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

Chapter 138-153, Making Friends Through Swords, Traveling with the Phoenix [Seeking Monthly Tickets!]

Lu Chen went home to change his clothes, then left Xiangyang City and headed north, preparing to go to Luoyang.

We had only walked about ten miles when a shout suddenly came from behind us:
"Hey, you up ahead... Young Master Divine Sword! Wait a minute!"

The Divine Sword Prince?

Are you calling me?

Lu Chen stopped and looked back. He saw a petite girl dressed in a black outfit with a red silk overcoat flying towards him.

Upon seeing the girl, Lu Chen vaguely felt that he had seen her somewhere before.

After a moment's thought, I remembered—when I left Jiaxianglou before, I seemed to have brushed past a petite girl dressed like that.

At that time, he was studying Ba Feng Han's swordsmanship.

Although the exchange just now only involved a single sword strike, Ba Feng Han's skills were indeed remarkable.

In particular, that decisive sword strike, which embodied his essence and spirit and concentrated the culmination of his life's battles, actually tore apart his sword wind domain in one blow. Before all the changes could converge, even Lu Chen couldn't immediately discern where it would land. He had to wait until Lu Chen had accumulated his power to its fullest extent to determine it.

Even an ordinary grandmaster martial artist, at this final moment, might not be able to safely withstand Ba Feng Han's desperate sword strike.

Not to mention they managed to turn the tables and kill him.

Lu Chen was able to kill Ba Feng Han at the moment he reached his peak strength because of the power of his "Sword Body" and "Heart Sword"—

The insightful abilities of the Heart Sword far surpass those of ordinary mental techniques. Coupled with Lu Chen's innate ability to spot weaknesses, his overall control, deduction, and adaptability completely surpass Ba Feng Han's.

The sword body has completed the "refining of tendons and bones" and the half of the forearm has been completed. Not only are the palm and half of the forearm difficult to be injured by divine weapons, but the power of the sword energy emitted by the hand has also reached a new level.

They can even use invisible sword energy to perform "Shifting Stars," absorbing the enemy's true strength and using it to launch a counterattack.

That is why Ba Feng Han met his end with a single, fatal sword strike.

Even so, Lu Chen felt that Ba Feng Han's sword strike was quite remarkable. After all, it had cut his skin and it took him a full minute to heal. Such a powerful sword technique deserved to be carefully studied.

Even if someone is defeated, Lu Chen will not underestimate them. He will take advantage of any merit in their martial arts.

This is one of the reasons why his martial arts skills have been able to continuously improve over the years.

Because he was pondering Ba Feng Han's sword strike at the time, his mind was immersed in his own world, and he only reacted to danger. He only had a vague impression of the girl who passed by without any hostility.

He only vaguely remembered her clothes and figure; he didn't know what she looked like.

Only then did I realize that the girl was a beauty as cold as an ice doll.

The girl's lightness skill was superb; with a light touch of her toes, she could travel more than five zhang (approximately 10 meters) in a single bound, her posture light and elegant, like a swallow skimming across the water.

Soon, the girl flew to Lu Chen's side, and a lively smile suddenly appeared on her icy face, revealing her pearly white teeth:
"You are the Divine Swordsman, Lu Chen? I am Dugu Feng. It is an honor to meet you!"

As he spoke, he held the longsword upside down and bowed to Lu Chen.

Dugu Feng?
Among the five... no, four young masters, is she the only female representative?

Lu Chen looked at this ice doll who seemed unapproachable when she wasn't smiling, but whose smile was like an iceberg thawing, her expression becoming exceptionally lively and cheerful. Though petite, the girl in black possessed a surprisingly generous heart. He returned the greeting with a cupped hand and said:

"I am Lu Chen, but what makes you call me the 'Divine Sword Prince'?"

Dugu Fengyanran said:

"The waiters and diners in the restaurant said that Brother Lu killed Ba Feng Han in two moves, and his swordsmanship was divine. They all call you 'Divine Sword.' I felt that 'Divine Sword' didn't sound right, so I added the title 'Young Master.' Doesn't 'Young Master Divine Sword' sound better?"

Lu Chen nodded and said:
"I see. May I ask what brings Miss Dugu to my residence?"

"Miss Dugu? Doesn't it sound awkward to you?"

Dugu Feng smiled sassily:
"Just call me Feng'er. That's what my grandma and the elders in my family call me."

