The world of martial arts, the immortal swordsman in the mortal realm.

Chapter 136, 151, Ba Feng Han: Not only will we determine who is superior, but we will also decide life and death! [Seeking monthly votes!]

Twin Dragons World.

In Xiangyang City, there is a two-story building called Jiaxianglou.

Lu Chen sat alone at a table in the corner, pouring himself a drink while gathering information.

He spent more than a month on Peach Blossom Island during his family visit leave.

He didn't leave until Rong'er had mastered the "Bright Moon over the Vast Sea Visualization Method"—progress in cultivating spiritual secrets in the world of Condor Heroes was quite difficult. Even with Rong'er's comprehension and Lu Chen's guidance, it still took her more than a month.

Of course, this is also because Rong'er is too playful.

Since becoming pregnant, she seemed to indulge in pleasure more than before, pestering Lu Chen for kisses every night. Even though they couldn't actually have sex, she was still happy to do so, and her cultivation inevitably became somewhat lax.

Therefore, Master Huang and Li Mochou both mastered the skills in just over twenty days, while Rong'er took more than a month.

For more than a month, Lu Chen also practiced the "Pure Yin and Yang Dual Cultivation Method" with Rong'er for an hour every day. Even though he could only use ordinary cultivation methods, his power increased a lot. The third stage of sword body, "Tendon and Bone Refining", also tempered half of his right forearm.

The cultivation of "Heart Sword" has also made some progress, the radius of spiritual perception has expanded to thirteen feet, and the five senses have become more acute.

This is still within the world of The Legend of the Condor Heroes, where dual cultivation takes place.

If you were to cultivate together in the Twin Dragons World, the efficiency would definitely be much higher.

It was lunchtime, and Jiaxianglou Restaurant was packed with customers on all three floors.

As the most famous restaurant in Xiangyang, it is a favorite place for many martial arts practitioners who value their reputation and are accustomed to spending lavishly to eat and drink.

Martial arts practitioners passing through Xiangyang would also come here drawn by its reputation.

Nowadays, many martial arts practitioners are enjoying a hearty meal and drinks while engaging in lively discussions—

The martial arts practitioners in the Twin Dragons world are no different from those in other worlds; they all share characteristics such as a love for gossip and a desire to join in the fun.

When several martial arts practitioners sit at a table and drink three cups of wine, they inevitably start talking about the happenings in the martial arts world.

Those with a broader perspective might even engage in political discourse, discussing the general trend of the world.

Especially after Yang Guang's death, the warlords vied for power, and the martial arts world was thrown into turmoil.

Many martial arts factions have joined the chaos of the world, either attaching themselves to the feudal lords or rising up to establish their own independent forces. The martial arts world and the general trend of the world have become intertwined and inseparable. Discussions about the affairs of the martial arts world almost always involve the general trend of the world and the conflicts between feudal lords.

Xiangyang is located in a strategic location, where news from all directions converges, so it is easy to hear some exciting news.

"Have you heard? The leader of the Iron Cavalry Guild, 'Azure Dragon' Ren Shaoming, has been assassinated!"

"What? That 'Azure Dragon' Ren Shaoming, who supposedly escaped from the Heavenly Blade Song Que's blade? How could such a master be assassinated?"

Being able to escape from Song Que's blade in the game "Heavenly Blade" is a feat worth boasting about.

Ren Shaoming, nicknamed "Azure Dragon," rose to fame because of this, and the "Iron Cavalry Society" attracted many skilled members to join it. In recent years, it has developed rapidly. Previously, it even assisted Lin Shihong, who declared himself Emperor of Chu, in expanding his territory and conquering a considerable amount of land.

The news that such a powerful figure, with numerous skilled warriors and a strong army, was assassinated is undoubtedly quite shocking.

"Who assassinated Ren Shaoming? The Shadow Assassin Yang Xuyan?"

"Ha, it wasn't Yang Xuyan. You'd never believe it. The assassins of Ren Shaoming were Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, who were carrying the orders of the Duke of Pushan and the bounty offered by the Dongming Sect! They assassinated Ren Shaoming in broad daylight, surrounded by a group of powerful members of the Iron Cavalry Society, and then escaped unscathed!"

