Starting as the young master of a medicine shop, he practiced swordsmanship for twenty years.

Chapter 353 The Grandmaster's Maternal Grandfather!
The vermilion palace doors creaked shut slowly, and the gilded bronze nails and animal heads with rings gradually disappeared into the shadows, as if isolating the entire world from them.

Just as the palace doors were completely closed, a clear and mysterious whisper rang out.

Those were two words that only Lu Xuan could hear.

"Deduction!"

Before long, a faint dragon's roar echoed through the bedchamber.

Although the sound was faint, it contained boundless majesty and power.

It seemed to come from the void beyond the heavens, shaking every corner of the hall.

Lu Xuan suddenly opened his tightly closed eyes, and a dazzling golden light flashed by in an instant.

At the same time, a powerful aura burst forth from his body.

Lu Xuan was surrounded by a faint golden light, which gradually condensed into a golden dragon head phantom.

The dragon head raised its head and roared, its whiskers flying, its majestic eyes sweeping across the surroundings.

Every subtle movement exudes a chilling pressure.

Host: Lu Xuan, the Immortal of the Mortal World (Third Incarnation)

Realm: Inner Qi Realm (Beginning)
Kung Fu: Nine Dragons Protective Scripture 3/9
Score: 2
Originally 10 system points, after completing the Nine Dragons Protection Scripture, it became 2 points.

The Wenjing Dynasty lasted for eight hundred years, and its martial arts tradition swept across the land, becoming the most dazzling path of cultivation in the world.

This world defines the martial arts realm in layers, dividing it into eight levels.

From the bottom up, third-rate martial artists begin to grasp the basics of martial arts, and their muscles and bones gradually strengthen.

Second-rate martial artists can hone their bodies to the point of breaking stone tablets and splitting rocks.

A top-tier martial artist is as light as a swallow, yet every move they make carries immense power.

Only after entering the Inner Qi Realm can one draw in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into the body, condense inner breath, and from then on, true qi circulates, making both offense and defense mysterious.

If one can break free from the shackles of one's own internal energy, one can join the ranks of grandmasters.

A martial arts master's internal energy is as sharp as a blade and as hot as fire, capable of controlling objects from a distance and severing metal and jade.

Reaching the Grandmaster level further, one's every move exudes unstoppable energy and astonishing power.

The Realm of Immortals on Earth is a legendary realm, and those who enter this realm...

The physical body resonates with heaven and earth, enabling one to fly through the air and pluck stars from the sky.

As for the legendary Celestial Realm, it transcends the mortal realm and is said to be able to communicate with the Heavenly Dao, causing extraordinary phenomena in the world with every move.

However, very few people can reach this level, and each one of them is a legendary figure who has been famous throughout history.

This low-level martial arts world has a strange commonality with the Great Xia Dynasty in the Heavenly Martial Realm.

Those eerie beings that roam the shadows and devour living beings lurk in the world like a malignant tumor.

The sobbing in the middle of the night, the pedestrians who disappeared without a trace, the bloodstains seeping from the wall.

Every single one of them tells us that this seemingly prosperous country is also shrouded in a terrifying shadow.

However, this place is vastly different from the Great Xia Dynasty.

It lies in...
During the reigns of Emperors Wen and Jing, ordinary people also possessed unique means of combating the supernatural.

Those amulets that are treasured by the world can become a strong bulwark against evil spirits at critical moments.

in memory.

Just like the ambergris on my body, which exudes a faint fragrance.

It was this seemingly ordinary incense block that was the source of the original body when it was attacked in a strange way.

Like a golden barrier, it completely blocked the oncoming chilling aura.

At the same time, the golden barrier contained an ancient and mysterious power that purified the yin energy that was eroding the body.

If it weren't for the protection of the ambergris, this body would have been completely corrupted by the yin energy by now, turning into ashes scattered in the wind, utterly dead.

"It's good to have these weird things!"

"In this way, I can quickly finish this life in the mortal world!"

Just as Lu Xuan was murmuring.

"Your Highness, the Duke of Wu has arrived."

Outside the vermilion palace gates, a young eunuch's high-pitched voice carried a hint of caution, as if afraid of disturbing the noble crown prince inside.

The sound of a light knock on the gilded beast-head door knocker, mixed with voices, echoed softly in the empty corridor.

Lord Wu?
The original owner's memories surged forth like a tidal wave.

This white-haired old general was not only the original owner's maternal grandfather by blood, but also the pillar that made the Wenjing Dynasty stand firm.

As one of the few grandmasters, he guarded the border for decades, and his "Innate Protective Qi Technique" made him famous throughout the land.

Legend has it that when this technique is activated, a crimson protective barrier of energy will appear around the body, making it difficult to break through no matter how many different moves the enemy makes.

Once the scorching energy bursts forth, it can incinerate all life within a radius of several dozen feet, making it truly domineering and unparalleled.

As the only daughter of the Duke of Wu, the original owner of this body was pampered from birth.

The old Duke, who had spent his life on the battlefield, poured all his longing for his deceased daughter into this only grandson.