"Alright, Miss Feng. What brings you here, Miss Feng?"

"Let's spar!"

Dugu Feng bowed again and said earnestly:

"You and I are both hailed as the five greatest swordsmen of our time... oh, now there are only four left. You and I are both among the four greatest young swordsmen of our time. As the saying goes, it's rare to find a worthy opponent, especially since I also study and use swordsmanship. Since we've met by chance, why don't we spar and test our swordsmanship?"

She had heard that Ba Feng Han had been frequenting the Xiangyang area recently, so she made a special trip to Xiangyang to challenge him to a duel.

But when they finally saw Ba Feng Han, he was already a corpse.

Of course, she was not disappointed, because she had found an even better opponent than Ba ​​Feng Han.

To verify swordsmanship...

Looking at this girl whose martial arts obsession was known throughout the land, Lu Chen seemed to see himself back in Hengshan City, searching the streets for people to spar with. He nodded with satisfaction.

"I see. Since it's a matter of exchanging martial arts skills and verifying swordsmanship, I, Lu, am more than happy to do so."

Dugu Feng is not only one of the four outstanding youths, but also the second best expert of the Dugu Clan, second only to You Chuhong. In comparison, at such a young age, she should be sitting at the same table as Yuwen Huaji, the second best expert of the Yuwen Clan, and Song Zhi, the second best expert of the Song Clan.

Lu Chen remembered that in the original timeline, she seemed to have also broken Ba Feng Han's sword. So, although they were both outstanding young people, at least during this period, her martial arts skills were much better than Ba ​​Feng Han's.

She also uses a sword.

Lu Chen was naturally happy to spar with such a worthy opponent.

Seeing that Lu Chen agreed to spar, Dugu Feng smiled broadly, her eyes filled with pure joy at the prospect of witnessing profound swordsmanship. She looked around and pointed to a small hill:

"This place is too close to the main road. How about we have the competition there?"

Lu Chen nodded: "Okay."

The two then used their lightness skills to rush towards the small hill that was not high but had dense, lush forests.

"Brother Lu, didn't you bring your sword?"

Seeing that Lu Chen's hands were empty, Dugu Feng couldn't help but feel a little strange.

Lu Chen said with a smile:

"My swordsmanship is even more powerful without a sword."

In the world of Tianlong, the "Six Meridian Divine Sword" is the number one sword technique.

Duan Yu's Six Meridian Divine Sword could break the steel saber and sword in Murong Fu's hand, its power was even greater than that of a real sword.

In the Twin Dragons world, due to the existence of spiritual perception, the "invisibility" advantage of the invisible sword is no longer there, but its advantages of being able to extend and retract freely, be long or short, and be launched outwards unexpectedly, or even deflect and bounce, still remain.

The "poor man's version of the Qilin Arm" honed by Lu Chen's sword body also enhances his unarmed combat skills.

The power of sword energy fired barehanded can now be increased by 40%.

With his skills already at the "refining bones and muscles" stage, he is virtually invincible, even by divine weapons. His sword fingers, which can turn copper into mud, condense an invisible sword of energy that is far more powerful than any real sword.

In fact, Dugu Qiubai's highest level of mastery was "no sword," where grass, trees, bamboo, and rocks could all be used as swords.

Lu Chen felt that he had already surpassed Dugu Qiubai.

Now we should strive to be like Guan Qi, Wuming, and Dugu Jiansheng, whose sword energy can fly wildly across the sky and lock onto enemies like flying swords.

Of course, if there were any incredibly powerful divine weapons or swords, Lu Chen would still have to use them.

After all, even Nameless occasionally uses a sword.

but……

Lu Chen felt that as his "sword body" grew stronger, a single hair or a drop of blood could be comparable to a celestial sword. No matter how powerful a divine weapon was, it was no match for a hair he could casually pluck.

We arrived in the mountains and forests.

Lu Chen saw a straight, slender bamboo of suitable thickness, so he pointed his fingers like a sword and cut off a section of green bamboo that was three feet long and as thick as a thumb.

Dugu Feng smiled gently:
"Brother Lu, didn't you say you were more powerful without a sword? Why are you cutting bamboo into swords now?"

Lu Chendao:
"Precisely because it is more powerful without a sword, since it is a competition and sparring session, a sword should be used."

