A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 66 Seven Stars
Just after Liu Xi and the others left, in a secret stone cave in Baicao Mountain, Chang Baicao and his daughter were treating Tu Jiaojiao's injuries.

"That scoundrel Liu Xi, I will kill him sooner or later to avenge my brothers."

Tu Jiaojiao was heartbroken and said in a resentful voice.

"Senior, you are badly injured. Let me stop the bleeding first," Su Ying took the crushed hemostatic herbs from Chang Baicao and applied them to the wound.

Tu Jiaojiao was already quite injured while detonating the explosives in the cave, and with Liu Xi's earlier blow, her injuries have now worsened.

"We can't stay here any longer. We need to find Xiaoyuer and Master Yan. We can't deal with Liu Xi on our own."

After glancing at the seriously injured Tu Jiaojiao, Chang Baicao said, "Your injuries are severe. You must rest for a month before you can get up, otherwise your martial arts skills will be ruined."

Tu Jiaojiao knew in her heart that she could not travel long distances in a short time, but she had to tell Xiaoyuer about this matter.

"Father, Senior is injured and cannot travel far. You also have to take care of her. Why don't you let your daughter go and find Xiaoyuer?" After thinking it over, Su Ying decided that this matter should fall on her shoulders. Moreover, she had some connections in the martial arts world, so it shouldn't be too difficult to mobilize people to find her.

"Only you are suitable," Chang Baicao sighed. His daughter had finally come, but she had to encounter such a thing. Before she could enjoy the happiness of family life, she had to be separated from him again. Although Chang Baicao was reluctant, he knew what was important.

"Keep these things with you, just in case," Chang Baicao handed a cloth bag to Su Ying, who took it.

“I never expected that the secret cave that Xiaoyuer discovered by accident could lead directly to the outside of the valley. It’s come in handy now,” Chang Baicao said, leading Su Ying to a cave entrance.

“We didn’t want to disturb Master Mischief’s peace back then, but we can’t care now. Daughter, although Liu Xi has left, there’s no guarantee he won’t leave someone outside the valley. You should leave the cave now and find Little Fish and Hero Yan as soon as possible. Go.”

"Father, you and the senior must take care," Su Ying said, glancing at Chang Baicao and Tu Jiaojiao before turning and entering the cave.

East Factory
Since returning, Liu Xi has been in seclusion, leaving all the trivial matters to Zhou Yan and Song Tao.

"What exactly happened this time? The supervisor doesn't look too good."

After Liu Xi returned, Zhou Yan originally planned to ask for credit and reward, but seeing that Liu Xi looked tired, as if he had been seriously ill, he didn't dare to say anything. Now that Liu Xi was in seclusion, Zhou Yan couldn't hold back any longer and asked Song Tao for advice.

Although Song Tao and Zhou Yan are rivals and compete with each other over trivial matters, they share the same goal in Liu Xi.

So he recounted in detail what had happened in the Valley of Villains.

"I see," Zhou Yan said with a delighted expression. Since the Grand Supervisor was seriously injured, he would definitely need to absorb the Grand Supervisor's power to heal himself. He had just captured a few people, which would come in handy. Thinking of this, Zhou Yan was very excited.

"Hey, I say, the Supervisor is injured, why are you still laughing? Have you become addicted to being the acting Supervisor?" Song Tao said sarcastically.

"Bah, the Grand Eunuch's martial arts are unparalleled, what's a little injury? Besides, with my assistance, this injury will heal quickly."

“Oh, it seems a lot has happened in the East Depot while I was away. Tell me about it quickly,” Song Tao said, quick-witted, having noticed the flaw in Zhou Yan’s words.

Zhou Yan was grateful for the information he provided, so he stopped hiding it and told him about how he had defeated Tie Ruyun and captured several experts. He then flattered him, saying, "If you ask me, it's all thanks to the great fortune of the Grand Supervisor. Otherwise, how could things have turned out so coincidentally?"

Upon hearing Zhou Yan's words, Song Tao felt envious and jealous. Right now, the most important thing for the Grand Supervisor was his internal energy. If it weren't for the fact that he was still useful, the Grand Supervisor would have absorbed his internal energy right then and there.

