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

Chapter 119 First Battle in the East, Honing One's Intent! [10,000-word Update, Please Subscribe and Subscribe to All Chapters]

When the army approached Qiyang County, the fire was raging.

Thick smoke billowed over the entire city, flames rose everywhere, and the city was a scene of devastation.

Various cries and pleas for help could still be faintly heard from within the city.

But even the city walls were burned down into ruins, making it impossible for the army to enter and rescue people, and there was no water source nearby to fight the fire.

The crowd could only watch helplessly as the fire grew stronger and stronger, their eyes wide with rage and their teeth grinding in fury.

"The White Lotus Sect! This is the work of beasts!"

Lu Xiang-sheng gritted his teeth, filled with extreme grief and indignation.

Jiang Xuan also looked cold and indifferent, his heart filled with surging anger.

Even the most hard-hearted person would feel a surge of anger and murderous intent upon seeing this scene.

The fire gradually subsided as evening approached, the sun set, and the temperature dropped.

But the rubble from the collapsed city wall still carried residual warmth.

The group carefully walked across the ruins and entered the city.

Everywhere you look, there is blood and devastation.

The streets were littered with the corpses of ordinary people, many of whom had been burned to a crisp and were unrecognizable.

Almost all houses and residences were burned down, and faint cries for help could still be heard from the still-burning ruins.

"Go and save people!"

Lu Xiang-sheng roared, his whole body trembling with rage.

"This is the mess you Miao people have made!"

One of the Imperial Guards could no longer contain himself. He drew his sword and pointed it at Ren Woxing and the others standing to the side, his eyes bloodshot.

"stop!"

Jiang Xuan stopped them, coldly glancing at Ren Woxing and the others, but said nothing more. He simply waved his hand and ordered, "Go up and help, rescue the survivors!"

Everyone sprang into action, moving debris and saving the surviving people.

Some civilians, their bodies already charred, remained curled up, desperately protecting the children in their arms, and no matter how hard the soldiers tried, they could not move them.

But by the time the body was moved, the child in her arms had already perished in the flames.

Some women lay naked in the ruins, burned beyond recognition, clearly having been humiliated before being killed and ultimately perishing in the flames...

Similar scenes are everywhere you look!

"These beasts!"

Ren Yingying, Lan Fenghuang, and the others also looked grim and were furious.

They could hardly believe that people could be so vicious!
The culprit behind all this is the White Lotus Sect, and it was done by the Miao people!
No one could tolerate such a scene!
The army worked until late at night to dig out the people they could save from the ruins and settle them in military camps outside the city.

The county town, which originally had tens of thousands of people, now has fewer than a thousand survivors.

Moreover, how to resettle these people is also a difficult problem.

Lu Xiang-sheng pondered for a long time before seeking out Jiang Xuan for advice.

Jiang Xuan was silent for a moment before suggesting, "Send a team to Hengzhou to settle them first. The war is the priority right now. We can deal with these issues after we've dealt with the White Lotus Sect."

"……it is good."

After considering it for a moment, Lu Xiang-sheng also agreed to Jiang Xuan's proposal.

As long as the White Lotus sect is not eradicated, such tragedies will not decrease.

Soon, Lu Xiang-sheng went to make arrangements for this matter.

Jiang Xuan then returned to his own tent.

As soon as they arrived at the entrance of the camp, they saw Ren Woxing and the others waiting there.

"Ren Woxing greets Your Excellency."

Ren Woxing was very tall, with black hair and a blue robe. He had a long, narrow face, but his face was completely bloodless, like a zombie that had just crawled out of a grave.

Even so, one could still see an air of domineering authority and self-importance between his brows.

Twelve years of imprisonment, confined underground and never seeing the light of day, clearly did not diminish the prestige of the former leader of the Sun Moon Cult.

But at this moment, when facing Jiang Xuan, he behaved with extreme respect, without overstepping his bounds in the slightest.

Jiang Xuan glanced at him and said, "Come in."

Ren Woxing bowed slightly, and only after Jiang Xuan went in did he lead Ren Yingying and the others inside.

Upon entering the tent, Jiang Xuan sat directly in the middle chair, quietly watching Ren Woxing and the others who followed him in.

His gaze swept across the crowd one by one.

He had already met Ren Yingying and Lan Fenghuang.

Standing next to Ren Woxing was a middle-aged man dressed in white, with a lean appearance and a sparse, long white beard under his chin, exuding a rather extraordinary air.

With a slight sense, it turned out that he also possessed the internal energy cultivation of an early-stage Grandmaster.

If nothing unexpected happens, this person should be Xiang Wentian, the Left Envoy of the Sun Moon Cult.

