Chapter 123: So Desperate?

The third match was for the Third Level of the Martial Marquis realm.

Originally, Li Suifeng, from Li Wenxin’s faction, was a guaranteed victor. However, due to an injury, he could not compete and had to be replaced. His replacement, despite a valiant effort to hold out for a hundred moves, was ultimately defeated.

Li Wenxuan’s faction had won two consecutive matches, and everyone on his side was beaming. Even a man as calculating as Li Wenxuan allowed himself a look of relief. The victory was certain. The Second Level of the Martial Marquis realm was already an area of strength for Li Wenxuan’s side; as long as they secured that victory, the outcome of the First Level match would be irrelevant. Best of five, they had already locked in the win.

"Gu Yun, it’s up to you. Win this, and we shall celebrate upon our return," Li Canglin said to a lean, middle-aged man beside him.

"Rest assured, Young Master. This battle will be a victory," Gu Yun replied confidently.

"Do not be careless. It is difficult to crush an opponent of the same rank. Do not take the enemy lightly. Fight steadily, and victory shall be yours," Li Wenxuan cautioned.

"Understood, my lord." Gu Yun cupped his hands, leaped onto the arena, and landed firmly. At the same moment, Lu Yan also jumped onto the stage.

Gu Yun was stunned. This was not what they had anticipated. A last-minute substitution? Li Wenxuan’s expression darkened; for some reason, an ominous feeling stirred within him. Based on his knowledge of Li Wenxin, he would never have made a switch unless the new fighter was stronger. Where could Li Wenxin have found a Second-Level Martial Marquis expert in just seven days?

"Li Cangqing, I have never seen this person before. Is his cultivation truly at the Second Level of the Martial Marquis realm?" Li Canglin questioned. This was clearly prompted by Li Wenxuan, who found it inappropriate to speak up himself.

"The Ancestor is here. If you doubt it, feel free to ask the Ancestor to verify," Li Cangqing said, rising to bow before Li Xingyuan.

"Very well, in the interest of fairness," Li Xingyuan nodded.

Lu Yan was mentally prepared for this and remained perfectly calm. He possessed six strands of bone energy, but as long as they were not activated, they resided within his skeletal structure, shadowless and formless, impossible to detect. Even a powerful master of internal energy, provided the energy remained dormant, would be unable to sense them.

He stepped off the stage and approached Li Xingyuan. Li Xingyuan placed his fingers on Lu Yan’s pulse and said, "Circulate your bone energy."

Lu Yan exerted himself to channel one strand of bone energy toward his wrist. When the energy touched Li Xingyuan’s fingers, it was like a stone sinking into the sea, causing not a single ripple. It was vast and unfathomable. Lu Yan felt a chill in his heart; the power of an internal energy master was still far beyond his reach.

"Indeed, it is the Second Level of the Martial Marquis realm," Li Xingyuan nodded and released his grip.

Lu Yan bowed to Li Xingyuan, returned to the arena, drew his blade, and said, "Please."

"Please." As soon as Gu Yun spoke, his long sword left its sheath like a flash of lightning, thrusting toward the center of Lu Yan’s brow.

Clang! Lu Yan parried with his blade, knocking the sword aside, then swung horizontally toward Gu Yun’s neck—swift, precise, and ruthless. Gu Yun was startled, stepping back rapidly to evade the blade, his face growing grave. After only a brief exchange, he knew he had encountered a master. He summoned his full focus, executing his pinnacle-tier sword technique to its absolute limit as he attacked Lu Yan.

Rolling waves of sword light filled the air. Lu Yan stood still, blade in hand, and as the light drew near, he struck. The move looked ordinary, but once executed, Gu Yun’s surging sword light vanished instantly, like snow melting in the sun. Gu Yun retreated again, his chest nearly grazed by the blade. Lu Yan pressed forward, his blade light flowing like molten steel; the once-black blade now carried a brilliant, shimmering aura. The blade seemed to have locked onto Gu Yun, leaving no room to dodge—he could only block. Gu Yun hurriedly raised his sword to defend, only to be forced back by the impact.

