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

Chapter 163 Humanoid 'Magnet', Yan Shisan Enters the Heavenly Sword, The End of a Hero! [Two-in-One]

hum~
As night fell like a curtain, a flash of light pierced the darkness like a thunderbolt, its golden blade energy stretching for dozens of meters and stirring the sky.

The terrifying sword intent perfectly matched the Overlord's Ambition, bringing out all the powerful and wondrous illusions contained within the Overlord's Ambition.

Although the Overlord's intent includes three types: knife intent, sword intent, and bow and arrow intent, it is ultimately dominated by knife intent.

When combined with the intent of the sword, the power of the Dragon Blade is even greater!
"Are they not even going to act anymore?"

In the distance, the old man Tianji and the others looked at each other in silence.

Although they had already guessed Jiang Xuan's identity, they ultimately did not confirm it.

But at this moment, Jiang Xuan's transformation of sword intent into saber intent has already confirmed his true identity.

Both swords and sabers are exceptional, each embodying a unique artistic conception.

In the entire Ming Dynasty, only Jiang Xuan has achieved this in recent years.

Even a fool could guess it was him.

"This is... sword intent?" On the distant pavilion, Murong Qiudi's delicate body also trembled. She was shocked and came back to her senses. She immediately thought of Jiang Xuan's identity.

"The leader of the Netherworld... it's him?!"

Murong Qiudi murmured, she should have thought of this sooner.

Those who can comprehend the essence of a concept at the Grandmaster level are extremely rare in the entire martial arts world; they are definitely not unknown figures.

In the past two years, the one with the most famous name and the greatest prestige has naturally been Jiang Xuan, the commander of the Imperial Guard, known as "Overlord Blade"!
Most importantly, the mysterious force 'Netherworld' only emerged in the last two years, which coincides perfectly with the rise of that commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

In addition, there were some clues about the connection between this commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and Youming, which Murong Qiudi had previously found puzzling.

But at that moment, she suddenly understood.

For example, when the White Lotus Rebellion broke out last year, this commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard led his troops south to help Lu Xiang-sheng quell the rebellion. In the end, the White Lotus Rebellion joined forces with the Sun Moon Sect, the Blissful Cave, and other Miao forces, stationing their forces in the Yongzhou area to resist the imperial court.

At that time, an incident related to "Tianzun" also occurred—in Kuhai Town behind Yongzhou, there was a branch of "Tianzun" whose owner, Xiaoyuelou, was eliminated by the White Lotus Sect.

After receiving the news, Murong Qiudi also began to pay attention to the war in Yongzhou.

It is said that in the Battle of Yongzhou City, this commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard broke through the enemy lines, comprehended the essence of the battle, and became proficient in both sword and saber, killing many famous masters such as the White Lotus Sect Leader and Dongfang Bubai, and turning the tide of the battle.

During the great battle, many mysterious masters appeared to assist in assassinating experts from both the White Lotus Sect and the Sun Moon Sect, but then disappeared without a trace after the battle.

If nothing unexpected happens, this group of mysterious experts should be from the Netherworld.

Three months ago, Huo Tianqing, the head steward of the Yan family of Guanzhong Jewelry Pavilion, was involved in the murder of Jiang Xuan. He was eventually brought to an end by paying a large amount of jewelry and money in compensation.

At the same time, the Qingyi Tower's lair, also located in the Guanzhong region, was discovered by Youming and wiped out, causing a stir in the martial arts world.

In addition, at the Five Sacred Mountains Alliance Conference a month ago, Jiang Xuan made a powerful move, intimidating all the sects, and killed Zuo Lengchan in front of all the martial arts sects, crippling the Songshan Sect.

Among those who made the move were many top swordsmen, such as Yan Shisan, A Fei, and Xi Yu.

Now it seems that all these people are from the Netherworld. Through these few clues, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was gradually connected with the Netherworld, and everything was explained at this moment.

