I began to understand the myriad things by chopping wood

Xie Yuan felt as if he was falling rapidly in a whirlwind. There was white fog all around him and he couldn't tell up from down, left from right, or where the sky and the earth were.

He felt a little dizzy, and it felt like a long time had passed, but it was only a moment, and then he fell into a stream with a plop.

"hiss--"

Xie Yuan stuck his head out of the not-so-shallow mountain stream and took a breath because it was really cold.

How unlucky I am to be born right in the water...

He flapped his wings twice and climbed onto the shore. He subconsciously wanted to use his internal energy or blood to dry his wet clothes. However, the output of his internal energy was very slow, almost a trickle.

"One out of ten does not save one."

Xie Yuan estimated and found that his realm was still there, but the power he could mobilize was indeed less than 10% as the emperor said, and he was immediately awe-inspiring.

"I clearly didn't feel any restrictions or methods, but I just couldn't use them. My energy was as slow as a turtle's crawl... I haven't felt this way for a long time."

Having lost the power of habit, Xie Yuan naturally felt uncomfortable when he returned to the time before liberation.

Fortunately, transformation is transformation, and the physical quality is still there. Although the skill is not at the third level, but with the physique and the skill that can be mobilized, there is always the strength of the first level of Qi and Blood transformation.

I just don’t know how such a restriction was achieved. Xie Yuan has never seen it before.

He looked up at the foggy sky. Could this be the legendary limit of heaven and earth?
Xie Yuan had heard of the magical artifact "The Country in the Palm".

This is not a toy, on the contrary, it is a national treasure controlled by the previous dynasty.

During its heyday, the kingdom in the palm of your hand was truly like a world of its own, with troops stationed there, farmers training in martial arts, and growing crops.

It is said that the controller can control the weather and even the rules here, making it prosperous and rainy. Not to mention producing 10,000 kilograms of grain per mu, even the natural treasures can be cultivated artificially.

Such a magical weapon is enough to support a country even if it is only used as a farming tool.

But the demise of the previous dynasty began with famine.

There were starving people everywhere, and rebel armies rose up everywhere, eventually leading to the country's destruction.

Divine artifacts cannot save the feudal dynasty.

Xie Yuan shook his head.

However, it has been a thousand years since this legendary magic weapon fell into the hands of the Xue royal family, and there has been no news of it being used again.

The emperor said that the repair was just successfully done a few days ago, but I don’t know if it’s true or not.

But Xie Yuan had indeed experienced the magic of this thing. After feeling that his power was inexplicably restricted, he touched the hairpin on his head and thought to himself:

"Let's go around first and see if we can find any equipment..."

Xie Yuan left the mountain stream and walked along the edge of the dense forest.

He recalled the terrain here. When he was outside, he had already had a panoramic view of this land in his palm. With the eyesight and memory of a warrior in the third transformation realm, even if he didn't see everything clearly, he could still remember it roughly.

Xie Yuan compared them, looked back at the mountain stream and the dense forest, and thought:

"There is more than one mountain stream, but this direction seems to be to the north of the highest peak... If that's the case, there seems to be a village further north."

Xie Yuan looked at the sky again and found that the sun was not visible here either, only a vast expanse of white.

But if you are at the northern foot of the mountain, then the farther you are from the mountain peak, the north is you. He walked down the hillside quickly. If he was slow, someone nearby might have picked up a sword or magic weapon, and he would have to avoid it.

After walking for about a few miles, Xie Yuan didn't meet anyone. Then he really saw a small village. He was delighted, knowing that he had identified the right direction.

He followed the village road into this neat and square village, where all the houses looked the same.

It looks like a village built by the previous dynasty to station troops and farm here.

But after thousands of years, there is not a trace of decay, as if it was built not long ago. Could it be that time has also stood still here?

Xie Yuan kept an eye on the movements around him while exploring and thinking.

He searched several mud houses and found that they were all empty, clean and tidy without a speck of dust, which further confirmed his speculation.

"Will I suddenly encounter a man in a dragon robe who will appear somewhere and say that he is the emperor of the previous dynasty who has just awakened and will give him fifty taels to summon the army and appoint me as prime minister?"

Xie Yuan even started to have wild thoughts.

Maybe the Great Ancestor of Dali didn't find anyone at all, and in order to stabilize the world, he said that he had wiped out the royal family of the previous dynasty...