Lu Yan continued his advance, his blade falling in a relentless rhythm, keeping Gu Yun completely suppressed.

"A first-class blade technique, truly masterful," some of the experts present remarked, having grasped the situation.

Li Wenxuan’s expression was grim, and Li Canglin’s face was ashen. They knew this battle was lost. Gu Yun was no match for this man. With this loss, the match for the First Level of the Martial Marquis realm would follow.

However, in the First Level category, Wang Dao possessed a post-natal martial body with double the blood energy. Though he had only recently started learning first-class martial arts, his talent for the blade was immense. Having already cultivated his original second-class blade technique to the realm of "Man and Blade as One," his progress in first-class techniques was rapid. No one on the opposing side could rival him. If the Second Level match was lost, the entire game was forfeit.

Clang! Clang! After a dozen moves, Lu Yan struck the sword from Gu Yun’s hand, his black iron blade coming to rest against Gu Yun’s throat.

"I concede," Lu Yan said, withdrawing his blade. Gu Yun stepped down from the arena with a darkened face. The battle was won by Li Wenxin’s faction. Both sides now had two wins and two losses.

"I didn't expect the final outcome to rest on my shoulders. The pressure is immense," Wang Dao said.

"Do not feel pressured. With your strength, as long as you fight steadily, victory is in your hands," Li Wenxin said, patting Wang Dao on the shoulder with a smile.

Wang Dao nodded and leaped onto the arena. The battle held few surprises. Wang Dao fought with broad, sweeping movements, relying on sheer strength. When he unleashed his two strands of bone energy simultaneously, even though his martial techniques were slightly inferior, the sheer power shattered his opponent, causing him to cough up blood and be knocked off the stage.

The competition concluded with a victory for Li Wenxin’s faction.

"Wenxin, according to the rules, you have priority in choosing two of the four blood ley lines. Choose," Li Xingyuan’s voice rang out.

"Ancestor, I choose the blood ley lines in Dingxing City and Fengye City," Li Wenxin replied.

Among the four, the one in Dingxing City was the highest-grade, tier-one blood ley line, undoubtedly the best, with Fengye City being second. Naturally, these were the first to go. Although this was expected, Li Wenxuan’s expression was foul. In the past, a loss meant losing some profit, but now, the Dingxing City ley line contained a Celestial Bone—something vital for his path to martial divinity.

After Li Xingyuan departed, Li Wenxuan left with his people, his face cold.

"Gentlemen, I have fulfilled the task entrusted to me by Brother Lu Shanchuan. I must take my leave," Lu Yan said, cupping his hands.

"Thank you, sir. Why not stay a few more days to allow me to host a banquet in your honor?" Li Wenxin urged.

"Exactly! Stay a few days longer; we have yet to properly spar with our blades," Yang Zhihuan added. He had finally met such a master of the blade and was reluctant to let him go.

Lu Yan shook his head. "I have urgent matters to attend to and cannot linger. Farewell. We shall meet again if fate allows."

With that, Lu Yan turned and left, clean and decisive, without a hint of hesitation. It was better to leave early; while he was here, the "Lu Shanchuan" persona had to remain absent. Any longer, and it might invite suspicion.

"What a hero. It is a pity he cannot be used by me," Li Wenxin sighed.

Lu Yan left Baicao City, circled through the mountain forests, and resumed his identity as Lu Shanchuan. However, he did not return to the Three Ultimates Martial Hall immediately, waiting two days before making his appearance.

In a secret chamber within Li Wenxuan’s residence, Li Wenxuan sat opposite the middle-aged woman, both looking somber.

"Li Wenxuan, to fail at such a small task... you have truly disappointed me. It seems I overestimated you," the woman sneered, full of mockery.

"Who could have foreseen that a Xie Yan would appear halfway through?" Li Wenxuan replied coldly.

"What now? The Dingxing City ley line has fallen into Li Wenxin’s hands. How are we to unearth the Celestial Bone?" the woman asked.