“Brother, you’re going to get ahead of me now. The Chief Supervisor will be very happy. Don’t forget to give me a hand then.”

"Of course, of course," Zhou Yan said with a smile. The smile on his face made Song Tao grit his teeth in anger, but he had no choice but to say some flattering words.

Inside the secret chamber, Liu Xi was struggling to suppress the injuries in his body. It had taken him seven days to recover from absorbing the power of Li Dazui and the other man. It was for this reason that he did not rashly absorb the power of others.

Now that the internal energy and injuries have temporarily balanced out, it's time to absorb the power of a few more people to make up for the losses.

"Someone, bring Zhou Yan and Song Tao here," Liu Xi said as he walked out of the secret room. Soon after, Zhou and Song arrived at the secret room.

"The Grand Eunuch looks much better; his injuries must have healed by now?"

"Although it's not completely cured, it's about 50-60% healed. It'll be almost done after it inhales the scents of two or three people."

"Congratulations, Chief Supervisor! Congratulations, Chief Supervisor!" Song Tao's sudden words puzzled Liu Xi, while Zhou Yan was taken aback and then cursed inwardly.

"What's so great about this?" Liu Xi asked calmly.

"Master, Zhou Yan has just captured several martial arts masters, who can heal your injuries," Song Tao hurriedly said.

"Oh, is that so?" Liu Xi glanced at Zhou Yan, making the latter a little nervous.

“Master, these men were all prisoners from the Tower of Death. If they hadn’t been so audacious as to follow Tie Ruyun into the Eastern Depot, they wouldn’t have fallen into my hands. I dare not take credit for this; it is all thanks to your cultivation, Master.”

"Tie Ruyun, how dare you!" Upon hearing this, Liu Xi's face immediately turned furious. This Tie Ruyun was becoming more and more audacious, launching a sneak attack while he was away. He was unworthy of being called the leader of the martial arts alliance, yet he was playing such despicable games.

However, the most important thing now is to turn all those people into my own power. As for the others, let them enjoy themselves for a while.

"Take me to see it"

"Master, those people are temporarily being held in the secret chamber of the second rank."

Zhou Yan followed behind Liu Xi and snorted coldly at Song Tao, who didn't care at all.

"Zhou Yan, well done. These are all top-quality meat, more than enough to make up for my losses. You may leave now."

Looking at Fang Xiao and the others who were locked up, Liu Xi laughed a few times. With their skills, the losses of the past few days were nothing.

"Master, spare my life! I am willing to serve you and capture more masters to help you practice your skills. Please spare my life!"

Fang Xiao was terrified. He had already witnessed Liu Xi's energy-absorbing technique in the Tower of Death, which was extremely vicious and inhumane. In order to save his life, he didn't care about dignity or status at all. Not only him, but the others also begged for mercy.

"Fang Xiao, since you're willing to serve me, then pass on your skills to me," Liu Xi said, placing a palm on Fang Xiao's head. A powerful suction force flowed directly into Fang Xiao's body from his palm.

"Ah!" Fang Xiao screamed in agony as his true energy was continuously drained from his body. His once plump flesh became shriveled and withered. After the last bit of true energy was squeezed out, Fang Xiao had become a shrunken, dried-up corpse and fell off the chains.

After circulating his inner energy within his body, Liu Xi felt much more comfortable. He turned to look at the other one, and after absorbing the inner energy of four more masters, he finally felt a sense of fullness.

He gave Zhou Yan and Song Tao a few instructions, then immediately went into seclusion to circulate the various internal energies within his body.

Murong Manor
After receiving guidance from Gu Xu, Hua Wuque's swordsmanship improved significantly, and even Yan Nantian said that this boy's future achievements were limitless.

Gu Xu did not favor any one person. Apart from Jiang Yuyan, the three of them, including Murong Zhong, all gained some unique insights into swordsmanship from Gu Xu.

"Brother Hua, are you leaving?" Xiaoyuer asked Hua Wuque.

