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

Chapter 165 All Sides Point Swords at the Netherworld, a Sixth-Rank Grandmaster, Profit is Paramount in the Martial World! [Two Chapters Combined, Supplement]

News of the incident in Wenzhou spread quickly.

The next day, even before dawn, many carrier pigeons broke through the night sky and flew in all directions.

"Breaking news! The 'Netherworld' organization has struck again. The leader of 'Netherworld' has appeared in Wenzhou City and fought with Shangguan Jin Hong, the leader of the Money Gang. Shangguan Jin Hong has been killed!"

This news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of the Ming Dynasty's martial arts world at breakneck speed.

In an instant, the world was shaken!
Shangguan Jin Hong, a renowned figure in the Jiangnan martial arts world, has his weapon, the "Mother and Daughter Dragon and Phoenix Rings," ranked second in the Bai Xiaosheng Weapon Ranking.

Although this "Weapon Ranking" is rather superficial, it only lists about 100 people with relatively high reputations in the martial arts world at that time, and many masters are not on the list, such as Shaolin and Wudang, which Bai Xiaosheng dared not provoke.

However, this list is still recognized by quite a few people in the industry.

At least, the top three on the weapon ranking list back then were all powerful individuals who had already grasped the essence of the art.

In particular, Shangguan Jin Hong has gathered more than a dozen masters from the Weapon Ranking over the years and vigorously developed the Money Gang. He has managed to snatch a piece of the pie from forces such as the Divine Sword Manor and the Eagle Sect, and has secured a place in the Jiangnan martial arts world, a land of outstanding people and abundant resources.

But now, such a person is actually dead?!
"It is said that Shangguan Jin Hong had already stepped into the second step of the Intent Realm, reaching the level of 'no ring in hand, but ring in heart,' but he was still killed by the 'Netherworld' leader 'Nether Emperor' with the help of a Grandmaster!"

"Hiss... This is impossible?! A Grandmaster at the second step of the Intent Realm was actually defeated by a Grandmaster Realm expert?! Is this some kind of divine book?!"

"The Money Gang suffered a crushing defeat and fled Wenzhou City. This news was spread by members of the Money Gang, and there's absolutely no mistake about it!" Someone revealed the source of the information, confidently guaranteeing its absolute accuracy.

Upon hearing this, people were even more shocked and incredulous.

"It's not uncommon for Grandmasters to defeat Great Grandmasters, such as Xie Xiaofeng, the third young master of Divine Sword Manor, and Ximen Chuixue, the white-robed sword god of Wanmei Manor. They both had such glorious achievements, but the Great Grandmasters they killed were only ordinary ones, and both of them were not far from becoming Great Grandmasters..."

"But Shangguan Jin Hong has been a Grandmaster for over ten years. Back when the Money Gang began to expand, I heard that the 'White-browed Eagle King' of the Sky Eagle Sect personally went to Wenzhou City to try to stop the Money Gang's expansion, but in the end, nothing came of it, and he watched the Money Gang rise. This clearly shows that he acknowledged that Shangguan Jin Hong's strength was no less than his own!"

"Moreover, Shangguan Jin Hong is a Grandmaster at the second step of the Intent Realm, whose strength far surpasses that of ordinary Grandmasters! If this leader of the 'Netherworld' can defeat a Grandmaster while only at the Grandmaster Realm, could it be that he has already entered the third step of the Intent Realm?!"

"That's very likely..."

Countless people speculated, creating a huge uproar, and were shocked by the news.

To defeat a Grandmaster at the second step of the Grandmaster realm with the power of a Grandmaster is unprecedented in history; at least, no one in the martial arts world has ever heard of such a person.

This person is truly unprecedented and unparalleled; it would not be an exaggeration to say that he ushered in a new era!
The journey through the world may be long, but it has not hindered the spread of news.

Yin Tianzheng, who had just arrived in Suzhou to claim his son's body, and Abbess Miejue, who had rushed from Emei Mountain, both received this shocking news immediately.