"What does it matter that it fell into his hands? He cannot guard it personally at all times. I have received word that he has dispatched two Martial Marquises to guard the site, along with fifty martial troops to patrol. Once we bribe a portion of the troops, our people can infiltrate the site and quietly dig out the bone. However, the ley line covers a vast area. Searching inch by inch is like finding a needle in a haystack. Do you have any way to pinpoint the exact location of the Celestial Bone?"

The woman pondered for a moment. "Pinpointing the exact spot is difficult, but narrowing it down to a general area is possible."

"Good. That will suffice. I will handle the bribery; you handle the locating of the bone," Li Wenxuan agreed.

Lu Yan’s life returned to its routine. He spent his time cooking second-tier lizard meat in the kitchen, practicing his martial arts to improve his bone energy, and occasionally guiding talented apprentices like Wen Yuan. With ample second-tier food, his Nine-Slaying Divine Thunder Blade improved rapidly, and his bone energy grew faster than ever before.

Two months passed in the blink of an eye.

At the blood ley line in Dingxing City, there were five patrol squads of ten men each, each led by an expert who had broken through the limit five times.

Late at night, in the eastern sector, the patrol captain, Wu Qi, sat on a boulder, gazing at the night sky. "Lord Wenxin, I have served faithfully for twenty years, yet I have never been granted a first-class martial technique. Do not blame me this time; the terms offered were too tempting. Besides, merely bringing them in to find something is not a great betrayal."

Suddenly, he straightened. In the darkness to the east, a group of ten people appeared. Wu Qi stood up and led his men to meet them.

"Are you Wu Qi?" one of the newcomers—a figure shrouded in a black robe and hood—asked. The voice belonged to a woman, and her physique was sturdy and tall.

"I am," Wu Qi nodded.

"Lead us into the ley line. Two of us will enter first, while the others hide outside and await word," the black-robed figure commanded.

Eight figures vanished into the night, leaving only a thin, elderly man behind.

"I must clarify: there are other patrol squads, and two Martial Marquises guarding the perimeter. I can only buy you one month. After that, success or failure, you must withdraw," Wu Qi warned.

"One month is enough," the black-robed woman smiled confidently.

"Let’s go." Wu Qi led them into the ley line. Once inside, the woman produced a specialized metal compass with strange markings and a needle that remained motionless. Wu Qi handed them two sets of patrol uniforms. "If you must move about, wear these."

They complied and followed Wu Qi, checking the area while watching the compass. The needle remained still. By dawn, they retreated to a hidden cave. At night, they resumed.

Seven days passed. On the eighth night, as they reached a valley, the compass needle began to spin rapidly. "Found it! It is within this valley," the woman exclaimed with joy.

They brought the remaining eight men in to begin digging. Wu Qi patrolled the perimeter to ensure no one heard the noise. The men were well-equipped and possessed cultivation levels that allowed them to dig with immense power, quickly creating a two-meter-wide pit.

At the Three Ultimates Martial Hall, Lu Yan received a letter from Wang Dao: "Brother, it has been months. I miss you dearly. Please come to Dingxing to meet, share a drink, and spar with our blades. Wang Dao."

"Only a few months, and Wang Dao is already this restless?" Lu Yan chuckled. He suspected Wang Dao had hit a bottleneck with his Nine-Slaying Divine Thunder Blade and wanted a training partner. Given their friendship, Lu Yan could not refuse; sparring would also benefit his own experience.

Lu Yan took his Red Blood Blade, informed Li Quan and Wang Lin, and told his parents before departing.

Wang Dao was currently guarding the ley line in Dingxing City. Martial Marquises required vast amounts of martial food. Even under Li Wenxin’s faction, they were not given it for free; they had to purchase it from the Li clan, albeit at a forty percent discount. Even so, it required significant coin, forcing them to take on missions.

Dingxing City was over three hundred miles west of Baicao City. Lu Yan arrived in a few hours. After meeting, Wang Dao admitted his blade technique had reached the peak of "Integration," but the step to "Mastery" remained elusive.

After a hearty meal, they sparred until late at night. Before sleeping, Lu Yan habitually tried to communicate with the Dao Book, as he did whenever he arrived in a new location, hoping to find "Dao Food." He had expected nothing, but this time, the book responded with a tremendous reaction.