A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 422 Dingbo
In Sword Forging City, beneath the volcanic cave, Liao Rushen coldly watched Huangfu Changhen approach slowly. Without a word, he waved his feather fan, and a flash of cold light shot out. Huangfu Changhen saw this and his figure moved swiftly, using the Nine Palaces Step to easily dodge the hidden weapon. At the same time, a thunderous sound rang out, and a crimson whip carrying the sound of wind and thunder struck towards Liao Rushen.

Seeing this, Liao Rushen felt a chill run down his spine. After not seeing him for many days, Huangfu Changhen's Thousand-Mile Thunder Whip had improved considerably. It was not advisable to get entangled with him too much at this moment. So he moved swiftly and unleashed a palm strike in mid-air. A fierce wind howled and sand flew up. This palm strike was "Calling the Wind," one of the nine secret techniques of the Heavenly Mystery Sect. Although its power was only moderate, it was the best means to cover the rear.

As soon as the Wind-Calling Palm was unleashed, the crimson whip was immediately disturbed by the strong wind. The whip tip tilted and went directly past Ru Shen's vital point, embedding itself in the rock beside him. Huangfu Changhen watched the Wind-Calling Palm coming at him, his expression unchanged. With a flick of his wrist, the crimson whip actually dragged half of the rock and charged straight at Ru Shen. He then unleashed a "Mountain-Moving Fist," the powerful palm force colliding with the soft palm force. Instantly, the energy swept across, and dust filled the air.

Meanwhile, Liao Rushen, seeing the approaching rock, moved swiftly, his feather fan flashing brightly. With a downward slash, a sharp, cold light flashed, and the rock was neatly split in two. But just as the rock was cut open, the long whip hidden within, like a dragon, lashed out at Liao Rushen.

"Little tricks."

Liao Rushen's ears twitched slightly. After letting out a cold snort, he spun his feather fan. With a clang, the long whip struck the feather fan squarely, like the sound of metal clashing. Liao Rushen felt a surge of true energy flowing through the long whip. He immediately stopped resisting and used this true energy to run away quickly. By the time Huangfu Changhen reacted, Liao Rushen had already disappeared.

"Senior Huangfu."

Jianxiong and Longjianshi arrived together. Seeing Huangfu Changhen gazing into the distance, the two exchanged a glance and quickly walked up.

"Senior, you are as wise as a god..."

"Liao Rushen is cunning and skilled in martial arts. I still couldn't capture him. However, he took a hit from my Thousand-Mile Whip Thunder. He won't be able to use his full strength for two or three months. What a pity."

Huangfu Changhen felt a pang of regret. He had originally planned to proceed cautiously, but he never expected that Liao Rushen would go to such lengths, sacrificing most of his power. If he had known this earlier, he should have done everything in his power to completely eliminate this traitor.

"Senior, there's no need to blame yourself too much. Liao Rushen was hit by your killing move and is no longer a threat. It seems he won't make it in time for the divine sword to be born. Without his help, we can relax a bit. Senior, it's almost dawn. You've worked hard all night, so you should go back and rest."

Huangfu Changhen nodded upon hearing this, and then said to Jianxiong, "Liao Rushen was hit by the Thousand-Mile Whip Thunder. Even if he can recover completely, his Tanzhong acupoint will be a weak point for the next three months. As long as we attack this point, we will surely achieve remarkable results."

"Thank you for your guidance, senior. I will certainly inform everyone."

Upon hearing this, Huangfu Changhen offered no further instructions and turned to walk down the mountain.

"Dragon Sword Envoy, immediately write down a statement of what happened tonight and inform the City Lord and Daoist Gu Xu. As for the others, as long as they don't ask, there's no need to say anything more."

"Yes, I obey."

The Dragon Sword Envoy responded and, seeing that the Sword Master had no further instructions, immediately headed down the mountain. He was fast, and half an hour later, he arrived at the brightly lit Sword Hall. After announcing his arrival, he entered the hall and found that in addition to the Sword Master, Daoist Gu Xu was also there.

After exchanging greetings, the Dragon Sword Envoy recounted the events that had transpired before the two could ask any questions. Upon hearing that Ru Shen had appeared, a glint of light flashed in the Sword Venerable's eyes.

"This Liao Rushen has always been unfathomable, wise and discerning, never doing anything without certainty. Why would he risk exploring my forbidden area tonight? Daoist, what do you think?"

"In my opinion, there are two reasons. First, Guan Yutian gave the direct order, which he could not refuse. Second, he made the decision on his own without Guan Yutian's consent. However, judging from what the Dragon Sword Envoy said just now, this person is very hardworking. No matter which reason it is, it proves that this person is also a person with great ambition. Otherwise, he would not be so impatient before the divine sword is even born."

