Yang treasure, but it will take a long time to find due to its rarity. You need to upgrade the other energies in you and also improve your soul strength to keep it suppressed. I advise you to focus on soul cultivation from now on. Although it is slow, it is the only potent thing against the condition.¡±

    ¡± Would it be possible to ward off some of the Yin energy with the help of Yang-rted herbs and pills?¡±

    ¡°Well, it is a viable method as long as you have sufficient pills and herbs. It is even possible to continue without an Extreme Yang treasure with the help of yang herbs and pills. The only problem is the sheer quantity of the materials required. You need to continuously ingest a huge amount of herbs and pills of yang quality just to bnce the two energies.¡±

    .....

    ¡°There are historical records of cultivators being able to obtain a powerful Yang body with the help of ingesting strong Yang-type herbs and pills, but they were very few. Not only do you require an extremely huge quantity of the herbs, but you also need a very vast variety too. At your current body level, any herb of 1st stage will be useless after you eat them around ten times. The same goes for pills in the 1st stage.

    The number increases by ten at every stage. This means the more variety you have at each stage the more you can ingest and the more yang energy you obtain.¡±

    ¡°That is a good thing. If we see the herb garden I have collected a huge number of Yang herbs.¡±

    ¡°The problem is a probable quantity for even obtaining Yang¡¯s body. The minimum amount is the ingestion of 1000 different variety Yang herbs at the fifth stage at the very least. Even if you have 1000 varieties of each stage below five and ingest them to the max. limit until you get potent, they will still not be able to equate to more than 20% of the original requirement. Do you understand why it is impossible now?¡±

    ¡°Well, we do have some emperor-level herbs, around 50 yang types among them. I will try to collect more. What if we get some Yang resources of fifth level r higher.¡±

    ¡°I can only estimate when we get our hands on some. It would be best if we could get our hands on level 6 herbs and pills.¡±

    ¡°Are you asking me to loot Pill valley?¡± Li Meng said in a depressed voice.

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t lose hope. Just try our best, and what is in the diary of fate for us is inevitable anyway.¡± Li Meng took inspiration from the Keeper¡¯s words and decided to let the matter rest for the second. He began to look around for more treasures, but there were none.

    ¡°We need to rush for the world boundary fast. Once there, I want you to train using all your avatars for at least 3 months. Only then would you manage to understand what World energy truly is. I also need to notify you that the artifact will hibernate along with me and the other Hall masters.¡±

    ¡°The gains this time are humongous with the possibility of upgrading ourselves by at least 4-5 times. You are up for a treat when the functions activate once again. However, during this time we will not be avable for you to use. Hence I have some instructions for you. Make sure you practice on the Boat itself and never go away, no matter what happens.¡±

    ¡°You will be using the Extreme Yin tree¡¯s barks for the trip this time. The pieces have been collected and divided properly by me. Only three pieces are required to go in and three pieces to get out and return to Misty Valley. Make sure to be on the watch as we never know what danger lies in the World border.¡±

    ¡°No one will be assisting you and the avatars this time.¡± The Keeper said. He then gave out ancient scripts detailing world energy and how to sense it. The proper way to gainprehension and even a crude method to practice in it.

    ¡°The ancient practice method belongs to one of the most powerful space energy species called the Void-walkers. They predominantly practice space energy and have been said to have gone extinct. One of the previous owners came across this method in the past. It will help you cultivate the world energy properly.¡±

    ¡°I have to warn you though. No record of crimson lords practicing world energy is present. Hence, you will be the first one to do so. Analyze the situation properly before proceeding.¡±

    Li Meng nodded. He then took out all the avatars and storage rings for all of them after which the artifact went into lockdown and he proceeded towards the Nether boat. The voyage to the world border started. Soon enough the avatars were positioned in various locations on the desk and Li Meng began to cultivate.

    The request this time was a voyage through the world border to hell and a return ticket which cost him six pieces of the Extreme Yin tree as instructed by the Keeper. The captain of the boat looked surprised after seeing the yin tree pieces and hurriedly allowed Li Meng on the boat.

    Finally, the river began expanding into therge water reservoir and Li Meng began losing sight of thend he got picked up from. After another day they were almost in the middle of the reservoir with nond in sight. Li Meng felt a jolt within his whole body and felt hisw energy weakening as if they couldn¡¯t find their source.

    ¡°So, this is the borders.¡± The phenomenon made Li meng guess that he was approaching the world border. Soon enough thew energy had weakened to normal QI strengths and Li Meng could no longer feel the fluidity in using them as he did before. The boat stopped almost instantly at that ce, and Li Meng looked above to see a majestic view.

    The whole sky was divided into two sections, one being that of his normal world, while the other being maroon red. He had arrived at the world border.

    Li Meng opened up the texts given to him by the Keeper and began going through them. He slowly managed to characterize the world¡¯s energy and a simple cultivation exercise managed to help him sense it.

    The captain approached him and spoke. ¡± It will cost you a single piece of Yin-tree for each month you stay here.¡± Li Meng didn¡¯t expect the captain to understand his motive and nodded in agreement.

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 Chapter 343

    343 ABSORBING & UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD ENERGY

    The threads of world energy could be seen all around the ship floating mid-air like a breeze. When Li Meng finally gained a novice understanding of the art and began practicing it, the world around him slowly began to change. At first, came the ability to sense the world¡¯s energy. It began with being able to feel a different kind of energy within the environment.

    The feeling was the same as when he experienced it while stepping into the Qi Child realm. It felt like the body came in contact with some kind of heterogeneous energy which it had never experienced before. Once he could sense it, Li Meng went on practicing the art until he felt a little bit of that energy flowing into his body.

    The first experience with the body was painful and extremely diforting. He felt like he was choking on energy. He immediately tried to force it out, but the art was only concentrating on how to breathe it in. So Li Meng¡¯s body became incapacitated by the energy and his body fell on the floor.

    The same thing happened with the other avatars and they simrly fell on the floor. It was only after a long time that the difort was slowly lessening as the world energy finally managed to properly interact with his body. Li Meng¡¯s whole body was drenched with sweat. Just what was this. How could it be so terrifying that he almost died?

    He breathed a mouthful of air and threw the scriptures back into the ring. The experience was a bit traumatic for him. He was about to give up on the cultivation of thesews when he remembered his conversation with the Keeper about his goals in life. He wanted to reign on top of the whole world. How could he do it if he couldn¡¯t even pass through this barrier?

    He picked up the scriptures and began to read through them. His understanding grew as he went through the contents and decided to try cultivating it one more time. To his surprise though, this time the energy didn¡¯t hurt his body at all. It was as if meeting an old friend after a long time. The body began to devour the energy.

    Li Meng was shocked at experiencing such radical change in the situation.

    ¡°How did this happen?¡± He decided to go through the details and finally arrived at an answer. The text mentioned the possibility of difort for someone who has never experienced ore in contact with world energy before. The first trial of absorption would result in the body being affected by the ingested world energy which would then make it capable of harnessing more of it.

    Li Meng was relieved on hearing this. He decided to continue the cultivation and began to seriously practice the art. Around the time of a day passed and he had managed to absorb quite a bit of world energy which was slowly affecting his body. He could feel some minor changes urring inside him and his body felt somewhat strange.

    .....

    It was an experience of being free, not bound by anything. Previously when he was trying to use his body, it felt more like he was bound by something, yet this experience was as if a sudden chain had been broken and his body was more under his control. He decided to continue his training since he had no one to clear his doubts with.

    Days passed by and a month finally came to an end. Li Meng and the avatars had been sitting on the boat for days. Small movements of his rib could be seen as the breathing exercise was being practiced by him. He continued to absorb more and more world energy into his body. Around half a monthter, due to thebining experience of the avatars, he could feel that he had gained a preliminary understanding of the art.

    The stored world energy which he managed to obtain was quite huge and Li meng wanted to test its strength. He simply lifted his fist, concentrated the new energy, and attacked a nearby spot. The energy released was so powerful and devastating that LI meng was shocked. The area around the attack had beenpletely decimated.

    The energy itself felt boundless. What¡¯s more, is that Li Meng no longer felt bound by the world when used this energy. As he practiced more and more with it, his understanding began to grow and he understood that this was an energy that was more like a building block of the world.

    Li Meng even tried to unleash all the energy at once, and the resultant attack tore through space. The object it hit vanished as if it didn¡¯t exist. There weren¡¯t even ashes remaining of it. Just what was this energy?

    He began to experiment with the energy more and more by trying to infuse it into his art, and weapon attacks. The result was that no matter which scenario he used it in. the art became more fluid and controble, their properties far more powerful than the previous versions, and most importantly of all, they didn¡¯t feel like something driven by the world itself.

    The limitations of hi sarts began to vanish one by one. He felt that world energy was like auxiliary support energy that enhances the core energy being utilized in any art. The problem was, how could it do what it did?

    Finally, Li Meng concluded that thews he had been using until now, even the basic Qi was somehow a mixture of world energy with different characteristics or to exin in a better way, the world energy was like a coreponent of the energy he had been using until now. He began to specte on the theory and tried to design more experiments that could give some authenticity to the whole thing.

    Yet, all of them were postponed to the time when the Keeper would exit hibernation. He continued to absorb more energy and utilized it in his training of attacks. Since he didn¡¯t have a better art to refer to, he decided to opt for the most primitive procedure. Fill the vessel, drain it, and then refill it. ¡±

    Although it began to give results to his training, it was slow. It wasn¡¯t until the end of the second month that he felt his storage capacity of world energy had increased by a bit. Li Meng was about to reach the third month of his training and time wasing to an end.

    He had to use thest three months of some personal experiments to design a proper pathway for his body cultivation. There was also a force to be established in this region which could be led by Su Menqi and serve as one of the bases of Li meng¡¯s forces in the future.

    He even thought about the situation in the Taiwan mountains and whether or not he should go and verify the current condition of the group he left in there. But the allure of world energy was too great to miss out on. Even the avatar in the Qi general level could feel the barrier to Chaos level weakening drastically. The level became clearer and clearer to Li Meng as time passed.

    ¡°Should I stay here for some more time?¡± Li Meng was trying to analyze the situation. If only there was a way through which he could understand the world¡¯s energy faster.

    It was at this time that he felt a figure approaching him. It was the captain of the boat itself. He lifted his palm in front of Li meng indicating him to pay the rent for traveling in the boat. Li meng hadpletely forgotten about it. He gave another three pieces to the captain, who took them and turned them around.

    ¡°wait¡± Li Meng shouted the next moment. He had a sudden idea which he wanted to execute. The captain turned around to look at Li Meng, and found him looking at him with glistening eyes.

    You have been traveling the borders for such a long time and hence must have an idea about world energy right?¡± He wanted to know the experience of the captain and utilize it in his training. As someone senior to him and one constantly traveling through the border between worlds, he should have a great experience in world energy.

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 Chapter 344

    344 THE MYSTERIOUS ENCOUNTER

    The captain stopped in his tracks and turned around to face Li Meng. He stood there motionlessly when Li Meng repeated his question.

    ¡°Since you are a continuous voyager of the world boundaries, you must have a lot of experience and training in world energy rights. I would like you to help me cultivate it properly.¡± Li Meng decided to exin his situation more descriptively to the captain. To his surprise, the captain did something he was very familiar with. Li Meng¡¯s face lit up with a smile.

    The captain had lifted his hand to demand payment.

    ¡°How much?¡±

    The captain simply made a gesture of two with his hands. Li Meng understood that he was asking for two pieces of the Yin tree as a payment. Li Meng decided to take the risk and handed him the asked amount. To his surprise, the captain took his hand back and gestured 2 again. It took some time for Li Meng to understand

    ¡°You want twenty pieces of Yin tree.¡± Li Meng said in a surprised voice. To his surprise again, the captain nodded.

    Li Meng was shocked to hear the price. It took three pieces to travel here and back, while each month of stay was also three pieces. But the captain was asking for 20 pieces just for his information on World energy. Li Meng had experienced the energy and knew that it was quite powerful, but 20 pieces of Yin tree was not a small price.

    The Keeper had already described the value of the tree pieces and he needed those things for many uses in the future such pieces, the training in Yin-rted arts, and as healing potions. They were too precious to waste like this. But the allure of the world energy was too much for him to miss this chance.

    There wasn¡¯t anyone to help him with the situation and hence Li Meng finally decided in favor of the situation. He took twenty pieces out and hesitantly gave them to the captain, who took them and kept them in his ring. He then raised his hands and a ball of energy suddenly began to coagte on top of it. When Li Meng tried to look onto the hand while using the technique he was practicing, he found the threads of world energy coagting his hand.

    .....

    Li Meng tried to understand the reason behind his actions. He tried to replicate the move and use the energy art, yet nothing out of the blue happened. Just when Li Meng was about to ask what he was trying to do, the captain suddenly rushed at him with incredible speed.

    To his surprise, the captain was too fast for him to avoid the fight, and a palm was directly thrust onto his chest, throwing him to the edge of the deck. When Li Meng gathered himself up and wanted to attack, he saw the captain turning around and leaving. Li Meng was surprised as well as irritated with this encounter.

    He started to use Dominator¡¯s fist while simultaneously trying to mix the world energy. To his surprise, the amount of world energy in his body had grown substantially. He verified his guess and found it to be correct. The amount of world energy contained in his body had increased by five times.

    Li Meng then tried his breathing exercise and found out that the speed at which he could collect and practice world energy had substantially increased. It would have taken him months to reach this level with the fill and drain method. Yet the captain¡¯s attack managed to increase it to such a high level.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Li Meng spoke to the captain¡¯s retreating figure but got no response.

    Li Meng continued his research in world energy and he continued his filling and draining exercise. To his surprise, he could feel his world energy container growing stronger every day and he was managing to start using it along with thew energy. The first trial was when he tried to use thunder energy with world energy.

    The first trial was a huge failure. The very contact between the two resulted in a huge st that threw Li Meng¡¯s body to the edge of the ship. He rose back again and began tobine them while using some of his energy to encapste the two types of energies and tried to forcefully mix them.

    After numerous amounts of sts, LI Meng finally managed to mix a finger size of the two energies and utilize it in an attack of his which resulted in a small st in the sea nearby. Li Meng was impressed by the power. He continued his experiment.

    The major problem after all this time was that no matter what he tried he couldn¡¯t get the two energies to mix. He managed to stabilize them and use the two energies as a set, but he still fell short of being able to create whole new energy by mixing the two.

    ording to L iMeng¡¯s guess, that is the aim he had been working for a long time. The creation of a new type of energy by mixing the two would be his first step in establishing aw base that would be formed out of Chaosws. The Keeper had described that Chaosws were independent of the world we live in.

    Hence the only way to truly form aw base was to utilize pure world energy to form them and hence they wouldn¡¯t be characterized by one world or another. Li Meng even felt that Chaosw independence would mean that they would be as powerful as he was. His understanding of cultivation levels had been shattered by the very definition of Chaosws.

    He continued to practice the arts, and finally, after a day, he saw something which filled him with shock. There were some portions of the energy he had mixed that were characterized by properties different from the other two. LI meng¡¯s eyes were filled with a gleam as he understood the meaning of this.

    He has managed to achieve an initial integration or at least a theoretical integration.

    ....................

    The captain¡¯s cabin-

    ¡°Interesting.¡± The only figure sitting within the cabin was the captain, and the voice seemed to be his.

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 Chapter 345

    345 THE TRIP FINALLY ENDS

    ¡± Interesting.¡± A voice sounded in the captain¡¯s cabin.

    ¡°What have you found.¡± Another voice spoke up. It was the captain this time, which meant there was someone else in the cabin too.

    ¡°It is the boy whom you just conned.¡± The voice said. The captain appeared visibly irritated by the allegation.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t coon him. He asked for guidance and I gave him a huge gift in terms of increasing his containing capacity and opening his channels to the level that they could actively harness world energy.¡±

    ¡°You asked twenty barks of Extrem Yin tree from him. It¡¯s naked extortion. The bark itself contains ten times the world energy you gave him, and that is just one part of the wholeposition. Yet you im that you didn¡¯t con him.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t force him. I asked for a price for me to help him in world energy culture. Agreeing to my price was his decision. Honestly, I had expected him to haggle with me, but he is quite resourceful.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel that his backing would be extremely powerful? That boy is just a minor mortal king cultivator, yet he not only knew about the boat¡¯s existence but came to the world border to cultivate world energy. It was as if he was guided by someone very powerful. He even had so many pieces of extreme Yin tree. I shouldn¡¯t need to stress its value right?¡±

    The captain decided to stay silent but the other voice continued.

    ¡°What is more impressive is that he was the one who has benefitted from thest deal. When you opened up his body channels and increased his capacity, you must have tapped into some kind oftent potential. His channels, as well as capacity, are increasing by the second.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Give him another month and he would have doubled his capacity at the very least and his channels would be ten times sturdier. He might even be able to cultivate world energy within the various worlds. I never expected him to have a proper estimation of the time required to cultivate.¡±

    ¡°I guess he is lucky to havee across someone as charitable as me.¡± The captain spoke.

    ¡°It is all due to his talent and efforts. What is even more impressive is that he managed tobine world energy andw energy to give rise to a new type.¡± The captain grew stiff altogether. He was left shocked by the revtion.

    ¡°What kind of energy are we talking about?¡±

    ¡°It is somewhat simr to worldw energy, but since he used something of his own, you could say that it is free of the world¡¯s influence altogether. Never saw thating were you.¡± The voice said in a mocking tone.

    ¡°I think you should guide him a bit more in world energy. There is no one better to do so than you who is traveling world borders regrly. You can help him understand the energy much better. You should use this as investing in a potentially powerful figure of the future.

    ¡°We will see where he gets at the end of the month. If he managed to achieve what you said he did, I will invest.¡±

    ¡°I guess the boy scored well this time.¡± The voice said.

    ¡°You are quite confident in his ability to grow.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s say I can see far more than you could.¡± The voice spoke as it vanished into thin air, leaving the captain alone in the cabin.

    .....................

    Li Meng continued his training and finally, it resulted in around a quarter of the energy being transferred into a different quality altogether. Li Meng still wasn¡¯t satisfied with the result. He decided to continue until he managed to convert the whole energy into a new kind.

    He decided to divide his daytime into three sections. The first part was to continue his fill and drain routine. The second part was where he started to infuse arts with world energy. It was to make his body more and more efficient in processing the world¡¯s energy. His art became far more powerful as time went by.

    The mixture of traditional energy and world energy was too powerful.

    Finally, the third part of the day was reserved for the mixing of the two energies and creating a new one. The days went by and finally, the end of the month arrived.

    ................

    The month end-

    Li Meng was sitting at the end of the boat with his hands raised. A sapphire ball of energy rested in his hands which felt different than anything he contained in his body. It was far more powerful as the energy radiating from it was extremely potent.

    ¡°I finally seeded.¡± The captain returned to the ce where Li Meng was sitting. He raised his hands to take the fees for next month, but Li Meng said something else.

    ¡°I would like to return to the ce where I lifted from.¡± The captain nodded and took three more pieces of the extreme yin tree. The boat began to get back to the Mistry-Valley.

    A dayter they were finally in the Misty Valley and Li Meng saw thend. He decided to bow to the captain out of respect before finally going for the stairs.

    ¡°Wait¡± The captain¡¯s voice sounded for the first time during the trip. ¡± I am impressed by your achievements.¡± The captain¡¯s words shocked Li Meng, but he managed to gain hisposure.

    ¡°I thank you for thepliment sir.¡± Li Meng said in a calm tone.

    ¡°I had a bet with another guy. The topic of the best was your talent. I bet you are not up to the mark and he decided otherwise. To my surprise, you proved me wrong. Hence I need to pay my dues.¡± The captain raised his hands and a blurry outline of a cuboid shape began to appear. It soon materialized and looked like a book.

    The book was covered in hardwood binding and even from the distance between the two, LI meng could feel extremely familiar energy spreading from it. It was world energy.

    ¡°This is something that the cultivators in world energy asp[ire to get their hands on. Yet only one person managed to cultivate it to my knowledge. If you can cultivate even the first chapter, I will be awaiting you in this region. Take it as a test from me. Pass it, and I will give you something as a reward which might be useful to you. But until then, you will be banned from ever entering the zone.¡±

    The man flicked his hand and powerful energy encapsted Li Meng and his avatars and teleported them. Li Meng¡¯s vision went blurry and when he could see clearly, he found himself outside the Misty valley.

    ¡°Just how strong is he?¡± Li Meng was shocked by this experience.

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 Chapter 346

    346 THE WORLD CORE TOME

    ¡°Just how powerful is he?¡± Li Meng thought. He knew how vast the Misty Ridge was, which meant that the captain literally tore the space up from the river to the entrance and threw him inside. Just how much power was required to do so? What was even more surprising is that he didn¡¯t even move during the whole thing, which meant he used pure energy to do so.

    ¡°It felt like world energy to me. Would I be able to do that too if I increased my proficiency in world energy?¡± Li Meng verified the contents of the book which the captain gave him. It was an old rugged cuboid-shaped object which could only be described as a very old book.

    Li Meng tried to open it up but failed. He then began to utilize his physical strength, then body cultivation. He even began to use his Qi to get it to open but failed at the end.

    ¡°How would I open it?¡± That was when he thought of something. There was another kind of energy that he hadn¡¯t tried out. He decides to use world energy within his body and as he guessed, the book popped open. Li Meng found a hidden ce and began going through the contents.

    ¡°World Core Tome.¡± That was the name written on top of the book cover. Li Meng understood that the art was rted to world energy and its quality was far higher than the energy art which the Keeper gave him. He began going through the arts. It specified how world energy could be cultivated.

    A set of breathing exercises were specified along with a proper cirction method to properly regte the world energy within the body. Li Meng followed the instructions and found his energy flow and control to have improved. He continued to practice for some time and felt that the rate of his growth was higher.

    There were even probable practices that could help him regte the world energy container and his channels. They were far superior to his simple fill and drain routine. He went on and found various methods to practice world energy with the existing energy arts. Li Meng knew from his experiments that it would act as a great catalyst and support. His only fear was that he needs to go to the world border frequently.

    He soon found out that world energy could be cultivated even inside the world, but it was equivalent to stealing the world energy of the world you are practicing in.

    Hence every time the cultivator undergoes a breakthrough as written in the tome, they would face tribtion from the world. It was simr to what Qi Dominators have to face, but this time the attack would be of the world conscience itself, trying to take back the world energy you have stolen.

    .....

    The best way to ovee the uing tribtion should one practice this art was to go towards the world borders where the influence of the worlds have been weakened significantly and hence would result in a much weaker tribtion. The rtive result is also high. But it alsoes at its own risk.

    The world borders are shared by different worlds and often the other world will also react to the attack of the present world and one might even face multiple tribtions, not from the world where they stole the energy from. This results in an even more powerful tribtion and could result in the death of the cultivator whose world energy would then be dispersed in the world borders.

    ¡°This is crude and cruel too. I can¡¯t even escape the tribtion by going out of the world.¡±

    There was also a gradation of the quality and strength of the world energy which could be collected from the worlds. Higher the stage of the world itself stronger would be its world energy. Hence Hell would have stronger energy than the one he was residing in. The resultant tribtion would also be far stronger than this one.

    Li Meng decided that he would be practicing at least some levels of the art in his world so that he could get acquainted with the process properly. Only when he woulde across a barrier would he proceed to higher worlds to practice his world energy. He continued reading through it and soon enough a more detailed section was reached.

    This section could be stated as an advanced section for world energy practitioners and had the next set of arts once the first part was learned by someone. The next part started with the creation of a unique body called the Void-walker body. Only after reaching this level could he be ssified as a proper world energy cultivator.

    Li Meng understood how powerful the whole art was and decided to concentrate on the matter at hand. He had managed tobine thew energy and world energy to form a new type and hence his understanding had grown to a great extent. He was excited to see the result of his next breakthrough and whether or not he could reach the Chaosw level.

    He wanted to wait for the Keeper toe out of hibernation. They had two different matters to prepare for. One was the experiment to be conducted on one of the avatars to determine his path in body cultivation while the other was to prepare for the breakthrough of his next avatar.

    He only had five more attempts remaining and he didn¡¯t want to waste those. He finally decided that he would like to concentrate on the building up of a force in Misty-Valley and experiment on the avatar. He could undergo a breakthrough at the end of six months just before he returns to the academy.

    But first, he needed to report the maters to the guild. He was the one who killed all hisrades, and hence he had decided to put the whole me on the ck-devil church. The first step was to verify whether the Emerald Amethyst Hall had posted a bounty on their heads since theoretically they would be the best scapegoat for Huang to sacrifice.

    To his tion, the Emerald Amethyst had posted a good bounty which meant that the ck-Devil church was officially a public enemy now. Li Meng went into an alley and started to wound himself until a good amount of blood was flowing. He decided to visit the merchant hall in that condition.

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 Chapter 347

    347 REDEMPTION FROM BLACK DEVIL

    He decided to tear his clothes up and ri9ddle his body with scars. He then portioned out all the rings of the mercenaries along with the merchant guild¡¯s members and around half the amount of the desired amount of herbs. He then put them all in a bag and headed to the merchant guild.

    The guild was filled with a lot of customers as usual. Li Meng was quite well known within the guild by now and the receptionist immediately directed him to a private room. He sat on the couch in the middle and waited for the elder toe in.

    The manager responsible for the transaction immediately rushed in when he heard that Li Meng had arrived. When he looked at Li Meng¡¯s pathetic state, he was surprised.

    ¡°I guess we met a misfortune.¡± The manager said.

    ¡°More dreadful than you could imagine. We managed to gather all the things, yet we came across the worst enemy one could find .¡±

    ¡°Did you confront ck-Devil¡¯s people?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know who they were, but they were a group for sure and a big one at that. I am the only one who managed to survive due to a sudden battle with the Emerald Amethyst group. That I the only reason I am even standing before you.¡± Li meng then handed the bag to the manager who gracefully took it.

    ¡°What is this?¡±

    ¡°Whatever I could salvage off the body of the dead members and the portion of herbs I managed to collect.¡± The manager decided to verify and was surprised by the number of rings in there. They were filled with content and approximately half their demands sat right there. He looked ted.

    .....

    ¡°You have done quite amendable job given the situation. I will go ahead and report this matter to the guild elders. Hope you will wait here for some time. I will return with a suitable reward for your actions.

    The manager went ahead to one of the deeper chambers where the same old man as earlier was waiting for him.

    ¡°What news does he bring us this time?¡± The elder spoke in a discontented voice.

    ¡°Our team has been wiped out by what he describes as the group from ck-Devil church who attacked Emerald Amethyst Hall.¡± The manager said.

    ¡°And you believed him?¡± The elder asked.

    ¡°Well, I was forced to belie4ve after he handed me this.¡± He put the bag of rings on the table and the elder verified them. He was surprised to see all of them full of herbs. At least half of the required quantity of herbs had been delivered in these rings.

    ¡°He said that he managed to salvage whatever treasures he could find from the corpses. I want to believe him.¡±

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. This move means that he wants peace with our group, and we will follow through with a simr gesture. Give him the promised prize along with the ones which we would have given to the mercenaries.¡± The manager bowed and left the room.

    ¡°You want to let go of such arge amount of treasures for half the requested quantity.¡±

    ¡°First thing, if we divided his share with the rest of the group, he had far exceeded his limits. Second, our original n didn¡¯t mention him saving the other members. It was a personal best of ours. Hence he didn¡¯t break any rules. We don¡¯t even have any evidence to prove otherwise. Hence the best thing we could do is appreciate the gesture and reply likewise.¡± The elder exined his move.

    ¡°Yet he could have killed them for all we know and taken the other half of the treasures for himself.¡± The other voice said.

    ¡°Be it the first condition or your one, he is a person of great means. Why make an enemy of someone like that? This partnership could result in a lot of benefits for our group.¡± The elder said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope your bet is a sessful one since you will pay the price of failure.¡± The voice faded out.

    ¡°I hope so too.¡± The elder said to himself.

    ........................

    The meeting hall-

    The manager returned with a man following him carrying a golden ring. The manager passed it to LI meng who took it.

    ¡°This is the promised set of rewards along with something from our elders as an appreciation for your contribution to the mission. We hope you cooperate on future expeditions. You have also been promoted by one rank and could ess more of our store¡¯s facilities.¡± The manager went on to describe the details of the procedures.

    Li Meng finally finished the conversation by buying a house near the borders of the vige as well as a good amount of resources to work with. He also asked for information regarding the so-called ck-Devil church and also all the groups which were in the region. He then asked the manager to su[pplu him with some top-quality weapons shortly.

    The deal was done and Li Meng bid his farewell from the shop. He then went to the recently purchased house and began the preparation for the establishment of the group. Su Menqi had also reportedly finished her breakthrough and managed to connect with three Heavenlyws of ice, water, and Yin. Thest one came as a surprise to Li Meng, but he was happy that his women had aplished such high achievements.

    He even began to portion out some of the Yin tree pieces so that she could train with them. They were too powerful and would be of great help to her.

    She was on her way to the water-mist vige with one of the avatars, and Li Meng began to prepare for the experiment simultaneously. He had already collected all the required herbs and formation materials for the experiments. He also began to scout workforce who would be capable enough to join their group in the future and be a part of this base.

    He decided to make Huang part of the group as he was his servant as of now. But it came with the risk that if he could undo the soul seal somehow, Li Meng would have exposed a lot of his secrets for him to take revenge on.

    .....................

    Meanwhile-

    A small battle had started as the members from the Emerald Amethyst group began to actively hunt the people from ck Devil church. In thest ten days, around 100 ck-Devil members have been killed and many of their bases destroyed. Emerald Hall was quite aggressive in their retaliation for the attack on their provisional holy son, who has now been officially coronated.

    At one of the bases, a huge number of elders from ck-Devil church were having a meeting.

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 Chapter 348

    348 ENCOUNTER WITH A POWERFUL QI EMPEROR

    ¡°Will anyone exin to me why we are in this situation? First of all, how did the Emerald Amethyst Hall know of our existence? Second, why are they so actively attacking us? Even if they found us to be rising in the shadows, they should gather their troops first and scout the situation. Direct warfare is totally out of the question under regr scenarios.¡± One of the elders in the Hall said.

    ¡°I would like for the culprit to step forward, or we would need to pry into the situation ourselves.¡± Another elder said in an irritated tone. Both the elders were seated at the topmost position in the whole hall, showing their status to be above the rest of the members present here.

    ¡°Sir, ording to my survey, the events might be rted to a recent mission which Yin Luo¡¯s group had undertaken in the water-mist vige.¡± One of themander-level figures spoke up. He was in charge of the base they were stationed in.

    ¡°Whomissioned the mission?¡± The elder asked.

    ¡°Only captain Yin Luo knows about the details sir.¡±

    ¡°Bring him here.¡± The elder said. Yin Luo was the other leader of this stronghold and hence was present within it. Soon enough he arrived as per themand of the elder. He was within the infirmary recovering from the injuries he sustained in Misty Valley.

    ¡°7th squad captain, Yin Luo, presents himself in front of the ck-White elders.¡± Yin Luo bowed to the two elders, who shot an appreciative nce at him and nodded in agreement for him to stand down.

    ¡°How did you gain these injuries captain?¡± The elder asked.

    ¡°The injuries were a result of a mishappening that urred in the water mist vige, sir.¡±Yin Luo said.

    .....

    ¡°Have you managed to recover properly?¡±

    ¡°I have recovered 50% of my strength already. I need another week at the top to reach my prime condition.¡±

    ¡°Then we can discuss the mission you undertook.¡± The elder said.

    ¡°I would like to beg your pardon, sir. I can¡¯t divulge the information regarding the mission to you.¡± The whole assembly was surprised at Yin Luo¡¯s reply. He was speaking to the ck-white elders, and he dared to withhold information.

    ¡°Whomissioned it?¡± The elder asked.

    ¡°I cannot divulge the information.¡± Yin Luo replied while bowing his head. The two elders were visibly irritated by the reply, yet they kept their calm to pry into the situation.

    ¡°ording to the normal proceeding of the church, unless it is a mission which is personallymissioned by the leader himself or the two grand cardinals, it is within my authority to get the details of the whole process without any information being out of my range of approach.¡± The elder exined.

    ¡°If the three of them had issued a mission, it would have undertaken by us who are their direct underlings. Which meant that myst question was on feasible grounds. Hence, I will ask once again. Whomissioned the mission?¡± The elder asked once again.

    ¡°I cannot divulge¡± Yin Luo stood his ground. The people in the room were about to reprimand him, but an enormous pressure engulfed the whole room directly pressuring Yin Luo onto the ground. He couldn¡¯t even move a muscle.

    The ck and white elder was one of the most infamous and strongest Qi Emperors of the ck-Devil church. Both of them were Heavenly Law users and no one knew how many they managed to connect with. There were even rumors that they were on the same stage of cultivation as the two grand cardinals of the church.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t requesting you to divulge the information. It¡¯s a direct order.¡± The ck elder spoke up. His tone was scary and extremely irritating, and an almost murderous aura poured into it.

    ¡°I can¡¯t..¡± Yin Luo was about to speak when another figure entered the room. The aura which filled the room immediately vanished when the figure walked in there. It was none other than Li Xuanfa.

    ¡°What brings the holy son here?¡± The elder asked.

    ¡°You needn¡¯t torment my subordinate. It was I whomissioned the mission.¡± Li Xuanfa said in a weak tone. It was a given fact that he hadn¡¯t recovered from the injuries inflicted during his fight with Li Meng. He had been rushed to a near-death situation.

    ¡°Would you care exining why this situation has arisen?¡± The ck elder asked with a sinister smile on his face.

    ¡°I got hold of a treasure map during one of my excursions with the detailed location of a powerful treasure which would enhance my body type into Extreme Yin body.¡± The whole hall went silent. This was an important matter. The holy son was the official sessor to the Church master.

    ¡°And then.¡± The ck elder spoke.

    ¡°I nned on ambushing the Emerald Amethyst group since I came across the news that their provisional Holy son was carrying a powerful fire element treasure with him. I needed to get that treasure to travel deep into the region of Misty-Valley and get the treasure.¡±

    ¡®Why didn¡¯t you take a fire element treasure from the church?¡± The elder asked.

    ¡°Would you guys allow me to borrow a top-tier emperor-level fire armor into a mission which itself is a goose chase and a huge risk of me not returning?¡± Li Xuanfa said.

    ¡°No.¡± The elder said. He had to agree that the situation demanded this particr set of actions.

    ¡°Hence I decided to attack the cavalry and even prepared the proper amount of workforce to take care of them.¡±

    ¡°What happened then?¡± The elder asked.

    ¡°We got yed by a third party. He took care of both the parties at the same time and took all our possessions.¡± Li Xuanfa said.

    ¡°A ¡®he¡¯ took care of you. Not even a group, just a ¡®he¡¯.¡± The elder spoke

    ¡°Yes. He killed everyone including the men of the two groups and even his group.¡± Li Xuanafa said.

    ¡°Was he a Qi Emperor?¡±

    ¡°no. He was an advanced Qi King.¡± Li Xuanfa said. The whole hall went through amotion.

    ¡°So an advanced Qi king killed everyone except you two, and took all your belongings.¡± The elder said.

    ¡®Yes.¡±

    ¡°What about the treasures?¡± The elder asked.

    ¡°He took all the belongings including the map and the details of the treasures. He must have gotten his hands on the treasure by now and hence it is useless to pursue the matter. It would be better to concentrate on the Emerald Amethyst Hall. Huang must have used my group as a scapegoat instead of the man who is the real nemesis.¡±

    ¡°You will be receiving your punishment from the master himself. In the meantime began war preparations. Also,mission a bounty on the mysterious advance QI King¡¯s head.¡± He then looked at Li Xuanfa and said. ¡°You will be giving all the details regarding the treasure and the man himself.¡±

    ¡°Dismissed.¡±

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 Chapter 349

    349 A REMINISCE OF PAST

    Li Xuanfa clenched his fist as he was powerless in this situation. He couldn¡¯t even protect his subordinates as he was facing charges for a failed operation which resulted in the whole organization being targeted by the Emerald Amethyst Hall. The two elders left the Hall, and soon the rest of the members went out.

    Two guards came to escort Li Xuanfa and Yin Luo to a nearby room and began to start the poster-making process. Another man recorded the whole event in the utmost detail. Li Xuanfa decided toe out with most of the truth but he held back Li meng¡¯s identity which he was aware of.

    Yin Luo couldn¡¯t talk much about his identity as he was not familiar with Li Meng. After the two men were finished with the task, they began to leave but were obstructed by a guard.

    ¡°I was ordered to escortmander Li Xuanfa to the elder¡¯s cabin. You on the other hand are being ordered to the infirmary where you will continue the healing process. After that, you will proceed to the elders to get your punishment.¡± Yin Luo could only nod in agreement and see Li Xuanfa being directed towards the elder¡¯s room.

    As soon as he reached the room, he was greeted by two men staring at him with concern.

    ¡°It is good to see that you have recovered from your injuries properly.¡± The ck elder spoke.

    ¡°It was due to the healing pills which the enemy left with me. I wanted Yin Luo to have one too, but he passed. I have already given them to the alchemy department and they are on their way to decode the whole recipe.¡± LI Xuanfa said.

    ¡°You are still too uptight in front of us. You need to calm down. We don¡¯t want to scare our grandchild to death.¡± The white elder spoke up. It turned out that he was Li Xuanfa¡¯s ancestor.

    ¡°I beg your pardon for my actions. I failed your expectation during this mission. I will take on any punishment you and your father decided upon and will also put in more effort to develop the organization. I would also like to take part in the war to contribute to the Church¡¯s victory.¡±

    .....

    ¡°You need to calm your hordes down. We first need to discuss the whole situation in a proper way. Was your whole description the truth?¡±

    ¡°It was.¡± Li Xuanfa said.

    ¡°Do you know the true identity of the enemy? Who is he?¡± The ck elder asked.

    ¡°So an advance Qi King took care of not only the two of you and your forces, but also killed his team members and looted you all.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he did.¡± Li Xuanfa said.

    ¡°And why did he leave the pills with you? You didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with them. He could be trying to poison you.¡± The white elder asked.

    ¡°I doubt that. He was trying to mock us by doing that. During the whole process, he let me and Huang recover to our prime, before crushing us all together with pure strength. He first allowed me to fight with him. Defeated me and then moved towards Huang. Defeated him too.¡±

    ¡°So hepletely overpowered you in your prime. He gave you healing pills to showcase how pathetic your strength is.¡± The ck elder said.

    Li Xuanfa clenched his fist when he heard the emotion behind it. Yet he could only nod in agreement.

    ¡°Still you couldn¡¯t deny the notion that we might find some kind of exotic poison within the pills. He could be trying to control you and in the future control the organization you are part of.¡± Elder spected.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he would do that. It is uneven with the kind of character he has.¡± Li Xuanfa was confident about his analysis of Long Tao. He knew his character quite well in the two encounters they had.

    ¡°You just said that you don¡¯t know the enemy, yet you are now assuring us that he doesn¡¯t have that kind of character. The conclusion you are stating could only be arrived upon if you had a detailed encounter with someone. Hence I conclude that you do know who the enemy is.¡±

    Li Xunafa was surprised to realize that he had just fallen into the elder¡¯s trap.

    ¡°You shoulde up with the truth that we have been watching you since your childhood. You are ten years too early to try and fool us with such feeble efforts. Who is he?¡±

    ¡°Do you remember the excavation mission that Li Wen went on in Jiao country some time ago?¡±

    ¡°The one where you wanted to get hold of some powerful inheritance for Li Wen?¡±

    ¡°Yes. The guy who bested us was the one who defeated the whole troop, killed half of them, and got a hold of the inheritance for himself. He was about to kill Li Wen, but my arrival prevented that. He was a Qi Master cultivator back then, while I was a Qi general, yet he managed to tie with me in terms of power.¡±

    ¡°The only reason we managed to escape unscathed was that he decided that this would be a futile matter to waste his trump cards on. Hence Li Wen managed to survive.¡±

    ¡°Did you find out who he was?¡± The white elder spoke up.

    ¡°During that time he was the top-ranked general of Jiao country who managed to conquer the nearby empire with his battle strategies and pure strength. His achievements in battle are famous throughout the country.¡±

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we get hold of his family and the royals of Jiao country then? We could use them as hostages to lure him out.¡± The ck elder spoke up.

    ¡°I thought of the same thing and sent a lot of force toward Jiao country. The first three groups were annihted by him, but after that, he had already resigned his post and left the country. I even approached his family, but a horrifying truth came into existence.¡±

    ¡°He had been abandoned by his own family and n members, yet he somehow managed to get so strong that he was more powerful than all the cultivators of Jiao countrybined. What is even more surprising is his bloodlust and cold-blooded nature. He watched his ancestor dying in the enemy¡¯s hands, and most of his n members dying, before taking care of them. He even took the whole credit for himself.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you approach the upper echelon to take care of him?¡±

    ¡°There are two things which made me decide that I don¡¯t want the Church to be an enemy of that man. The first matter was the whole set of events that urred within the Jiao country after his rise to power. I managed to get hold of the whole set of events, and my blood went cold.

    ¡°He managed to turn over a whole rebellion and entire fleet of spies in a single month. No one knew whether he did it or managed to gather a group to do it, yet the number of people who were eliminated was too many. The elimination was extremely swift. No traces left behind.¡±

    ¡°What is the other point?¡±

    ¡°He is known to have five other sect brothers who soon enough became the top students of the top organization around the Jiao country. All of them were epted as disciples of the top teachers and sect masters of the academies.¡±

    ¡°We are not scared by leaders of those small organizations.¡±

    ¡°I know that. What I was scared of was their talent. In the matter of one year, they have already surpassed their elders, and have already exited their respective sects. They have alle to the central ins. I have managed to locate one of them, and that person is quite spectacr.¡±

    ¡°He managed to join the pill valley and even received the inheritance of their founder.¡± Li Xuanfa said.

    ¡°Are you talking about Lu Ming from Pill valley?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I am. I also hope that the church remembers who his master is?¡±

    ¡°The ck-fire emperor.¡± Murderous aura extruded from either of the elders when they spoke that name. It was a taboo name for them. It was the reason they had lost a lot of their brothers in the past.

    ¡°Exactly. The other¡¯s location is unknown but they are of the same level as Lu Ming. So I guess you understand what sort of enemy we are pursuing. He is not only talented himself, but even his brothers are extremely talented.¡±

    ¡°That is scary. Given the recent news about Lu Ming, we should be scared.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Li Xuanfa asked.

    ¡°There is a rumor that he had managed to connect with four heavenlyws and one of them is Yin-Yangw.¡± Li Xuanfa was shocked upon hearing this.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this. I guess we can¡¯t do anything about the matter.¡±

    ¡°That is not the proper mentality for the future pope of the ck-Devil church. The two of us have prepared a series of training procedures for you. You will be going into seclusion now and will onlye out when the event arrives. We will do our best in increasing your strength in the meantime. LI Wen has already entered seclusion with her master.¡±

    Li Xuanfa nodded and bowed his head.

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 Chapter 350

    350 THE EXPERIMENT BEGINS

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be demotivated just yet. You just lost a battle with a single enemy of yours. There are a lot of people you wille across in your lifetime and many of them will be on the opposite side as you. One loss doesn¡¯t say much about your strength or potential. You need to understand that this loss is a stepping stone for a powerful cultivator in the future.¡± The ck elder said.

    ¡°He is right. A loss is something that educates us about our shorings. I am sure you have understood yourcunae. Work forward to fill the gap and be stronger.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand the feeling. He didn¡¯t take me once, but twice. What is even moreughable is that his cultivation was lower than mine, yet I was the one who lost the match.¡±

    ¡°Do you know why we have such great enmity with Balck-fire?¡±

    ¡°Because he was the person who killed most of the elders from the allied forces including our church.¡±

    ¡°That is just a small portion which fuels our rage. The actual reason is the disparity within our talents. He is just half our age, yet what he had achievedpletely undermined us. He went into the royal road during the same time as us. We fought for the ck fire and he massacred all his enemies. Me and white people are the only ones who managed to escape alive.¡±

    ¡°People think that the ck-fire is what makes him strong. They don¡¯t understand that it is just a tool for him. His strength lies in his indomitable power to subdue his enemies and his cold-blooded nature. Do you think he had grown powerful due to talent alone? No, he worked for it.¡±

    ¡°ck-fire was the guy who started as an outer disciple doing chores and rose to be the grand elder of Pill Valley. His ruthlessnesses from the experience he had undergone and the teachings his failure provided him with. Did you know that he was on par with your father who had managed to step to the peak of Emperor level by that time?¡±

    ¡°He was the choice to be the next master yet he took the position of Grand-elder. The reason was that he wanted to be a part of the frontline battlefield. He wanted to work for his strength. You need to do the same.¡±

    .....

    ¡°But you don¡¯t understand the strength of Long Tao.¡± Li Xuanfa said. ¡± He fought with Yin Luo, then Huang, then me, and then once again with Huang. In the end, he fought with me once again, and yet he was the one who won the match. What is even more of a letdown is that he didn¡¯t even wait to recover his breath or ingest a pill in the meantime.¡±

    ¡°That is on par with ck-fire.¡±

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t done. Both of us managed to gainprehension and went through a breakthrough in our arts. Huang underwent two breakthroughs simultaneously. Yet he still won the match. What is even mortifying is the fact that he didn¡¯t even use his full strength. He wasn¡¯t even gravely injured in the series of matches.¡±

    ¡°He managed to do that while being in the advanced Qi king realm.¡± The white elder was surprised to hear that. This time Li Xuanfa had hit a steel te.

    ¡°Even if he is the son of heaven, true efforts could bring in huge results. You may have got your hands on some good treasure maps, but we two were preparing a huge gift for you too. if you can cultivate with it properly, you will be an intermediate Qi emperor by the time of Royal road. Are you interested?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡± Li Xuanfa¡¯s mood underwent a huge change. He didn¡¯t expect that the two elders were preparing a gift for him.

    ¡°That is the minimum expectation we have from you. If you are willing to put bets on your efforts, you might even be able to reach the advanced Qi Emperor realm. Are you willing to follow our instructions?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡± Li Xuanfa had made up his mind to surpass Long Tao.

    ¡°The first few months will be dedicated to your breakthrough to Qi Emperor. We have prepared some resources which will help you enhance your body type and hopefully help you step into the ck-Devil body realm. After you manage to break through, we haveid out an borate n¡±

    ¡°The church has decided toe out of the grave. We will be actively leading expeditions and conquering enemies who managed to banish us in the past. You¡¯ll be taking part in battles on the frontline. Battle experience is something that will help you break through your barriers and advance in the path of cultivation.¡±

    ¡°Emerald Amethyst Hall is the first enemy we wish to take down. You will be taking part in the battle. Maybe you will get a chance to fight the Huang guy. Prepare for your seclusion.¡± Li Xuanfa nodded in agreement. He was excited about the training regime.

    ...................................

    Water-mist vige-

    Li Meng was sitting in the middle of the new house he had just bought from the merchant guild it was near the very border of the vige which meant that a lot of people passed it daily but none of them paid any attention to it. It was the perfect location to serve as the base of the new force he was building.

    He had managed to hire some workers who did the daily chores for him. He wanted to pace it slow and leave most of the work to Su Menqi herself. She was powerful enough to take care of herself and it was time to let her hold the position of leader once again. He aimed to take revenge for Su Menqi, but it would more satisfying if she took the revenge herself.

    He was familiar with Su Menqi¡¯s skill and this was the perfect ce for her to set base in. To take control over the region, they would need to be a powerful Qi Emperor, but lI meng wasn¡¯t looking forward to that happening. He was thinking about strategically improving his force with time.

    There was still time for her to arrive here and great news arrived in the morning. The keeper had finallye out of his hibernation. The artifact had undergone a triple or quadruple promotion. Li Meng had to go in to verify his current condition.

    ¡°Have you been well since thest time I left you?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°I did have a minor adventure in the meantime.¡±

    ¡°I see that you have managed to get hold of an understanding of world energy. I could even feel you practicing a very powerful art. Where did you get the world energy art?¡¯ The keeper was even more shocked as he began to examine Li Meng¡¯s body. The amount of world energy within him surprised the hell out of the Keeper.

    Li meng decided to describe the whole adventure along with the encounter with the ship captain.

    ¡°A world ship¡¯s captain talked with you and even gave you a world energy art. Can I see it?¡± The Keeper was skeptical. Li Meng handed the scripture to him and as the Keeper went through it, he was even more shocked.

    ¡°You have the World core tome. You came across someone from the Voidwalker n and you didn¡¯t even try to wake me up.¡±

    You were the one who told me that you are going into hibernation and I wouldn¡¯t be able tomunicate with you. It is your fault.¡± The Keeper sighed and then gave the book back to Li Meng.

    We need to chart out a n for your cultivation in world energy. What you have here is the core energy art of the Voidwalker n. They are one of the epitome ns when ites to world energy. You are fortunate to evene across him. The value of this art is not something you couldprehend.¡±

    ¡°Let me put it this way. Even if you had ten Extrem Yin trees, they would still not be enough to pay for this energy art. You are the luckiest bastard I havee across. Anyway, we shall start the preparation for the experiment now.¡±

    Li Meng nodded and went into the artifact.

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 Chapter 351

    351 THE EXPERIMENT-When Li Meng entered the artifact he was shocked by the view. The first noticeable thing was the increase in the space within the artifact. He felt that space had increased by at least three times if not more. He couldn¡¯t even see his herb gardens and the Qi pools, since they were so spread out and far away from him.

    The next obvious development was the density and quality of energy within the artifact. The very touch of this energy managed to refresh Li Meng and made his Qi flow faster and better. He could feel his body being cleansed by the energy within the artifact. He immersed into the heavenly feeling of energy washing down his body.

    ¡°Do you feel the upgrade in the energy quality?¡± The Keeper asked Li Meng.

    ¡°I do feel the extreme enhancement in the energy quality within the artifact and I even feel that the energy within my body is being modified by the artifact.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°The artifact underwent four sets of modification and enhancement due to the power which I absorbed from the tree and the altar. We have undergone another modification in the time ratio. It is 9:1 now. You also have two additional facilities avable for you. One is a special forging station with crimson World altar and energy at your service.¡±

    ¡°The other thing is even more interesting. It is a functionality which you have wanted to open up for a long time.¡±

    ¡°I can now use the artifact to attack.¡±

    ¡°Yes, you can. But the limitation is that the energy drainage is too much for you to handle. In your current realm, you would only be able to use the attack once, and it would drain all of your energy reserves.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we use Qis tones for the attack?¡± Li Meng asked.