Jiang Xuan is the Lord of the Underworld, the Underworld Emperor!
"This person openly controls the Embroidered Uniform Guard, monitoring the entire country, but secretly he also controls such a mysterious force. What exactly does he want to do?"

"Could it be that the imperial court intends to take action against the martial arts world and unify the Jianghu?"

Murong Qiudi's brows furrowed, her heart churning with turbulent emotions that she found difficult to calm down.

boom!
Suddenly, a terrifying roar came from the distant ruins, interrupting her thoughts.

She looked over quickly and was horrified to see that Shangguan Jin Hong, who had just climbed out of the ruins, was once again sent flying by Jiang Xuan's blade.

Blood splattered along the way. This once mighty overlord of the Jiangnan martial arts world was now so miserable and wretched that he could no longer be so powerful.

In the arena, Jiang Xuan held a long sword, his black robe stained with blood, fluttering in the night wind, exuding a murderous aura, like a wandering god of the night, dragging his sword forward.

Seemingly walking slowly, he appeared dozens of feet away in the blink of an eye. The blazing sword light was golden, extending into a golden sword aura that stretched for more than ten feet. It was domineering and unparalleled, and slashed down fiercely at Shangguan Jin Hong in the ruins once again.

clang--

With a crisp, loud sound, the blade struck steel as if it had been cleaved, and an invisible shockwave spread outwards, raising countless plumes of dust.

Jiang Xuan's expression was solemn. Ignoring the gazes of others, he stared intently ahead. As the dust settled, Shangguan Jin Hong's figure appeared.

He was seen with disheveled hair, kneeling in the ruins. The cobblestone street beneath his feet sank inwards from him, and the cobblestones crumbled and spread outwards like a spider web.

"Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, 'Overlord Blade' Jiang Xuan?!"

Shangguan Jin Hong gripped the Dragon and Phoenix Rings tightly with both hands, blocking Jiang Xuan's blade with their crosses. His face and body were covered with wounds torn by the blade's energy, some even deep enough to expose the bone, and he was covered in blood, looking extremely miserable.

But he ignored it, his eyes bloodshot as he stared intently at the ghost mask covering the face of the man in black, clearly having guessed Jiang Xuan's identity.

"Is it your order to destroy my Money Gang, or the imperial court's order?!"

Shangguan Jin Hong, like a tiger about to erupt in fury, asked through gritted teeth, each word distinct.

"Is there a difference? I am responsible for overseeing the entire world and regulating the martial arts world. My will is the will of the imperial court!"

Jiang Xuan sneered. At this point, he didn't care if his identity was exposed. In any case, Guan Jin Hong would definitely die tonight. As for Tianji Laoren and Li Xunhuan, he believed they had already guessed it, so there was no need to worry about them spreading rumors.

As he spoke, Jiang Xuan exerted force again, pressing Shangguan Jin Hong down several inches. The blue bricks on the ground exploded with a loud bang, and Shangguan Jin Hong was pressed deep into the soil below, his lower body disappearing from the ground.

"Good! Very good!"

Shangguan Jin Hong laughed in fury, then suddenly shouted, "You want to kill me? You're not qualified!"

boom!
He suddenly exerted his strength, the golden ring shone brightly, and a powerful artistic conception emerged, accompanied by the explosion of Grandmaster-level true energy, sweeping in all directions.

The power of heaven and earth surged into his body and condensed, then burst forth like a blazing sun, sending Jiang Xuan flying.

"die!"

Shangguan Jin Hong roared, and the golden ring flew out of his hand, carrying terrifying power of heaven and earth, sweeping like two hurricanes. Jiang Xuan countered with his sword, but was forced to retreat repeatedly by the shock.

As Shangguan Jin Hong continued to wave his hand, the Mother-Child Dragon and Phoenix Rings flew out and bombarded Jiang Xuan as if they were his own arms, then returned, moving so fast that they left afterimages. The golden light almost transformed into two golden lines that connected end to end, completely suppressing Jiang Xuan.