Further behind stood a dozen or so equally imposing figures, men and women, old and middle-aged, all at the Innate Realm.

Several of them were dressed similarly to Lan Fenghuang, in the attire of the Miao ethnic minorities, and were probably masters of the Five Poisons Sect.

In addition, there are Ren Yingying and Lan Fenghuang.

Having been imprisoned for so many years, it is truly remarkable that he was able to gather so many skilled fighters to serve him.

As for Ren Woxing...

At his peak, he was probably a grandmaster.

But at this moment, in Jiang Xuan's perception, his body was weak, his internal energy was pitifully thin and chaotic, and he didn't know which unlucky people he had absorbed it from.

His current strength is probably not even as good as that of an ordinary innate master.

Despite this, so many experts remained loyal to him.

It is evident that Ren Woxing held a high position in the hearts of the Miao people.

These thoughts flashed through my mind.

Even without asking, Jiang Xuan could roughly guess what Ren Woxing and the others had gone through.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Xuan spoke up: "When we attack Yongzhou City, your men will be the vanguard."

"If we successfully capture Yongzhou City, I will give you a chance to be my dog."

His voice was indifferent, devoid of any emotion.

When everyone heard this, their expressions changed slightly.

Especially Xiang Wentian and the others, upon hearing Jiang Xuan insult the sect leader in this way, all showed a hint of anger in their eyes and were about to retaliate, but were stopped by Ren Woxing.

"Master!"

Everyone's faces turned grim as they looked at Ren Woxing.

Ren Woxing ignored him, took a deep breath, bowed to Jiang Xuan, and said with his hands clasped, "Yes, Ren Woxing thanks you, sir!"

He is indeed quite a figure...

Jiang Xuan gave him a deep look, but said nothing more, and waved his hand, saying, "Get lost."

"Yes!"

Ren Woxing bowed again and left with his men.

The entire conversation consisted of only two sentences, but both parties understood each other's meaning.

Whether the Sun Moon Cult can continue to exist depends on the upcoming battle to attack Yongzhou.

Ren Woxing had no right to refuse.

If given enough time to recover his strength, he might be able to deal with the traitors and regain his position as leader through his own abilities.

But with the imperial army at the gates, there was no time for him to recover his strength and make careful preparations.

If we do not agree now, the entire Sun Moon Cult, and even the entire Miao region, will be crushed by the imperial cavalry!
Even if we kill Dongfang Bubai and regain the position of leader, what will be the point?
Therefore, even when he was insulted to his face, and even when he had to serve the imperial court as a dog afterward, Ren Woxing endured it all.

A man who can bend and stretch can be a husband.

This is Ren Woxing!

Tread...  

As soon as Ren Woxing and the others left, Lin Pingzhi came in, handed over a letter, and said, "Master, intelligence has come from our spies in Yongzhou."

Jiang Xuan took it, unfolded it, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"Good timing! Let's take this opportunity to wipe out these traitors in one fell swoop!"

As stated in the letter.

Masters from various sects, including the White Lotus Sect, the Sun Moon Sect, and the Paradise Cave, have arrived in Yongzhou to personally defend the city.

More than 30,000 White Lotus followers from Yongzhou also gathered in Yongzhou.

Clearly, they were prepared for a decisive battle from the outset and were determined to defend Yongzhou City to the death!
"Go get ready!"

Jiang Xuan gave the instructions, then sat back on the bed and began practicing his martial arts that night.

……

The moon, like a silver plate, enveloped the earth.

A massive city lies prostrate before the rolling mountains.

The giant city was built against the mountain, and a winding mountain road led directly to the mountain range behind it. It was both a city and a strategic pass.

This is Yongzhou Prefecture City.

The city walls were on all four sides, and the defenses were very tight.

Especially at the main gate, on the city wall, there is a White Lotus soldier holding a spear every three meters or so. They are wearing simple cloth armor and white headscarves, making them very conspicuous.

The government offices in the city had long been occupied by the White Lotus Sect.

At this moment, dozens of high-ranking members of the White Lotus Sect gathered in the main hall of the government office.

Among them were the leader, protectors, elders, and altar masters of the White Lotus Sect, all of whom were core members of the White Lotus Sect.

The elders and altar masters of the White Lotus Sect had already suffered more than half of their losses, and even the Left Protector Zhao Wuji had perished in Nanyang. However, in order to stabilize the morale of the people, the leader of the White Lotus Sect promoted many outstanding disciples to fill the vacancies.

Besides the members of the White Lotus Sect, the Five Poisons Child also sat in the hall with two other children.

Beside them were experts from the Sun Moon Sect, including Shangguan Yun and Tong Baixiong.