    .....

    ¡°The price to pay will be too much to handle. It isn¡¯t sustainable in the long run. The Qi King realm is just the beginning. When you enter the QI Emperor level, you should be able to handle the energy attack. The true usefulness of the first-grade attack is the Qi Monarch realm. You would be able to handle multiple attacks of the same kind.

    ¡°So I would need to be in the Qi Dominator realm to be able to handle the attack type properly.¡± Li Meng stated.

    ¡°Yes. And it is just the first type of attack. It is called QI ray. A demonstration wouldn¡¯t be possible since we don¡¯t have enough space or proper QI reserves to practice it. But once you enter the Qi Emperor realm, you can begin the experiments.¡± The keeper stated.

    ¡°I guess we have put it on the back for a while. Any changes with the Weapon spirit?¡±

    ¡°The weapon spirit would be able to provide you with a higher level ofprehension, but it is still not awake.¡±

    ¡°How many more modifications would it take for it to wake up.¡± Li Meng wanted the weapon spirit toe online as soon as possible. That way he would be able to begin using the artifact properly.

    ¡°At least five more modifications and this time the upgrade is going to need many powerful resources. We need half-saint level resources at every least. Only then could the artifact undergo a proper enhancement. You need to practice more and gather enough resources for the upgrade. We also need your cultivation base to be higher. You need to perform well in this royal road event they keep talking about.

    ¡°That I will do. First, we need to prepare for the experiment.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°There is another development within the artifact which is a good thing for us. The breakthrough altar finally emerged out of the depths. It is functional now. You can use the altar to properly fuel the formation which you will be using in the experiment. The altar is capable of harnessing and infusing any kind of energy in the world.¡±

    ¡°The Yin tree pieces which have in the ring are to be used as the rime healing herbs with the rest of the collected ones as a substitute to enhance the effect of the tree pieces. The healing energy should be enough to fuel the whole experiment. Should we begin the operation then?¡±

    ¡°Chart out a proper routine and operation procedure. We would also need a memory te that could record all the details within your body. We also need to verify the art that the guy from Pill Valley gave you and see if it ispatible with our body type. If it is, then we have a defined path ahead of us. If not, we might need to make some modifications to the original art and make it suitable for your body. ¡±

    ¡°Did you chose the avatar you will be experimenting on?¡±

    ¡°What is your suggestion in this regard?¡± Li Meng was eager to know Keeper¡¯s opinion on this subject.

    ¡°I am thinking that we should experiment on one of the avatars in the general realm. The experiment would result in a huge infusion of energy from the extreme Yin tree bark. The avatar has a chance to obtain the Extreme Yin physique just like Li Meng. IT would also enhance your depth in Yinws and may even bring some changes into your other avatars.¡±

    ¡°Fine then.¡± Li Meng chose one of the avatars in the Qi general realm and a proper surgical room was prepared on top of the altar. After the preparation wasplete, he gathered all the equipment and began to operate the formation with the help of the Keeper. Resources were ced in their dedicated positions and the formation came online.

    The next step was the soul ink creation which after long-term nning and discussion were finalized as the proper way to go. The soul links were established and a barrier was ced in between the connectingworks of the avatar on the altar and all the other. Li Meng hoped that it would all work out well and he would be losing an avatar he had cultivated for such a long time.

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 Chapter 352

    352 THE EXPERIMENT-The soul links had to be formted with great precision. Fortunately, the Keeper managed to devise a proper set of formations that could be used in the soul space of the two people. The Origin avatar art was a specially devised skill that managed to create the actual bodies of the practitioner.

    In general, whenever a clone art is being practiced, the original body could be described as the central hub of everything with the clones being objects being controlled. The difference in avatar art is the fact that they have their unique conscience and could all act as a central hub. It means rather than there being 1 Long Tao, there were eleven.

    Any one of them could act as a central hub if needed and hence the formation art which the Keeper devised could be utilized properly. The formation was etched into the soul space with the respective soul energies of the two individuals. It was a tiring job and took Long Tao a whole week to formte and etch properly.

    The next step was to establish a connection between the formation and the soul of the practitioner. This can be done by a power line or formation lines formted with the help of soul energy. Long Tao and the avatar who was to be experimented on began to formte the lines, which took another day or two.

    ¡°The formation lines are finally at the ce. What are we doing next?¡± Long Tao asked.

    ¡°The next step will be the first major hallmark of whether or not this experiment will be a sess. You and the avatar will simultaneously operate the formations and try to connect. The first step is an active connection between all the elements in your soul space.¡±

    ¡°After you manage to do that,es the second step. The second step is you two being in physical connection with each other and operate the formation together. It will be apanied by you two exchanging your soul energy with each other. It is the only way the two formationse in connection with each other and the link is established.¡±

    ¡°You two need to operate the soul energy continuously until the link is established permanently.¡± The Keeper warned.

    Long Tao sat with the avatar and began to establish the connection he was waiting for. He started to operate the soul energy between them and finally managed to do it properly. The formation was activated and the soul energy began to formte a bridge between the two formations.

    .....

    The two bodies felt their bodies being injected with some kind of energy from either and somethinging alive within their soul space. The formation slowly began to link up and around half a dayter, the link was finally formed and ready to go. The two bodies separated from each other.

    After verifying their bodies and meeting their eyes, they could feel a special kind of connection with each other. Long Tao felt that his connection with the body in front was far stronger than his connection with the other avatars. It meant that the formation had worked out properly and they had managed to connect.

    ¡°The step isplete and the connection has been established. The next step is to try and block the connection formted by the avatar art itself. You would need to iste the soul space of the avatar from the other bodies. Sadly, we don¡¯t have an immediate solution for that and hence we will be experimenting.¡±

    ¡°What is the basis of this experiment?¡± Long Tao asked in fear. He didn¡¯t want to tamper with his soul space as irreceable damage was a big possibility

    ¡°The istion will start with a normal formation which helps gather your soul power in a single location within your soul space. It is a fairlymon formation and hence shouldn¡¯t have any risk during application. The main work starts from thereon. The gathered soul energy needs to be isted by the bodies and the least possible quantity needs to be leaked.

    The avatar is going to be the subject that needs to do that too. You need to continue the istion until you feel the links between your bodies weakening. Once the links weaken, we will move forward with another formation. This is where the actual risk arises.¡± The Keeper said in a concerned voice.

    ¡°You want to operate a soul energy burst which would disrupt the connecting channels, don¡¯t you?¡± Long Tao guessed.

    ¡°Yes. That is something that I formted after a lot of thought. The soul energy burst which is required to carry out the process is nothing inparison to the overall soul energy capacity of individual soul spaces. But the fact remains that it is going to burst and hence has the potential to harm. A lot of harm is a possibility we cannot ignore.¡±

    ¡°Do you still want to move forward with it?¡± The Pill Hall master approached from the Keeper¡¯s side.

    ¡°I have to. I cannot stop in the middle of my body cultivation path simply because I was too scared to try a possible solution. I will move forward. Do we have any formation which could act as a protective shield to my soul space?¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t any better formation than your soul¡¯s energy recovery and healing runes. They are the strongest spell I have ever seen in my life, and we haven¡¯t encountered anything that could supersede its effect. The defense relies on the runes.¡± The Keeper stated.

    ¡°You are kidding right?¡± Long Tao was skeptical about the situation. He was quite hesitant.

    ¡°I am not. Let¡¯s start the process and create a soul energy impulse bomb within your soul space and jam the connections out. Remember, the signals, if just jammed, would be blocked only for a short period. That is the time you will get to experiment.¡±

    ¡°What is the estimated amount of time we could get?¡±

    ¡°I am expecting the block to remain in ce for at least four days. It would be on the safer side to assume three or three and a half days. Would that be enough?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°Can we create the scenario again?¡±

    ¡°Experimenting on the same avatar would be quite risky and even if you decide in favor of the procedure, you need to wait for another upgrade in your soul. Only when an upgrade takes ce, would all the injuries including the hidden ones be properly cured and you will be able to operate once again.¡±

    ¡°So we have three days.¡± Long Tao spoke.

    The process formally began when Long Tao and all his clones sat on the altar and began to concentrate their energy at a single point.

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 Chapter 353

    353 THE EXPERIMENT-The energy slowly started moving towards a single point in the soul space. Its speed was quite slow even after Long Tao¡¯s enhance ability to control his soul energy after so many level-ups. Long Tao was trying to hurry up his speed, but the Keeper decided to interfere in the matter.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t rush these things. Soul space is the most fragile out of the three systems and any operation rted to it should be carried out properly. Take your time and do it properly.¡± Long Tao and the avatars nodded and began to indulge in the process.

    The soul energy finally converged into a small space after many hours and the Keeper insisted that they take a short break to rx the soul space before the explosion takes ce. The avatars and main body rested for half a day before the Keeper gave a green signal to continue with further steps.

    ¡°You can begin setting the explosion formation now. Remember that the quantity of soul energy used shouldn¡¯t be higher than the calcted amount. If so, I cannot guarantee that you will remain unscathed for much longer. Also, I need to confirm another fact with you.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Long Tao asked.

    ¡°The blockage would not only hinder the pathway for the said avatar but all the avatars. We will being back online quite soon. Hence you need to use a certain period after the explosion is sessfully carried out to make the blockage for the said soul space semi-permanent for the time being.¡±

    ¡°Is there another formation for that?¡± Long Tao was amused by how many formations they had been using until now.

    ¡°No. The disruption is made semi-permanent by knocking the avatar out and keeping it that way during the whole procedure. That is the reason I have been asking you to collect so many sedatives. They are essential for the experiment¡¯s sess. It all depends on how long we could suspend him into consciousness and keep his soul space from automatically start reconnecting.¡±

    ¡°I guess we could only have our hopes up since we couldn¡¯t calcte an exact time before the whole process went haywire. Let¡¯s hope I can dissect and operate before the whole thing reboots itself.¡±

    .....

    The avatar first collected all the essential equipment required during the experiment and then all of them sat down on the altar and began toy the formation. The speed at which the formation was being etched had decreased a lot since Long Tao was continuously experimenting with them. The process ended with several hours and the Keeper once again decided that they should rest.

    ¡°Ingest the soul strength herbs to recover your soul energy to its very peak. We will start the process once you have healedpletely.¡± Long Tao nodded and around another incense stickter, they had managed to heal with the help of herbs and some potent pills which he hadn¡¯t used in a long time.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± Long Tao began operating the formation and as expected, an explosion took ce.¡± Long Tao and all the avatars spewed a lot of broth and immediately their soul energy went haywire and an incredible pain engulfed him. Soon after he lost consciousnesspletely.

    ¡°You knew about this didn¡¯t you?¡± The Pill Hall master asked the Keeper.

    ¡°Even he knew that this was a possibility. It is not a bad thing. Begin ingesting the herb essence into his body and iste the avatar.¡± The Pill Hall master did what was asked of him. Soon enough, only a single avatary on the altar. After some time Long Tao and the other avatars regained consciousness but they were still suffering from incredible pains.

    ¡°Recover as fast as you can. We need to start immediately.¡± Long Tao took some time to adjust to the situation and began to ingest the soul energy pills. He managed to improve his soul space¡¯s damages by quite a bit with the help of the pills and gained a clear mind for the operation. He then took out the scripture which the Pil Valley ancestor handed him and began to observe his avatar¡¯s body concerning it.

    ¡°Give me the equipment.¡± A special set of equipment was ordered from the merchant guild which arrived sometime earlier. It was a surgical set of the Qi King level that could prate the avatar¡¯s skin. The dissection began and so did a passive formation which was slowly healing the cuts.

    Long Tao had to increase his speed and he had used multiple types of equipment to get a view of what the status was inside. The scripture had a proper engraving of the whole human body with all the parts marked. The first difference which Long Tao observed was how thick and dense his muscle profile was. Even his flesh had small runes engraved onto it.

    They were actively absorbing energy and healing the torn muscle-up. Long Tao was worried that the speed of healing was too rapid. Finally, he managed to reach the outer blood vessels. This was the first time he was seeing his blood flowing within his body. The energy radiating from it surprised LonG tao. It was the first time he had felt that he didn¡¯t know his own body.

    While Long Toa was dissecting the avatar, the Pill hall master and the keeper were the observers from the side. They were recording every little detail and even began engravingparing notes between the live body and the scriptures. The differences became more and more prominent as he dug deeper into his body.

    After passing the inner blood vessel, finally, the time for Qi channels came. Long Tao could see both the set of Qi channels within his body as well as the bone frame. They were filled with numerous runes and Long Tao didn¡¯t even think about counting them up. His concentration was towards the Qi channels which he needed to experiment on.

    His bone frames were constantly changing and he knew that he would have to carry out this experiment once again when he was done with the Channel tempering realm.

    When he finally encountered the Qi channels, Long Tao was left spellbound.

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 Chapter 354

    354 THE EXPERIMENT-The Qi channels werepletely different from what was described within the book. For starters, the number of channels within the avatar¡¯s body was twice that of the recorded numbers within the scriptures. Long Tao began to examine the small threads which allow the flow of Qi within a practitioner¡¯s body and was astounded to find how different his avatar was.

    The number aside, even the structure of the Qi channels was quite different than the recorded ones. The recorded channel sets didn¡¯t have subbranchesing out of the main set, yet the avatar¡¯s body was filled with them. Thework was extremelyplex and it took around half a day just to identify theplete connection properly.

    The other half was wasted in recording the overall structure of the set and in what way does the Qi flow within the channels. The Keeper and Pill Hall master were recording all the findings, assumptions, and suggestions. These will be used to formte the path which Long Tao and his avatars will be walking on.

    The next part of the experiment was to identify the structure of the Qi veins andpare it to the scripture. As expected, there were differences in that domain too. The major difference was theposition of the Qi veins which differed from the original mentions to a huge extent.

    The veins were not onlyrger but wider too allowing a greater flow of Qi through them. The scripture did mention some variations in cases of natural bodies where the veins are strengthened and the branching urs, but the avatar¡¯sposition exceeded the limitations by a huge extent.

    ¡°I guess this is the result of having multiple natural bodies and undergoing metamorphosis.¡± The Keepers argued.

    Long Tao nodded his head. He too agreed that some of the modifications were present due to the fact that he had multiple natural bodies. Li Meng, who recently acquired the extreme Yin body, should have an even moreplex situation concerning the avatar. But the avatar gave a good reference for Li Meng¡¯s and simr situation.

    ¡°You need to calm down. Li Meng is a special case which we will solve once we get a good idea about the avatar itself. You do understand that Li meng was once the same as the avatar itself.¡±

    ¡°Have you recorded all the details?¡± Long Tao asked.

    .....

    ¡°I have recorded the details of the structure and arrangements. We can now move on to functioning.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°How do we test functioning exactly?¡± Long Tao asked.

    ¡°We can do it by ingesting him with Qi in addition to the healing energy we have been providing him. That could initiate the start of Qi rotation with a violent rate and you could observe how they move within the body itself. We need the other avatar to help us this time.¡±

    Li Meng prepared himself for the next inspection. They had less than two days to figure out the details of Qi rotation. It would present them with a supposed pathway which the energy follows and the way they would need to apply the medical ingredients to temper them.

    The procedure began when the avatars began to ingest Qi into his body and the Qi flow slowly began. It took half a day topletely observe the Qi flow and characteristics. Incidentally, the branches yed a huge role in the recovery and Qi rotations of the avatar. This was the reason Long Tao and his avatars were able to pump so much energy.

    ¡°So this is the reason I was able to process so much energy even though I am in the same realm as geniuses.¡±

    ¡°The guy Huang and Li Xuanfa could be called Genius. You are an anomaly.¡± Keepermented.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so absurd about it.¡± Long Tao said.

    ¡°I have managed to record the energy flow as well as the morphing of the energy path when different types of energies are being used. What are we doing next?¡±

    ¡°Since all of the records areplete, we need to start formting a n now. Before that let¡¯s try to restart the connection you had and hopefully you haven¡¯t lost an avatar in the process.¡±

    The avatar along with Long Tao¡¯s original body sat in a circle within the formation, activating the healing formation once again connecting all of them to it. The energy flowed into them and Long Tao signaled the others to begin the process. All of them closed their eyes and immediately removed the formation surrounding their soul energy.

    The dam broke and soul energy flooded into the soul sp[ace of everyone and the connection slowly started toe online. Long Tao immediately connected with all the avatars. The only remaining avatar was the one that was experimented on.

    ¡°You need to flood massive energy into the blocked formation to either clear it or destroy it in the process. Good luck.¡± The Keeper backed out after saying that.

    Long Tao looked at him with irritated eyes before turning back into a mode of concentration and began practicing the energy arts to recover his full strength. All the avatars then gathered their soul energy and burst it into the connections. The unconscious avatar suddenly bolted up and screamed with pain.

    The avatar was rolling all around the altar and still screaming. It was only after whole hours that the scream finally subsided and Long Tao began to inspect the connection between them. To his tion, they managed to connect and he felt that his connection with the avatar was far stronger than the other ones.

    ¡°It must be due to the additional formation in ce.¡± The Keepermented on the situation.

    Long Tao was happy with his achievements. He then began to operate his soul energy to make sure everything was fine. The next step in the process was to begin going through the records and design the path of body cultivation to be followed by all the avatars.

    ¡°Bring me the record.¡± Long Tao began to go through the details with Keeper.

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 Chapter 355

    355 THE RENEGADE PATH

    ¡°The path you are choosing to walk on is not something which traditional martial artist would even dream to walk on. Are you sure you want to walk the renegade path?¡±

    ¡°What is a renegade path?¡±

    ¡°Well, tradition has always been an integral part of martial arts since ancient times. Martial artists research paths through which they could rise to the top and leave the research for the younger generation to follow. But what happens when someone thinks out of the box?¡±

    ¡°It leads to an unexpected development within the art which could make it much more productive and powerful.¡± Long Tao answered.

    ¡°yes. And it is generally appreciated by society as being a genius. But what if the idea and the structure are so out of limits that the power obtained is too huge.¡±

    ¡°People are unable to digest the development properly and couldn¡¯t grasp the boundlessness.¡±

    ¡®And what happens when the inability bes a popr opinion?¡± The Keeper hinted.

    ¡°They term the development as being heretical and unorthodox. Even evil is within the bounds.¡± Long Tao said with a sudden realization.

    ¡°Renegade is just the term in which the path so developed is called. It is neither unorthodox nor evil. It is something beyond that. The path you have walked until now is the best example of it. A Qi King who could fight with a Qi emperor who could even have stepped into the intermediate level. How can it get more heretic and out of bounds.¡± The Keeper said.

    .....

    ¡°And the change we are about to make in the body refining art will not only kick it up a notch but transform it into something different.¡±

    ¡°Exactly/. Are you sure you want to walk the path? Renegades are not only hated within the cultivation world, but the path itself is almost impossible to walk upon.¡±

    ¡°If you want to climb up thedder of power and be the kind of the world, you need to walk the path which others couldn¡¯t even dream of walking on.¡± Long Tao said with a confident tone.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get into it. I guess you have managed toprehend what the art itself suggests the cultivator does.¡±

    ¡°My experience with reading art, just suggests a particr blend of a very powerful set of herbs which are of simr characteristics to the body type the practitioner has. The path is a bit of a blur, but the cultivator has to find the blend. Another way to put it is the meridians themselves don¡¯t have a tempering method with the help of energy. You need external supplements.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Do you understand the lowest level of herbs required?¡±

    ¡°They are to be at the peak of Qi King level to even be effective. What is even more problematic is that the required potency increases with an increase in the cultivation level of the user. If I have to make a guess, around halfway through the process, we would need a powerful level 7 grade herbs.¡±

    ¡°And they couldn¡¯t even be of the same quality as normal herbs. You need specific varieties which could epass all types of energies you practice. You need herbs with multiple elemental properties, Hell energy types herbs, herbs from theherworld, and even powerful energies from these worlds.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡± First we need to devise an energy path for the whole process and then we need to find a way to properly infuse the energies into your bodies. The next thing we need to do is to try and guess the effect the energies will have within the body and how to temper your channels.¡±

    ¡°Thest thing is to figure out a herb blend that would be effective in your case I want to say. You need to understand that not every kind of herb can be used for the whole operation.¡±

    ¡°Could the Yin tree pieces be used in the whole channel tempering process?¡±

    ¡®It¡¯s effective, and It will be until the very end of the process. It is the only herb that is so powerful that it will be effective till the end. But you need to find other herbs to get you through the process. You might have some in the garden for now. They should be able to sustain you for now, but we need to get more powerful herbs.¡±

    ¡°I guess we need to go ask for help from my fellow seniors and my master who so cleverly send me out of a perfect ce of cultivation.¡±

    ¡°He did a good thing by helping you increase your strength. You are capable enough to fight with Qi Emperors by the end of the whole mission set. But he could prove to be a great source for many of the herbs. I am sure they must have a vast herb ground in the academy. You should take full advantage of it. You should also invest all your points in buying the herbs.¡±

    ¡°I will do so.¡±

    The three figures slowly began to make modifications to the original scriptures. Soon enough the whole area was covered with vast quantities of notes and etchings on vast rocks. LonG tao and the keeper were constantly guessing and experimenting withbinations. After the first step waspleted, the avatars were gathered for the second step.

    The second step went properly. They managed to establish a proper path of Qi flow within the body. The next step was the longest and most tiring one.

    ¡°We need to start creating herb blends. The blends are to be tested with the avatars and we need to observe the effect it has on their channels and Qi flow. It is going to take a very long time and a lot of resources are being wasted during the experiment. You need to cut your losses.¡±

    ¡°The gang and base are slowly being formed within the manor. I have already bought a lot of resources and once Su Menqi reaches here, we will start recruiting forces within the mercenaries nearby. One of the avatars will be helping here. We could start collecting and marketing resources within the viges and increase our ie.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the real problem then.¡± The Keeper said.

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 Chapter 356

    356 THE RENEGADE PATH-¡°Where should we start?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°Well, you said that the Yin tree is the best of the bunch when ites to effectiveness. Does it apply in this case too?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it does. The extreme Yin tree is no small deal. That is a resource that even Qi saints can use, and you have just enough tost you for quite a while.¡±

    ¡°Will Its till the end of channel tempering real?¡±

    ¡°That is the exact thing which I don¡¯t know about. I hope you understand that you are talking about 11 people who are trying topletely temper their channels to the highest level. It would have been sufficient if the number were a quarter of what the actual demand was, but the situation doesn¡¯t seem that way.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t we nt the Extreme-Yin tree within the artifact with the help of the pieces I have?¡±

    ¡°Well extreme Yin tree is a top grade resource and it isn¡¯t easy to grow it. Certain conditions are required for it to even show signs of growing a bit, much less regrowing from a broken piece.¡±

    ¡°What are the conditions?¡±

    ¡°The first requirement is an environment of dense Yin energy. The quality required for it to grow properly is quite high. The minimum requirement would be a hell ne itself.¡±

    .....

    ¡°So we can¡¯t grow the Extreme Yin tree in this world?¡±

    ¡°No. That is just the first requirement. The second requirement is a more fundamental one. You need an Extreme Yin tree seed to grow it. The pieces we have with us wouldn¡¯t be able to grow the tree back.¡±

    ¡°Where is the seed which was with the tree when we found it?¡±

    ¡°Most of it was destroyed when he was channeling his power into you. Thest remaining one was inserted within Li Meng¡¯s body to grant you an extreme Yin body. We have no seeds left in the inventory.¡±

    ¡°So growing the trees within the artifact is no option for now.¡±

    ¡°I do have a suggestion regarding that. We first need to create an environment where the trees could grow in. We need to funnel in Hell¡¯s energy and create an extremely dense energy zone within the artifact. This will take a lot of time and effort to make. We need to begin at the earliest.¡±

    ¡°Should I try opening a gate to hell again and go in there?¡±

    ¡°I guess you have realized something from the experience while traveling the world border right?¡±

    ¡°I have. I felt a disconnect to thews which I have established.¡±

    ¡°The disconnection will be at its highest when you enter another ne. Since you don¡¯t have anyws from hell, I would like you to bid for time tobine Qi and world energy to form Chaosws. Only when you manage to establish a single Chaosw base, will we be going into Hell.¡±

    ¡°So Chaosws are that powerful.¡± Li Meng was impressed by the definition.

    ¡°Chaosw is kind of your creation. Thew is your creation and hence doesn¡¯t belong to the world itself. Yet the simrity ofw will resonate with every world which hasws of simr type. You can use Chaosw to its full potential anywhere. The regions which do have thews will facilitate your use of them.¡±

    ¡°So I will be at my full strength no matter which world I go.¡±

    ¡°Yes. You need to concentrate on establishing Chaosws in your next trial. You have four more trials left as of now, and I need at least three of them being formed in Hell since you practice art with that characteristic of energy. Meanwhile, we will use the remaining pieces to make an herb blend and begin the channel tempering process.¡±

    ¡°DO we have herbs required for the initial stages?¡±

    ¡°No. We need to collect some powerful fire attributed herbs from the Taiwan mountains. We need to make a trip there. We also need some other herbs rted to poisons, marrow refining, healing, and blood enhancement. I think most of the others will either be avable within the Taiwan mountains itself, or the institute should have them.¡±

    ¡°So, Pill Valley should he all the herbs.¡±

    ¡°They should have some of them, but you need to funnel most of them from the Thunder academy. We need powerful thunder energy attributed herbs. Thunder energy is especially required to carry out the tempering. We would also be fortunate if we could get our hands on some powerful elemental attributed herbs.¡±

    ¡°So I need to return so fast. It hasn¡¯t even been half the time since I left.¡±

    ¡°We had nned to stay here for some time until we achieve our goals. The only thing remaining too is to establish a powerful force that could be led by Su Menqi. Which realm is she in ?¡±

    ¡°She managed to reach Advance Qi King level.¡±

    ¡°I guess the body is slowly awakening. That is the power of the Absolute frost body.¡± The keepermented. I estimate she will reach the Qi Emperor level within a year with her speed, and her cultivation speed will only increase after his breakthrough. She will be a force to reckon with in the Royal road.¡±

    ¡°The absolute frost body is that powerful.¡± Long Tao was shocked by this information.

    ¡°Your element king body needs to be enhanced at least three times to reach her level. Imagine the strength of her natural body.¡± It provided a good reference for Long Tao to ponder on.

    ¡°I guess some people are born fortunate. Anyways. What should we do next.¡±

    ¡°Try and collect all the herbs you could collect in this region. We might even go back to the swamp to try out herb collection there. That ce might have something which is the best resource for us at the moment.¡±

    ................

    Li Meng continued his endeavor into the poison swamp while Su Menqi was on her way to the water-mist vige with another avatar. The pieces were falling into ce

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 Chapter 357

    357 SU MENQI¡¯S ARRIVAL, RETURNING TO THE THUNDER ACADEMY

    Li Meng was busy the next few days hiring a lot of mercenaries. After a strict examination, he managed to hire around 100 people that were capable enough to join their group. Most of the members were in the intermediate QI king level, with a quarter being in the advanced Qi King level.

    ¡°How are we going to control these mobs. They would pounce on the chance to hog power within the organization as soon as you leave.¡±

    ¡°Su Menqi isn¡¯t as weak as you think her to be. She can easily fight with a peak Qi King with her strength. If she is absolutely into the fight, a first stage Qi emperor isn¡¯t out of the question. But I do understand your point of view. I have decided to control them.¡±

    ¡°Please tell me you are not thinking about using soul energy bugs on them.¡±

    ¡°I am just trying to control the top-ranked official. The ones I am thinking of recruiting are the very powerful advance QI Kings. I will force each of them into a soul contract that they would never be able to vite.¡±

    ¡°And how are you going to force them?¡±

    ¡°Either by a carrot or a stick. I prefer the stick idea though.¡±

    ¡°Of course you do.¡±

    ¡°What about the other powers who might want to annex you?¡±

    .....

    ¡°The mercenaries, once perfectly controlled y me will be apanying me to carry out an elimination.¡±

    ¡°Who are you looking to eliminate?¡±

    ¡°every single person who is beneath the Qi King realm within the various organization. I am going to hunt mostly the intermediate Qi Kings of various powers and once it is done, I will hand the organization over to Su Menqi. We are going to operate from the shadows, by first using the merchant guild to establish a small shop.¡±

    ¡°Once the intermediate Qi Kings are killed, not only will we have their possessions which will be working as the capital to sustain the group, but also, the organization would be busty assigning huge amount fo tasks to the remaining members. It will ensure that they don¡¯t have time to keep an eye on this ce.¡±

    ¡°But what if theye to know that you were behind all this?¡±

    ¡°that is the exact reason why I want to control the most powerful quarter within my force. Once they are under my control, they will help me control most of the group. The gaps within the management can be filled by forcing the weaker ones to do the killing, making them unable to report the matter to any of the authorities.¡±

    ¡°So the strongest are controlled by you. They in turn control the middle order, and the weakest order is the true killers of the enemy and hence their betrayal would lead to their death. A good chain of power would be established in this way.¡±

    ¡°I hope the power so established gives enough time to Su Menqi to have proper growth. Although her task isn¡¯t as difficult as Seng Luo, she would be facing the wrath of multiple power emperors if the matter is discovered. The riskes with a huge reward of gaining sovereignty over the Water-Mist vige.¡±

    ¡°It is the only way I want her to raise her force If I help her carry out the revenge, it will be meaningless. If she truly wants to fulfill her goals and rise to the top, she needs to put in her efforts. I have already facilitated her with a lot of help by obtaining the frost spring and helping her break through the Qi King level. If she couldn¡¯t even pass this small test, she is worthless to me.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even consider you lover to e out of the objectifying point of view. Being her man, you need to look out for her.¡±

    ¡®I am not her ve, neither her caretaker. She needs to gain her power if she wants to stay beside me. I wouldn¡¯t mind leaving her behind if she couldn¡¯t be of any use to me. The path of Dominance doesn¡¯t allow burdens to walk beside the master.¡±

    The Nether King¡¯s lives which Li Meng had experienced had made a deep impact on him. He learned a lot of things and managed to grow new perspectives for the things around him. He knew that each time the scenario tends to move towards the same direction until eventually, the protagonist managed to rise to the very top.

    He can¡¯t let his will falter and we soft on anyone, even the woman who he might be in love with. He had provided a lot of assistance to her. What is next was up to her efforts and understanding. He wanted to concentrate on the next phase of the body tempering realm.

    Li meng went around the town ad battled with the mercenaries. The top yers were immediately injected with a soul bug which made them Li meng¡¯s ves. After that, each of the mercenaries was given the time they need to assemble the next day to carry out the purge which LI meng had nned on. The purge began at the earliest hour the next day.

    The first people to be killed were those of the merchant guilds. It took a lot of time, but the group managed to kill a lot of intermediate and beginner level QI Kings by the time the morning came. The news would create a huge storm within the whole vige and Li meng wanted topete for his ns before the news got out.

    The next target was the independent organization that ruled a small region near the vige. This was a tiring job since these groups were mostlyprised of advanced-level Qi Kings. They require a thorough purge of these men and some people were taken in as ves by Li Meng.

    His force was not only cleaning the hidden obstacles for the future but also growing in numbers. It was around the night of the next day that the news of so many people being killed had spread throughout the vige.

    Not only were the merchant organizations the victims, but also many of the bandit and independent cultivator¡¯s bases outside Water-mist vige had been cleared. A huge storm engulfed the whole vige, as they had never encountered such a huge massacre in a single day. It was around the next day morning that news o more people dying came out.

    ..............

    ¡°Su Menqi is already halfway through the path. Is this the end of the purge?¡±

    ¡°There is still a group of people remaining which I need to clear.¡±

    ¡°Who are they?¡±

    ¡°The major powers within the water-mist vige. Tomorrow is going to be the main show as they need to not only kill the people but also frame them for murder.¡±

    Li Meng¡¯s group had already increased by another 50 advance rank Qi Kings who were Li Meng¡¯s ves. He was nning thest attack beforepletely going silent within the region.

    .................

    The next day-

    ¡°The n should be clear to all of you. Our task is to kill the intermediate and beginner level Qi Kings of various forces and frame the other forces around them as the perpetrators. You will not be killing people from the framed forces as that will arose suspicion between the groups.¡±

    The men nodded before leaving in a different direction. Another purge took ce. The nning was so intricate that Li Meng¡¯s men had to waste an hour after the killing just to from the other groups.

    Finally, night drew in as Li Meng sat on the roof of his house awaiting the arrival of Su Menqi. Soon enough two figures began to appear at the edge of the horizon, and Li Meng got up to greet them.

    It was time to return to the Thunder Academy.

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 Chapter 358

    358 RETURN TO THUNDER ACADEMY-¡°You manage toe here in a safe way. Wee to the water-mist vige.¡± Long Tao had introduced Li Meng as one of his sect brothers to Su Menqi. She greeted him likewise, but her character seemed much colder than earlier. The change in appearance and character could be attributed to her absolute-frost body.

    ¡°Should we go in? We have a lot to discuss.¡± Li Meng led her and the avatar into the house and directed them toward their rooms. After which the three people assembled for discussion in the meeting hall.

    ¡°Long Tao here said that you have something for me to do.¡± Su Menqi asked.

    ¡°I do have some ns for you in the water-mist vige. You see, we brothers are trying our best to create small organizations within the top resource zones within the central ins. The Water-mist vige is one of the potential hubs where we would like to establish a force of ours.¡± Li Meng exined.

    ¡°You setting up a force within the water-mist vige is a good boost to your power. But what does it have to do with me?¡±

    ¡°As sister should know, that we brothers are quite close to each other and hence are aware of the problems and challenges we are facing. It came to my notice that you are about to confront a powerful enemy in the future. If I am not wrong, the ce should be the Ice-Valley right?¡±

    Su Menqi was surprised by Li Meng¡¯s knowledge. She looked at Long Tao with a re.

    ¡°I had to tell him after I came to know about this ce.¡± The avatar tried to exin. Su Menqi was still skeptical about the whole matter.

    ¡°The major reason why he told me the secret is because the water-mist vige is the heaven of water and ice type cultivators. You need to increase your power to be able to confront the powerful figures within the Ice Valley. This is the best ce for someone like you to grown in.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Also, the Ice-valley is an ancient force which has been situated within the central ins for a very long time. They have a very deep heritage and hence taking them on is no easy matter. Just being powerful wouldn¡¯t be good enough to eliminate the threat. You need men of your own to help you during the battle.¡±

    ¡°I have been nning to set up a powerful force within the water-mist vige for a very long time. Yet I need someone I know and trust to be the leader of this force. That was when brother Long suggested your name. This is the best location for you to grow both personally and as a leader of a mighty group.¡±

    ¡°Do you ept?¡± Li Meng asked with a serious tone.

    Su Menqi was visibly disturbed by the revtion, but she was a rational woman. She knew that Li Meng was speaking the truth. No matter how strong she bes, it would be difficult to face Ice-Valley without the backing of a force of her own. She looked at Long tao for onest time to get confirmation.

    He nodded with a simple smile and she spoke up. ¡± I ept.¡±

    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s get into the details of the whole area, its topography, and the troop cement I have decided on. The ce we are living in is the temporary base of our organization. The number of troops I have managed to recruit is 150, out of which 70 are advanced Qi kings. They are currently underground due to a necessarymotion which I caused within the area.¡±

    ¡°You are the one who killed all those men.¡± Su Menqi asked. They had heard that a massive purge urred overnight with a lot of forces being involved. Many lost their lives within two days and no one knew who did it a dhow. They are ming each other for the killings and the water-mist vige had turned into a war zone.

    ¡°Yes. I did kill them. It was necessary to keep the organization busy as we needed some time to consolidate our foundation within the water-mist vige. You at the very least would need to reach the very peak of Qi King before acting in public.¡±

    ¡°I need a lot of time and resources for that.¡± Su Menqi said.

    ¡°I know about that. I have already sent most of the men to hunt within the Misty-ridge for powerful herbs and potions. Many are busy trading tasks with the merchant guild. We gained a lot inst night¡¯s massacre and the organization has enough Mary stock to run properly for a whole year. The herbs would go into your cultivation and I hope you could raise your cultivation to the next level by the end of the month.¡±

    ¡°You need to hunt powerful monsters and herbs with the group to gain resources for cultivation. I am handing this whole group to you to grow yourself. This group will also be your underlying force which will apany you in your battle with Ice-valley.¡± Su Menqi looked at Long Tao with amazement. So this was the reason all along. He did this for her.

    ¡°No need to be pressurized. You just need to be steady in your growth. I hope you are aware of the Royal road.¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°LonG tao told me about it. Thepetition that would enable a cultivator in Qi Emperor realm to step into Qi Monarch.¡±

    ¡°Yes. We need to aim for that. There are many other subsidiaries managed by our other brothers. They too will be supporting you in the future. But you need to raise a powerful force to support them too. The nearest one is within Taiwan Mountains.¡± Li Meng went on to describe the base and Sheng Luo¡¯s details.

    He then gave her full records of all the information she needs to know about the organization, water-mist vige, as well as details about the various avatars who were stationed at different locations. He also gave her a small ring that consists of a lot of resources and pieces of Yin tree for her to cultivate.

    ¡°I will be taking my leave now. All the employees have been made aware of the situation. Brother Long will help you with the management. The next time we meet will be a year from now. I hope to see you all-powerful and inmand of a deadly force.¡± Li Meng said his greeting before leaving the room and the base itself.

    It was time for him to return.

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 Chapter 359

    359 THE RETURN TO THUNDER ACADEMY-Li Meng slowly took a que out of his ring and broke it. It was the one that was presented to him by Ren Wang. It was to be broken once he managed toplete the task. To his surprise, Ren Wang arrived minutester as if he was lurking around the corner.

    ¡°You managed toplete the task. Have you gathered all the herbs?¡±

    ¡°I have managed to do so. You can check them out.¡± Li Meng handed a ring to Ren Wang who began to examine it. He was shocked to see the sheer quantity of all the desired herbs. Li Meng managed to outdo himself.

    ¡°The task is a sess. Well done. You have the directions to reach Thunder Academy and meet with the master to report thepletion of your tasks. Also, we have managed to eliminate all the enemies who have been following you until now, but no more. Whatever happens to you on the way is your responsibility.¡±

    ¡°Also, by the very moment that you step into the Thunder Academy, Thunder Child will be made aware of your return and he will be out to attack you. Beware of him.¡± Ren Wang suggested Li Meng start preparing for the actual battle even within the academy.

    ¡°The yearlypetition is drawing near. I initially expected you to take the whole time allotted but you finished way earlier than I thought. What do you want to do now?¡±

    ¡°I would like to go on a special voyage and explore the central ins. I request you to permit me since I have alreadypleted the task.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s your wish. But I do hope that you could return to the academy before stepping into the peak of the Qi King realm. The gift which I have prepared for you is quite useful. But it can only be used before the Qi Emperor realm.¡±

    ¡°I will try my best to return before that.¡± Li Meng said and went another way.

    .....

    ¡°I didn¡¯t I tell you that we are underestimating our younger brother. He is way talented than you think. If I am not wrong, he is already at the peak of 8th stage Qi King. He should be at thest stage the next time we meet. I have never heard of a Qi general breaking into the Qi Emperor realm within a single year. He might have been the first one to do that.¡± Ren Wang spoke.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell him the whole story? There are a lot of practitioners lying in wait within the nearby regions of the academy. They will start challenging him the very moment he steps within the borders of the academy. They will most probably try to either capture him or kill him.¡±

    ¡°Well, we will still be present to not let any Qi Emperor attack him. He could easily take care of the Qi Kings himself.¡±

    ¡°You sound too confident in him.¡±

    ¡°Do you know what I felt when I sensed his energy today?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Ren Dao seemed uninterested.

    ¡°I felt intimidated. I felt threatening energy being emitted out of his body that simply felt like the Heaven itself.¡±

    ¡°You are overstating things now.¡± Ren Daomented.

    ¡®I am not. That is the best representation of what I felt. Our junior brother is not only mysterious, but he is also crazy powerful. I don¡¯t think there exists a QI King who could confront him anymore.¡±

    The two men stood there with skepticism all over their faces.

    .......................

    Li Meng had perfectly nned the whole trip. He was going to be busy practicing the newly acquired art from Huang and also start practicing Body cultivation once again. There was another breakthrough to formte a Chaosw base. Only after he breaks through the barriers of Chaosw will he be returning to the academy.

    In the meantime, he would be busy with training and finding more resources. His first destination was the Taiwan mountains. He needed to collect a lot of herbs from there and also check on the force he had left behind. It had been three months since he had left and wanted to see if there had been any improvements in the power of the group.

    The next objective was to continue his experiments on the herb potions and try to open up a portal to Hell and experience the power. There were too many things to do and too little time to do them.

    ....................

    Thunder Academy-

    ¡°So all our men were killed by the two people I hate most in the world.¡±

    ¡°Yes, master. They mercilessly killed all my brothers. They didn¡¯t even take one of them as a hostage. All of them were ripped apart.¡± The leader of the squad said in a painful voice. He had battled together with his men for a long time. He didn¡¯t expect to see all of them die.¡±

    Thunder Child had a grave expression on his face. This was a huge deal. He didn¡¯t expect the third and fourth disciples of his enemy to have apanied his new disciple. Much less, they directly interfered and killed all his men. This was a huge tarnish to his reputation and ego, but he couldn¡¯t speak out since it would seem like he was the one at fault for trying to assassinate a new disciple.

    ¡°Have any of them managed to establish amunication with Li Meng?¡±

    ¡°No sir. They never reached Li Meng to convey your message.¡±

    ¡°Call all your men back to the academy and have them ced in the nearby areas. I will be ending my seclusion any time now, I wille out to assist you people with my brothers. Also, there is no reason to actively seek him out. Let him walk into the trap himself.¡± The leader nodded and left.

    ¡°This is out of my expectations, master.¡± Thunder Child spoke up

    ¡°I too never expected this. The old man had two of his disciples guard Li Meng. I guess he is grooming him to be your contender.¡±

    ¡°The future course of action depends on Li Meng¡¯s response. I will be entering deep seclusion for the next two weeks. I hope to breakthrough in the meantime.¡±

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 Chapter 360

    360 A GLIMPSE INTO THUNDER CHILD

    ¡°Have you reached the stage we have nned on?¡± The voice asked Thunder Child.

    ¡°When I first received the order from you that you want me to simultaneously train my body, I was pretty aghast about the halt it would present on my Qi training speed.¡± The thunder Child said.

    ¡°But you seem to have realized the truth of the matter right. There is a reason why those three were able topete with you even after having only one Heavenlyw within them. It was because of body cultivation.¡±

    ¡°How did the old man managed to get his hands on such a training method?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea. But we don¡¯t need to worry too much. As far as I know, they are still within the acupoint opening realm, while you are already approaching the said realm.¡±

    ¡°But I will never be able to reach their position.¡± Thunder child was disappointed.

    ¡°It was something that guy managed to get his hands on within the Royal road. That is the reason why I am trying to help you reach the minimum realm required for that spot. Only when you manage to qualify that level, would you be able to get your hands on the scripture rted to the next realms.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t the old man has one of them?¡±

    ¡°He sure does. If I am not wrong, he should have the method that rtes to the acupoint opening realm. He managed to acquire it afterpleting a mission with his partner at the time. From what I have heard, it was so important, that he even went as far as betraying his partner and killing him.¡±

    .....

    ¡°He killed him just for scripture which records the training ways of the second realm of body tempering. If he managed to enter, that means he was a Qi Emperor back then and so was his partner. They killed each other for a scripture.¡±

    ¡°The reason is farplex than you assume. The main reason why such low-level scripture is valuable is that body cultivation, just like QI cultivation can only be practiced step by step. Why is it important? The reason is some of the records which we found within the academy¡¯s library.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± The Thunder child was intrigued by the matter.

    ¡°It is a scripture which had the experience of an ancient saint inscribed on it. The saint was someone who belonged to the founding group of our academy. He died just before he could reach the next realm.¡±

    ¡°What did he say about this particr query of ours?¡±

    ¡°He remarked that body cultivation may be one of the reasons why he wasn¡¯t able to reach the top. Even though he had managed to reach the very top of Qi usage, he hadn¡¯t be a perfect cultivator since he neglected his own body which hosted the Qi. Hence the recorded that Body cultivation might be the way one could reach the cultivation of Martial God.¡±

    ¡°So it was worth killing a friend to gain the second stage scripture of body cultivation.¡±

    ¡°There are said to be much more to that ce than the second scripture. The tomb from where the scripture came from belonging to an ancient saint. He was a body cultivator who managed to reach that level based on body cultivation alone. There must be the full scripture within there. One of the major objectives is to get your hands on that scriptures.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t the main objective of the royal road to help cultivators gain chances to be Qi Monarchs?¡±

    ¡°What is the mainponent a Qi Emperor requires to be a Qi Monarch. If you understand that part, you will be able to deduce why that is the main attraction.¡±

    ¡°The Qi King realm consists of establishing aw base. The emperor realm which seeds it is based on the grounds ofw body which a cultivator needs to form. What does a Qi Monarch symbolize then?¡± Thunder-child began to ponder on the fact

    ¡°A Qi Monarch signifies someone who has managed to cultivate aw projection outside the body itself. The projection is something that will help you control and manipte the surrounding. Monarchs call it a Domain. If you want to be a Qi Monarch, you need to form yourw domain.¡±

    ¡°So the Royal road presents one with the opportunities toprehend Domains.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. That is why it is called the Royal road. It¡¯s a path only a Qi Emperor could walk on, and it presents the opportunity toprehend domains. There are still two years before that event takes ce, You need to prepare well. I am trying my very best to get my hands on the next set of cultivation scripts in body cultivation.¡±

    ¡°Should I contact my family?¡± Thunder Child asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether your father would allow the usage of family resources for personal benefit. You know his personality. When he gave you this quest, he wouldn¡¯t care even if you die. I would like for you to try, but don¡¯t hold any hopes. This might even lessen his expectation of you.¡±

    ¡°Why do you care?¡± Thunder Child asked.

    ¡°I made a promise to your mother. She protected my life, hence I will repay the debt by training you t every best I can. Your brothers don¡¯t have any simr kind of privileges. I also have to protect you and your honor. She wants you to rule the family in the future.¡±

    ¡°My mother is quite the ambitious one. Sometimes I fear she might revolt and siege the power from my father.¡±

    ¡°She had suffered a lot in her life, and couldn¡¯t take care of either of her children. She is so protective of you because of what happened with your sister all those years ago.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t she return to the n with her so-called foster parents?¡± Thunder-Child sounded jealous when he remarked about his sister.

    ¡°She did return, but she stands on your father¡¯s side. Given her extraordinary talents and the one who is guiding her, I feel pity for you. That is the reason why your mother is so protective of you. She doesn¡¯t want to lose another one of her children to your father. You need to be strong to help her.¡±

    ¡°I guess I need to train more in that case.¡±

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 Chapter 361

    361 THE RETURN TO THUNDER ACADEMY-Li Meng traveled through the areas and decided to visit the Taiwan mountains before returning to the academy. He wanted to secretly check out the situation within the borders, as well as collect the list of materials from the mountains that would go into the blend of herbs for body cultivation.

    He decided to approach the subsidiary of Thunder Academy first. Once he went in, he was once again greeted by the old man who was in charge of the subsidiary.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°Same here. I would like to thank you for helping meplete my mission here.¡±

    ¡°It is our job as the caretaker of the subsidiary. This is a ce where students like you are to be groomed. I am sure you haven¡¯te here just to greet me.¡±

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. I have a favor to ask you. I need to collect some herbs which are only found in the Taiwan mountains.¡±

    ¡°You understand that the bandit assault and two failed expeditions while you were within the city has affected the supply of all the herbs and resources we were receiving.¡±

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be that bad. Although you and the Bandits are in a tug of war, the supply of resources always finds its way into the market. The only thing is, what price it will cost me.¡±

    ¡°Way more than the usual ones. It is even higher when ites to extremely rare high-grade herbs.¡± The old man didn¡¯t extrude any energy when Li Meng visitedst time either. He asked the Keeper to verify this old man¡¯s cultivation base.

    .....

    ¡°It is in the peak of the intermediate Qi emperor. He is on the verge of breaking through the next realm. You need to be careful while dealing with this guy. He is not someone you could take on.¡±

    ¡°I understand that. But it remains that his position is lower than mine. He needs to follow my orders and grant me favors.¡±

    ¡°I would like to buy a very long list of herbs.¡± Li Meng handed the old man a long list of all the materials required. There were around a hundred mentioned, with the quantities required.

    ¡°Just a single piece of all the mentions will cost you a quarter of what this makes in a whole year. This is way too big a transaction.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about the money. Just get me the information on ways to get my hands on all these materials. I will find my way to get them. Who knows, I might not even need to use money.¡±

    ¡°I have some of these within the treasury which we will be happy to impart on you.¡± The old man was hesitating. He knew Li meng¡¯s identity as being one of the top students whose authority supersedes him. This was a huge loss for the subsidiary.

    ¡°You will be provided adequatepensation for all the materials whiche from this branch. As for the others, get me all the information you can. You can leave the rest for me to decide on.¡±

    ¡°I will get you the information by the end of the day. Anything else I could assist you with?¡±

    I would like to know about the whole situation within the city and the mountains. What are the bandits doing as of now?¡±

    ¡°The Mad-lions have already fixed their status as the rulers of the easter borders. They have managed to set up an assembly with them being the leaders. There was an attack on their base during the time of your mission, but they recovered extremely fast after their actual leader returned.¡±

    ¡°Their actual leader. Weren¡¯t there two brothers who created the Mad-lions.¡¯?¡±

    ¡°There were three brothers who created it. The third brother was the one responsible for their expansion to be one of the top bandit groups in the eastern borders. The two brothers managed to breakthrough Qi Emperor which solidified the group¡¯s position in the region. They were the ones responsible for the creation of the assembly.¡±

    ¡°But the third brother is the one who acts as the main power. He is the most talented one and the most powerful one too. He broke through into QI Meperro recently, and no one knows his true abilities. We know that he is a Heavenlyw user, but we don¡¯t know about the number ofws he has connected with.¡±

    ¡°The instantly took over the situation. He consolidated all the rebels who arose due to the attack, and the Mad-lions are officially the rulers of the eastern borders.¡±

    ¡°Has there been any peculiar acts from the Mad-lions?¡±

    ¡°They have been trying to find the group responsible for the attack at their base, but they still couldn¡¯t find them.¡± The old man said. Li Meng was impressed by the connection the old man had established in the region. He managed to get so much news from a region like the Tawan mountains.

