Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 106 One Strike Slays a Grandmaster! Six Realms of Martial Arts! [10,000 words, please subscribe to all chapters]

Two days later.

Fucheng County, Hejian Prefecture.

A densely packed convoy arrived in the county town.

The magistrate knew the man's identity long ago and dared not stop him or get involved with him. He had already ordered his officers to pretend they hadn't seen him and just wanted to get rid of this plague as soon as possible.

After the convoy entered the city, it immediately booked the largest inn in Fucheng County, drove away the other guests, and acted in an extremely domineering manner.

The innkeepers dared not speak out against their anger and could only serve them with utmost care.

In the carriage, Wei Zhongxian, supported by Wei Ting, walked unsteadily into the inn.

And beside him.

Before anyone knew it, an elderly man appeared, short in stature but dressed in a remarkably clean and robust manner.

Wei Ting was also extremely respectful to him: "Lord Huo, please come inside and rest."

The old man quickly and politely declined, saying, "With my humble status, how could I dare to live with the eunuch..."

Before he could finish speaking, Wei Zhongxian waved his hand to interrupt him: "It's alright, come in. It's been a long time since we last met, so let's catch up."

"Well... then I'll gladly accept your offer."

The old man hesitated for a moment, then bowed respectfully and followed them inside.

After ushering the two into the inn, Wei Ting strode out, glanced at the woman in black at the door, and said indifferently, "I heard that Miss Shangguan is the first master of Qingyi Tower. Tonight, I will trouble you to protect the eunuch together."

Shangguan Feiyan smiled slightly: "This is my duty."

Wei Ting nodded, said no more, and went out to give orders.

Soon, a group of Wei family retainers dispersed, surrounding the entire inn and making the defense extremely tight.

Meanwhile, inside the inn...

Supported by a young man, Wei Zhongxian sat down in a chair at the table, still toying with the two walnuts in his hands. He glanced at the old man opposite him and said in a hoarse voice, "Master Huo, it's been three or four years since we last met, hasn't it?"

The old man smiled and nodded: "You have a good memory, Master. It's been four years since I helped you deal with those experts raised by the Donglin Party that I've only now had the chance to see your face."

This old man was none other than Huo Xiu, the owner of the Green Robe Pavilion.

In the fourth year of the Tianqi reign, the struggle between the eunuch faction and the Donglin Party was facilitated by the assistance of Huo Xiu's Qingyi Tower masters, which enabled Wei Zhongxian to successfully eliminate the core members of the Donglin Party, led by Yang Lian and Yang Yuxuan, and seize control of the government both inside and outside the court.

"Yes, we'll remember that."

Wei Zhongxian twirled the walnut and said, "Over the years, your Green Robe Pavilion has developed quite well. It's just a pity that no one in the martial arts world knows that you, Master Huo, are the true master of the Green Robe Pavilion."

"You flatter me, Master."

Huo Xiu humbly cupped his hands and said, "Over the years, if it weren't for the secret assistance of the Grand Eunuch, the Green Robe Pavilion would have been wiped out by the imperial court long ago. In fact, I owe my current success entirely to the Grand Eunuch."

Wei Zhongxian chuckled: "Of the four of you from the Great Golden Roc Kingdom, one became the world-renowned tycoon Huo Xiu, but in reality, he is the owner of the Green Robe Pavilion."
One established a jewelry store in Guanzhong, and his business spread throughout the Ming Dynasty;

One of them stepped into the martial arts world and became an elder of the Emei Sect;
Another was determined to restore his country, but after waiting for so many years, he never achieved it before he died of old age...

What a tragic fate!

As Wei Zhongxian spoke, he looked at Huo Xiu and said, "Speaking of which, the descendants of the Great Golden Roc Kingdom, the thirteenth Great Golden Roc King and Princess Danfeng, have already died at the hands of Lord Huo, haven't they?"

"From now on, apart from the three of you, no one will know the identity of your Great Golden Roc Kingdom."

"Now that we just need to rebuild the Great Golden Roc Kingdom, Lord Huo will become a nobleman of the nation. We must congratulate Lord Huo!"

Huo Xiu felt a chill run down his spine.

Since the death of Shangguan Jin, a royal relative who was determined to restore his kingdom, three years ago, he conspired with Shangguan Jin's granddaughter, Shangguan Feiyan, to kill the thirteenth generation Golden Roc King and Princess Danfeng.

They were preparing to substitute one person for another, to support a new Great Golden Roc King, and to have Shangguan Feiyan impersonate Princess Danfeng in order to rebuild the Great Golden Roc Kingdom.

Unexpectedly, Wei Zhongxian even knew about this matter.

This powerful eunuch is indeed no ordinary man!
Thinking of this, Huo Xiu's expression became even more respectful, and he said, "You flatter me, Grand Eunuch. Whether I can rebuild the Great Golden Roc Kingdom depends on you, Grand Eunuch."

Wei Zhongxian nodded in satisfaction: "Rest assured, once I return to the court, I will issue an edict to make the Great Golden Roc Kingdom a vassal state of my Great Ming Dynasty and send troops to help you rebuild the Great Golden Roc Kingdom."

"However, if you want to rebuild the Great Golden Roc Kingdom by substituting one person for another, the other two probably won't agree, right?"

Huo Xiu felt relieved and quickly said, "Thank you, Eunuch. As long as you are willing to help, my Great Golden Roc Kingdom will be dependent on you for generations and at your beck and call."

"As for Dugu Yihe and Yan Tieshan, I already have a plan in mind. After I help the Grand Eunuch return to the court, I will find a way to deal with them."

"Hmm." Wei Zhongxian nodded slightly.

At this moment, Huo Xiu glanced at the old and dejected Wei Zhongxian, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes, and said, "There is something I don't understand. I wonder if the Grand Eunuch can enlighten me."