But he was just thinking about it. This thing had been in the hands of the Xue royal family for a thousand years. If the Xue family was really so stupid that they hadn't studied it thoroughly for a thousand years to see if there was any backup plan, the country would have been destroyed long ago.

Xie Yuan was lost in thought when he suddenly stopped in front of a door.

Swah——

A spear suddenly shot out from the wall and passed by Xie Yuan's face. If he didn't stop, the spear would have hit him in the head.

The door was kicked down, and a capable man holding a spear jumped out and looked at Xie Yuan with admiration in his eyes:
"Thank you, brother, for being so alert that you can detect the stealth that I am so proud of."

Xie Yuan looked at the sharp tip of the spear in the man's hand, which was shining with cold light. It was obviously an extraordinary weapon. He could not help but said in a deep voice:
"Good luck, Brother Yang."

This person's name is Yang Luo, and he is one of the rare independent cultivators at the top of the Hidden Dragon List. Compared with the children of large sects and aristocratic families, this kind of people are often more vigilant.

Yang Luo smiled and said:

"I'm here as soon as I open my eyes. I'm really lucky. But Brother Xie is unlucky. He's one step slower than me. It's a pity that the fight has just begun and Brother Xie should rest. I hope you're not the last one."

After he said that, he swung his spear and was about to attack Xie Yuan.

Xie Yuan raised his hand:

"Brother Yang, don't attack! I surrender first. Please wait for a moment, Brother Yang."

Seeing that Xie Yuan surrendered without resistance, Yang Luo was stunned and a trace of contempt flashed in his eyes. People like him had to strive for the first place in everything and fight hard to reach their current level of cultivation. These children of big families were really shameful.

He said coldly:

"Xie brother, do you have anything else to say?"

"I'm curious, this place looks like a military settlement, are the weapons and equipment the only ones Brother Yang has?"

Xie Yuan raised his hands high.

Yang Luo said calmly:

"Although it is a military settlement, it is empty, and the equipment should be invested by your majesty. But there is more than one piece. I have changed into the inner armor, and there is also a long sword, which I am not good at using, so I put it in the room.

"But Brother Xie, do you think it will be useful to get the information?"

After Yang Luo finished speaking, he smiled, then suddenly stabbed Xie Yuan with the spear in his hand without any delay, without giving him any time to react.

With a "puff", the spear pierced through his chest, and a stream of blood spurted out from behind Xie Yuan.

Yang Luo was a little surprised. Logically speaking, it shouldn't have penetrated directly. Shouldn't Xie Yuan just withdraw from this kingdom in his palm?
Wouldn't that mean he'd be seriously injured?

Yang Luo showed a trace of apology and said:
"Brother Xie, I'm sorry. I didn't expect to leave here like this. I will apologize to you after I get out. Haha, but by then I might also be on the sickbed to accompany Brother Xie."

If a casual cultivator wants to stand out, emotional intelligence is a compulsory course. Facing the core members of the Chenjun Xie family, even if Yang Luo disagrees, it doesn't matter what he thinks, he just has to look presentable.

Upon hearing this, Xie Yuan just shook his head calmly:
"It's okay. It doesn't hurt."

"Oh……"

Yang Luo held a spear in his hand, which was pierced through Xie Yuan's chest.

The two of them didn't move and there was still no response for a long time. Yang Luo even felt that the atmosphere was a little awkward.

Why haven't you quit yet? Do I need to kill him again?

Yang Luo's mind flashed, and he was ready to move with the spear in his hand.

But the friendly atmosphere between the two came to an end, and Yang Luo had to apologize again:

"Thank you, brother. It seems that this is not enough. I have no choice but to offend you again."

Xie Yuan shook his head:

"Brother Yang, please do as you please."

Yang Luo sighed. Although this person didn't seem to have a very high spirit, he was actually a very nice person.

He nodded, and suddenly pulled out the spear, which was retracted and pushed out like a phantom, and this time it pierced Xie Yuan's heart directly.

The spear pierced through his heart, and Xie Yuan suddenly turned into blood-colored bubbles all over the sky, adding a bloody and dreamy color to the military settlement.

Yang Luo was stunned for a moment and sighed:

“This place is magical.”

He turned and went into the house, ready to take his things and move to another place. However, as soon as he entered the door, he stopped, his face blank.

"Where's my knife?"

At this time, Xie Yuan had already left the military settlement with a long sword in his hand, and was walking in a hurry.