    ¡°I will be waiting in my room then.¡± The old man called a servant to arrange a boarding room for Li Meng and left the room.

    ..................

    ¡°I guess I need to verify the situation after all. I didn¡¯t expect the third guy to return so soon. We need to go to the area.¡±

    ¡°I will prefer for you to verify the situation away from the group. You should try to reduce the burden by distracting the group in another direction. Maybe even starting a small war between the groups within the city and the bandits.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t follow the same n as before. They are not going to fall for that again. They will immediately suspect that this was the same situation as before, and the city forces would most probably give up on the situation.¡±

    ¡°They y it on the Bandit side. They believe that the city forces are taking action against them. Have them act against the city forces. ¡±

    Li Meng remained silent and analyzed the situation. It sounded fair.

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 Chapter 362

    362 THE SMALL DISTRACTION-Li Meng began his operation once he had properly settled down in the boarding room. He asked the Keeper to scan the area first to see if there was a shadow following him.

    ¡°Why do you think that is going to happen?¡±

    ¡°It is because of that old man. He seemed suspicious of me when I asked him about the state of the city and the Taiwan mountains. I¡¯m pretty sure he is suspecting something, but I don¡¯t know what. We need to keep an eye on that bastard so that he doesn¡¯t put a tail on me.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t matter even if he did put a tail on you. You are going to kill those bastards, aren¡¯t you? If you¡¯re not going to rendezvous with the group, there is nothing to be feared.¡±

    ¡°There are two reasons why I don¡¯t want a fucking tail behind me. One is that the enemy might be able to identify me. It would raise further hurdles to my n.¡±

    ¡°What is the other problem?¡±

    ¡°How dare a fucking son of a bitch put a tail on his superior.¡± The Keeperughed. He then proceeded to scan the surroundings and soon reported.

    ¡°A guy is hiding above the roof. He is quite skilled. Did you find him out on the way here, and are trying to test the artifact¡¯s ability?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°No. I took an educated guess when I saw the change in his facial expression. How powerful is the tail?¡±

    .....

    ¡°He is an intermediate Qi King. But his skills are top-notch. Unless you are a Qi Emperor, you will not be able to find him easily. He is perfect for tailing Qi King-level cultivators. The old man did a good y.¡±

    ¡°We will be leaving tonight. I need to return by this time the next morning to get my hands on the list.¡±

    ¡°What about the guy?¡±

    ¡°We will go for a small hunt and let him report his visuals to the old man. Once his suspicion of me is over, I will kill the tail and throw its head at the old man¡¯s face.¡±

    ¡°Quite gruesome. Let¡¯s proceed.¡±

    Li Meng began to hatch a n based on his past intel about the stations where Mad-lions generally settled their members. He was thinking about killing all the guardposts and clearing out a good number of low-ranking members. He was going to do the same thing he had done previously.

    Controlling a small group of men was tiring, but it was quite efficient. He had managed to make some good quality Qi bombs which were more powerful than the previous versions. The quantity was low and hence he wouldn¡¯t get the chance to do the same amount of damage as before, but it should be enough for a minor distraction which would provide his group a good space for a breather.

    ........................

    The same night:

    ¡°Sir, he has done no such suspicious thing until now. He is resting in his room.¡± Another man was speaking to the old man within the inn.

    ¡°Be alert. We should never trust someone as suspicious as him. The way he was asking questions and the turn of events during hisst visit makes me feel that there is more to the story than meets the eyes. You should keep an eye on him and make sure he does nothing suspicious.¡±

    The man was about to leave when he got another message through at token. The man looked surprised and turned back to the old man.

    ¡°Li Meng just left his room and is making his way towards the border region.¡± The old man didn¡¯t flinch after hearing the news but rather asked the man to continue the pursual of their target. He knew something had to go off with Li Meng, but he couldn¡¯t put his hands on what exactly went wrong.

    The man conveyed the orders to Li Meng¡¯s tail.

    ¡°You should go with him too. Keep your distance from both of them. I would like to have an additional set of eyes on this matter. If he checks out correctly and is not one of our enemies, make sure to help him if he gets into any kind of problematic situations.¡±

    ¡°What could his objective be?¡±

    ¡°I think he is either going to meet his partners or hunt for some bandits and resources.¡±

    ..................

    Li meng went to thest known outposts and to his surprise there were many bandits in it.

    ¡°I guess the hunt will begin now.¡± Li Meng took his sword out and held a small bomb in the other hand. He then threw the bomb into the outpost and decided to wait for some time. An explosion took ce within the outpost as the fire spread. The Bandits who were residing in it began to pour out from the gate.

    To their surprise, a single man with a sword in his hands was waiting for them. As soon as the first bandit came into sight, the sword began to swing. Since most of the bandits were low-level ones, Li meng decided not to waste too much energy in person-centric attacks. He decided to sue for area attacks.

    Since he had managed to reach the level of the weapon¡¯s body, the attack didn¡¯t take much toll. The sword body was capable of processing the power efficiently. Intent increased the attack power, while the body helped to regte the energy utilized by the sword. Li Meng fell in love with how powerful the sword body was.

    ¡°You should wait to see the next-level boy. Intent gives power, the body gives efficiency, The heart gives control. When you reach the next level, only then will the path of sword begin.¡±

    ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡± The area attacks were affecting all the bandits, slowing their pace and injuring them heavily. Initially, Li Meng thought that he would lose some of them, but his concerns were put to rest when he felt how powerful the attacks were.

    Each of the sword art had already been imbued with sword intent. His sword body was processing impressive power on its own. The enemies were slowly decreasing in numbers.

    ¡°Keep some of them alive¡± The Keeper instructed. Li Meng thought the same way. 3 bandits were allowed to escape to the main base to inform them of the sudden attack.

    ¡°Leave the ce immediately. I feel a powerful emperor¡¯s aura approaching here.¡± Li Meng followed the orders and left

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 Chapter 363

    363 THE SMALL DISTRACTIONS-Li Meng made his escape immediately and rushed towards the city. He knew that once he was near the city, the Qi Emperor wouldn¡¯t dare step in. He needed to prepare multiple attacks tonight, and he needed some time to n them. He decided to rush towards the next location from the city borders.

    Moments after Li Meng left, a figure suddenly tore through the sky andnded in this location. It was a tall man with distinct features. If Li Meng had been here, he would have recognized the figure as being that of the eldest emperor in Mad-lions. His eyes were filled with rage, yet he decides to calm down and inspected the surrounding.

    The Bandits who were alive and had managed to escape saw the man and immediately rushed towards him.

    ¡°We greet the leader.¡± The bandits spoke together.

    ¡°What happened here?¡± The leader was angry but he decided to hold his irritation.

    ¡°There was a sudden attack on us, sir.¡± We were all going through our jobs when explosions suddenly took ce and the whole base caught fire. We ran out of there due to panic, but a man was waiting for us. He massacred us with rtive ease. I had never expected us to escape, but luck was on our side.¡± The men gave a detailed report to the leader.

    ¡°Di anyone sees his face?¡± The leader asked.

    ¡°Someone might have, but the situation was too chaotic and we were extremely panicked to stay at one position and get a view of his face. I am sorry sir.¡± The man apologized.

    The leader already understood from the situation that they were allowed to remain alive by the attacker so that he gets the news about the sudden attack. Just who was it?

    .....

    ¡°Could it be that bastard?¡± A face suddenly came into the leader¡¯s mind when he heard the word explosion from the man¡¯s mouth. But he decided to keep him at the back of his mind as the situation was not clear.

    ¡°Rush back to the base immediately and report this attack. Ask them to dispatch a man to a nearby area and find any suspicious group or person. Also, send a message to all the bandit groups alerting them about this attack. I will be sweeping the area to see if I can find any clues.¡±

    Li Meng had a temporary advantage because of therge and uneven terrain of the whole area. He couldn¡¯t finish sweeping through the regions, and Mad-lions were kind enough to set multiple bases. The first idea was to eliminate most of the bases in the border areas themselves.

    Once Li Meng reached the city borders he took out the map and made his way towards the next one. He began to randomly choose bases so that a pattern was not formed. Heter began the next attack around an incense stick. The second base had no survivors as the initial message had been sent already.

    Li Meng decided to rush to the next one and the one after that. He kept changing the regions where he was eliminating the bases. There were never more than two in the same region. It not only gave him enough time to widen his attack scope but also didn¡¯t allow the attacks to be known quickly.

    In the same night, Li meng managed to destroy ten bases of the Mad-lions. He decided to stop there because the news would have be widespread by now, and the bases would be alerted. The top-echelon must have been dispatched too, which meant his ability to control the situation was affected.

    ¡°How do we frame the fractions for these attacks?¡± Li Meng got their attention, but the diversion wouldn¡¯t be a sess unless he could perfectly frame them.

    ¡°We could get one of the men from the city forces and nt his body in the site of the attacks.¡±

    ¡°A single body won¡¯t do. We need to make it look like a massive expedition.¡±

    Li Meng said.

    ¡°Then we are going to need a lot more bodies.¡±

    ¡°I guess we are going on hunting within the city. Pick random people from various city forces who still hold their badges. We will be destroying more areas and leaving bodies there. The attacks should look consecutive. Do you have any idea where to attack, now that they are alerted about us?¡±

    ¡°We simply need to use the avatars to make it look like a group attack. We will leave the bodies there to look like they were involved in the battle.¡±

    ¡°But before that, I need to take care of something else.¡±

    .....................

    ¡°The report came in, sir. He went on to kill bandits and destroy multiple outposts of Mad-lions. The tail followed him to ten different locations and he took care of all of them by himself.¡± The man said.

    ¡°What is he nning to do?¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know sir. But the tail reported that no one within the outpost was left alive. Everything was burned to the ground by him.¡±

    ¡°That is interesting. Did the tail manage to find any more details?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°May Ie in?¡± Li Meng¡¯s voice suddenly sounded outside the door. The old man signaled to the man to hide.

    ¡°Come in.¡± The old man said. Li Meng was seen carrying a bag with him. ¡± How may I help you?¡±

    ¡°You may start by exining this.¡± Li Meng threw the bag on the table, which opened up to reveal the head of the man who was tailing Li Meng. Both the old man and the man within the shadows were shaken by the revtion. They didn¡¯t expect him to find out.

    ¡°Who is this?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°No need to act aloof. I tortured him before killing him off. I know you sent him to tail me. I would love your exnation of this situation. I would also like to remind you that I am technically your fucking superior, yet I am the one being tailed. Go on.¡± Li Meng said while sitting down on the chair.

    The old man decided to stay silent.¡±I will be reporting this to the academy. Also, the next head on the table will be the man who hides behind the shadows. After that, I aming for yours.¡± Li Meng continued with a smile. The old man¡¯s expression once again changed when he heard this. He never expected li Men to even detect the man within the shadows. Just how sensitive he was.

    ¡°I would like to apologize for this inconvenience. The situation in this region has been chaotic leading me to take certain measures to ensure the survival of the base. I hope you will not take it as a serious offense as we had no such intentions. The man was someone who was brought in to assist you in times of need.¡±

    ¡°The man¡¯s head is lying in front of you. What assistance could a weakling like him give to me.¡± Li Meng said. He got up. ¡± I hope you will end your fucking stunts right here. I would also like a proper answer tomorrow morning.¡±

    The old man decided to take out a piece of paper as well as a small ring. He then passed it on to Li Meng. Li Meng lifted it and verified its content. To his surprise, they were filled with herbs that he had mentioned within the list.

    ¡°These are all the herbs which we could find within the treasury. As an apology to you, I hope you ept this as a gift from me. I assure you that no such inconvenience will ur in the future. I also assure you that I will help you get your hands on the rest of eth herbs.¡±

    ¡°The list contains the details of all the missing herbs and the possible locations to find them. It also holds information regarding any news, rumors, and possible possessor of the herbs in the whole region.¡±

    The old man took out another jade te and handed it to LI meng. ¡± This contains all the information regarding the situation within the city, the bandit forces, and possible areas to keep your eyes on for ambush attacks. IT has also marked the location of their bases for you to avoid them during your possible expeditions into the mountains.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Li Meng took the gifts and left the room.

    The old man sat down on his chair relieved. He never expected the situation to take this turn.

    ................

    ¡°The old man is quite articte with his actions. He managed to turn the whole situation over.¡± The Keeper was impressed by the old man¡¯s actions.

    ¡°he is quite a cunning person. You should expect this from a senior cultivator like him. He managed to n ahead and even prepare for a situation like this.¡±

    ¡°Should we go hunting now?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°We should. They wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to immediately send a tail behind you. This is the best opportunity to carry out the objective.

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 Chapter 364

    364 ENCOUNTER WITH AN EMPEROR, FLEEING FOR LIFE

    Li Meng began his hunt by killing off warriors from parties around the city. He began with the same party which orchestrated thest attack. The independent association was the group that was most divided in nature since they were a bunch of loose cultivators who had banded together to form a group.

    He decided to first find a small group of cultivators. Hunting people individually was a huge headache and couldn¡¯t be executed by normal means. He needed to band people together and hut in the group so that he has enough time before a proper response could be taken by the Mad-lions.

    He decided to visit the local markets and city walls since these were the regions where there was arge possibility of getting some people who have been isted from the rest of the poption. To his surprise, he did manage to find some groups. Before the attack, Li Meng decided to use the masking artifacts which he had prepared beforehand.

    He couldn¡¯t take the risk of being discovered by the enemy and hence disguise was a good protective measure. He changed his face with a mask-type artifact and decided to wear protective helmet gear which would provide further coverage of his original face. He managed to locate a group of people who were busy drinking within the bars.

    They had just exited from the pub and were heading towards the city gates. Fortunately for him, the group was notrge and hence was perfect for his use. He went into a location that fell in the middle of the two destinations and beganying the traps. He took out some of his avatars and they decided to ambush the group.

    The execution had to be carried out in silence as they couldn¡¯t alert the city forces. When the group arrived at the location, and once li Meng and his avatar made certain that they were perfectly isted, the execution was carried out swiftly. A confining array has been set up to iste any voice. All that remained were the attacks.

    All the avatars pounced at the group at the same time. As the group was mainly formed of initial Qi Kings, the execution was swift. They were wiped out in no time. Li Meng gathered the bodies and made sure that they had their ques with them. It was necessary for the whole operation that the enemy identify them as being part of the city.

    The first group is done for. Li Meng shifted the location after disarming the array. He didn¡¯t bother to clean the location, as by the time it was discovered, the deed would already be done.

    The next few groups were soon found in various isted spaces. There were pubs, city corners, outside the city walls, near the border areas. It took half a day to get the required number of bodies for the operation. The cultivators were weaker members of the factions, but the incident was sure to cause huge turmoil. He decided to waste no more time and rushed towards the pre-nned destinations.

    .....

    ................................

    The first attack was carried out during the initial hours of the evening. As expected, the Mad-lions had increased their forces, but Li Meng was prepared. He had decided to use all his avable avatars for eth operation, which meant unless the groups wereprised of purely peak Qi Kings, they were bound to be killed mercilessly.

    The first location was extremely close to the northern area of the border region. This outpost was the single one established in this region since it was unlikely to be attacked by the enemy. Li Meng had chosen this spot because the Mad-lions would be sure to neglect it in their counter-measures.

    After the killing waspleted, the mutted bodies of both bandits and the city cultivators were arranged in a very articte manner to make it seem like they had been attacked by the city forces. Li Meng went out of his way to make the whole scene messy. After he was confident about his work he went to the next destination.

    A total of three major outposts were chosen by Li Meng for this attack. The second outpost was a fairly important one, as it guarded the border towards the central part of the Taiwan mountains. The journey took some time, but Li Meng managed to arrive there. As expected, the Mad-lions had carried out some enhancements, but they had neglected this area too since it was in the opposite direction to the city.

    Li Meng once again got to work and killed all the cultivators. The same procedure as earlier took ce once again, but Li Meng allowed one of the bandits to escape since they had to report this to the main base. It would create a distraction for the Mad-lions to shift their attention here. The real target was in the opposite direction.

    ......................

    Near the Mad-lions base-

    ¡°Open the gates. A guard is iing.¡± The gatekeeper yelled. The gate was opened and a badly injured group of bandits made their way here.

    ¡°What happened?¡± The leader of the gatekeeper asked the man.

    ¡°The base has been attacked. There are several peak Qi Kings attacking. From the look of their uniforms, they are from the city. There might even be Qi Emperors among them since the base has already been wiped. They are making their way towards the base near to us.¡± The man hastily reported.

    Soon enough, Lion Ti, the second brother, and a huge number of cultivators left for the location.

    ....................................

    Near the Mad-lion base.

    The spot for the third attack was an extremely dangerous one, as it would be aimed at the base which was nearest to the base of Mad-lions. Li Meng picked this ce because he was ready to take the risk. He had decided to use the enhanced Qi bombs and eliminate the ce as fast as possible. He didn¡¯t have the time to mess this ce up, as the Mad-lions would be instantly alerted.

    On his way here, he saw a huge group from the Mad-lions rushing towards the base he recently attacked.

    ¡°Perfectly executed.¡± He began the next phase of his n.

    He rushed towards thest target. All the avatars came out holding a huge number of Qi bombs with them. Li Meng first decided to surround the location before making sure there were no bandits in the nearby area. To be confident, the keeper was asked to scan the surroundings.

    ¡°I don¡¯t find any irregting situations.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin the attack then.¡± Li Meng signaled all his avatars to attack. All of them threw the Qi bombs towards the Hide-out while simultaneously unsheathing their weapons to kill the iing bandits.

    The attack began to st the outpost apart, and bandits rushed out of there in a panic. Li Meng began the killing. Thankfully, there was only a single peak Qi Kings stationed here.

    ¡°I guess most of them were asked to verify the attacked outpost¡¯s conditions.¡± Li Meng decided to ignore this fact. To his surprise though, a turn of events took ce in the next few seconds.

    Just as he finished with the clearing up, the attack arrived from sky-piercing through the forest region, sting the whole location. Li Meng and his avatar sted away. It took him some time to even get hold of a stable position. Just what sort of attack was this?

    ¡°Runaway. A power QI Emperor is attacking. He/she is someone who has connected with the heavenlyw of Thunder for sure. The destructiveness of his attack is incredible.¡± The Keeper warned. Li Meng followed his instructions and began his retreat. He couldn¡¯t confront a Qi Emperor who had connected with Heavenlyws.

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 Chapter 365

    365 ENCOUNTER WITH AN EMPEROR, FLEEING FOR LIFE-Li Meng and his avatars retreated from the location. They didn¡¯t dare to waste time in here now that a Qi emperor with Heavenly Law base has arrived. If the Qi emperor was someone who had just entered with a single heavenlyw, Li Meng wouldn¡¯t be so scared. But the cause of the panic was theck of proper knowledge.

    ¡°Can you discern anything else from the scan?¡±

    ¡°No. All I feel is at the Qi Emperor is someone who has managed to connect with a Heavenlyw of thunder at the very least. He may even be a Multiple Heavenlyw user; in which case we need to run for our life. You are still far away from the peak of Qi King. You would at least need a Chaosw topete with such an entity.

    ¡°I think you are overestimating the guy¡¯s power. The only possible person within Mad-lions who can connect with Heavenly Law must be the third brother. Is he that powerful?¡± Li Meng didn¡¯t believe that he couldn¡¯tpete with a newbie Heavenlyw-holding emperor.

    ¡°You need to confront him if you desire the answer, do you wish to do that.¡± The Keeper asked. Li Meng¡¯s face turned gray as she rushed towards the forest regions.

    ¡°Split up.¡± Li Meng wanted to hunt some more bandits and the only way to do so was to direct the Qi Emperor to a particr location while killing the rest of the group apanying him.

    ¡°How do you wish to attract his attention?¡± The Keeper enquired.

    Li Meng suddenly came to a halt and started to use his Qi. He then used all his body cultivation, along with Thunder and fire heavenlyws, to st an attack in the direction which he suspected the emperor to be approaching from. The area in te4h line of attack waspletely decimated as the attack made its way towards the enemy.

    ¡°And that will attract his attention towards you.¡±

    .....

    ¡°It should. Since he is someone who has connected with Thunder Heavenlyws, he should be able to sense that thew I used was also Heavenlyw. That should pique his interest in me as a powerful Qi king. The rest of the result could only be left to fate.¡±

    Li Meng rushed deeper into the forest by using the power of windws and all his movement arts. Body cultivation came into y during his time too, as much of the force was concentrated on the legs.

    ¡°Use the earthenws, as it will help you navigate through this forest region better. Always try to use earthenw while on the ground.¡± Li Meng followed the keeper¡¯s instructions and to his surprise, he did manage to increase his speed by quite a bit. He was using a modification of the sh step. It was the pseudo-movement art that he had created.

    ...................

    Lion Shi was resting in his room when he heard the sudden rm of the base ring at a distance. As he made his way towards the meeting, hall servants came in reporting that one of their outposts was under heavy attack on the western side. He was surprised to see that a new force hade into y so soon.

    ¡°Are you sure that it is a new force and not one which is under us?¡± Lion Tu, the second brother asked.

    ¡°I am quite sure. Thest purge which I carried out in the eastern borders shouldn¡¯t be a blurred memory so soon. They wouldn¡¯t dare take such steps.¡±

    ¡°You have to agree that the western border is an ideal target since we majorly concentrate on the easter side.¡± Lion Tu said.

    ¡°If my analysis is correct, our base can only be destroyed by two kinds of power. One which is extremelyrge and well-coordinated. They managed to mark so many attack spots at such diverse locations, which meant that they were serious about their attack strategy. They are nning something big.¡±

    ¡°The second possibility is a bit of a catch as it would mean that a very powerful cultivator, one who is in the Qi Emperor realm has attacked. But why would such a figure attack us so covertly.¡±

    ¡°So this is an attack by a group of people.¡±

    ¡°Yes. I have a n. Take our man and rush towards the western borders. Don¡¯t return until you havepletely calmed the situation down there.¡±

    ¡°Elder brother will stay here and guard our main base.¡±

    ¡°I, on the other hand, will push towards the eastern side. I suspect that the next attack is going to happen on this site. The group responsible for this has plotted well.¡±

    ¡°My me are sure that the attacks on the eastern bases were by city forces. Multiple bodies of cultivators from the city were found. I even had them identified by our contacts within the city. This group suddenly vanished in daylight at the same time. Someone within the city must have orchestrated it. I am sure that the men were prominent cultivators within the city.¡±

    ¡°That may be the case. But we do need to keep an open mind. Sometimes the situation isn¡¯t exactly describable by its look. There might be a deeper meaning to all of this.¡±

    Lion Shi had been exhausted by the continuous pile of work that the organization presented him, but as its top warrior and controller, he had to stand up for it. Something told him that the situation wasn¡¯t exactly what it looked like.

    He immediately rushed towards the eastern outposts.

    To his surprise and tion, there was a st at a nearby outpost. His guess was right. The attack was on the eastern borders and near their base. If he wasn¡¯t wrong, the pattern showed them attacking the base next.

    ¡°Not if I disrupt their ns.¡± He immediately raised his hands. Hisw body which he recently gained after breakthrough the Qi Emperor level came into action. A massive amount of Qi flowed out of his body and took the form of a massive Qi cloud. He then directed it towards the base and lowered his hands.

    Clouds immediately sted the surrounding area and destroyed what remained of the base.

    He saw the group separating and rushing in a different direction.

    ¡°It is a smart move.¡± He agreed that it was the best idea for now. Even he couldn¡¯t cover the whole area. He signaled his subordinates to follow them and he was about to decide the direction when he felt an attacking towards him.

    The attack was powerful, and he could even feel a push after it made contact. It didn¡¯t feel like an attack from a Qi Emperor, but a Qi King. Yet the power was great enough to force him back ten steps. He could even feel multiple Heavenlyws from the attacks.

    ¡°Interesting.¡± Lion Shi smiled as if he had just found his prey.

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 Chapter 366

    366 HIDING

    Lion Shi began his chase of the mysterious QI King whose attack was so powerful that it managed to push a Qi Emperor by ten steps. He was fascinated by powerful prey and wanted to hunt down this mysterious assant. This would give him immense satisfaction after a tiring routine of daily official work.

    ¡°Where are you escaping dear friend.¡± He chased the man into the woods.

    A series of attacks kepting from time to time. He wasn¡¯t in a hurry to catch up with his prey. The city walls were still far away, and he was free to prey on this Qi King. He continued at the same pace he had initially followed him with.

    Lion Shi was a sadist to the very core. He relished the feeling of hunting a desperate enemy like Li Meng.

    .......................................

    ¡°Did I fail in attracting him towards this ce?¡± Li meng thought.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I feel the person who attacked us following behind. Although the Qi signature is not prominent, it is there.¡±

    ¡°Then why hasn¡¯t he caught up yet? Even if my movement art is an incredible one, I shouldn¡¯t be able to outrun a Qi Emperor who has Heavenlyws.¡±

    ¡°I guess she is just [ying with you. Although you wouldn¡¯t be able to outrun him at his full speed, he is taking it lightly since you have no ce to escape in.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Instruct the avatars to get back into space after they kill the groups pursuing them. No mercy is to be shown. Use any means necessary to kill them all.¡±

    ¡°What will you do?¡±

    ¡°Since the emperor wants to y so badly, I will apany him in the game.¡± Li Mengughed a she made his way into the woods. He decided to set a trap for the Qi Emperor.

    ¡°Thest time you mentioned the weapon characteristics of the Crimson-lord artifact. How many attacks can I do with it in my current realm.¡±

    ¡°Only one, and you will be lucky enough to even stay conscious after that. The power drain is not something you canprehend.¡±

    ¡°Will it be able to kill that bastard who is pursuing me?¡±

    ¡°It could even wipe peak level emperors. Don¡¯t underestimate the artifact¡¯s power boy. The output, for now, is limited to your cultivation realm. ¡±

    ¡± What if he survives?¡±

    ¡°The only way he is going to survive the attack is by having a Monarch-level defensive artifact with him, which seems unlikely. Even then, the artifact will be destroyed by the attack. But the attack was unidirectional. You need to use a proper moment to fire it. If you miss it, you are going to lose the match for sure.¡±

    Li Meng halted his steps and took out all the Qi bombs which had been produced in recent times. He then grouped them all into bags and waited for his pursuer to arrive at his location.

    As expected, a young figure soon appeared out of the woods with a smile on his face. ¡± You must be the fish I am trying to catch.¡±

    Lion Shi¡¯s words were quite creepy. He was surprised to see that A QI King was brave enough to stop in his tracks and confront someone like him.

    ¡°I have tomend your bravery to not only attack my group¡¯s base but also confront me face to face like this.¡±

    ¡°I am ttered.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you aren¡¯t stopping in your tracks just to talk with me right. Will you be surrendering quietly, or shall I get serious? I have to warn you though, you will not be remaining in one piece if I did get serious.¡±

    Li Meng began tough hysterically, which inflicted a serious response on Lion Shi¡¯s face. He was taken aback by Li Meng¡¯s action. Has he lost his mind?

    ¡°I assure you I haven¡¯t lost my mind,¡± Li Meng said, which once again felt like a jolt on Lion Shi¡¯s face. ¡± I am just surprised to see a newbie emperor so confident in his power. From the looks of it, you are a Heavenlyw user. One of the elements must be Thunder, and I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you had another heavenlyw in your pocket.¡± Lion Shi¡¯s expression had turned dark after hearing this.

    ¡°What surprises me, even more, is that you have just recently broken through the Qi Emperor realm, and you are already behaving so haughtily. You do understand that there are people way above you in talent and power. What makes you so sure about the situation.¡±

    Lion Shi answered skeptically. ¡± The view of a measly QI King standing in front of me, lecturing about power is what makes me confident in controlling the situation. Are you trying to waste time so that your backup can arrive?¡±

    ¡®No. I am not waiting for someone. I am here to give you the gift that I have been preparing for you for a long time.¡± Li Meng threw all the bags at Lion Shi but didn¡¯t move from the spot. Lion Shi was standing immobile in the location, ncing at the bags on the floor.

    ¡°Go ahead, open them.¡± Li Meng said to Lion Shi. ¡± Ready the attack.¡± Li Meng instructed the Keeper.

    Lion Shi was surprised to see Li Meng being so calm. He didn¡¯t run away after throwing the bags, which piqued Lio Shi¡¯s interest in them. He picked one of them and opened it up. Li meng used a series of hand signs at the same time. A whole bunch of bags exploded, and a massive explosion took ce.

    The dust soon settled, yet Lion Shi was standing at the same ce. ¡± Was this your idea for an attack?¡± He asked while clearing his eyes. To his surprise though, Li Meng was standing quite close to him with his hands pointing in his direction.

    ¡°The real party is this one.¡± What happened the next moment couldn¡¯t be described in a normal sense.

    A sudden burst of beam appeared out of Li meng¡¯s hand, rushing towards Lion Shi. At the veryst moment, Lion Shi sensed something as he clenched an amulet that was on his chest. The very next moment, the whole area in front of Li Meng¡¯s had been converted into a humongous and long crater, with no ends visible.

    Lion Shi¡¯s body had been sted away by the amulet, or may even have been vaporized by it. Li Meng was in no condition of examining the situation. At the very start of the process, he had ingested a bunch of healing pills into his mouth. That barely helped him stay conscious as he rushed deeper into the woods, towards the city gates.

    He took out more and more pills, yet a heavy feeling was covering his whole body.

    ¡°Let me in¡± Li Meng¡¯s body was absorbed into the Crimson lord world, as the surrounding fell silent.

    Momentster, at a far-off ce, a figure rose out of the rubble. His body was covered with severe burns and blood patches, and his hands held a broken amulet.

    ¡°Just what typ[e of attack was that?¡± Lion Shi was gasping out of shock. He was shaken to his core after feeling the danger the attacks posed. He would have been killed thousands of times if it hadn¡¯t been for the amulet. It was something he had obtained from an ancient inheritance, yet was destroyed by that attack.

    Just who was the Qi King? How could he possess such a treasure?

    .................

    Later that night-

    Li Meng could be seen lying on his bed. His task hade to an end with this. He decided to hide and collect all the materials before leaving for the academy.

    The burden of the attack was too much for him. He still hadn¡¯t recovered after so many healing medicines. The keeper inspected his body and reported multiple fractured bones and torn ligaments, specifically in the hands and upper torso.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t use the attack so recklessly boy.¡±

    ¡°I will keep that in mind the next time I am in a life-threatening situation.¡±

    ...........................

    Two dayster-

    ¡°Your materials have been prepared.¡± The old man had specially called LI meng to hand the requested materials over.

    ¡°This is the price which was asked for.¡± Li Meng handed him the Qi stones required to exchange the materials. He added a good chunk to act as a bonus for the group. The old man verified it and nodded his head in satisfaction.

    ¡°I hope you will pardon the matter of the past.¡±

    ¡°I already have. I Will now be taking my leave. Thank you for your patronage during my stay here.¡±

    It was time for LI meng to return to the academy. He was looking forward to the enemies which had been lying in the shadows until now. He knew he could no longer hide like the past half-year. He had to confront Thunder Child and hisckeys. Li Meng set out, for thest course of this journey.

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 Chapter 367

    367 ENEMY IN THE OUTER AREA

    Li Meng managed to pass through the Taiwan Mountain range and proceed towards the academy. His journey with his senior brother was a fast one, but he managed to realize how far the location was. The journey was taking some time, and even with Li Meng¡¯s improved strength, he could reach his destination before a month.

    Li Meng decided to find possible locations where resources could exist, but the whole path was covered with amercial town. Li Meng encountered several trade hubs and even encountered some of the organizations to which he would be going in the future. One of the organizations was the Star-Luo association where the avatar Qin Weng was residing as of now.

    Initially, Long Tao thought that the Star Luo association would be a power just like Thunder Academy. It was only when he joined did he realize how powerful the association truly was. The hall he had joined was just one of the hundreds of thousands of halls that the association owned. The very owner of one such Hall was the Peak Qi Emperor, which showcased how powerful the association truly was.

    Qin Weng was busy with producing weapons both for himself and the avatars. He also had toplete his task for the association and even improve his cultivation realm. Only four avatars were remaining who hadn¡¯t broken through to the QI King level yet. Li Meng knew that by the time they were done, he would already be at the boundary of the Qi King realm and would be promoted to Qi Emperor directly.

    He continued his training in world energy andbining it withw energy and understood how the process happens. His understanding ofw energy had improved drastically since he began his cultivation in world energy. He was constantly referring to the manual which the captain provided him.

    ¡°When will you begin your next breakthrough?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°I am near the point where I can be confident I am breaking through the Chaos Law level. But before that, I want to step up my body cultivation realm to the next level. I want the avatars in the QI general realm to do the same, as I think it could affect the result of being able to form a Chaosw base.¡±

    ¡°The herbal blend should be adequate for a Qi King to practice with. They can begin if they want to. The Qi Kings are the problems which we are facing.¡±

    ¡°That is the exact reason why I am even more confident in taking the step. When the QI general breakthrough the Channel tempering ream, we would be able to get a rough idea of the whole process. We just need to improvise on it for the Qi King.¡±

    .....

    ¡°I hope you are not hoping to attain the peak of Marrow Tempering realm before you reach Qi Emperor level. That is an impossible dream to achieve. I am not even sure if you could achieve it even in the Qi Emperor realm. You would need to step into the Qi Monarch realm by the time youplete the whole step.¡±

    ¡°The earlier we begin, the faster we will reach the end. I need the Qi general to begin. After all the avatar¡¯s breakthroughs, I want to concentrate on soul cultivation and formations for some time. They are going to be a crucial point for Royal Road.¡±

    ¡°Be alert. A group of hostiles follows you in the shadows.¡± Li Meng was alerted by the keeper about his condition.

    ........

    Sometime ago-

    Li Meng had already finished 3-4th of his journey and was near his destination. He stopped at a pub to refresh himself before resuming his journey. Unknown to him, a man was watching all his actions carefully from the floor above. He took out a picture, which was a clear depiction of Li meng¡¯s face.

    The man immediately sent a voice recording with a te-like artifact.

    ¡°The target has reached the city and is currently residing in the Lovce pub in the city center. Awaiting instructions.¡± The man said.

    ¡°Follow the target and report his position at all times. The groups will be joining you mid-way. Don¡¯t let him leave your range of sight. He is a top priority for the sess of this mission.¡±

    Li Meng finished his meal and got up to leave and the man began to follow him from behind. Soon enough more people were joining the man. All of them had one simr feature. They were all dressed in ck-Hood and had covered their faces. They began to follow Li meng while hiding in the shadows to not alert him.

    To their surprise though. Li Meng began to increase his pace and rushed out of the city. It didn¡¯t look like he was running away. He just seemed to have increased the speed of his travel.

    ¡°Target is rushing towards the academy.¡±

    ¡°We will be intercepting him mid-way within the Tunisia forest. Keep some distance. Troops are slowly being ced around the location.¡±

    The group continued to follow Li Meng until he finally halted his steps in the middle of the forest region. He then turned around and faced the sky before taking out his swords and pointing them towards the group.

    ¡°You shoulde out. We will have a long chat about why you have been following me.¡± Li Meng¡¯s words shocked the group, but they decided to hold their cover for some time. Maybe Li Meng was just being paranoid.

    ¡°I know you are following me and there are seven of you. More people are approaching this location on the front. Juste out and don¡¯t waste my time.¡± The number surprised the group.

    ¡°Target has spotted us and is taunting us foring out.¡±

    ¡°Go there and greet him. If he is confident enough to face you in this forest, he must be nning something. We will reach your location any time now.¡±

    The group came out of hiding and confronted Li Meng.

    ¡°Who are you supposed to be?¡± Li Meng asked.

    The men maintained their silence as if they were waiting for someone or something.

    ¡°I guess your boss is in the other group. Li Meng turned around to face the oing mob. Soon enough, another 15 practitioners came into sight. All of them had the same dress code and moved like a trained unit.

    ¡°They have been trained professionally. They are better in coordination than the units I have trained until now.¡± Li Mengmented.

    Once the group arrived in front of him, Li Meng raised his sword and spoke.

    ¡°Would the leader be kind enough toe out and have a talk with me?¡±

    A man stepped up and bowed in greeting. ¡± We would like to invite Sir Li toe with us. Our owner is awaiting your arrival and would like to have a word with you.¡±

    ¡°Since you know my name, and you are fairly powerful, I am assuming your master should be influential. Given the circumstances, I am also assuming that your master is not too old as they would never send such a weak forceprised of just advanced Qi King to confront me. So the indecisiveness confirms my suspicion that your master must be a young one.¡±

    He then looked at the leader¡¯s face. The leader¡¯s eyes twitched, which made Li meng smile. ¡± So my guess was right. A young practitioner who could pull out such arge force of advanced Q king. You must be the subordinate of Thunder Child.¡±

    ...........

    At a far off ce-

    ¡°Should we help him?¡± Ren Dao asked.

    ¡°No. Wait. I want to see his reaction when confronting such a powerful group of enemies. All of them are advanced QI King and the leader is a peak, Qi King. What will our younger brother do in this situation?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re testing him too much. This is not a favorable situation for him.¡± Ren Dao warned.

    ¡°Since he sided with the master, I need to make sure of his character. My analysis until now is incredibly vague. He has managed to shock me with his performance, and his decisiveness and ruthlessness aremendable. Even I feel chills. If his intentions towards our side are not appropriate, he would be an even more dangerous enemy than Thunder child and his master.¡±

    ¡°I thought you liked him.¡± Ren Dao asked.

    ¡°I do a lot. But one can never be too sure. It would also allow us to be sure about his skills.¡±

    ¡°You think he could escape this situation.¡± Ren Dao asked.

    ¡± My guts give me a very different possibility.¡±Ren Wang said.

    .............

    ¡°Since you know who our master is, would you please follow us? We are allowed to use brutal force if you resist.¡±

    ¡°What does the Thunder Child want to talk me about?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°He would like to discuss cooperation with you.¡±

    ¡°I am on the opposite side as him. What cooperation could we possibly have.¡±

    ¡°He is willing to offer you huge rewards in exchange for your cooperation. The benefits will continue to flow as time passes. He could assist you way better than your own master.¡±

    ¡°I have to say I am intrigued.¡± Li Meng ced his arms down.

    .......

    ¡°What is he doing?¡± Ren Wang was skeptical. He will have to eliminate Li Meng if this continues.

    ¡°Wait.¡± Ren Dao stopped him.

    ......

    ¡± I guess the oue today will have to go differently.¡± Li Meng¡¯s figure vanished from the spot. The next moment he was behind the group in his back.

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 Chapter 368

    368 ENEMY IN THE OUTER AREA-The group on his back was not at all ready for this move. They presumed that Li meng would give up on any kind of resistance, and hence let their guard down. Li Meng grabbed the weakest member of the group and used both of his hands to snap his neck. He then proceeded to use his body cultivation to rip the practitioner¡¯s body apart.

    Two pieces, one head and the other the dismembered body fell on the floor, blood sprouting out of it like a fountain. The leader along with the rest of the group members took a step back involuntarily. They never expected this level of savageness from LI meng.

    ¡°prepare your formation. Get into an attack stance.¡± The leader ordered.

    ¡°I will say this one more time. Give up any kind of resistance.¡± The leader immediately took his weapon out and took an offensive stance. The six men beside the recently deceased began to retreat in a different direction, trying to make space.

    Li Meng didn¡¯t care about the captain¡¯s warning. There was a tactical problem with missions like this. You are not allowed to eliminate the target unless a talk haspletely failed. Which meant that the captain could even attack Li meng seriously. Li Meng, on the other hand, was free to do whatever he wanted.

    He rushed towards the two which went to the left of him. A sword appeared in his hand as he swung it at one of them. The other party managed to deflect it, while the one beside him tried to assist. Li Meng raised his other hand carryi8ng a short sword to resist the attack and was pushed towards the first party. He immediately used the counterforce to propel himself faster and deal a lethal blow to the man.

    Once again a body split into two and fell to the ground. Li Meng didn¡¯t wait. The other guy who had tried to assist got scared after seeing his partner dying which led to a momentary distraction. When he turned to look back, Li meng¡¯s face was right in front of him as a brutal force stabbed the short dagger into his heart.

    The man spouted blood out of his mouth and fell to the floor. The captain could no longer hold down after losing 3 men simultaneously in a situation where they had an absolute advantage in numbers. He immediately ordered hi smen to move forward and surround Li Meng.

    ¡°Change the formation and surround the target on all sides. All arms are to be kept straight up and no unnecessary movements are allowed. The men immediately tried to follow the order, but Li Meng used dash along with wind element energy to rush towards another guy. This guy was also an advanced Qi King of 7th level and was killed in mere seconds.

    .....

    Hunting those of a lower realm than his was like a joke to Li Meng. He hadn¡¯t even found a proper match in the same cultivation realm as his or even higher sometimes, much less low. Within the next few movements, Li Meng kept on using a dash, flowing water, and wind element energy to kill the weak links of the group.

    Soon enough no level 7 Qi Kings were remaining anymore. All that remained were level 8 and higher. Contrary to general belief, their formation and coordination became even better when the number was reduced, and finding an independent target was bing a hassle. The team leader was the forward g of the group, which kept Li Meng busy, while the other people attacked through the surrounding area.

    ¡°I guess I will have to use Fist of thunder¡± Li Meng was pumping the full power of his body cultivation from the beginning. It was helping him have such an efficient Qi expenditure. While others might think that Li Meng is sure to have expended a lot of Qi, only he knew the truth.

    He immediately used the art of Taoism to rotate the captain¡¯s attack sideways while using the counterforce on his own body to push him along with the attack. This helped him get near the group which was on the left, and he immediately used his Strikes of thunder move. The man who was hit by it immediately sted while providing LI meng¡¯s body a push in the opposite direction.

    LI Meng used this opportunity to swing his sword heavily, while the dagger vanished from his left hand and a long spear appeared. The attack was received by the captain himself, who found it incredibly difficult to return and was being pushed back. Li Meng used the support from the leader¡¯s defense to get a sudden bend in his body.

    This gave him enough curvature to throw the spear with incredible force and the man in the path of the spear was prated right in the head through his eyes. The group stared at Li Meng with disbelief. They had absolute supremacy when the match started and yet, their numbers were constantly decreasing, two at a time.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lose focus of the enemy.¡± The leader shouted.

    ¡°toote.¡± Li Meng appeared right behind him and used the Fiery sword strike with fire and thunderws. Two more bodies joined the deceased in hell.

    To the leader¡¯s shock and dismay, Li Meng wasn¡¯t getting slower after so many attacks. His pace was getting faster by the second. In the next few moments, the dagger reappeared, then a saber appeared, then the swordpletely vanished and was reced with a hammer.

    Bodies continued to pile up, while the leader maintained his position on the frontline.

    ¡°Maintain your position and move forward towards the enemy.¡± The leader shouted without looking behind.

    ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Li Meng asked. The leader¡¯s expression changed as he looked behind him, just to find all his team members dead. He immediately calmed himself down and looked at Li Meng again, but he was nowhere to be seen. In the next moment, a painful sensation appeared in his torso and when he looked toward it, a dagger was inserted deeply into his body.

    Another kick made contact with his face as his injured body was sted towards a huge tree nearby. His body caved into the tree and he stayed immobile.

    ¡°Do you know the reason behind your loss?¡± Li Meng asked the leader.

    No reply came and Li Meng decided to continue.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your strategy or the skill level of your group members whenpared to me. It was the very thing that gave you an advantage. The huge number of members provided you with an unnecessary amount of confidence which led to you and your group member underestimating the threat this situation posed.¡±

    ¡°I am a triple Heavenlyw user, while your group is earthenw users, not considering yourself. Show some damn respect man.¡± He moved forward to raise the leader¡¯s head, just to find him murmuring something.

    ¡°Still obedient to your master¡¯s orders. I would love to have a subordinate like you. You have the necessary skills and talent. Too bad, I need to send a statement. I would have thought otherwise if the message hadn¡¯t been sent, but you need to die now. Since Thunder Child is aware of my strength, he should be made to pay the price of his ignorance.¡±

    Li Meng picked the leader¡¯s sword which was lying on the ground. He then raised it to eye level with the tip pointing at the keeper¡¯s eyes. He then raised his other hand and gave an incredible push to the back handle. The sword tip immediately prated through the eyeball to the other end of the brain.

    The leader had been eliminated.

    ..................

    ¡°What did we just see?¡± Ren Wang asked in amazement.

    ¡°Those attacks weren¡¯t even a messy set of moves. They were like a beautiful picture of art. Just who did he train under to gain such high skills? Our junior brother is so full of secrets.¡± Ren Wang was forced into silence while Ren Dao couldn¡¯t stop talking.

    ¡°We should report the incident to master.¡±Ren Wang said.

    ¡°I am sure that he is already aware of it.¡±Ren Dao interjected.

    ¡°How so.¡± Ren Wang asked.

    ¡°We have already entered the outskirts region of the academy. The master is sure to keep an eye on our brother. No need to worry about his safety anymore, but we should be prepared for all conditions. Let¡¯s hope there are no more hurdles mid-way.¡±

    ......................

    ¡°Thunder Academy-

    ¡°What?¡± Thunder Child forcefully got up from his meditative position.

    ¡°What happened?¡±

    ¡°Li Meng eliminated the entire shadow team single-handedly. 30 advance QI Kings with most of them being at level 9 and the leader is at the very peak, were killed by him.¡±

    ¡°The threat is greater than we expected. He managed to raise his strength so much in just half a year. The old man nned quite well for this asion. He managed to grow his secret weapon within half a year.¡± Thunder Child¡¯s master spoke.

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 Chapter 369

    369 THE RETURN, CHALLENGE

    ¡°What should we do now?¡± Thunderchild was getting paranoid. He was already on the verge ofpleting his body training and reaching the level of metamorphosis. He couldn¡¯t get deviated from his objective at this moment. Yet he was concerned with Li Meng¡¯s level of growth. He managed to take out an entire fleet of Advance Qi kings in just six months of breaking through the level.

    The leader tried to give him the best of details in his dying moments. All he could concentrate was on a small part of the whole paragraph.

    ¡°He is beyond our understanding. We didn¡¯t stand a chance from the very beginning.¡± The leader said. ¡°He isn¡¯t even in the very peak of Qi King level, yet we were powerless to even resist.¡±

    ¡°Powerless to resist¡± Thunder Child¡¯s attention was focused on a single phrase. Just how powerful was Li Meng to have been able to do something like that?

    ¡°What is your future move going to be?¡±

    ¡°Since he dared to return and make such a huge statement, I bet he is prepared to face the consequences. We will follow through with the previous n.¡± Thunder Child said.

    ¡°But the potential of your n backfiring is quiterge. Every single person whom you are going to send is known to be one of your confederates. They would be identified immediately and your name would eventuallye out.¡± The grand elder said.

    ¡°But I can¡¯t be inactive in this scenario. My training will still proceed for some time during which I am not going to actively seek out my opponents. If I don¡¯t use other means, it would mean allowing them to grow without any sort of resistance. I need to use the resources around me.¡±

    ¡°You do, but do it wisely. Use resources that can¡¯t be linked back to you. Use an external agent to deter him.¡± The grand elder said. Thunder child decided to think about the situation.

    .....

    ..............

    Li Meng finally reached the gate of the academy and was stopped by two guards.

    ¡°Identify yourself.¡± They spoke.

    Li Meng simply took a que out and threw it at the guard, who immediately grabbed it. When he inspected the que, his expression turned into absolute horror.

    ¡°I greet senior brother.¡± The guard immediately bowed down, and so did the one with him. A disciple of Grand elder was no small thing. They are the potential sect leaders of the Thunder Academy.

    ¡°No worries.¡± Li Meng greeted them and rushed in. His first objective was to report back to Mission Hall and deposit the two ques which were given to him.

    ¡°Where are you going, brother?¡± Ren Wang suddenly appeared beside him.

    ¡°To report the sess of my missions.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°I guess I will have to go in as I am in charge of supervising you. My statement will be required.¡± Ren Wang said.

    ¡°Please do then.¡± Li Meng Said.

    ¡°I hope the journey here wasfortable.¡± Ren Wang said.

    ¡°It was, except for a strange group who came up and fought to die.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask for help?¡± Ren Wang said in a concerned tone.

    ¡°Well, I guessed that was unnecessary because you were watching the whole scene together with your brother.¡± Ren Wang immediately stopped in his tracks, but Li Meng continued to walk. Ren Wang was shocked by Li Meng¡¯s knowledge that he was present. Just how did he know? Some moments passed and Li Meng¡¯s voice jolted him out of his imagination.

    ¡°We should hurry brother.¡± Li Meng said. Ren Wang didn¡¯t speak further and went with Li Meng to the mission hall to confirm the submission and approve its sess. While they were returning, once the duo managed to enter one of the isted regions, Ren Wang turned around and asked Li Meng.

    ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°How do I know what?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°No need to act innocent. How did you know that I and Ren Dao were present?¡± Ren Wang sounded threatening now.

    ¡°You two overestimate your strength. There are too many things in the world which surpass you in terms of both strength and quality.¡± Li Meng said with a calm voice and continued to walk towards their master¡¯s residence. Ren Wang stayed back to contemte the meaning of his junior¡¯s words, before following Li Meng to the mountain.

    ¡°Disciple Li Meng greets the master.¡± Li Meng announced his arrival to his master.

    ¡°Come in.¡± An old yet overwhelming voice sounded. A Qi Monarch was no joke after all. Li Meng and Ren Wang stepped in. They found an old man sitting on a small pillow, meditating. His eyes were closed, and the surroundings were filled with an oppressive Qi exerted from the old man¡¯s body.

    ¡°Disciple Li Meng greets master.¡± Li Meng bowed in respect of the old man. Ren Wang did the same and followed Li Meng¡¯s actions. The old man opened his eyes and looked at the duo standing before him.

    ¡°How was your experience in the outside world?¡± The old man directly asked Li Meng.

    ¡°It was a great master. I managed to grow both mentally and physically. I gained a lot of battle experience and managed toplete the mission assigned by you.¡± Li Meng said. He didn¡¯t give any more details unless asked to.

    ¡°What is your true strength level as of now?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°I am currently at the 8th level of Qi King, and about to break through the 9th level of Qi King.¡± Li Meng reported.

    ¡°That is your cultivation level. I am asking what is your strength level.: The old man¡¯s words surprised Li Meng. The old man was asking how powerful Li Meng truly was.