Wei Zhongxian casually said, "Speak."

Huo Xiu bowed slightly, and asked in confusion, "When I met the Eunuch four years ago, his skills were extraordinary. He had mastered the Vajra Child Skill and the Asura Yin Sha Skill to a state of perfection, making it difficult for this old man to even see his face. But why do I see him this time? He has suddenly aged so much. Could it be that..."

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian's eyes froze, and endless resentment welled up in his heart, but he suppressed it and pretended to be calm, saying lightly, "My master had a slight mishap while practicing martial arts last year and is currently recuperating. He should be fully recovered in one or two years at most."

"I see." Huo Xiu suddenly understood, and all doubts vanished, leaving him completely at ease.

He was so respectful to Wei Zhongxian for two reasons: first, because of Wei Zhongxian's status and power, and second, because of his strength.

In the world of martial arts, strength is ultimately the most respected trait.

If Wei Zhongxian has truly become a cripple, then he will have to consider finding a new way out.

After all, Wei Zhongxian was over sixty years old. If he did not cultivate his skills, even if he was helped to return to the court, how many more years could he live?
If Wei Zhongxian were to regain his powers, with his status as a Grandmaster, he could live for at least another sixty years.

This is what Horthy truly values.

Otherwise, he, Huo Xiu, would not do a deal that would result in a loss.

……

at the same time.

Outside Fucheng County, a dense mass of horses' hooves arrived, and countless figures, all clad in black armor and carrying long swords, bows and crossbows at their waists, were none other than the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

The army halted at the city gate, obeying all orders without question.

Swish swish swish~
A series of dark figures swept in from all directions, bowing to Jiang Xuan and reporting, "Reporting to my lord, all the spies outside the city have been eliminated!"

Jiang Xuan, dressed in a white flying fish robe and also with a long sword at his waist, asked indifferently, "Have you found out Wei Zhongxian's location?"

"Reporting to my lord, the matter has been investigated and resolved!"

A scout said in a deep voice, "It happened at an inn in the city. I saw it with my own eyes!"

Jiang Xuan nodded, then looked up at the sky and waved his hand, saying, "Proceed according to the original plan!"

"Yes!"

……

Xu Shi.

At 3:00 AM, the city was placed under curfew.

Every household had its doors and windows tightly shut, and apart from the night watchmen and the city guards patrolling the streets, there wasn't a soul in sight.

Only the inn where Wei Zhongxian was staying in the city remained brightly lit.

A group of guards, armed with knives and swords, stood watch around the inn, patrolling back and forth.

The sheer size of the formation was so impressive that even the night patrol soldiers dared not approach it, avoiding it whenever they passed by.

Two soldiers happened to be passing by, and only after they had quietly walked away from the inn did they dare to speak loudly:

"Our county town is such a tiny place, yet we've managed to welcome such an important person. I never expected it!"

"Tch... What a load of rubbish! He's just a demoted old eunuch. He's already been dismissed from his post, yet he still dares to be so arrogant. Such behavior will surely lead to his downfall sooner or later!"

"Shh... Keep your voice down, you're asking for trouble!"

"This is the 'Nine Thousand Years Old,' and even though he has been dismissed from his post, he is not someone we insignificant people can discuss. Even the county magistrate doesn't dare to provoke him and has specifically told us to be careful. If he hears us, even ten heads wouldn't be enough to chop us off!"

"Hmph! I just can't stand the way these eunuchs behave. Just you wait and see, they'll be punished by heaven sooner or later..."

The two soldiers whispered among themselves as they walked to the side of a street.

"Crack!" Suddenly, a sound like a dry branch being snapped came from the alley.

"Who?!"

The two guards immediately stopped, their expressions tense. They gripped their sword hilts, staring intently into the dark alley, and shouted, "Come out!"

Tread...  

Footsteps sounded.

A group of dark figures slowly emerged from the alleyway.

In the alley behind, several corpses dressed in tight-fitting clothes could be vaguely seen lying down.

A soldier approached with a lantern.

Upon closer inspection by the lantern's light, the two men's expressions changed drastically: "Flying fish robes! Embroidered... Embroidered Uniform Guard?!"

"Shh!"

Jiang Xuan raised a finger, signaling the two to be quiet.

The two soldiers' pupils contracted sharply, and their voices caught in their throats; they dared not utter another word.

"Let's go." Jiang Xuan waved his hand.

The two felt a huge weight lifted off their shoulders and fled into the distance, disappearing into the street.

Jiang Xuan turned around, glanced at the brightly lit inn, waved his hand, and continued to lead his men toward the inn.

It's not just them.

At this time, it can be seen from a high vantage point.

Centered on the inn, countless figures were slowly approaching the inn from the surrounding streets and alleys.

at the same time.

At the entrance of the inn, Wei Ting walked out, glanced at the sky, and frowned as he asked, "The spies we sent out haven't returned yet?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, not yet." A retainer respectfully bowed.

Wei Ting frowned deeply: "Something's not right... Send someone to take a look!"

"Yes!" The retainer immediately turned and left to give the order.

Shangguan Feiyan, who was resting on a nearby railing, chuckled and said, "Miss Wei Ting, aren't you being a little too suspicious?"

“Our people from the Green Robe Pavilion are also keeping watch outside the city. If anything seems amiss, they will immediately send out a signal. Why are you being so vigilant?”

Wei Ting glanced at her and said calmly, "Right now, everyone wants to harm my godfather, so it's always good to be careful."

Shangguan Feiyan chuckled, shook her head, and said no more.

In her opinion, Wei Ting was being far too paranoid.

With so many people protecting us, what could possibly happen?
huh~
Suddenly, a whooshing sound rang out.

The black-clad retainer who had just stepped out of the crowd suddenly groaned and collapsed to the ground, with a jet-black arrow lodged in his throat.