Seeing that his opponent was easily defeated by the Heavenly Illusion, Xie Yuan originally planned to send him out to rest and seize his spear and inner armor.

But when he was about to take action, Xie Yuan suddenly had an inexplicable feeling.

It seemed like someone was watching me.

Since Xie Yuan mastered the art of Tianyin, his perception of this kind has become extremely sharp and almost always accurate.

An idea flashed through his mind, and he let Yang Luo go for the time being. He went into the house, took his long knife and left, trying to get rid of the person behind him.

Leaving the military settlement and crossing the fields, Xie Yuan walked for a long time, but the vague feeling of being watched still lingered on him.

He frowned slightly, turned around and headed into the dense forest.

There were many wild animals in the dense forest, and Xie Yuan even saw a mountain tiger when he was outside. Even if his strength was only one tenth of what it was, it would not be a big deal to fight a tiger with just his physique, and now that he had weapons, it would be even easier. But if the tiger's roar and movement attracted other people, there would be some hidden dangers. This kingdom in the palm of your hand seemed to have no danger from the environment, all the dangers came from competitors.

But there is no time to worry about the dense forest and wild beasts now. I must get rid of the tracker first.

Xie Yuan wandered around in the dense forest, left and right, for a long time.

However, the vague feeling in my body still did not disappear.

Xie Yuan frowned immediately.

He was not running around in the dense forest. In fact, he tried several times to get behind or make a sudden comeback, but he found nothing behind him.

This meant that either the opponent also had extremely advanced stealth skills, so he couldn't detect him even if he was close to him, or the opponent's detection distance was much greater than his.

The former is unlikely. With the Heavenly Hidden Technique, it is difficult for Xie Yuan to be deceived by others' stealth skills, unless there is a better method in the world or the opponent's realm is far higher than his, which is naturally unrealistic here;

If it is the latter, it means that the opponent's methods are very advanced and the secret techniques he has mastered are obviously not bad.

"Could it be the observations of the princes and princesses outside?"

Xie Yuan subconsciously looked up and looked at the ubiquitous white fog, feeling a little confused.

When they were outside, the fog they saw was not so thick.

Xie Yuan shook his head, feeling that it was not the audience's gaze.

He was a little wary. He tried every trick to get rid of the tail but failed. He subconsciously wanted to use the Sky Hidden Technique.

But after thinking for a while, Xie Yuan decided not to use his special move.

Let's take a look first. If the opponent is just spying, he hasn't found any danger yet. We'll talk about it later...

Thinking this, Xie Yuan quickened his pace, using the very simple Cloud Dragon Step to run out of the dense forest.

At the entrance of the military village, Zhikongshan Tiansuanzi, dressed in a white veil with his face vaguely visible behind the veil, stood there, his eyes moving slowly towards the outside.

The direction she was looking at was the dense forest that Xie Yuan had entered.

Then the woman turned around, strolled into the village, and happened to meet Yang Luo at a corner.

Yang Luo just turned around and saw a figure in front of him, and was immediately shocked.

He hadn't noticed there were people here at all, and just as he was about to swing his spear, he suddenly flew up into the air.

The woman seemed to chuckle, her palm seemed to move, and then Yang Luo was directly hit and flew away. He spurted blood while still in the air. After landing, he twitched twice and then became motionless.

The woman turned around, without even looking at Yang Luo, and left without picking up Yang Luo's equipment.

The other side of the jungle.

Xie Yuan felt the sensation of being watched suddenly weaken and then disappear, and he felt relieved.

“Is there something strange about this forest?”

He looked at the dense forest behind him with some suspicion, hesitated for a moment, and couldn't tell what was going on, so he walked away and headed towards the mountain.

According to Xie Yuan's observations when he was outside, there were several temples, Taoist temples and ancient ruins on this mountain, so maybe he could pick up some good stuff there.

Moreover, when the rules were read out, it was also mentioned that there were some precious magical herbs and other things on the mountain. If anyone could get them and take them out, they would all be theirs.

In the end, all participants of the Qianlong Banquet will definitely gather on this mountain.

Xie Yuan walked up the mountain first, and soon saw a mountain temple.

Before he got close, Xie Yuan heard the sound of fighting. With a turn of his eyes, he quietly walked over and hid behind a rock at the entrance of the temple.

He looked inside and found that several people had gathered inside, two of them were already fighting.

"I was obviously the one who came first!"

One of them roared.