This time, seven of the ten elders of the Sun Moon Divine Sect and six of the twelve hall masters came, along with thousands of disciples, all of whom were Miao people.

In terms of the strength of its high-level leaders, it is no weaker than the White Lotus Sect and the Blissful Cave, and may even be stronger.

But at this moment, there were only six hall masters in the main hall, including Shangguan Yun and Tong Baixiong; even Dongfang Bubai was not among them.

"Everyone!"

The White Lotus Sect Leader stood up and cupped his hands to the crowd: "I am deeply grateful for your help this time."

Jia Bu, the leader of the Azure Dragon Hall of the Sun Moon Sect, stood up and cupped his hands: "This battle concerns the fate of our Miao people. We are all Miao people, and we should naturally unite against the Ming court. Why should the White Lotus Sect Leader be so polite!"

The White Lotus Cult Leader smiled and nodded, saying, "'Yellow-faced Venerable' is right. This battle concerns the fate of our Miao people."

"At present, the Ming court is corrupt and incompetent, and people of insight throughout the land are rising up to expel it."

"In the northwest, the rebel army is crossing the river to the east; in the south, the Miao people are rising up in rebellion; and beyond the Great Wall, the Manchus are eyeing us covetously. The Ming court has reached a dead end!"

"Over the years, the people of the Central Plains have oppressed us Miao people too much. Now that the Ming Dynasty is in decline, it is the perfect time for us to rise up in rebellion!"

"If we win this battle, we will deal a heavy blow to the Ming court, and from then on, the Miao people will rule over the Huguang region."

"When the time comes, we will gather our strength, storm the capital, rewrite history, and this world will be ruled by the Miao people!"

The words were heated, and everyone's emotions ran high.

"The cult leader is right!"

"If the people of the Central Plains can sit on this land, why can't we Miao people sit on it?"

"This battle will surely rewrite history and change the status of the Miao people!"

People from all religions gave them face and were determined to change the status of the Miao people.

The White Lotus Sect Leader nodded with a smile: "I have received news that Lu Xiang-sheng, the Ming army's commander-in-chief, has led his troops to Qiyang County, which is eighty miles away. He will arrive in Yongzhou City in three days at most, and a great battle will soon begin."

"At that time, I will leave it to you all!"

The leader of the White Lotus Cult bowed respectfully.

Everyone stood up to return the greeting.

The White Lotus Sect leader was very satisfied.

With such high morale, how could we not win this battle?
"Why is the 'Yellow-Faced Venerable' absent from the Eastern Cult Leader tonight?"

The White Lotus Cult Leader's gaze shifted, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Upon receiving news of the approaching Ming army, he led his men to Yongzhou to defend the city.

But tonight, he still hasn't seen Dongfang Bubai.

Jia Bu cupped his hands and said, "The leader said that he wanted to meet with Jiang Xuan, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, first. He has already left the city for Qiyang County ahead of us."

"what?"

The White Lotus Sect Leader was slightly taken aback, somewhat surprised.

A confident look appeared on Jia Bu's face as he said, "Don't worry, White Lotus Sect Leader. With my sect leader's martial arts skills, the world may be vast, but he can certainly go anywhere."

"If we're lucky, we might even be able to eliminate Jiang Xuan, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, in one fell swoop, thus removing a major threat to the White Lotus Sect Leader and avenging your sect's Left Protector, Second Elder, and others."

The Five Poison Child, who had remained silent until now, snorted and said, "That Jiang Xuan is not so easy to kill. With a great battle imminent, we must hope that nothing unexpected happens."

Tong Baixiong, the leader of the Fenglei Hall, glanced at him with disdain in his eyes and said indifferently, "There's no need for the Lord of the Blissful Cave to worry about that."

"Even if we can't kill Jiang Xuan, with my sect leader's martial arts skills, we can leave with ease."

"Let alone a mere 50,000 troops, even if there were 100,000 or 500,000, if my leader wanted to leave, absolutely no one could stop him, and he would not be injured or return in a sorry state!"

"Be bold!"

The Five Poison Child slammed his hand on the table, his young face contorted with rage.

This statement was clearly a sarcastic remark implying that he was inferior to Dongfang Bubai.

Moreover, who spread this information so that even members of the Sun Moon Cult know about it?

The White Lotus Sect Leader quickly smoothed things over: "Brother Wudu, Brother Tong, a great battle is imminent, why should you two argue over such a trivial matter?"

"Hmph!" The Five Poison Child snorted coldly, got up and left unhappily, and also had his opinions about the White Lotus Sect Leader's favoritism.

He suspected that it was members of the White Lotus Sect who spread his scandals.