“That’s right, the Yihua Palace sent a message asking me to return to the palace.” Hua Wuque’e was also reluctant to leave. In the Yihua Palace, he was the young master, and no one dared to say a word to him for fear of being punished by the master. But it was different at Murong Manor. He had good friends there, and he felt very relaxed when he was with them.

"In that case, take care on your journey. Miss Jiang is currently in seclusion and I'm afraid I can't see you off."

"Miss Jiang is in seclusion, and I should not disturb her. Brother Yu, I shall take my leave now."

Watching Hua Wuque ride away, Yan Nantian walked to his side and said, "Little Yu'er, this young hero Hua should be the leading figure of the Yihua Palace this generation. If you don't want to fall too far behind him, you should also practice your martial arts diligently. For the next year, we will live in Murong Manor and practice the fist and sword techniques I have taught you."

Xiao Yu'er nodded upon hearing this. Jiang Yuyan and Hua Wuque were both outstanding individuals, and their martial arts skills had already surpassed those of their peers. As their good friend, if his martial arts skills were too poor, he would not only lose face.

Furthermore, it also diminishes their status. Even if they themselves don't care, others won't think that way. They'll just say they're benefiting from their fame, otherwise who would know them?

If you have good talent, why not strive to catch up and avoid being criticized in the future?

Another point is that since the master is a renowned hero in the martial arts world, his disciple's martial arts skills must not be too bad, otherwise others will look down on the master, which is something Xiaoyuer does not want to see.

"Master, I will practice harder in the future and will not let you down."

"Um"

Inside the secret chamber of the stone cave, Jiang Yuyan was cultivating the Nine Yin Manual. Her internal energy was constantly being mobilized, spreading from her dantian to her limbs and torso, circulating throughout her body, and then returning to her dantian.

"The skill that Master taught me is truly incredible." Jiang Yuyan had gained some knowledge and, based on her own experience, realized that her short ten years of training was equivalent to twenty or thirty years of hard work for others.

While his own talent played a part, the most important factor was the martial arts manual, a superior martial arts manual that was enough to help him go further and reach greater heights.

"I can't repay my master's kindness, and I can't let all his hard work go to waste." Jiang Yuyan knew more or less about Gu Xu's thoughts, which was to make her the next generation's leader in the martial arts world. Just as Xiaoyuer and Jiang Yuyan were diligently practicing martial arts for their future, Hua Wuque finally returned to Yihua Palace.

"Young Master, the First Palace Master and the Second Palace Master are waiting for you in the main hall," the maid said respectfully.

"I understand, I'll go right away," Hua Wuque handed his bag to the maid and headed towards the main hall alone.

"Greetings, Masters. May I ask what business you have with me?" Hua Wuque felt quite pressured when facing Yaoyue.

"Wuque, you did a good job this time, but have you forgotten the rules of Yihua Palace? You are not allowed to make friends with outsiders without permission. Are you comfortable staying at Murong Manor?" Yaoyue asked loudly with a frosty expression.

Lianxing stood aside, not daring to speak, her eyes filled with worry as she looked at Hua Wuque.

"Master, Wuque is willing to accept punishment," Hua Wuque immediately knelt down without offering any further explanation. At this point, the more he explained, the more likely he would offend his master, so it was better to go with the flow.

"Sister, Wuque grew up in the palace and doesn't have many friends. It's inevitable that he'll make some close friends this time. Besides, that Xiaoyuer is..."

Lianxing hesitated, then Yaoyue glanced at her and turned to Hua Wuque, saying, "Get up. Go to the Cold Spring Pool and stay there for two hours."

"Yes," Hua Wuque said, getting up and leaving.

"Sister, are you trying to get Wuque to master the Hunyuan True Qi as soon as possible?"

Yaoyue nodded and said calmly, "This Cold Spring Pool is of great benefit to his cultivation. There is still one year left in the sixteen-year agreement. Wuque must not make any mistakes in this competition, as it concerns the future of Yihua Palace."