Another person laughed and said:
"Brother Kong, whoever sees it gets a share. The weapons in this mountain are all ownerless. How can you say they are yours?"

What they were fighting for was a long sword placed on the altar of the mountain temple. However, before anyone could get the sword, the two men started fighting with bare hands in front of the altar.

There were two people watching the battle nearby, and they were eager to use the long sword. They were unlucky and had not picked up any weapons yet. With their cultivation greatly weakened, their blood and energy could hardly resist the sword. Whether or not they had a weapon could determine the outcome of the battle.

However, the two fighters were obviously not inexperienced rookies. They seemed to have taken root, punching and slapping each other in front of the altar, refusing to move in order to prevent others from taking advantage.

If one of them tried to reach for the sword on the table, the other would immediately launch a violent attack, forcing the opponent to not dare to be distracted.

Xie Yuan watched from afar and nodded secretly:
"Even though the sword is so far away in the temple, it still shines with brilliance and sharpness. It is obviously the most outstanding weapon under the mysterious weapon. It is probably the best in the world. If they can fight for this sword, they can basically win.

"But the boxing and kicking skills of these two seem a bit ordinary. The tall one is okay, and he seems to be quite proficient in boxing. He must have practiced regularly. The short one's palm techniques are sparse, and he only knows the basics. Obviously, he will focus on training weapons later?"

Xie Yuan shook his head. This shouldn't happen.

With your cultivation reaching this point, you should have thought of various situations. What if you lose your weapon like at this moment, can you only rely on your blood and energy to endure?
When he thought of this, his heart moved. He looked at the figure of the short master and observed silently.

Bang, bang, bang—

The fight between the two people in the temple produced a dull sound of striking. Although their skills were gone, their fists and feet were still powerful because of their physiques that had undergone three transformations.

The sound of the wind caused by fists and feet was frightening, and the energy fluctuations from each collision made a sound as if it pierced through the air.

The two were still a little awkward at first. After all, losing strength made many of the body's reactions a burden. But as talented warriors and future masters, they both adjusted themselves very quickly.

The fight in front of the altar gradually became fierce. The tall warrior gradually gained the upper hand. With a gleam of light in his eyes, he let out a low shout and punched out with greater force, trying to force his opponent back and take the sword. At that time, it would be no problem for him to fight three at a time.

The fist was like an iron hammer, hammering towards the opponent's face with a fierce force. The short warrior shrank his head and had to take a step back.

The tall warrior's face lit up with joy. He took a step forward and reached for the long sword on the altar.

Seeing that he was about to get the sword, the two warriors who were watching the fight nearby could not stand it anymore and rushed forward.

at this time.

The tall warrior was about to reach the hilt of the sword when he suddenly felt a pain in his ankle. He leaned back and was knocked to the ground.

He reacted very quickly, propped himself up on the ground with his hands, somersaulted over, and then stood firmly on the ground. However, this made him the farthest away from the altar.

"Brother Pei actually has a hidden leg technique!"

The tall warrior snorted angrily.

Before the warrior named Pei could say anything, the two warriors who were watching the fight nearby saw what had happened and came up to him. They changed their opponents and came straight towards him.

Upon seeing this, the warrior named Pei shouted loudly, then leaped directly into the air, stepped on the ground in a chain, and greeted the two of them at the same time!

As the saying goes, hands are two doors, and kicking is all about feet. The power of leg kung fu is much greater than that of fists.

Especially now, the blessing of blood and energy has become the smallest, and it all depends on physical strength. The warrior named Pei even kicked one leg to the other, and his feet created an illusion. He himself did not even land on the ground while his opponent was kicked back repeatedly, and his hands could not resist.

For a moment, the warrior named Pei suppressed three masters with his pair of iron legs, and he was the only one closest to the sword.

Xie Yuan looked at this scene and nodded slightly:

"Sure enough, he has hidden his skills. His strength is not simple."

He could see that his opponent was very powerful. After gaining the upper hand, even though the tall warrior from before came back to join the battle, he was unable to force back the warrior named Pei, whose legs were as strong as steel whips.

However, since the other two had moved, Xie Yuan took a step forward and prepared to approach quietly.

However, as soon as he moved, his eyebrows raised, and he withdrew his foot and continued to look into the temple.

The warrior named Pei was struggling to fight three people alone; but he was holding his breath, using all his strength, just waiting for the slightest opportunity so that he could fly back and grab the sword.

Just one step left...