The White Lotus Sect Leader could only smile wryly and look at Tong Baixiong and the others, saying, "I trust the martial arts of the Eastern Sect Leader. When the Eastern Sect Leader returns, please inform him that I have important matters to discuss with him."

"must."

Tong Baixiong and the others nodded calmly.

They only had a cooperative relationship with the White Lotus Sect, not that they were subordinates of the White Lotus Sect.

If it weren't for the future of the Miao people, they wouldn't be afraid of the White Lotus Sect at all.

They didn't even consider the mere Paradise Cave a threat.

……

late at night.

All sounds are silent.

Inside the tent, Jiang Xuan sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, meditating and circulating his internal energy.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked south. He sensed an extremely strong aura approaching the military camp, and it showed no sign of abating.

"Where is Jiang Xuan, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard? Come out and meet us!"

Sure enough, the next second, a slightly effeminate yet domineering voice came from the night wind.

At the same time, that momentum spread with the sound, sweeping across like a vast ocean.

Everyone felt an intense sense of oppression and woke up from their dream with a start.

"The East is undefeated!"

Jiang Xuan's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he instantly guessed the identity of the newcomer.

How brave!

A murderous glint flashed in Jiang Xuan's eyes, and he suddenly leaped out of the tent.

In a nearby tent, Ren Woxing suddenly stood up, his eyes filled with intense hatred and killing intent: "Dongfang Bubai?!"

He immediately got up and walked out of the tent. Sure enough, he saw a tall figure standing on the flagpole at the entrance of the military camp, his red clothes undulating in the moonlight.

His aura was as vast and unfathomable as the ocean.

"The East is undefeated!"

Ren Woxing could no longer hold back and roared out in anger.

Although it had been more than a decade since they last met, and his aura was quite different from back then, he still recognized the figure at a glance. It was none other than the traitor who had seized his position as leader and imprisoned him at the bottom of West Lake, Dongfang Bubai!
Ren Yingying and the others also woke up and came out. When they saw the figure on the flagpole, their expressions changed drastically.

Unexpectedly, with a major battle imminent, Dongfang Bubai dared to storm the Ming army camp alone.

"Ren Woxing? You really are here!"

Dongfang Bubai shifted his gaze slightly, completely ignoring Ren Woxing's murderous stare. Instead, a hint of mockery and disdain appeared in his eyes.

"How could the once-powerful Master Ren have become like this?"

Ren Woxing gritted his teeth: "This is all thanks to you!"

"Ah!"

Dongfang Bubai sneered: "How we Miao people fight among ourselves is our own business, but you, Ren Woxing, have chosen to be a dog of the imperial court in order to return to the Sun Moon Divine Cult. You are truly a disgrace to us Miao people!"

"Dongfang Bubai, you treacherous traitor, stop your glib tongue!"

Xiang Wentian spoke up, coldly shouting, "Twelve years ago, you seized the position of sect leader by despicable means while the sect leader was practicing his skills. Now you are colluding with the White Lotus Sect traitors, trying to plunge our Miao people into an abyss of no return. The sect leader made this choice to save our Miao people!"

"No matter what, the leader is still much better than a treacherous villain like you!"

Dongfang Bubai's gaze was disdainful, also filled with killing intent: "When I ascended to the throne, it was the will of the people. What qualifications does Ren Woxing, this dog who serves the court, have to serve as the leader of the sect?"

"And you too, I have given you chances time and time again, but you are still stubborn and have betrayed us Miao people with Ren Woxing, becoming the dogs of the imperial court."

"In that case, I'll clean house tonight!"

sigh~
As soon as he finished speaking, Dongfang Bubai's figure vanished abruptly, swooping down towards the ground like a ghost.

"It's the Sunflower Manual! Leader, be careful!"

Xiang Wentian immediately stood in front of Ren Woxing and unleashed a palm strike that shook the heavens.

But the next second, he was blasted away by a powerful force, spitting out blood.

The two sides are far too different in strength; they are not even on the same level.

boom!
A blade of light tore through the night sky, slashing swiftly from the side, forcing Dongfang Bubai back and protecting Ren Woxing and the others.

Then, an indifferent voice came from not far away: "Even if you're going to be a dog, you have to be someone I deem worthy. Not everyone is qualified to be a dog of the imperial court."

Dongfang Bubai flashed back to the top of the flagpole, staring at the approaching yellow-robed figure. His eyes narrowed slightly as he said, "Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Jiang Xuan? You've finally arrived!" "My lord!"

Ren Woxing cupped his hands to Jiang Xuan, then led his men to step back and make way. He stared intently at Dongfang Bubai, his eyes burning with murderous intent like a raging fire, but he did not show off.

At this moment, he is not even as strong as Dongfang Bubai, and he probably can't even beat Xiang Wentian.