"No, enemy attack!"

Everyone's expressions changed drastically.

咻咻 咻 ~
The next moment, a dense barrage of arrows came from all directions, accompanied by screams of agony.

"Protect our godfather!" Wei Ting shouted, and immediately retreated into the inn.

The other retainers also immediately sought refuge.

Ding ding~
Shangguan Feiyan drew her sword to deflect several crossbow bolts, then quickly slid down from the tower and hid inside the inn, her face grim: "Something really happened!"

Needless to say, since the enemy has managed to infiltrate the inn, all their spies must have been eliminated.

"It's the Royal Guards!"

Wei Ting gritted his teeth and said.

By the moonlight, one could see a dense procession of people marching down the street, their gleaming embroidered spring knives conspicuously in their hands.

"kill!"

With a loud shout, the Imperial Guards surrounding the inn attacked simultaneously, quickly closing in on the inn under the suppression of crossbow bolts.

The battle begins.

The sounds of fighting and screams came from all directions.

In the room on the second floor, Wei Zhongxian also suddenly woke up.

At this moment, Huo Xiu burst through the door and said in a deep voice, "Eunuch, it's the Embroidered Uniform Guard. We can't stay here!"

Wei Zhongxian's face was grim. He said, "Lord Huo, I'll leave these demons and monsters to you."

Huo Xiu nodded: "Don't worry, Master. With me here, I will definitely protect you."

"Once we defeat the Imperial Guards, we'll leave immediately."

Wei Zhongxian nodded with a stern face.

……

"kill!"

Amidst the endless sounds of fighting and killing.

Jiang Xuan slowly walked out from behind the crowd, strolling leisurely towards the inn.

The inn entrance was now packed with people.

A dense swarm of black-clad retainers bravely guarded the gate, engaging in fierce combat with the Imperial Guards, resulting in casualties on both sides.

However, the Wei family's retainers were caught off guard by the Imperial Guards and dozens of them were killed by several rounds of crossbow bolts. In addition, the Imperial Guards were holding back the inn from all sides. At this time, the Imperial Guards had gained the upper hand and were about to break through the gate and rush into the inn.

Just then, a group of assassins in green robes suddenly rushed out of the inn. They were ruthless and targeted vital points, and quickly stabilized the situation.

"The Green Robe Pavilion!"

Jiang Xuan's gaze was icy as he waved his hand and said, "Go!"

Choking, choking, choking—

Xu Longqing, Pei Xing, Ding Xiu, and others immediately drew their swords and rushed out to block Jiang Xuan's path.

"Pingzhi, you should also see some blood," Jiang Xuan instructed.

"Yes, Master!"

Lin Pingzhi, who had been following Jiang Xuan, was not afraid upon hearing this. He immediately drew his sword and rushed out. In his hand was the same Revolving Sword that King Cao Feng had held before. In an instant, he killed several people.

"My lord, I'll go help too!" Yue Mingke drew his sword and was about to step forward.

But Jiang Xuan stopped him: "Go and protect Pingzhi."

"Yes."

With a flash of his sword, Yue Mingke rushed to Lin Pingzhi's side, protecting him as he slashed at the surrounding enemies.

At this moment, Jiang Xuan was all alone. He mingled in the crowd, easily dealt with the black-clad retainers who approached him, and soon arrived at the entrance of the inn.

shuh~
At this moment, a long sword silently emerged from inside the door, its sword energy rampant and its killing intent like rain. Clearly, it was prepared in advance, and its target was Jiang Xuan.

Ding!
However, the sword could not be thrust any further once it reached Jiang Xuan's face.

Shangguan Feiyan stared intently, then her pupils constricted: "How is this possible?!"

Jiang Xuan flicked his finger, and the sword vibrated, suddenly shattering into dozens of fragments. Then, Jiang Xuan casually swept the sword as if sweeping up trash, and dozens of sword fragments flew towards the opposite side.

咻咻咻～
Shangguan Feiyan's expression changed drastically, and she quickly retreated to avoid it.

But the fragments were too dense and too fast, and she couldn't dodge them in time. She was hit by several fragments, groaned, and flew backward, smashing the inn's door.

"Miss Shangguan!"

The Qingyi Tower experts waiting inside the inn were shocked to see this and quickly drew their weapons to defend themselves and rescue Shangguan Feiyan.

But the next moment, Jiang Xuan's figure suddenly disappeared.

When they reappeared, they were already behind several experts from the Green Robe Pavilion.

The experts froze, motionless.

next second.

bang bang bang
Several figures fell backward at the same time, blood gushing from their necks.

"You are..." Shangguan Feiyan was shocked. She had just looked up when she saw a tall figure walking in front of her.

snort~
The blade flashed.

Shangguan Feiyan froze, her face filled with shock and disbelief. Soon, the exquisite and beautiful head rolled off her neck, and the headless corpse convulsed violently for a while before falling silent again.

At this moment, Jiang Xuan continued walking and had already reached the top of the stairs.

Opposite them stood Wei Ting and his group, followed by a group of Wei family retainers, all of whom were at the Innate Realm.

"Jiang Xuan!"

Wei Ting stared intently at that calm and handsome face, gritted his teeth and shouted, "Kill this traitor!"

Swish swish swish~
More than a dozen retainers rushed out at the same time, each wielding a different weapon, their killing intent soaring to the sky, their aura far surpassing that of the other retainers.

But just as they got within three zhang of Jiang Xuan, the group suddenly slowed down. Even though their weapons were in their hands, it was as if they were on slow motion, and they couldn't land on Jiang Xuan for a long time.

"What...what's going on?!"

The crowd looked terrified.

chi chi chi ~
As the blades flashed, one retainer after another fell to the ground silently.

As they lay dying, their eyes widened in horror and confusion, not knowing what had happened...

