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

Chapter 157, Page 172: Fairy Master, I Too Can Choose a Wise Ruler on Behalf of Heaven [8K Long Chapter]

Dugu Feng returned quickly.

A little over fifteen minutes later, she returned carrying a wicker box, clearly having used her light-footed skills to travel at great speed both ways.

"Brother Lu, I'm here!"

Holding her skirt in one hand and carrying a wicker trunk in the other, she ran upstairs and smiled sweetly at Lu Chen, who was waiting in the hall.
"How about I live next to the master bedroom? It'll be convenient for us to look after each other."

Next to the master bedroom, there is a room connected to the master bedroom, which was usually occupied by the maids.

If the master gets married, the maid who is qualified to live in that room becomes a "chamber maid".

As the eldest daughter of the Dugu clan, such a room is undoubtedly unbecoming of Dugu Feng's status.

But since she herself didn't care, Lu Chen didn't say anything and nodded in agreement.

Dugu Feng smiled brightly and went inside to make the bed.

After she finished making the bed and came out, Lu Chen said to her:

"I'll teach you a technique for using someone else's strength to counterattack."

Dugu Feng's martial arts skills are already very strong.

The last time, a single sword strike threatened Wen Caiting's life, forcing Wen Caiting and the other three elders of the Yin Gui Sect to abandon their rescue of Bian Bufu. Last night, he also fought against three opponents and blocked Qu Ao's three disciples.

But since she had to stand shoulder to shoulder with him to deal with the siege, Lu Chen naturally had to give her an extra boost.

The best way to improve her strength in a short time is to teach her some practical and quick-to-learn techniques.

Since Dugu Feng had already expressed her feelings to him, she naturally wouldn't stand on ceremony now, and nodded with a smile:

"Okay!"

Lu Chen then began to teach her "Shifting Stars and Changing Constellations".

In terms of counter-attacking by borrowing force, Qu Ao's "Seven Turns of the Raging Waves," which allows him to borrow force seven times in succession, is undoubtedly more profound and skillful than "Shifting Stars."

However, because the Seven Revolutions of the Raging Waves is too profound and has a method for condensing acupoints, it is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Therefore, one must first practice the Star Shifting Technique, which can be mastered quickly.

"The stars shift and the constellations move" is a purely applied method.

The deeper one's skill and the higher one's comprehension, the faster one can learn.

Just like Zhang Wuji mastered the "Nine Yang Divine Skill" and could quickly master the sixth level of the "Great Shift of Heaven and Earth" in an hour or two, as long as one has enough skill and comprehension, one can also master the "Shift of Stars" very quickly.

Dugu Feng was already extremely skilled in martial arts.

She hadn't practiced any of the Four Great Classical Novels, nor had she encountered any other extraordinary events.

Relying solely on the Dugu family's inherited martial arts, which are only listed on the "List of Extraordinary Skills and Arts," he was able to become one of the most outstanding young masters in the world, on par with the famous shadow assassin Yang Xuyan and the amorous young master Hou Xibai, which shows that his comprehension was also top-notch.

Therefore, learning how to apply the "shifting stars" technique was no difficulty for her.

In less than half an hour, she and Lu Chen were able to use a ball of true energy as a ping-pong ball, hitting and bouncing it back and forth.

Seeing how quickly she learned, Lu Chen also taught her the application techniques such as "Sword Wind Domain" and "Sword Light Needle Rain".

These are not exclusive to the "Zhu Xian Sword Intent" lineage.

It was a technique that Lu Chen created after arriving in the Twin Dragons world, absorbing the essence of Yang Xuyan and others' martial arts, so that others could also learn and practice it.

However, the various applications he created all require extremely high skill and swordsmanship comprehension.

It's really hard for the average person to learn.

Of course, none of these challenges could stump Dugu Feng.

In just over an hour, she had learned all the application methods that Lu Chen had taught her and was using them with ease.

The reason why one can use it skillfully as soon as one learns it is naturally related to one's spiritual cultivation.

The higher one's spiritual cultivation, the stronger one's self-control, and the faster one can apply what one has learned.

Unlike martial artists in low-level martial arts worlds, who often need to practice a martial art repeatedly for a long time before they can use it in actual combat.