As he was thinking this, his expression suddenly moved. He turned his head and saw a shadow sneaking in from the side door. Seeing that the four people had moved away from the altar, he suddenly attacked and rushed towards the long sword!
The four of them were stunned by this change. The warrior surnamed Pei was even more anxious. He had already consumed a lot of energy just to seize the weapon and gain an advantage. If he worked hard to help others, he might not be able to hold on for more than three moves and would be eliminated!

He suddenly shouted:
"Brother Yan, help me!"

When the tall warrior heard this and saw the big foot of the warrior named Pei kicking towards him, he shouted loudly and punched the sole of his boot.

The short and strong figure of the warrior named Pei suddenly jumped up and rushed to the side of the altar like a cannonball, and blasted out a palm like lightning!
The expressions of the warrior named Yan and the other two changed slightly. It turned out that this fellow's kung fu was also very good. He just showed weakness to the enemy.

The warrior surnamed Yan thought to himself that if he was fighting alone, he would have lost. No wonder he was ranked one place above him. The two of them were ranked seventh and eighth on the Hidden Dragon List. They were usually unwilling to accept it, but today they understood it. They rushed forward, fearing that the warrior surnamed Pei would force the enemy back and grab the long sword; however, as soon as they took a step, the warrior surnamed Pei turned into a more powerful cannonball at a faster speed than before and smashed into the three people!
They were blown away with such momentum?
They were startled, and two of them had to reach out to take the Pei warrior. Their bodies immediately paused and they took two steps back. The other one reacted faster, ducked and dodged, then grabbed the figure beside the table:
"Don't even think about taking advantage of the situation!"

He chopped down with his palm, and his momentum was like a giant axe splitting a mountain.

Seeing this, the man stretched out his hand to block the powerful force steadily. Then his other hand shot out like lightning and pushed out with a palm just as the man was surprised.

The warrior who rushed over had a slightly changed expression and stretched out his other hand to block. However, at this moment, the man grabbed his left hand and pulled it back violently. He was immediately distracted and was hit right on the chest by the palm. His face turned pale and he flew back.

This time the man was completely free of obstacles. He stood beside the altar, grabbed the long sword that was as bright as autumn water, and swung it lightly, forcing back the others who had rushed over, who dared not move rashly.

Those people looked annoyed, looking at the newcomer with complicated and fearful expressions:
"He Jin! When did you hide here?"

The man who forced everyone back with three punches and two kicks revealed his figure. He had a stern look in his eyes and a sharp temperament. When he glanced at everyone, they tensed up and dared not move. He gave people a great sense of oppression. It was He Jin, the chief disciple of Cangjian Pavilion.

He held a long sword, his expression calm:
"I just heard the noise from you all, so I came in to take a look, and saw this long sword that fits my hand, so I took it and used it."

Everyone looked serious. Even though they were all geniuses at the top of the Hidden Dragon Ranking, He Jin's strength was obviously above theirs.

They were no match for their opponent with bare hands, and now that the chief of Cangjian Pavilion had obtained the sword, their journey might have come to an end.

He Jin held the long sword, his momentum even stronger than before.

He glanced at the crowd, slowly raised his sword, and under everyone's nervous gaze, he suddenly slashed a lake blue sword energy towards the door:
"Since you're here, why hide your head and show your tail?"

Xie Yuan dodged from the door in a flash.

With a loud bang, a large piece of the wall of the temple gate was missing. Xie Yuan felt a little shocked. Even if his cultivation was forbidden, he could still produce such a sword energy? He was indeed the eldest disciple of the Hidden Sword Pavilion and the second on the Hidden Dragon Ranking.

Xie Yuan was always thinking that someone was watching him, so the Sky Hidden Technique was temporarily useless. But even so, it was difficult for other warriors to detect his whereabouts.

However, with He Jin's sensitivity, he naturally noticed that there was someone lurking at the door. He forced the person out and saw that it was Xie Yuan. His eyes flashed slightly.

"Xie Yuan!"

The other four people were all shocked when they saw this.

Xie Yuan looked at He Jin's serious expression and bowed:
"Brother He is very observant. I didn't expect to be discovered directly."

The others blushed slightly. He Jin was very observant, but they didn't notice anything at all and were outshined again.

As expected, he is one of the top few this time...

He Jin looked at Xie Yuan and said:

"It seems that Brother Xie has been here for a long time. Could it be that he also likes this sword?"

Xie Yuan nodded:
"Magic weapons are always coveted. However..."