Lianxing said, "Yes, we all know about Master Guxu's disciple. He's not much weaker than Wuque. And then there's Xiaoyuer. Although his martial arts aren't high right now, with Yan Nantian's guidance, nobody knows what level he'll reach in the remaining year. So it seems our advantage isn't that great."

"Regardless of what they are like, for the next year, you and I will take turns teaching him flawlessly, and we will make sure he is completely transformed."

Yaoyue was determined to obtain the Six Ren Divine Dice. Her Wedding Dress Divine Skill had been stuck at the eighth level for many years without any progress. If she could not obtain the subsequent techniques, all her skills would be wasted.

East Factory
"Master, Tie Ruyun is currently missing, Jiang Biehe is dead, and the various factions in the martial arts world are fighting each other. We still need to choose someone to go up."

This period can be considered a dark time in the martial arts world, with many famous masters either dying or disappearing, causing widespread panic.

"Do you have a suitable candidate?"

“Master, Qian Buyi, the head of the Huashan Sect, is very suitable. He has always wanted to get in through your connections, but I ignored him because Jiang Biehe was around. This time, he took the initiative to contact me. As long as you help him ascend to the throne of the martial arts alliance leader, he will be willing to serve you wholeheartedly.”

"Oh, his background has been thoroughly investigated."

"It's been investigated. In order to become the sect leader, he secretly killed his senior brother and bribed several elders. After the former sect leader passed away, he successfully became the sect leader. He certainly has a lot of tricks up his sleeve. Of the elders who helped him in the past, only one remains now."

Zhou Yan changed the subject, "Master, although this man's martial arts are poor, he is not lacking in cunning. We have leverage over him, and he is the perfect dog."

"I'm leaving this matter to you. Make sure you do it perfectly. You'll be well rewarded afterward."

Zhou Yan hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed in gratitude, saying, "Your subordinate will certainly do his utmost to serve the Commander, even at the cost of his life."

"Go down"

Zhou Yan left excitedly, while Song Tao said, "Master, Qian Buyi isn't as obedient as Jiang Biehe. What if..."

"I know, but this martial world really needs a new leader to stabilize it. Otherwise, if chaos breaks out, it will be my interests that suffer. When the seven stars align, I will no longer need to be timid."

"Master, there's no need to worry. The Five Yang and Two Yin are all ready. We're just waiting for you to display your divine skills. At that time, neither the Yihua Palace nor the Murong Manor will be able to withstand us."

"That's right. A year from now will be the time for me to reorganize the martial world and restore order."

After making inquiries from various sources, Su Ying finally learned that Yan Nantian and Xiaoyuer were at Murong Manor, so she rushed over immediately.

"Master Yan, my name is Su Ying, and my father is Chang Baicao. I've come to tell you something."

"What's wrong?" After seeing Chang Baicao's medicine gourd, Yan Nantian confirmed Su Ying's identity. He hadn't been gone long; could something have happened in Evil Valley?

"What did you say? Liu Xi attacked the Valley of Villains, and everyone except Tu Jiaojiao died." After hearing Su Ying's words, Yan Nantian was shocked, followed by anger.

"Su Ying, don't tell Xiao Yu'er about this for now. He's at a crucial stage in his training. If he finds out, he'll definitely give up halfway and go after Liu Xi without hesitation."

Yan Nantian pondered for a moment, then said, "Here's what we'll do: you stay at the manor for now. I'll go settle accounts with Liu the eunuch first, and we'll make further plans when I return."

Su Ying nodded. After Yan Nantian greeted Murong Wudi, he came to the capital alone. He stormed the Eastern Depot with only his sword, but was wounded and had to retreat.

A year passed quickly. Before Liu Xi could even react, at the Mount Tai Martial Arts Conference, Qian Buyi was defeated by a junior from Wudang and lost his position as the leader of the alliance.

"Damn it, how did this Cangmu guy appear out of nowhere? Why didn't the Eastern Depot have any news about him before?" Liu Xi said sternly.

Zhou Yan was now at a loss for words. Everything had been arranged, but who knew that Cang Mu's martial arts were so powerful that Qian Buyi was no match for him. Those sects were all opportunists, not strong in strength, but exceptionally skilled at changing their allegiance to the wind.