"Shangguan Jin Hong is dead?!"

Yin Tianzheng was dressed in a black long robe. He was a middle-aged man nearing sixty, with long black and white hair, but his eyebrows were completely white and fell from his temples. He looked old and dignified, but his powerful aura made him someone not to be underestimated.

Upon hearing the news from Wenzhou, he frowned deeply, his heart filled with shock.

He was well aware of Shangguan Jin Hong's martial arts skills; even he wasn't entirely confident of victory.

Otherwise, how could he have sat idly by and watched the Money Gang expand all these years, even encroaching on the territory of the Eagle Sect?
During these ten years, he rarely paid attention to the affairs of the sect and spent most of his time in seclusion. His purpose was to make further progress in martial arts, change the landscape of Jiangnan, and preserve the territory of the Sky Eagle Sect.

But at this moment, even he was wary of Shangguan Jin Hong, who had been able to rival him for many years. He was actually dead, and he was killed by a martial artist at the Grandmaster level who was above him.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

After regaining his senses, Yin Tianzheng abruptly rejected the idea, unable to accept this fact.

A grandmaster at the second step of the Intent Realm, a top-tier fighter in the martial world, could easily leave even if he was outmatched. How could he have died so easily?!
Perhaps this is just a false message spread by that brat Shangguan, feigning weakness to deceive the enemy. What kind of trick is he playing?!
"Reporting to the Master, I also do not want to believe this, but the Money Gang has indeed all withdrawn from Wenzhou City, and the Money Gang headquarters has been occupied by the Netherworld people. This is something our people have witnessed with their own eyes!"

The messenger leader sighed and cupped his hands, saying, "Moreover, according to intelligence, the Heavenly Mystery Elder, ranked first on the Weapon Ranking, and Li Xunhuan, ranked third, the 'Little Flying Dagger,' also participated in this battle..."

"Did Tianji Laoren and Li Xunhuan go too?"

Upon hearing this, Yin Tianzheng frowned. After a long while, he let out a long sigh and nodded, saying, "If that's really the case, then it makes sense. Perhaps the two who actually made the move were the ones who took advantage of the situation. The Netherworld Palace Master just got lucky in the end. He was only killed by Shangguan Jin Hong after Shangguan Jin Hong was severely injured. That makes sense."

"After all, this 'Netherworld' is nothing more than a bunch of underground rats, and the so-called Lord of the Netherworld Palace is just a 'Rat King.' How dare he fight Shangguan Jin Hong head-on?"

Yin Tianzheng felt relieved and confirmed his speculation.

Ten years ago, he personally went to Wenzhou City and fought a battle with Shangguan Jin Hong.

Although this battle was not made public, he was very clear about Shangguan Jin Hong's strength.

He simply couldn't believe that such a figure could be killed by someone who hadn't even broken through to the Grandmaster level; it was utterly illogical.

Unless a master of the same level intervenes, allowing the Lord of the Netherworld Palace to gain an advantage.

The messenger hesitated, then said, "Master, it's not that I don't trust your judgment, but I think we should investigate further first. After all, this matter is too strange. Not only are our people saying this, but even those from the Money Gang who participated in the battle that night are giving the same answer..."

"A bunch of rabble, what do they know?"

Yin Tianzheng sneered, "Until they reach this level, they will never be able to understand the terror of this realm. A mere Grandmaster Realm expert wants to kill a Grandmaster at the second step of the Intent Realm? Do you think this is a storybook?"

The leader sighed, not daring to speak further, and cupped his hands, saying, "What the leader says is true. Then, what does the leader mean?"

"Set off immediately for Wenzhou City!"

Yin Tianzheng said decisively, "If my only son is killed and this grudge is not avenged, how can my Heavenly Eagle Sect have any face to stand in the martial world?"

"Moreover, with Shangguan Jin Hong dead, this is a golden opportunity for our Sky Eagle Sect. Immediately deploy manpower to prepare, and once we have dealt with Youming, we will take action to annex the Golden Money Gang's power and territory!"