Wow~
A dense swarm of soldiers surrounded them, their crossbows and muskets aimed at Dongfang Bubai on the flagpole.

"Captain!"

The members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard quickly gathered, their expressions grave.

As fellow martial artists, they could sense Dongfang Bubai's power.

The terrifying aura emanating from the latter alone was beyond their comprehension.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard, who claims to be specifically designed to suppress us martial arts practitioners? They're nothing special!"

Dongfang Bubai sneered. Even amidst a vast army, he remained calm and composed.

This demeanor alone is worthy of the title of leader of the Sun Moon Sect.

"You're not bad at all."

Dongfang Bubai looked at Jiang Xuan and said, "I heard that the Left Protector and Second Elder of the White Lotus Sect died at your hands? Even that good-for-nothing Five Poison Child was defeated by you?"

"Come, let me see your sword intent, and see if it is just an empty reputation."

"You won't be disappointed."

Jiang Xuan spoke without uttering a single wasted word, his figure flashing as he transformed into a long rainbow and soared into the sky.

The sword intent domain was silently unleashed, and the Embroidered Spring Blade was simultaneously drawn, bringing with it a thunderous blade light as it slashed swiftly towards Dongfang Bubai.

scoff!

The blade whistled, the flagpole exploded instantly, but Dongfang Bubai's figure vanished without a trace.

Looking up, he had already soared dozens of meters into the air like an eagle, carrying a surging force as he swept down.

His true energy was immense and boundless, almost on par with Cao Zhengchun's.

He was also a peak grandmaster!
Moreover, his speed was beyond Jiang Xuan's imagination, as fast as wind and thunder, and he appeared above his head in the blink of an eye.

Jiang Xuan didn't even have time to borrow strength again.

At the critical moment, he could only parry with his sword, while his spiritual power surged upwards, clashing with the immense true energy above his head.

boom!
The sound echoed through the void, like a thunderclap.

An invisible aftershock spread in all directions, stirring up sharp, howling winds.

Jiang Xuan was struck to the ground by a palm strike and staggered back several steps.

Dongfang Bubai landed as well, and small wounds appeared on his palms, each containing a sharp aura that was eroding his true energy and physical body.

“Is this the artistic conception?”

Dongfang Bubai narrowed his eyes, his true energy surged, instantly annihilating the residual power of intent in the wounds. The small wounds also healed rapidly under the repair of his true energy, and soon he was back to normal.

"It's nothing more than that!"

A hint of disdain flashed in Dongfang Bubai's eyes, and with a flash, he disappeared again as a blur.

Without a second thought, Jiang Xuan locked onto Dongfang Bubai's aura through his senses and unleashed a backhand slash. Golden sword energy stretched for over ten meters, carrying a domineering sword intent as it swept out.

hum~
A red figure appeared, its protective aura trembling violently before suddenly exploding.

Dongfang Bubai seemed to have anticipated this and was not afraid at all. While mobilizing his true energy to re-condense his protective aura, he used his speed advantage to quickly close the distance and struck Jiang Xuan's chest with a palm.

There was no time to sheathe his sword, so Jiang Xuan could only raise his hand and exchange a palm strike with him.

boom!
When their true energies clashed, the pale golden Vajra True Energy was suppressed by the water-like Sunflower True Energy.

However, the pale golden Vajra True Qi also contained the essence of the Overlord Blade.

The intent of the sword does not necessarily require a sword to be unleashed!

Both of them retreated simultaneously.

In the void, drops of blood remained.

Dongfang Bubai was taken aback. He looked at his cracked palm, and his brows finally furrowed slightly.

The power of this artistic conception is so strange and difficult to deal with?
Those who truly grasp the essence of martial arts are few and far between.

This was also the first time he had ever encountered this power.

On the other hand, although Jiang Xuan's breathing was also shaken by the clash of true energy, his eyes revealed a strong sense of excitement.

In the brief exchange, he felt that the domineering blade intent, which had not been loosened for a long time, was actually beginning to grow!
"Come again!"

With an excited shout, Jiang Xuan circulated his true energy to its limit, used his movement technique, and disappeared from the spot with strange steps.

bang bang bang...

In an instant, afterimages blurred as the two engaged in a fierce exchange of fire within the camp.

Each collision of true energy produced a violent explosion, causing the void to tremble and the aftershocks of true energy to sweep across a radius of tens of meters.

The soldiers who were defending the area retreated again and again, but many of them were still injured by the aftershocks of the true energy, vomiting blood and collapsing to the ground. Many of the surrounding tents were also blown away and rose from the ground.

Such immense destructive power is beyond everyone's imagination!
But Jiang Xuan couldn't care less about that at this point.