"Master, according to the information we obtained from Hongye Zhai, Cangmu is the grand-nephew of Yuanyang Zhenren. After Yuanyang Zhenren disappeared, he took over the leadership of Wudang and secretly accumulated strength, which is why he caught us off guard."

"They're all a bunch of useless trash. Wasn't someone keeping an eye on Wudang? How could such a huge blunder have occurred?"

Liu Xi was originally very happy because the day of the seven stars aligning was approaching, but now that this incident has occurred, his joy has been greatly diminished.

"There must be someone backing this up, otherwise they wouldn't have come forward at this time. What are Hongye Zhai saying?"

"Master, Mr. Hongye said he needs time to investigate; he has no information about Cangmu at all."

“This matter needs to be investigated carefully. I’m worried that Cangmu will cause me some trouble, as will Tie Ruyun, Murong Wudi, and others. These are all variables. I really dislike this feeling of being out of control. Do you understand?”

"Understood, Your Excellency. I will make the arrangements immediately and ensure that nothing goes wrong in this important matter."

Liu Xi waved his hand, and Zhou Yan hurriedly retreated.

"Master, the day of the Seven Stars Alignment is fast approaching. I'm worried that Tie Ruyun and the others might come to cause trouble on that day," Song Tao said with some concern. If they missed this Seven Stars Alignment, they didn't know when the next one would be.

"It's not a possibility, it's a certainty that they will come to cause trouble. Murong Wudi is hard to say, but that old scoundrel Tie Ruyun will definitely not give up."

"Song Tao, how's the stuff I asked you to prepare coming along?"

"Reporting to the Supervisor, I have done as you instructed."

"Very well, once I've mastered this divine skill, I'll have no more reservations. Murong Wudi and the Yihua Palace will both be mine."

Murong Manor
"Brother, are you really going to let Yu Yan help Xiao Yu'er?"

“Brother Murong, even if I don’t let her go, does that mean she won’t go? With Xiaoyuer’s four adoptive fathers killed, this trip to the capital is a must. Moreover, with Hero Yan accompanying her, there won’t be any trouble.”

"Once Liu Xi masters the skill of absorbing energy from a distance, his power will surely increase greatly. Hero Yan was injured by Liu Xi before. Is he really confident this time?" Murong Wudi never underestimated Yan Nantian, but Liu Xi's strength was truly astonishing. If my brother doesn't take action himself, I'm afraid no one can say that he can definitely defeat him.

"Master Yan's forced entry into the Eastern Depot is inherently disadvantageous, and besides, Liu Xi is also injured. Brother Murong, rest assured, besides Master Yan and his group, Tie Ruyun and the Yihua Palace will also be present for this grand spectacle of the Seven Stars Alignment."

"Yihua Palace"—Tie Ruyun would be going there, which wasn't surprising to Murong Wudi, given their mortal enmity. But the Yihua Palace itself…

"Liu Xi has always wanted to destroy Yihua Palace, and Yihua Palace also wants to destroy Liu Xi's power. This time, Liu Xi has deployed all his elite troops. If we don't seize this opportunity to annihilate them in one fell swoop, when will we?"

This time, Liu Xi went to great lengths, setting up an altar in the suburbs of Beijing, heavily guarded, all to better utilize the power of the Seven Stars Alignment.

"If Liu Xi had stayed in the Eastern Depot, it would have been hard to say who would have won or lost, but since he set up his position in the suburbs, I guess he would have suffered a great defeat."

When two people clash, timing, location, and popular support are all crucial to victory. Although Liu Xi had the advantage of timing, he lacked the advantages of location and popular support. He had already lost the match before it even began.

“Brother, you are right. It’s a pity that I cannot witness Liu Xi’s defeat and death with my own eyes,” Murong Wudi said with some regret.

"Yu Yan and the others will be heading to the capital tomorrow, so I won't see them off. Brother Murong, please give them a few words of advice for me."

"it is good"

(End of this chapter)