"What? It's those two kids? This... this is unbelievable."

"It's truly unbelievable. Every time Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling disappear for a while, their martial arts skills advance by leaps and bounds, as if they were divinely aided."

"After all, they have mastered the Longevity Manual, one of the Four Great Classical Novels. No one has ever mastered the Longevity Manual since its appearance in the world. Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling must have extraordinary talent and ability to master this extraordinary skill. It is understandable that their martial arts have advanced by leaps and bounds."

Nowadays, when many martial arts practitioners mention Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, they no longer see them merely as walking "Yang Gong's treasure trove" or bounty hunters, nor do they accuse them of relying solely on good luck to master the "Longevity Manual." Instead, they begin to acknowledge their talent and strength.

"Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling are truly going to make a name for themselves this time. But wouldn't that put Lord Mi in a very awkward position?"

"Yes, carrying the bounty on Pusan ​​Gong's orders, he's still alive and kicking, constantly stirring up trouble and doing big things. Now he's even killed Ren Shaoming... This is really embarrassing for Gong Mi."

"It is said that when Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling assassinated Ren Shaoming, they joined forces to unleash a miraculous attack that shattered one of Ren Shaoming's meteor hammers, severely injuring him on the spot before finally killing him. Some have revealed that the miraculous attack unleashed by Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling was inspired by Lu Chen, the swordsman who repelled Yang Xuyan on the night of the Jiangdu mutiny..."

And just like that, Lu Chen did nothing, yet his fame inexplicably surged once again.

Some have even ranked him alongside Yang Xuyan, Hou Xibai, Dugu Feng, and Ba Feng Han as one of the five greatest young martial arts masters in the world—Wanwan has not yet made her official debut, and even her name is unknown to outsiders.

Although Shi Feixuan has emerged from seclusion, it is said that everyone who has seen her is captivated by her charisma and beauty, and is unwilling to fight her. The amorous young master Hou Xibai even accompanied her on a trip through the Three Gorges, willingly becoming her protector. Therefore, no one knows about her martial arts skills.

Since they have no combat record, these two outstanding successors of the Demonic Sect and Jingzhai in the contemporary era have naturally not been included in the ranking of young masters.

Although Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling had the feat of assassinating Ren Shaoming, Ren Shaoming's most famous feat was escaping from Tian Dao's clutches.

This is certainly something to boast about, but Ren Shaoming is only famous for escaping and has no other record of defeating or killing famous masters. The significance of killing Ren Shaoming is lacking when compared to other masters in the world.

In addition, Kou Xu had been severely injured by Yang Xuyan and had been chased and killed by Ba Feng Han. Therefore, although the two were considered to be able to catch up with the top five and had a promising future, they were still slightly inferior to the top five at present.

Since arriving in the Twin Dragons world, Lu Chen has only fought Yang Xuyan once. However, Yang Xuyan is the number one assassin of the era. When an assassination fails, he is usually surrounded and attacked by multiple people. Lu Chen was able to defeat Yang Xuyan alone, which is a very impressive achievement.

Moreover, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling held him in such high regard, and the extraordinary feat used in the assassination of Ren Shaoming was related to him. Naturally, he was qualified to be ranked alongside Yang Xuyan and others.

However, Lu Chen felt that with his current strength, it might be a bit inappropriate for him to sit at the same table as young experts.

He should at least sit at the same table as the warlords and overlords like Du Fuwei and Li Mi, right?

The two dragons' martial arts skills improved rapidly, with their skills advancing to a new level every now and then. Lu Chen was the same!

Even in a low-level martial arts world where the cultivation environment is far inferior to that of the Twin Dragons world, it only took him a little over two years to go from starting to practice martial arts to becoming the undisputed master of the Five Greats and the supreme ruler of the world.

Now, in a world like Twin Dragons where martial arts can lead to ascension, his cultivation will only progress faster.