But before he could finish the sentence "It doesn't matter" He Jin interrupted him:
“In that case, Brother Xie defeated me, and this sword will be yours.

"Brother Pei and Brother Yan don't have weapons, so it's not easy to bully them. Brother Xie has a long sword on his waist, do you know how to use a sword?"

Xie Yuan looked at He Jin's fighting spirit and felt both amused and helpless.

What do you mean by "If you win, the sword belongs to me"? It sounds very generous. If you lose, you won't be able to keep the weapon anyway.

But seeing that He Jin seemed to take him seriously and challenged him, Xie Yuan slowly put his hand on the hilt of the knife.

"I know a little."

Xie Yuan looked at He Jin, his eyes also burning with fighting spirit.

He still remembered that before, as a servant of the Yunshan Sword Sect, he watched the decisive battle between He Jin and Qin Zhenyang from the audience.

The duel was less than that of a grandmaster, but it was a dramatic one. The two talented swordsmen looked so impressive that Xie Yuan envied them.

However, at that time, he was only at the first level of Qi and Blood Transformation, and the gap between him and the two geniuses at the top of the Potential Dragon List was immeasurable, so he could only look up to them from afar.

This senior disciple of the Cangjian Pavilion was a distant role model for Xie Yuan at that time.

But now, he stood in front of him, actively challenging him to a fight.

There was no reason for Xie Yuan not to respond.

Outside the mountain god temple, a breeze blew, bringing a mist into the temple.

The other four people stepped back silently, watching Xie Yuan holding the hilt of the knife, standing at the ruined temple gate, while He Jin stood in the temple holding a sharp sword, staring at Xie Yuan through the mist.

They suddenly had a feeling that this young master, whose cultivation was not as good as theirs, was now at the same level as He Jin and was far superior to the four of them.

This subconscious feeling made them a little surprised and unbelievable.

Isn't it?

They had just experienced what level He Jin was at.

Moreover, being unarmed and having weakened cultivation actually worked in their favor. If they were really in the outside world, He Jin, who was holding a long sword to recover his strength, would probably defeat them even faster using his advanced and sharp swordsmanship.

But now, He Jin has obtained a high-quality long sword, while Xie Yuan only has an ordinary knife.

Although he rose rapidly, I had never heard that he was famous for his swordsmanship? It would be difficult for him to survive ten moves against He Jin's sword with a sword he was not good at.

Why do I have a feeling this is going to be a fierce battle?

The four of them were puzzled, but they held their breath and watched silently.

Xie Yuan took the first step.

He put his hand on the hilt of the knife, and a familiar feeling came over him.

Every step seemed to have been measured, and after walking a precise distance, Xie Yuan's sword-drawing style was already gathering momentum.

Xie Yuan hadn't used the Wolf Sword Technique for a long time. Although he couldn't even reach the second level of the Xie family's armory, he still missed it a little.

It is time to use it.

He Jin watched Xie Yuan approach step by step, his face slightly stiffened as he faced the imposing manner.

He could feel that Xie Yuan's sword power was rapidly increasing, as if a very powerful sword technique was about to be demonstrated.

With his current level of cultivation, can he perform good swordsmanship?

He Jin narrowed his eyes, knowing that he couldn't let him build up his strength smoothly.

He suddenly took a step forward, but as soon as he moved, Xie Yuan's knife was pulled out from his waist, drawing a semicircular silver arc, like a thunder, and went straight to He Jin's throat.

With a clang, He Jin raised his sword and blocked the knife an inch in front of his throat, his hand trembling slightly.

What a quick knife!

What a strength!
He Jin's eyes were serious. Even though he had expected this, Xie Yuan's knife still caught him by surprise.

However, he was not afraid. After blocking the lightning-like sword with his long sword, he turned around and stabbed Xie Yuan's heart with a speed so fast that it was impossible to see clearly.

Xie Yuan leaned back, and with the knife in his hand, he knocked He Jin's sword aside, narrowly avoiding the sudden stab.

Due to his lack of power, he couldn't use his advanced footwork. Although the opponent's sword was slower than that of the Third Transformation Realm, it was more difficult for him to dodge.

Xie Yuan took a quick glance and found that there were two more notches on the long sword. He thought to himself that the difference in the quality of the weapons was quite significant.

In this case, even if we want to have a fierce battle, I'm afraid it won't be possible.