"Yes!" the helmsman quickly bowed.

"In addition, send people to find out the whereabouts of Tianji Laoren and Li Xunhuan, and find out as soon as possible why these two suddenly came to Wenzhou City, and what their relationship is with Youming?"

Yin Tianzheng frowned, clearly still quite wary of these two experts who were ranked among the top three in the weapon rankings.

"By the way, that old nun, Miejue, should be arriving soon, right?"

Yin Tianzheng inquired.

"We've already entered the Jiangnan region. We should arrive in about seven more days!" The leader nodded.

Yin Tianzheng narrowed his eyes, remained silent for a moment, and said, "Dugu Yihe is dead, and this old nun will definitely not let it go. Send people to guard Wenzhou City first and wait for her for a few days."

"Although I don't believe that the 'Rat King' of the Netherworld can kill Shangguan Jin Hong alone, I still have to be wary. This old nun's Heaven-Slaying Sword is extremely powerful, even I am somewhat wary of it. Let her test the Rat King's strength first. If things really don't work out, then we'll make further plans."

The leader immediately breathed a sigh of relief and respectfully said, "The Master is wise."

……

On the other side, Abbess Miejue, dressed in a Taoist robe with a cold and stern expression, also received a message.

Her first reaction was also disbelief.

But when she thought of the deceased Dugu Yihe, a hint of surprise and doubt appeared in her eyes, and she stood in the wind, hesitant to move forward.

"Shangguan Jin Hong has been famous for twenty years, and even that old guy from the Sky Eagle Sect gives him a wide berth. How could he die so easily at the hands of that demon? Could that demon really have three heads and six arms?!"

Abbess Miejue frowned deeply, lost in thought.

At this moment, a delicate and beautiful female disciple beside her said worriedly, "Master, this demon's martial arts are profound. Just in case, I think it would be safer for us to notify all the martial arts sects and ask them to take action together."

Before Abbess Miejue could speak, another assertive female disciple immediately rebuked, "Junior Sister Zhiruo, what do you mean by this? Do you think Master can't defeat that demon? Or do you not want to avenge Uncle-Master Dugu?!"

Zhou Zhiruo's face paled slightly, and she quickly said, "That's not what I meant. How could I dare to doubt my master..."

"So you don't want to avenge your Uncle-Master Dugu?"

Ding Minjun persisted, "Our senior master died so tragically, and so did our seven senior brothers and sisters, including the Three Heroes and Four Beauties. If we don't avenge them, how can our Emei sect have any face to stand in the martial world? What are your true intentions?!"

"I didn't..." Zhou Zhiruo protested, her face pale.

"enough!"

Hearing her two disciples arguing, Abbess Miejue rebuked them, immediately made up her mind, and said with a stern face, "Continue on your way!"

Clearly, she had made up her mind.

Although she was also very wary, she couldn't remain indifferent to the tragic deaths of Dugu Yihe and the others, so she decided to go and see what was going on.

If things become impossible, then gather all the martial arts sects to join forces and eliminate the demon.

Moreover, she also felt that the news was rather outrageous.

She could accept it if the Lord of the Underworld were a Grandmaster.

But a mere Grandmaster, a Grandmaster at the second step of the Reversal of Intent, sounds like a fantasy.

"This humble nun wants to see for herself just how you, this fiend, came to be!"

Abbess Miejue snorted coldly, gripped the Heaven-Slaying Sword tightly, and strode forward.

Although she had not yet reached the level of a Grandmaster, with the Heaven-Slaying Sword in hand, she was not afraid at all even if she encountered a master of the level of the White-Browed Eagle King.

She refused to believe that the demon was really that powerful and could withstand the sharpness of the Heaven-Slaying Sword!

……

Hangzhou, Zhonghua Pavilion.

The middle-aged man, dressed in a blue linen robe, stared at the letter in his hand. After a long silence, he handed it to his apprentice and asked, "Is the news confirmed?"