Dugu Feng raised an eyebrow:
"Brother Lu, are you saying that using the sword is a form of self-restriction?"

Lu Chen smiled but didn't say anything.

Dugu Feng pursed her lips, a hint of resentment in her eyes.

However, Lu Chen's ability to kill Ba Feng Han in two moves left her speechless. She stopped in a clearing in the forest, turned to face Lu Chen, drew her longsword, and performed a sword salute.

"Brother Lu, please enlighten me!"

Lu Chenyi returned the greeting:
"Please, Miss Feng."

Dugu Feng smiled slightly, stepped forward and thrust her sword. As the sword thrust straight forward, the tip of the sword trembled, creating a dazzling array of interwoven sword lights, like a raging torrent sweeping towards Lu Chen.

Lu Chen also raised his hand and swung his sword. The green bamboo transformed into a blue phantom, and he thrust straight at the oncoming, layered sword light without any fancy moves.

clang!
With a crisp sound, the chaotic sword light suddenly dissipated, and Dugu Feng's sword momentum also stopped abruptly. However, Lu Chen saw through the illusion at a glance, and amidst the layers of sword light, he caught the location of her long sword and struck the tip of her sword with his own.

"it is good!"

Dugu Feng cheered and stepped with a mysterious footwork that contained the secrets of escape techniques. Her long sword was as fast as a shooting star and as swift as lightning. She thrust one sword after another at Lu Chen.

Lu Chen also used the Sword Shadow Step, his body flashing and shifting like a ghostly phantom, while his bamboo sword moved as swiftly as the wind, confronting Dugu Feng head-on.

Ding ding ding ding...

The sound of metal clashing was as dense as rain as two figures darted through the forest, moving with lightning speed. Wherever they passed, the wind of swords swept through, and the grass and trees were broken.

The leaves blown down by the sword wind hadn't even touched the ground before they were shredded to dust by the bursting sword energy. Many large trees, even though they were still a few feet away from the two of them, groaned and fell down, their broken stumps as smooth as mirrors.

Dugu Feng has already mastered more than ten different sword techniques.

Her swordsmanship was sometimes heavy and fierce, with each strike containing explosive power that did not match her petite frame; at other times it was light and graceful, like a warm breeze from Jiangnan that was intoxicating, yet it was also all-pervasive and extremely dangerous.

Sometimes it changes constantly, like wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, depicting natural phenomena; at other times it is complex and dense, like a net that leaves no place to escape.

In the blink of an eye, the two had fought for hundreds of feet in the mountains and forests, exchanging nearly a thousand blows.

Dugu Feng grew more and more excited as the battle progressed, her pretty face flushed, her eyes sparkling with pure fighting spirit.

Her swordsmanship also changed suddenly, her sword intent lofty and far-reaching, like the blue sky hanging high, reflecting the human world, and she saw through everything under the blue sky.

In this state of mind, each of her sword strikes is like clouds in the blue sky and water in a river, full of a sense of naturalness and how it should be. It seems that even a casual sword strike is in accordance with the ultimate principles of swordsmanship and the natural law of water flowing downhill.

Her movements and footwork, which subtly incorporated the art of escape and escaping, were none other than the "Azure Heaven and Red Dust," a skill that earned her a place on the list of extraordinary martial arts of the Dugu clan.

At this moment, the sword intent was like the blue sky hanging high, reflecting in all directions. The sword technique that could see clearly was the Azure Sky Sword Technique of the Dugu Clan!
Only then did she reveal her true colors as the second-best expert in the Dugu Clan!

Dugu Feng's swordsmanship surprised even Lu Chen.

Previously, her Azure Dust and Mortal World movement technique, as well as her more than ten kinds of sword techniques, had already made Lu Chen very happy.

At this moment, the appearance of the Azure Sky Sword Technique surprised Lu Chen even more. He even used all his skills from the "Flat Hand Sword" to subtly apply pressure, guiding her to unleash even greater potential and perform an even more spectacular sword technique.

Dugu Feng's martial arts skills were indeed far superior to Ba Feng Han's.

To deal with Ba Feng Han, Lu Chen sat still and took his head in just two moves.

Facing Dugu Feng's lofty and unrestrained aura and her naturally perfect swordsmanship, even though Lu Chen boasted that his current martial arts skills were on par with those of powerful warlords like Du Fuwei and Li Mi, guiding her to unleash her full potential was as perilous as dancing on a knife's edge. Not only did he have to unleash his full power in both movement and swordsmanship, but he also had to occasionally use the shadows in the forest to employ the technique of "splitting light and turning shadow."