"you……"

Wei Ting staggered back in terror, staring intently at Jiang Xuan who had appeared before her, her face paling with horror: "Are you a human or a ghost?!"

"Originally a human being, but this world has slowly forced him into becoming a ghost."

Jiang Xuan remained calm.

As soon as he finished speaking, Wei Ting collapsed to the ground, a bloody gash blooming from between his eyebrows, running vertically down to his chest, with crimson blood gushing out like a waterfall.

Jiang Xuan slowly stepped over Wei Ting's corpse and entered the corridor, but stopped again, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Opposite them, an old and short figure stood silently, blocking their way.

"Knife intention?"

Huo Xiu's gaze turned solemn as he stared intently at the young figure in front of him, who was almost twice his height combined. He slowly said, "The Embroidered Uniform Guard actually has someone like you. If I'm not mistaken, you must be Lord Jiang Xuan, the commander of the Right Guard, the core of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?"

Jiang Xuan remained noncommittal, looking at Huo Xiu in return: "If I'm not mistaken, you are the owner of Qingyi Tower, the wealthy tycoon of Shanxi, and the traitorous royal relative of the Great Golden Roc Kingdom, Shangguan Mu?"

"How do you know..."

Huo Xiu's expression changed, and he blurted out in disbelief.

Besides Wei Zhongxian, Jiang Xuan also knew his secret?!
"Isn't it better to just live a good life? Why get involved in this mess?"

Jiang Xuan did not reply, but shook his head and sighed, saying, "It's a pity that because of your one wrong decision, from now on, the Green Robe Pavilion will no longer exist in the martial world."

Huo Xiu narrowed his eyes slightly: "Just you?"

"To comprehend the essence of the sword at such a young age is indeed a gift from heaven, but with your mere innate realm that is not even at its peak, how much of the power of that essence can you unleash?"

"With your abilities, you're not even capable of assassinating the Grand Eunuch right in front of me!"

"So, what about adding our family to the mix?"

A sinister voice came from behind.

Behind Jiang Xuan, a figure slowly walked out; it was Cao Zhengchun.

"And who are you?" Huo Xiu frowned.

He sensed the true energy flowing through Cao Zhengchun's body, which was also at the Grandmaster level!

"I am the head of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs, and I have been ordered to suppress traitors like you!"

Cao Zhengchun snorted coldly and said, "Lord Jiang, I'll leave him to you. Go and kill Wei Zhongxian."

Jiang Xuan remained noncommittal and continued walking slowly forward.

"court death!"

Huo Xiu shouted sharply, his body moving like a ghost, and struck Jiang Xuan with a palm, accompanied by a low whistling sound.

But before he could reach Jiang Xuan, he was intercepted by Cao Zhengchun.

"You traitorous scoundrel, you're the one who's courting death!"

Cao Zhengchun unleashed his full power, his terrifying true energy surging and exploding in the stairwell in an instant.

"All rivers return to the sea!"

Rumble~
An endless pressure swept over them, like a raging sea, instantly blasting Huo Xiu away from the stairwell.

"Traitorous scoundrels, die!" Cao Zhengchun roared, and without pausing, he moved like lightning and chased after them.

The next second, a loud roar came from outside the inn.

It was like a thunderclap, tearing through the sky!
Jiang Xuan didn't blink once from beginning to end. The residual energy waves vanished silently as soon as they reached him, without hindering him in the slightest.

Soon, he arrived at the door of the innermost room, where the light was on.

The door is open.

Wei Zhongxian sat motionless at the table, his back to the door, holding a wine pot in one hand and still playing with the two walnuts in the other.

Besides him, the only other person inside was the handsome young man who served him.

"Eunuch Wei, it's time to set off."

Jiang Xuan slowly walked into the room and spoke softly.

Wei Zhongxian's body trembled slightly. He slowly turned around and looked at the young commander he had personally promoted, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

But soon, he regained his previous authoritative and calm demeanor, chuckled, and said, "Commander Jiang, I really didn't expect this."

“I promoted you myself, and now you’re here to take my head and claim your reward.”

"Yes, things are unpredictable, Eunuch. Isn't this just a case of fortunes changing?" Jiang Xuan said calmly.

"Hahahahaha..."

Wei Zhongxian suddenly looked up and laughed lightly, his voice hoarse and grating, his laughter containing both sorrow and indignation, as well as regret.

Suddenly, the laughter stopped, and he looked at Jiang Xuan, saying, "I have a question that I don't understand. Could you please enlighten me, Lord Jiang?"

Jiang Xuan nodded: "Considering the favor of Eunuch Wei in promoting me to the position of Right Commander, I'll give you this opportunity. Eunuch Wei, please speak."

Why did you choose to serve that brat Chongzhen?

Wei Zhongxian stared intently at Jiang Xuan: "We have investigated your background. It is impossible for you to have served Chongzhen when you were still a captain. In other words, you only joined him after you were promoted to centurion or chiliarch... You were the one who gave him the list of workers for the shrine in Hangzhou, weren't you?"

"why?"

"Are you so sure that Chongzhen, that brat, can outmaneuver me and successfully ascend the throne?"

Jiang Xuan calmly said, "I'm just leaving myself a way out. If Eunuch Wei wins, then the matter of joining Prince Xin's mansion will be as if it never happened. If the Emperor wins, then I win too."

"I see! I see..."

Wei Zhongxian suddenly realized, shook his head and sighed, "Who would have thought that a mere Jinyiwei back then would have such ambition and cunning? No wonder you were able to climb to this level in just two years..." "However, you are the kind of person who gambles too much."

"People who gamble too much usually don't end up well."

Wei Zhongxian looked at Jiang Xuan and said, "If I'm not mistaken, even if you've pledged allegiance to Chongzhen now, it's not out of genuine sincerity. If you have a better option, you'll still betray him."