Cultivation makes one unaware of the passage of time.

Before I knew it, the sky outside the window had already brightened.

Lu Chen glanced at the morning light outside the window and said to Dugu Feng, who was still practicing with great enthusiasm, revealing her true martial arts fanatic nature:

"It's dawn. Feng'er didn't sleep all night, go and rest for a while."

"Brother Lu, are you taking a rest?"

"I do not need."

He has super recovery ability. When he first started practicing martial arts, he trained like crazy every day, but he only needed to sleep for four hours to fully recover his body and mind.

Now, after tempering his sword body, his physique is extraordinary and his skill is profound. Last night, he also refined most of the strange power of the He Shi Bi jade. His physique and mind have been comprehensively strengthened, and he can be full of energy even if he doesn't sleep for ten days and ten nights.

"Then I don't need to rest either."

Dugu Fengyanran said:
"Just practice the old man's fist twice."

Although she doesn't have an extraordinary physique, with her skill, as long as her true energy isn't exhausted, she can actually go for several days without sleep or rest.

Of course, she would also get tired, unlike Lu Chen, who would never feel tired or weak.

However, the third version of "Old Man's Fist" is truly amazing, with a wide range of functions. In addition to its main purpose of improving bone structure and enhancing potential, it can also accelerate the recovery of internal and external injuries, as well as alleviate physical and mental fatigue to a certain extent.

Seeing that Dugu Feng was full of energy, Lu Chen didn't try to persuade her anymore and let her recover by practicing the old man's fist on her own.

He stood at the window, stroking the He Shi Bi jade disc, which was slowly recovering by absorbing special energy and restoring itself on the windowsill, pondering to himself:
Jingnian Temple should already know that he stole the He Shi Bi jade.

In the original timeline, after Xu Ziling stole the He Shi Bi jade, Jing Nian Temple did not keep it a secret; it immediately spread the news throughout the city.

This time, Jingnian Temple will likely not keep it a secret. Once they find out who the treasure snatcher is, they will definitely spread the word.

Once the Yin Gui Sect gets wind of this, they will surely reveal Lu Chen's residence to lure others into becoming cannon fodder.

So who will be the first guest to arrive today?
……

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling each carried two gift boxes and arrived at the gate of Lu Chen's small residence.

"Is this here?"

"It seems to be this place according to the rumors."

"Hey, there's a sign next to the gate... uh!"

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling stared blankly at the sign hanging next to the gate, their faces vacant.

Four large characters were clearly written on it:

Lu Chen's mansion.

Well, Lu Chen was worried that some people might not know the way, go to the wrong place, and accidentally hurt innocent people, so he made a sign and hung it up.

The effect was quite good, and Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were quite surprised.

"As expected of Brother Lu!"

Kou Zhong was utterly shocked:
"He stole the He Shi Bi jade but didn't hide; he openly hung up a sign on his door, as if he was afraid people wouldn't be able to find him..."

Xu Ziling also looked on with admiration:
“Brother Lu was able to single-handedly crush the Garuda army, defeat Qu Ao head-on, and break through the martial monk formation of Jingnian Temple after stealing the He Shi Bi. With such strength, how many people would dare to bear his wrath if they angered him? Look at Wang Shichong, he didn't dare to provoke Brother Lu and only asked you to help him gather information.”

That's right, Kou Zhong came at the invitation of Wang Shichong.

He and Xu Ziling had long been at odds with Li Mi, and they still carried the "Pushan Duke's Decree" bounty on their shoulders.

However, since neither of them had the ability to eliminate Li Mi, they had no choice but to cooperate with Wang Shichong, who was currently fighting Li Mi to the death, and temporarily serve Wang Shichong in the hope of using Wang Shichong's strength to annihilate Li Mi.

Wang Shichong was certainly interested in the He Shi Bi jade.

However, he is currently vying for power with the Dugu Clan and Emperor Tai, and is also locked in a life-or-death struggle with Li Mi, so he really dares not provoke Lu Chen.

Therefore, they could only ask Lu Chen's old acquaintances Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling to come and find out something.

It wasn't that they were overestimating themselves and wanted to get the He Shi Bi jade from Lu Chen.

They just wanted to find out who Lu Chen was supporting and who he was fighting for regarding the He Shi Bi jade.