Otherwise, the "Peaceful Sword" invincible body will be broken if one is not careful.

Another thousand moves have passed in the blink of an eye.

Dugu Feng felt that today's battle was the most exhilarating battle she had ever fought in her life.

Not only did she demonstrate all the skills she had learned in her life, but her already consummate sword intent also reached a new level. Some sword techniques that were not yet perfectly integrated were now completely integrated by her. She fused all the essence of sword techniques into one, so she would no longer need to use other sword techniques. With a casual sword strike, she could conquer both the heavens and the mortal world!

She was playing so enthusiastically that she got a little carried away.

When a sword strike, a perfect fusion of body and sword, sent Lu Chen flying backward and crashing into an ancient tree so thick it took two people to hug it, she was about to strike again when suddenly her knee buckled, and she fell to one knee with a thud. If she hadn't used her sword to support herself in time, her beautiful face would probably have had a close encounter with the ground.

"Hey?"

Dugu Feng was stunned. Only then did she realize that her true energy had been completely exhausted, and she had almost no strength left. She could no longer even stand up!

Looking at Lu Chen, although he was sent flying by her sword and even broke a tree, making him look a bit disheveled, after landing and brushing off the dust and leaves, he appeared completely calm, showing no signs of exhaustion, with only a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead.

"Miss Feng's swordsmanship is superb; I admire it."

Lu Chen threw away the green bamboo covered in sword marks but which remained unbroken, and bowed to Dugu Feng with clasped hands.

In this battle, he not only learned the "Azure Sky and Mortal World" movement technique, which is ranked among the most extraordinary skills, but also mastered several sword techniques used by Dugu Feng, including the essence of the Azure Sky Sword Technique. His gains were considerable.

"Aren't you...aren't you tired at all?"

Dugu Feng could hardly believe it.

Even if Lu Chen's martial arts skills are higher than hers, she has exhausted her internal energy and her physical strength is almost depleted. How could Lu Chen be completely unharmed?
Lu Chen smiled and said:
"I've also practiced external martial arts, so my physical strength is better than the average person's."

Yes, his power was indeed almost exhausted. After all, he had to guide Dugu Feng to perform well while also maintaining the "Flat Hand Sword" golden body. His power consumption was actually greater than Dugu Feng's. Only by relying on his rapid recovery could he barely have a little bit of power left.

But he's in great physical condition!

Although "Sword Body" has only reached the second stage of "Flesh Refinement" and "Bones Refinement" has only completed half of the right forearm, its physical strength is already almost limitless.

With the addition of the "Heart Sword," even if he has no true energy left, he is still a powerful external martial arts master with a strong body, the ability to turn copper into mud, and keen senses.

……

Dugu Feng leaned against a large tree, sat cross-legged on the ground, and meditated to regulate her breathing.

Half an hour later, she opened her eyes and saw Lu Chen standing with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance.

Looking at his tall and upright back, Dugu Feng was slightly stunned. She had fought too hard and lost herself in the fight, which had exhausted her strength and made her weaker than ever before. Lu Chen, on the other hand, still seemed to have plenty of energy left. Under those circumstances, she would have no power to resist whatever he wanted to do to her.

As the eldest daughter of the Dugu Clan, one of the four great clans in the world, and also the second-best martial artist, she can be considered a rare commodity.

Killing her would be a way to curry favor with the enemies of the Dugu Clan.

Capture her, and you can coerce the Dugu clan and demand enormous benefits.

Even without those needs, she is a rare beauty.

In addition, her status as a noblewoman from a powerful family easily aroused a desire to conquer her.

Instead of taking advantage of her vulnerability, Lu Chen protected her...

"Has Miss Feng finished adjusting her breathing?"

While he was still in a daze, Lu Chen turned around and asked in a low voice.

Dugu Feng composed herself and smiled sweetly:
"My strength and physical abilities have been restored. I would like to trouble Brother Lu to protect me."

“It is only right. I have benefited greatly from the battle with Miss Feng. Since we have become friends through martial arts, it is my duty to protect my friend. I believe that if I were to exhaust my strength, Miss Feng would do the same.”