"But Emperor Chongzhen is suspicious by nature and good at hiding his true intentions. If you reveal any clues, you will eventually become his adversary."

"You're doomed sooner or later!"

Wei Zhongxian's eyes held a mocking glint.

Jiang Xuan said calmly, "Eunuch Wei has never gambled like I have before, how do you know I will lose?"

"Ho ho ho ho..."

Wei Zhongxian chuckled harshly and said, "I've been in power for decades. What kind of people haven't I seen? I can't be wrong!"

"If you don't believe me, how about we make a bet?"

As Wei Zhongxian spoke, he picked up a gold-plated die from the table and looked at Jiang Xuan with a half-smile: "Let's play the simplest game, comparing sizes."

"If our family loses, you can take our head back and report it."

"If our family wins..."

Wei Zhongxian yanked back the cloth covering the table, revealing a table full of gold and silver notes. He grinned and said, "A thousand taels of gold and a hundred thousand taels of silver notes, all of them are yours!"

"With this money, even if that brat Chongzhen becomes suspicious of you one day, with your martial arts skills, you can travel the world without worrying about money."

"Well, Lord Jiang? Do you dare to make this bet with me?"

Jiang Xuan shook his head: "Stop struggling, Eunuch Wei. You're going to die tonight no matter what."

Wei Zhongxian's expression changed slightly, a hint of nervousness in his eyes: "You...you don't want all this money?"

"Even if you kill me and go back to report, you'll only get promoted one rank at most."

"You only make a few dozen taels of silver a month, why are you risking your life?"

"Take this money and spare my life. I can find a fake corpse to substitute for yours, so you can take it back and report. How about that?"

"Confused!"

Jiang Xuan glanced at the gold and silver notes on the table: "Even if I kill you, these will still be mine!"

Swish~

Just then, two figures burst through the window, one in black and one in white, namely Qiu Moyan and Yang Huizhen.

Jiang Xuan glanced back and said calmly, "Alright, Eunuch Wei, it's time for you to set off."

The reason he delayed for so long was to wait for Qiu Moyan and Yang Huizhen to arrive, since he had promised them that they would take revenge themselves.

"Wei Zhongxian!"

Qiu and Yang stared intently at Wei Zhongxian, their eyes blazing with murderous intent.

Wow~

Wei Zhongxian finally panicked and backed away in fear: "You...you can't kill me!"

"Commander Jiang!"

Wei Zhongxian quickly looked at Jiang Xuan: "Money! The money in the carriage is fake!"

"That brat Chongzhen wants more than just my life; he wants my entire fortune!"

"If you don't get my money, even if you kill me, you won't be able to explain yourself when you get back!"

Jiang Xuan nodded: "You were indeed prescient, starting to transfer assets half a month ago. You're like a cunning rabbit with three burrows. Unfortunately, I'm a cut above the rest."

"The treasures you secretly moved to Hangzhou, Luoyang, and Xi'an will be brought back by my men tomorrow."

"you……"

Wei Zhongxian's pupils contracted, and then his whole body began to tremble.

He never expected that Jiang Xuan would even know about his secret transfer of assets.

Now, even their last trump card is gone...

"Kill him."

Jiang Xuan shook his head and looked at Yang Huizhen and the other woman.

Yang Huizhen stared intently at Wei Zhongxian, gritting her teeth as she said, "Wei Zhongxian, do you know who I am?!"

"Who...who are you?!" Wei Zhongxian exclaimed in a panic.

"I am Yang Lian's daughter!"

Yang Huizhen drew her long sword with a backhand motion, gritting her teeth as she said, "Give me back my father's life!"

"No...no...I don't want to die! Don't kill me..."

Wei Zhongxian's expression changed drastically, revealing his true nature of fear of death. Gone was his previous composure and majesty. He was so frightened that he dodged around in all directions, circling the table, looking both comical and pathetic.

But with his martial arts completely gone, he was weak and frail, not even as strong as a normal sixty-year-old man. How could he possibly dodge? Yang Huizhen quickly caught up with him, stabbed him in the chest with a sword, and he collapsed into a chair.

"Cough...cough..."

Blood began to trickle from the corner of Wei Zhongxian's mouth, his body trembled, and his eyes became unfocused.

As he lay dying, he stared intently at Jiang Xuan, gasping, "You...you won't have a...good...end either..."

As soon as he finished speaking, his head tilted to the side, and his life slowly faded away.

The first "Nine Thousand Years Old" of the Ming Dynasty thus perished!

Yang Huizhen stared blankly at Wei Zhongxian's corpse. Although she had avenged her great enemy, she did not feel much joy, but rather a sense of loss.

At this moment, she couldn't help but think of her deceased parents and relatives, and tears slowly slid down her cheeks.

"Junior sister." Qiu Moyan walked to her side and gently patted her shoulder to comfort her.

Yang Huizhen wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, walked up to Jiang Xuan, and solemnly cupped her hands: "Thank you, sir, for giving me the opportunity to kill my enemy. My life now belongs to you!"

Qiu Moyan's expression was complicated. He also bowed slightly and said, "Thank you, sir."

If before, she only joined 'Netherworld' to repay a debt of gratitude and serve Jiang Xuan, then...

At this moment, personal charisma must be added.

They are clear about right and wrong, resilient and patient, rational and honest, and even in high positions, they still maintain the most basic sense of justice and charity.

Although it has some shortcomings, they are minor.

This is how she sees Jiang Xuan.

Jiang Xuan was unaware of the two women's intentions and didn't pay much attention to their declarations of loyalty. He waved his hand and said, "You two go first, leave the rest to me."

The two women weren't the type to dawdle; they nodded, broke the window, and left.

Only Jiang Xuan and the boy who had been taking care of Wei Zhongxian remained in the room.