This was the strongest master-level opponent he had ever faced, and also the most intense battle he had ever fought.

Dongfang Bubai possessed perfect internal strength and powerful true energy, and his external martial arts skills were also extremely strong.

Especially in terms of speed, even though he has now mastered three perfected movement techniques, he is still somewhat unable to match him.

However, once they engage in close combat, the suppression of the realm of intent prevents Dongfang Bubai from fully utilizing his speed advantage, thus making up for this gap.

At this moment, the two are competing in terms of their internal and external martial arts skills.

In addition, there is the artistic conception!
The most important thing is the artistic conception!
Without the blessing of spiritual energy, Jiang Xuan would have been defeated long ago.

One is a Grandmaster at the ninth rank of perfection, while the other is at the second rank. The difference in their realms is not so easily bridged.

However, with the addition of artistic conception, this gap is infinitely narrowed and reduced.

Therefore, taking advantage of his other strengths, Jiang Xuan began to hone his artistic conception in this fierce battle where a slight mistake could result in serious injury or even death!
Boom boom boom——

Jiang Xuan became increasingly excited as the battle progressed, because the progress of his domineering aura was visibly increasing.

It jumped from seven percent, which hadn't changed in a long time, to ten percent.

In addition, there was the raging dragon, who used the Embroidered Spring Blade with enhanced artistic conception to clash with Dongfang Bubai using swordsmanship.

Under this cycle, the progress of the raging dragon's sword momentum is also slowly increasing.

Compared to the previous arduous seclusion, the speed has increased several times over!
Indeed, only combat is the best way to cultivate!

However, the more Dongfang Bubai fought, the more he felt something was wrong.

This kid is really strange.

He had assumed that Jiang Xuan was just an ordinary master of sword intent, so after receiving news that Ren Woxing had escaped and joined forces with the imperial court, he came here tonight specifically to test Jiang Xuan's abilities.

Let's see if we can take this opportunity to get rid of Ren Woxing and eliminate Xiang Wentian and other traitors.

But to his surprise, the boy's strength far exceeded his expectations.

Not only was his speed no less than his, but his physical body was also terrifyingly strong. It seemed that he had practiced a martial art similar to the Golden Bell Cover of Shaolin Temple, making him extremely resilient. Even his Sunflower True Qi could not break through his defenses.

It has virtually no weaknesses in defense or speed.

But this kid's sword intent was able to break through his protective true energy.

This resulted in him not daring to directly confront Jiang Xuan's sword intent, while Jiang Xuan had already taken several of his blows but seemed to be unaffected, instead becoming more and more courageous in the fight.

Moreover, during the fight with Jiang Xuan, there was a faint sucking sensation coming from Jiang Xuan's body, which made his true energy somewhat uncontrollable.

This seems to be Ren Woxing's Star Absorbing Technique?!
This is unbelievable! This guy is so young, he looks like he's only in his early twenties.

Breaking through to the Grandmaster level and developing sword intent is one thing, but just how many other martial arts did he practice?!
boom!
Another clash of true energy struck, and Dongfang Bubai finally couldn't hold on any longer. He stumbled back several steps and fell off the battlefield.

"Isn't this possible?"

Jiang Xuan's eyes were bloodshot, and a trace of blood hung at the corner of his mouth, clearly showing that he was not as relaxed as he appeared.

But he still wore an excited smile on his face, his expression almost manic.

sigh~
With a flash of light, he once again darted towards Dongfang Bubai.

"Come again!"

With a roar, the Overlord Blade Intent, carrying the raging sword momentum, swept out like a storm.

"How come this kid looks even more like a demon than I do?!"

Dongfang Bubai cursed inwardly. His clothes were torn and bloodstains were seeping from his body. He looked extremely disheveled and was no longer the dashing and domineering man he had been just moments before.

Moreover, he had already figured out Jiang Xuan's intentions.

This kid is using him to practice his sword skills!

This is really unreasonable!

Dongfang Bubai was furious.

Seeing Jiang Xuan rushing towards him, he lightly touched the ground with his toes, widening the distance again. Then, he flashed onto a nearby tent, his body rising dozens of meters into the night sky.

Then, using the momentum from landing again, he disappeared from sight in a few flashes.

"Jiang Xuan, I will be waiting for you in Yongzhou City. In the battle of Yongzhou, I will surely take your life!"

A night breeze swept by, and only a voice filled with anger echoed in the night sky.

The intense atmosphere subsided.

"Finally gone!"

Countless people breathed a sigh of relief, their faces filled with awe and lingering fear. Many had never witnessed a battle between masters of this caliber in their entire lives.