Gu Xu spoke calmly, and Sword Master nodded repeatedly upon hearing this, saying in a deep voice, "Liao Rushen has always been one to seek advantage and avoid harm. His intrusion into the volcanic cave must have had its reasons. Fortunately, the Daoist had set up the Yin-Yang Universe Formation beforehand, which allowed those thieves to be dealt with without bloodshed."

"Having been tainted by the killing calamity, the Yin-Yang Universe Formation can no longer be used. This will free up space to set up the Sky-Covering Dust Formation. During this period, the city lord must not allow any unauthorized persons to approach. I will notify you in advance when the formation is completed."

"I will leave everything to you, Daoist Master. You may use whatever you need."

Gu Xu nodded upon hearing this. After discussing it with the Sword Master, Gu Xu bowed to the Sword Master and then gradually disappeared, leaving the Dragon Sword Envoy below dumbfounded and his expression changed drastically.

"Lord City Lord, what is this Daoist Master...?"

The Dragon Sword Master considered himself to be well-informed and had personally witnessed the Taoist priest perform many amazing techniques, but he had never been as shocked as he was tonight. A living person had simply vanished before his very eyes.

"The Taoist priest is already a figure of immortals and gods, beyond the comprehension of us mortals. Go down and do your work diligently. At this critical moment, we must not make any mistakes."

"Yes."

Seeing that the Sword Master had no further instructions, the Dragon Sword Envoy bowed again and retreated from the main hall.

In the Qingxin Garden on the other side, Guan Yutian and Ren Qianxing sat facing each other. On the table was a chessboard, and the black and white pieces on it were trembling and very close. Guan Yutian picked up a black piece and placed it in a place, immediately swallowing several white pieces of Ren Qianxing. Seeing this, the latter was not flustered. He reached out and took out a white piece and placed it in the empty space again.

"This place is a dead end. Placing this chess piece here is tantamount to courting your own destruction."

Guan Yutian didn't rush to make a move. Observing the situation on the chessboard, he said calmly.

“It is precisely because this place is a dead end that I thought of putting myself in a life-or-death situation. Master often taught me that if there is no road, then use the sword in your hand to make a road. Master has always known that I dislike following the rules the most, so it is not surprising that I have this trick.”

Upon hearing this, Guan Yutian looked up at Ren Qianxing, who was illuminated by the candlelight. His eyes shone brightly, and he felt a surge of pride. He couldn't help but admire himself, thinking that his son was indeed worthy of such courage.

"That's right. The chessboard is like a battlefield, and the battlefield is like a chessboard. Moving left and right is just a matter of adjusting the layout. Now, Sword Forging City has the upper hand. I'm afraid this move won't end well."

"No result is the worst, but a bad result is not necessarily a bad result."

"Heh, cultivating a sword that transcends lifetimes has even changed your temperament. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing."

Guan Yutian waved his hand, and the pieces on the chessboard fell into the chess box. He chuckled and looked at Ren Qianxing, who was sitting upright opposite him.

Ren Qianxing remained silent upon hearing this.

Just then, light footsteps came from outside, and Zhu Long's voice rang out. "Alliance Leader."

"Come in."

Zhu Long pushed open the door and entered, looking at Guan Yutian with a grim expression. He then said in a deep voice, "Alliance Leader, the people we sent out have not returned yet. I'm afraid they are in grave danger."

"As expected, go down. Do not make any rash moves before the divine sword is born."

"I obey my orders."

Zhu Long bowed again and left the room.

“The Sword Forging City’s forbidden area is so heavily guarded, Master. If we enter it, we will surely fall into their trap.”

"This is obvious. Legend has it that there is a fire phoenix in the volcanic cave with great divine power, but it has never appeared."

This was the first time Ren Qianxing had ever heard of a fire phoenix, and he was quite taken aback.

"Master, could there really be such a magical object in the world?"

"Perhaps, but I do believe it. If even the Nine Dragon Stone can appear, what is a Fire Phoenix? Even if it exists, it cannot stop your Sword of Separation from the World. Perhaps it can even be bathed in the blood of a spiritual creature, making your Sword of Separation from the World even more powerful."

"If such a thing truly exists, it would be a good thing for this disciple."

Ren Qianxing's heart was instantly filled with excitement. He had already mastered the sixth level of his "One Sword Across Worlds" technique, and with just two more levels, he would reach the peak.

"Take a good rest. For now, wander around the city and gather as much seemingly useless information as possible."

"Yes, the disciple obeys."

"Go down and rest."

Guan Yutian waved to Ren Qianxing, who clasped his hands in a salute and then turned and left the room. Shortly after Ren Qianxing left, Guan Yutian said calmly to the door, "Come in."

As soon as he finished speaking, Liao Rushen, pale-faced, staggered in. Guan Yutian glanced at him and said, "Thousand-mile whip thunder, and it's Huangfu Changhen again. You brothers are truly brothers in harmony."