"A Grandmaster at the second stage of the Intent Realm is indeed difficult to kill!" Jiang Xuan frowned. The situation had turned around so quickly. Shangguan Jin Hong had clearly been holding back.

Dang Dang Dang——

As the golden ring struck, Jiang Xuan's body trembled violently, and he retreated rapidly. Blood seeped from the dense pores on his body, turning him into a blood-soaked figure.

Under the full force of his attack, Shangguan Jin Hong's attack was too fierce, and even his Vajra Body could not withstand it.

"No matter how talented you are, you will not escape death tonight. You know nothing about the Grandmaster!"

Shangguan Jin Hong's expression was cold as he continued to bombard the enemy with attacks.

Although he was briefly suppressed just now, it was only because he was still worried about the Heavenly Mystery Elder and Li Xunhuan who were watching him closely. He wanted to deal with Jiang Xuan at the lowest possible cost and did not want to be injured.

However, he underestimated Jiang Xuan, which nearly led to his death from serious injury. Jiang Xuan's strength had already posed a life-threatening threat to him.

Therefore, at this moment, he held nothing back and could no longer care about Tianji Laoren and Li Xunhuan. If he did not go all out, he might really be caught off guard and die before he could even fight Tianji Laoren and Li Xunhuan.

In the blink of an eye, both of them were fighting with their lives on the line!

hum!
Seeing that Jiang Xuan blocked both of his attacks with the double rings, Shangguan Jin Hong changed his strategy. He retrieved the double rings, clapped his hands together to merge them into one, and then threw them out again with a backhand.

The two forces merged into one, their power instantly increasing dramatically. The terrifying aura was like the sun crashing to the ground, scorching everything in its path.

Jiang Xuan's pupils contracted sharply. He immediately sheathed his sword and unleashed a powerful cleaving strike.

Boom!

With a deafening thud, the golden ring was sent flying back, but Jiang Xuan was also thrown dozens of meters away by the terrifying recoil. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his body was covered with dense cracks, making him look like porcelain, as if he would shatter at the slightest touch.

Upon seeing this, both Tianji Laoren and Li Xunhuan felt a pang of anxiety and instinctively gripped their weapons, ready to lend a hand.

"Combined with his Mother-Child Dragon and Phoenix Rings concept, he was able to draw upon so much power from heaven and earth. Shangguan Jin Hong has opened up at least two hundred acupoints!"

"In just over a decade, he has reached such a level!"

Both men had extremely solemn expressions, having seen through Shangguan Jin Hong's full capabilities.

But the more this was the case, the more shocked the two became by Jiang Xuan's strength. With only the realm of a fifth-grade grandmaster, he was able to force Shangguan Jin Hong into such a situation.

To call it a victory against a higher level would be an understatement; such a brilliant achievement is beyond description. After all, Shangguan Jin Hong himself is at the second step of the Intent Realm, far beyond what ordinary Grandmasters can match.

Under the cold moonlight, it was like two raging lions clashing, accompanied by the clanging of metal against metal, sparks flying from golden rings and longswords, a bloody battle ensued.

Shangguan Jin Hong, wielding a single ring, engaged in close combat with Jiang Xuan, unleashing all the skills he had learned in his life without reservation, suppressing Jiang Xuan with a ferocious offensive.

In a short time, the two had fought dozens of times. The collision of the two terrifying forces destroyed and collapsed many buildings along the hundreds of meters of the street, leaving it in ruins.

Shangguan Jin Hong's full-force attack was terrifying. Jiang Xuan dared not be distracted and could only rely on his speed advantage to entangle with him. He wielded the Youlong Blade in a dense and impenetrable manner, trying his best to defend. However, despite this, he was still at a disadvantage and was constantly being forced back.

This was truly the toughest battle he had ever fought since his debut.