What they saw tonight will be etched in their memories for the rest of their lives.

"Are you leaving already?"

Jiang Xuan sheathed his sword, but his face showed a regretful expression that suggested he hadn't had enough fun.

Although the battle just now was dangerous, he benefited greatly from it.

[Martial Arts: The Art of Domination (State of Mind)]

[Progress: 17%]

……

[Martial Arts: Raging Dragon of the Sea (Session)]

[Progress: 66%]

The Overlord Blade Technique increased the progress by 10%.

He had only mastered the 40% level of the Raging Dragon Sword Technique since Kaifeng Prefecture nearly two months ago, but this battle just now directly improved it by more than a third, equivalent to more than a month of his arduous training.

Moreover, it is already approaching perfection.

The maximum progress of the raging dragon's sword technique is probably only around 70%.

So perhaps it's time to consider learning another sword technique and adding sword stances...

Gazing in the direction Dongfang Bubai had left, Jiang Xuan murmured, a murderous glint in his eyes: "Next time we meet, it won't just be about sword intent. We'll see who takes whose life then!"

"Cough cough..."

As soon as his breath dissipated, Jiang Xuan couldn't help but cough up a mouthful of blood.

"Captain!"

"grown ups!"

The crowd's expressions changed slightly, and they gathered around, their eyes filled with worry, awe, and other emotions.

Ren Woxing and others, in particular, displayed a wide range of expressions at this moment.

Previously, they only chose to submit to the imperial court because they wanted to protect the Miao people and the Sun Moon Cult, as Dongfang Bubai said, willingly becoming the court's dogs.

After witnessing the power of the Jiangshan regime firsthand during tonight's battle, they felt even greater awe for the imperial court.

Such high martial arts skills from a mere commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

It's hard to imagine how many hidden masters are still operating within the imperial court...

"It's okay!"

Jiang Xuan waved his hand, refusing Lin Pingzhi and the others' offer of assistance.

Dongfang Bubai's skill was extremely profound. In the battle just now, he took several of Dongfang Bubai's palm strikes head-on. Although he had a Vajra Body and protective true qi to defend himself, his internal organs were still injured by the shock.

However, as long as the meridians are not damaged, this injury can be recovered in one night at most.

"Master Jiang!"

Lu Xiang-sheng pushed through the crowd and walked over, his face somewhat grim: "Is this the leader of the Sun Moon Sect, Dongfang Bubai?"

Jiang Xuan nodded: "It's him."

Lu Xiang-sheng glanced at the chaotic scene around him, then looked in the direction Dongfang Bubai had left, his gaze grave. He said, "This person's martial arts are actually so high..."

Jiang Xuan waved his hand: "Lord Lu, just prepare for the siege and deal with the White Lotus Cult members. I will handle the other experts."

After saying this, without waiting for Lu Xiang-sheng's reply, he left directly, ignoring the worried looks of everyone, and returned to his own tent.

Lu Xiang-sheng was somewhat stunned, then frowned, glanced at Ren Woxing and the others who were also about to leave, and asked, "Mr. Ren, do you know what level of martial arts Dongfang Bubai possesses?"

Ren Woxing's eyes were complicated. After a moment of silence, he said, "The Grandmaster Realm at its peak can also be called a half-step Grandmaster."

After saying that, Ren Woxing left with Ren Yingying and the others, his back view showing a slightly lonely and haggard appearance.

Through tonight's battle, he also gained a clear understanding of Dongfang Bubai's strength.

Even if he were to recover to his peak strength, let alone his current state of power, he might not be a match for Dongfang Bubai.

Perhaps, as Dongfang Bubai said, he would be controlled by Jiang Xuan for the rest of his life, forever a dog of the imperial court...

"A half-step Grandmaster?"

A look of horror appeared in Lu Xiang-sheng's eyes. He turned to look at Jiang Xuan's tent, feeling even more worried about the upcoming battle.

Is Governor Jiang really capable of dealing with so many experts?
……

A cluster of courtyard houses and alleyways in the eastern part of Yongzhou City.

This place was originally the residence of some officials' families in Yongzhou City.

However, after Yongzhou City was occupied by the White Lotus Sect, the officials were all slaughtered, and the area naturally became a no-man's land.

Today, this place has been allocated by the White Lotus Sect leader to the people of the Sun Moon Divine Cult for temporary residence.

The first rays of dawn appeared on the horizon.

A red figure darted into a courtyard like a ghost, pushed open the door, and went inside.

"who?!"

Xue Qianxun, who was fast asleep, was suddenly awakened. She got up and took a look, and her expression immediately changed.

"Master!"

Xue Qianxun rushed forward to support Dongfang Bubai, her face filled with anxiety and worry. "Master, how are you?"