As long as it wasn't for Li Mi, the Dugu clan, or Emperor Tai, Wang Shichong could accept it.

This is the deterrent power Lu Chen has now.

The more powerful and established a feudal lord's household was, the less likely he was to act rashly.

The two stood at the door, looking up at the sign with awe for a moment, before stepping forward and knocking on the door.

"Brother Lu, it's me, Xiao Zhong! Xiao Ling and I have come to thank you!"

Last night, Lu Chen helped them get rid of Qu Ao's grudge. Although they later helped Lu Chen fend off Qu Ao's outside help, they still felt deeply indebted to their "long-lost father".

Therefore, in Kou Xu's mind, helping Wang Shichong sound out his intentions was just a side thing; the main purpose was to visit him and express his gratitude.

Soon, Lu Chen's voice drifted over from afar:

"Come in, the door isn't locked. Also, you don't need to close the door after you come in."

Leaving the door unlocked and closed is a way of welcoming guests from all directions openly and honestly, whether they are honored guests or not!

Brother Lu is so domineering!
Kou and Xu exchanged a glance, pushed open the gate, stepped into the front yard, passed through another gate, and headed straight for the central courtyard.

Dugu Feng had changed into a black outfit and was waiting in front of the main gate of the courtyard, carrying a long sword.

Upon seeing Kou and Xu, he nodded slightly and said, "Come with me."

He led the two of them through the main gate of the house and up to the second floor.

"Brother Lu."

Kou Xu entered the small hall on the second floor, and upon seeing Lu Chen, he immediately bowed:

"Last night, Qu Ao wanted to seek revenge on us for killing his son. If it weren't for Brother Lu's intervention, we would probably have been besieged by Shangguan Long, Qu Ao, and others. Today, I have taken the liberty of visiting you with a small gift to express my gratitude."

As he spoke, he handed the gift box to Dugu Feng.

Lu Chen nodded slightly:

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness. I approached Qu Ao simply because I wanted to fight him myself, not for your sake."

Kou Zhong laughed:

"No matter what, Xiaoling and I are indebted to Brother Lu."

Lu Chen was too lazy to explain further and said:
"Sit down and talk."

After the two were seated, Dugu Feng, in accordance with Lu Chen's usual hospitality, brought them two glasses of cold water.

Lu Chen glanced at the two of them again and asked:

Are you injured?

"Last night, after chasing Shangguan Long out of Manqing Courtyard, we ran into the Yin Gui demoness Wanwan not far away."

Kou Zhong sighed:

"The demoness's magic is powerful. Even with Xiaoling and me working together, we only managed to fight her to a draw."

Xu Ziling looked serious:
"Thanks to Brother Lu's guidance, Xiao Zhong and I were able to learn a combined technique, otherwise it would have been difficult for us to both be seriously injured."

Lu Chen nodded and said:

"Is your injury healed?"

Kou Zhong laughed heartily:
"Xiao Ling and I are average in other aspects, but we recover from injuries exceptionally quickly. After one night of treatment, we are already almost fully recovered."

Lu Chen knew, of course, that their Longevity Technique True Qi could complement and generate each other, healing injuries extremely quickly, and like Saiyans, their martial arts would increase after each recovery from injury.

Lu Chen was able to create the "Pure Yin to Yang Dual Cultivation Method" and healing techniques by absorbing the essence of the Yin-Yang Dao of the two's Longevity Techniques.

They didn't say anything more about it at the time, but only asked the two of them:

"You came here today to ask about the He Shi Bi jade, right?"

Kou Zhong laughed:

“Brother Lu is incredibly insightful. Xiao Ling and I are currently cooperating with Wang Shichong to defeat Li Mi. Knowing that we know Brother Lu, he asked us to inquire with him about who Brother Lu intends to give the He Shi Bi to.”

Xu Ziling added:

“We are not Wang Shichong’s subordinates, nor do we have a deep relationship with him. We are only temporarily cooperating to deal with Li Mi. If Brother Lu does not want to talk about it, then there is no need to pay attention to Wang Shichong’s thoughts. We will deal with Wang Shichong when we get back.”