Even with the support of the system panel, which made his foundation in each realm incredibly solid and his martial arts skills reach their peak, he was still somewhat lacking in the ability to achieve the feat of defeating a Grandmaster of the second stage of the Intent Realm.

The difference in their cultivation levels was simply too great. He almost couldn't help but ask for help, hoping that the Heavenly Mystery Elder and Li Xunhuan could join forces to kill Shangguan Jin Hong.

But sensing his current physical condition, he forced himself to endure it.

Although he doesn't usually talk about it, he always has his own pride.

He chose to come and destroy the Money Gang himself. Although he invited the Old Man of Heavenly Secrets and Li Xunhuan to help him, he was unwilling to ask for help until the very last moment.

People must rely on themselves!
After all, Tianji Laoren and Li Xunhuan were not his subordinates. It was impossible for him to ask for help every time he encountered a major enemy. Moreover, if this continued, he would develop a dependency on them, and what ambition would he have left?

He didn't want his martial arts spirit to be tarnished.

In this battle, he wanted to try relying on himself and see where his limits were.

Of course, if it really comes down to a life-or-death situation, he will not continue to stubbornly rush to his death, but will decisively seek help when necessary.

But for now, he can still hold on!

Boom——

Another heavy blow sent Jiang Xuan flying backward, dragging himself for dozens of meters on the ground, widening the distance between them.

Shangguan Jin Hong gave chase, but suddenly, she felt the suction force again, as if her essence and spirit were being drawn away from her body, and her consciousness became somewhat hazy.

"Damn it!"

Shangguan Jin Hong immediately focused her mind and circulated her energy to suppress the attack, while also guarding against Jiang Xuan, worried that she would fall into the same passive situation as before.

As expected, Jiang Xuan used his Absorption Technique to absorb Shangguan Jin Hong's essence and spirit, distracting her, while simultaneously launching a fierce attack with his sword, attempting to turn the tables and take the initiative.

Shangguan Jin Hong could only spare some of her attention to resist the attraction while dealing with Jiang Xuan's attacks, but her attacks were still incredibly domineering and powerful.

However, once the Absorption Technique was activated, it was inexhaustible. This attractive force continued to maintain itself, and Jiang Xuan seemed to have turned into a human magnet. The closer Shangguan Jin Hong got, the more difficult it was to suppress the surge of his essence, energy, and spirit. He could only be forced to devote more of his mind and energy to suppressing it.

As a result, the offensive slowed down, and Jiang Xuan finally seized the opportunity to counterattack. He unleashed his Overlord Intent without reservation, revealing all sorts of strange phenomena, making Shangguan Jin Hong even more dazed and unable to resist, thus completely leveling the gap between the two.

Rumbling--

In the blink of an eye, the two were evenly matched, and the battle became even more fierce and intense.

But after hundreds of moves, Shangguan Jin Hong gradually couldn't hold on any longer. Because of the fierce battle, the wounds he had just used his true energy to heal and seal had burst open again, and blood gushed out. It was also sucked away by the suction force on Jiang Xuan's body, and he couldn't suppress it at all.

Moreover, as time went by, blood continued to gush out, making the wound even larger.

If this continues, it won't be long before he bleeds out.

clang!
After exchanging blows, he was forced to create distance and quickly channeled his energy to seal his wound.

"You, a member of the imperial court, actually practice such evil arts!" Shangguan Jin Hong said, trying to buy time to heal his injuries.

But Jiang Xuan could see through his thoughts. He sneered and once again transformed into a 'magnet' to charge forward.

"The victor is king, the loser is villain; you're so naive!"

Swish, swish——

Shangguan Jin Hong stopped resisting head-on, and instead retreated while blocking, using most of her energy to suppress the agitation of her spirit and to seal the wounds on her body.

However, this put him in a passive position again, and he was quickly overwhelmed and brutally attacked by Jiang Xuan.