"I am fine and will only need two days of rest."

Dongfang Bubai waved his hand, but his face was terribly pale, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth when he was slightly agitated.

Seeing his disheveled and weak appearance, Xue Qianxun asked in confusion, "Master, didn't you go to Qiyang County? How did you get injured like this? Could it be..."

As if realizing something, Xue Qianxun's eyes showed a look of horror.

How can this be? !
But soon, Dongfang Bubai spoke up, confirming her guess: "I underestimated Jiang Xuan. His martial arts are definitely not below mine!"

Dongfang Bubai was breathing heavily. With Xue Qianxun's help, he sat down on a chair and immediately began to circulate his internal energy to repair his injuries.

A huge wave of emotions surged within Xue Qianxun, but she could only suppress her shock and confusion and dared not disturb her.

"call……"

After a long time, until it was already broad daylight, Dongfang Bubai slowly opened his eyes, his aura dissipated, and he let out a long breath.

"Master, what exactly happened? Jiang Xuan only recently broke through to the Grandmaster level, how could he have injured you like this?!"

Xue Qianxun hurriedly stepped forward and finally couldn't help but ask.

Dongfang Bubai regained some color in his face, sighed, and shook his head, saying, "I underestimated everyone in the world. I thought that with my martial arts skills, as long as I didn't provoke the major martial arts sects like Shaolin and Wudang, which have grandmasters in charge, I would have no rivals below the grandmaster level."

"But I never expected that this kid's martial arts would be so bizarre!"

"With your mere Grandmaster Rank 2 internal energy cultivation, you are on par with me."

"Is this power of intent really that powerful?"

As Dongfang Bubai spoke, a hint of confusion crept into his eyes.

He has always believed that only internal strength cultivation is the foundation of a martial artist.

As long as one's realm is high enough and one's internal strength is strong enough, one can overcome any martial art with sheer force.

External martial arts are just minor skills; enough is sufficient.

Therefore, he only practiced three types of external skills in the Sunflower Manual: body movement, swordsmanship, and acupuncture.

Among them, only the body movement and needle technique were perfected, and both required the use of Sunflower True Qi to unleash their maximum power. They were not purely external skills, but rather martial arts that combined internal and external cultivation.

But tonight, facing Jiang Xuan's relentless, mad-dog-like attacks, his advantages in movement and acupuncture techniques had no chance to be utilized.

Their advantage in internal strength was also not fully utilized.

This made him wonder if the beliefs he had always held were correct.

Looking at the disappointment and confusion in Dongfang Bubai's eyes, Xue Qianxun's heart trembled slightly, and she quickly said, "Master, the reason you were injured last night may simply be because the Sunflower Manual you practiced was incomplete."

"Jiang Xuan comes from the imperial court and has a strong foundation. Perhaps he has cultivated some profound martial arts to be so powerful. If you, Master, were to obtain the complete Sunflower Manual, he would never be a match for you!"

The Sunflower Manual...

Upon hearing this, Dongfang Bubai's eyes regained some hope. He took a deep breath and slowly nodded: "That's right. This mere incomplete version of the Sunflower Manual has enabled me to cultivate to such a level in just a few years."

"If I had obtained the complete version of the Sunflower Manual, I would have already advanced to the Grandmaster realm. Why would I have been stuck at the Grandmaster Perfection level for so many years and unable to make any further progress?"

With that, Dongfang Bubai stretched out his body, regaining his usual confidence and domineering aura, and coldly said, "I must win this battle. I will spare no effort to help the White Lotus Sect march north and force the imperial court to hand over the complete Sunflower Manual!"

Xue Qianxun felt a slight sense of relief and nodded with a smile: "Qianxun will definitely help the Sect Leader achieve his wish!"

Dongfang Bubai gently stroked her smooth cheek, feeling a pang of guilt, but also strengthening his resolve.

I must obtain the complete Sunflower Manual, master the high realm of 'Heavenly Man Transformation', and regain my manhood!
stomping on...

Just then, footsteps sounded outside, followed by Tong Baixiong's voice: "Your Highness Xueji, has the sect leader returned yet?"

Dongfang Bubai took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound normal, and asked in a deep voice, "What is it?"

Tong Baixiong was overjoyed and quickly said, "Master, the White Lotus Sect Leader has sent someone to invite you to come and discuss the war."

"Got it, let's go."

"Yes!"

Hearing the commotion outside subside, Dongfang Bubai looked at Xue Qianxun and instructed, "Go and prepare hot water for me. I'm going to take a bath and change my clothes first."

"Remember, you must never reveal that I'm injured."

"Yes, Master, Chihiro understands."

(End of this chapter)