"My martial arts have greatly improved since my battle with Brother Lu, and I have benefited immensely. To be honest, I have challenged countless martial artists since I was a child, but no one has ever made me feel so exhilarated as Brother Lu. Please forgive my impertinence, but I would like to ask Brother Lu for more guidance in the future."

Lu Chen nodded and said:
“Miss Feng is also a good friend in swordsmanship. If you are willing to spar, I, Lu, would welcome you.”

Dugu Feng's eyes lit up, and she licked her lips:
"Then why don't we have another match?"

"..."

Seeing Lu Chen's speechless expression, Dugu Feng chuckled:
"Just kidding, look how embarrassed you are."

Lu Chen smiled and said:
"I'm going to Luoyang for a temporary stay. Once I'm settled in Luoyang, Miss Feng is welcome to challenge me to a duel anytime."

"Going to Luoyang?" Dugu Feng narrowed her eyes slightly. "Rumor has it that 'San Zhenren' Ning Daoqi will personally go to Luoyang to hand over the He Shi Bi to Shi Feixuan, sometime within the next month or two. Brother Lu, are you going to Luoyang at this time because you have designs on the He Shi Bi?"

Lu Chen countered:

"What does Miss Feng think of the He Shi Bi jade?"

Dugu Feng didn't hesitate:

"The Yang Gong Treasure Trove and the He Shi Jade Disc, if you can obtain either one, you can obtain the world."

Lu Chen shook his head:
"Does Miss Feng believe that?"

Dugu Feng said with a smile:
"There is some truth to this statement."

"It is said that the Yang Gong Treasure Vault contains countless weapons, armor, gold, and silver. Obtaining the Yang Gong Treasure Vault would not only immediately provide enough fine weapons to arm tens of thousands of elite troops, but also enough funds to support them for several years. With this as capital, one could quickly snowball their fortunes."

"The He Shi Bi is a symbol of legitimacy, and many common people believe in this. Even if the powerful feudal lords and aristocratic families do not believe in this, the He Shi Bi still represents the support of the righteous forces led by Cihang Jingzhai."

"Don't underestimate Shi Feixuan just because she's a single person. The power she can mobilize is beyond what many people can imagine. Therefore, almost every lord who aspires to rule the world hopes to obtain the He Shi Bi jade, or more precisely, to obtain Shi Feixuan's support."

However, the He Shi Bi jade had already been designated for Li Shimin, so no matter how much others tried to impress Shi Feixuan, it was all in vain.

The Cihang Jingzhai's so-called selection of a wise ruler for all living beings is nothing more than an attempt to promote Li Shimin through this large-scale event.

Lu Chen thought to himself, then asked Dugu Feng:

"I am not a feudal lord, so why would Miss Feng think that I would covet the He Shi Bi jade?"

"Brother Lu, do you not serve any of the feudal lords?"

"I am just a martial artist."

All I want to do is eat the He Shi Bi jade.

"Then what does Brother Lu think of my Dugu family?"

"Not so good. Although the Dugu clan is one of the four great clans, it has always relied on the imperial power and does not have the strength to contend for the world."

Dugu Feng pouted, but quickly smiled again:

"Brother Lu is quite frank. But I actually feel the same way, but my uncles and brothers are unwilling to accept it and all want to compete. But the Li clan has now entered Guanzhong and declared themselves emperors, and Li Mi is also said to have the appearance of a great ruler."

"Dou Jiande of Hebei, Du Fuwei of Jianghuai, Li Zitong of Jiangdong, Xiao Xian of Baling Gang, Lin Shihong of Jiujiang... which one of them hasn't already occupied a large territory?"

"Even Yuwen Huaji, who suffered a crushing defeat, is said to be preparing to change emperors in Wei County, while my family is still supporting an emperor in Luoyang and fighting with Wang Shichong... What's the point of fighting like this?"

Lu Chen smiled as well:
"It seems Miss Feng sees things very clearly."

Dugu Feng sighed and spread her small, white hands:
"What's the use of seeing things clearly? I'm not the one in charge of the family. Luckily, I have many relatives. Even if things fail, I can just go to Guanzhong to seek refuge with the Li clan. It won't lead to the destruction of my family and clan."

The Dugu family may not be strong in other aspects, but they are strong in their relatives, all of whom are members of the royal family, making them unique among the four great clans.

"Speaking of which, I should also go back to Luoyang."