"It is said that after that night, all the members of the Money Gang fled Wenzhou City. Many of them took advantage of the chaos to leave the Money Gang, leaving only a few people still holding on. The news came from them, so it should be true." Jian Chen nodded solemnly and said, "This 'Youming' has appeared in the martial arts world four times, causing a great commotion each time."

"Many sects, including the Wen family, Qingyi Tower, Ghost Palace, and Liehuo Palace, were destroyed by them, but very little news about this organization circulates in the martial arts world."

"This mysterious 'Emperor of the Underworld' has made two moves: once to block Ximen Chuixue with his sword, and once to defeat Shangguan Jin Hong. His swordsmanship may have truly reached the third step!"

"A master with such terrifying swordsmanship talent, I wonder what his background is..."

Wuming was silent for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Being able to repel Ximen Chuixue means he should have already stepped into the second step, but the third step is probably unlikely. This realm is not easy to enter. Moreover, if he is really a Grandmaster, it is impossible for him to enter the third step. His physique cannot withstand it, and it is even unlikely that he can even touch the threshold of the third step."

"However, you're right, a person like that couldn't possibly leave no trace in the martial arts world..."

Wuming narrowed his eyes and suddenly said, "The letter says that when he fought Shangguan Jin Hong, his sword broke, and he switched to using a knife?"

Jian Chen nodded, then hesitated and asked, "Master, do you know this person?"

Wuming sighed and shook his head, saying, "Not only do I know him, but you do too. In just two short years, he has already reached this level. His martial arts talent truly makes me feel ashamed of my own inferiority..."

"I know him too? For two years?"

Jian Chen became increasingly confused, then, as if realizing something, his expression changed, and he said, "Sword... Master, do you suspect that this Lord of the Netherworld Palace is Jiang Xuan, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the imperial court?!"

Wuming nodded: "When you reach the level of artistic conception, although you are no longer bound by weapons and moves, the power you can unleash will ultimately be different if you have a suitable weapon."

"If he were truly a swordsman, he wouldn't have abandoned his sword and used a saber in a battle of this level... So there's only one possibility: he has also mastered the essence of the saber, making him proficient in both sword and saber."

"A master who is proficient in both swordsmanship and sabers is a rare sight in the martial arts world, and in fact, in the past two years... he has been the only one."

"This..." Jian Chen swallowed hard, incredulous. "Last time at Mount Song, he killed Zuo Lengchan with a single strike. Even Abbot Kongwen of Shaolin Temple was wary of him and dared not make a move. This was already an astonishing feat... Could it be that he didn't use his full strength last time?"

"How could there be such a terrifying person in the world?!"

"When he came to Hangzhou two years ago, he had not yet broken through to the Grandmaster level, and he had not even grasped the essence of the art!"

Shocked, Jian Chen was still somewhat dazed and disappointed.

When they first met in Hangzhou, they chatted happily because they were of similar age and martial arts skills. Later, his master said that this person was no ordinary person, but he was too cunning and had too much killing intent, so he told him to stay away.

At the time, he didn't believe it, thinking that what his master said was too exaggerated.

However, in the past two years, news about Jiang Xuan has been circulating in the martial arts world from time to time, and each time it has become more outrageous, refreshing his understanding of Jiang Xuan time and time again, forcing him to gradually accept these realities.

Unexpectedly, everything that had happened before was still not Jiang Xuan's limit.

Two years, just two short years!

That guy can actually defeat a Grandmaster in the second realm?
Doesn't this mean that Jiang Xuan's strength has surpassed that of ordinary grandmasters and reached the level of a renowned martial arts master?!

"This can only mean that the fortunes of this era are on his side."

Wuming sighed and said, "Xie Xiaofeng of Shenjian Villa, Ximen Chuixue of Wanmei Villa, Ren Qianxing of the Supreme Alliance, Nie Feng and Bu Jingyun of the World Society... and now, with the addition of Jiang Xuan... In this era, so many people destined for greatness coexist. It is truly an unimaginably brilliant age!"