    ¡°I should be able to defeat anyone at the Qi King level.¡± Li Meng said, still bowing his head.

    ¡°I just saw that you annihte an entire squad made up of mostly 9th level Qi King and peak Qi Kings as if they were ants. I will ask onest time, what is your current strength level?¡± even Ren Wang was shocked at hearing the master¡¯s words. There was more to Li Meng¡¯s strength.

    ¡°I should be able to contend on equal footing with a 2n level Qi Emperor.¡± Li Meng¡¯s tone turned casual. He was no longer nervous as the secret was already out. Ren Wang, on the other hand, looked at his junior brother with shock in his eyes. Contending with a Qi Emperor while being in Qi King level.

    ¡°I guess I need to change my ns for you. I need to reward you for your achievements.¡± The old man gave li Meng three things. They were a ring, a book, and a vest.

    ¡°The ring contains the resources you will need to train to the very peak of Qi King. You already have my que, which will allow you to pick as much and any art from the library. The choice will be left to you. The book contains some of my insights on a cultivation which might be able to help you make the choice and walk the martial path.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°Come to me when you reach the very peak of Qi King.¡± The old man said. Li Meng nodded in agreement and bowed back. He was about to leave when the old man spoke again.

    ¡°You will also be attending the Royal Road as a contender from Thunder Academy. The details will be given to you by your senior brothers. Approach me if you have any needs or doubts in cultivation.¡± The old man said with a kind voice. Li Meng bowed and thanked the old man once again.

    It was at that time, a voice sounded

    ¡°Li Meng. Come out and ept my challenge.¡± A loud voice screamed outside the door.

    ¡°He made a move after all.¡± Li Meng¡¯s voice was filled with excitement.

    ¡°You seem to know what is going on.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°What else, except a petty rivalry held my elders passing to the next generation.¡± Ren Wang¡¯s expression turned into shock once again when he heard his junior making a sarcasticment to their master.

    ¡± Well,petition and rivalry are required to grow strong.¡± The old man didn¡¯t look offended.

    ¡°That is true. I will be going out to greet our friend.¡± Li Meng left the building.

    The old man looked at the figure of Li Meng leaving with delight. This disciple of his was quite an extraordinary specimen.

    .......

    Ren Wang was about to curse at Li Meng when the old man stopped him and let Li Meng leave.

    ¡°Why did you stop me, master?¡± Reng Wang asked.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything wrong, did he? I wanted to see how he would react to this sudden reaction from Thunder Child, but he seemed unfazed. He expected this to happen. He didn¡¯t even look surprised, but rather had a tinge of disappointment. Your junior is a monster in his rights.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°Was the book about body cultivation.¡± Ren Wang asked.

    ¡°No. He doesn¡¯t require that book. Didn¡¯t I say, he is a monster in his rights. You will understand when the timees.¡± The old man closed his eyes and resumed his meditation.

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 Chapter 370

    370 THE CHALLENGE-Li Meng walked out of his master¡¯s adobe just to find a group of people waiting for him. They wore the uniform of inner sect disciples and carried their respective weapons with them. When the group located Li Meng to havee out, they immediately rushed in and confronted him.

    ¡°So you are Li Meng,¡± the group leader said.

    ¡°That I am. Would I be fortunate enough to know your kind name?¡± Li Meng didn¡¯t take a hostile front from the beginning since he wanted to see what these idiots had nned for him.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know our name for now. Just know that an admirer of yours has sent us here to test out your strength and qualification as the disciple of the grand elder.¡± One of the people spoke up.

    ¡°What is his cultivation realm?¡± Li Meng asked the keeper.

    ¡°The boy is in the ninth level of Qi King.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°A fucking ninth-level Qi king is capable enough of threatening me now. What should I do?¡±

    ¡°You already have a n in your mind and wouldn¡¯t change it even if I insisted otherwise. So why ask me?¡±

    ¡°That is true.¡± Li Meng turned towards the guy and said. ¡°Please do speak your mind.¡±

    .....

    ¡°We would like to challenge you for a duel.¡± The man said.¡± Honestly speaking your cultivation level is lower than ours, but you are the disciple of the grand elder, which means your resources are far above us in quantity and quality. Hence we don¡¯t think it is unfair for you to duel with us. It would be a great opportunity for us to learn from you.¡±

    ¡°When you say duel with you, do you mean one against the whole group?¡± Li Meng said in a funny tone.

    ¡°We are not trying to cause unnecessary trouble. We truly want to learn from you. Although all of us are enthusiastic about what you have to teach us, we would like to go one by one. We are not bullies.¡± The man tried to take a moral vantage point.

    ¡°It would be fine either way. Do pick a venue and notify me.¡± Li Meng said and left for his home. The entire group stayed there in surprise to see that Li Meng epted their challenge and even wanted to fight them all together. Something didn¡¯t feel right, but Li Meng¡¯s attitude towards them pissed the whole group. How could a junior act like this towards them?

    The news about Li Meng epting duels against the group of people spread like wildfire. All of the disciples had heard about the new genius disciple of the grand elder who had connected with three Heavenlyws, but they never saw him in a real fight. Excitement was brimming in all regions.

    ............

    ¡°is it ok to let him do it?¡± Ren Wang asked.

    ¡°Why do you feel the urge to ask this question?¡± The old man said.

    ¡°If I am clear about his character, he will cripple each one of those people at the very least. If his general direction of actions is considered, none of them will be alive after the fight. He will me it on his inability while controlling the energy.¡± Ren Wang said.

    ¡°I guess we will lose one or two students in the fight then.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°I suppose master didn¡¯t hear me earlier. All of them will be crippled at the very least. You have no idea how cruel and cunning Li Meng truly is. He wouldn¡¯t let them have an opportunity to escape. He will somehow lure them to attack together and we will see the same horrifying scene like that on the outskirts of the city.¡± Ren Wang said.

    ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± the old man said.

    ¡°I am. They are going to get purged out of the sect.¡±

    ¡°I guess it is their bad luck then. We weren¡¯t the ones who suggested they confront this monstrous character. They did it on their own ord to impress Thunder Child. They will have to pay for the consequences.¡± The old man said in a calm tone. ¡°You need to remember that the world runs in terms of power. If you have enough, anything you do is right.¡±

    Ren Wang was shocked at the bloodthirsty attitude of his master.

    ¡°He truly is the White Dragon Monarch.¡± Ren Wang murmured to himself.

    ...................

    ¡°The fish has taken the bait.¡± Thunder Child said.

    ¡°How do you expect to take care of that guy?¡± His master asked.

    ¡°I am asking them to have a prolonged line-up and beat the guy by exhausting him out of strength. They would even provoke him so that he unts his false bravado and ask them toe one after the other. As you know, weapons have no eyes. Anything can happen on stage. Who knows whether or not the disciple of the grand elder will return in one piece?¡± Thunder child said.

    ¡°Well done¡± the master appreciated his disciple¡¯s cunningness while handling a situation.

    ...........

    The day of the fight-

    The group had already prepared a judge and a stage for the fight. Many students had gathered in the stadium to see the fight between the two sides. One side had a good number of advanced Qi kings, while the other side consisted of Li Meng alone.

    Hours passed and the audience was about to leave when Li Meng suddenly arrived.

    ¡°I am sorry foringte. I sort of forgot about this fight.¡± Li Meng said while scratching his head. There was naked humiliation to the group. The members of the confronting group were extremely irritated and angry but decided to reign in their feelings. They would get their revenge on stage.

    The judge came forward and began to exin the rule. The rule was the same as all the previous ones he had attempted before.

    ¡°I am Sifu Cheng, an inner court disciple with a cultivation base of the ninth realm of Qi king. I would like to ask brother Li Meng for some teachings.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure about it?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°I am. I just hope my brother remembers that weapons have no eyes.¡±

    ¡°Do you agree with the statement too?¡± Li Meng asked the judge. The judge was one of the members who sided with Thunder Child. He nodded almost immediately.

    ¡°Very well then.¡± Li Meng said. Sifu Cheng took his sword out, but Li Meng stood in his position, immobile.

    ¡°Take your weapon out,¡± Sifu Cheng said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t require one to fight with you.¡± Li Meng humiliated him. Veins popped in his face as he clenched the hilt of his sword and prepared to attack.

    ¡°The match began.¡± The guy rushed in, waving his sword at Li Meng, but to his surprise, Li Meng vanished. The next moment, he was directly below the guy, raising his fist to attack the lower abdomen with so much force, that he spilled out blood while flying upwards. Li Meng didn¡¯t hold anything back. He then prepared his leg, and as the injured body was falling, he directly attacked the Qi Center of the individual with such brutal force that a loud crack was heard.

    The entire audience knew in a split second that Sifu Cheng waspletely crippled and maybe even dead this second. They could see his body being sted outside the stage, banging against the stadium wall, and falling. Sifu Cheng was already unconscious, and blood was gushing out of his mouth like a fountain. His entire cultivation base was crippled by Li Meng in a split second and his life was not guaranteed.

    The spectators remained immobile for a moment before the judge rose and rushed towards Sifu Cheng, before checking on his condition and calling the medics. He looked at Li Meng with incredible shock and hatred in his eyes.

    ¡°Weapons have no eyes right.¡± No one expected Li Meng to be this cruel in his attacks. He mercilessly crippled an opponent and it happened so fast, that the spectators couldn¡¯t even grasp the fight properly.

    ¡°Who is next?¡± Li Meng asked in a funny tone. The group members looked towards each other in dismay. They knew that they had kicked a steel te today. No one wanted to face this monster that would cripple them for sure. Everyone just kept looking at each other with concern and fear in their eyes.

    ¡°This is what happens when a master doesn¡¯t teach his dogs properly.¡± Li Meng¡¯s words were like naked humiliation of them and Thunder child who orchestrated the whole situation. The group members were furious but too scared to speak up.

    ¡°I will give you a better alternative. Juste at me together.¡± Li Meng said. ¡°We need to finish this matter soon so that I can get back to my training sessions.¡±

    Li Meng¡¯s words were like rays of hope for the entire group. Every single member was thinking about how self-centered and egoistic he was to underestimate their overall prowess. They were scared to face him alone, but in a group, they would beat him into pulp for sure. Little did they know that their time in the academy was soon going to end.

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 Chapter 371

    371 THE CHALLENGE-¡°We don¡¯t wasn¡¯t be tagged as bullies who ganged up on a single cultivator.¡± The leader of the group stated.

    ¡°You don¡¯t possess enough power to be considered as one.¡± Li Meng said in a mocking tone., He had a knack for getting on other people¡¯s nerves. The entire group turned towards the judge.

    ¡°Can we go against brother Li together?¡± The leader asked.

    The judge who was deeply humiliated by Li Meng¡¯sst sentence immediately nodded hi shea and gave out a cruel smile when facing Li Meng.

    ¡°Under thepliance between the two parties involved, I hereby allow the group of challengers to fight against Li Meng together. Do you have a problem with that?¡± He asked Li Meng.

    ¡± Does a lion get intimidated when a group of dogs rushed towards it? Why would I have a problem with that? Just remember, weapons have no eyes.¡± The judge felt a chill down his spine as if something sinister was about to ur. He wanted to halt the match, but the group rushed in hearing Li Meng¡¯s provocations.

    The leader was the first to tackle Li Meng, followed by the other members. They didn¡¯t even bother to introduce themselves. They had to get two things. The job was required to be done, and they wanted to get revenge for their crippled associate. The leader waved his sword at Li Meng from a crude angle, which forced Li Meng to dodge sideways, which allowed another member to get a clear shot.

    Li Meng¡¯s footwork technique was a mixture of too many arts, which made his movements so versatile, that he even managed to dodge this attack and the next three. But the fourth one managed to prate through a tricky set of moves. The group felt that contact was made and an incredible injury was inflicted, but Li Meng just pushed back.

    He managed to guard against the attack with the sheath of his sword. He didn¡¯t even draw his sword out. The audience was gasping at the shocking scene. Li Meng was like an agile dancer who dodged every single attack on him with such fluidity, it felt like they were seeing a soothing dance. After some time, it just felt like Li Meng was ying with the group.

    .....

    Eventually, the group felt that they had wasted too much energy. Li Meng was constantly provoking them with crudements, and they let their temper get the better of them in the situation. Before they could even understand the flow of the fight, too much energy was already expended. They were gasping for breath, and it felt more and more difficult to keep up with Li Meng¡¯s movements.

    ¡°For dogs, even your energy is too low. Does your master not feed you properly¡± Li Meng said. He was constantly humiliating the group.

    One of the members couldn¡¯t take it anymore and broke the formation they had managed to maintain until now. He rushed madly at Li Meng, which gave Li Meng an incredible opening. The result was quite obvious. Another cripple cultivator sted out of the stage and bashed into the wall.

    The group was shocked once again, which provided even more opening, and Li Meng became even crueler with time. After the second attack, he took his sword out. The third guy lost an arm and was crippled. The other two lost their legs and were crippled too. Time passed, and only a single person managed tost on the stage.

    The audience had jumped out of their seats after experiencing the cruelty of the situation. What started as a glorified and fluid view had now converted into a bloody massacre. Li Meng had managed to decapacitate the entire group of opponents except for the group leader. All they could see was a figure whose sword and the dress were covered in blood, while the other one was shaking in fear.

    ¡°Medics kept rushing to the scene but the damage was too much to cope up with instantly. The judge tried to interfere with the match, but when Li meng raised his sword and pointed I at him, he backed out of fear. He could feel the murderous intent oozing out of Li Meng¡¯s body, covering the entire stage. He saw Li Meng slowly approaching the group leader, who was immobilized out of fear.

    ¡°Don¡¯te near me.¡± The leader pissed his pants and fell down. Yet no one dared to interfere. They knew that the leader hadpletely lost his nerves and was scared shitless of Li Meng¡¯s cruelty. He wasn¡¯t giving up, and hence technically no one could dere an end to the match or interfere. Even more absurd was the fact that there was no one strong enough to interfere with the situation.

    Li Meng was continuously tapping his sword on the stage, producing a nking metal sound that yed with the leader¡¯s nerves even more. With every nk, he crawled back step by step. Li Meng¡¯s entire face was covered with a broad smile. He was still in the mood to toy with the leader before crippling him too.

    ¡°Stop this match immediately.¡± Ren Wang suddenly appeared beside the sage and insisted on stopping the match. He wanted the judge to announce it but failed to get a response. He hoped that Li Meng would stop in his tracks after hearing his voice

    To his surprise though, not only did dli9 Meng didn¡¯t6 stop, he proceeded to cut both the arms of the group leader and kicked him so hard in the Qi center that it waspletely shattered and his body caved in. Blood covered the stage after oozing out of the leader¡¯s body.

    ¡°Whoa.¡± Li Meng turned around, and when he saw Ren Wang his expression turned into that of delight.¡± I didn¡¯t expect you toe here, my older brother. How was my performance.¡±

    ¡°Hypocrite¡± was the only thought rushing through the brains of everyone present in the stadium.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you dere the result?¡± Li Meng insisted to the judge.

    ¡°The winner of the confrontation is Li Meng. I officially dere this match over.¡± The judge rushed towards the leader¡¯s body to check on its condition.

    ...........

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you stop?¡± Ren Wang asked Li Meng when they were on their way back to his home.

    ¡°Why should I?¡± Li Meng asked in a sarcastic tone. ¡± just because you said, I should stop in my tracks while confronting an enemy. Who the fuck do you think yourself to be?¡± Li Meng¡¯s expression turned sinister when the words rushed out of his mouth. He was serious about the sentence. He didn¡¯t give a fuck about what Ren Wang¡¯s thoughts on the situation were.

    ¡°This would lead to a huge problem for you.¡± Ren Wang said. His tone had turned polite from the previous scenario as he understood that he had no control over the situation.

    ¡°Rather than giving moral advice to people, you should concentrate on your cultivation. If you and your brother were serious enough in your martial path, the situation today would have never urred.¡± Li Meng¡¯s words were like needles piercing through Ren Wang¡¯s skin. He received no reply to such a huge allegation. It was the truth.

    ¡°I will give you some pretty straightforward advice. If you continued the cultivation speed at which you are progressing now, I will not only beat you but will do it within the next year. Be prepared. Unlike you, my mentality is not bound by a measer institution like Thunder Academy. I have way bigger aspirations.¡± Li Meng left an astounded Ren Wang wandering in the middle of the street.

    His world energy cultivation was pretty powerful as of now. He could start the next breakthrough anytime. He didn¡¯t have much time remaining, as the next few breakthroughs will eventually decide whether or not he would ever be able to establish a Chaosw base.

    ¡°When can we begin?¡¯ Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Anytime you want. All the reserves from your previous experiment are still present. You should be able to start your breakthrough now.¡±

    ¡°Are you capable enough of masking the energy during the breakthrough?¡±

    ¡°If it was before, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do it. But as of now, I am nearing the Saint-level artifact. I can easily do it.¡± Keeper reported.

    Li Meng began his secluded meditation immediately. His task was to regte the energies while the next avatars breakthrough the Qi King level. The Breakthrough began, and soon enough energy began to gather around the avatar.

    ¡°Please Happen.¡± Li Meng was desperately clinging to the hope of being sessful in his venture.

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 Chapter 372

    372 SUCCESSFUL BREAKTHROUGH, HUANGFU HONGUE

    The energy began to rile up around the avatars. The artifact had perfectly isted the environment to not allow any leak of energy. If the theory was right, at the end of the process heaven¡¯s blessing wouldn¡¯t ur, which would result in proper istion and covertness. The energy slowly rotated around the avatar and began to rise.

    The same phenomena took ce one after the other. First toe were the Humanws, which was the lowest form of energy. The energy then slowly morphed into earthenws. It surrounded the avatar¡¯s body and began to revolve, yet no other reaction took ce. It was when the next morph took ce that energy began to flow out of the avatar¡¯s body.

    The inactivew was suddenly activated by the inflowing heavenlyw energy. All thews came alive and the avatar¡¯s body started to radiate a lot of energy.

    ¡°Start the inflow of energy.¡± Li Meng immediately began to operate energy into the avatar¡¯s body with the help of the artifact and other avatars. Slowly yet steadily,ws began to awaken. After some time all the previousws had already been formted inside of the avatar¡¯s body. Long Tao had already nned that he is going to usepound and weaponsws to reach the Chaos level.

    He finally decided to use sword and saberws. Thew base was formted and energy began to flow in, yet the avatar came across a wall that its predecessor had encountered already. It was a barrier that marked whether or not he could form Chaosws.

    He tried to use abination of every type of energy he had avable within his body. The barrier slowly prated through. The next level was slowly being realized. More and more energy and concentration were expended, yet it came to a halt when the barrier remained imprable.

    ¡°So my understanding ofws still wouldn¡¯t allow me to formws in Chaos domain.¡± Li Meng was still regretful that he couldn¡¯t reach the Chaosw level by his efforts. He had to take the Keeper¡¯s help and understand the world¡¯s energy to even have a chance at a breakthrough. He still wanted to try and charge harder. He continued to try and prate the barrier, but it just wouldn¡¯t budge.

    Li Meng finally decided to give up, when the world energy within him began to stir. He decided to direct it towards the barrier he had just encountered and the energy he was trying to prate it. The world energy first reached the surroundings naturally and then mingled withw energy to morph it by a lot. The power grew more and more in quality and the imprable barrier, finally began to show signs of shattering.

    ¡°Supply more energy to me.¡± Li Meng instigated more and more avatars to pour energy. They concentrated their energy and passed it to the avatar, who then used it to mix with world energy and break the barrier. The more the avatar tried, the higher was the feeling of the barrier-breaking. But the world¡¯s energy reserves were limited.

    .....

    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be able to do it for very long. Stop the energy supply and begin to coagte all your power at a single st. We will ingest an energy bomb which will create a powerful pulse of energy.¡±

    ¡°That might fail in addition with the avatar¡¯s body blowing up.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°We have to risk it all if we want to ever reach the Chaosw level. I have been holding back for a long time.¡± Li Meng and the rest of the avatars started to create a massive ball of energy. After the energy waspletely concentrated into a single ball, Li Meng immediately got a hold of it and slowly ragged it near the avatar¡¯s body.

    ¡°Prepare yourself.¡± The avatar who was concentrating on breaking the barrier slowly nodded showing his approval for this operation. Li Meng raised the energy ball and directly mmed it into the avatar¡¯s body. The avatar¡¯s energy went berserk immediately, with small signs of it being applied to the breakthrough.

    ¡°The rest is upon him.¡± The situation looked dire. The avatar showed signs of going into reverse QI rotation due to the huge Qi ingestion and bursting their body.

    The situation finally looked good when the avatar managed to concentrate the huge energy ingestion directly onto his breakthrough process. The force was so powerful, that the avatar finally got a feeling of an invisible rope holding him breaking. It was an ethereal feeling of bing independent. He managed to be free of the shackles of this world.

    The feeling of this realm was something he had never felt before. Two things happened simultaneously. Thew base was set up and thew energy wasn¡¯t something like heaven¡¯s energy. It was something from the avatar¡¯s own body. Thew base was formed by an independentbination of world energy andw energy formed by the avatar himself.

    The second thing was even more surprising. The two types ofw energy began to sh and Chaos Law energy was something more dominant as it was the avatar¡¯s creation. Eventually, the heavenlyw energy was consumed by the Chaosw energy and it began to morph the Heavenlyw base to that of Chaosw.

    It didn¡¯t even stop there. From the avatar which just broke through, the morph began to spread to the other avatars too. They immediately lost control of their bodies and became unconscious. Thew base slowly began to change.

    ¡°Our theory was right after all. Just who created this art? It managed to induce the single change of Chaosw into all the avatars. 11 avatars of young masters having Chaosw bases and that too of so manyws. We are finally seeing the view.¡±

    ¡°This is the beginning of a dominator who might never be surpassed by theing generations.¡± The training hall manager and Pill hall manager stood in awe of the process. They could feel the pressure and power radiated from Chaosw. It was otherworldly. It wasn¡¯t restricted by the shackles from this world.¡±

    ..............

    In a location far away-

    A cavey in the middle of a grand gorge. The cave wasn¡¯t anything special by itself, but it left a superhuman being inside who was a legend throughout the continent. As the view changed and a man sitting down in meditation came into the picture, we could see how powerful he was. His very breath changed the atmospherepletely. His presence was there and not there at the same time.

    He was a being who stood at the very top of the martial world in the continent. He had his eyes closed, but something changed within this world.

    ¡°Did someone managed to reach the deity level?¡± The man immediately opened up his eyes. ¡°No. The energy imbnce is not there. This meant something which is beyond the world or not restricted by the world hase into existence? The breath was very minute but it was present for sure.¡±

    The man once again went into meditation, because he could no longer sense the energy. He had to wait for the energy toe back up so that he could pinpoint it.

    ...............

    Thunder Academy-

    ¡°He did what?¡± Thunder child¡¯s expression was extremely nervous and disgusted. He never expected Li Meng to carry out such a brutal massacre. The disciplinary squad couldn¡¯t even take a step because the judgeplied, and he had the grand elder supporting him from the back.

    ¡°Just how could he do that? Why didn¡¯t the judge interfere?¡± Thunder Child asked.

    ¡°His senior brothers were also present.¡± The informer reported.

    ¡°Did they actively support it?¡± Thunder child asked.

    ¡°Ren Wang tried to stop him from crippling the disciples, but Li Meng didn¡¯t even look at him. He crippled the leader and then turned to regret his senior brothers.¡±

    Even Ren Wang stepped in but failed to stop Li Meng. This guy was a maniac.

    ¡°Call a meeting of all the members of the organization.¡±

    ¡°There is a huge wave within the organization. The Qi King members seemed to have lost faith in your decisions after this incident. They wouldn¡¯t evene forward to be scapegoats of your ns.¡± Thunder Child bashed his fist at the ground on hearing this. He signaled to the informer to leave.

    ¡°I told you this will happen. It even got connected with you directly. That boy is quite a man. He didn¡¯t waste a single moment and used the first incident to do two things simultaneously. Refrain his enemies from taking further action while tarnishing your name directly.¡±

    ¡°What do you advise me to do?¡±

    ¡°I told the same thing before. You need to use other forces who can¡¯t be connected back to you. There is an opportunity here. Wasn¡¯t the group leader of those loser Hongue¡¯s brother?¡±

    Thunder Child¡¯s eyes shined. How could he forget this? Huanfu Hongue is the best way to retaliate against Li Meng.

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 Chapter 373

    373 HUANGFU HONGUE-Long Tao and all his avatars (except for those who had yet to break through the next realm), were undergoing a huge transformation. Their Law bases were beingpletely modified, and so was their understanding of thew. What was even more exciting was the size of theirw bases( Storage ofw energy). They were growing with time, and energy was being madly absorbed from the surroundings.

    The energy so absorbed was being actively converted into the avatar¡¯sw energy. The base slowly began to grow, and the power stored in them began to not only solidify but mingle with each other too. Thew energy within Long¡¯s Tao¡¯s body no longer felt like heavenlyw. It was something unique to Long Tao himself.

    The process continued until thew base finally solidified. No matter how much the artifact managed to cover the situation up, theck of energy in the surrounding area was quite prominent. It was as if the world had been drained out of its life force.

    ¡°Congrattions on finally being able to reach the Chaos Law level. Also, congrattions on having eleven avatars who have reached that level under multiplews. I have officially never even imagined in my wildest dream that this would ever be possible.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°Why is it wild?¡±

    ¡°Whoever created the avatar art is not someone whom the artifact or its user couldpare to. The guy is not only a genius but a very powerful entity too. You are fortunate to have managed to get your hands on such an art. What is even more shocking is the sheer number. You were able to divide your soul into elven parts.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°No matter what, the n was a sess and now you are a Chaosw user. This means that you have virtually reached the highest possible realm for aw user by creating your own personalized set ofws. You have officially set a foot into the renegade path of Qi cultivation.¡±

    ¡°The Renegade path is a path that ispletely different and out of your traditional bounds. You do some things which are virtually impossible in your conservative cultivation system. Chaosw is something like that. If I were to define you in a single word, I would say you are a thief.¡±

    ¡°As you can feel around you, the energy has been sucked dry with such intensity that something feels odd from a fundamental basis. That is the requirement of forming a Chaosw. You suck at the very life energy or core energy of worlds to formte yourws. What does that indicate?¡± Keeper asked.

    .....

    ¡°It would indicate that the world would try to prevent me from doing that?¡± Long Tao said.

    ¡°Exactly. From now on, every time you want to try and break through a level within the next realm, you will have to suffer punishment from the world itself.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that something which happens during the refining level?¡± Long Tao asked.

    ¡°Well, it is the same, while not being the same at the same time. Both you and those at the refining level use the world¡¯s energy to refine your strength. While in their case they take kind of assistance from the world itself, you steal it directly. Well assistance in the sense that the world still has some type of connection with the energy they absorb.¡±

    ¡°But in your case, youpletely absorbed the world¡¯s energy and made it your own. There is no control of the world over you.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that mean that the world would try even harder to get rid of me?¡± Long tao asked.

    ¡°Well, yes. It means exactly that. You will be facing tribtions of the world from the moment you step into the emperor realm. Every step you try to improve, a tribtion will ur. You need to pass through it and climb up to the next level. Your tribtions will grow in intensity over time. If I had to do a rough estimate, by the time you reach the level of Qi Monarch, you will have to face the tribtions that a Dominator faces.¡±

    ¡°Would that make me as powerful as a Dominator?¡± Long Tao asked.

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t answer that question. You need to grow stronger and find it out by yourself. Just a simple analogy from my side is that, whatever terms you set for a person to qualify as a possible opponent, double that. You are that powerful now. You can use the power of Qi Emperors now.¡±The Keeper said.

    ¡°Do you have some advice for me?¡±

    ¡°Well, we can only take it one at a time. We first need to return to the water-mist vige and enter hell. You need to formws with the qualities of the element you are mostpatible with.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t I need to do the same with Heaven Qi?¡± Long Tao asked.

    ¡°Well, that is quiteplicated. The main reason being the fact that there is no possible way for you to go to Heaven as of now, and the other being you didn¡¯t cultivate any heaven Qi cultivation arts. It just formed due to your body¡¯sposition. If some kind of a miracle does take ce, a familiar pattern will happen while you form thews too.¡±

    ¡°Also, you are a Chaosw user now. You are on the path to form your unique energy. I am just asking you to fromws that are based on or derive inspiration from hell¡¯sws. Also, you need to go there toplete your Hell-Forging. The summoned energy is no longer powerful enough.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°Well, I guess we do need to leave soon. What should I do? The prize master was talking about is something I want. If I didn¡¯t know better, I am sure it some kind of cultivation-rted prizes. I need to be there to get that.¡±

    ¡°Well, thew would be based on the concept of hell¡¯sws. You could just send one of your clones and have them study thews. They can then help you formte thews and also allow me to absorb Hell¡¯s purest energy for the other avatars to use.

    Long Tao finally managed toe up with a proper n. It was at that time that he heard a knock on his door.

    ...................

    ¡°You look concerned.¡± The old master was asking Ren Wang who came rushing into his room.

    ¡°We have a problem.¡±

    ¡°is it rted to Li Meng?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ren Wang replied.

    ¡°then let him handle it. The child is intelligent enough to handle things on his own. If necessary, he wille to me directly.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°The situation is a bit moreplicated than that. I just got the news about who challenged Li Meng this time.¡± Ren Wang said.

    ¡°Who was it?¡± the old man asked.

    ¡°It was Huangfu Hongue. He was angry about his cousin¡¯s condition due to Li meng¡¯s actions and wants to take revenge.¡± Ren Wang said.

    ¡°Well, he is still in Qi King level, which makes him eligible for the challenge.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°But master, I hope you understand that Hunafu Hongue is no small deal. He is already at the veryst steps of Qi King¡¯s level, waiting and training to solidify his level perfectly. If Li Meng is known to be unstoppable at Qi King level, so is Hunafu Hongue. Both of them have the battle strength of the Qi Emperors. E can¡¯t let this fight proceed, especially now that it is in such a delicate time.¡±

    ¡°Well, I guess he will finally get the fight he desired from someone who is of the same generation as him.¡± The old man said. ¡°Huangfu knows his limits. He will stop at the right point.¡±

    ¡°Huangfu is not a concern. The main co0ncern is Li Meng. What if he did the same thing as earlier with Huangfu? A storm will arise in the sect. Hunafu is a favored disciple of the sect master.¡± Ren Wang said.

    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t need to worry. Li Meng knows his limits. I guess he will be impressed by Huanfu¡¯s character and power. Also, I am not allowed to take part in apetition between two juniors.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°What if he did the same thing? He will be hunted down by the sect master.¡±

    ¡°If Huanfu has the sect master behind him, he has me. Do I look like someone nervous?¡± The old man said while looking at Ren Wang. Ren Wang lowered his head in agreement and left the room.

    .................

    ¡°Who are you?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°I have heard a lot about your name a lot. I hear you are epting opponents at the Qi King level. I would like to have apetition with you. The same rules apply.¡± The man said.

    ¡°I thought no one woulde anymore. Well, I ept. When will we fight.¡±

    ¡°Right now would be the best. Let¡¯s go to the arena.¡± The man said.

    The two people soon stood opposite each other on the stage. The guy raised his sword and pointed it at Li Meng.

    ¡°I am Huangfu Hongue. I would like to have a learning experience with you.¡±

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 Chapter 374

    374 HUANGFU HONGUE-Li Meng looked at his opponent with interest. He was sure that the people who had experienced the rampage on the stage would have informed their peers about it. He was sure that no sane person would find trouble with him unless they are confident in their power or have an advantage in numbers. Now number wasn¡¯t a problem since those he could manage against would be crippled.

    If the number isrger than his capacity, he could call upon his senior brother and their followers to eliminate the threat. There was a third kind, which was filled up with madmen who gave no qualms about their safety and rushed in just for battling. The guy in front was either one of the first category or the third one.

    ¡°You must be confident in your strength.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°I am. I am confident enough to ask for payback for my cousin whom you so ruthlessly crippled.¡± Hongue replied.

    ¡°Which one was your brother again?¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°My brother was the leader of the group who attempted to have abat with you,¡± Hongue replied.

    ¡°Oh. So he was that little piece of shit, who hid behind his group and tried to ruin my reputation while engaging me in a continuous fight. I have to say, he thought he was cunning, but was too overconfident in his ns. He never even saw the result drawing upon his fate until the veryst moment. Are you the actual leader behind the ring, whatever the child you call yourself?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°I am not. I do know what he did was wrong and rotten to the very core. I warned him about mixing with that bastard, but he didn¡¯t pay heed to my worries. I would like to apologize for his actions as a cultivator, but I have a duty towards my family too. He and I grew up together and I have taken care of him as a blood brother. I have to seek revenge.¡± Hongue said in a calm voice.

    ¡°Amusing.¡± Li Mengughed sarcastically. ¡± I am impressed by your fa?ade, which might be your true face. Either way, I don¡¯t give a fuck. I don¡¯t take morals, and kindness into a physicalpetition of drawing swords against my opponents. No matter what your identity is, if you lose it, you will die.¡± This was the first time Li Meng was pissed while being within the academy.

    .....

    He never paid any heed to the weaklings within the institute who wanted topete against him as he knew he was unmatched. Even then some people wanted to take advantage of his position to forcefully impose fights and tasks upon him. This ironic situation was something Li Meng hated to its very core. He decided to send a message to the public about what happens when his baseline is vited.

    ¡°What is this bastard¡¯s body condition?¡± Li Meng asked the Keeper.

    ¡°If I were toment on his body, I would say he is adequate at most. But I think my readings are wrong as he seems to have some cloaking device that is cloaking his original power from my scan.¡± The Keeper said. ¡± This kid must be an influential figure, to have a monarch grade artifact shrouding his cultivation base.¡±

    ¡°I will be taking all his treasures and his life.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°If he has a monarch grade shrouding artifact, he must also have a monarch grade protection talisman just like your master¡¯s talisman. How are you going to vite it? Are you thinking about using the cannon shot?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. I will be using the same thing which he is going to use to protect himself at the end of the day. I will use the talisman topete against him and kill him during the opening.¡±

    ¡°Even then, his cultivation is shrouded. Beware.¡±

    ¡°As long as he is within the first three realms of the Qi Emperor, he is just a joke to me now. I could feel it after establishing Chaosw. I am no longer bound by this fucking world, which means itsws are ineffective against me.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Well, that is true, but overusing your strength might give rise to an anomaly of heavens. Heaven might send tribtions towards you.¡± Keeper said. Li Meng wanted to hit his head on the floor but managed to restrain himself.

    ¡°Being your senior, I will give you a chance to strike me,¡± Huanfu said. Li Meng looked at him as if he was looking at a clown. It managed to arouse a sense of awkwardness in Huanfu Hongue. He felt something was different.

    ¡°Well, I will take you up on the offer.¡± Li Meng buried his sword right beside him and clenched his fist. The next moment he was directly above Huangfu Hongue with a powerful Thunderous Fist raining on him.

    Hanfu Hongue was taken back. His instincts screamed at him to dodge. He immediately countered the attack with an attack of his sword. Yet the momentum carried within the attack was so great that Huanfu Hongue was pushed back to the end of the stage.

    ¡°He sent Hongue senior to the edge of the stage with his bare fist. This guy is a monster.¡± The audience screamed at the top of their lungs. The excitement rose by a second. This was the match they had been waiting for. Thest match was lopsided. Li Meng crippled all his opponents in a matter of a few seconds.

    Huangfu Hongue, on the other hand, was also known to be a cultivation monster on par with Thunder Child. ording to the rumors, he too had managed to connect with two heavenlyws and even some earthlyws. Some said his talent was at the very peak of all the disciples until Li Meng came onto the scene.

    This was a fight between the titans of the Qi King realm.

    ....................

    ¡°The boy is quite unusual.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°Did you manage to find something?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Well when you two made contact, it enabled me to send my energy into him and sense his cultivation. Guess what I found.¡±

    ¡°That is just a wasteful twit and I have been wasting too much of my time.¡±

    ¡°The boy has three heavenlyws in his body. I never thought we would encounter someone this special here. On top of that, he has what we call a Battle sage body. It is a special kind of body that is possessed by the inheritors of battle-sages. I never expected to encounter one here. It is extremely rare to find someone of such a powerful race.¡±

    ¡°His body has undergone a preliminary awakening, and is equivalent to your element king body.¡±

    ¡°Only the element king. I think we both know that is nothing. I have so much body cultivation and art stacked up that I almost forget sometimes. Also, I am only saying special kinds of body and arts. I am not even considering body cultivation.¡±

    ¡°Well, I am saying that he would be an ideal underling to have.¡± The Keeper said. ¡± He even has an in-depth achievement in body cultivation. He has already awakened all his meridians and is now practicing the acupoints levels. He has already opened up 35 acupoints. That is something right.¡± The Keeper said. Li Meng was surprised for some time before reverting to normal.

    ¡°I already said that he died today. There is no force within this world which could save him from death.¡± Li Meng was resolute on eliminating this guy.

    ¡°Well, I would like for you to reconsider. Let us not judge the book by its cover. I think he approached you with a clear conscience.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°His aim and ambition are of no significance to me. I only know one thing and that is the fact that this person dared to test my patience. He needs to pay the price for defiance.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Then punish him. But leave him alive to useter. Crush him into a state of obedience.¡± The Keeper said.¡± It would be perfect revenge. Crush his ambition and confidencepletely.¡±

    ¡°I will think about it.¡± Li Meng said.

    .....................

    Huangfu Hongue was shocked after experiencing Li Meng¡¯s power. He never expected such a powerful Qi King to be present in the academy. He thought that LI meng would attack once again, but as the dust settled, all he could see was an ignorant man standing in the middle, itching the back of his ear.

    ¡°Well, I made the first attack. Follow through and stop wasting my time. I have too many tasks to look forward to.¡± Huanfu¡¯s expression turned from shock to nk for a second. When he saw his opponent¡¯s sword buried on the stage, his heart was filled with anger. He was someone who stood at the very top of Qi king, overlooking countless cultivators. Yet a junior was showing him disrespect.

    ¡°Dawn of thousand thunder swords.¡± He proceeded to attack at full power, yet Li Meng didn¡¯t even flinch. He just stood there and raised his hands, materializing a Qi shield in front of him.

    The attacksnded on the shield and a massive explosion took ce, covering the entire stage in the dust. The crowd was cheering at the top of their lungs.

    Yet when the dust settled, the entire crowd went silent.

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 Chapter 375

    375 BEATEN INTO SHIT

    Li Meng stood in the middle of the stage unscathed. Even the Qi shield he had conjured showed no signs of dimming, much less any damage. The true shock was the fact that Li Meng hadn¡¯t moved from his position at all. He stood right where he was at the beginning.

    ¡°Dawn of a thousand thunder swords¡± was a special hidden art of Thunder Academy created by the current sect master. Although the true name of the art was Dawn of Million swords, the sect master had tuned it down so that his disciple could study and learn the art. The power behind the attack was genuine, yet Li Meng¡¯s expression said that itcked the necessary punch to even garner his attention.

    ¡°I have to say, art is wasted upon someone like you.¡± Li Meng said. He was hell-bent on crippling Haungfu Hongue¡¯s mentality. The art which he just experienced was quite powerful and Li Meng wanted to learn it, but he kept his calm and waited before defeating his opponentpletely. He knew a person with such potential was difficult to find and decided to go with the Keeper¡¯s advice.

    He would beat Huanfu Hongue into submission before making him his ve.

    ¡°How could this be possible?¡± Huangfu expected that the attack wouldn¡¯t be enough to defeat his opponent. Yet the result was too big a blow to his confidence.

    ¡°As I said, art is wasted when used by someone like you.¡± Li Meng spoke again. Li Meng¡¯s defensive sphere was created by abination of multiplews. The most important ones were rotation and yin-yang. It helps him deflect the energy iing, rather than wasting energy to defend against it. It was the reason behind him standing at his location unscathed while the rest of the area was destroyed by the impact.

    Li Meng then raised his hands once again, and the Qi shield morphed into small pikes. It was a rough mimicry of what he had just seen.

    ¡°If I were you, I would have used it like this.¡± Li Meng not only added all the elemental energy which he was known to have practiced but also infused thew of rotation in a way that looks like a preliminary understanding. The spike not only contained power but also was rotating at such a high speed, that they were able to crack Huangfu¡¯s defense quite easily.

    Even after using special protective arts and his weapons, his body was riddled with holes. He was bleeding seconds after the fight started.

    .....

    ¡°You can¡¯t even defend properly. What gave you the confidence to face me?¡± Li Meng said. Each word was aimed at breaking Huangfu¡¯s spirit. To his surprise though, he saw someone focused on weaving out more skills.

    ¡°His mental fortitude is quite impressive.¡± The keeper said.

    ¡°What exactly of it. Even if his mental fortitude is as strong as steel, it can be pierced through and struck down.¡± Li Meng said.

    Huangfu Hongue used another skill with his word. It was a special art devised by one of the past sect masters. It was called ¡®Extension sword arts.¡± It was a special sword art that was devised to be used as a support art for every single art which required the usage ofw. It yed a role in extending the range of the attack by using simrw energy used by the skill itself.

    Li Meng was caught unaware that such support skills were present within the academy.

    ¡°Is this art versatile enough to extend andpress its range at will?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°No. If I am correct, thepressed form is the actual form of the art. He is using another art to extend his range.¡± The Keeper said. ¡± I could faintly feel the presence of another signature. That must be it.¡±

    ¡°There is such art within this academy. It would be a great addition to my arsenal. I need to find out about this. Now, If you would excuse me, I would like to try out the limit of my body.¡± Li Meng said as he rushed towards Huangfu Hogue. He knew many arts rted to body usage, but he decided to try out its raw strength and raw power of body once he usesws.

    The next moment a fist and a sword met with each other and both were pushed back. The audience felt that they were evenly matched, but it waste the eyes of Qi Emperors and elders which caught the actual situation.

    ¡°How could his body be so powerful? It is even better than a low-level emperor, to be able to directly match with Hongue¡¯s attack. I never expected such a monster to be within our ranks. He didn¡¯t even use any art. His body cultivation was enough.¡± One of the spectators said.

    ...............

    ¡°How much energy did I use?¡± Li Meng asked the Keeper.

    ¡°If my estimates are right, you should have used around 5% of your body cultivation.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°Even after being refined by Chaoss and being at such a high stage, my body cultivation barely matches a peak Qi King.¡± Li Meng was discouraged by the result.

    ¡°You haven¡¯t even started channel tempering properly. It is safe to say that you are just using the power of your meridians and acupoints.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°Well, we could only experiment in the future. Let¡¯s push my body to its limits and see whether I could defeat him with just that.¡± Li Meng rushed in, this time with all his meridians and acupoints at work.

    ¡®Sea divider¡± Huanfu Hongue used another sword art to tackle his opponent.

    The sword shed once again with the hand, yet the result this time was even more astounding for the audience. Not only was the skill negated but Huangfu Hongue sted back, even the sword he held cracked and broke off secondster.

    ¡°What?¡± One of the elders jumped up from his seat.

    ¡°How can this be possible?¡± Another elder followed suit. This was too absurd.

    ¡°Monster.¡± The thought lingered in the minds of every experienced cultivator present on the scene.

    ..............

    ¡°As expected, he was a monster. He managed to confront something like that with his physical strength and even broke the enemy¡¯s sword. Even I am not sure about doing something like that and I am an advanced Qi Emperor.¡± Ren Dao said.

    ¡°How could he refine his body to such a high level? Both of us practice body cultivation and have already opened up most of our acupoints. We will soon reach the peak. Yet, I don¡¯t think we will ever be able to reach such a stage.¡± Ren Wang said.

    ¡°I guess this is what the master meant when he said that our junior brother can take care of the situation. The power he showed while killing the group outside the academy made me believe that he couldpete against Hongue equally. Yet his physical strength alone is enough to dominate him. If hebines the two¡± Ren Dao didn¡¯tplete the sentence.

    ¡°Huangfu Hongue will most probably die today.¡± Ren Wangpleted his brother¡¯s sentence.

    ¡± We need to call the master here. He needs to save Hongue.¡± Ren Dao said.

    ¡°No need. I am already here.¡± The old man appeared. ¡°Also, there is another person who has been watching the fight this whole time. She would have interfered even if I wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    A woman appeared from thin air. She was dressed royally while her face was covered in a violet veil, showcasing a set of ethereal eyes to the world. Her face was sure to be that of a beauty, and the Ren brothers were mesmerized before eventually getting a grip on the situation and greeting her.

    ¡°We greet the sect master.¡± The brother bowed.

    ¡°At ease. I have to say, you have got quite a disciple here.¡± She said to the old man.

    ¡°Yours is not bad either. Although mine is showing off his power, yours is holding back his strength, slowly showing it to surprise the enemy. I have to say, I never expected him to have three heavenlyws.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t your disciple follow the same suit? As for the reserve power, I think we both know that your disciple is the true mystery. We don¡¯t even know if that is his full strength and he has already dominated Hongue. I guess I would need to intervene sooner than expected.¡±

    ¡°I would suggest that you should be prepared. That boy is merciless. If I am guessing correctly, he is currently dueling with the idea of whether to kill his opponent or cripple him.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°You are quite confident about his strength.¡± The woman remarked.

    ¡°I am sorry to interfere, but the master is telling the truth. We have seen Li Meng showcasing his Qi once, and believe when we say that even we couldn¡¯t grasp how the enemy died. Their heads just fell one after the other. There were no signatures of any art, which meant that he didn¡¯t use any. Just pure Qi was enough to wipe out an entire group consisting purely of advanced Qi Kings, and three peak Qi Kings leading them.¡± Ren Wang said.

    The womanughed out loud.

    ¡°Just like you believe in your brother¡¯s prowess, I believe in my disciple¡¯s. He is a monster in his rights.¡± The woman said. ¡± There is one hell of a show in front of us.¡±

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 Chapter 376

    376 THE POWER OF BATTLE SAGE BODY

    When Huangfu Hongue was finally able to gain control over his footing, he stood up and checked his broken de. His hands were still shaking from the impact of Li Meng¡¯s attack. His face was filled with disbelief that he couldn¡¯t evenly match Li Meng even after using Qi.

    ¡°Stop looking so surprised. Was that all you had in your arsenal because that would be extremely boarding for me, and I will make sure you pay for wasting my time like that. Take some powerful weapons out and rush towards me. I want to see how long vermin like you can hold before the desperation breaks your brainpletely.¡±

    Li Meng¡¯s words were like pricks assailing Huangfu¡¯s skin, yet he couldn¡¯t deny the fact. The very experience of being dominated by physical strength dazed him for some time. H eventually found his grip over the situation and turned serious.

    ¡°His mental fortitude is impressive.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°even if his mental fortitude is made from steel, it will be destroyed today. They say that the higher they reach, the harder is the fall. The same thing will happen with this clown.¡± Li Meng said.

    The Keeper chose a silent treatment for this situation.

    Huangfu took out another sword this time. This sword radiated might and was a Qi Emperor weapon. Yet it paled whenpared to his dark Dragon sword which was nearing in quality to a Monarch grade artifact. Li Meng chose to fight barehanded.

    ¡°I am sorry to have underestimated you before. I will be using my actual strength from now on. I would request you to take this seriously as well.¡± Huangfu took it upon himself to warn the opponent.

    ¡°Bahahaha.¡± Li Meng¡¯sughter echoed within the field.

    .....

    ¡°A clown should always follow his suit. I never expected it to be true, but now I am seeing it live. Fine, let us see if you are even eligible to make me use a weapon.¡± Li Meng¡¯s words enraged Huangfu. His pride was crumbling under the pressure being radiated out of Li Meng¡¯s presence.

    ¡°Sovereign¡¯s sword barrage¡¯ This was a special sword move that was devised by one of the powerful Qi Monarchs to have appeared within the Thunder academy. The Qi Monarch was said to have lived during the same time as the Mad-Thunder king. He was evenpared to that legendary figure. Hence the art was quite impressive.

    Li Meng decided to believe in his body cultivation and took the attack head-on.

    As expected, the sword attackbined with the sword which was used in execution proved to be a powerfulbination. The sh pushed either party towards their end, but Li Meng was sted back, hence the ground around him crumbled.

    ...............

    ¡°That is what happens when you be too conceited in your power. Having confidence in your body cultivation is a good thing, but that move was reckless.¡± The sect master said.

    The Ren brothers didn¡¯t retort because they were thinking the same thing. The old man was the only person who looked unconcerned about the situation. He had a smile on his face.

    ¡°Let us not count our horses before the race ends.¡± The old man said.

    The dust settled giving everybody a good look at Li Meng. Yet another gasp of surprise was heard in the field.

    ¡°Monster indeed.¡± All four pairs of eyes looked at Li Meng with shock and surprise.

    .......................

    Li Meng rose from the ground while shaking off the dust from his body. His body waspletely unscathed except for the red mark where the sword hit. The attack wasn¡¯t even able to prate through his body. He shook off all the dust and stretched hi9s neck a bit.

    ¡°Now that is something interesting. I seem to have underestimated this institute¡¯s library. That art was powerful enough to raise my expectation. Yet, it was wasted in your hands.¡±

    Huangfu¡¯s expression was filled with shock. He admitted his inferiority in the earlier case by assuming that Li Meng had cultivated his body to a high stage. Yet the view in front of him was too shocking toprehend. He had used an emperor-grade artifact infused with ancient art which was the legacy of one of the most powerful Qi Monarchs of Thunder Academy.

    Yet, Li Meng waspletely unscathed

    ¡°That one must have stung badly.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°It did. I never expected to receive such an attack from this ant. I officially promote him to a dog. You are right. He might have greater use than just being bullied and killed.¡± Contrary to everyone¡¯s belief, the attack had managed to pierce through Li Meng¡¯s defences and wound him. It was due to his superhuman healing abilities that the wound recovered almost instantly.

    ¡°I guess we need to usew energy this time.¡±

    ¡°Rather than usingw energy, I would rmend you use your weapon. Directly suing Chaos Law from your body might trigger a tribtion from the world. The first one is always the easiest, and I would rmend you try it out once you enter the Qi Emperor realm, with proper preparation. We need to collect some powerful herbs in addition to what you sued during your experiments.¡±

    ¡°We will discuss itter. I will take your advice due to your experience in Chaos Laws. I would still prefer it over the weapon though. I would need to try it out someday.¡±

    ¡°Just not today.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Li Meng said with a discouraged tone.

    ...........