Who knows, in another two years or so, I might be able to sit at the same table as the three grandmasters, Song Que of the Heavenly Blade, and the Evil King of the Underworld.

Perhaps it won't take that long.

If I could eat the He Shi Bi jade and the Evil Emperor's relic...

In fact, neither the He Shi Bi jade nor the Evil Emperor's relic can directly increase one's power.

However, the He Shi Bi jade has the ability to "change acupoints and meridians," which can greatly expand meridians and acupoints, making them more resilient. It's like expanding a small well into a large pond, or a small canal into a grand canal.

In this way, the meridians and acupoints have a stronger capacity to bear true qi, and the speed of qi circulation is faster. Not only is the output higher, but the cultivation speed is also faster, and the ability to withstand external forces that invade one's own meridians is stronger.

Lu Chen's three improved versions of the Old Man's Fist had roughly the same effect.

However, the Old Man's Fist requires years of practice to gradually change one's fundamental constitution.

The He Shi Bi jade, on the other hand, had an immediate and explosive effect, making Lu Chen very interested in such a treasure.

As for the Evil Emperor's Relic, it enhances the primordial essence among the three treasures of "essence, energy, and spirit".

Yuan Jing is the foundation of Yuan Qi and Yuan Shen. Although it cannot instantly improve one's cultivation level by several decades, it can greatly enhance cultivation potential and efficiency. After seizing the massive amount of Yuan Jing from the Evil Emperor's Relic, the speed of refining true Qi and cultivating the mind will increase dramatically.

Lu Chen had too many things to cultivate: tempering his sword body, cultivating his true qi, and forging his heart sword. All of these required a great deal of effort, so he was naturally very interested in treasures that could greatly increase his cultivation efficiency.

"The He Shi Bi jade is easy to find. As long as Shi Feixuan appears in Luoyang, the He Shi Bi jade must be at Jingnian Temple. The next return point will be in Luoyang; we'll wait for it there. As for the Evil Emperor's Relic..."

The relics of the Evil Emperor are hidden in Yang Gong's treasure vault.

The Yang Gong Treasure Vault is complex and difficult to navigate. Even if one knows the entrance, it is difficult to enter the "True Treasure Vault" and find the Evil Emperor's Relic without understanding the internal mechanisms.

"So, before going to Luoyang to open the return point, we must first go to the Pegasus Ranch and meet Lu Miaozi, the designer of Yang Gong's Treasure House and the greatest craftsman in the world."

While I was pondering this.

He overheard another piece of news from a conversation among guests at a table in a private room on the third floor—the four bandits' siege of Pegasus Ranch had failed, one of the four bandits, "Scorched Earth" Mao Zao, had been killed, and the other three bandits had retreated.

Upon hearing this news, Lu Chen was speechless for a long time.

He knew that Lu Miaozi was most likely dead.

Because Lu Miaozi died of old age at the time of this incident.

Lu Chen also knew that Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were very active in this incident, and that Mao Zao, who was responsible for the "scorched earth" incident, was killed by Xu Ziling.

The two used aliases and apparently wore human skin masks given to them by Lu Miaozi, which is why they were not well-known.

"Well, plans don't always go as expected. This family visit leave has gone too far..."

Lu Chen was not annoyed.

It's not a big deal if I miss some events because I went home to visit my wife.

As a time traveler capable of traversing the heavens, one thing that is never lacking is opportunity.

Furthermore, the opportunity to obtain the Evil Emperor's Relic might not be missed.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling have already inherited Lu Miaozi's teachings and know how to deal with the internal mechanisms of Yang Gong's treasure vault. At worst, they can cooperate with them.

"Forget it, let's just go to Luoyang."

Just as Lu Chen was about to call the waiter to settle the bill, a tall and imposing man suddenly walked up the stairs.

The man appeared to be in his mid-twenties, dressed in a yellow robe with a red scarf tied around his forehead. He had broad shoulders, long arms and slender legs, and skin that was even whiter than that of an average woman. Although his face was slightly long and narrow, his features were well-defined and had a sculpted appearance.