He slightly turned his body and dodged He Jin's sword with perfect ease. His long sword suddenly came down like thunder from the sky, whimpering like a wolf, and slashed down fiercely!
He Jin was awed. He had sensed that Xie Yuan seemed to be born with supernatural powers. His sword moves seemed unsophisticated, but not only were they extremely powerful, but it was also difficult to find flaws.

This knife was obviously a killing move. He Jin did not dare to respond. His footsteps were like stepping on the waves. He swung twice and dodged out of the range of Xie Yuan's long knife, putting some distance between him and him. Then he paused suddenly and rushed forward.

woo-

The long knife attacked again, and the next moment, he retreated again, his expression becoming more serious.

Can this guy use his killer move continuously?
He Jin raised his sword, and when Xie Yuan's sword missed, he thrust another swift and fierce stab with his sword energy.

clang--

The long sword chopped down towards the sword spine, but it made a big gap on itself; however, He Jin could not withstand the force, and the sword in his hand suddenly sank and fell to the ground.

The earthen bricks on the temple floor suddenly shattered, leaving a shallow pit. Dust flew everywhere, mixed with the thick fog and making it difficult to see clearly.

How can he cut three times in a row?

However, there was no time to be surprised. In the thick fog, He Jin felt a sense of alarm in his heart. Looking at the knife light coming from the side, he suddenly lowered his head.

As a result, as soon as he lowered his head, he was met with a huge fist.

Bang.

He Jin was hit hard on the chin by a punch, and flew high into the air, crashing through the roof of the small temple and flying out.

The temple was quiet for a while, and then the sound of He Jin hitting the ground was heard.

The four people nearby were silent, watching Xie Yuan drop the broken long knife and slowly pick up the sharp sword, still without any reaction.

What happened?
The four of them looked confused, feeling that the scene before them was somewhat beyond their understanding.

He Jin...was knocked away by Xie Yuan's punch?

Less than ten moves?
The four of them slowly came to their senses, looking incredulous.

What did they see?
They saw that Xie Yuan's long sword was as fast as lightning and as fast as a wolf, and was not inferior to He Jin's long sword at all times!

Not only did he not lose the upper hand, but he even smashed He Jin's sword to the ground with one blow, almost making it slip out of his hand!

Then came two consecutive attacks that were hard to understand. Xie Yuan won easily with less than ten moves.

He defeated He Jin in ten moves, which was exactly the opposite of what they expected.

The four of them stood there, still looking at Xie Yuan in shock.

Even after watching the entire process, they still couldn't believe it.

How could He Jin lose like this? He was ranked second on the Hidden Dragon Ranking!

It is said that he has reached the threshold of becoming a master, and only needs to take the final step.

The four of them fought him and were defeated like a dead tree or rotten wood, and they knew that the rumors were true;

However, He Jin still lost to Xie Yuan handily.

They looked at Xie Yuan with strange eyes for a moment, then stood against the wall, not daring to move.

There were footsteps at the door, and He Jin walked in again, his face looked a little solemn, and his chin was a little red and swollen.

He bowed towards Xie Yuan:

"If you are not as skilled as others, you will be defeated."

Xie Yuan had already shown mercy, otherwise this punch would not be as simple as knocking him out.

Hearing He Jin admit defeat, the four people nearby looked at each other with complicated expressions.

The second on the Hidden Dragon Ranking lost to Xie Yuan, so doesn’t that mean he is…

Xie Yuan bowed to He Jin:

"Concession."

He Jin nodded and said:
"I hope I'll have another chance to spar with you outside."

Xie Yuan knew that he was not completely convinced in his heart. After all, no one here was displaying their true strength.

If his cultivation level was truly restored and he could use his best skills, it would not be so easy for Xie Yuan to defeat him; but here, the difference in realm was similar and no one could use their advanced skills.

Although He Jin's intermediate swordsmanship was also perfect and had almost no flaws, even in terms of his attainments in swordsmanship, he was no match for Xie Yuan, who had a heart for swordsmanship.

Faced with the equally perfect Running Wolf Sword Technique and the last bit of Heavenly Illusion Technique, He Jin's defeat was not unfair.

Here, Xie Yuan is invincible.

Xie Yuan held the sword, and the atmosphere suddenly became a little subtle.

He Jin looked like he was ready to be killed, because they only knew that they could withdraw if they were defeated, but they didn't know how to leave on their own initiative.