"Trying to be a turtle again, huh?" Jiang Xuan sneered, continuing to circulate the Absorption Technique. At first, he only planned to use it at a crucial moment to achieve a miraculous effect and gain the upper hand, but he did not expect that the Absorption Technique would have such a wonderful use in battle. He could transform into a human 'magnet' to attract the opponent's energy and spirit, causing the opponent to be distracted and suppress him.

If the opponent is injured, the effect is even greater, as it can directly absorb the opponent's blood, causing the enemy to bleed to death.

Even a grandmaster will surely die once he bleeds out!
Having discovered the wondrous uses of the Absorption Technique, he naturally seized this rare opportunity. Even if he couldn't kill Shangguan Jin Hong, he would still drain him dry!

Dang Dang Dang——

Under Jiang Xuan's fierce onslaught, Shangguan Jin Hong's wound repair speed was far slower than the wound's rate of reopening. Helpless, he had no choice but to abandon the suppression and switch from defense to offense, hoping to drive Jiang Xuan back.

But as soon as he gave up suppressing it, the wound burst open even faster, and blood gushed out like waterfalls of blood. Jiang Xuan absorbed and refined it to strengthen himself and continue to resist Shangguan Jin Hong's attacks.

As his blood flowed away, Shangguan Jin Hong felt himself growing weaker and weaker. He quickly searched for a way to defeat the enemy, but found that he was powerless to do so.

Unless he can quickly kill Jiang Xuan and interrupt his use of this 'blood-sucking evil art', as long as the fight continues, his final fate will be to have his blood drained and be killed by Jiang Xuan's counterattack.

However, Jiang Xuan was equally strong, with no weaknesses in offense, defense, or speed. Even though he went all out without holding back, it was difficult for him to kill Jiang Xuan in a short time.

The only way is to fight a protracted war, dragging it out until Jiang Xuan's true energy is exhausted, and then using the advantage of his cultivation level to win.

But now that the opponent has this evil blood-sucking technique, I'm afraid that before Jiang Xuan's true energy is exhausted, his blood will be drained first.

Because of a blood-sucking evil spell, he has once again fallen into a desperate situation.

Shangguan Jin Hong was filled with resentment and could not accept such an ending...

hum!
Just as he was at a loss for what to do, a terrifying sword intent suddenly soared into the sky from the distant streets and alleys, obscuring the sky and the moon. The world seemed to be filled with killing intent and deathly silence, devoid of any vitality.

"Hahaha……"

A hearty laugh rang out as Yan Shisan leaped into the air, sword in hand, and landed on a rooftop. His terrifying killing intent swept across the surroundings; he had successfully mastered the fourteenth sword technique.

From then on, his swordsmanship advanced further, and he entered the realm of Heavenly Sword.

Countless people were alarmed and horrified.

"Another genius swordsman who broke through to a higher realm during battle!"

The old man of the heavens looked back and sighed with deep emotion: "From this day forward, the world will have one more 'Heavenly Sword'!"

"What a brilliant era!" Li Xunhuan's expression was complicated. Seeing the black-robed swordsman who roared to the sky with boundless heroism, he seemed to see his younger self.

In the distance, Zhu Yeqing's expression changed as she recognized the figure with soaring sword intent: "Miss, it's Yan Shisan! He's also from Youming?!"

"You only just realized this now?" Murong Qiudi glanced at him, shook her head slightly, and her expression was very complicated.

Last year, he sent people to look for Yan Shisan, hoping they would find Xie Xiaofeng, but Yan Shisan disappeared after going to Yongzhou.

Unexpectedly, I joined the Underworld at that time.

Zzzzz—

A terrifying sword light tore through the sky, and groups of Golden Money Gang disciples fell like wheat being harvested.

As Yan Shisan broke through to the second realm of swordsmanship, no one in the Money Gang could withstand his sword strike. Their numerical advantage in attacking him was no longer effective. Seeing the people around them dying one after another, the remaining gang members were finally terrified and scattered and fled. The situation took a sharp turn for the worse in an instant.