The power struggle for the crown prince is brewing beneath the surface of the imperial court.

Without the Duke of Wu's awe-inspiring presence as a Grandmaster and his role as a pillar of the state in mediating disputes, it would be impossible to achieve anything.

Even though Lu Xuan is the eldest son of the legitimate wife, he may not be able to hold onto the position of crown prince.

This massive support allowed the original owner to gain a foothold in the extremely brutal royal struggles.

In the original owner's memories, the Duke of Wu was never as majestic and indifferent as the emperor who sat high above the throne.

Each time he returned victorious, the old Duke would bring back the rarest items from beyond the Great Wall, or divine weapons he had personally crafted.

When he encounters obstacles in his studies, he sheds his armor and transforms into the most patient teacher, using battlefield strategies to analyze the way of governing a country.

This unreserved favoritism was something the original owner was well aware of.

Compared to his father, who had the mind of an emperor etched into his very bones.

The only person who truly cherished him and was willing to give everything to protect him was his white-haired grandfather.

At this moment, Lu Xuan had not yet had a chance to respond.

The vermilion palace doors swung open with a bang, the gilded door knockers clashing against the copper nails with a piercing hum.

Amidst a biting, scorching wind, an elderly man strode in, draped in a crimson brocade robe.

The python-patterned silk rippled like waves as she moved, the lifelike embroidery in dark gold thread seemingly about to burst forth from the fabric.

Although he was old enough to need a cane to walk, the old man showed no signs of aging.

His silver beard moved without wind, his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, and his every move exuded an aura of power accumulated over the years.

Although Duke Wu looked to be in his seventies or eighties, his imposing physique made him half a head taller than the average person.

The gold-trimmed black boots trod on the blue bricks, each step seemingly carrying immense weight.

What is particularly striking is the dragon-headed cane in his hand, which is made entirely of black iron, with a coiled dragon carved at the top swallowing and spitting out a bright pearl.

It was a national treasure bestowed by the late emperor, signifying the supreme honor and power of its holder.

Duke Wu quickly rolled over the gilded threshold, his black iron cane striking the blue bricks and sparking.

The burly figure, accompanied by the sound of something cutting through the air, rushed to Lu Xuan's side in three quick steps.

His pupils trembled violently, and his calloused hands gripped Lu Xuan's shoulders with almost trembling hands.

Immediately, the Duke of Wu's gaze swept over Lu Xuan's face inch by inch.

They didn't overlook even the smallest wrinkles in the clothes or the hair.

"Xuan'er, are you alright?"

His extremely powerful voice tore through the stagnant air.

He even carried a sense of panic that he had never shown before, despite years of fighting on the battlefield.

Before he finished speaking, the Duke of Wu's clothes billowed up dramatically.

The crimson energy surged forth like magma erupting from the earth, instantly breaking through the constraints of the silk garments covering his body.

The beams and pillars of the entire palace groaned under the weight, and the air distorted into eerie ripples in the heat. Crimson energy condensed in the air to form a dome three zhang in diameter.

The surging flames at the edges completely engulfed the candlelight inside the hall.

Only the small area where Lu Xuan stood was firmly protected in the center by this scorching barrier.

Immediately afterwards, the scalding crimson energy transformed into thousands of fire snakes, surging into Lu Xuan's major acupoints.

They moved gently yet domineeringly through Lu Xuan's internal organs, exploring every corner.

It was as if they wanted to burn all potential threats to ashes.

Before long, the Duke of Wu's pupils suddenly contracted, shining brightly like a lit torch.

Her bloodshot eyes were fixed on Lu Xuan, and her voice was filled with undisguised shock: "Xuan'er, you don't have any Yin energy on you!"

“Xuan’er, your grandfather heard from the spies that you were corrupted by yin energy last night and your life was hanging by a thread.”

Before Lu Xuan could respond, the old man pressed on with an urgent question, his voice trembling slightly.

"Furthermore, your internal energy has broken through to the Internal Energy Realm!"

His voice suddenly rose, filled with indescribable joy.

Ecstasy and astonishment collided fiercely in the heart of the Duke of Wu, like two torrents.

To his delight, his only grandson was unharmed and even successfully broke through to the Inner Qi realm.

To his surprise, he received a secret letter early this morning.

The text is filled with descriptions of the Crown Prince's palace being invaded by evil spirits, and his grandson's life hanging by a thread.

Therefore, Duke Wu was so anxious that he had no time to ask the emperor for permission.

Just now, he unleashed the power of a Grandmaster's罡元 (罡元 is a type of internal energy) to leap across the rooftops of the sacred and inviolable imperial palace.

They trampled countless glazed tiles and broke through heavily guarded palace walls.

He ignored the shouts of the Imperial Guards and the attempts of the Imperial Attendants to stop him.

Only one thought lingered in Duke Wu's mind.

He must see his grandson as soon as possible!
"Yes, maternal grandfather!"

Lu Xuan remained calm, nodded slightly, and answered the old man's question.