Dugu Feng stood up, clapped her hands, and raised her longsword:

"The He Shi Bi jade is about to arrive in Luoyang. At that time, Luoyang will surely be filled with experts and demons will run rampant. My grandmother has summoned me back to help out. It's a good opportunity to travel with Brother Lu and act as his guide."

Lu Chen nodded and said, "Alright."

Dugu Feng smiled again:
"I'll have a chance to exchange ideas with Brother Lu on the way."

"..."

Seeing Lu Chen's speechless expression, Dugu Feng couldn't help but laugh heartily.

……

at dusk.

When the two arrived in Dengzhou, they were looking for a place to stay when they suddenly saw a large plume of black smoke rising ahead, and could vaguely hear cries and screams.

Lu Chen had seen many such situations when he traveled from Jiangdu to Xiangyang, traversing several prefectures. Most of them involved marauding soldiers and bandits plundering villages, killing and burning. In today's world, similar situations occur every day, and are truly countless.

Lu Chen would always intervene if he encountered such a situation, so he headed straight for the source of the black smoke.

Seeing this, Dugu Feng followed. Soon, a village on fire appeared in front of them. All the houses were on fire, and there were many corpses lying on the ground.

There were also dozens of villagers, mostly young men and women and children, who were tied together with ropes and were being driven away by hundreds of bandits with blue turbans on their heads and carrying knives and guns.

The bandits carried bundles of various sizes on their backs, some also carried chickens, herded sheep, and had several carts piled with grain sacks.

Several soldiers in leather armor, mounted on horseback, were laughing and talking loudly; their voices could be faintly heard.
"Children's flesh is still the best; women's flesh is too greasy..."

"I actually prefer strong men; their meat is more satisfying to chew..."

Upon hearing these two sentences, Lu Chen frowned deeply, his eyes revealing a murderous intent.

Dugu Feng, her face frosty and her eyes cold, said to Lu Chen:
"Brother Lu?"

Lu Chen nodded slightly:

"Leave two alive, kill the rest."

As soon as they finished speaking, the two of them unleashed their movement techniques and charged towards the band of bandits.

The mounted soldiers saw the two from afar, paused slightly, and then one of them let out a strange cry:
"Damn it! There are actually people who dare to act chivalrously!"

As he spoke, he took down his longbow, drew it to its full extent, and shot an arrow toward Lu Chen.

This arrow was quite accurate, aimed directly at Lu Chen's heart. Clearly, those who managed to get on horseback were all elite soldiers with good skills.

Unfortunately, he ran into Lu Chen.

When the powerful arrow came hurtling towards him, he simply raised his hand to catch it, then flicked it back, sending the arrow flying back at an even faster speed than it had come from, piercing the heart of the bandit who had shot it.

The remaining bandits on horseback froze, and a burly man with a thick beard shouted:
"This is a tough problem, let's all work together!"

The hundreds of bandits threw down their bundles and carts, grabbed their knives and spears, hastily formed a battle formation, let out a shout, and charged back at Lu Chen and Dugu Feng.

The bandits on horseback rode a little further away, bows in hand, but did not fire. They were clearly afraid that Lu Chen would use the same tactic again and kill them with arrows. They planned to wait until the two were surrounded and unable to defend themselves before launching a surprise attack.

Unfortunately, they underestimated the two, unaware that they were both top young masters of their time, whose strength was comparable to that of veteran grandmasters.

When the hundreds of bandits charged towards them.

Dugu Feng suddenly accelerated forward, drew her longsword, a flash of cold light, and a sharp sword aura flew two zhang away, severing five heads with a single strike.

Lu Chen also unleashed a Six Meridian Sword Qi, piercing through several people in one breath.

The two then rushed into the crowd. Dugu Feng killed one person with a single sword strike. With a flash of sword light, someone would fall to the ground. She used her strength precisely, and every sword strike was just right, enough to kill, without wasting a single bit of true energy.

Lu Chen, however, was brutal in his methods, treating these literally "man-eating" bandits as if they were not human. He first used his finger strength, which could turn copper into mud, to unleash the Nine Yin Divine Claw, tearing a bandit's face to pieces with one claw, and then grabbing another bandit's shoulder with another claw, tearing his arm off from the shoulder. He then swung the severed arm down and smashed the head of the bandit who had lost an arm and was howling in pain to pieces.