Shangguan Jin Hong's face was grim. He hadn't expected that not only was he in dire straits, but there was also such a master in the Netherworld who had single-handedly reversed the situation.

Knowing that the situation was hopeless, and that continuing the fight would only lead to his own demise, Shangguan Jin Hong was filled with anger and resentment, but he was powerless to do anything about it. He withdrew from the battlefield in time, gritting his teeth as he looked at Jiang Xuan: "I will avenge this humiliation one day!"

Why wait until tomorrow?

Jiang Xuan sneered, seeing that Shangguan Jin Hong wanted to escape, and immediately intensified his attack, relentlessly pursuing her.

However, the difference in strength between the two sides was not significant to begin with. Moreover, at Shangguan Jin Hong's level, even amidst a vast army, he could move freely. If the opponent was determined to retreat, he would find it difficult to forcibly keep him there.

boom!
With a loud bang, Shangguan Jin Hong used the force to retreat, creating distance, and prepared to leave the scene.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Just then, Yan Shisan charged over with his sword, his sword energy soaring into the sky, blocking Shangguan Jin Hong's path. His imposing aura was even more powerful than Jiang Xuan's.

"A seventh-grade Grandmaster?!" Shangguan Jin Hong's expression changed slightly. Another Heavenly Sword Grandmaster.

Not wanting to waste time, he immediately changed direction, but a figure quietly appeared in front of him, blocking his way again.

"Chief Shangguan, let's settle this long-standing grudge tonight," said the Old Man of Heavenly Secrets, holding his Heavenly Secret Staff.

Shangguan Jin Hong turned around again and saw Li Xun Huan standing quietly on the opposite rooftop, without saying a word, with an inconspicuous throwing knife in his hand, yet giving him an extremely dangerous feeling.

"You actually colluded with the imperial court to kill me?!" Shangguan Jin Hong's face was ugly, and his heart sank slowly, but he still wanted to make a last-ditch effort.

"Under the whole heaven, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the earth, all people are subjects of the king. There's no need to speak so harshly. We are all subjects of the Great Ming Dynasty. How can there be any talk of collusion?"

Jiang Xuan slowly walked forward, sword in hand, and said calmly.

The energy absorption technique was still circulating within his body. As soon as he got close, not only Shangguan Jin Hong, but also the true energy within Yan Shisan, Tianji Laoren, and Li Xunhuan, who were farther away, began to boil, as if it was about to burst out of their bodies uncontrollably.

The three were startled and instinctively took a few steps back, distancing themselves from Jiang Xuan, while simultaneously circulating their internal energy to suppress their boiling blood.

No wonder Shangguan Jin Hong was beaten so badly; Jiang Xuan actually possessed such an evil and miraculous skill.
Shangguan Jin Hong's wounds gushed blood again. Even though he suppressed it with his qi, he still had some difficulty controlling it. The blood turned into streaks of blood that floated in mid-air, looking extremely eerie.

But he couldn't care less about that now. With a gloomy expression, he turned back to look at Jiang Xuan, remained silent for a moment, and said, "This matter all started because of the 'Heavenly Demon Harp.' You and I don't have any major grudges."

He felt deeply humiliated to say those words, but he was truly unwilling to die like that.

He was in his prime, with the potential to reach the pinnacle of martial arts. His ambition to unify Jiangnan and even the entire martial arts world had not yet been fulfilled. He still had many things to do and did not want to perish here.

"If only you had known then what you know now," Jiang Xuan said indifferently. He understood that Shangguan Jin Hong wanted to make peace, but he didn't have the habit of leaving himself with future troubles.

Looking at Shangguan Jin Hong's disheveled and miserable appearance, the three old men couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

A once-powerful martial arts hero, by a single step, has reached his end.

(End of this chapter)