Seeing Jiang Xuan looking at him, the young man trembled and hurriedly said, "Sir, please...please don't kill me! I'm not Wei Zhongxian's man. I was sent by Zhao Jingzhong, the head of the Eastern Depot. I'm here to kill Wei Zhongxian too!"

"Zhao Jingzhong?"

Jiang Xuan nodded slightly, then swung his sword backhand and said calmly, "What level are you to try and steal my credit?"

The boy clutched his neck and collapsed, stunned.

Jiang Xuan then turned around, walked to Wei Zhongxian's corpse, cut off his head with a knife, and carried it out.

……

at this time.

The fighting inside and outside the inn continues.

Under the siege of hundreds of Imperial Guards, Wei Zhongxian and his men from the Green Robe Tower gradually dwindled.

However, the Embroidered Uniform Guard also suffered heavy casualties.

After all, the other side also has many experts, including professional assassins from the Green Robe Pavilion.

In the distance, Cao Zhengchun and Huo Xiu were engaged in a fierce battle. Every move they made seemed to possess the power to shake mountains and shatter rocks, destroying countless houses and killing countless people along the way.

at this time.

Jiang Xuan, carrying Wei Zhongxian's head, stepped out of the inn, leaped onto the roof, gathered his strength, and shouted, "Wei Zhongxian is dead! Why don't you all surrender?!"

The room fell silent for a moment.

Everyone turned to look at the rooftop.

When they saw the still-bleeding head in Jiang Xuan's hand, everyone's expression changed drastically.

"Factory Manager..."

Huo Xiu also subconsciously looked back and immediately recognized the face of the head. His expression changed instantly, and he looked dazed.

Cao Zhengchun seized the opportunity and struck Huo Xiu on the shoulder with a palm, sending him flying dozens of meters away. He then turned to look at the roof of the inn, his spirits lifted, and he exclaimed excitedly, "Lord Jiang, well done!"

After saying that, he charged at Huo Xiu again.

At this moment, the remaining retainers of the Wei family also confirmed Wei Zhongxian's identity. They were immediately stunned. Some were grief-stricken, some were in a daze, and they no longer had any thought of resisting.

The people from Qingyi Tower looked at each other, then turned and ran.

If the people we're protecting are all dead, what's the point of risking our lives?
"kill!"

On the other hand, the Imperial Guards' morale soared, and they attacked again, quickly felling one enemy after another, bleeding profusely.

The overall situation is decided!

Jiang Xuan nodded slightly, then put Wei Zhongxian's head back in the inn and went out to look at the battlefield between Cao Zhengchun and Huo Xiu.

Wei Zhongxian resolved the issue.

Next up, it's this guy's turn to get himself killed!
A cold glint flashed in Jiang Xuan's eyes, and he suddenly leaped into the air, long sword in hand.

sigh~
Huo Xiu had been fighting Cao Zhengchun for a long time, and his true energy was already mostly depleted. He was also hit by a palm strike in a moment of distraction, which put him at a disadvantage. At this moment, he was struggling to resist Cao Zhengchun's offensive.

Suddenly, as if sensing something, Huo Xiu's expression changed drastically, his hair stood on end, and his sense of crisis increased greatly.

bang~
At the critical moment, without thinking, he gritted his teeth and took Cao Zhengchun's palm strike head-on. Then he immediately turned around and saw a blade of light pierce the night sky like lightning, bringing a cool crescent moon arc as it fell vertically towards him.

"Sword Intent!"

Huo Xiu's pupils shrank sharply, and he quickly mobilized all his inner energy to block the terrifying blade in front of him.

laugh!
As the blade struck, the true energy shield trembled violently before shattering with a deafening roar.

The blade of light continued, piercing through the void and striking Huo Xiu directly.

"what!"

With a scream, Huo Xiu's short figure flew backward, blood splattering in the air, and landed straight in the distant alley.

The intense atmosphere came to an abrupt halt!

Jiang Xuan brought his sword down and stood beside Cao Zhengchun, his whole body radiating a murderous aura, with specks of blood on the blade.

Cao Zhengchun subconsciously took two steps back to the side, his eyes filled with shock and fear.

With his keen eyesight, he could clearly see that Jiang Xuan's strike not only broke through Huo Xiu's protective aura, but also nearly cleaved Huo Xiu in two, with bones and internal organs almost spilling out.

Such strength is truly terrifying!
Jiang Xuan ignored him, his eyes fixed on the alleyway ahead.

A moment later, he frowned.

"Not dead yet?"

Sensing the commotion coming from the alley, a murderous glint flashed in Jiang Xuan's eyes. He leaped forward and charged again, knife in hand.

boom!
Just then, a loud explosion rang out, bricks and tiles flew everywhere, and countless fragments of stone and bricks hurtled towards Jiang Xuan.

ding ding ding~
Jiang Xuan's blade flashed, blocking all the broken stones, but he was also forced to the ground by the hidden force of the broken stones.

When he looked up again, he saw a blood-stained figure in the night sky, dragging bloody intestines, yet extremely agile, like a night hawk, lightly touching between buildings a few times, and instantly flying dozens of feet away, leaving bloodstains along the way, with bits of flesh and bones falling in the distance.

"What an amazing Qinggong!"

Jiang Xuan frowned; such a powerful movement technique truly exceeded his expectations.

Even with his current speed and agility, he is far inferior.

However, he was confident in his strike; even if Huo Xiu didn't die, he would definitely be seriously injured.

How far could he run while injured?
Just as they were about to follow the trail of blood, a figure suddenly landed.

"Lord Jiang, there's no need to pursue them."

Cao Zhengchun stepped forward, his attitude more respectful than before: "This person's lightness skill is unparalleled, and his internal strength is at least at the seventh rank. Even if we go after him, we may not be able to catch up with him."