    To everyone¡¯s amazement, Li Meng picked up the sword. He then unsheathed it and kept the sheath in his pocket dimension.

    ¡°Come at me with your full strength. The show you have put up so far is just useless.¡± Li Meng said while pointing the sword at Huangfu Hongue.

    ¡°Fine¡± Huangfu Hongue¡¯s body began to erge after he spoke those words. Symbols began to appear all over his body as his eyes began to shine with a weird light. His aura, which felt non-threatening previously now radiated with a power that surprised Li Meng.

    ¡°Now that is something interesting.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°He is awakening his battle-sage body. You need to be serious now. The battle sage body is powerful because of three reasons. Its core power is quiterge. It amplifies the user¡¯s power no matter what he uses. The more he gets hurt, the stronger he will be.¡± The Keeper exined.

    ¡°So, I need to beat him to pulp to experience the full might of the battle sage body.¡± Li meng said.

    ¡°Yes.¡± The Keeper replied.

    Li Meng instantly awakened his Element-King body. A long time had passed since hest used the element lord body. It was time to see how powerful the Element King body was.

    As soon as Li Meng activated it, Thunder began to madly race around him as the other element began to wreak havoc around the area. All of this was happening with Li Meng at its center.

    The two figures rushed into a fight which began to destroy the stagepletely. Debris was flying around the arena. Audience members were slowly starting to move backward as the momentum radiated from the sh was too powerful. It was as if two QI Emperors were fighting on stage.

    ....................

    ¡°I never expected you to have found someone with a Battle-sage body.¡± The old man said.¡± Your disciple is full of surprises.¡±

    ¡°So says the guy who hid the fact that his disciple possesses an Element King body.¡± The sect master spoke in contempt.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know before this that he was hiding such power.¡± The old man said. ¡°I need to have a proper conversation with this brat after this matter is over.¡± The old man was already imagining the question he was going to ask, while also thinking ways to appreciate Li Meng¡¯s capability. He counts himself fortunate enough to have such a talented disciple.

    ¡°What are the two bodies you¡¯re talking about?¡± The Ren Brothers asked.

    ¡°Bodies are a type of physique which a cultivator is inherently born with. This special body type helps in diverse ways depending upon its nature. The Battle-Sage body is said to be well suited for wars. Element-King body on the other hand makes the user¡¯s elemental affinity rise and reach unseen levels. That is one of the reasons your junior was able to establish three heavenlyws.

    ¡°Which one is better?¡± Ren Wang asked.

    ¡°Only time will tell in this situation.¡± The sect master said with a serious tone. The sight in front was like two Qi Emperors fighting with each other at their full power. The stage was already destroyed. The duo was currently fighting on the ground.

    ................

    Initially, the sh led to Li Meng suppressing Huangfu Hongue. But as time passed, he was growing stronger. He eventually managed to fight LI meng on equal ground. His body was being riddled with scars as the element both inside and outside his body were wreaking havoc.

    Li meng on the other hand was constantly being bashed by powerful punches which grew in strength as time passed.

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 Chapter 377

    377 CRIPPLING THE CONFIDENCE

    The fight went on and the two men fought like beasts. The field was slowly getting destroyed too and eventually, they began to sink in the rubble. Yet, their momentum didn¡¯t stop.

    A third-person view revealed a heavily injured Hunafu Hongue fighting an almost unscathed Li Meng to death. Although Huangfu was getting stronger as time went by, Li Meng looked as if he wasn¡¯t even bothered by his attacks.

    ¡°How can this be possible? This boy has the element King body for sure, but that doesn¡¯t guarantee any kind of rapid healing abilities. He also doesn¡¯t seem to be using any kind of art.¡± The sect master said.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ren Wang asked. ¡± What I am seeing is Huangfu Hongue recklessly beating up Li Meng with no power in his punches, while Li Meng is straight-up crushing him. The only reason he can remain standing is the battle-sage body.¡±

    Even Ren Dao looked confused.

    ¡°Even if you are a Qi Emperor, your senses haven¡¯t developed to the level that you could properly analyze the fight.¡± The old man said. ¡°It is not that Hunagfu isn¡¯t able tond a hit or his punches are not hard enough. Li Meng¡¯s healing ability is just that strong. His body is healing at a pace way faster than Huanfu could injure. That is the reason he looked unscathed.¡±

    ¡°Even if he can rapidly heal himself, he would still need to use a lot of energy. Yet he doesn¡¯t look pale at all. There isn¡¯t even a tinge of frustration or weakness in his expression.¡± Ren Dao said.

    ¡°That is the exact reason which stumped both me and the sect master. His body can heal itself naturally at a speed without even being operated on by his mind. It means that he must have another natural body, and that one is even higher in quality than the Element King body. Your junior brother is a true monster.¡± The old man was getting more and more excited by the second.

    ¡°I finally managed to find a worthy sessor to that sword.¡± The old man said. ¡± I also need to arrange a lot of rewards for him. He still has room for growth within the Qi King level. I think the cleansing pool would be a great addition.¡±

    .....

    Huangfu Hongue has pushed back once again, and he managed to get a clear glimpse of his unhurt opponent. He then looked at his figure which was already red with his blood. His frustration grew by the second. Although he was feeling the increase in power as time passed, fatigue was piling upon his body. He couldn¡¯t sustain it for much longer.

    ¡°Battle-Sage sutra 1: Valiant sword art¡± He screamed as the de he held in his hand waspletely covered in white light, just like his eyes. Li Meng was intrigued by this art and prepared to take it head-on with one of his sword arts. It was a mixture of all the sword arts he had received from the Dak-Dragon Emperor.

    He named it ¡°Dark-Dragon sword tome¡±.

    The sword began to emit a Heavy Dark aura and the faint outline of a dragon soon appeared all around Li Meng. A low-pitched voice was raging throughout the arena. It sounded like the scream of a Dragon.

    ¡°I never expected you to use one of your most prized sword arts in this fight.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°The enemy has proved to be worthy enough. This sword art is just a gesture of respect towards him.¡± Li Meng said.

    The two arts rushed towards each other. One dark, one light. One was like a dragon, while the other was shaped like a sword. The two shed and the arena around was destroyed once again. The impact pushed either of the sword users back, and even Li Meng¡¯s hands were bleeding.

    ¡°So he managed to wound me. That is a sign of power for sure. He is officially eligible to be my servant.¡± Li Meng was brimming with enthusiasm. He wanted Huangfu to continue the fight. After such a long time he managed to meet someone who gave him a hard time while being in the same realm. Thest time it happened was when he fought with his little sister.

    ..................

    Everyone felt the strange dragon scream. Even the four people who were watching from a faraway ce.

    ¡°That is a powerful sword art,¡± Rn Dao said.

    ¡°I have never heard of such art being used. Do you think he managed to devise such art by himself?¡± Ren Wang said.

    ¡°That is impossible. That sword art is at least a peak Emperor grade, if not even higher graded sword art. How could he devise such art by himself?¡± Ren Dao said.

    ¡°The ease with which he performed it signifies that his training in that art is quite extensive.¡± The sect master was impressed by the art too. She knew about Huangfu¡¯s Valiant Sword art. Yet the Dragon managed to contend equally with it.

    ¡°That is an impressive art for sure.¡± The old man¡¯s expression had changed. He felt a sudden tinge in his heart, as something shook within his dimensional pocket.

    ¡°To be able to attract the attention of that sword, this boy must have a teacher who has learned draconic arts. As expected, my decision of giving him the sword was perfect. He might be able to wield it. Thest person who managed to wield it was that man.¡± The old man suddenly closed his eyes as the events of the past shed in front of his eyes.

    ¡°I can¡¯t let myself be clouded with past events. I need to secure the future of this child.¡±

    .................

    Huangfu Hongue wasn¡¯t faring any better. He was exhausted and frustrated. He decided to give it his all on the next try.

    ¡°Battle Sage Sutra 2: Vagrant Sword art¡± The power being radiated this time was even stronger than thest. Even Li meng was impressed just by experiencing the sheer power within the sword art. He was sure that he would get hurt unless he used his top three arts. Yet he couldn¡¯t because of the Keeper¡¯s advice.

    The only thing he could do was tobine world energy with his draconic sword art. He tried to do it in the past but failed multiple times. Yet a feeling arose from his heart that he could do it. The dragon which was just roaming around him slowly began to expand and materialize. It got real and bulkier by the second.

    Even the screaming emitted by it became louder by the second. Some of the audience had to clench their ears to not get hurt. The Draconic aura it emitted intimidated everyone.

    The old man had to hold his ring to control the mad vibration being emitted by it.

    ¡°Is it what I think it is?¡± The sect master asked.

    ¡°I think so.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°How can this be possible? He is just a Qi King-level practitioner. That is not something you could even feel, much less practice unless you step into the Qi Monarch level.¡± The sect master¡¯s expression was filled with shock.

    ¡°He must have met some fortunate encounters to gain an understanding of world energy.¡± The old man said with a mental connection to the sect master. He didn¡¯t want his disciple to hear about this. The secret of world energy should only be realized with their power when they reach the Monarch level. It was the gateway with which they could enter the level of Dominator.

    ¡°My disciple has officially lost this battle. No matter how powerful his art is, he would be exhausted to his limit after this.¡± The sect master said with a discouraged voice.

    .............

    The two arts shed once again, and the arena was blinded by the impact. When the audience recovered their sight, they saw two figures standing in the middle of the battlefield. Each one of them was hurt and bleeding. Even Li meng was bleeding not only from his hand but from his torso and mouth too. Thetest sh has taken its toll on his body.

    Huangfu Hongue, on the other hand, was not only heavily injured, but also exhausted to his limit. He could barely keep his eyes open, and his sight was blood red due to the blood covering them.

    ¡°I lose.¡± He barely managed to speak those words before his body started to fall. Just then, a hand grabbed his neck and lifted his body upwards.

    ¡± I have mentioned the result of the defeat at the beginning of the fight. ¡± Li Meng raised his hands and was about to attack Huangfu¡¯s Qi base when a roar shocked his body.

    ¡°Stop immediately.¡± It was none other than the sect master. She hadnded on the stage. ¡± Free your grip. You have won the match.¡±

    The old man wanted to see how Li Meng would react to the situation. He could see that the sect master was enraged. How would he make peace?

    The word she heard the next second shocked him.

    ¡°Why should I?¡± All the audience members, elders, and even the old man had shocked expressions on their faces. The boy had the guts to ask this question.

    ¡°because I told you so.¡± The sect master said.

    Li Meng¡¯s grip on Huangfu¡¯s neck increased which choked him. The sect master¡¯s expression turned into worry.

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask again. Why should I?¡±Li Meng said. He was openly threatening the sect¡¯s master.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Every single one of the arts he had practiced along with a Monarch Grade artifact.¡± The audience gasped with shock. Is this guy trying to extort the sect master?

    ¡°All the arts and three Emperor grade artifacts of the peak quality.¡± The sect owner was considering the offer.

    ¡°Five Emperor grade artifacts of the peak quality,¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡®Deal.¡± The sect master said.

    ¡°I hope your mercy will be showered after I let go.¡± Li Meng said with a smile. The sect master nodded her head. She took a ring out and threw it at him. He inspected it and let go of Huangfu.

    The battle had ended with Huangfu¡¯s win.

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 Chapter 378

    378 CRIPPLING THE CONFIDENCE

    The fight went on and the two men fought like beasts. The field was slowly getting destroyed too and eventually, they began to sink in the rubble. Yet, their momentum didn¡¯t stop.

    The third-person view revealed a heavily injured Hunafu Hongue fighting an almost unscathed Li Meng to death. Although Huangfu was getting stronger as time went by, Li Meng looked as if he wasn¡¯t even bothered by his attacks.

    ¡°How can this be possible? This boy has the element King body for sure, but that doesn¡¯t guarantee any kin do rapid healing abilities. He also doesn¡¯t seem to be using any kind of art.¡± The sect master said.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ren Wang asked. ¡± What I am seeing is Huangfu Hongue recklessly beating up Li Meng with no power in his punches, while Li Meng is straight-up crushing him. The only reason he can remain standing is the battle-sage body.¡±

    Even Ren Dao looked confused.

    ¡°Even if you are a Qi Emperor, your senses haven¡¯t developed to the level that you could properly analyze the fight.¡± The old man said. ¡°It is not that Hunagfu isn¡¯t able tond a hit or his punches are not hard enough. Li Meng¡¯s healing ability is just that strong. His body is healing at a pace way faster than Huanfu could injure. That is the reason he looked unscathed.¡±

    ¡°Even if he can rapidly heal himself, he would still need to use a lot of energy. Yet he doesn¡¯t look pale at all. There isn¡¯t even a tinge of frustration or weakness in his expression.¡± Ren Dao said.

    ¡°That is the exact reason which stumped both me and the sect master. His body can heal itself naturally at a speed without even being operated on by his mind. It means that he must have another natural body, and that one is even higher in quality than the Element King body. Your junior brother is a true monster.¡± The old man was getting more and more excited by the second.

    ¡°I finally managed to find a worthy sessor to that sword.¡± The old man said. ¡± I also need to arrange a lot of rewards for him. He still has room for growth within the Qi King level. I think the cleansing pool would be a great addition.¡±

    .....

    Huangfu Hongue has pushed back once again, and he managed to get a clear glimpse of his unhurt opponent. He then looked at his figure which was already red with his blood. His frustration was growing by the second. Although he was feeling the increase in power as time passed, fatigue was piling upon his body. He couldn¡¯t sustain it for much longer.

    ¡°Battle-Sage sutra 1: Valiant sword art¡± He screamed as the de he held in his hand waspletely covered in white light just like his eyes. Li meng was intrigued by this art and prepared to take it head-on with one of his sword arts. It was a mixture of all the sword arts he had received from the Dak-Dragon Emperor.

    He named it ¡°Dark-Dragon sword tome¡±.

    The sword began to emit a Heavy Dark aura and teh faint outline of a dragon soon appeared all around Li Meng. A low-pitched voice was raging throughout the arena. It sounded like the scream of a Dragon.

    ¡°I never expected you to use one of your most prized sword arts in this fight.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°The enemy has proved to be worthy enough. This sword art is just a gesture of respect towards him.¡± Li Meng said.

    The two arts rushed towards each other. One dark, one light. One shaped like a dragon, while the other was shaped like a sword. The two shed and the arena around was destroyed once again. The impact pushed either of the sword users back, and even Li Meng¡¯s hands were bleeding.

    ¡°So he managed to wound me. That is a sign of power for sure. He is officially eligible to be my servant.¡± Li Meng was brimming with enthusiasm. He wanted Huangfu to continue the fight. After such a long time he managed to meet someone who gave him a hard time while being in the same realm. Thest time it happened was when he fought with his little sister.

    .................................

    Everyone felt the strange dragon scream. Even the four people who were watching from a faraway ce.

    ¡°That is a powerful sword art,¡± Rn Dao said.

    ¡®I have never heard of such art being used. Do you think he managed to devise such art by himself?¡± Ren wang said.

    ¡°That is impossible. That sword art is at least a peak Emperor grade, if not even higher graded sword art. How could he devise such art by himself?¡± Ren Dao said.

    ¡°The ease with which he performed it signifies that his training in that art is quite extensive.¡± The sect master was impressed by the art too. She knew about Huangfu¡¯s Valiant Sword art. Yet the Dragon managed to contend equally with it.

    ¡°That is an impressive art for sure.¡± The old man¡¯s expression had changed. He felt a sudden tinge in his heart, as something shook within his dimensional pocket.

    ¡®To be able to attract the attention of that sword, this boy must have a teacher who has learned draconic arts. As expected, My decision of giving him the sword was perfect. He might be able to wield it. Thest person who managed to wield it was that man.¡± The old man suddenly closed his eyes as the events of the past shed in front of his eyes.

    ¡°I can¡¯t let myself be clouded with past events. I need to secure the future of this child.¡±

    ..........................

    Huangfu Hongue wasn¡¯t faring any better. He was exhausted and frustrated. He decided to give it his all on the next try.

    ¡°Battle Sage Sutra 2: Vagrant Sword art¡± The power being radiated this time was even stronger than thest. Even Li meng was impressed just by experiencing the sheer power within the sword art. He was sure that he would get hurt unless he used his top three arts. Yet he couldn¡¯t because of the Keeper¡¯s advice.

    The only thing he could do was tobine world energy with his draconic sword arts. He had tried to do it in the past but had failed multiple times. Yet a feeling arose from his heart that he could do it. The dragon which was just roaming around him slowly began to expand and materialize. It was getting real and bulkier by the second.

    Even the screaming emitted by it became louder by the second. Some of the audience had to clench their ears to not get hurt. The Draconic aura it emitted intimidated everyone.

    The old man had to hold his ring to control the mad vibration being emitted by it.

    ¡°Is it what I think it is?¡± The sect master asked.

    ¡°I think so.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°How can this be possible? He is just a Qi King-level practitioner. That is not something you could even feel., much less practice unless you step into the Qi Monarch level.¡± The sect master¡¯s expression was filled with shock.

    ¡°He must have met some fortunate encounter to gain an understanding of world energy.¡± The old man said with mental connection to eth sect master. He didn¡¯t want his disciple to hear about this. The secret of world energy should only be realized with their power when they reach the Monarch level. It was the gateway with which they could enter the level of Dominator.

    ¡°My disciple has officially lost this battle. No matter how powerful his art is, he would be exhausted to his limit after this.¡± The sect master said with a discouraged voice.

    ......................

    The two art shed once again, and the arena was blinded by the impact. When the audience recovered their sight, they saw two figures standing in the middle of the battlefield. Each one of them was hurt and bleeding. Even Li meng was bleeding not only from his hand but his torso and mouth too. Thest sh had taken its toll on his body.

    Huangfu Hiongue on eth other hand was not only heavily injured, but also exhausted to his limit. He could barely keep his eyes open, and his sight was blood red due to the blood covering them.

    ¡°I lose.¡± He barely managed to speak those words before his body started to fall. Just then, a hand grabbed his neck and lifted his body upwards.

    ¡± I have mentioned the result of the defeat at the beginning of the fight. ¡± Li Meng raised his hands and was about to attack Huangfu¡¯s Qi base when a roar shocked his body.

    ¡°Stop immediately.¡± It was none other than the sect master. She hadnded on the stage. ¡± Free your grip. You have won the match.¡±

    The old man wanted to see how Li Meng would react to the situation. He could see that the sect master was enraged. How would he make peace?

    The word she heard the next second, shocked him.

    ¡°Why should I?¡± All the audience members, elders, and even the old man had shocked expressions on their faces. The boy had the guts to ask this question.

    ¡°because I told you so.¡± The sect master said.

    Li Meng¡¯s grip on Huangfu¡¯s neck increased which choked him. The sect master¡¯s expression turned into worry.

    ¡°I won¡¯t ask again. Why should I?¡±Li Meng said. He was openly threatening the sect master.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°Every single one of the arts he had practiced along with a Monarch Grade artifact.¡± The audience gasped with shock. Is this guy trying to extort the sect master?

    ¡°All the arts and three Emperor grade artifacts of the peak quality.¡± The sect master was considering the offer.

    ¡°Five Emperor grade artifacts of the peak quality,¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡®Deal.¡± The sect master said.

    ¡°I hope your mercy will be showered after I let go.¡± Li Meng said with a smile. The sect master nodded her head. She took a ring out and threw it at him. He inspected it and let go of Huangfu.

    The battle had ended with Huangfu¡¯s win.

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 Chapter 379

    379 MASTER¡¯S REWARD-¡°You have got a lot of guts to try and extort me.¡± The sect master said.

    ¡°Well, I know desperation when I see it. I believed that your disciples¡¯ life would be worth more than some measly treasures which are lying around in the sect treasury. It turns out I am correct. Congrattions to me for guessing it right.¡± Li Meng said in a smug tone.

    ¡°Do you dare to take his life?¡¯ The sect master asked.

    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? It isn¡¯t like he is the only one with backing. Am I correct old man?¡± Li Meng said while looking at the sky in the direction where the old man was standing.

    For a short moment both the sect master and the grand elder were shocked to hear Li Meng¡¯s words. They never expected that a QI King would be able to detect the presence of Qi Monarch when they are hiding their presence. The old man sighed a momentter and appeared beside Li Meng.

    ¡°I hope the sect master won¡¯t sully her status by trying to bully my disciple.¡± The old man said with a smug grin on his face.

    ¡°You have got the upper hand in the situation, but I won¡¯t be forgetting this matter. My disciple will return to im his honor up.¡±

    ¡°Your disciple couldn¡¯t even stand a chance against an attack I devised at the very moment. If I break through the Qi Emperor level, I will crush him with a single finger.¡± Li Meng said with a smile. It was a smile that showed how confident he was in his powers. ¡± It is better if you could even get him to cultivate like he used too. I hope the dog can learn to bark again, or else he would just be a nobody in my eyes.¡±

    Li Meng turned around and left. He didn¡¯t even care about giving the sect master a little bit of face.

    .....

    ¡°I would like to apologize for the rude behavior that the child has shown today. I will make sure to discipline him so that this mistake isn¡¯t repeated in the future.¡± The old man said with a bow.

    ¡°He is speaking the truth. If Huangfu doesn¡¯t get over this defeat, it will be a demon in his heart which will halt his progress forever. He might never even be able to reach the emperor realm.¡± The sect master looked concerned.

    ¡°He will get over it. He is the holder of the Battle-sage body. I hope I don¡¯t have to tell you the significance of his inheritance. He is going to surpass his father for sure.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°Defeat isn¡¯t something which could be ignored. It is a learning point to hone your mistakes and make them your strength. Overwhelming defeat on the other hand is like mental trauma. It makes you feel helpless in front of a powerful opponent like Li Meng. No matter how hard you try, you aren¡¯t able to ovee the power-gap. It is a huge blow to both his confidence and moral stature.¡±

    ¡°His confidence and ability to persevere through a situationes from his mother. I am sure you know the ability perfectly.¡± The old man said. ¡°You have raised him to the best of cultivation standards. Let him walk his path. He needs to surf through this alone. Only he can decide the path to walk on. If you interfere like this, you will give a bigger blow to his confidence than the overwhelming defeat.¡±

    ¡°I guess I will take your advice this time. Let¡¯s meet again during the Royal Road convention. I hope your disciple is going.¡± The sect master said.

    ¡°He is going for sure. He is already capable enough to defeat normal low level Qi Emperors. Given his speed, he should be able to break-through the Qi Emperor level within months. I am going to reward him for his hard efforts. That should nudge his speed even further. I hope he can experience the world inside the road. It is required if he ever wants to walk the path of Monarch hood.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°Huangfu has already reached the peak refining possible for his body to sustain while being in the QI King level. He is going to breakthrough as soon as he wakes up. Don¡¯t me me if hees to demand a re-match, and beats the shit out of your disciple.¡± The sect master joked.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t you hear his words? He said he wasn¡¯t even trying that hard. He was holding back his power. I wouldn¡¯t have believed it before, but now, I choose to. He has too many secrets. If he says that your disciple wouldn¡¯t be a problem in the future, I choose to believe him.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°I for one am hoping it to be a false im.¡± The sect master said. ¡°You should go and check on his injuries.¡±

    ....

    Li Meng¡¯s house-

    Li Meng fell on the floor as soon as he reached the house. For some reason he could no longer control his body, and something was causing a lot of damage inside his body.

    ¡°Sit down and concentrate on your body. It is the battle-energy from the battle-saint body. That body is not known as one of the world¡¯s strongest natural bodies for no reason.¡± If it were before, Li Meng would already be in his peak condition. That is the special ability he gained due to the world tree¡¯s ability. Yet the power of battle-saint was extremely violent and powerful.

    It was even absorbing the energy inside of Li Meng¡¯s body while growing stronger and damaging even more body parts.

    ¡®So, this is the reason the battle-saint body gets stronger as the host gets injured, or with time. It consumes the natural energy through the wounds and processes it faster with time, getting stronger.¡± Li Meng¡¯s interest was piqued. It was an incredible power to have. If he could learn the secrets of battle-saint body and inculcate me those abilities into hi sown body, he didn¡¯t know the heights his battle prowess could rise up to.

    ¡°Stay in your thoughts, and don¡¯t get distracted. Use the power of the artifact and your avatars to iste and purge the energy. The energy is still within control. If you manage to consume any more of your energy and undergo some type of weird Chaosw mutation, you never know what might happen.¡± The Keeper¡¯s words rang within Li Meng¡¯s brain.

    He tried to encapste the entire energy contained within his body and slowly began to purge it out of his body.

    . The battle energy was extremely violent and it was difficult even with Chaosw energy to control it.

    ¡°How can itpete against Chaos energy?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Well, Battle energy by itself is quite a powerful form of energy. On the other hand, your Chaosw is at an infant stage. You need to grow stronger and seize way more energy from the world. It grows stronger with you. Eventually Battle Energy won¡¯t even make it to the list of powers that can affect you.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°There are enough powers that can affect Chaosws that they made a list.¡± Li Meng said in a shocked voice.

    ¡°There are so many things you don¡¯t know. I will make you aware of the list when you grow strong enough or you manage to encounter those type of energies.¡± The Keeper said.

    Li meng decided to drop the topic.

    ¡°Can we conserve this energy so that we can study it?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°I can save you a sliver, but it will eventually run out. You need to replenish it with more battle sage energy.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°I guess we will have to visit Huangfu Hongue again sometime in the future.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Junior brother, are you inside?¡± Ren Wang¡¯s voice sounded outside his house. Li Meng rushed out, and greeted Ren Wang.

    ¡°From the looks of it, you are alright. Master has asked me to call you in for a conversation. You need to follow me.¡± Ren Wang said.

    ¡°What does that old man want from me now?¡± Li Meng said to himself.

    The duo made it back to the old man¡¯s hut. Li Meng saw the old man and Ren Dao standing beside him. The old man signaled to the duo to take a seat.

    ¡°Since you have managed to touch the boundary of the Qi Emperor level, it is time for you to learn about some things.¡± The old man said. ¡°Do you know the difference between a Qi King and a Qi Emperor?¡± The old man asked Li Meng.

    ¡°QI King is someone who has connected with thews, while Qi Emperor is someone who has managed to inculcate thosews into his body by refining it with them.¡± Li Meng replied.

    ¡°That is right. To be a Qi Emperor, you need to refine your body withw energy and give rise to aw-body. The greater the number ofws your practice with, the greater the number of energies which will refine your body, and hence greater will be your strength.¡±

    ¡°Do you know the difference between a QI Emperor and a Qi Monarch?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°No, master.¡± Li Meng said. This might be a great insight into the road of cultivation.

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 Chapter 380

    380 A HORRIFYING REALISATION

    ¡°A Qi Monarch is someone who is capable of applying the power ofw at an even higher efficiency than a Qi Emperor. A Qi King is someone who connects withw, an Emperor is someone who refines his body with thew, while a Qi Monarch is someone who uses thew energy and maniptes his surroundings. We have an even simpler term to describe that phenomenon.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°Domain.¡± Li Meng suddenly said. He regretted opening his mouth a secondter. The old man¡¯s expression had a hint of surprise when he heard the words. Yet he calmed down faster than a second.

    ¡°Yes. A monarch is defined by his domain. The domain is the outer manifestation of yourw energy. Just like you need to begin the refining process at the peak of Qi King to enter the emperor level, you need to understand the domain at the peak of the emperor level to enter the realm of Qi Monarch. The step is not easy and is the reason why most of the emperor level cultivators are stuck at their rank.¡±

    ¡°Only a Qi Monarch is able toprehend the true meaning ofw and manifest it outside his body with the help of domain.¡±

    ¡°What about the higher stages?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°I guess you have earned the right to know some truths about the world of cultivation. Let me start from the beginning. The stages of cultivation are divided into ten levels to be exact. The first stage is called body forging. It is when you cleanse your body with resources to make it capable enough to hold Qi. The next three stages, namely QI Child, Qi Master and Qi general are namely called Qi refining stages.¡±

    ¡°It is when a cultivator makes his/her body more and more acquainted withw energy around him and grow his/her power with its help.¡±

    ¡°Once you reach the peak of Qi general you are met with the first major bottleneck in the path of cultivation. It is called the realization ofws. A stage where a cultivator connects with thew of the world. the next three stages, namely Qi King, Qi Emperor, and Qi Monarch are called thew refining stages. These are the stages where acultivator connects with aw, refines his body and manifests his/herw domain.¡±

    ¡°Thest three stages are known by many names all over the world. yet I call it by two names. One is the stages of Dao-refining, and the other is the path of immortality.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Thest three stages are known throughout the world, but very minor information is provided to cultivators who are at the lower levels. The information I am about to give you is not only extremely important but also, it will decide whether or not you can ovee the simplest obstacle which hinders every cultivator in the path of cultivation. It is called your own mind.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°Thest three stages are called Dominator, Half-saint and saint.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°Do you know at what realm the original creator of the Thunder Academy was at?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°Since it is ruled by Monarchs, I guess that the founder must be a dominator,¡± Leon said.

    ¡°The founder of this academy was a peak Half-saint, and might have even reached the saint level since all the records about him have been lost to time.¡±

    ¡°Master at what level are you at?¡± Leon asked.

    ¡°I am an advanced Qi Monarch.¡± The old man said. He expected Li Meng to have a surprised expression, but all he got was a nod. He understood that his cultivation was truly nothing inparison to the founder.

    ¡°Do you know the name of the strongest cultivator who appeared within the academy after the founder?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°No, master. Is it someone famous?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°He is not only famous but also rted to you. You have be one of his inheritors.¡± The old man said.

    Points began to join in Li Meng¡¯s mind, and he seemed to have a rough idea about the person whom the old man was talking about.

    ¡°He was called the Mad-Thunder King. He was the only dominator to have appeared after the first-generation founding disciples of the Thunder academy. Thest known record about the Mad-Thunder king states that he had already reached the peak of the Qi Dominator level. He might even have be the second Qi half-saint after the founder himself.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s keep this discussion going for the future. The real reason behind this meeting is the Royal Road. What ideas do you have about it?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°I know that it is apetition which provides opportunities for a Qi Emperor to advance into a Qi Monarch.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Well, it is the general knowledge about thepetition. The real truth is that the wholepetition is being held on an ancient battlefield. The history would be exined to you just before thepetition, but the rough idea is that it is a graveyard where many Qi Monarchs and higher-level cultivators have died. Every participant gets a lot of opportunities to obtain inheritances, resources and even natural treasures.¡±

    ¡°You could get weapons, arts and even mysteries which are so profound that your cultivation speed will increase ten-fold.¡± The old man said. ¡°The truth about the domain is unknown to even me, and I don¡¯t understand how it operates. Yet it is a huge opportunity for Emperor level cultivator, and only those blow Qi Monarch can enter.¡±

    ¡°Has the master experienced the horrors of this battlefield?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°I have. That is the reason why I want my students to excel in thepetition. You need to win thepetition to get your hands on the ultimate prize.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°What is the ultimate prize?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°It changes every year. Yet I can tell you that every winner reaches the Qi monarch level within months of exiting thepetition. Some even reached the Qi Monarch level within the battlefield. The highest known record is held by an ancient figure who is famous throughout the central ins. He is known as the White-Dragon Emperor.¡±

    Li Meng was shocked by the words. A memory of the past came alive in his brain. The figure of the ck-Dragon emperor came alive in his memory, as he handed down his inheritance and the ck-Dragon sword. The emotion was so strong that even the ck-Dragon sword began to vibrate violently.

    ¡°Who is the White Dragon Emperor?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°The White-Dragon Emperor is a legendary figure who emerged as the champion of one of the Royal Roadpetitions. His record is still alive within the achievement rocks. He managed to reach level 3 Qi Monarch within thepetition itself.¡±

    ¡°Is he still alive?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Who can kill such a powerful figure?¡± The old man said. ¡°He is the sect master of one of the strongest forces within the central ins: ¡®The twin Dragon sanctum.''¡±

    ¡°What is his cultivation realm as of now?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°He is a Qi Dominator now. He is also known as one of the strongest patriarchs within the central ins.¡± The old man said.

    Li Meng¡¯s mentality instantly went through a whirlwind. His enemy was a Qi Dominator and one of the strongest within the entire central ins. He remembered his vow with the ck-Dragon monarch. He thought that the White-Dragon Emperor would be a Qi Monarch. Yet Qi Dominator was way beyond his expectations. His future was already marked with a fight against a Qi Dominator.

    ¡°He is one of the strongest contenders to have ever attempted Royal Road. He is said to have received the inheritance of an ancient dragon lineage. That inheritance was powerful enough to raise his cultivation level from an ordinary Qi Emperor to a powerful Qi Monarch. That is the reason it is sought after by a lot of cultivators.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°Yet, there is a rumour that there are even powerful lineages within the battlefield. I think that your three are talented enough to achieve great things within thepetition. The contestants who are appearing as the direct representatives of the academy include you three, Huangfu Hongue, and Thunder Child.¡±

    ¡°Thispetition is not only the hallmark of a powerful cultivator but also a test to choose the next inheritor of the academy.¡± The old man said.

    ¡°We will try our best to live up to your expectations master.¡± Li Meng said. He bowed to the old man.

    ¡°Now for your reward, I want to give you this.¡± The old man took out a sword and kept it in front of Li Meng.

    The sword radiated an ethereal feeling from its body. Li Meng could feel something within his body resonating with the sword. Even the ck-Dragon sword seems to be giving out some hidden message to Li Meng.

    ¡°What is this master?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°This is something which I obtained from the time I was in the Royal Road. Just like the White Dragon Emperor, this belonged to the inheritance of an ancient Dragonblood family. I couldn¡¯t use it due to my inability, and neither can your senior brothers.¡±

    ¡°Their art doesn¡¯t resonate with this sword. For the first time since I found it, it showed a response to the art you used. It leads me to think that you are the fated one.

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 Chapter 381

    381 MASTER¡¯S GIFT-When Li Meng picked the sword up he was shocked to feel the reverberation urring from his body and the ck-dragon sword. A low humming sound of a dragon roaring could be heard from within it. Li Meng tried his best to unsheathe the sword, but even after applying all his strength, he couldn¡¯t open it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t overexert yourself like this. This sword is not a simple one. I have waited from the time I was a Qi Emperor to the time I became an advanced Qi Monarch, and I still couldn¡¯t unsheath it. If it was that easy, I wouldn¡¯t have gifted it to you.¡±

    ¡°Why did you give this to me master?¡± Li Meng could feel the power without the Keeper even scanning it.

    ¡°As I said, this sword can only be wielded by someonepatible with it. You require a lot of luck and fortune to be able to use this weapon. No one alive has known the secret of this sword except the four of us. Do you know the amount of blood which had been shed for this sword to be in my hand?¡±

    ¡°Do you know what cultivation I was at during my time in the Royal Road?¡± the old man asked.

    ¡°Master must be a power Qi Emperor.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Not just any kind of Qi Emperor. I was at the very peak of Qi Emperor level. My strength at that time was quite substantial within the Emperor realm. If you take into ount my strength, what do you think my rankings were?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°I would estimate you to be within the top 10.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°I was barely able to enter the top 50. I hope you understand what kind ofpetition is viable within the battlefield. Do you understand now? Although anyone below the Qi Monarch level can enter the battlefield, why do you think only emperors are allowed. It was because a Qi king is like a bug among the crowd. Even low-level emperors aren¡¯t able to achieve much and most of them die on the battlefield. Only intermediate, advanced, and peak level Emperors can achieve something and have a chance to stay alive.¡±

    .....

    ¡°Even within that group, the top 100 is made uppletely of peak level emperors. The winner is demons walking among cultivators. Every winner of the Royal Road is stated to have reached the Dominator realm at the very least, with many making into Half-saint level.¡±

    ¡°Are there so many peak Qi Kings within the central ins?¡±

    ¡°Well, before answering that question, I want you to understand what the true structure of power is within the central ins. The central ins have vast geography and hence there is a huge diversity within the ruling factions of the ins. If we are to discuss the major powers within the central ins, three are 3 pces, 5 pavilions, seven academies, and 9 sects.¡±

    Each of these 24 powers could be pointed at being a hegemon in its rights. If the overall strength is considered the three pces could be said to have the highest position, followed by the rest.¡±

    ¡°The three ces are namely Heavenly, Underworld, and Mortal pce. The Pavillions are namely Shengluo, Armoured Drake, White Deer, Star Luo, and Pill pavilions, also known as Pill Valley.¡±

    Li Meng¡¯s expression changed on knowing that pill valley was stronger than the Thunder Academy.¡±

    ¡°The academies include Thunder, Fire, Earth, Air, and Water along with Darkness and Light. Eachplements with a kind of elements or energy.¡±

    ¡°The sects include Frost-leaf, Volcanic, Sword-mountain, destorm, Netherworld, Undefeated, Poison-dawn, Fifth-mountain, and Malestorm sect.¡±

    ¡± For your information, there is at least a Dominator present within each one of the forces, including ours. You will know about the details once you step into the Qi Monarch realm. The White Dragon Emperor is the current sect-master of the Armoured-Drake pavilion which is also called the Twin Dragon Sanctum. I want you to understand how vast the central ins truly are.¡±

    ¡°Each of these forces will send their Qi Emperors topete within the Royal Road. Cultivators who are equivalent, if not better than you, will be participating in thepetition. Once you enter the battlefield, no one is your friend anymore.¡± The old man looked at all his disciples before returning to Li Meng. The implications of his words were quite clear.

    ¡°About your question, the number of peak QI Emperors is not thatrge within the central pains, yet the number at the end of the event is humongous. The reason behind it is the battlefield. It provides cultivators with the opportunity to rise rapidly through the path of cultivation. Almost everyone who makes out has raised their realms by three stages at least.¡±

    ¡°There are cultivation resources, natural treasures, inheritances left by hegemonic figures of the past. There are high-tier beasts and so many things like precious minerals, weapons, and much more. Records state that hundreds of thousands of monarchs have died on the battlefield. There were Dominators and Half-saints within the deceased too.¡±

    ¡°Your luck in finding those inheritances will y a vital role. This sword came from such an inheritance. I was the only one who returned from the trials among the 135 Qi Emperors who participated in thepetition. I had to kill around 3 to get my hands on this sword. You will have to do something along simr lines. So be prepared to do the same.¡±

    ¡°Now, we need to talk about the time you have remaining before thepetitions start. You have around half a year. So be prepared. You need to break through the Qi Emperor level as soon as possible. The speed within the Emperor level doesn¡¯t depend on resources, as much as it will depend on your understanding of a cultivation realm. You need to understand the behaviour ofws to advance into a higher grade.¡±

    ¡°Before your breakthrough, I want you to refine your body to the highest level possible. You can use one of our academy¡¯s guarded resources. It is only provided to the strongest Qi Kings within the academy. Thest time it opened was when Thunder-Child was preparing for his breakthrough.¡±

    ¡°What is that resource master?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°It is called Dark Thunder refiner. It is stored within a secret space in the academy, that can only be revealed to the best conte4nders at Qi King level just before they¡¯re about to break through. It is a device that was created by none other than Mad-Thunder King to refine one¡¯s body to the highest level possible. The Dark Thunder refiner contains something which is known as Dark Thunder. It has multiple properties, two of which will be the most helpful for you. It is called Destruction-creation fusion.¡±

    ¡°The Dark Thunder not only destroys impurities but also destroys your organs if you manage to sustain that long and reforges them to be stronger than before. There is a timer within the device that adjusts the strength of the thunder ording to the time that has passed outside. The highest record was held by your first brother, but it was recently broken by Thunder Child.¡±

    ¡± The dark-Thunder Refiner is connected to another resource which is even more precious than it. the problem is that it can only be essed by someone who has passed through the Dark Thunder Refiner. We will talk about this thing in detail once you manage to reach the peak level of Qi king.¡±

    ¡°Li Meng could easily break his record. He might even be able to live up to that rumour.¡± Ren Wang said.

    ¡°What rumor?¡± Li Meng asked.¡±

    ¡°There is a rumor that this Dark thunder refiner is the Mad-Thunder¡¯s king¡¯s weapon. He used it while he was a member of the Thunder Academy. It was one of hisst contributions to the academy before leaving it. Thest known cultivation of Mad-Thunder king, while he was within eth aacademy, was a powerful Qi Dominator.¡±

    ¡°It implies that the refiner might be a Dominator level weapon. A weapon that powerful is bound to have sentience. It chooses its own master. The rumor is that if a cultivator managed tost a required amount of time within the refiner, he will be recognized as its owner.¡± The old manpleted Ren Wang¡¯s speech.

    ¡°I guess I will give it a try then.¡± Li Meng was excited. How could he let go of a Dominator-level weapon?

    ¡± I thank master for trusting me with this sword. I will do my best to raise my cultivation level within the time left before thepetition begins. I will try my best to not disappoint you.¡± Li Meng bowed.

    ¡°Your senior brother will apany you to the refiner tomorrow.¡± The old man said while throwing a que at Li Meng.¡± Show it to the gatekeeper and he will let you in the refiner. I hope you can perform your within the given circumstances.¡±

    .........

    Li Meng returned to his residence. He had to n a lot about the uingpetition. Yet, he decided to talk with the Keeper about the sword.

    ¡®What do you think about the sword?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°It is so alluring that I hoped I could have devoured it. It would have helped me promote to the Dominator realm directly.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°It is so powerful.¡± Li meng was surprised.

    ¡°The sword you see in front of you is damaged. In its current state, it is at the peak of Monarch level, and it is continuously absorbing QI from the surrounding trying to recover energy. its weapon spirit is damaged. ¡±

    ¡°How powerful would it be with a weapon spirit?¡±

    ¡°At least at the Half-saint stage.¡± Li Meng was left bbergasted. He was holding a damaged Half-saint grade weapon. It might even be a saint-grade weapon. This was a big plus for him. He wanted to caress it and etch the feeling into his memory when a knock was heard on his front door.

    When Li Meng opened it, he found a male of good build standing in front of it. He was carrying two massive spears and a de on his back. His face could be defined as handsome with battle-scars filling his body. This guy was not only radiating a good amount of power, but he also gave Li Meng a sense of battle-hardened veteran.

    ¡°who might you be?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°I came here on behalf of Thunder Child to arrange a meeting with you. He would like to have a conversation with you, in a private space.¡±

    ¡± So Thunder-child¡¯s Qi Kingckeys are scared. Now he sent a Qi Emperor. Are you trying to intimidate me?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°I am here just to deliver a request. epting or not is on you.¡± The man turned around and left Li Meng¡¯s house.

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 Chapter 382

    382 MEETING THE THUNDER CHILD-¡± This is a new development. Your so-called Thunder Child requested to meet me. That is amusing.¡± Li Meng said to the man.

    ¡°If you choose to meet him, please follow me.¡± The man had an inherent arrogance in his movements,plemented with big-stature made the situation quite funny. The man didn¡¯t wait to hear Li meng¡¯s reply. He simply turned around and left the house. Li Meng decided to follow in.

    ¡± Are you going to such an obvious trap?¡± The keeper asked.

    ¡°Do you truly believe that the old man is not keeping an eye on me? He just gave me one of his most prized treasures. Do you think he would let me meet my death inside the academy?¡± Li Meng said. ¡± I also doubt that he has the guts to make a trial for my life inside the academy. If I have to guess, he is either calling to have a discussion about recruitment or to threaten me. Don¡¯t you think the situation will be extremely funny and we should go and see what he has nned for this meeting?¡±

    ¡± It is your call.¡± The keeper decided to give up.

    The duo soon arrived at what looked like a huge dwelling on top of one of the most prominent peaks within the academy. Li Meng could see how well regarded this Thunder-child truly is. They entered the gate and met a group of people standing there. As the people present saw the duo, their expression changed.

    Some had expressions of fear, some anger, some irritation, some surprise, while others had a mixed set of emotions all over their faces. The man directed Li Meng towards the inner gates, and Li Meng followed.

    They were about to enter when a man blocked Li Meng¡¯s path.

    ¡°So this is the famous Li Meng. I expected a somewhat powerful figure, yet this pale piece of shit is the local hotshot.¡± The man said.

    .....

    ¡°Meng Dao, you know that hees as a guest. The orders are to not hinder his path.¡± The man said.

    ¡°He needs to be qualified to be a guest in this ce. I am just trying to check his qualifications.¡± Meng Dao spoke.

    ..........................

    ¡°What level of cultivation is this vermin at?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Well, he is quite talented for someone in this region. He is a level 1 Qi Emperor who has connected with heavenlyw and possesses a natural Thunder body. I can¡¯t ce the exact type of the body but it should be a powerful one.¡±

    ¡°Any other specialties I should be aware of?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Not at all. That¡¯s all this guy has.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡± Then who gave him the permission to interfere in the path.¡± Li Meng sounded irritated.

    ......................

    ¡± Stop your activities. I am here to apany him. Move.¡± The man said.

    ¡± No need to be so agitated. I am sure he would love to disy his ability to gain further recognition among his peers. We are all fascinated by his true strength.¡± Meng Dao said. The man was about to take action when Li Meng¡¯s voice was heard.

    ¡°I expected a more dramatic wee, but all Thunder-child arranged was for his dog to bark at the door. I am so disappointed.¡± Li Meng¡¯s words were heard by everyone in the vicinity. They looked at Meng Dao with surprise. Meng Dao, on the other hand, had a rapid change of expression from fun to extreme anger.

    ¡°You bastard.¡± He rushed towards Li Meng while employing hisw body and powerful art. The man beside LI meng didn¡¯t interfere. Yet, Li Meng¡¯s expression remained the same.

    He simply raised his palm to catch the opponent¡¯s fist. All the momentum and energy being radiated by Meng Dao came to an immediate halt. Meng Dao¡¯s expression underwent a drastic change. His face was filled with confusion and shock. Li Meng has just casually raised his hands and caught his fist.

    ¡°Dog always need to remember their ce.¡± Li Meng raised his leg and kicked him with a special art called ¡°Earth Crushing foot.¡±. It was the first and only move rted to the lower portion of the body within the Dominator¡¯s art. Meng Dao¡¯s body flew until it crashed into the wall, and tore it down. The momentum didn¡¯t stop until his body continued to roll on the ground for a long minute.

    It eventually stopped and everyone got a good look at Meng Dao¡¯s figure. Hisw body waspletely caved in, and blood was flowing like a river from his mouth and eyes. He didn¡¯t even flinch afternding and it felt like he was unconscious. The man who stood beside Li Meng couldn¡¯t move due to the shock he had experienced in thest second.

    He managed to get a grip over reality when Li meng began to move towards Meng Dao¡¯s body.

    ¡°That is enough.¡± The man said.

    ¡± Do you believe that you can stop me if I truly wanted to kill the dog?¡± Li Meng asked in a mocking voice. The man¡¯s expression remained stoic. He was hell-bent on containing the situation. He didn¡¯t feel as confident as before, but his pride as a powerful Qi Emperor remained. He was confident in his strength to suppress Li Meng.

    ..............

    ¡°What is this clown¡¯s cultivation level?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°This one is much more talented than thest one. He has a thundering body that is extremely close to the king-grade.¡± The Keeper said. ¡± He has connected with one heavenlyw and three earthenws. He also seems to possess a powerful bloodline. Now that I see it, I felt a simr kind of power within thest one too.¡±

    ¡°Let us see what this one can do?¡± Li Meng was getting excited.

    ¡°He is a level-4 Qi Emperor.¡±

    ¡°I truly want to test the limits of Chaos Laws.¡± Li Meng said. ¡± What better way to test it than this guy?¡±

    ..................

    Li Meng was about to take action when another voice interfered in the situation.

    ¡± You live up to your name, brother Li Meng.¡± It was a young and gentle voice. When Li Meng turned around, he saw a handsome man standing in front of the door. He could feel the power being radiated by this man¡¯s body. Even Li Meng felt a bit intimidated by him. He felt a simr feeling when facing his two senior brothers.

    ¡°You must be Thunder Child. I was getting bored bymunicating with your dogs. It was finally time for the master to show up.¡± Li Meng didn¡¯t pull his punches on this one.

    ¡± I see that you have met my brothers Meng Dao and Meng Li.¡± Thunder Child says.

    ¡°Ohh, they are your brothers. The way you treat them is like one treating their dogs. Well, who am I to judge? Your brother/dog said that you wanted to have a private discussion with me.¡±

    ¡°Shall we talk inside?¡± Thunder Child asked. His voice and expression were verypletely stable. They were affected in the slightest after hearing Li Meng¡¯s words.

    ¡°Quite an interesting opponent we have here.¡± Li Meng¡¯s interest was intrigued as he walked into Thunder Child¡¯s room.

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 Chapter 383

    383 MEETING THE THUNDER CHILD-¡°We have a very interesting opponent here. He didn¡¯t even flinch when I berated him in front of his entire group. This kind of restraint is rare in people, and it scares me. If he can restrain his thoughts to this level, his patience ismendable. That is a virtue which scares me the most.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t judge someone from the get-go. What if he is a good person at heart?¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°There are no eternal friendships in this world, only eternal profit. Do you know what this means? It means there is no real good guy in the world. The only difference in the character of the two people is what profits motivate their actions. In this case, I am pretty sure the guy will show his cards soon enough.¡±

    ¡°What if he can restrain himself even further?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°Patience is the virtue of three kinds of people. The wise, the sinister, and the wimps. It would be fun if he is one of the first two categories. If the third persist in this case, I will eliminate this scourge even if it enlists the rage of his master and n and I have to go into hiding.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°What do you think about this guy?¡± Li Meng asked the Keeper to give an initial impression of his opponent.

    ¡°The boy carries a defensive treasure of monarch grade. I think you understand the significance of his background.¡± The keeper said. Even Li Meng didn¡¯t have many Monarch-level artifacts with him. ¡°The artifact is capable enough of masking a lot of things about him.¡±

    ¡°So you need a physical connection with him to verify?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡± That would be the best means to identify.¡± The Keeper said.

    .....

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the artifact notice it? All artifacts above the monarch grade have some sort of consciousness in them.¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Although I am currently at the peak of Monarch grade, the actual level of this artifact is not something you could imagine as of now. I go on to say that the consciousness of this artifact greatly surpasses a monarch-grade artifact. It is one of the reasons why you are still able to converse with me even after being in the presence of Qi Monarchs. They are not qualified enough to even sense our presence when we are static.¡±

    ¡°Good. Because I think we will eventually make quite some contact in this conversation.¡±

    .............

    ¡± What resulted in me gaining the attention of the mighty Thunder Child?¡± Li Meng asked in a sarcastic tone.