Hearing Guan Yutian's sarcastic words, Liao Rushen snorted coldly and said in a deep voice, "If it weren't for gathering information for the Alliance Leader, I wouldn't be in this state, having been hit by Huangfu Changhen's killing move, and I wouldn't be able to fight for two months."

Upon hearing this, Guan Yutian's expression changed. He reached out and grabbed Ru Shen's wrist. After examining it for a moment, Guan Yutian withdrew his hand and said calmly, "Since your foundation has not been damaged, there is still hope. Fortunately, I have recently refined a batch of Refining Pills. This bottle contains thirty-two pills for you. Take one every three hours, and I guarantee you will recover completely within a month, and your martial arts will greatly improve."

As he spoke, Guan Yutian opened the wooden box on the table, took out a porcelain bottle, and handed it to Liao Rushen. The latter was taken aback at first, then took it with trembling hands and said excitedly, "This is the Refining Pill. I have heard of it before, but this is the first time I have seen it. I will never forget the great kindness of the Alliance Leader."

No wonder Ru Shen was so excited. This Refining Pill is a unique sacred medicine of the Supreme Alliance, with the wonderful effects of clearing the meridians and replenishing vital energy. Ordinary disciples can gain five years of cultivation power after taking one pill and refining it. However, this thing is extremely difficult to refine. Without ten years of preparation, it is impossible to refine it. Moreover, only those who have made great contributions to the Supreme Alliance will be given one pill, which shows how precious it is. Now, Guan Yutian has given twelve pills at once, which really shocked Ru Shen.

"As long as you work diligently for the Supreme Alliance, I, the Alliance Leader, will not be stingy. Tell me, what exactly happened in the volcanic cave?"

Guan Yutian didn't care what Ru Shen's purpose was; as long as Ru Shen didn't hold him back, he could tolerate some of his outrageous actions.

Upon hearing this, Liao Rushen immediately put away the pill bottle and said with a serious expression, "Alliance Leader, we were a bit conservative in our assessment of Sword Casting City. Not to mention Huangfu Changhen, just now I fought with Jianxiong and the Four Sword Masters. Jianxiong's martial arts were almost on par with Hall Master Ren, and the Four Sword Masters were almost at the middle level among first-class masters. Moreover, the sword formation formed by the three of them was extremely powerful. If it weren't for my mastery of Qimen Dunjia, it would have been very difficult for me to escape from them easily."

"Oh, Sword Forging City actually has such a sword formation. This has piqued my interest. It seems that this Sword Master has many tricks up his sleeve. Three people are already putting you in a difficult position. If four people attack at the same time, what are your chances of escaping?"

"Less than 50%"

Guan Yutian's expression grew more serious. Fifty percent seemed like a lot, but that was only because Ru Shen was an expert in array formations. If it were anyone else, they probably wouldn't even have twenty percent. Thinking of this, Guan Yutian's heart stirred. He hadn't taken these four sword envoys seriously before, but after hearing what Ru Shen said, he realized it was best to get rid of them as soon as possible. However, he couldn't touch the Supreme Alliance on the surface anymore, so the only option now was to use his hidden forces.

"Alliance Leader, besides these four, we must also be wary of Abbess Sixin. Her Seven Wonders Qin Melody plays a significant role in group battles."

"I, the Alliance Leader, have my own plans for this matter. Alright, you've had a long and arduous journey. Go back and rest, and await my news."

Guan Yutian waved his hand, and Liao Rushen, seeing this, said "Yes" and then left the room.

Outside Sword Forging City, atop a high peak, Helian Ba ​​and Changyangzi stood side by side, gazing at the city lights gradually illuminating in the distance. Helian Ba ​​said calmly, "Guan Yutian is far too impatient. He's already caused such a commotion on the very first day. Sword Forging City's defenses will be even more stringent in the future, making it increasingly difficult to attack later."

"Taking action now is just a test. Guan Yutian is not a fool. If Sword Forging City really strengthens its defenses, it will fall into Guan Yutian's trap. If it is constantly on high alert, who knows how much fighting power will be left when the divine sword is born."

Changyangzi was quite impressed with Guan Yutian's move, turning the tables and shifting the pressure onto Sword Casting City. In fact, if Sword Casting City had been shameless and had taken advantage of the Supreme Alliance's unpreparedness, it might have been surprisingly effective. Unfortunately, Sword Venerable...

“That’s true, but this matter will still have some impact on us. Brother Changyang, how are the plans coming along?”

"Everything is proceeding in an orderly manner. The four factions have already secretly infiltrated the Sword Forging City, while another group is hiding outside the city, waiting for the day when the divine sword is born."

"Well, that's good. Obtaining the Frost Sword is the first priority, and destroying the Sword Forging City and the Supreme Alliance is the second. If we're lucky, we might be able to accomplish both of these things at the same time. Then, our four sects will rule the world."

"That's right! The martial arts world is in turmoil right now, and it's our turn to turn the tide and restore order!"

(End of this chapter)