"Seventh rank?"

Jiang Xuan frowned slightly.

Cao Zhengchun nodded slightly: "Lord Jiang, your knife has already damaged his meridians and internal organs. Even if he doesn't die, he'll be crippled. Now that Wei Zhongxian is dead, our most urgent task is to go back and report."

"As for this person, now that we know his identity, it's not too late to deal with him later."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xuan nodded, temporarily suppressing his other thoughts, and turned to look at the surrounding battlefield.

With Wei Zhongxian's death and Huo Xiu's escape, the people of Qingyi Tower began to flee in all directions, while the retainers of the Wei family were almost all killed or injured.

The outcome of this battle is basically decided.

Jiang Xuan and Cao Zhengchun joined the battle.

Half an hour later, the battle was completely over.

The inn was filled with corpses, and blood flowed like streams along the walls and roadsides around the inn, resembling a scene of carnage.

Xu Longqing and the others, all covered in blood, were leading their men to clean up the battlefield and remove the corpses.

See this scene.

As night fell, the dark figures quietly disappeared.

Jiang Xuan stood at the entrance of the inn, gazing thoughtfully at the figures that had fled into the distance.

It seems that tonight, they're not the only ones eyeing Wei Zhongxian...

"Sir, everything is ready."

A moment later, Xu Longqing came over to report: "Just as you predicted, the treasure in the inn was all fake. We only found the gold and silver notes in Wei Zhongxian's room."

Jiang Xuan glanced at the gold and silver notes in the hands of the two captains and said indifferently, "Take them and distribute them."

"To avoid any unforeseen complications, take Wei Zhongxian and the bodies of your dead brothers and return to the capital overnight."

"Yes!"

Xu Longqing waved his hand, signaling the two captains to take the gold and silver notes away and divide them among themselves, then asked, "What about the other corpses..."

"Send someone to notify the county government and ask them to come and handle this."

"Yes."

……

Half an hour later.

Jiang Xuan and his group left the city overnight and embarked on their journey back to the capital.

They arrived with five full-strength centurions, but now only four hundred men remain, demonstrating the peril of this battle.

However, the group showed no signs of dejection; on the contrary, they were quite excited.

After all, the mission is complete, and there will surely be a reward when we return.

Moreover, even if everyone divided the thousand taels of gold and the hundred thousand taels of silver notes, each person would still receive nearly two hundred taels of silver.

As for those brothers who died, the imperial court will naturally provide them with compensation. Since they chose this profession, life and death are the norm.

Everyone was prepared for this.

Jiang Xuan rode his horse in front, with Cao Zhengchun beside him, and Xu Longqing and the others following behind.

Jiang Xuan glanced back at the group, then turned to Cao Zhengchun, cupping his hands in greeting, and asked, "Eunuch Cao, could you tell me about the realm above Grandmaster?"

Cao Zhengchun was slightly taken aback, then nodded with a smile: "Look at what Lord Jiang is saying, what's wrong with such a small matter?"

"After the Grandmaster realm, there are Great Grandmaster, Celestial Being, and the legendary Shattered Void realm."

Grandmaster, Great Grandmaster, Celestial Being, Shattered Void?
Are there really so many realms beyond the acquired and innate realms?

Jiang Xuan's eyes flickered.

Six Realms of Martial Arts!

This was the first time he had learned about the orthodox martial arts classifications in this world, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of longing.

"Then what did you mean by the seventh rank when you mentioned it at the inn?" Jiang Xuan asked Cao Zhengchun.

According to him, Huo Xiu's internal energy cultivation level was at least the seventh rank or higher.

Cao Zhengchun smiled and said, "Lord Jiang, you may not know this, but after the Innate Realm, the outward manifestations of each realm are different. Although there are four realms, namely the initial, intermediate, advanced, and perfect realms, the distinctions are more detailed."

"I would like to hear the details." Jiang Xuan cupped his hands in greeting.

Seeing Jiang Xuan's polite and respectful manner, Cao Zhengchun smiled with satisfaction. He reached out to stroke his beard, but realized he didn't have one, so he awkwardly withdrew his hand, coughed lightly, and continued:
"Lord Jiang should know that to reach the Innate Realm, one needs to open up the Eight Extraordinary Meridians and the Twelve Regular Meridians in order to transform true qi and break through to the Grandmaster level."

"Therefore, the Grandmaster is also called the Meridian Opening Realm."

"After becoming a Grandmaster, one needs to open up the nine orifices of the human body, namely the three major dantian (upper, middle, and lower), the three gates of the coccyx, the spine, and the jade pillow, and the three orifices of the Yin-Yang central palace."

“Each time an acupoint is opened, the outward manifestation is different. Therefore, people in the martial arts world divide the martial arts realm into nine ranks, just like the nine ranks of official positions in our imperial court.”

"Each time an acupoint is opened, one will be promoted one rank."

“The lower three ranks are the early stage of Grandmaster, the middle three ranks are the middle stage of Grandmaster, the upper three ranks are the late stage of Grandmaster, and the ninth rank is the perfect stage.”

That's it!

Jiang Xuan suddenly realized, and then asked, "What about the Grandmasters?"

"Well... we don't know either."

Cao Zhengchun was somewhat embarrassed and said, "All martial artists in the world, whether they are top-tier forces with grandmasters in charge or those grandmasters who are alone, are all extraordinary beings who value their own family traditions extremely highly and will never pass them on to anyone other than their own disciples."

"Therefore, our family doesn't know much about it either. We only know that the Grandmaster is also known as the 'Nine Aperture Realm'."

"As for celestial beings, they are called Martial Saints or Land Immortals. Beings of this level are extremely rare in the world, like dragons whose heads are seen but not their tails."