Then he made a sword with his fingers together and slashed diagonally, cutting a bandit in half from shoulder to waist.

At the same time, he deflected a cold arrow with his temple, shattered a large club with his crown, and shot out a seven-foot-long sword of energy, sweeping it across like a whirlwind, instantly cutting all eight bandits around him in half at the waist—in the world of Tianlong, the maximum length of the Qi sword condensed by the Six Meridians Divine Sword is one zhang.

Lu Chen could actually condense a ten-foot-long qi sword, but that wouldn't be cost-effective, as it would consume too much true qi and reduce its sharpness. Therefore, when facing experts, he would usually condense a three-foot-long qi sword, while when dealing with these lowly opponents, he could condense a seven-foot-long qi sword.

The bandit who had been cut in half at the waist was not dead for a while. He dragged his intestines and howled loudly, but Lu Chen did not finish him off. He continued to hack and kill.

Lu Chen and Dugu Feng killed so quickly that they took down sixty or seventy people before the rest could react. They all let out a shout and tried to scatter and flee.

But how could mere lackeys possibly escape the pursuit of Lu Chen and Dugu Feng?

Soon, the fleeing henchmen were reduced to only two.

As for those on horseback...

Fearing they might run far away and cause trouble, Lu Chen had already taken the opportunity while fighting the hundreds of bandits to flick his fingers and shoot pebbles, killing the few mounted bandits first.

"Who are you?"

Lu Chen asked in a deep voice, his face expressionless.

As he spoke, the skin on his palms trembled, shaking off the bloodstains that stained them, leaving his fingers and palms clean and spotless.

However, the blood that was blasted away landed on the faces of the two survivors, making them tremble with fear and their crotches soaked.

"We, we are, we are, we are the King's men..."

"Which king?"

“Garuda, Garuda King…”

Garuda King Zhu Can?

So he really is one of that cannibalistic demon king's men?

Lu Chen asked a few more questions, then pointed two fingers and killed the last two bandits.

"King Garuda Zhucan is going to attack Guanjun County. He sent troops to plunder the countryside, capture able-bodied men, and seize military provisions..."

Lu Chen looked at Dugu Feng, pondered for a moment, and slowly said:

"Zhu Can's army uses women and children as reserve rations. Every day that such beasts live is an insult to the word 'human.' Since I've run into them, I want to do something. Miss Feng, you can return to Luoyang first."

Dugu Feng frowned and said:

"Brother Lu, what do you mean by this? Are you underestimating me? Do you think I'm afraid to do anything?"

Lu Chen shook his head:
"How could I underestimate Miss Feng? However, Zhu Can has fought across the north and south, committing heinous crimes and yet to be executed. He is clearly not someone to be trifled with, and his martial arts skills are probably no less than those of Du Fuwei and Li Mi. Moreover, there are countless masters and elite soldiers in his army, so the risk is very high..."

Dugu Feng snorted softly:
"Knowing the risks are great, why did you dare to go?"

Lu Chen said frankly:
"I know physical training, making me invulnerable to swords and spears."

Dugu Feng had just witnessed him deflecting arrows with his temples and snapping a large club with his skull, knowing that ordinary bandits couldn't defeat him, but...

"No matter how strong your physical training is, do you think you can withstand the swords and internal energy of a master?"

"Almost. But it's also very difficult to get injured."

"If you are surrounded and attacked by experts and elite warriors, exhausting your true energy, won't your external martial arts training be ruined?"

"will not."

"..."

“If I go and do it, I’m at least confident I can get out unscathed. But Miss Feng, you…”

Dugu Feng disagreed and said:

"With my lightness skill, I am confident that I can escape unscathed."

Before Lu Chen could speak, she continued:

"In short, even if you don't want to take me with you, Brother Lu, I will go to Zhu Can's camp alone and wait for an opportunity to assassinate him."

Seeing that she seemed to be competitive and wanted to compete with him in this matter, Lu Chen was speechless.

He shook his head and said:
"Fine, let's go together. Hmm, I'll do the assassination, you provide backup."

Dugu Feng said with dissatisfaction:

"How can Brother Lu keep such a great opportunity to enhance his reputation all to himself? I also want to participate in the assassination."

Well, she's really going to have to compete with Lu Chen.

[This chapter has 8 words. Two chapters have been combined today. Please vote with your monthly tickets!]

(End of this chapter)