The other four looked at each other. The warrior named Yan was silent for a moment, then bowed and said:

"Master Xie, although I may not be your opponent, I cannot surrender without a fight. Please fight me."

After seeing Xie Yuan's performance, they knew there was no chance of winning; but after practicing for so long, their will would not allow them to surrender without a fight.

Xie Yuan looked at them, respected their choice, and prepared to ask these competitors to leave first.

There are less than half of the people left. Now that he has obtained the top sword, there shouldn’t be too many twists and turns in his bid to win the championship.

He raised his sword and was about to "send" the person in front of him out, when he suddenly heard someone outside the temple shouting:

"Don't--don't do it!"

The man staggered into the temple, carrying another person on his back:
"Don't do anything! There's something weird here!"

Everyone in the temple looked at the newcomer and the motionless person on his back. He Jin frowned and said:

"Brother Qi, what do you mean? Brother Tang, what are you doing..."

"I, I defeated Brother Tang and was about to eliminate him. However, he did not leave until I seriously injured him...Now Brother Tang is dying."

The visitor looked pale.

Everyone's expression changed as they watched the warrior named Qi put the person on his back to the ground.

The man was pale and was breathing in more than out.

"Why hasn't it been sent out yet?"

The people around were all very anxious. One of them hurriedly took out the pill he had picked up and fed it to the warrior named Tang. However, it only barely alleviated the injury, which was a drop in the bucket.

If I don't get treatment as soon as possible, I'm afraid I'll die.

Xie Yuan frowned.

The bad premonition that I had been having seemed to come true at this moment. Something really happened here.

He Jin suddenly raised his head:

"No, we have to inform others of this news as soon as possible, and go find elixirs elsewhere to save Brother Tang's life."

"Let's go look for it separately!"

Xie Yuan also used his physical skills to go out and look for a treasure that could save people.

While searching, they shouted and spread the message, asking everyone to meet up at the mountain temple.

The shouts of people in the mountains rose one after another, echoing in the quiet peaks.

"How could this happen? Did something unexpected happen before the empire was fully restored? Or...

"The emperor did it on purpose."

Xie Yuan looked solemn.

If the former is not a big deal, they can stop and wait for help, and except for those who are already in danger, others will not be in big trouble;

But if it is the latter, why did the emperor do this?

Considering the topic he asked in his previous essay, could it be that he was going to fall out with the aristocratic families?

However, only a minority of those who came in were from aristocratic families.

Even though these few talented youngsters would cause trouble to the aristocratic families, it would not cause any serious damage to them, and it is not worth sacrificing others. It is not worth making such a big fuss.

And by doing this, isn’t he afraid of provoking resistance from the aristocratic families and sects?

Besides, even if they are trapped like this, they always have elders with them, so no one will starve to death here.

They will surely find out something is wrong here soon, so they just need to stop. What's the point of being trapped?

unless……

Xie Yuan's eyes suddenly fixed, and he immediately stopped talking when he thought of a possibility.

At this moment, the warrior named Pei ran over with a figure. Seeing Xie Yuan, he showed joy:
"Thank you, brother! I found Miss Tiansuan from Zhikong Mountain. If we talk about how to get out, she must have a better idea than us!"

Xie Yuan looked at the woman dressed differently and felt alarmed. He immediately shouted:
"stop!"

As a result, the two men saw his appearance and stood obediently in the distance. The short and strong warrior named Pei was still puzzled and asked:
"Xie brother, what's going on?"

The woman also turned her head slightly.

Xie Yuan looked serious and asked:
"Girl, I have a question for you. Why can you come in here without changing clothes?"

When the warrior named Pei heard Xie Yuan's question, he was stunned for a moment, then his mind flashed, and he quietly distanced himself from the woman next to him without any expression.

But it was too late.

With a hiss, a purple sword suddenly appeared in the woman's hand, with lightning wrapped around it.

She waved her hand lightly, and the warrior named Pei had just taken two steps forward when his head suddenly flew high into the air, while his body continued to run forward until it fell to the ground a few steps later.

Then the woman moved, showing a speed that was definitely not at the first level of Qi and Blood Transformation. She appeared in front of Xie Yuan in an instant, almost face to face with him.

The veil on her face had flown away, and the cloth wrapped around her face suddenly loosened and slowly fell down, revealing a pair of extremely seductive peach blossom eyes, surrounded by charming dark purple eye shadow.

The woman pursed her red lips and smiled charmingly:

"Xie Yuan, we meet again."

(End of this chapter)