"In our entire Ming Dynasty, perhaps only Master Zhang of Wudang has reached this level. Shaolin Temple has a long history and may also have a Martial Saint-level figure, but we have never heard of him."

"The higher level of shattered void is called 'Martial God,' which is a legendary existence. We've only ever heard of that name."

As Cao Zhengchun explained, Xu Longqing and the others in the back had already pricked up their ears to listen carefully, their hearts filled with excitement and longing.

As a martial artist, who doesn't yearn to become one of those legendary martial saints or martial gods?

Unfortunately, the path of martial arts is difficult, as difficult as ascending to heaven.

In the entire Ming Dynasty today, apart from Wudang and Shaolin, which Cao Zhengchun just mentioned might have celestial beings at the level of martial saints in charge, the number of top-tier forces can be counted on two hands.

In other words, there are no more than two hands' worth of top-tier forces with Grandmasters in charge.

Even if you add those solitary, maverick grandmasters, the number would definitely not exceed thirty.

It is clear that martial arts training becomes increasingly difficult as one progresses.

Moreover, one needs talent and perseverance far exceeding that of ordinary people!
Jiang Xuan was somewhat prepared and not particularly shocked, though he certainly felt a longing for it.

But with the system panel by his side, he had an advantage over others.

Heaven rewards diligence. As long as he works harder and finds the right martial arts, he will surely be able to reach the pinnacle of martial arts and achieve what ordinary people cannot.

However, as Cao Zhengchun recounted the history of the martial arts world, Jiang Xuan couldn't help but have another question in his mind, and asked, "Eunuch Cao, does our imperial court not have any martial arts lineages above the Grandmaster level? Does it not have any Grandmasters presiding over it?"

"As far as I know, once someone becomes a Grandmaster, they are at least a match for a thousand men."

"With so many grandmasters and experts in the martial arts world, if these people were to collectively rebel, I'm afraid relying solely on a large army to suppress them would be insufficient."

Cao Zhengchun shook his head: "Lord Jiang, you may not know this, but when our founding emperor established the Ming Dynasty, he had many experts by his side."

"Such as our founding war gods of the Ming Dynasty, Duke Xu Da of Wei, Duke Chang Yuchun of E, and Duke Lan Yu of Liang, were all grandmasters who were famous throughout the world at that time. Moreover, it is said that they were also blessed with ancient military strategies. On the battlefield, they were all fierce generals who could defeat ten thousand men."

"Unfortunately, these people were either old or dead, and after the Jingnan Rebellion, their lineage was further interrupted, and there were fewer and fewer masters."

"Later, although Emperor Chengzu intended to promote martial arts, the resistance from civil officials in the court was too great, and there were very few martial arts masters. As a result, there were fewer and fewer martial arts masters in our Ming Dynasty, and the tradition gradually disappeared."

"But it definitely exists."

"Leaving aside others, General Qi was also a grandmaster back then, and he also inherited the military arts. His Qi Family Army was full of soldiers who were good at fighting and won many battles for our Ming Dynasty, so that the Japanese overseas still dare not invade."

"However, since General Qi died, the transmission of his military treatises has also been interrupted."

"In addition, there is the current emperor's father, the Iron-Blooded Marquis Zhu Wushi, who may also be a Grandmaster."

At this point, perhaps even Cao Zhengchun was unsure, hence the use of the word 'perhaps'.

Moreover, his eyes looked somewhat serious, indicating that he must have suffered at Zhu Wushi's hands before.

Seeing that Jiang Xuan was still processing his words, Cao Zhengchun paused, and waited for Jiang Xuan to look up at him again before continuing, "In addition, there should be some masters in our palace who have been passed down through generations. Lord Jiang, you should be careful when you enter the palace in the future..."

In Cao Zhengchun's mind, the scene of the palace coup that night, where Wei Zhongxian was deposed and the two grandmasters beside him were smashed into mincemeat with a single palm strike, reappeared. A look of shock and fear appeared in his eyes.

Jiang Xuan nodded slightly. He naturally knew that Cao Zhengchun was referring to the mysterious guardian of the palace.

I wonder what level that person has reached...

Celestial being, or broken?
After a long while, Jiang Xuan took a deep breath, looked at Cao Zhengchun, and asked the last question: "Then, I wonder what realm you are at now, Eunuch Cao?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Zhengchun smiled modestly and said, "I am not very talented. I have only managed to reach the ninth rank after cultivating for over thirty years."

Ninth Rank, Grandmaster Perfection?!

You're really quite modest.

Jiang Xuan gave Cao Zhengchun a deep look, then pondered to himself.

With his current strength and the enhancement of his sword intent, he is capable of breaking through a Grandmaster's protective aura. If he were to strike unexpectedly, he should be able to kill a Grandmaster in the mid-to-late stages of the cultivation process.

But in a direct confrontation or a protracted battle, that's another story.

After all, there is a qualitative difference between the internal energy of the Innate Realm and the true energy of the Grandmaster.

Aside from his sword intent, the only thing he could rely on was his 'copper skin and iron bones' physical body, cultivated through Luo Mo's internal energy techniques.

Furthermore, compared to true masters, he had many shortcomings.

For example, light-footed movement techniques.

It wasn't until he fought against Nahoshu tonight that he realized how big the gap was.

In the blink of an eye, they had covered a distance of dozens of feet.

Even with the two perfect-level lightness skills he currently possesses, he is far from being able to achieve this.

If these gaps are not bridged, even if his sword intent is strong enough to break through the protective aura of a grandmaster, he will find that he cannot catch up with his opponent and his attacks cannot hit the opponent, which is all in vain.

"After returning to the capital, I still need to improve my cultivation level as soon as possible and break through to the Grandmaster level."

"I should also practice a few more lightness skills to make up for these gaps as soon as possible..."

Jiang Xuan secretly made a plan.

(End of this chapter)