He had a knife and a sword hanging from each of his waists. When he walked, his hands were on the hilts of the knives and swords, as if he was about to draw his sword and kill someone at the slightest provocation. His eyes were sharp as lightning when he looked around, giving people a sense of power and dominance.

After ascending to the second floor, the man casually glanced around the lobby. Upon seeing two tables of martial arts practitioners carrying knives and swords, his expression remained unchanged, treating them as if they were invisible.

But when his gaze swept over the table where Lu Chen was, he suddenly paused, then a glint flashed in his eyes, and he strode towards Lu Chen.

Approaching Lu Chen's table, the man dragged over a chair, sat down opposite Lu Chen, stared at him sharply, and slowly said:

"You're Lu Chen?"

Lu Chen frowned:

"You recognize me?"

"do not know."

The man shook his head, flashed a dangerous grin, like a wolf:
"I've only heard that a man named Lu Chen has dined at Jiaxiang Restaurant many times. Although the name Lu Chen isn't particularly special, and there are many people with the same name, it's rare to find someone of similar age with the same name. So, you're the Lu Chen who repelled Yang Xuyan on the night of the Jiangdu mutiny?"

Lu Chen nodded:
"I am Lu Chen. Are you Ba Feng Han?"

Ba Feng Han said:

"You recognize me?"

Lu Chen said calmly:
“Your appearance and demeanor are quite unique. Your age and weapon also match. Yet you are so rude; you must be the barbarian Ba ​​Feng Han from the grasslands.”

Ba Feng Han's eyes turned cold:
"You're very brave."

Lu Chen nodded:

"Fortunately."

Ba Feng Han raised an eyebrow:
"Where's your sword?"

Lu Chen countered:

"You want to challenge me?"

Ba Feng sneered:
"We are both hailed as the most outstanding young masters in the world today. Your ranking is even higher than mine... In that case, I will certainly test your mettle!"

Lu Chen asked again:

"I heard that you came from the Central Plains and have challenged many famous masters in the past two years without a single defeat?"

"They're just so-called masters with empty reputations. Two years of challenges can't compare to your instant fame."

"Are you not convinced?"

"Ha, Yang Xuyan's reputation is second to none among the younger generation. He's hailed as the number one assassin of our time, and even powerful warlords tremble at the mere mention of his name. Your ability to defeat him head-on speaks volumes about your skill. However..."

Ba Feng Han smiled coldly:
"Yang Xuyan, Hou Xibai, Dugu Feng, Ba Feng Han, Lu Chen... have not fought each other yet. Only a fight will tell who is stronger!"

Lu Chen said calmly:
"I've heard that when you challenge someone, you're always extremely ruthless. Those who lose to you are always either dead or seriously injured?"

Ba Fenghan's eyes revealed arrogance:
"All my martial arts skills were learned in countless life-and-death battles. They are killing techniques, so when I use them, blood is drawn!"

Lu Chen shook his head:

"But this isn't the attitude of a friendly spar. This is a life-or-death struggle."

Ba Feng sneered:
"Are you afraid?"

Lu Chen chuckled:
"Ba Feng Han, I don't like your attitude. Seeking out masters to spar and hone one's skills is perfectly reasonable; I've done the same before. But you, a grassland dweller, treat sparring as a life-or-death struggle, using the lives of Central Plains martial artists as resources for your training..."

He looked at Ba Feng Han, his expression turning deep and indifferent:
"Today, will you also... determine with me, whether I am superior or inferior, and whether I live or die?"

Seeing Lu Chen's suddenly indifferent gaze, Ba Feng Han felt a chill run down his spine, instinctively feeling a pricking sense of crisis.

But having been a bandit for many years, constantly navigating the line between life and death, he was accustomed to facing all sorts of crises. At this moment, instead of showing fear, he revealed a bloodthirsty and excited smile, like that of a wild wolf.
"Very good! Let's determine who's superior and who's inferior, and also decide who lives and who dies!"

[I moved yesterday, so I didn't finish writing Chapter 2. I'm writing it now and will try to release it before noon. Please vote with your monthly tickets!]

(End of this chapter)