    ¡°No need to be on guard. We are still within the limits of the institute and hence I am incapable of doing anything for you, if I wanted to that is. This is just a courteous meeting between two genius students of the same academy. I would like to converse with my future opponent. It helps me pry into their ability. I hope you don¡¯t mind having a small talk with your senior brother.¡±

    ¡°I have to say, I am impressed with your attitude towards me. There isn¡¯t a single shred of hostilitying out of you that I can detect. That is quite an aplishment.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Why would I be hostile towards someone whom I have met for the first time?¡± Thunder child said.

    ¡°Well, we all have our reasons and abilities. Yours is an unnatural ability to mask your true nature. It will be fun to confront an enemy who could almost match my level of intelligence and restrain.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡± I suppose the initial conversations led this whole meeting into disarray. I hope we can restart from the beginning. I am Meng Shi.¡± Thunder child lifted arms to hand over a small ss of wine to LI Meng.

    ¡°I am Li Meng.¡± Li Meng followed his suit to carefully grab the ss while touching his hands and allowing the Keeper to scan the target. Meng Shi felt something different about the situation but decided to ignore his paranoia.

    .............

    ¡± The boy is quite perceptive. he could sense something different about the situation. You need to be careful around him.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°I assume you have some results for me.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°I do have something for you. The boy is extremely talented. I have to say that he is one of the best candidates I havee across since your little sister a while back. You would be impressed to know that he had managed to connect with Three heavenlyws.¡±

    ¡°So the news about him was fake.¡±

    ¡°Being able to deceive so many eyes is quite a feat. The Three Heavenlyws also seem to be quite versatile. His first heavenlyw was thunder. The second one is Gold-barbarianw, a body type. Thest one is something I didn¡¯t expect to see. It is thew of life. It is a very powerfulpoundw, and even better than Yin-yang.¡±

    ¡°Hisw body is refined with extremely powerful treasures of all attributes, and he seems to be involved in body cultivation too. He has managed to open up all his meridians and is currently in the acupoint stage. He has alsoe across some sort of powerful inheritance. There is immense power locked within his body. The lock is quite deceptive, and one might think it is some kind of faulty leeching formation, but it seems to be slowly providing his body with energy.¡±

    ¡°If it ispletely absorbed, he should be able to promote himself to the intermediate stages of Qi Monarch.¡±

    ¡°His body is above King grade and is constantly being tempered by the hidden power. It seems they are of the same bloodline. His bloodline is also being refined by energy and is way stronger than the other two.¡±

    ¡°What is his cultivation level?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Advanced stage Qi Emperor. He might be able to reach the 8th level before the Royal Roadpetition.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°That is concerning. I guess I will have to tread lightly until I am officially a Qi Emperor.¡± Li Meng decided to be cautious.

    .......................

    ¡± I have invited my brother to ask for your assistance.¡± Meng Shi spoke.

    ¡°Why would someone as powerful as you require my assistance?¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°I know of your mystery and have managed to dig up some information about your background. I know about Jiao country and your martial brothers. I am also aware of their potential and their current locations. I would like to be friends with someone of your means. To have six geniuses like you, the force you originated from must be a powerful one.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want us to be enemies. I would like your cooperation in making me the next headmaster of this institute.¡± Thunder child spoke.

    ¡°You spoke with such confidence as if my senior brothers are not even worthy to be yourpetitions.¡±

    ¡°And I am correct. The only one I am worried about is you. You are someone with incredible talent who wouldn¡¯t be bound by Thunder Academy in the future. Why not give the academy to me.¡± Meng Shi¡¯sw words made Li meng smile.

    ¡°What is in it for me?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°A future where you would be alive.¡± Meng Shi spoke in a m tone.¡± And a portion of treasure from the academy in case you can live up to your talents.¡±

    ¡°Your ability to transition from smooth talk to threats is quitemendable. I expect you have learned from someone capable. Also, I am not the opponent you should be worried about. Worry about my older brothers for now.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Does that mean you are out of my way?¡± Meng Shi said.

    ¡°It means I am not interested in you anymore. As long as you don¡¯t stand in my path, I won¡¯t hinder yours. ¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡± What if our paths coincide in the future?¡± Meng Shi asked.

    ¡°We will see at that point if your power can live up to your confidence.¡± Li Meng Drained the entire cup in one gulp and got up to leave. To his surprise though, Meng Shi didn¡¯t stop him.

    Li Meng returned to his mansion.

    ................

    ¡°What is your impression of him?¡± A voice asked Meng Shi.

    ¡°He is quite a dangerous character. He is sure to be a threat on our side in the future.¡± Meng Shi said.

    ¡°Why did we let him go?¡± The voice said.

    ¡°This is within the limits of Thunder Academy. His master is far more powerful than mine, and he was watching the entire conversation between us. Not to mention there is an even stronger entity resting within these borders. How exactly do you expect to kill him?¡± Meng Shi asked.

    ¡°Well, we have to do something. We can¡¯t let this boy hinder our future ns. You do know what is expected of you right?¡± The voice said.

    ¡°I have already done it. We just need to wait for the right time.¡± Meng Shi said with a sinister smile. he had yed his card well. It was only a matter of time before the results would show themselves.

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 Chapter 384

    384 PLANS OF RETURN

    ¡°Well, our friend back there is quite insidious isn¡¯t he.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°He is. He even went as far as to mix a very deadly yet undetectable poison into your body.¡± The Keeper said. ¡°I almost didn¡¯t detect it but fortunately, the artifact is directly merged into your body. It is not possible to pass something in without it being detected by it. Even then, it is extremely rare. If we didn¡¯t possess a book of thousands of poisons, and you didn¡¯t have the hundred poison body, it would be extremely hard to detect.¡±

    ¡°Could I use this in my poison training?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°You should be able to. If I am not wrong, you might even be able to upgrade your poison body to the next level. Do you want to do it?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°Why not? It is rare to find such a poison. It is tailor-made to be used in my training. I am confident enough to upgrade my poison body to Thousand poison body arts with its help. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°You should start then.¡±

    ¡°Bring out all the poison we have managed to harvest until today and prepare a medicine pool.¡± The Keeper performed the process exactly as Li Meng wished. The medicine pool wasposed of king-level herbs with some emperor-level herbs mixed in to improve vitality and the poison herbs were concentrated into powerful potions.

    Training in the thousands of poison arts was extremely difficult. It was one of the rare arts in which Li Meng saw little progress. He had extensively researched many poison records in the Pill hall and Pill valley to finally understand the entire procedure defined within the arts. Only after he managed topletely decrypt it and formte a proper way of training, did Li Meng begin to gather as many poisonous herbs as he could. He even bought poison pills, decrypted the recipe, and formted his version, making them way more powerful.

    ¡°How much volume would be required?¡± Li Meng asked.

    .....

    ¡°If I am not wrong, the way to train the thousand poison body is by coagting your body¡¯s poisonous nature into a Qi center that will hold a new kind of energy. It is termed as life-poison power. It is simr to the various types of Qi you practice, but its source is poison. When you obtained Hundred-posion body, you were able to utilize poison as a nutrient for your body.¡±

    ¡°Once you gain the thousand poison body, all the poison you ingest will be turned into life-poison power. Meng Shi has unknowingly given you an extremely valuable gift. The poison is so potent that it qualifies to be the catalyst for the creation of thousands of poison bodies.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°We will be sure to thank him by taking his life and making it so painful that death will seem like a sweet dream.¡±

    ¡°The force behind him is not to be scoffed at.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. I am quite a patient man. Why would I attack someone unless it is the optimum set-up?¡±

    ¡± You will attack in the Royal Road.¡±

    ¡°Well, he deserves a bit more time in the world as a gift for providing me with this incredible gift.¡±

    Li Meng sat down and began ingesting poison pills and potions. The poison began to affect his vitality. His hundred poison body along with the medical pool began to revitalize him. The two forces began to sh, and a small ball of energy began to coagte.

    ¡°Concentrate on that energy. It will be the future container for the life-poison energy.¡± The Keeper notified.

    Li Meng did as he was advised and began to divert more and more energy into the coagted ball. The process continued just like the one where he opened up his upoints. It slowly began to solidify, until it was able to absorb energy automatically. The more poison Li Meng ingested, the more energy was being siphoned into the ball.

    1 dayter-

    Li Meng sat in the middle of his room. He was stimting the newly acquired life-poison energy from the ball. A thin barrier of greenish energy covered his entire body and danced on top of it. Leon decided to give it a try. He touches a nearby nt without even using any kind of attacking art. The nt was reduced to nothingness just by its touch.

    ¡°How does the thousand-poison body and life-poison energy feel?¡± The Keeper asked

    ¡°Extremely powerful and sinister at the same time. I never expected it to be so powerful. For an unorthodox art, it is something that can rival Qi Emperor given we have enough poison at our hand. I just added an extremely powerful weapon to my arsenal.¡± Li Meng was quite impressed after experiencing its effect.

    ¡°What do you have in mind for the next venture?¡± The keeper asked.

    ¡± I need to go to hell to formte thews of the hell world.¡±

    ¡°Could you send a single avatar or more?¡± The Keeper asked.¡±

    ¡°One would suffice. It would be best if we could meet with the man from the Void-walker n again. I need to learn so much from him.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°That guy was not a minor entity. I could even grasp the limit of his power, yet all I could say is that he far surpasses the limits of this world. Don¡¯t take him lightly boy. Some things are far out of your reach even in this world. The world beyond this one is so vast, your mind wouldn¡¯t be able toprehend it.¡± The Keeper warned.

    ¡°That man gave me the Void-world tome for a reason. I am guessing that he took some interest in my ability. I would like to test my luck once again. Also, the main objective of the visit is not him. It is to go to hell and formtews from there.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Exactly, and he also said that you need to train in the first section before you could return. As far as I know, you are still not capable enough to qualify.¡±

    ¡°So you suggest I don¡¯t even try.¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°I think it is a waste of time. You should concentrate on training first. You could ess hell world with the help of the Hell-forge sutra. Use it to ess hell and formte itsws.¡±

    .......

    ¡°You want to take a break before trying to refine your body.¡± The old man said in a skeptical voice. Li meng notified him that he had to undergo minor seclusive cultivation before he could start refining his body.

    ¡°Yes. There are avenues I have to pursue before refining myw body.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Is that important?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°It is.¡± Li Meng tried to avoid exining.

    ¡± Does it rte to body cultivation?¡± The old man asked. Leon¡¯s expression changed. He never expected the old man to ask him this question. The Keeper was right. The old man was also a body cultivator.

    ¡°Guess I hit the mark.¡± The old man said while chuckling. Little did he know that the one chuckling here was Li Meng. He didn¡¯t think fate wouldnd a tailor-made exnation in hisp.

    ¡°It does, master.¡± Li Meng replied.

    ¡°Go on. But you will break through the Qi Emperor realm before the Royal road. I would like for you to even promote your cultivation by one or more levels. If you don¡¯t exit at the proper time I will forcefully kick you out.¡± The old man warned.

    ¡®I wille back right on time master.¡± Li Meng left the old man¡¯s abode and went into seclusion within his house

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 Chapter 385

    385 PRACTICING IN THE HELL-PLANE

    Li Meng returned to his house and began preparing for the process of using Hell-forge sutra to connect with hell.

    ¡°How difficult is the whole process?¡± Li Meng asked the Keeper.

    ¡°The whole formation is extremely easy to configure. You have done it before. We just need to add some more sub-formation to make it more stable. I need to remind you that the burden of practicing in a hell-ne is not small. Fortunately, you have managed to acquire the Extreme-Yin body. Even though it is just a novel type with a lot of potentials to grow, you possess one of the strongest possible bodies within hell.¡±

    ¡°I would like for you to remain cautious within the ne. Extreme Yin is quite lucrative for any cultivator in there and they will try to hunt you. You need to practice while hiding your location.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I just kill them?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Well, you can if they are within the power limit. What if someone of peak Qi Emperor level, or Qi Monarch rushes in? The artifact is still absorbing the Extreme Yin tree and the altar. I could provide you with quite a bit of protection if I had assimted both of thempletely. But it is going to take so much time, that even the Royal Road might end within that period.¡±

    ¡°hence, the limit until which you can protect is a level 1 Qi monarch. Anything beyond that will kill you.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°I guess, I need to send multiple avatars in there. If we are to return within 2 months, I will have to cultivate at the highest speed possible.¡±

    ¡°How many avatars are you thinking about?¡± The Keeper asked.

    .....

    ¡°Send in three. The rest will be practicing the World-Energy scripture and try their best to reach the 1st level before the Royal Road.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Fine.¡± The Keeper began the preparation. Li Meng and his avatars indulged within their training.

    In the training hall-

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell him the truth?¡± The Training-hall master asked.

    ¡°What truth would that be?¡± the Keeper asked.

    ¡°The truth about the current grade of the Crimson-lord artifact. It has already reached the level of a dominator artifact and given the speed of assimtion, you willpletely devour the remaining energy of the Extreme-yin tree by the time the Royal road bes. A safe assumption is that the artifact would have recovered to the Half-saint level by then.¡± The Training-hall master said.

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t need to know. Did you forget the promise we made to that man? We can¡¯t directly help him. The benefits he is receiving from the artifact are already too much. We were instructed to let him grow at his own pace and live his own life. He didn¡¯t want us to interfere and manipte his path. What do you think will happen when he knows about the current level of the artifact? Do you think he will continue to work and train like he is now?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°The promise was made to thest master. Our current master is that boy, and we have pledged loyalty to him. I hope you understand the consequences of your actions.¡±

    ¡°I do understand the consequences. I will take the burden of his rage when he finds out in the future, but you are not to divulge it. The only ones who are allowed to divulge are the artifact itself and me. Another reason is the phenomena that will ur once I use my full power in this world. Did you forget that even artifacts have to go through tribtions if they want to raise their levels? Monarch level was fine, but since the artifact has already reached the Dominator level, the tribtion will arrive as soon as we use its power.¡±

    ¡°Do you think he would be able to face it with his current strength?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°No. How strong would he have to be if he wants to face the tribtions?¡± The training-hall master asked.

    ¡°He would need to be an advanced Qi Emperor at the very least. It would be better if he could be a Qi Monarch. If it were any other normal cultivator, they would require a Qi Dominator level cultivation base to assimte the tribtion. He, on the other hand, should be able to do it within the Qi Emperor level.¡±

    ¡°Fine. I hope you will not follow your non-interference rule when the boy is attacked.¡± The training-hall master said.

    ¡°Of course not. The current state of the artifact is due to the young master¡¯s achievements. He owns the artifact and it would be happy to perform its duties. But strength is something he would have to earn on his own.¡±

    ........

    Hourster-

    The connective formation to hell was ready and Li Meng could jump in at any moment. Li Meng and two other avatars prepared themselves, before rushing into the formation. The Keeper activated it with the help of the spelling mentioned with the sutra itself. As expected, the formation managed to open up a direct passageway into hell.

    When Li Meng experienced the energy, he could feel how powerful it was.

    ¡°This somehow feels different from the hell energy we have experienced in the world-border.¡±

    ¡± Do you remember the talk between the Extreme-yin tree, the altar, and the evil soul? There are various words in this universe. Your Qi continent is one of the worlds, and there are many worlds beyond it. Naturally, the world differs from each other in terms of strength and quality of energy. You could say that the hell world that bordered with your world was kind of a lower-grade hell.¡±

    ¡°The one you havee into on the other hand is higher-graded. I can¡¯t exactly ess all my knowledge and hence couldn¡¯t tell you which hell we are in, but we will know for sure in future.¡± The Keeper said.

    Leon¡¯s body was automatically absorbing the power within hell and the hell-forge sutra was working on its own.

    ¡°Since we have two months here, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to start from the beginning. I will start by performing hell-forging sutra and Bone-reforging first. It has been a long time since my avatars have done it. We will also switch avatars one by one as they are done performing hell-forge art within here. We will then move on to the weapon tempering art and reforge the life weapons with the power of this hell.¡±

    ¡°After the two processes areplete, I will start the establishment process of the hellws.¡±

    ¡°What should I do then?¡± The Keeper asked. He thought Li Meng would be asking for his help.

    ¡°You just concentrate on absorbing and assimting the energy within this ne and search for some natural resources if possible. The main body is busy training and perfecting the Dominator art. He doesn¡¯t need toe here. We will prepare an adequate tform for him and he would also be thest one to establishw and be a Qi King.¡±

    ¡°As you wish.¡± They came out of Li Meng¡¯s body and buried themselves within the hell-ne. It began to absorb the energy and scan the area around it. Li Meng, on the other hand, found a small cave that was covert and hidden from in sight and began the painful process of reforging his bones with the hell-forge sutra.

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 Chapter 386

    386 PRACTICING IN THE HELL-PLANE-The energy of hell was quite potent. Even after establishing Chaosws, Li Meng couldn¡¯t ignore the quality of energy within this world. His world didn¡¯t evene close to this world in terms of energy quality or density. It was one of the reasons, Li Meng decided to practice Hell-forge art here. He was confident about being able toplete the entire process for Qi king level within the period.

    The confidence arose from two things. One was the energy quality as mentioned above, and the second one was his newly acquired Extrem-Yin body. When Li Meng inspected his body after he absorbed the Extreme-Yin seed( the keeper¡¯s words), he found a small seed-like structure within his body. While the other avatars only got the properties and the natural-body types, Li Meng¡¯s had a seed inside.

    ¡°What is this seed-like thing?¡± Li Meng once asked the Keeper about it.

    ¡± It is the extreme-yin seed. It is a novel seed that was made out of the concentrated life-essence of the dead Extreme-Yin tree. When Ibine your body with its remaining energy, it bound itself with your body and has be a part of yourself. It is a natural treasure that is envied by many cultivators within the world.¡±

    ¡± What benefits would I receive from nurturing it?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°It will nurture you back. The Extreme-Yin tree will nurture your Extreme Yin physique. It could be said that the two of them have mergedpletely. It means that every time the tree grows, so will your extreme body and vice-versa. I hope you understand the significance of something like that. We are talking about one of the strongest natural bodies in the world.¡±

    ¡°It will also provide you with vitality. You will understand its effects in the future. There are many more auxiliary benefits. You might also get a chance to acquire incredible treasures such as the fruit of Extreme-Yin. I will tell you about the specialties once you acquire them.¡±

    ¡± Another benefit would be the boost you will acquire every time you use a power rted to Extreme-yin, be it training, attack or defense.¡± The Keeper said.

    .......................

    .....

    Within the hell-ne, both Li Meng¡¯s body and the seed itself were absorbing massive amounts of energy. Li Meng and his avatars proceed to start bone-reforging once enough energy has umted within the body. The painful process began. Li Meng¡¯s bones were crushed and reforged. When Li Meng tried to observe the whole process, he was met with a huge surprise.

    Every time he conducts the reforging, the Extreme-Yin seed seems to send some of its energy to the bones along with the hell energy. The whole process was quite miraculous. The seed was absorbing energy from both external and internal sources and was sending a kind of powerful energy of its own while the bones were being reforged.

    Li Mengwasn¡¯t certain about his observation, but as the process continued and he reached around the 20th reforge, he finally got a view of a different kind of rune from the originals he acquired with Hell-forge sutra. These runes were emitting the same energy as the seed within his body.

    ¡± I will have the Keeper look at them to determine what they are.¡± Li Meng said to himself.

    He continued the process. Around the 50th forge, the runes seem to be growing in numbers, and the seed seemed different from before. A small outgrowth from its body was seen.

    ¡°Is it going to sprout?¡± Li Meng thought.

    ¡°It is.¡± The Keeper¡¯s voice sounded in Li Meng¡¯s mind.

    ¡°I thought you were busy absorbing the energy and scanning for natural resources.¡±

    ¡°The artifact is doing that while simultaneously keeping an eye on your condition. You seem to have discovered something.¡± The Keeper said.

    Li Meng told him his observations.

    ¡°It seems that it is growing up. Soon enough the first sprout will emerge out of its body. It is a nt at the end of the day. What you are seeing is the growth of a powerful nt inside your body. As I said, your energy is nurturing it.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°What about the runes?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Since you are nurturing it, it is nurturing you back. Those runes are something indigenous to the Extreme-Yin tree. They are helping you absorb energy from hell at a faster rate. You should be thankful for it. Your training speed in all arts from Hell-Forge sutra will receive a boost. You should concentrate on cultivating your arts.¡±

    Li Meng returned to his training.

    ..........................

    Somewhere within the hell-ne-

    In a majestic pce, a hidden chamber was present. Within the chamber, the energy of hell was so thick that it hindered the vision of anyone entering it. If someone like Li Meng was present here, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to sustain the energy of this ce. Most of the cultivators would face the same results. Yet a figure was sitting in the middle of the chamber.

    He seems to be absorbing the energy and releasing it back to the environment. It looked like some kind of training. The eyes of the figure were close, yet they seemed to flinch as if they just sensed something.

    ¡°Extreme-Yin treasure. I guess another treasure will soon appear within the ne. It would be a good thing if it were an Extreme-Yin tree. The descendants will benefit a lot from it.¡± The figure¡¯s eyes looked around. ¡± I could feel another energy signature, but I could seem to remember why it seems so familiar.¡±

    ¡± Let us leave it. I need to concentrate on training to reach the next level. The juniors should be able to take care of the situation. I hope another suzerain level character can be born.¡± The figure closed its eyes and began to train once again.

    ..........................

    15 dayster-

    Li Meng was shocked when he inspected his body. All three of the avatars had managed toplete the bone-forging process. They can proceed to the next step and start weapon-tempering. The surprise came in the form of the Extreme-yin seed. It had managed to sprout and a small root had grown out of it.

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 Chapter 387

    387 PRACTICING IN THE HELL-PLANE-The second process was a bit difficult. Weapon Tempering was an art Li Meng had not done for a very long time because the energy he managed to summon back in the Qi continent wasn¡¯t enough to temper then anymore.

    When his body finally came into contact with the energy of the hell-ne, even his acupoints started absorbing energy.

    ¡± Hell energy is coagting within the acupoints. that is a discovery. Any assumptions on why this is happening?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°If I have to deduct something from the current situation I would say that it is because of the abundance and quality of hell-energy of the ne. When you came into contact with the energy here, your acupoints began to absorb it. Their thirst for energy may have started the process.¡± The Keeper replied.

    ¡± What are your suggestions then?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Well, you have already opened up all the acupoints within your body, you wouldn¡¯t be able to replenish energy from within the body. But you can use the energy to once again upgrade the life weapons that were created within the acupoints.¡±

    The energy began to rapidly seep into Li Meng¡¯s body. he then routed huge amounts of it into the acupoints and then began to use the ¡®Weapon-Tempering art¡¯. The energy began to coagte first and surround the weapons.

    Once the weapons were surrounded with energy, the art began to slowly break down the life weapons. Each crack within the weapon resulted in immense pain for Li Meng. Veins were appearing.

    He managed to hold on as the breakdown of the first weapon took ce. The weapon was slowly being broken down, and the energy of hell was being mixed up. the process continued until coagtion of energy remained within the acupoint.

    .....

    ¡°It is time to move on to the next phase.¡± Li Meng said to himself.

    The energy began to slowly solidify. the first thing that materialized was an outline of the weapon, and after that, the energy began to flow in, and slowly the materialization took ce. After a brief period, the weapon was finally formed, forged out of the energy of hell.

    When the life weapon was reconnected with Li Meng¡¯s body, a powerful feeling flowed through it.

    ¡°This is way too powerful whenpared to its predecessor.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡± It is supposed to be. I hope you remember that the energy of this hell is way higher in quality than what is present within the Qi continent. The feeling you are experiencing now is because of the energy quality.¡±

    ¡°You are going to get an even stronger feeling as you proceed with the process. But the difficulty tempering the weapon is going to increase as more and more weapons are reformers.¡± Li Meng returned to the ¡®Weapon Tempering¡¯ process.

    Dayster-

    Li Meng underestimated the whole procedure. he thought he would be able to formte the whole thing pretty quickly, but the process was extremely difficult for him to execute. When the tenth weapon was formted, the amount of energy required to formte a weapon increased substantially.

    ¡°It feels exactly like when I was trying to cultivate my body.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡± That is because it is.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°Are you saying that I might experience another metamorphosis after I temper all the weapons?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡± It sure feels like that.¡± The Keeper said.

    As predicted by the Keeper, as soon as Li Meng tempered all the life weapons within his acupoints, a process of metamorphosis began. At this time, however, Li Meng was not forced into an unconscious state.

    A lot of energy was rushing into his body, as the break-down process started. One by one his bones broke down and so did his tendons and ligaments. They were the first to be reformed. After the bone reforming took ce, the next stage was blood vessels and muscle.

    The energy required increased with each subsequent stage, but the energy within hell was extremely dense. Li Meng¡¯s metamorphosis didn¡¯t thin down the energy a bit, but there was an adequate amount present around.

    After the vessels and muscles were formally reformed, the next stage was Li Meng¡¯s organs. It required a good amount of energy, but it was subsequently faster. When the process ended, Li meng¡¯s skin began to get reformed.

    The whole process was extremely painful, but Li Meng was no novice when it came to suffering. He knew that the output after the process was over would be incredible. As expected, Li Meng¡¯s height increased slightly and he felt quite a good amount of power flowing through his body.

    ¡°That was one hell of a procedure. The metamorphosis doesn¡¯t let my expectations down. I feel that my strength has almost doubled, with my affinity for Hell-energy and the ne itself increasing.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°That is to be expected. Can you tell what is the status of the Yin-seed within your body?¡±¡® The Keeper asked.

    ¡± It seems to have grown two other roots and a novel stem.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡± As expected, it is growing with you. The metamorphosis must have aided in its growth. Your ¡®Extreme-Yin Body¡¯ is increasing in power.¡± The Keepermented. Somehow it felt like his voice wasn¡¯t exactly positive.

    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing, right.¡±

    ¡°I told you about the Extreme-yang treasure. We need to increase the intensity of the dosage of yan-type herbs into your body. We need to speed up the search for it. We also need to get out of here as soon as possible, as the hell-energy in here is aiding the Yin-seed¡¯s growth.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡± I guess I will have to jump into formting thews faster.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Not right now. Since the metamorphosis has taken ce, your affinity with the world, its energy, and itsws has increased. Thew formtion would be easy. What we need to concentrate on now is a treasure which I find within this world while absorbing and scanning the surrounding energy.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡®if I am not wrong, there is a Hell-water spring flowing somewhere below the ground and there should be an entrance to it somewhere here.¡±

    ¡°Is that spring really necessary?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°How does a resource that can not only help in increasing the quality and quantity of yin-energy within the artifact but also facilitate the growth of Yin-type nts, and aid your cultivation in the Qi Emperor realm so that you don¡¯t have toe back to hell anytime soon sounds?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡± Incredible. Let us grab it and escape from hell.¡±

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 Chapter 388

    388 PRACTICING IN THE HELL PLANE-¡°Are you sure that a single spring would be enough for all my needs within the Qi Emperor realm?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°It is called the Hell-water spring, or the Netherworld spring. If I had to exin its properties in simpler words, I would say that it is like a spring that contains condensed Hell-energy. I hope you understand its significance now.¡±

    ¡°You are saying that it will help me cater to my Hell-Energy requirements. I understand that condensed forms of energy are precious, but my requirements increase exponentially with every level.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°I have estimated your requirements by taking into ount the general rate of increase you experience when you try to improve a level. I then doubled the estimate, and this spring contains more water than that.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°So tell me, does it qualify as a good resource?¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡± If that is the case, we need to get our hands on it. Is there a reason why you didn¡¯t absorb it directly?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Well, it is being guarded by enemies. I hate to say this, but I can¡¯t show my presence within this world. The powers present within this ne would sense it.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°Are you asking me to start a war by myself?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Well, you can act as if you are a spawn of hell. You have the Hell-Forge sutra for God¡¯s sake. You are more than qualified to be a hell-spawn. if you predominantly use your hell-energy, they won¡¯t be able to detect it.¡± The Keeper said.

    .....

    ¡°Where is this ce?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Well, I would say that it is a training ground of some kind. I saw a lot of king-level cultivators, hell-kings to be exact. There were even some emperor-level cultivators. I can¡¯t sense anyone of higher cultivation, but it is being restricted by someone who has very powerful cultivation.¡±

    ¡°So you want me to pose as a cultivator and enter the grounds while pretending to train. What exactly is your n?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Well, once you manage to enter the spring to train, I would be able to absorb the energy through your body. We will do so at a slow pace. From what I see within the spring, it is being replenished by some kind of treasure, hence there is no problem with worrying about people detecting the missing spring water.¡±

    ¡°Even then, a Qi King training there for a prolonged time would attract a lot of attention.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡± Well, don¡¯t we have so many avatars? I want five of your avatars to enter the ce at the same time. I will absorb it through all your bodies.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°You are asking me to take a high risk. I guess the reward would be up to the mark.¡± Li Meng didn¡¯t haggle with the Keeper. He knows that he needs these resources for future cultivation, and he might not be able to ess any kind of Hell-ne from within the Royal Road.

    ¡°Why not steal the treasure itself?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you adorable? Do you know what sort of existences live within this ne? It is a hell that is way above yours in terms of power. It is a given that the cultivators here are well beyond the ones present in Qi-continent.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°Stronger cultivators mean even stronger treasures. The treasure producing thisherworld water is way beyond the limits of your world. It is not something that would be created by cultivators of your world, and I am not even in the middle of the treasures present within your world.¡±

    ¡± So tell me, are we capable enough of either taking or absorbing the treasure.¡± The Keeper¡¯s voice was filled with sarcasm.

    ¡°Fine. I guess I will agree with you this time. We need to capture some of this area, and use the soul scourge on him to gain information regarding this ce.¡± Li Meng said. The Keeper simply nodded his head to agree with the conditions.

    Li Meng waited for his avatars to finish Weapon-Tempering first. After all the avatars were done with the process and only the ones who were still in the Qi General realm remained, Li Meng finally decided to execute the n.

    To absorb the Netherworld-water spring, Li Meng had to send in a substantial amount of avatars.

    ¡°Would four avatars be enough for the task?¡± Li Meng asked. He didn¡¯t know the details regarding the speed at which the artifact could absorb the spring water. It is better to consult with the Keeper himself.

    ¡± That should be enough for. What are your ns?¡± The Keeper asked, knowing that Li Meng was nning something different from what he had in mind.

    ¡± I want the avatars in the Qi general realm to start their breakthrough, while the avable QI Kings would provide security for them. The ce looks secluded and should be safe for now. I want to do both tasks simultaneously so that, in case of an emergency, I would be able to evacuate at a fast pace.¡± Li Meng¡¯s idea had quite some logic behind it, so the Keeper agreed with it.

    Except for the three clones who were stationed in the Star-Luo Association, the Star-Emperor academy, and the Pill-valley, Li Meng summoned all of the avatars to this ne. He was taking a big risk this time.

    2 avatars remained who had yet to formte aw base. Four avatars who were already in the Qi King realm would be sent to absorb the Nether-world Spring, while thest two would be responsible for providing security to the Qi generals.

    Let¡¯s just hope that the mission is a sess and I can return back home without anyplications in my path.

    .........................

    Li Meng was snooping around the region, following the Keeper¡¯s direction to go towards the treasure. Soon enough, he encountered beings belonging to this world. The surprising fact about the beings was their simrity to the peoples in Li Meng¡¯s world.

    ¡°They don¡¯t look so different from the cultivators in our world. If I could see a contrasting difference, it would be the energy.¡± Li Meng added.

    ¡°That is because it is the same. Hell¡¯s energy and itsws are different from the ones in Qi Continent, but their types and properties remain the same. They are also practicing Qi like you but within Hell¡¯s energy.¡±

    ¡°While your world has pure-qi or basic Qi, the one within this world is called Hell-qi or Netherworld-qi. Just get a hold of some people and you will be able to understand the basic concepts within the world.¡±

    They saw a person walking past them, and the area looked secluded. LI Meng and the other avatars immediately surrounded him and abducted him, retreating to a hidden location. Li Meng then ced his hands on the person and began the soul scourge process.

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 Chapter 389

    389 PRACTICING IN THE HELL-PLANE-The soul scourge process began and the person screamed at the top of his lungs. It was one of the most painful processes in the world, and Li Meng was aware of the implications. He knew that the person would no longer be normal after this process.

    Li Meng tasked his avatars to prepare for disposing of the body once the task waspleted. The information extraction process was incredibly brutal and taxing on the target¡¯s soul. The man was screaming on top of his lungs, but Li Meng had prearranged a formation to hold in the voices.

    The process took a good 3 minutes to be over, and the man hadpletely lost consciousness with his soul being full of cracks. Li Meng proceeded to check his belongings and emptied his storage rings.

    Within there was a reason why Li Meng didn¡¯t kill the guy instantly. It was what the man called a life-que.

    ¡°That seems to be a life-que. It is used by some forces to keep dibs on their members. You see the life-ques color changes ording to the user¡¯s current situation. Since there is no bodily harm, there is no physical change within the que.¡±

    ¡°But the color of the que seems to have changed to a much dimmer shade. That is the indication that the soul of the cultivator is bound to get weaker.¡±

    ¡°Will it alert the force he belongs to? He called it the Body-Devil fort.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Well, the color would have alerted anyone with knowledge of the que. You better kill him and get out.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°Well, that is not such a good idea. You see, this man seems to be the son of a grand-elder within that force, and guess what the cultivation of the elder is?¡±

    .....

    ¡°No guesses from my side.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°He is a Nether-Monarch or a Qi Monarch in terms of our world.¡±

    ¡± Lay a good hiding formation and rush out as fast as you can. Did you get any good information?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡± I got a lot of information. for starters, this world is called Hunyuna Hell.¡± Li Meng proceeded to tell the keeper about all the information he gained from the boy. He thenys a good hiding formation and robs the man blind before putting everything into the Crimson-Lord artifact and rushing out.

    ¡± What did you learn about the ce we are going to?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡± ording to my estimation, the ce you are talking about is a famous cultivation area around here called the Hun house¡¯s Nether-spring stage. It is a cultivation ground that I am being used by many people to improve their cultivation. The cost of entering the ground seems to be 1 Hell-shard of an intermediate kind.¡±

    ¡°Fortunately, this brat seems to be extremely rich. he has a lot of intermediate and advanced shards within his ring. We wouldn¡¯t have a problem while entering the ce. What do you suggest for our camouge?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡®Well, you should only use your hell-energy during the whole trip to the cultivation ground. Your art is rted to hell-energy so even if they detect it, they will just see you as a junior from another force who havee here to train.¡±

    ¡°I want to remind you that Chaosws provide you with the perfect camouge as you can replicate the energy of this world and manifest yourws. Hence, you are officially a Nether-King level powerhouse.¡±

    ¡°Since we don¡¯t have any sort of equipment or artifacts from the Hell world, we are not going to use any kind of artifact beyond the Qi general level, as its energy would be detected by the people here.¡±

    ¡°You will be using normal clothes to have an attire that covers your entire body. Since we have gained a lot of information about the world, we shouldn¡¯t have a problem mixing into the crowd. Also, all your avatars will be going in at different time intervals.¡±

    ¡°Make sure that no one can make the connection between them.¡±

    ¡°I hope the number of shards is enough to train in the ce for a good amount of time. Based on my estimation, we can get around 1 day to train within the Netherworld spring if we choose the lowest grade room.¡±

    ¡± Choose the lowest grade one, and leave the rest to me.¡± The Keeper said,

    The four avatars immediately changed their attire and energy signature. if someone was to see them now, they wouldn¡¯t be able to distinguish them from other residents of this world. Once the attire was formted, all the avatars rushed into the city.

    The huge crowd gathered within the city to ess the cultivation ground helped the four people to blend in easily. Before going into the cultivation ground, Li Meng and the avatars spread to collect information, the general practices and some garments from the stores.

    Once everything was ready, the four people went towards the huge manor that resided in the middle of the city. The Hun-Manor was shining in its vast splendor, as people flocked in and out inrge numbers.

    ............................................

    The location where Li Meng set up the hidden formation. A group of cultivatorsnded on the spot and one of them waved his hands, destroying the formationpletely. The view of a naked man lying on the ground met their eyes.

    The man in the middle rushed out and lifted the man in his arms and began injecting his Qi.

    ¡°Who the hell did this to my son?¡± The man screamed with rage.

    ¡°It appears as if he was robbed.¡± The man beside him said. ¡± But theck of physical injuries suggests that it was a soul cultivator. Please check his soul.¡±

    When the man checked his son¡¯s soul, he found it riddled with crack.

    ¡°Bastard. find the son of the bitch who did this to him. I will tear him limb from limb, and torture him until he begs me for death. No one can get out unscathed after hurting my son.¡± The man¡¯s face was covered with misery.

    He immediately picked up his son and rushed towards the nearest doctor, leaving the group with the task to find the culprit.

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 Chapter 390

    390 PRACTICING IN THE HELL PLANE-Li Meng rushed towards the Hun manor which was located in the middle of the city. It was a grand cultivation ground set up over aher spring and used to cultivate young martial artists from forces far and near it.

    many martial artists flocked to the manor to gainprehension, or breakthrough their bottlenecks and proceed to the next stage. Li Meng appeared right in front of the gate while covering his body with a dress and his face with a semi-mask.

    ¡°Which room should I choose?¡¯ Li Meng asked.

    ¡°You should just choose the lowest grade room for the start of the process so we can see what absorption speed is there. If it is not adequate ording to our requirements we could just switch to a better room.¡±

    ¡°The amount of hell-shards we possess is limited. We need to proceed with caution.¡± Li Meng said.

    he went to the nearby counter and began to inquire about the prices. The lowest grade room required 10 hell-shards for a day of cultivation, while the very subsequent floor required arger amount than the rest.

    ¡°The highest room that can be essed with normal hell-shards is the 8th level. Above is the 9th level which requires you to pay in hell-stones. The best floor is the 10th floor that requires a tremendous amount of hell stones. The deepest room is the genius area that can only be essed by the top geniuses of the Hun family and from top forces around the area.¡± The receptionist rified Li meng¡¯s doubt.

    Li Meng looked at the gateway to the tower and analyzed the amount of stone he possessed. he decided to give the first floor a try just as the keeper advised.

    ¡°I would like to ess the first floor for a whole day.¡± Li Meng said. The receptionist nodded and gave him a room key which looked fairly worn out. It seemed too many cultivators were essing the rooms daily.

    .....

    Li Meng took the room key and went to the first floor. Another avatar essed the second floor of the cultivation ground while the other two essed the third floor. When Li Meng entered the first floor, he felt like the room¡¯s energy density was higher than outside with a special kind of energy mixed into the atmosphere.

    ¡°What is this energy?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡± These are the concentrated energy strings from theher spring that we want to collect. Concentrate on absorbing these energy strings.¡± The Keeper advised.

    Li Meng closed his eyes and sat in a meditative position. he then began to absorb energy from the surrounding area and extract energy strings from the atmosphere. Just when he managed to collect a small amount of energy string, the hell energy seed within LI meng body began to absorb the string at a rapid pace, even before the keeper could absorb it.

    ¡°As expected, the hell seed can absorb the energy string at a rapid pace. Let¡¯s separate from here. You concentrate on replenishing the hell seed while I absorb the Nether-Spring¡¯s energy from the other three avatars.¡± The Keeper said.

    Li Meng had no choice but to agree to the set-up as he couldn¡¯t restrict the hell seed from absorbing the energy strings. As he continued to spend the day absorbing more and more energy, the hell seed eventually began to automate the energy absorption process. it was absorbing energy on its own.

    ¡± What will happen if I move into the higher floors?¡± Leon asked himself. he anticipated that the rate of absorption would increase when he moved to higher floors.

    Li Meng proceeded to the second floor and reserved a room for the entire day to test his theory. As expected by him, the speed at which the hell-seed was absorbing energy grew due to the increase in energy density within the room.

    Li Meng was shocked to see this phenomenon. Not only was the Hell seed absorbing energy and growing, but it was also refining and replenishing his body¡¯s hell energy. Li Meng practised on this floor for an entire day, before he moved out and this time he reserved the third floor.

    The receptionist was surprised to see that Li Meng had reserved the next floor for an entire day. His behaviour suddenly took a polite turn after looking at the wealthy guest.

    The third floor had an even denser amount of energy within. The seed was rotating at a very fast speed as if it was joyful aftering in contact with the dense energy. The seed was absorbing energy at an even faster rate and Li Meng could feel an ethereal feeling within his body.

    he let the hell-seed absorb more energy as he tried to make contact with the Keeper.

    ¡± What is your situation?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°Theher spring energy threads are much denser on the third floor and I have managed to collect a good amount. Yet, this floor isn¡¯t enough to satisfy our condition. We should move to the next floor.¡± The Keeper advised.

    ¡°As you wish. We will move to the next floor tomorrow.¡± Li Meng said. He had nned on moving towards the next floor theing day. The economic situation is still enough for them to train for a good amount of time.

    Li Meng estimated that with his current wallet size, he could train within the 6th floor for a whole month alone. He would have to decide on how to divide the expense, as the Hell-seed might grow on higher floors and bring about another change in his body.

    ¡°I think the n is perfect. Once the avatars other two avatars breakthrough their limits and form Chaos Law bases, we will proceed with eliminating people around the city and collecting resources to extend the time of training. We have two more months before we can return to the sect for the breakthrough into the Emperor realm.¡± The Keeper said.

    ............

    At the ce where the Qi general avatars were trained-

    All three of the remaining Qi generals had reached their peak form and started to set up theirw bases. Human, Earth and heavenlyw soon appeared before the avatars broke through the boundary and entered the Chaosw state and established their Chaosw.

    After the establishment wasplete and all of Long Tao¡¯s avatars had broken through, the power levels had risen from 9th grade Qi King to the peak Qi king level. Long Tao could sessfully start his breakthrough to the emperor level.

    All the avatars got a boost in strength and the blessing which was stolen from the world was used to strengthen their bodies further.

    Now that he hadpleted both Qi and physical training, Long Tao analyzed his soul¡¯s state. His soul was stillcking before it could break through to the next level which was Soul King. The Keeper advised Long Tao to proceed with caution. Soul cultivation can be postponed for some time and can be achieved slowly.

    Long Tao teleported some of his avatars to the respective forces such as Star-Emperor Academy and Pill Valley. Only two more avatars remained, in addition to the four who were already training within Hun Manor.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start the hunt for money. We need to collect more so that we canplete the 2-month training program on the highest possible floor.¡± The two avatars began to locate isted individuals or weaker Qi Kings and hunted them one by one for hell-shards. Hell-Shards collected were being deposited inside the artefact and then used by the four avatars within the Hun manor to extend their training.

    Soon enough, a rumour of bandit groups roamed around and hunted cultivators spread throughout the region. The two avatars decided to switch to the assassination of small merchants rather than hunting outside the city, to let the matter cool down.

    They identified small merchant groups that were led by a Qi Emperor at most. One by one they would carry out the assassination of Qi King within the city and steal from the treasury of these small merchant groups.

    Within the next week, even the city forces were alerted about the theft and assassination activities within the city and the two avatars had to drop this idea too.

    When Li Meng was worried about sustaining his expenses for the rest of time, an announcement was made.

    ¡°The Hun manor is about to hold a martial contest and the winner in the respective cultivation levels will gain free ess of a whole month to a specified floor of the cultivation area.¡±

    ¡± For hell-generals, it was the third floor. For hellher-kings it was the sixth floor, while it was the seventh floor for the hell-Emperors. This was a great opportunity for Li Meng to gain free ess and concentrate the entire loot collected into a single avatar and train with it on the highest possible floor.¡±

    Li Meng and the rest of the avatars prepared themselves for the uingpetitions. He decided that his avatars will be taking the top three spots for sure.

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 Chapter 391

    391 THE HUN MANOR¡¯S MARTIAL COMPETITION

    Li Meng and the four avatars were very busy practising on the 5th floor. The Keeper was regting the artefact with full force to absorb every bit ofher energy thread avable in the air. The process continued for a long time until a small pothole ofher Liquid was formed within the Crimson-lord world.

    ¡± How long before you can collect a substantial amount of energy so that I can cultivate in my hell arts within the emperor realm?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a specific idea, but the two-month-long period should be enough for us to collect enough Nether Fluid to help in your cultivation. until the intermediate Qi Emperor level.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡± Just the intermediate Qi Emperor level. I would have toe back here before I could break into the Qi Monarch stage in that case.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Well, I have a suggestion if you would like to follow it.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Leon asked.

    ¡°Well, you could just leave one of the avatars here to cultivate within the Hell-ne itself.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡± Are you insane? If I leave an avatar in here, our connection would be lostpletely.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°That is where you are wrong. You underestimate the Crimson Lord artifact too much. Do you think distance is something that could break the artifact¡¯s connection with its user¡¯s body? When I say that the damage was done to the artifact, its inherent quality isn¡¯t destroyed. It is something that far surpasses this world you live in.¡± The Keeper said.

    .....

    ¡°The avatar would still be connected with the artifact but you might feel like a loss of connection due to your small strength. Once you reach the Qi Dominator level, you should be able to re-establish the connection with the avatar even if it is present in a different world than yours.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡± Also, if an avatar is present here, the artifact would be able to absorb energy from hell directly too.¡±

    Li Meng thought about the suggestion for some time before finding it feasible. Ideally, it would be best to leave the avatar containing the Yin-seed within the hell-ne, but Li Meng was an inheritor marked by both the inheritance he had gathered and his master. There is no way the mark can be replicated onto another avatar.

    Hence, he decided to use one of the avatars who had broken through the Qi Emperor level within the Hell-ne to stay here.

    Li Meng decided to go to the highest possible level and train there to let the yin seed grow as much as possible before he returns to his world.

    He had two months and if he invested all the hell-shards he had collected by massacring the people around here, he could stay within the seventh floor for the duration.

    ¡± Since we are going to leave one or two avatars here, why not let the Yin-seed grow as much as possible here.¡±

    Li Meng came out and checked into the seventh floor. The receptionist looked at him with shocked eyes. His previously courteous behavior had turned into deep politeness. A figure who wanted to rent the seventh floor for two whole months must be the young master of a very powerful force.

    Li Meng proceeded to the room he was assigned. As soon as he entered the room, he was met with visible fluid tendrils of Nether Energy. The Yin seed suddenly acted out on its own, and Li Meng felt that it wanted to burst out of his body.

    He tried his best to control the seed and sat down to begin cultivation. The absorption speed increased exponentially and the stream seemed to visibly converge towards Li Meng¡¯s body. They were seeping into his skin and making their way through his organs into the yin-seed.

    The Yin-seed was rapidly rotating and refining energy. In between, the refining process would suddenly release a burst of energy that would seep into Li Meng¡¯s internal organs and strengthen his body, and improve his Qi quality.

    Li Meng sat in the middle of the room, enjoying the satisfying feeling of getting refined by the Yin-seed.

    ...........

    The town-

    The group of people that was previously apanying the Nether Monarch managed to trace the energy residue on their young master¡¯s body to the town. The problem was that the artifact could no longer show the correct direction due to the presence of the Nether-Spring in the vicinity.

    Its energy dominated the entire area and altered the energy bnce of the atmosphere within the town. Unless the culprit appears in the close vicinity of thepass, it won¡¯t be able to detect it.

    ¡°We are sure that the culprit is residing within the city. The Hun manor¡¯s martialpetition might be the event he is aiming for. We will stay here and continue to move around the city to try and locate possible suspects.¡±

    ¡± Divide into smaller groups of three and move around the city to try and locate a possible suspect. We will stay here until the end of thepetition or until the indication from thepass says otherwise.¡± The leader of the group spelled out multiple sets of instructions to his subordinates before dispatching them all around the city to look for the culprit.

    .................

    After a few days-

    The town was bustling with a huge crowd. Today was the beginning of the martial contest between the young geniuses present within the city. The winner gets a good amount of hell shards and hell-stones as rewards along with an extended stay in the Nether-Spring training tform.

    Three figures approached the registration counter and enlisted their names for thepetition. All three of them were of the same height and almost the same build. If the veil over their faces were taken off, it would be seen that they looked alike.

    These were the two newly promoted Qi King avatars of Li Meng. They were tasked to win first, second and third ce to get all three positions from staying within the tower. The brackets for thepetitions were set and soon enough the fight began.

    The first round was a royal rumble match-up to eliminate the highest number of participants on the go. About a hundred cultivators were pitted against each other and only the top ten would be able to proceed to the next round.

    ¡°You are to only use the battle-arts within the Hell-Forger Sutra topete as using the art from your original world would create suspicion within the crowd. ¡± The Keeper advised.

    The two avatars nodded and entered their respective battlefields.

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 Chapter 392

    392 THE MARTIAL COMPETITION

    The 1st round of thepetition was divided into 4 battlefields, each containing 100 participants who were going to fight till death. Thepetition was pretty fierce and the number of forces w3ho had arrived to take part was huge.

    The city itself was ruled by two monarch tier powers namely, Hun manor and Dark-Fire sect. There were even rumors of these powers having the backing of a Qi Dominator, but Long and his avatars didn¡¯t need to verify that.

    The geniuses from the dark-fire sects were sure toe, and so were those from very major powerhouses within the nearby cities surrounding this one. The major sects were the Dark-Phoneix sect, the ck-blooded sect, the Iron-Martial house, Sovereign¡¯s Hall, the Steel-fist collegium, and many more.

    The avatars were instructed by Long Tao to proceed with extreme caution to not reveal they¡¯re true identities while attracting the attention of every powerhouse within the area. Long Tao decided to leave one avatar here and it w2oul be better to leave it within a powerful force.

    The Hun manor had appointed the board of judges and had made sure that the geniuses from various sects would sh against each other from the very start. The sh between them was the main attraction of thispetition and was to be held atter stages.

    The brackets were shown and thankfully no avatar of Long Tao was facing against each other in the first round. The judges called upon the participants to climb up the stage and one of the avatars did. Once all the participants were gathered, the start of thepetition was announced.

    ¡°The oue of the match is already fixed. Three geniuses from the top powers around us are going to take the top 3 spots for the first battle. Let¡¯s just hope that the other 7 who are moving to the next round are decent.¡± One of the judges spoke to another.

    ¡°We can¡¯t be sure until the fight is finished. What if a variable appears and changes the flow of the matches? We just need to watch and rate them properly.¡± Another judge said, and the rest of them agreed. That is true. Rather than showing favoritism, they were supposed to just rate the participants.

    The top three participants of the first match were from the Dark-Phonix and Dark-me sects. They were the match favorites and were expected to take the top three positions within this first match. The judge came forward the next moment and signaled the beginning of the matches.