Seeing Jian Chen's dazed and lost expression, Wuming changed the subject and comforted him, "But Chen'er, you don't need to feel too much pressure. These people, although they are the darlings of the times and blessed by the heavens and earth, are not necessarily able to have a smooth journey."

"The path of martial arts is as difficult as ascending to heaven; it is to defy the heavens."

"Back then, even the most powerful figures like Master Wei, Sword Saint, Yan Nantian, Gu Santong, and Zhang Zhenren of Wudang were all peerless geniuses, but now they have all faded into obscurity."

“Every era has a group of people who enjoy the blessings of Heaven. This is determined by fate and cannot be changed by human power. However, fate is not immutable. Once their era passes, they will fade away like a shooting star. Those who can truly maintain their brilliance or shine again after their era ends are people with great perseverance.”

“Chen’er, your talent is no less than theirs. Although you lack luck, as long as you focus on cultivation, you may have a chance to catch up with them and change your fate against the heavens with your mortal body.”

Upon hearing this, the gloom in Jian Chen's eyes gradually disappeared, replaced by a renewed fighting spirit. He nodded firmly, "Yes, Master, I will definitely work hard!"

Wuming nodded slightly, then turned to look in the direction of Wenzhou City, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes. He murmured, "I said before that this person was too bloodthirsty. One day, the martial world might be thrown into chaos because of him. It has indeed come true... The martial world is about to be in turmoil!"

Jian Chen snapped out of his daze and said, "Master, are you worried that other sects will continue to attack Youming? That shouldn't be possible, right? Even Shangguan Jin Hong is dead. The others... shouldn't be so stupid as to go and die, right?"

Wuming sighed, "In the martial world, one is often not in control of one's own destiny. Many times, even if one knows that one is no match, there are some things that must be done. Moreover... his achievements this time are simply too unbelievable. Many people will not give up until they have seen it with their own eyes."

"Besides, with Shangguan Jin Hong dead and the Money Gang collapsed, how could other sects sit idly by when faced with such huge profits?"

"The martial world is not as simple as you think..."

Jian Chen's expression turned solemn as he said, "Then this disciple will personally go and stop this conflict in the martial world!"

"This is something you can no longer stop."

Wuming shook his head: "With the Hero's Sword, you might be able to barely compete with them and protect yourself, but it's still far from enough to stop this conflict."

After a moment of silence, Wuming said, "I will go there myself."

Jian Chen was shocked. His master was going to take action personally?!
……

The incident in Wenzhou has triggered a series of chain reactions.

Some knowingly do the impossible, stubbornly persisting until they reach the Yellow River; others are terrified and avoid the fray, no longer daring to get involved in this turbulent world; still others remain indifferent, treating it merely as a topic of casual conversation, at most remarking that life is full of twists and turns, and new talents emerge in every generation…

Meanwhile, Jiang Xuan, the 'culprit' who had caused a stir and attracted attention throughout the martial arts world, remained remarkably calm.

He entrusted the rest of the matter to Xiyu and others, while he went into seclusion to recuperate.

After seven days of rest, he finally recovered from his injuries and refined the true energy absorbed from Shangguan Jin Hong's body, successfully opening the sixth acupoint, the "Gate of Life," and successfully entering the sixth rank.

This acupoint is the center of 'strength', also known as the 'tailbone gate'. It is located between the lumbar vertebrae, parallel to the lower dantian, and governs the circulation of strength throughout the body.

Once this acupoint is opened, movements will be smoother and more unimpeded, allowing for greater control and ease of execution. It will also make it easier to learn external martial arts techniques, although the overall improvement in strength is not significant.

The Grandmaster realm is like this. Although it is divided into nine ranks, each rank has a different performance, but in terms of strength, the difference is not actually that big. You have to cross three ranks or more to see a significant difference.

Besides opening up each acupoint to lay the foundation for future cultivation of higher martial arts, the most important thing is still the refinement and accumulation of essence, energy and spirit.