As the Duke of Wu gazed at the tall and upright figure before him, he suddenly let out a hearty laugh, which shook the dust that had accumulated on the palace beams and caused it to fall in a flurry.

He rushed forward, taking three steps at a time, and patted Lu Xuan's shoulder heavily with his calloused hand.

"Good, good, good!"

He uttered three consecutive "good"s, his aged voice brimming with barely suppressed pride.

"Truly worthy of being my good grandson, Peng Lie's grandson, the crown prince of the Wenjing Dynasty!"

However, the trembling of ecstasy had not yet dissipated from Peng Lie's bones.

The smile that bloomed on his face instantly froze into frost.

Those five calloused fingers slowly gripped the black iron cane.

The joints cracked with a teeth-grinding sound, and two clusters of scarlet light suddenly burst forth from the depths of his murky pupils.

Peng Lie slowly turned around, his indifferent gaze piercing through the air towards the outside of the hall.

Wherever it passed, the air emitted a piercing tearing sound, and even the palace lanterns hanging under the corridors hissed and emitted blue smoke.

A powerful, scorching aura once again erupted from the acupoints all over his body.
The entire hall instantly transformed into a blazing inferno.

The gold paint on the beams and pillars began to twist and peel off, and wisps of black smoke seeped from the gaps in the floor tiles.

Outside the gilded threshold, Chang Fengqi, a guard of the Eastern Palace, remained kneeling on one knee.

Beneath the silver-scaled chainmail, the body trembled slightly, uncontrollably.

On his face, which was over forty years old, cold sweat trickled down the wrinkles on his cheeks.

“Feng Qi…”

Peng Lie uttered the name with a drawn-out tone, each word carrying a chill that could freeze the soul.

“We haven’t talked for a year.”

With deafening footsteps, Peng Lie slowly approached, dragging his black iron cane.

Each time the cane struck the ground, it created spiderweb-like cracks in the blue bricks.

The Grandmaster's invisible pressure relentlessly crushed Feng Qiquan's entire body.

When Peng Lie roared again, the entire palace trembled: "You watchdog, how dare you harbor such rebellious intentions!"

A fiery wolf phantom formed from crimson qi burst forth, tearing the white marble railings outside the hall to shreds.

The flying pebbles grazed Feng Qi's ears, leaving gruesome bloody marks on his cheeks.

Immediately afterwards, Peng Lie extended his hand with bulging veins, grabbed Feng Qi's hair bun tightly, and forcibly lifted the other's face.

Face to face, Peng Lie's cloudy old eyes surged with boundless rage.

"Back then, you huddled around the corner of the Martial Academy, reeking of stench, like a maggot, gnawing on scraps!"

"Who clothed you? Who taught you to wield a sword?"

As he spoke, Peng Lie suddenly slammed the man to the ground.

Feng Qi's silver armor clashed against the floor tiles, producing a teeth-grinding sound.

Feng Qi, who was lying on the ground, made strange hoarse noises in his throat, but he didn't even have the strength to beg for mercy.

As Peng Lie turned around, the hem of his python robe swept across his trembling body, bringing with it a gust of wind that seemed to burn everything in its path.

In an instant, Peng Lie's hands suddenly became wrapped with crimson qi.

A few breaths later, the temperature inside the hall plummeted, a strange interplay of chilling cold and scorching heat, as if the air itself had frozen.

The golden pillar in front of Peng Lie reflected his distorted face.

His face was as ferocious as a demon from hell, and the killing intent in his eyes was almost tangible.

"It seems..."

As the whisper ended, crimson energy spread from Peng Lie's palm.

Finally, it pressed against Feng Qi's Adam's apple.

The moment the scorching heat touched Feng Qi's skin, it made a soft "hissing" sound.

The charred marks slowly spread across his neck, the flesh peeling back, and the stench of burning permeated the air.

Feng Qi trembled all over, cold sweat pouring down his face, but he didn't even have the courage to struggle.

Peng Lie stared at him, his gaze so cold it was suffocating.

"I haven't made a move in all these years..."

"It has given some people the idea that they shouldn't have had such thoughts."

The crimson energy surged once more, deepening the scorch marks.

Feng Qi made a painful "hoarse" sound from his throat, but he couldn't even let out a scream.

Peng Lie leaned down slightly and whispered in his ear, "You've also forgotten... what reverence is."

Even though his throat was scorched and bloodied by the crimson energy, Feng Qi still managed to raise his head amidst the excruciating pain.

His eyes gleamed with the ferocity of a dying beast.

The next moment, Feng Qi gritted his teeth and forcefully broke through the Grandmaster's pressure, hoarsely squeezing out the words: "You...can't kill me!"

Every word seemed to be squeezed out from the depths of his lungs, carrying a bloody stench.

"I am His Majesty's personally appointed Chief of the Eastern Palace Guard!"

He roared in despair, "Kill me... even if you are the Duke of Wu... His Majesty will never... let this go!"

Feng Qi used almost all his strength to say the last sentence!

　This is a new book by the author; readers who are interested can take a look.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)