    .....

    The participants began to sh against each other, but everyone was avoiding the trio from the top sects. They were scared to face the three contenders as they were part of the peak forces, and were sure to be strong within their realm.

    The avatar was standing in one of the corners, not initiating a fight with anyone. It is better to just ignore the battle around and focus on whates your way. As expected, soon enough one of the participants rushed towards the figure standing alone in the corner with a sword in his hand.

    The avatar didn¡¯t even react as the attacknded on its shoulders. It didn¡¯t even flinch from his position.

    ¡®so this is the position of cultivators within this world. It is quite simr to people from those low-grade sects. I am impressed that independent cultivators had such power. This world¡¯s cultivator is quite powerful whenpared to the Qi continent.¡±

    The avatarpletely ignored the attacks of the cultivators, which seemed to aggravate him even more. He used his most powerful attack, but the avatar¡¯s body was forged with the energy from hell, and sinceing here, the strength seems to be multiplying.

    The attacks didn¡¯t seem to work at all. Even other particip[ants and audience members began to look in that direction. After some time the avatar became bored of this process and punched the guy directly in the abdomen, sending him flying onto the sidewalls, cracking it up in the process.

    Other participants saw this and categorized the avatar as a potential danger. They wanted to gang up on him and take him out. Four cultivators moved at the same time and attacked the avatar. To the surprise of everyone though, the avatar seemed to have no interest in even using his energy arts. he managed to beat all of them with physical strength.

    ¡°We seem to have an interesting situation. Who is that guy?¡± One of the judges asked. The more they saw the avatar in action, the more the was increase in their anxiety. By now, the avatar had beenpletely obliterated by 15 participants, with physical strength alone.

    The avatar continued to stay in the corner, but this time he wasn¡¯t approached by anyone. Everybody was worried about this variable after the 15 participants who tried to attack him were smashed to the ground or thrown off the stage altogether.

    ¡± Who is that guy? He doesn¡¯t seem familiar to me.¡± One of three geniuses spoke to another.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He seems to be quite strong. This would be an interesting fight.:¡± Another genius spoke.

    ¡°What do you say, we kick these pests out and start with the actual match?¡± The other two nodded when they heard this suggestion. The three figures moved out and began to eliminate one participant after the other.

    Minutester-

    Only 10 people remained on the stage. The judge was about to announce the result, but one of the geniuses moved forward and stood before the avatar.

    ¡®I have no interest inpeting with these mongrels. You, on the other hand, are different. I would like to fight with you.¡±

    The man said before attacking the avatar with a power fist art.

    ¡°Now this is interesting.¡± The avatar said to himself while using a small amount of energy to cover his body and deflect the attack. ?he next moment, the avatar turned his body and used the hell energy to carry out a fist art from the Hell-forge sutra,

    He activated his acupoints while doing so, and attacked the man directly in the face. The attack was so powerful that the so-called genius sted back while flying, unable to withstand the attack.

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 Chapter 393

    393 THE MARTIAL ARTS COMPETITION-The attack was so powerful that it not only prated through the person¡¯s defence but also sent him out, flying. The people who saw this phenomenon were shocked into speechlessness. The judges almost jumped out of their seats. One of the top contenders to win the round was eliminated with one move.

    The avatar saw themotion and knew that this move of his caused a hugemotion within the crowd. Now that people have an understanding of his strength, it would be foolish to hide it anymore.

    He decided to showcase his strengths and decided to take the initiative to attack. Any cultivator in his way was either thrown out of bounds or beaten until eliminated or sted out. No one stood a chance against someone like the avatar who had reached the very peak of King level.

    Out of the initial 100, only 30 remained on stage. More than 50 have been eliminated by the avatar. He decided to stop and let others take the initiative to attack him. But the scare which he had given the participants prevented them from acting any further.

    The avatar sat down in hope of someone trying to attack him, but no one reacted. The avatars were confused about the whole situation.

    ¡°That guy is sitting down out of the exhaustion from his previous battle. Attack him now.¡± One of the elders from those sects screamed.

    The participants broke out of their trance and immediately rushed towards the avatar.

    ¡± Now this is the fight I was waiting for.¡± The avatar spoke as he jumped up and began to execute the Netherworld Four-season movement arts along with an improvised version of his thunder fist, but withher energy.

    The attacknded directly on the bodies of the participants and the sounds of bones breaking were heard one after the other. The judges couldn¡¯t even describe what was going on. A single person waspletely dominating the entire stage.

    .....

    Sometimeter-

    Only five people remained on the stage, and the avatar stopped abusing people. He just left those who didn¡¯t take the initiative to attack him.

    ¡°Who is that guy? He is unstoppable. We need to find out his true identity. Bring me all the identity tes.¡± The host who belonged to the Hun manor. Other representatives of the forces around the city were also doing the same thing.

    None of them was able to find his identity except for an alias that he used to enlist into thepetition.

    ¡°We need to do a background check on this guy.¡± A conspiracy was slowly brewing as almost every group decided to end a man to spy on the guy after thepetition was over.

    The five contestants were asked to move down the stage, while the other five were chosen among those who had been eliminated by the avatar. Ten people passed on to the next rou8nd.

    The second and third matches slowly ended with 20 people being selected for the next round. The fourth round came and another avatar stepped up. This time, Long tao decided to use abination of sword art he learned from the Hell-Forging Sutra and the sword art of ck-Dragon Emperor using Nether-Energy.

    The fight started and Long Tao decided that the avatar should act like a normal genius rather than trying to astonish the crowd. If three ck horses appeared at the same time, everyone would begin suspecting and the attention drawn to them would be toorge.

    The avatar chose an opponent near to him and began battling with him. rather than using his meridians and acupoints, the avatar tried to fight with energy only. The fight was not as easy as the one before, but the battle experience gained was quite huge.

    Long Tao gained a lot of information about hiscunae in energy usage as he had been relying on body cultivation for such a long time. Thebination of body cultivation, soul energy and Qi was extremely powerful, but the individual aspects had too many ws in them.

    During his shes with another opponent, the avatar was even pushed back. Long tao was shocked to see the result. Every single one of his avatars had practised world energy, and if he usedher energy inbination with it, winning was simple. Buther Energy itself was quite difficult to regte and Long Tao decided to use thispetition as a learning tform for energy control.

    Only by doing so would he be able to leave an avatar in this world for training. The fight drew on and the avatar managed to beat four people after a prolonged fight. The gains from this might seem small from a strength perspective, but Long Tao felt satisfied.

    His energy usage efficiency had increased, and they could feel a slight increase in the quantity ofher energy the avatar¡¯s body could hold.

    ¡± This is a surprise. I need to do the same training in the Qi continent too. What would happen if somehow my body is restricted, I would only have my energy to rely on, and my control sucks.

    ¡°I am happy that you finally managed to recognize your defects.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°Did you know about this?¡± Long tao asked.

    ¡± Of course I did. Anyone sane could have seen this situation rising after experiencing the way you train and fight. Your personality is hardworking and you want perfection in all areas before proceeding to the next. While you are trying to gain more and more power of a different kind, you chose to ignore the quality and control over the power you already possess.¡±

    ¡°It adds to your excessively controlled-freak personality and your heavy reliance on thebination of powers you possess to make sure that your characteristics would remain underdeveloped. These people on the other hand have a narrow spectrum of choices and hence have to perfect what they possess to progress.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something?¡± Long Tao asked.

    ¡®i already told you. My task is to only guide you when you ask for guidance. I am not allowed to directly interfere with your fate. ¡® The keeper replied.

    ¡°What should I do to rectify this situation?¡± Long tao asked.

    ¡°Well, you already know the answer. remember how you used to train before you gained the scriptures and body refining methods.¡± Long Tao understood what the Keeper wanted to say. he used to practice the same art using the same kind of energy for months and months until perfection was reached.

    He used to perform the bone forging process for every stage he advanced, but he neglected a lot of those. It was time for him to go back and practice the way he used to until his control was regained back.

    ¡°I guess we know what I am going to do for my training schedule before the Royal Road.¡± Long Tao decided to utilize the artefact to train until thest day arrives. An unknown amount of danger awaited him within the Royal Road, not to mention cultivators whose realm would be way above his.

    ......

    All rounds werepleted and all three avatars were present within the top 120 participants who were going to take part in the next round.

    ¡°For the next round, we have decided to carry out a one on one fight. the loser of the fight would be eliminated. Only the top 60 will be proceeding to the next round.¡±

    ¡± The third round will proceed simrly and so will be the fourth round until 15 participants remain. Those 15 participants will take part in the final round to decide the top three. Thepetition is not only a great way to win rewards, but also garner the attention of top powers present. If lucky, you might be scouted by these powers to enter the organization.¡±

    The crowd present cheered up and so did the participant. many of them were independent cultivators who dreamed of being scouted by a powerful force.

    The avatar also had the same motive. After gathering all the information they can, the avatar managed to find the top organizations. Although the Hun manor controlled the Nether Spring, they weren¡¯t the strongest organization in the area. It was the Nether-saint hall that had the strongest cultivators and also the strongest genius who took part in the tournament.

    Long Tao aimed at getting recruited by them and what better way to do that than defeating their strongest representative.

    The round began and the avatar had to face independent cultivators. They managed to beat them easily, especially the one who was already within the books of the top powers as a dark horse.

    Other geniuses performed well. some took just one strike to finish their match and Long Tao knew that the fight wouldn¡¯t be as easy as he initially assumed. He had to use his meridians from the second round as the contestants facing him were powerful independent cultivators or members of sects.

    Soon enough only;y 30 people remained. Almost three-quarters of those present were from sects, while the rest were independent cultivators.

    The lots were drawn and each one of the avatar¡¯s opponents was from a powerful sect.

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 Chapter 394

    394 THE MARTIAL COMPETITION-The first opponent was named Hun Chunglie, a genius from Hun manor and a peak Nether King. The major sects were the Dark-Phoneix sect, the ck-blooded sect, the Iron-Martial house, Soverreign¡¯s Hall, the Steel-fist collegium, and many more. Hun Manor was just the organizer being led by a rumored Qi Dominator.

    It was time to fight with one of the geniuses and crush himpletely so that he could impress the powers present here. Hun Chunglie came forward to introduce himself.

    ¡°I am Hun Chunglie. What might your name be?¡± He asked.

    ¡°You seem jolly to someone who has been eliminated this round.¡± The avatar said in a mocking tone.

    Everyone¡¯s expressions changed when they heard this. Although the avatar had shown quite an enthralling performance until now, Chunglie was a genius from one of the top forces around. There was no way he was that easy to beat.

    ¡°You seem pretty confident. Did beating those three losses fuel your ego that you won¡¯t even tell me your name?¡± Chunglie lost his politeness.

    ¡°Now that is your true face. Why try hiding it behind a false courtesy?¡± The avatar said with a smile.

    Hun Chunglie¡¯s expre4ssionc hanged and so did the expression of the representative of Hun manor. The avatar was publicly shaming the genius of their force.

    The judge came forward and announced the beginning of the match. Hun Chunglie rushed towards the avatar who assumed a defensive stance the very first moment he got. The avatar¡¯s objective for the fight is to understand Nether energy in a better manner and manipte it in a much better way.

    .....

    He concentrated all theher energy he had collected until now into his limbs and his front muscles. He wanted to experience the impact of an attack from a genius of the Netherworld. Hun Chunglie was aiming straight for the avatar¡¯s heart.

    Seeing him not putting up a defense against the attack made others think that the avatar had lost his mind.

    ¡°Has he lost his mind?¡± One of the representatives spoke.

    ¡°He must have incurred brain damage from one of thest attacks he received in the previous matches.¡± Another one spoke.

    ¡°This is his fate for showing arrogance at this stage.¡± A representative from the Hun n spoke.

    The attacknded directly on the avatar¡¯s chest and the entire area was engulfed within the aftermath of the attack. The avatar was pushed back and almost fell out of bounds. Fortunately, he seemed to have managed to gain a stable footing.

    Hun Chunglie looked at the avatar¡¯s location with pride and arrogance in his e3yes.

    ¡®That is what you get by insulting me and my n.¡± Hun Chunglie said in a loud voice. He thought the match was over and turned around to leave when a voice was heard from behind.

    ¡®¡±If that is all you got, both you and your n have betrayed my expectations.¡± The avatar walked out of the debris while dusting his body. His clothes seemed to have torn a bit in the area of impact, but his body didn¡¯t even have a mark of injury. there was a faint outline visible, but it soon disappeared too.

    ¡± I guess it is my turn now.¡± The avatar said the next moment he appeared right in front of un Chunglie and despite his attempt to dodge, hit him in the same spot where he had hit previously. The only difference between the two attacks was the fact that Hun Chunglie didn¡¯t move from his position.

    ¡°Is he trying to mock Chunglie with that attack?¡± One of the representatives spoke. It was unknown to them that the expression of the Hun manor¡¯s representative, as well as the head representatives of all the forces, changed.

    The next moment, Hun Chunglie fell to his knees and vomited a huge amount of blood. His internal injuries were extremely severe. His eyes were filled with shock as he looked towards the figure who was slowly walking towards him.

    ¡± Would you like to show me something more interesting than this? or is this the end?¡± The avatar asked.

    Hun Chunglie¡¯s expression was filled with rage as he rose from his feet and took out a longsword from his pouch.

    ¡®A peak grade Emperor artifact, that too is made out of resources from theherworld. This is something I must get my hands on.¡± Long Tao decided the moment he saw the sword. Hun Chunglie rushed towards the avatar with his strongest attack.

    ¡°Huntian¡¯s Nine piercing swords.¡± It was a powerful art, and the avatar knew that he had to use his body cultivation to tackle this situation. He used up all his meridians and almost a quarter of his acupoints to concentrate the energy.

    Just when the sword appeared in front of him, the avatarshed out with an attack from the Thunder Strike technique using Nether Energy. When the two weap[ons met with each other, the aftermath proceeded towards Hun Chunglie, whose hands couldn¡¯t bear the strength of the residual energy and all his veins burst out, crippling his arm for the moment.

    His body was sted back and the avatar didn¡¯t waste any time kicking him right in the abdomen when he was mid-air to swiftly eliminate him. The attack was so powerful that his body was sted right out of bounds, directly into the audience stands.

    Everyone present in the audience was looking towards the stage with shock in their eyes. A dark horse appeared in the middle of the tournament and just now defeated a top genius from Hun Manor in just four strikes. What kind of prowess was this?

    The avatar looked at the judge in anticipation that he would announce the results. The judge soon returned to his senses and announced the results. he went down the stage towards the resting area where all thepetitors were watching him with caution. His performance shocked every single one of them.

    The next match was announced and soon enough, another avatar was going to face a genius from the fire pce.

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 Chapter 395

    395 THE MARTIAL COMPETITION-The opponent this time was a member of the me halls. The avatar came forward and greeted her, and she replied politely.

    ¡± I am Loraine from the me halls.¡± The judge came forward and announced the beginning of thepetition. The re[presentations were looking at the stage with apprehension. The avatar was another one of the dark horses which appeared in the tournament and the audience was apprehensive regarding his performance against a genius of the me hall.

    Long Tao managed to improve his efficiency at handling hell energy, but he never managed to understand how the denizens of this world were able to formte simrws to the ones at Qi continent while having such a diverse set of energies within their bodies.

    He wanted to understand the core difference between Qi andher energy in general. A realization like that would improve hisprehension of both kinds of energies and even help him drastically boost his strength at any level.

    He decided to use the opportunity to spar with the members of top forces in theher ne as a yardstick to try and measure the difference. He had previously managed to integrate the Thunder Fist technique withher energy. This time he wanted to use the special technique that he had learned from the Pill valley.

    It was a special technique called Infernal me Arts. It was an art that spanned through cultivation levels. His master was the one who gave him this art and it had three parts. The first one was something that Qi Kings could practice. the second part was for Qi Emperors, while the third one was for Qi Monarchs.

    He got thest part when he stepped into the realm of peak Qi Kings. The head of the valley along with his master and the master of the ten families were all at peak emperor level now. Their cultivation had halted due to the war, and now each one of them was experiencing an outburst in their strength. The best results were obtained by none other than his master who was just a step away from Qi Monarch.

    Long Tao was sure that he would be able to step into the Qi monarch level before he leaves for Royal Road. His master was happy with his progress and rewarded him with a third party. Little did any of them know that Long tao had received the entire art from the Pill Saint¡¯s legacy.

    Infernal me Arts had a total of seven parts. From Qi King to emperor to Monarch to Dominator to Half-saint to saint and finally god. This is one of the core arts of the force to which Pill Saint originally belonged and he only possessed the first six parts. Pill Saint was kicked out of the force before he could realize thest part, yet he devised that anyone who reached level 6 should be able to force his way into the force to get thest part.

    .....

    This was one of the reasons why Long tao decided tobine Nether/Hell energy with the art to formte an entirely new set of arts. The versatility and the depth of knowledge that went into the creation of this art made it easy for people like Long tao to integrate a new type of energy into it.

    ¡°Please add another task to my to-do list. I would like topletely merge Nether Energy and Infernal me arts, level by level as myprehension in these began. Once that is done, I would like to integrate world energy into it. IF the experiment is sessful, I think we will have a new set of art in the Dominator Records.¡± Long Tao said to the Keeper.

    Even after using an avatar just to research martial arts within the artifact, the Dominator Arts still came third in the line of this strongest art. he wanted to eventually formte the strongest set of martial arts by himself. Only through achieving that would he be able to defy and rule over the heavens itself.

    Once the avatar began to conjure mes fueled byher energy, Loraine did the same. She was surprised that her opponent was a me element cultivator just like herself, yet her pride didn¡¯t allow her to think well of this situation. She was one of the representatives of the biggest me element sect of this area. if she lost this fight, it would lose face for her hall in front of the public.

    ¡°I have heard about the genius from your me Pce. Isn¡¯t she the one who was epted by the Violet me matriarch as an inheritor to her Violet Fire Art¡¯s inheritor? She is known to be one of the strongest existences in the me halls. How would this boy defeat someone like her.¡± One of the representatives spoke.

    ¡± We never know. What if the results are simr to Hun Chunglie¡¯s case? the dark horses this time are quite talented. I am sure many forces in and around the area are dying to recruit them into their ranks.¡± Another one interjected.

    Silence befalls the entire pavilion. they had never thought about this scenario. it was too uneven. If Loraine is defeated by a brat of unknown origins, it would be shameful for all the top-tier forces participating in the event.

    ¡°Violet me Conjure.¡± Loraine conjured an entire battle suit made up of Violet colored fire.

    ¡°Violet me Splitting Whips.¡± two whips were conjured in either hand of Loraine as she rushed towards the avatar.

    ¡°Infernal me Shield.¡± The avatar conjured a shield out of Nether energy fueled me. Although the quality of the mes was lower than the ones used by Loraine, his huge supply ofher energy made up for it.

    The avatar also conjured mes in his fists and attacked Loraine with them. A dance of mes began in the middle of the field. One Violet and one red began to sh against each other. Both would switch between offensive and defensive strategies.

    The violet me whip was a unique art created by the violet me matriarch to fit her fighting style. It requires the user to have an extremely flexible body along with thin stature and the ability to burst with speed momentarily. This was the first time Long Tao was forced to draw by an opponent of the same realm as him. The reason was the versatility of the art itself, and the ability of Loraine to switch in between the type of attacks she could execute.

    When both of them reached a standstill, Loraine looked at him with surprise and then smiled.

    ¡°Shall we switch it up a gear?¡± The next moment Violet Fire burst out of the whips, sting the entire area.

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 Chapter 396

    396 MARTIAL COMPETITION-The avatar was surprised by the sudden burst of mes, but he was too close to avoid them. He decided to utilize all his most powerful earth typ[e defensive techniques and activated all his meridians and upoints to guard against the attack.

    Even after undergoing so many turns of tempering, the fire was strong enough to burn through the avatar¡¯s skin.

    ¡± Just what kind of fucking fire is this? I need to research it. Could you iste it for research?¡± Long Tao asked the Keeper.

    ¡°I can iste it, but you need to perform the experiments fast. The very characteristics of this fire are generated from a unique type of physical build that is specific to the practitioners of this art. It is simr to any fire we have seen so far, but at the same time, it is extremely different. Whoever created this art is a genius in the Dao of fire.¡± The keeper said.

    A good amount of mes were being absorbed into the avatar¡¯s body and stored within the artifact. The avatar, on the other hand, was regting his energy to heal the burns he had sustained while using his ocr techniques to spot Loraine. Once he managed to pinpoint her location to some extent, he rushed in with full force to attack her.

    ¡°Infernal me Arts: Fire Fist Taekwondo.¡± It was a set of martial techniques developed to enhance the destructiveness of fire arts used by the practitioner. Due to the huge amount of beast mes ingested by Long tao throughout training he did in Pill valley, he had managed to create a unique kind of me which was just a littlecking to earth fire in terms of strength.

    The problem was the fact that he couldn¡¯t use that me in this world, without arousing suspicion from the representatives of various forces. He could only fight the innate fire he managed to build thanks to the Infernal me Arts, fueled by theher energy.

    The two mes shed, and the Violet mes were the obvious winners of the round. The avatar kept getting pushed back bit by bit. The only good thing was that the more they shed, the more the violet me was collected within the artifact. if enough violet mes could be collected, Long tao might have a chance to merge the two kinds of mes and create an even more powerful version of his me in the future.

    The two continued to sh, and the avatar knew that the only way he could defeat Loraine was by making this a battle of attrition. Thankfully, this also satisfied the initial n he had in mind for this fight. if he won like the first round, the representatives would have suspicions regarding him. Gathering unwanted attention wasn¡¯t beneficial for him.

    .....

    ¡± Infernal me Arts: Lake Burning strike.¡±

    ¡°Infernal me Arts: Vaporizing Fist.¡±

    ¡®Infernal me Arts: Engulfing strike.¡±

    The avatar acted desperately and used multiple arts in continuation. Loraine was shocked by this development. even though her mes were much more powerful than the ones being used in the avatar, it wasn¡¯t invincible. Unlike the avatar, she didn¡¯t have arge energy reserve, and her mes began to grow weaker with time.

    A representative from the me hall was clutching the handrest in anticipation of the result of this battle. She saw Violet me growing weaker in the glow and the difficult expression on Loraine¡¯s face. She knew that the fight couldn¡¯t continue like this.

    ¡°Finish the fight faster.¡± She screamed at Loraine and managed to clear her head. Loraine looked at the avatar with shock in her eyes. She couldn¡¯t even realize when the cunning enemy forced her into a battle of attrition. She immediately regted her energy and flooded her mes with it.

    The violet mes grew stronger, broke through the avatar¡¯s defenses, and assaulted his body.

    ¡°So she managed to realize my n. But no worries, I have a subsidiary n for everything.¡± the avatar rushed into the me-storm and appeared right before Loraine. The next moment he used a special skill within the Infernal me arts.

    ¡°Infernal me Arts: me King¡¯s Destruction Fist.¡± This was the strongest attack art within the Infernal me Arts within the Qi King realm. Long Tao recently managed to master this art and managed to execute it, hitting Loraine on the abdomen, sting her back.

    The next moment he attacked with the same art, three times, breaking her defensive artifacts, and the fourth attacknded on her bare body, burning her clothes and breaking her rib bone. Loraine puked blood, but the avatar didn¡¯t give her time to adjust as he concentrated both his physical strength and mes into his right leg and kicked her directly in the chest.

    Loraine¡¯s body flew off the stage and was about tond on top of a wall when a figure appeared mid-air and grabbed her. Blood was flowing out of her mouth and herplexion was deathly pale. The figure fed her a pill and used her energy to stabilize Loraine¡¯s condition.

    ¡± I am sorry.¡± Loraine said.

    ¡°No need to be sorry. The defeat was legitimate. the enemy was stronger and craftier than you. hence your fell for his trap. You need to train both your mind and energy to grow.¡± The figure looked at the avatar with aplicated look in her eyes. She never expected there to be a Qi King who could defeat Loraine in terms of fire arts.

    The rest of the audience was shocked to see that another dark horse seemed to have appeared within thepetition. The dark horse wasn¡¯t only a me arts user, but stronger than a genius from me Halls.

    The judge came forward to announce the results and the avatar retreated down to the stage to the resting area for the participants. The next few rounds proceeded before geniuses from the forces began to show up one after the other. This event was a very long one. Eventually, the top 60 were decided among the 120 participants.

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 Chapter 397

    397 MARTIAL COMPETITION-Thepetition for the top 30 began. This time neither of the avatars faced any genius from various forces and managed to proceed to the next round with ease. The top 30 were selected out of the 60 participants and thepetition for the top 15 was on the way.

    The opponent this time was another genius from the Hun manor, named Hun Liansheng. He was a prodigy who was ranked in the top three among Hun n elites in the younger generation. The avatar stepped up to the floor with a smile on his face. he looked at the representative of the Hun n and said.

    ¡± The descendants of your n are farted to be defeated by me.¡± The expression of the representative turned sour upon hearing this.

    ¡°You must have be confident after defeating a weakling from my n.¡± Hun Lianshengchange stated. The avatar looked towards him and smiled once again. ¡± I will defeat you in such a manner that no one would dare to cross the hun n in the future.¡±

    ¡°The one before you said the same thing, but I crushed him. You are the same as him. all talk and no y.¡± The avatar said in an arrogant tone. Hun Liangsheng¡¯s expression turned sour upon hearing this and he rushed towards the avatar.

    Hun Linasheng was famous for being a martial maniac among the younger generation of Hun manor. Among all his pears, he was the youngest and also managed to gain a standing in the top[ three. in terms of talent, he was the best candidate the n possessed.

    He had been groomed with the best resources avable in the manor from a very early age, and also gained a seat on the eighth floor of theher spring during his entire training time in the n.. he was the only member who had such rights.

    he was rumored to have cultivated three of Hun n¡¯s core arts at the same time.: The Hun World Scripture, Nether Spring Scripture, and the Nether Boxing Art. All three of them were top-tier Dominatopr level arts of the Hun manor and he had learned three of them.

    ¡°Hun battle Armour Arts¡±

    .....

    ¡± Netherworld Spear¡±

    ¡°Nether Steps.¡±

    He activated three skills simultaneously as he rushed towards the enemy. the avatar had experienced the power of Hun Manor¡¯s art. Hence, he used half his upoints from the very beginning.

    Theher spear in Hun Liansheng¡¯s hand pierced his body, and he tried to guard against it using body cultivation. His body was sted back and just stopped at the very edge of the stage. The bone in his arms had cracked from the impact of the attack, which shocked Long Tao.

    ¡± This guy is quite strong.¡±

    Long Tao decided that he would be using the art of his that had been forgotten all this time. he had used this art once against the Blood King. Since then, the art was secretly getting stronger along with him. Now was the time to test its power.

    A blood-red sword and a shield appeared in either of the avatar¡¯s hands. This was the result of Weapon Tempering Arts which Long tao was practicing for a very long time. Each one of his acquaintances had a weapon in it and these sword shield pair were two of those weapons.

    The energy around him went berserk when the two weapons appeared in the world. The very aura being radiated from them was shocking. Long Tao had long reached the peak of weapon intent in almost every weapon he had used until now.

    His intent spread through the surrounding area and forced Hun Liansheng to step back. Everyone was shocked after experiencing this.

    ¡®Peak of Sword Intent. How did a Qi King manage to reach this stage? He is extremely close to reaching the weapon body realm. If he manages to step into it within the Qi Emperor realm, he would be invincible among his peers.¡± The audience was murmuring among themselves.

    The representative stand went silent upon experiencing the weapon inte of the avatar. everyone knew that the cultivation of a weapon was divided into many stages. The intent was first, then came the body, then the heart, then the soul, and finally the state of integration.

    Most of the practitioners stopped at the intent level throughout their life and aren¡¯t able to progress any further. To see that a practitioner of Qi King level managed to reach this stage was a shock for all of them.

    ¡°You managed to reach the peak of Sword intent level. That exins how you were able to beat Hun Chunglie so easily. Guess I will have to get a bit more serious with you.¡±

    ¡°Hun World Scripture: Wave Piercing Strike¡±

    ¡°Nether Steps: 9 steps of death, first step.¡±

    The two arts acted at the same time and the avatar was forced to use his blood shield to defend against such a powerful attack. The spearnded on the shield and managed to crack it up. a little more strength and the shield would have broken.

    ¡°The movement art felt like a sh step. I guess I will have to use my movement art too.¡± Long tao had gained two arts in addition to the core cultivation art of the Blood King. It was the ¡°Four Season Blood Dominance Sword¡± and ¡± Bloodmist Steps.¡±

    Both of these arts were based onher energy but required the blood essence of the cultivator to be extremely strong. Only someone like Long Tao and the Blood King could execute this art in a proper manner.

    ¡°Four Seasons Blood Dominance Sword: Bloodloss sh¡±

    ¡°Blood-mist Illusion Steps.¡±

    Long Tao had just recently started to train the two arts because a lot of his time was being diverted to breaking through the Chaos Law level. He had a beginner-level mastery in the art, but the grade was far superior to the Dominator level art which Hun Liangshen used. Hence the effect waspensated for.

    Both of them shed with each other without stopping and each of their attacks was more powerful than thest one. With every sh, Long tao was increasing the number of upoints in action, resulting in an increase in his physical strength. The surprise was the stalemate between the two contenders. It felt like Hun Liangshen was also holding back a lot of his power.

    Hun Liangshen was shocked by this urrence. He never expected to have used his full strength against someone of the same level as him. He has trained with the best of resources since his birth, yet he couldn¡¯t overwhelm a single enemy.

    ¡°Hun World Scripture: Nether Lock Domain.¡± The avatar felt his body being bound by some kind of energy.

    ¡°Nether Boxing Art: Sky Piercing Fist¡±

    The avatar felt sheer power within the attack and was forced to use the first move of Dominator¡¯s Fist Art.

    ¡®Dominator¡¯s Fist Art: Mountain Crushing Punch.¡±

    Two punches collided and a huge explosion took ce.

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 Chapter 398

    398 MARTIAL COMPETITION-The explosion covered the entire stage, and the audience was forced onto their feet to see who won the sh between the two geniuses. The dust settled and two figures appeared in front of the crowd.

    Both of them were injured and bleeding heavily. Hun Liangshen¡¯s defense artifact was broken due to the aftermath of the sh, while the avatar experienced the same thing with his gloves. Neither of them was prepared to give up, at this stage.

    Long Tao was surprised that someone on the same level as him was able to contend against his Dominator¡¯s Fist art. It was an art that Long tao used to defeat enemies in higher realms than him. yet, Hun Liangshen was an exception to that rule.

    ¡°I hope you realize how broad the world truly is. Do you think invincible art is that easy to create?¡± The Keeper said. Long Tao couldn¡¯t help but nod in agreement. the results were right in front of his eyes. Long Tao changed the overall configuration of his entire training schedule, equipment, and the entire procedure. To create a strong art, he had tobine even morews and methodology to it, in addition to configuring a proper circting art as well as breathing method to get the maximum output of energy which would perfectly offset the bnce of energy in the environment and destroy the target.

    Hun Liangshen was shocked to see all his artifacts being destroyed, along with his internal organs crushed from the aftermath due to thest sh with the avatar. He thought that thebination of Nether Boxing arts and Nether Spring Scripture would make him invincible, but evidently, he wasn¡¯t right.

    The opponent was using powerful art whichbinedplexws just like him. In addition to that, he felt hisw energy beingpletely suppressed by the opponent. He managed to stay alive in theirst sh because of his superior energy reserves.

    Long Tao didn¡¯t realize that and thought that the fault was of his arts and not due to the disparity ofher energy the two parties can infuse into the arts. Since he had managed to formte the Chaosws, hisws were far more superior to someone like Hun Liangshen. However, the avatar¡¯s body was still familiarizing itself with the world energy of hell.

    Long Tao decided to continue the usage of Dominator¡¯s Fist art for the rest of the match, as he wanted to see to what limit he could push the arts. Once he understood the threshold he could design possible pathways of training and improvisation that could enhance the power of the first arts into the next level. It was a tedious job, but the artifact helped in the process.

    He assumed the stance and positioned his limbs for execu7ting the same art again. Hun Liangshen picked on that and he decided to execute his strongest art. he wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on for much longer if the sh continued in the same fashion. he would have to take the avatar by surprise and finish it with one blo9w. This was the reason he was going to use his strongest martial arts.

    .....

    ¡°Netherworld Scripture: Nether Flowing Like Water¡±

    ¡°Nether Boxing Arts: Sky Copser Fist¡±

    The avatar sensed powerful energy approaching him at full force, and knew that it wouldn¡¯t be easy to tackle it with a mountain-crushing fist. He decided to use the second move.

    ¡°Dominator¡¯s Fist Art: Land Annihtor Punch¡±

    The two attacks shed with each other, and the next moment a scream was heard from the stage as a body flew out of it. The expression of the representative changed, as the one from Hun manor disappeared and caught up with the flying body, catching him mid-air.

    The dust settled, and the avatar¡¯s body came into view. the next moment he coughed up blood, but that was eptable given the fact that he had just defeated the strongest contender from Hun Manor.

    The judge came forward to dere the avatar¡¯s win.

    The avatar got down from the stage, and a healing squad approached him and provided him with pills. It was a special arrangement from the Hun manor to heal every participant back to their prime condition before the next round. The top 15 match-ups would decide who the best people of the younger generation were.

    The other matches went the same as usual. The first match for the other avatar wasn¡¯t that difficult. Although it was genius from one of the nearby forces, he wasn¡¯t as difficult to fight against as Hun Liangshen or Loraine from Fire Hall.

    Thest avatar had smooth sailing until now. He was feigning weakness just like the second avatar, and Long Tao had decided that he would be losing these match-ups to effectivelyest for thepetition. he wanted one of his avatars to stay in Hun Manor for the continuous infusing of Nether Springs into the artifacts. This was the best opportunity for that.

    Since he showed how hard-working and willful he was, Hun manor seemed to be interested in acquiring him as one of theirs. he could use this opportunity to assume their names and train on the Nether Spring stage for as long as he wants. It would also be a great option to start his training in hell.

    The brackets were redone, and the second round of the top 15 began. The avatar was at the top of the boards. The second round had just 14 contestants as Hun Liangshen wasn¡¯t able to continue. hence they decided to make it a round of the top 8.

    Once the top 7 were decided, the bottom seven were to fight with each other to decide who was going to be thest contestant of the top 8. The battle ensued, and thest avatar firmly gained his standing at the 13th position.

    The top 8 were finalized and the quarterfinals brackets were drawn at random. Both of the avatars were facing powerful enemies this time. One was a top contender from Steel Fist Collegium, while the other one was from the Dark Phoneix Sect.

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 Chapter 399

    399 MARTIAL COMPETITION-The avatar stepped onto the stage, disying the same arrogance he did on thest two of his fights. He stepped onto the stage and waited for the other party toe upon his own vition. he was well built and probably the most buffed contestant of all the participants in thepetition.

    ¡± Took you a long time getting on the stage. Did you have to ask for your mother¡¯s permission toe here, dear?¡± The avatar said.

    The man¡¯s expression turned serious and a bit angry upon hearing the avatar¡¯s remark. Nevertheless, walked up and stood opposite to him.

    ¡°I am Shing Tu from the Stell-Fist Hall.¡± He said to the avatar.

    ¡°And I am the king of the world. Let¡¯s move on with our fight.¡± The avatar said. he was in no mood to bicker with the participants since he knew it was going to be an easy win. he didn¡¯t feel any intimidating energy from any of the participants.

    ¡°You seem to have be confident after defeating the boy from Hun manor.¡± Shing Tu spoke.

    ¡°That boy is more skilled than you ever will be. Juste in and attack. I need to finish this match fast.¡± The avatar said in an irritated voice.

    Shing Tu¡¯s expression changed upon hearing this. He screamed and an overbearing amount of energy flowed out of his body. His energy thentched onto his skin and formed a kind of battle suit around him.

    ...

    .....

    ¡°Is this the Steel-Warrior battle-armour skill that is unique to the Steel-Fist Hall?¡± One of the spectators pointed out.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a core skill that is only essible to the strongest genius of the hall?¡± Another one interjected.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know that Shin Tu is thest disciple that the Hall-master took in? He is bound to have ess to the best of resources and skills. I have heard that the shall-master is personally guiding him through his cultivation journey and he even possesses a powerful natural body type. He is just as talented as Hun Liangshen.¡± One of the audience members spoke in admiration.

    .............

    ¡± That is quite a shy skill. But all I see is you covering yourself in a turtle shell. I am quite disappointed.¡± The avatar said.

    ¡°We shall see how long you will be able to keep this facade up.¡± Shing Tu said as he jumped towards the avatar with the intention to kill. He waved his fist while using one of the core arts in the Steel-fist hall.

    ¡°Meteor Fist Sutra: Devastating Fist¡±

    The avatar felt a powerful attack making its way towards his body and decided to experience the power of this attack with his physical cultivation. He instantly activated all his meridians and acupoints in anticipation of the damage this attack will deal. To his surprise though, the attack didn¡¯t have much effect on his body.

    He was forced back 10 steps. The phenomena shocked Shing Tu. He never expected the avatar to be able to take his attack head-on and just be pushed back.

    ¡°This is all you have got and you areparing yourself to him.¡± The avatar wasn¡¯t happy with the result, but he had long understood that even his physical cultivation wasn¡¯t an invincible state in his own realm. Although it gave him a superior body to anyone else, he hadn¡¯t practiced any body cultivation technique or outer-body martial arts. It was an additional point that Long Tao was going to concentrate on once he restarted his training schedule.

    He ran towards Shing Tu while using sh and flowing water steps, along with a modified version of a special movement art he had gained from the Dark-Dragon Emperor¡¯s tomb. It was called¡± Floating Dragon¡± and was divided into five parts.

    It was a special treasure he had managed to acquire during his adventures in the central ins. He didn¡¯t know of its origin, but the sheer power one gained on practicing it was exceptional. It was the best movement art Long Tao possessed and was currently trying to in?egrate it with his learning to create the Dominator¡¯s movement art.

    The art can be cultivated once the user steps into the Qi Emperor realm, but Long Tao was an exception. His body was as strong as an intermediate Qi Emperor, making it possible for him to practice this art. The first three parts can be cultivated in the Emperor realm, while the other two were for the Monarch realm.

    The Dark-Dragon Emperor even stated that it was a partial movement art and it hadter stages. He wanted to find them in the future, but he was killed by the White-Dragon Emperor. Long Tao could only return to him after he had killed the White-Dragon Emperor. he would then gain thest reward that Dark-Dragon had in his possession.

    ¡°Floating Dragon: Dragon Climbing Heaven¡±

    At the same time, he employed the modified version of Thunder-Fist Art: Exterminating Thunder Fist. The attacknded on Shing Tu¡¯s body and sted him off the stage in one strike. The avatar was true to his words. He managed to defeat the enemy in such a short period of time. The rest of the participants were shocked to see this result.

    The other avatar looked around, just to find a single person, who seemed to be rxed in the situation. This was the only other guy who piqued Long Tao¡¯s interest. He felt a special kind of power from him.

    The avatar won and stepped down. Soon enough it was time for the other avatar to participate in the battle and he was able to easily win the round with the help of his fire arts. It was finally time for the Semi-finals.

    Two of Long Tao¡¯s avatars were going to fight against the other two geniuses from the top forces. One was the peak genius from Dark-Phoenix Sect, while the other was the only participant from Sovereign Hall. He was just like Long Tao. he had managed to achieve overwhelming wins in all rounds.

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 Chapter 400

    400 THE FIRE-CHILD OF DARK PHOENIX SECT

    ¡°Congrattions to all the participants who were able to reach the semi-finals of thispetition. every single one of you is a peak genius of their generation and will be provided with the best of the facilities avable in the Nether-Spring Tower.¡±

    ¡± No matter whether you win or not, you will be allowed to train on the 8th floor for an entire month, along with a horde of rewards that will be showered on you. Hun Manor has also decided to present the semi-finalists with a special attack art of their choice. We hope you will choose well.¡±

    ¡°Now that the final is drawing near, Manor has decided to reveal the final prize. The winner will not only have ess to the deepest floor of theher Spring Stage for an entire month, you will also be able to receive a special resource that we generally save for the best geniuses in every generation. We have decided to present the winner with 10 drops of Nether-Core Liquid¡±

    A huge uproar enveloped the nature stadium. Even representatives from top forces such as Sovereign¡¯Hall and Dark-Phoenix Sect were shocked to hear about the reward. They never expected that the Manor would be so generous.

    ¡°The award has been announced to inspire the participants to aspire for the win. We hope you will show your best performance in the subsequent rounds and we will have an experience of watching the top geniuses in the Hell King level.¡±

    The ballots were drawn and the fixtures were prepared. Thankfully the two avatars weren¡¯t going against each other. One of them was facing the genius from Dark-Phonix Sect while the other one was facing Sovereign Hall¡¯s genius.

    The two participants stepped on the stage at the same time and the genius from the Dark-Phoenix Sect was the first one to speak.

    ¡°I am Yan Soba from the Dark-Phoenix Sect. I hope we have a proper fight where you won¡¯t be holding back. I will make sure to satisfy your battle urges. I hope you will ept the proposal.¡± The man was quite cordial with his words.

    ¡°I guess I can oblige if you stay true to your words.¡± The avatar was intrigued by the confidence this man possessed. The next moment though, his expression changed into that of seriousness. Yan Soba¡¯s eyes changed into a dark ck color. The energy being radiated from his body changed almost instantaneously.

    .....

    After Hun Liangshen, he was the only one who managed to intrigue the avatar¡¯s instincts. He was feeling the dreadful energy from the man¡¯s body. It was almost as if the energy from the man¡¯s body was trying to aggravate the blood within the avatar¡¯s body./

    ¡°What is this feeling?¡± Long Tao asked.

    ¡°That man possesses a very powerful bloodline in his body. This is the first time we have experienced this in the Nether ne. His bloodline must be from some powerful creature or beast which is indigenous to the Hell-nes. We need to verify his bloodline to make sure what kind of abilities it has. It would be great if we managed to collect some of it for future research. ¡±

    ¡°Another piece of advice I want to give you is that you should prep[are yourself properly. If I am not wrong, this man might just be as powerful as Hun Liangshen. He might even have much more battle experience than him, making this guy aplex, more difficult enemy to face.¡±

    Yan Soba raised his fist and a dark shade began to cover his entire body until itpletely covered his body with what looked like scales. It was simr to the skill which the man from Stell-Fist Collegium used, but was far more intimidating and sturdy. The energy radiating from the surface of the scale intimidates the avatar.

    ¡± Are those scales?¡± Long Tao asked?

    ¡°It seems to be the bloodline of a powerful beast. The scales are the character of multiple beasts, but the ancient bloodlines are quite intimidating in terms of attack power. Use Dominator¡¯s art. There is no other art that could break into those scales. It is either Dominator¡¯s art or Thunder Fist Technique.¡±

    ¡®I guess I will have to use that thing.¡± Long Tao said to himself.

    Long Tao didn¡¯t want to do this, but he decided to use the entire Battle-suit he had managed to create and nurture with the help of Weapon Tempering Art.

    He instantly conjured the battle armor. A red-shade battle armor covered his body, radiating a powerful and intimidating feel out of it. The pressure alone forced many people to step away from the stadium. When the armor appeared, Yan Soba¡¯s expression changedpletely. He never expected the opponent to have something simr to his bloodline armor.

    .....

    ¡®Isn¡¯t that the bloodline armor of Dark-Phoenix? Is he who I think he is?¡± One of the representatives asked.

    ¡± He was most recently chosen me-child of our sect. He is said to have the bestpatibility with the ancient phoenix blood and is one of the strongest geniuses of our sect. I guess we know who is going to the finals.¡± A representative from the Dark-Phjoenix sect spoke.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too fast to draw a conclusion. The Blood-Armour which that brat is using is quite intimidating. Just what kind of bloodline is it to have such a powerful aura? there is no sure confirmation as to who is going to be in this match.¡± Another representative spoke.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the avatar. They were all intrigued by the special ability of the Blood-Armor.

    ......

    ¡± I guess you possess some mysterious abilities just like me.¡± Yan Soba spoke.

    ¡± The same goes for you.¡±

    The two figures rushed at each other the very second the judge signaled the beginning of the match. Either one of the figures was using their bare fists to attack each other. They shed with each other and were pushed back. They jumped at each other and a series of shes took ce.

    Two shades of light shed with each other, one ck and the other blood-red.

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 Chapter 401

    401 YAN SOBA¡¯S POWER

    ¡°Dark-Phoenix Canyon: Fire Fist Burst¡±

    ¡°Trailing Fire Arts: Indefinite Explosion¡±

    ¡°Ghost Steps¡±

    These were the three skills that Yan Soba was using to fight with the avatar. Long Tao, on the other hand, was using Floating Dragon Steps to evade the attacks, and at the same time using the Dominator¡¯s Fist art to attack the opponent

    ¡°Dominator¡¯s Fist: Mountain Crushing Strike¡±

    ¡°Dominator¡¯s Fist: Sky Piercing shot¡±

    ¡°Dominator¡¯s Fist: Rapid Burst¡±

    Long Tao decided to alternate between the modified three moves of the Dominator¡¯s Fist art. he had managed to enhance the Fst art even while fighting with the opponent in the hell-ne, thanks to the Crimson-World Artifact. He even managed to cre4ate a rough outline for the fifth and sixth moves of the art. He decided that he would be developing that skill bybining it with the art present in theher ne.

    Three of the avatars were going to stay within the Nether ne and hence he decided to join only the top forces in the area. he could then ess their records and skills to improvise his understanding of martial arts, thus improving his own skillset.

    .....

    The two attacks collided and the result was a constant tie. Yan Soba¡¯s skill was more sophisticated, but Long Tao¡¯s avatar had a muchrger Qi reserve. Hence the resultant force exerted from either of the attacks was the same. After around 10 exchanges, Long Tao decided that it was time to change the pace and hence utilized a special art called ¡± Blood Burst¡±.

    It was a unique skill that he got during his promotion to the Qi King level. It allowed Long Tao and all his avatars to rapidly increase their strength for a very short period of time upon which he would be able to improve both his offensive and defensive skill by 30% at minimum.

    The more intensely he uses the skill, the higher the enhancement he receives. As a result, he would have to expend a higher amount of blood essence too, but for Long Tao, it wasn¡¯t an issue. The primary reason was the body cultivation art he practiced. His body¡¯s potential has been refined so many times that his healing abilities were otherworldly.

    Yan Soba managed to defend against the attacks by burning his own essence blood, but the difference in their state soon became visible. Yan Soba¡¯s face was growing pale as they continued since the amount of essence blood his body carried was limited. The avatar on the other hand had the help of the artifact and ten other figures on the same level as him.

    ¡°It is shameful to see that I need to fight a battle of persistence with an enemy of the same realm as me. I have so many cultivation achievements yet they somehow manage to match my strength with some sort of tricks. I guess I will have to start researching body refining and cultivation arts present with various powers too. Only by cultivating those would I be able topletely suppress those in the same realm as me.¡±

    He even possessed the Hell-heaven Body and Element King body.

    ¡°It is a given that martial arts application is practically endless. Humans thrive to reach new heights in their own way. Different people have different paths and as their achievement increases, so does their strength. If you truly want to be called an invincible entity in your realm, you need to achieve everything every other person has achieved in addition to reaching the apex of your own path in a stage.¡±

    ¡± If we properly go ording to your cultivation procedure, you haven¡¯t cultivated to the peak of Qi King yet. Your cultivation in Hell-Forging Sutra and Hell-King Sutra hasn¡¯t reached its peak stage. They, on the other hand, have reached the peak of their respective cultivation paths. That is the reason they could fight with you.¡± The Keeper advised.

    ¡± I would suggest that you cultivate to the peak of Qi King first before concentrating on Body refining arts which other sects practice in. Remember that your own path is of prime importance.¡± The keeper said.

    Long Tao nodded. His mind was finally clear about his objective in the near future. Before the Royal Road officially begins, he would make sure that he has cultivated to the peak of Qi King and officially reached the peak of beginner Qi Emperor level afterpleting all the requirements ording to his cultivation path.

    In the real world-

    ¡± Dark-Phoenix Hell-Fire Arts: Fire Sword Conjure¡±

    ¡°Fire shing the world¡±

    The attack was so powerful that the atmosphere itself felt as if it was being devoured by the huge dark sword conjured out of the fire. Long Tao knew that he couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. he had to use one of the strongest moves he currently possesses.

    ¡°Dominator¡¯s Fist, 4th movement: World Destroyer Punch¡±

    ¡°Floating Dragon STeps: Straight Dash¡±

    ¡°sh Steps¡±

    The two powers shed with each other and the entire stage was engulfed by the resultant explosion. It was so powerful that the entire stage was cracked and the guards and elders from Hun Manor had toe forward to erect a barrier that could hold in the energy from the explosion within the bounds so that the audience stand is not destroyed.

    Everyone was on their feet in anticipation of the result. They wanted to know which of the two geniuses remained standing. As the dust settled, two figures became visible. Both were heavily injured and their bodies were shaking. They were staring at each other for a moment before Yan Soba opened his mouth.

    ¡± Thank you for not holding back.¡± His figure fell on its knees while blood poured out of his mouth. The avatar looked towards him for a second, before he made a surprising move. He bowed to Yan Soba¡¯s injured figure.

    ¡®Thank you for making me aware of my own Lacunae. I look forward to fighting with you in the future.¡± It was the first time this arrogant figure had shown such respect in thepetition. It alone spoke about Yan Soba¡¯s strength. Representatives from the Dark-Phoenix sect rushed to the stage to feed multiple pills to Yan Soba and ingest his energy to stabilize his injury. He looked at the avatar withplicated eyes.

    ¡®When he wakes up, convey my regards to him and tell him, I wille to your sect in future to ask for a fight once I break through the hell emperor realm.¡± The representative nodded and the avatar stepped down from the stage. The judge came forward to announce the results.

    The first finalist has been determined.

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 Chapter 402

    402 THE LITTLE TYRANT FROM SOVEREIGN¡¯S HALL

    After the stage was fixed with the help of many masters from the Hun manor, the judge came forward to dere the beginning of the second fight. Two figures walked onto the stage. One was Long Tao¡¯s avatar while the other was the sole participant from the strongest force around the area, Sovereign Hall.

    When Long Tao and his avatars were collecting information about the forces who were going to participate in thepetition, a single force stood out among the entire group. It was the Sovereign¡¯s hall. It was said to be the strongest force around and there was also a rumor that they were just sending a single challenger, while others were going to attend challenges in other areas.