The stronger one's spirit and energy, the stronger one's strength will be.

If the difference in energy and spirit is not significant, the competition will be based on martial arts skills in external techniques.

Even grandmasters are no exception.

Even if one's spirit and energy are not comparable, and there is a significant gap in their cultivation level, the gap can be narrowed through external skills, such as artistic conception, speed, and defense.

This is also the main reason why Jiang Xuan was able to overcome the enemy's borders and launch a counterattack this time.

Of course, the difference between a Grandmaster and a Master is definitely more than that.

After reaching the Grandmaster realm, one can begin to utilize the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. This means that one can recover true energy while fighting, and even absorb spiritual energy to heal injuries while fighting. Jiang Xuan had already experienced this when he fought against the Great Joyful Bodhisattva and in this battle against Shangguan Jin Hong.

If it weren't for the unexpected and miraculous effect of the Absorption Technique, which absorbed Shangguan Jin Hong's vital energy and weakened him, it would have been impossible to exhaust his true energy.

"However, I'll be there soon too..."

Feeling the condition within his body, Jiang Xuan smiled.

Since breaking through to the Grandmaster realm, in just over a year, less than two years, he has already reached the sixth rank.

At this rate, breaking through to the Grandmaster level will take no more than two years, or even less...

With the system panel and an abundance of cultivation techniques, he will not encounter any bottlenecks before breaking through to the Celestial Realm.

Heaven rewards diligence; all you need to do is grind for experience. Once you reach the required level, breakthroughs will come naturally.

"Seven days have passed, and things should be almost resolved by now... Moreover, this matter has been delayed for so long that Pingzhi and the others have probably already arrived in the capital. It's time for me to return to the capital as well. If I delay any longer, my identity will inevitably be exposed, and it won't be easy to explain to Emperor Chongzhen..."

Shaking his head, Jiang Xuan got up and left the quiet room.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he stepped out, he saw Qiu and Yang, the two women, guarding the door. Seeing Jiang Xuan emerge from seclusion, the two women breathed a sigh of relief.

Jiang Xuan was taken aback for a moment, then casually asked, "How did things go?"

"The goods have all been moved, but the situation outside is not good."

Qiu Moyan's expression was solemn as he said, "Our people have received news that the Sky Eagle Sect and the Emei Sect are heading here. Even the Supreme Alliance, the Sea Shark Palace, and the Sword Casting City from Shandong and Henan, as well as the Angry Dragon Gang and the Giant Whale Gang from Hubei and Hunan, have sent people here, wanting to seize the territory of the Money Gang. Many members of the Money Gang have already defected to these forces."

"In addition, many martial arts practitioners have come to join the fun. Perhaps it won't be long before this place becomes the target of everyone's anger!"

Jiang Xuan narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "The martial world is indeed driven by profit. With the Money Gang gone, everyone wants a piece of the pie."

"But it doesn't matter. We can't swallow up the Money Gang's territory, and controlling the territory is meaningless to us. We should be content with the wealth the Money Gang has accumulated over the years."

With that, Jiang Xuan ordered, "Gather the men and prepare to evacuate. Let them fight it out themselves."

“But the Eagle Sect and Emei Sect probably didn’t come for the Golden Money Gang’s territory…” Yang Huizhen said softly. These two sects probably haven’t given up yet, they don’t believe in evil, and they still want to have a showdown with the Netherworld.

Jiang Xuan sneered: "If they want to die, then so be it. There's no need to wait for them to come. We'll wait for them on the way. Since they're so reckless, let's make the situation even more chaotic and take over the territory of the Sky Eagle Sect. Let the other sects fight over it slowly!"

Qiu Moyan nodded, then hesitated for a moment before adding, "There's one more thing. During your seclusion these past few days, there's been someone constantly requesting an audience. She knows your true identity."

Jiang Xuan frowned: "Who?"

Qiu Moyan said, "Murong Qiudi is the master of the Murong Manor in Qixingtang, one of the four great families of Jiangnan."

(End of this chapter)