    This showed the power that Sovereign Hallmanded. They didn¡¯t think of thispetition as being relevant. On top of that, their representative was publicly favored to win thepetition. Long Tao could estimate the dread such a force managed tomand in the hearts of others to have such a high public opinion.

    He was aiming to join this force through thepetition. He assumed that if he managed to defeat their representative in the match, they would be attracted to try and recruit him. Long Tao had properly nned for this moment. He was going to act and lose this battle, but at the same time, use the opportunity to scout the strength of the person.

    This would make it easier for him to win thepetition. The two participants stepped onto the stage and stood opposite each other. The person in front had a mask over his face and his eyes looked unfazed, not responding to any provocation from the avatar¡¯s actions.

    He simply assumed a battle stance as soon as the judge signaled the beginning of the match. The avatar assumed a stance too and instantly conjured a me sword. he then rushed towards the person.

    ¡°me Sword maneuver: Infernal sh¡±

    The opponent managed to dodge, but the avatar was able to execute another attack.

    ¡°me King Fist: Explosion Burst¡±

    .....

    ¡± Moon bending stride.¡±

    The attack managed to make contact with the opponent, but the avatar felt as if he had hit a wall. The clothes on his body were burned into dust and exposed a smooth skin and an extremely well-built body. The punch could even graze the opponent¡¯s chest. even though the avatar wasn¡¯t using his entire power, this still came as a shock to him.

    The opponent bent his legs like a coiling snake, and the next moment a fist appeared right before the avatar¡¯s eyes, giving him no time to defend against it. The impact was so powerful that Long tao was sent flying to some distance and his vision grew blurry. He felt slight damage had been delivered to his skull.

    He looked at the opponents with shocked eyes. He never expected that someone would be able to injure him with pure physical strength.

    ¡± be careful of this guy. he has cultivated his body just like you. Although I can¡¯t sense it properly, he has cultivated both his meridians and his acupoint. In addition to that, I feel like his body has been refined with powerful natural resources multiple times and he has practiced more than three kinds of body refining art. If I have topare, he should be your equivalent in terms of physical strength.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Long Tao was shocked to find that a man like this guy existed.

    .....

    ¡°I am surprised by the sturdiness of your body. It is the first time someone is able to stand after receiving my fist with pure physical strength.¡± The man in front said.

    ¡± I am shocked to meet another body cultivator like you here. I guess thepetition did have too many hidden dragons.¡± The avatar spoke. To his surprise, the man¡¯s exp[ression turned into an excited smile. He felt thrilled because of the battle.

    The man rushed in and attacked the avatar while Long Tao decided to do the same. The two figures exchanged multiple attacks and to the surprise of everyone, each one of them was pure physical attacks. even then, the reverberation and pressure being radiated from each impact cracked the stage around them. The audience and representatives were shocked to see the scene. It was like watching two beasts fight with each other,.

    The avatar managed to separate himself from the enemy and execute a powerful art.

    ¡°me King¡¯s Attack Sutra: me Divergence palm¡± The man felt the energy being radiated from the attack and knew that he would have to use energy to defend against it too.

    ¡°Sovereign battle-body art: Stupa Body¡± The attacknded on his body, but he didn¡¯t even flinch.

    .........

    ¡± Sovereign¡¯s Battle Body Art. There is only one p[erson within the Sovereign¡¯s hall who managed to cultivate it while being in the Qi King level. Is he the Little Dragon Tyrant King?¡± One of the representatives spoke.¡±

    ¡°It looks like it. I never expected Sovereign¡¯s hall to send him to thispetition. I guess they were hell-bent on winning this one.¡±

    ¡°There is no way that guy can win against the LittleTyrant King. He is the strongest Qi King in the entire eastern region. There is virtually no one who is able to beat him in this realm. His achievement in both body cultivation andher energy cultivation is famous throughout the world.¡±

    ......

    ¡± What was that skill?¡± Long Tao was surprised to see his opponent standing afternding such a powerful attack.

    ¡± This man is simr to Huangfu Hogue. The only difference is his battle-body is way superior. It might even be ranked among the known battle-body. I never expected this low-level hell-ne to have such a battle-body.¡±

    ¡°I guess it is going to be a desperate fight. There is no way I would be able to beat him with ease if I can¡¯t use most of my skills and strength.¡± Long Tao was disappointed with the situation. Just the presence of a battle body was enough to upset the bnce. he didn¡¯t even know what kind of energy arts his opponent practices.

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 Chapter 403

    403 SOVEREIGN¡¯S BATTLE BODY VS. FLAME KING¡¯S BATTLE SUTRA

    ¡°To think you are able to take my attack head-on like that, I have tomend your powerful body cultivation realm. You are at a higher stage than me.¡± The avatar spoke to Little Tyrant.

    ¡°You are not bad either. To think you managed to make me reveal Stupa Body so early in the match, I have tomend yourst attack. You forced me to use energy instead of just my body cultivation method. I am starting to have high hopes from this battle.¡± He rushed in towards the avatar at an incredible pace.

    ¡°me King Battle Sutra: me Battle-Suit¡±

    A torrent of mes poured out of Avatar¡¯s body and covered him like a battle suit. he then looked at Little Tyrant and waved his fist at him. The enemy felt his spine grow cold from the dreadful sensation and instinctively dodged the attack.

    The mes burned through everything in its path, melting away a huge crater on the stage. The expression on the Little Tyrant¡¯s face was not good. to think he was forced to dodge the attack. he jumped up in the air while arching his body and gathering a lot of energy into his fist.

    ¡°Sovereign¡¯s battle Body Art: Nilhility Fist¡±

    ¡°me King¡¯s Inferno Fist¡±

    Two attacks collided and two figures were blown apart. Little Tyrant¡¯s hands looked charred while there was a visible crack in the me King battle suit. The two figures didn¡¯t stop there and rushed at each other once again in anticipation of another sh.

    ¡°Sovereign¡¯s Battle Body: Nether Pressure Exertion¡±

    .....

    ¡°me King Infernal Burst Art: Rapid Burst¡±

    ¡± Nihility Fist¡±

    ¡°Inferno Fist¡±

    ¡°Nether Breaking Steps¡±

    ¡°me King¡¯s me Barrage¡±

    ¡°Stupa Body: Reversal Art¡±

    ¡°me King¡¯s Fire Shield¡±

    The two figures were attacking each other at such a fast pace that the audience was having a lot of difficulties keeping up with them. None of the events made sense to them. Three figures remained in thepetition, out of which two figures were unknown to the crowd while the other one was the seeded champion of the entire region.

    The sheer energy radiating from the shes was enough to destroy the entire stage and force the guards to conjure a barrier around the duo. The sh continued until Long Tao decided that it was finally time for the avatar to give up. His scouting wasplete and he had a brief idea about how strong the contender truly was.

    Long Tao was nervous about the final fight since the restraint on his strength made it impossible to use most of his skills and arts along with hisw energies. He was forced to bepletely dependent on his energy reserves along with body cultivation and a modified form of art. he was able to win until now since the contenders were rtivelycking in one field or another.

    The Little Tyrant King, on the other hand, has a huge advantage in terms ofws and their usage. He is able to freely use thews of Hell-ne to his advantage. He attacked using all thews he had cultivated. Long Tao was simultaneously asking the Keeper about his enemy¡¯s current state.

    ¡± Whatws has he cultivated?¡± Long Tao asked.

    ¡°I am quite sure that he has cultivated more than one type of body cultivationw along with the yangw and speedw. I never expected to see a Qi King in these lower nes who could go beyond five heavenlyws in a single body. I am quite sure that he has also managed to cultivate weaponw of some kind and an elementalw. He could be an example of the minimum level of genius you are going to face in the future.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡± Well, let us end this charade and move to the next match.¡± Long Tao decided.

    The next moment-

    ¡°me King¡¯s Inferno me Arts: Internal me Impact.¡± This was the strongest move that the avatar had decided to use before giving up just to see the reaction of the Little Tyrant King. he replied with equally powerful art.

    ¡°Sovereign¡¯s Battle Body Art: Nether Energy Resonance¡±

    Two attacks collided and momentster, a figure sted outside the ring. It was none other than the avatar. His figure collided with a nearby wall and fell on the floor while coughing up blood. The audience was looking at his injured figure. The dust settled and the Little Tyrant King was seen kneeling in the middle of the stage.

    He had a shocked expression on his face that soon changed into satisfaction and admiration. he was satisfied with the battle. His entire body was charred and blood was flowing out of his crevices. He looked injured but was the only person standing on the stage. The audience screamed out in loud cheer topliment his win and proceeded to call out his name. Some even said that he was the champion of this tournament.

    .....................

    ¡°Out of the ninews that I managed to formte using the essence of the Netherworld, I am now acquainted with three. I would like an estimate of how enhancement in power could be induced onto my normal attacks with the help of this integration?¡± Long Tao asked.

    ¡°I feel that you would receive an enhancement of at least 20% to 30% at your present level. Once you have managed to fully adapt to this world and train in it for a long time, the enhancement brought by the addition of eachw is at least 10% no matter the cultivation level.¡± the Keeper replied.

    Long Tao nodded and formted a n in his mind regarding his approach for the offensive against the Little Tyrant King.

    ....................

    When the defeated avatar was healed up by the medic group and managed to start watching the match again, he felt like someone was approaching him. When he looked beside it, it was Yan Soba of the Dark Phoenix Sect. He walked up to him and bowed before introducing himself.

    ¡°May I know which power you are affiliated with?¡± Yan Soba asked.

    ¡°I am affiliated with no power at the moment.¡± The avatar replied. Yan Soba¡¯s expression turned serious when he heard this. He was able to reign in the surprise after some time and looked at the avatar with expectant eyes.

    ¡°In that case, I would like to extend an invitation to you on behalf of the Dark-Phoenix sect toe and join us. The privileges and benefits can be discussed at length with the representative elder present. I would just like to know if you are interested or not.¡±

    ¡°I am honored to receive a proposal from your sect. would you give me some time to consider it?¡± The avatar said. Yan Soba nodded and left after bowing.

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 Chapter 404

    404 THE DESPERATE WIN-Long Tao was happy to see that the top-tier sects were starting to take notice of him. The Dark Phoenix sect was a force famous for its fire-type art. The bloodline of Dark Phoenix, a prized possession of the sect itself, is something that has attracted the attention of genius throughout its history. Long Tao was also interested in the blood and the heritage arts that the sect possessed. he wanted to inculcate those arts into his own and blend them with other arts and his own perception to give rise to the Fire-Arts of Dominator.

    He decided that one of the avatars should be going to the Dark Phoenix Sect. The domination of the ne would begin with one foot into the Dark-Phoenix Sect.

    The biggest hurdle in his way was the Little Tyrant King. Long Tao was strong enough topletely annihte someone like him given he could utilize all his strength, but hisws were still suppressed by this ne since he hadn¡¯t refined them with Nether ne¡¯s energy. The ones he managed to use would provide a good boost.

    ¡°What is your strategy for this fight?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡°Strategy is simple. Battle of Attrition is no longer an option since he has better control over the energy and his body is much more adapted to this ne, being refined by its energy so many times. Attrition will only result in my downfall at the end of the day. I need to be smarter than that.¡± Long Tao said.

    ¡°Have you decided which skills you are going to use?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡± All of my top-tier skills are going to be used. I am going to use the Thunder Fist technique along with Dominator¡¯s Fist and sword art, along with Blood Weapon Arts, all my meridians and acupoints will be used. I just hope that the three additionalws from this ne will be enough to defeat that guy easily.¡± Long Tao said.

    ¡°BEGIN BY COMBINING SINGLE LAWS BEFORE JUMPING INTO MULTIPLE COMBINATIONS. IT IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE AND YOU NEED A MUCH BETTER ENERGY FLOW AND ABSORPTION ATE. THIS IS ACHIEVABLE WITH A PROLONGED STAY, BUT A FORCEFUL METHOD TO INCREASE IT BY FORCEFULLY ABSORBING ENERGY AND RELEASING IT THROUGH YOUR BODY DURING BATTLES.¡± The Keeper screamed.

    Long Tao was surprised to see hear the Keeper¡¯s approach and looked at him with an expression that demanded an exnation for his actions.

    .....

    ¡°You haven¡¯t considered the very real probability of beingpletely wrong about that man¡¯s strength. What if he is holding hidden cards which are beyond yourprehension? You need to consider the very real possibility that there is more than one variable which might direct the match towards the battle of attrition.¡± Long Tao¡¯s expression turned serious.

    ¡± What do you suggest I do?¡± Long Tao asked.

    ¡°For starters, you can begin by using the sword which the old man gave you.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°That sword is way beyond myprehension. I haven¡¯t even been recognized by it as a master and its power is not something I could easily bring under my control. I can only use it after making myselfpletelyfortable with the sheer energy expenditure it takes to fuckling swing that sword.¡± Long Tao said.

    ¡®How about the ck Dragon Sword then?¡± The Keeper said.

    Long Tao¡¯s expressions changed when he heard this. It was true that he hasn¡¯t been using so many of his Qi King and emperor-level weapons he managed to get his hands on. Even themps that he got during the Pill Valley Trial were not used by him.

    ¡°I guess we can use it, but wouldn¡¯t the treasure¡¯s power be reduced in this ne?¡± Long tao asked.

    ¡°The ck Dragon Sword is quite a special weapon. You will understand when you use it in the battle. It might be one of the best weapons you have in your arsenal.¡± The Keeper said.

    Long Tao was surprised by thisment, but he decided to give it a try. he had already reached the peak of weapon intent level in every type of weapon he had used until now. he wanted to achieve a weapon body, but that seems to be a barrier that cannot be passed through unless a long and extensive training on the weapon is carried out.

    ..........

    Thepetition-

    The avatar was the first one on the stage. he just stood there looking at the sky thinking about the battle strategy he could adopt to win thepetition. he managed to map the entire stage and create possible battle scenarios in his head while analyzing the possible actions he would take or would be forced to take.

    The Little Tyrant King walked over to the stage while eyeing his enemy with a serious pair of eyes. It was his first time experiencing standing against an enemy who waspletely ignoring his presence. The avatar didn¡¯t look at him until the judge came forward to signal the start of the match.

    As soon as the signal dropped, the avatar turned his head towards the tyrant King with a smile over his face.

    ¡®I have heard people call you the Little Tyrant king. I guess no matter how many powers bitches like you unt in this region, you will always be tiny in the end.¡± The avatar said. The expression on everyone¡¯s face turned difficult when they heard this.

    ¡± Your arrogance surprises me.¡± The Little Tyrant king said. ¡± No matter how powerful you are, you need to know that there is always someone better than you.¡±

    ¡°That is the reason why you will be losing this match. You are after all fighting someone who is better than you.¡± The avatar said as he lifted his hands and a sword appeared in it the very next moment. The avatar stretched his body while being supported against the sword before, jumping at a rapid pace and unsheathing it mid-air, attacking the Tyrant King with a powerful sword attack filled with weapon intent.

    he was surprised by the avatar¡¯s move, but he used the same defensive arts he used against the other avatar. the only difference was that the defensive art wasn¡¯t capable enough to stop an attack that had been imbued with the very peak. grade of weapon intent along with Long Tao¡¯s physical strength.

    Attacknded on Tyrant King¡¯s body and destroyed his skillpletely. A blood-red line appeared on his chest and dr4ops of blood started to drip out.

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 Chapter 405

    405 DESPERATE WIN-Everyone was surprised when they saw this phenomenon. The Tyrant King himself was shocked when he felt the deep red cut on his body. He never imagined getting hurt after a single sh. His previous arrogance was nowhere to be found. he looked at the avatar with a serious expression.

    ¡°Your art is quite special. That attack would have killed most of the participants here, but you managed to stop the attack with a slight cut on your body. I guess I will have to try a bit harder.¡± The avatar spoke as he rushed towards the Tyrant King.

    As he entered his proximity, the avatar waved his sword with such force that, the Tyrant King had to conjure a lot of energy to guard against it. he pushed back 20 steps in the process. The avatar continued to press on the enemy since he didn¡¯t want to let the tyrant King adapt to the scenario.

    ¡°Blood Sword Art: Four Seasons Sword Art Strike¡± The avatar uses all his acupoints to conjure energy along with body cultivation. The enemy was forced to bend to his knees, as the sword continued to descend from such a high height. Even though his body cultivation art was strong, there was no way he would be able to defend against the enormous force that was contained within the attack.

    ¡°Nether Soverreign¡¯s Breathing Technique: Mammoth¡¯s Breath¡±

    A huge amount of energy from the surrounding rushed towards the Tyrant King and he managed to push up the sword and slowly rise up to his feet from the kneeling position. Even Long Tao was surprised that he managed to push through the attack like this.

    ¡®What kind of technique is this?¡± Long Tao asked the keeper.

    ¡°If I am not estimating in the wrong direction, I think it is a specialized breathing technique for rapid intake of energy that suddenly boosts the user¡¯s energy level to an entirely new height. It is a specialized art that can push your body to a state which is in the same lines as Berserkness, but different and can be used for a prolonged time.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°The biggest reason why such art is special is that its side effects are just the burden of the body due to the sudden influx of such a huge amount of energy which has the potential to eventually cripple it. Still, the art he is using must be of high grade since he managed to bridge the gap using just a breathing technique. Just don¡¯t give him any time to reposition and adapt to the situation.¡±

    .....

    ¡± Even an art this strong must have limit.¡± Long Tao nodded as a n began to formte in his mind. It was time to use his battle strategies which were in development since the very first time he started training in martial arts.

    .............

    The avatar punched his enemy directly in the abdomen where thest attack in the previous match hadnded. even after being treated by a healer, an attack like that would leave certain hidden injuries which took time to recover from.

    The punch managed to pierce through his skeletal structure and rup[ture one of his organs, temporarily stunning him in the process. The avatar took advantage of it to wave his sword at the enemy¡¯s neck.

    The Tyrant King somehow managed to bend his body at the right time and dodge the iing attack, but his posture resulted in a restriction over his movements. This allowed the avatar to kick him directly in the face, thus sting his body away.

    While the enemy¡¯s body was flying mid-air, the avatar jumped from his position and managed to reach the spot above the Tyrant King¡¯s location. He then bent his body to elerate and coagted all his energy into his legs while falling down.

    He firstnded on the Tyrant King¡¯s body after which both of themnded on the ground. The force was sorge that his body pierced through the stage and stuck there. Blood flowed out of the Tyrant King¡¯s mouth when the impact urred.

    The audience gasped in shock. This match was getting more and more one-sided by the second. The Tyrant king is not even able to even touch the enemy, much lessnd a powerful attack of some kind.

    The avatar jumped back and waved his sword towards the Tyrant King¡¯s body. The process continued until eventually the entire area was destroyed by the avatar¡¯s weapon intent and the Tyrant King¡¯s body was lost within the rubble.

    The avatar stopped his attacks after some time and looked at the judge, asking him to make a decision ording to the situation. The judge was too surprised to reach but soon jumped on the stage and rushed towards the Little Tyrant King¡¯s location. Just when he was about to dere the avatar as the winner, a burst of energy started to flow out of the heap of rubble.

    The next moment, all the rubble sted away and a glowing ebony figure climbed out of the hole. The Tyrant King¡¯s body was covered in some kind of silver energy and runes were visible all over his body. This looked like some kind of powerful art or form which the Tyrant King has practiced for a very long time.

    ¡°You are the first person since I started training who managed to force me to use the Sovereign¡¯s Mara Batte-body. Ever since I started training in this art, no one was ever able to suppress me in my own realm. You are the first one who managed to force me into desperation. You should be proud of yourself.¡± The Little Tyrant King said.

    ¡°I am quite surprised to see that the so-called geniuses are only good at talking and promising me of a good battle. You are just bluffing for the sake of feeding your own fucking ego and showcasing your so-called hollow talents to the rest of the naive world. To be totally honest, I didn¡¯t expect much from hypocrites like you.¡± The avatar said in a an irritated voice.

 Chapter 406 - 406 DESPERATE WIN-3

    406 DESPERATE WIN-Mara Battle Body is a specialized body art within Sovereign¡¯s Battle Body scripture. It can only be practiced by those who have been chosen as core disciples of the faction. The Little Tyrant King was a genius at the Qi King level, but no one expected him to have cultivated the Mara Battle Body.

    Although Long Tao was surprised for a few seconds, he soon regainedposure. The enemy managed to match his strength equally after using the art. If this was his hidden card then he would be able to win the round quite easily with the help of threews he formted using the essence of hell.

    Tyrant King jumped towards him while using powerful breathing skills and movement art. His Mara Battle body stacked up with the skill of giving out a powerful attack that was destroying everything in its path as it approached the avatar.

    The avatar clenched the sword tightly and decided to use a skill that he hadn¡¯t used since the fight with Blood General. IT was the Sword Art of the Dominator.

    ¡°Dominator¡¯s Sword Art: Mountain Splitting sh¡±

    ¡°Dominator¡¯s Sword Art: Sea Cleaving Strike¡±

    He integrated the first two moves into a single strike while using his body at its peak functioning ability. Two attacks collided and a huge explosion took ce, destroying the entire area around the duo.

    The two figures separated and shed once again. A series of shes took ce after that, where the two people were constantly attacking each other. Long Tao managed to integrate the firstw quite easily and his power was enhanced to some extent, resulting in the Tyrant King being pushed back.

    he was shocked to see this and decided to sue another card of his.

    .....

    ¡°Mara Battle Body: The First Moon¡±

    The next moment both of them were back into a stalemate. Long Tao had expected this as he thought that a genius from a ne higher than his is sure to have multiple hidden cards. To think that there was a transformational ability in the already powerful Battle Body art was surprising.

    Long Tao decided to try and integrate the secondw too. This time he decided to use just the second move of Dominator¡¯s Sword Art while using the Dominator¡¯s Fist art at the same time. The Tyrant King wasn¡¯t expecting thisbination, and even though he managed to guard against the sword move, the fistnded directly on his face, cracking his jaw along with it.

    Tyrant King sted back. He found it extremely difficult to get a stable footing on the stage since the damage dealt to his body was quite severe. The avatar¡¯s energy seems to have prated his defenses and entered his body and was now wreaking havoc inside of him.

    He somehow managed to extract it out, but his momentary distraction resulted in a sword attack to his chest. The Mara Battle Body cracked and the Little Tyrant King was forced to vomit a lot of blood. The avatar wasn¡¯t pulling his punches and the sword strike was abination of second strike and twows of hell along with his body cultivation, which was superior to his enemy.

    The sh left a deep wound and the rib bone was visible through the cut. The avatar wasn¡¯t going to stop until the enemy was defeated and hence he continued his attacks. This time Long Tao decided that he would have the avatar switch between the Thunder Fist technique and Dominator¡¯s Art.

    Two fists assaulted the Tyrant King¡¯s Body as the avatar was constantly striking the injured portions only. The crack spread all over his body, and the very next moment, the avatarnded a dual fist attack at the same time at the weakest pointpletely destroying the body art. The Tyrant King sted away, and his body seemed to have returned to normal. He wasn¡¯t even able to react to the avatar¡¯s attacks. His entire body was decimated and blood was flowing out like a river.

    Although he wasn¡¯t eliminated and was forced to his knees, he looked at the avatar with anger in his eyes. He had never been humiliated this much. He was forced into uselessness and his battle body was destroyed. How could he take this lying down?

    He tried to stand up with a lot of effort. His face was pale as paper, as he looked at the avatar, who seemed to have been drained off a lot of energy. Destroying sovereign art was not a joke and the avatar had to expend a lot of energy to do so.

    ¡± Do you want me to supply energy to you?¡± The Keeper asked.

    ¡®No. This is my fight. You don¡¯t need to interfere. If I am able to beat the enemy then fine, or else, it is what it is. I am not going to rely on artifacts to gain a win against someone of my own realm. I would be ashamed if that were to happen and my martial path would be faulted.¡± Long Tao said.

    The Keeper had a look of admiration in his eyes. Even though he had the ability to conjure the power of eleven avatars at the same time, he is growing them individually with all his strength. None of themck in any sense to the other. This was a huge deal for him.

    All records regarding the previous user of the avatar art suggested that the users and their avatars weren¡¯t on the same level. They used them as an extension of themselves and a power source most of the time. Long Tao was doing somethingpletely different. The Keeper was excited to imagine how powerful he would be able to grow if he managed to continue this to the highest level.

    ,................

    ¡± This will be myst attack. If you manage to beat me in this sh, I will have no choice but to ept my defeat.¡± Tyrant King said.

    ¡°Sovereign¡¯s Battle Body Art: Mara Battle Body, Second Change ¨C New Moon¡±

    ¡°Sovereign¡¯s Battle Art: Nilhility Breath¡±

    ¡°Sovereign¡¯s Movement Works: Hell-Breaking Steps¡±

    The Tyrant King conjured everyst bit of his power into a single attack and jumped towards the avatar who was standing steadily on the other side.

    ¡°I guess I will have to give it my all too¡±

    ¡®Dominator¡¯s Fist Art: Mountain Crushing Fist¡±

    ¡°Dominator¡¯s Fist Art: Sea Spilliting Fist¡±

    ¡°Dominator¡¯s Fist Art: Sky Piercing Fist¡±

    The avatar used the three moves of the Dominator¡¯s art at the same time whilebining all three Law energies with them.

 Chapter 407 - 407 WINNER, JOINING THE FACTIONS, TRAINING IN THE TOWER

    407 WINNER, JOINING THE FACTIONS, TRAINING IN THE TOWER

    The two attacks collided and the stage under them waspletely destroyed along with the space around it. The attack was so powerful that the protective barrier cracked all around. Multiple people had to join in to hold the energy inside.

    The sh was so strong that even early-stage and mid-stage emperors were shocked. Just how powerful were the two Hell Kings? Everyone was watching the stage in anticipation of the winner. The energy slowly dispersed and so did the dust cloud that had filled the protective barrier.

    A single figure was visible standing in the middle of the stage. His figure was pale, and his body was covered with flowing blood. The only distinct action he had was a raised hand that seemed to be indicating something. In front of him, a bodyy on the stage,pletely static.

    It was none other than Avatar who was thest man standing. His entire body had been injured and a lot of his organs had been crushed as a result of thest sh. he was shocked to see how powerful the Little Tyrant King truly was. If he has a little more power, he would be thest man standing in this situation.

    The avatar was not in a good state, as he sat down on the stage and ingested a healing pill along with the pills presented by Hun Manor to recover his energy.

    The judge slowly came over to announce the winner of thepetition. The entire crowd was silent. The representatives and the audience were looking at the view with shock-filled eyes. The avatar/dark horse was the winner of the tournament.

    ¡°Well done.¡±

    ¡°How did he beat the Tyrant King?¡±

    ¡°He is a higher grade genius than the Tyrant King. i couldn¡¯t even see theirst moves.¡±

    .....

    The audience was cheering and discussing the results among themselves, while the representative area had somewhat of a diverged opinion.

    ¡°Who is that guy? He is even stronger than the Little Tyrant King. Which power managed to create a genius like this?¡± One of the representatives said.

    ¡°I guess your prediction was wrong.¡± Another representative said while looking at the leader from Sovereign¡¯s Hall.

    ¡°It is a given that there are dark horses all around. We are fortunate to see the rise of a genius right before our eyes. I never expected someone like him to show himself in this tournament.¡± A representative from Dark phoenix Hall spoke.

    ¡°There isn¡¯t much better you can get than this in Qi King level. Both of them have reached the very peak of this level. I am just wondering what sort of monster he would be after he ingests the Nether Essence Liquid to redo his body. We are going to see the birth of an incredible cultivator.¡±

    Surprisingly, the representative from Sovereign¡¯s Hall was silent. He first jumped out to check on the Tyrant King¡¯s health after which he raised his hands to signal one of the servants. The servant carried the injured Tyrant King out and sent him to the infirmary. The representative on the other hand was standing right in front of the avatar waiting for him to finish absorbing the pill.

    Once the avatar opened his eyes and found the representative, he walked forward and greeted him.

    ¡°I am the representative from Sovereign¡¯s Hall. The final match was fought against the genius of our sect. I have to say, you have managed to open both my and the Little Tyrant King¡¯s eyes that there is always a greater genius than you are. Thank you for not holding back against him.¡± The greeting was sincere. The avatar nodded and was about to go down when the representative said something surprising.

    ¡°I would like to extend an invitation from the Sovereign¡¯s Hall to you. We can discuss the benefitster, but the privileges would be on the same level as the Little Tyrant King. I hope you will consider the offer.¡± the representative flicked his hand to throw a que at the Avatar who grabbed it. ¡± If you decide to ept, bring that que to Sovereign¡¯s Hall. The rest will follow itself.¡± The representative vanished from the spot and returned back to his seat.

    ¡°The winner of thepetition is now asked to proceed towards the Nether Stage where the rewards will be presented along with the 10 drops of the liquid which we guarantee. In addition, the Hun Manor would also extend an invitation if you would like to join us. If yes, the Patriarch will personally take you in as a disciple and train you. The privileges you will receive will be on par with elders.¡±

    This is huge news. No one expected Hun Manor to extend such a generous invitation. This would make it difficult for other forces topare. But a genius like an avatar deserved it.

    ....

    At the same time somewhere else, another avatar was striking a deal with the Dark Phoenix Sect. This was the second power he wanted to join because of its widespread control over a region and specialization in me and body arts.

    ¡°Are you sure about your decision? Once made, you won¡¯t be able to change it.¡± The representative said.

    ¡°I am. Your approach and rewards were adequate to my taste and I am interested in finding out what kind of me art is being practiced in the Dark Phoenix Sect for it to be so powerful.¡±

    ¡°I guarantee that you will be satisfied. The patriarch is a Hell Dominator peak level character and soon our sect might even expand to be a half-saint force. The privileges will be decided based on your performance and talent. If you show us results, the sexy would be happy to invest.¡± The representative said.

    The avatar nodded. His objective behinding here has been achieved.

    ¡°I agree with the terms.¡± The avatar said.

    ¡°We will be waiting for you to finish your training in the Nether Stage. Once youplete it, we can leave it together.¡±

    The avatar nodded and left for Hun Manor¡¯s Nether Stage.

    ...

    The main objective of joining peak forces had been achieved. It was time to concentrate on the month-long training within the best floor along with the best of resources.

    He wanted toplete his Hell-Forge Art, Hell-King art along with refining his body with the ten drops to see how powerful it would be.

 Chapter 408 - 408 THE BODY REFINNING IN HELL-PLANE, REACHING THE PEAK OF QI KING IN ALL ARTS

    408 THE BODY REFINNING IN HELL-PLANE, REACHING THE PEAK OF QI KING IN ALL ARTS

    Li Meng was practicing on the seventh floor, hence one of the avatars switched ces with him as he advanced to the highest floor essible to the public, the 9th floor. One month on this floor was the reward that Hun Manor granted.

    Yin-seed within Li Meng¡¯s body had grown quite well after training for the entire period of the martialpetition. The sprouted roots and stems had multiplied into six and seven. Li Meng could feel the energy gathering within his body bing purer and purer as the Yin-seed grew.

    Li Meng has already managed to reach the tenth level of Hell-Forge arts with the Yin seed¡¯s help. Now that they were on the 9th floor, the speed of absorption and growth of the Yin-Seed increased so rapidly that Li Meng was almost unable to control his body and burst because of excess energy influx.

    Thankfully, the Keeper came to his rescue and began to actively absorb energy while Li Meng could concentrate on clearing thest stage to reach the peak of Qi King level in Hell-Forge arts. The bones of his body were crushed once again, just to be slowly reformed with the help of pureher energy released from the Yin Seed. After around one day, the art finally reached its peak.

    Li Mengpared himself to his past self and was confident that he would be able to beat the Little Tyrant King in 100 moves less than thest time. The Yin-seed continued to grow and Li Meng asked the Keeper for advice.

    ¡°We should keep the body refining part at the end of the month. Concentrate on taking all your Hell-arts to the peak in the meantime. Hell-King art is a special art that is designed for energy training at the Qi King level. He reached the ninth level during hisst retreat, but this time he wanted to reach the peak.

    It took Li Meng four days within this floor to reach the peak. Except for Li Meng who was carrying the Yin-seed in his body, the rest of the avatars were switching in and out after reaching the peak of both Hell-Forging arts and Hell-King art. The speed at which they cultivated was higher because they didn¡¯t have an activeponent like the Yin-seed to absorb the Nether energy.

    The process was slow, but Long Tao was happy that he was approaching the so-called peak of Qi King in all his art. Once all his energy arts and body refining arts reached their respective peaks, Long Tao decided that it was finally time for him to actively start collecting the energy here. At the same time, he had to see what kind of effect the Nether-Core liquid would have.

    The avatar on the 9th floor sat down and put a drop of that liquid on his hands before consuming it. As soon as the liquid entered his body, a rapid change began to take ce. Theher-core liquid began to seep through his body and agglomerate the hidden faults and residual waste energy before releasing them out of his body.

    .....

    It is one of the rare body refining resources like Milk-Dew. The process continued until it passed through every single crevice of the avatar¡¯s body and released it outside. Once it was done, the liquid seemed to disperse and seeped into the avatar¡¯s bodybining with the organs. A re-inforcing process began after that.

    The avatar¡¯s organs were crushed and re-built until the entire internal body was re-inforced by the Nether-core liquid. It was after that the effect vanishedpletely. The avatar was shocked to feel the special attribute of the Nether-core liquid. It was finally time to test out a theory he had. He ingested another drop, just to find that the resource just enhanced his energy but the previous effect didn¡¯t repeat itself.

    ¡°I guess all my avatars can have a drop except two.¡± The avatars who came to theher world managed to reform their bodies with the Nether core liquid. Only three drops remained, and Li Meng was the one who was busy helping the Yin-seed grow.

    ¡®Should we see what effect it has against the Yin-seed? Li Meng ingested a drop, and as soon as the drop entered his body, it rapidly made its way to the Yin Tree. The root extends from the seed and absorbs the drop. The next moment, another set of roots and branches appeared and the entire group seemed to have changed in quality.

    The speed at which energy was absorbed increased drastically and so was the quality of energy being released. Li Meng ingested the remaining two drops too and the Yin-seed absorbed them. A simr change urred and another. Not only did the Yin-seed grow into aplete sapling, but Li meng¡¯s body started to experience some changes too.

    The Yin-seed had an inner quality of refining the body of its host. The Keeper informed him about major phases which were extremely simr to meta-morphosis. This was the first Li Meng experienced it while awake. Meta-morphosis began and Li Meng¡¯s body began to change qualitatively.

    The process urred for an entire week before it eventually ended. Li Meng had lost consciousness multiple times, but he managed to experience the change happening inside of him. After the process ended, Li Meng rose from his seat, just to find out how powerful his body had be.

    After a series of tests, Li Meng couldn¡¯t help but smile. The test revealed that his strength and quality of energy were enhanced by multiple times, but the most significant change he managed to experience was thepletepatibility with the world. He was able to tap the entire power of all the Chaosws formed from stealing the energy from the hell ne.

    He was confident about beating the Little-Tyrant King with half-the effort as before. There were still some things he had to do. The first one was joining the two forces he had finalized, while the other thing was cultivating the Heavenly Pestle Art of Soul. His soul training was the only thing remaining before he could sessfully break into the Qi Emperor realm without worries of there being any kind of hidden faults present.

    After the allocated time was over, LI Meng and the avatars exited the tower. Once out, they proceeded towards the respective forces he had decided to join. The rest were busy returning to the same cave they had been practicing in. They were going to ess the formation from the same location they came in. The Keeper said it would be better that way.

    .....

    ¡°How much energy did you manage to collect?¡± Long Tao asked.

    ¡°Enough for you to practice till the peak of Qi Emperor stage. You won¡¯t need to worry about the royal road.¡±

    The avatars were slowly proceeding to the cave when they managed to sport a group of people roaming around its location. For some reason, Long Tao felt uneasy when he saw this.

 Chapter 409 - 409 KILLING QI EMPERORS, SNEAKING AWAY TO A CAVE

    409 KILLING QI EMPERORS, SNEAKING AWAY TO A CAVE

    Long Tao looked at the group of people roaming around the areas as if they were trying to inspect something.

    ¡®Who are these guys? Can you inspect their cultivation levels?¡± LonG tao asked.

    ¡°All of them are Qi Emperor level cultivators. You need to be more careful when you tackle them. Uponpletion of all the art to the very peak, you have managed to acquire enough power to fight against an intermediate Qi Emperors. But advanced Qi Emperors are enough to make you run for your life. You need to be careful against them. Although I don¡¯t sense an advanced Qi Emperor in this group, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to take proper precautions.¡± The Keeper advised.

    The avatars decided to separate from each other and slowly advance towards individuals who were alone. After capturing a person, the maximum time they could get before the enemy realizes something is wrong would be a couple of hours. He needs to strike the best blow he can within those hours. The best way is to strike and vanish into the artifact.

    They managed to find two Qi Emperors who were at the initial stage. From the energy they were emitting, both of them had practiced in Earthlyws, which weren¡¯t much of a deal for someone like Long Tao. Hisws were capable of crushing their bases with just their aura. The two avatars followed before attacking and capturing the two Qi Emperors with a swift move.

    After he managed to catch two, he began to scourge through their memories to find out the reason behind them surveying thendscape here. The information he found was disturbing.

    ¡®So that boy was the son of an elder at Qi Monarch level. I never expected this to be the case. That is the reason he carried such valuable resources along with him. What is done is done. To think that they would be able to iste the energy signature to this ce and slowly approach my cave adobe is quite an achievement.

    They won¡¯t be able to find the avatar which is marked with the kill symbol since it is already in the Crimson World Artifact, but if they managed to find his cave adobe, they would be able to gather many signatures of energy and eventually track down the avatars who had went to join Dark Phoenix Sect and Sovereign sect. This is not an ideal scenario. Long Tao decided to take action.

    He found the artifacts within the two people¡¯s possessions, which were used to pinpoint his location. After that, he used the same artifact to find more people in the group. The first task was to eliminate the low-level emperors. The Keeper was asked to try and use the artifact to eliminate his energy signatures. The keeper agreed and popped out of the avatar¡¯s body before sinking into the ground.

    .....

    That was when the attack began. One by one, the Qi emperors began to die. Initial Stage Qi Emperors weren¡¯t a big deal for someone like Long Tao. he was able to crush them even before he entered Hell-ne. Now that he had refined his body to the highest extent, there was no longer any need to even use an effort.

    The first problem arrived in the form of an initial stage Qi Emperor who managed to formte a Heavenlyw base. He was a personal student of that elder and hence his battle prowess was incredible too. Long Tao delivered a sneak attack, but he was able to survive due to his Law-body. he was gravely injured and almost managed to alert his teammates when the avatar pierced his head with a blood weapon and killed him.

    ¡± It was close. I managed to somehow subdue him, but if this happens often, a signal might slip through my arrangement.¡± Long Tao said.

    ¡± A signal might have already slipped past your defenses. A genius who managed to form a heavenlyw base is bound to have a life-que of his in the force to which he belongs too. How long do you think it will take for the message about his demise to arrive at this location? You need to attack before that happens.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡°Shit.¡± The avatar was moved out of the location instantly and targeted other individuals.

    He managed to kill ten more individuals in multiple spots before he4 managed to clear the sitepletely. Once the area was covered and he scattered the corpses around multiple locations to distract the enemy from his cave, he entered it in a haste. It would be better if he could summon the formation and return to the Qi continent before the forces arrive.

    After the cave was perfectly sealed and isted, the avatar began to set up a st formation that would destroy the entire area after he was teleported out of the world. Once the st formation was set up, he started to ingest energy into the formation, and soon enough the formationpletely awakened.

    Li Meng came out of the artifact and entered the formation. Once the preparation isplete, the formation is activated. Just at this instant, Li Meng felt a strong wave of energy rushing through the environment and scanning the entire area. He hastened the process, and the formation enveloped him. The next moment he made multiple hand signs to activate the st talisman and formations.

    The energy seemed to have stopped right on the cave when Li Meng vanished from sight into the teleportation formation. Momentster, the cave entrance was sted away by massive power. The entire cave was exposed to the surroundings and two figures entered the cave with haste, to catch the perpetrator.

    The moment they entered they felt something was wrong and jumped out as fast as possible. A massive explosion devoured the cave and it¡¯s surrounding the next moment. The explosion was powerful enough for the Qi Emperors.

    ¡°He managed to escape.¡± One of the men said.

    ¡®¡± A formation master. When did a formation master of this caliber appear here?¡± Another one replied.

    ¡®We need to dispatch an investigation team to verify the surroundings. he killed so many of our disciples. We need to find and punish him. Also, find out which elder ordered a search in this area.¡± The other guy nodded and the two men vanished.

 Chapter 410 - 410 RETURN OF LI MENG, QI AND BODY CLEANSING THUNDER POOL

    410 RETURN OF LI MENG, QI AND BODY CLEANSING THUNDER POOL

    Thunder Academy-

    The portal activated inside Li Meng¡¯s room, and the next moment a figure appears within it. It was none other than Li Meng who came out of it. Once he stabilized his mental condition after the space teleportation, he waved his hands to wreck the formation. Li Meng breathed a sigh of relief only after the area was decimated.

    Li Meng had cleared his objective for reaching the peak of Qi King. He sessfully managed to steal energy from two different worlds and set hisw base up. Now that the initial conditions were fulfilled, he could start his breakthrough to the Qi Emperor realm.

    Before he proceeded, Li Meng wanted to check something. He closed his eyes and tried to connect with the other avatars. The avatars began to join until all eleven could think in sync.

    ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned that I wouldn¡¯t be able to connect with my clones due to the realm boundary. Everything seems to be normal to me.¡± Long Tao said.

    ¡°Well, if I hadn¡¯t lied to you, you would have left immediately after letting your avatars join nearby powers. You won¡¯t participate in thepetition or try to grow the Yin seed within you. This move of mine was supposed to help you grow.¡± The Keeper said.

    Long Tao didn¡¯t care enough about the matter to reply to thisment. He decided to let it slide and concentrate on the issue at hand. He had to return to his master and ask for his assistance breaking through the emperor¡¯s realm.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you.¡± The Keeper said

    ¡®Why?¡± Long Tao asked.

    .....

    ¡°Remember when I said that traditional means wouldn¡¯t work anymore every time you cultivate after this. Yourw base isn¡¯t formed out of thews of any particr world. Hence you are stealing its energy to cultivate. Think of Qi King as a certification that the world provides a user so that they are allowed to consume a huge amount of energy to grow stronger in it.¡±

    ¡°Now that you have formed a Chaos Law base, you are no longer under the world¡¯s control, and hence, using its energy to breakthrough would lead to it getting angry and punishing you in the form of tribtions. The stronger you grow, the stronger the tribtion will be.¡± The Keeper said.

    ¡± Are you saying I would have to break through into the next realm while hiding somewhere to tackle the tribtion sessfully?¡± Long Tao said.

    ¡®¡±As long as you don¡¯t want anyone to know the specialw base you have established, I suggest you do just that.¡± The Keeper said.

    Long Tao was a bit de-spirited when he heard this, but he knew every hurdle came along with an opportunity to grow more robust than before. If this is the price for strength, he was willing to pay it.

    ¡°I will report my arrival to the master and then ask for a leave to break through the Qi Emperor realm.¡± Li Meng said.

    He saw that a messenger seemed to be stationed outside when he looked around. As far as Li Meng could remember, there was still time for the two-month schedule to finish. Why did a messenger appear here? Was this some urgent news?

    ¡± Do you have something to discuss with me?¡± Li Meng asked.

    ¡± Master has asked you to appear at his hut as soon as you exit the seclusion. There is a huge opportunity in the wait, and the master would like you to avail of it. He ordered me to stand outside and wait for you to exit.¡± The servant said.

    Li Meng decided to follow the servant. He knew that his master wouldn¡¯t dare bother him if it wasn¡¯t for something urgent. Once he appeared outside his master¡¯s dwelling, a wave of energy scanned through him. The next moment he heard a voice.

    ¡°Enter¡± It was none other than his master. Li meng went through the gate to find his master and two senior brothers waiting for him. As soon as he entered the room, all three of them began to check him out to see what kind of improvement he had made.

    ¡®I greet the master.¡± Li Meng bowed and greeted the old man.

    ¡°Have you finished your body refining objectives?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡± I have reached a satisfactory stage and am ready to break through the next realm.¡± Li Meng said.

    ¡°Would you be able to tell me at what stage of body cultivation you are presently in?¡± The old man said.

    ¡°I have sessfully refined all my acupoints.¡± Li Meng said without hiding. He didn¡¯t mention his meridians since he knew that the old man only knew about the ountants.

    ¡®You managed to open all 56¡å the old man asked in shock. Li Meng instantly recognized that the old man carried an unfinished scripture and didn¡¯t know about the total acupoints either. Anyway, it was better to feign ignorance in this matter.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Li Meng said.

    The trio was shocked to learn that a junior in the Qi King realm had managed to achieve something they still couldn¡¯t practice to the very limit. The old man¡¯s expectations touched new heights when he heard about this. he was confident that choosing Li Meng as the sessor for that thing was the correct decision.

    ¡± Since you have managed to reach the peak of Qi king, it is now time to start thinking about your breakthrough into Qi Emperor level. Before I tell you what I have nned, I would like to hear from you about what you think Qi Emperor truly is?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°Qi King is someone who managed to connect with thew energy of the world. Qi Emperor is someone who uses thatw energy to form aw body. Once thew base is established the cultivator is able to connect with the essence ofw and use its energy to refine his/her body into a container which is formedpletely out of thew energy for containing the world energy.¡±

 Chapter 411 - 411 RETURN OF LI MENG, QI AND BODY CLEANSING THUNDER POOL-2

    411 RETURN OF LI MENG, QI AND BODY CLEANSING THUNDER POOL-The old man nodded in agreement with Li Meng¡¯s answer.

    ¡± A Qi King is someone who manages toy the foundation work based on which the future cultivation levels can be based. Until the Qi general realm, you can steal the world¡¯s energy to grow your cultivation. However, once you reach the Qi King level, you will no longer be able to steal the energy in the normal way.¡±

    ¡°Upon reaching the Qi king realm, the energy requirement increases exponentially. This is the first threshold you need to cross before moving into a new sub-set of cultivation. The requirement to even negate the threshold is to understand thews based on which the world works.¡±

    ¡°That is the only way you would be able to steal enough power from the world to improve your cultivation. Only then would you have ess to the huge energy reserves of the world. For the three levels of the king, emperor and monarch, you are still allowed by the world to use the energy, but you will have to manipte your own body to have ess and contain the power.¡±

    ¡°The only way to do this is to go through three-phase changes in the three respective realms. Qi King wants you to connect with thews of the world. It will grant you an ess key to the force of the world and hence allow you to cultivate the world¡¯s energy into your strength.¡±

    ¡°Once you reach the peak of Qi king level, you arrive at a saturation point with your normal body. Your body won¡¯t be able to hold any morew energy without any modification being done to it. That is where the next realmes into y. Qi Emperor is when you have to use thew energy to modify your own body. The body you receive after modification is called Law Body.¡±

    ¡± While you continue to absorb energy from the world, you will have to refine your body repeatedly at every stage of the realm to improve. Once you reach the very peak of your refinement procedure, that will mark the end of the Qi Emperor realm.¡±

    ¡°The end of the Qi Emperor realm will mark two kinds of saturation points. They will be body saturation and the energy saturation apanying it. Only when you achieve both these stages you would be able to reach the peak of Qi Emperor and have a glimpse of the Monarch realm.¡±

    ¡°The Monarch is way different than the Emperor realm. If I had topare the two, I would say that while one is just getting acquainted with thew, the second one is to be one with thew. Bing a Qi Monarch depends on how you can connect with yourw and merge yourself with it. By bing one with yourw, you can generate thew manifestation required to enter the Qi Monarch realm.¡±

    .....

    ¡°The Royal Road, as we know it, is a ce that caters to your needs. Hence cultivators gave the name Royal Road to it. Once you pass through it, you would be royalty in cultivation and enter the Qi Monarch realm. Anyone from the Qi King realm can enter the royal road, but they are bottom feeders who are killed with the space. Only the Qi Emperor level cultivators have a chance of growing their cultivation, and 90% of those who enter space don¡¯t return.¡±

    ¡°But those who do return show exponential growth in a short time. All of them are eligible to be monarchs, and some even be Qi monarchs inside it. Most of the sect-masters of force in the central ins are cultivators from the Royal Road survivor list. Since you have managed to reach a body cultivation level of your satisfaction, I want you to break through the Qi Emperor realm.¡±

    ¡°Since you managed to reach the very peak of the Qi king realm and is publicly known as the strongest cultivator under Qi Emperor, you have gained ess to an extraordinary region of our sect, the Evesting Thunder Dome.¡±

    ¡°It is a unique cultivation space created to cultivate Qi monarch stage cultivators, but those below the monarch stage benefit a lot from cultivating inside it. Your work will be to cultivate in there until you reach the point of saturation and before you can start the refinement process.¡± The old man threw a token at Li Meng.

    ¡± This token carries all the details regarding the experiences of many cultivators while breaking through the Qi Emperor realm. Use this to understand what the realm means and how you are supposed to enter it. Exit only when you reach the Qi Emperor realm.¡±

    ¡± Within space lies, a powerful natural resource called the Evesting Pool. If you can create aw body powerful enough to get a reaction from the pool, you will be allowed to enter it and refine your body in the Qi Emperor realm. I won¡¯t discuss the benefits, but I can say that if you could refine your body there, your strength will rise exponentially proportional to the amount of talent you possess.¡±

    ¡°There is something within that pool, which waits for a master to awaken it. If you manage to gain its recognition, you will be gaining a reputation equivalent to mine in the sect. I hope you seed since none of your older brothers could, nor did the thunder child.¡±

    Li Meng nodded his head and took his leave. There was a massive flood of information. He needed time to strategize before he could begin his breakthrough. If what the old man said was true, he still hasn¡¯t reached the very peak of Qi king since his energy levels were yet to saturate. The miraculous cultivation ground might be able to fulfil his otherw requirements, butws of hell required Nether energy.

    He was supposed to staurate hisher energy requirements before entering the Evesting Thunder Dome. He began his cultivation immediately by sucking theher energy collected within the artefact. The presence of Yin-seed prevented a rapid saturation, and it was going to take days before he could reach the point. Hence, he had to speed up and didn¡¯t have any time to waste.

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