Lu Chen said calmly:
"There's nothing to hide. I took the He Shi Bi for no one. I just used it for my own cultivation. Whoever can establish a stable rule in the future and has the qualities of a wise ruler, I will bestow the He Shi Bi upon them on behalf of Heaven. Hmm, if Wang Shichong can become a great and wise ruler, the He Shi Bi may very well belong to him in the future."

"what?"

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were stunned for a moment, then Kou Zhong's spirits lifted, and he thought to himself:

"Is Brother Lu going to challenge Cihang Jingzhai? Should I start kowtowing and calling him 'father' now?"

Cihang Jingzhai advocates using the He Shi Bi jade to select a wise ruler on behalf of all people, or simply "selecting a ruler on behalf of Heaven."

Lu Chen is now saying that he will give the He Shi Bi to whoever becomes a wise ruler. Doesn't that mean he's going against Cihang Jingzhai?
In Kou Zhong’s opinion, although Lu Chen may not seem to have a strong background, unlike the Buddhist sect which is wealthy, powerful and well-connected, he is a good fighter!

Brother Lu is truly capable of single-handedly deciding the outcome of a battle, and even threatening the survival of a regional warlord's power!

Based on this alone, Kou Zhong felt that Lu Chen's claim of choosing a wise ruler on behalf of Heaven was perfectly reasonable.

And I am deeply excited about it.

Because he already had the ambition to dominate the world and had begun to build his small power base.

However, Kou Zhong also knew that Cihang Jingzhai's support would never fall into his lap, and would most likely be directed towards Li Shimin, whom he considered his number one rival.

Therefore, he had long intended to steal the He Shi Bi jade and sabotage the Cihang Jingzhai event.

Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling even had the idea of ​​secretly spying on Jingnian Temple while Manqing Temple was holding an event that attracted the attention of most of the masters in Luoyang.

I was just too busy healing after Wanwan beat me up last night, so I didn't have time to do anything.

However, even though he failed to seize the He Shi Bi jade, Kou Zhong was happy as long as it was not in Cihang Jingzhai's hands.

Now that the He Shi Bi jade has been obtained by Lu Chen, Kou Zhong's "long-lost father," who says he will give the jade to whoever has the appearance of a wise and powerful ruler, Kou Zhong is even happier.

He felt that he, Kou Zhong, could be that person.

Little did he know, Lu Chen had already given him his due.

Practicing martial arts is fine.

To conquer the world, that won't work.

Even if Kou Zhong were to kowtow and call him "father," Lu Chen would not support him.

A ruler bears not only the responsibility for himself, but also the lives, fortunes, and dreams of all his followers. Therefore, he must never act recklessly according to his own whims.

Kou Zhong was undoubtedly a complete disaster in this regard.

Of course, Xu Ziling's character weaknesses were thoroughly exploited by Cihang Jingzhai, making him quite a troublemaker.

These two lousy brothers should just stick to being honest wandering martial arts heroes.

After chatting for a while, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling left satisfied.

Lu Chen pondered for a moment, then said to Dugu Feng:

"Many people may come to visit during the day, but I feel that perhaps no one will make a move." Dugu Feng nodded in agreement.
"Those feudal lords and warlords who are interested in the He Shi Bi are all cunning and dare not offend Brother Lu openly. I'm afraid it will be night before someone disguises himself and tries to seize it by force. I just don't know when Shi Feixuan and the people from Jingnian Temple will arrive, and what methods they will use to deal with Brother Lu."

"They may be having a headache, unsure of how to deal with me."

Having witnessed his "innate superhuman strength and indestructible body" last night, Jingnian Temple is probably the most certain that his victory over a thousand troops was not achieved through any extraordinary schemes or dangerous tactics, but rather through his excellent physical condition.

Such a physique would definitely make Shi Feixuan and Jingnian Zen Temple extremely wary.

Because if the relationship with him is not handled well, he might resent the "wise ruler" they have chosen.

Whether he "assassinates the king" or "destroys the army" in the future, he will be a huge threat to the wise ruler they choose.

Therefore, Shi Feixuan and Jingnian Zen Temple may have to deliberate and weigh their options repeatedly before deciding on a course of action.

After a moment's hesitation, Lu Chen continued:

"Shi Feixuan emerged from seclusion earlier than Wanwan, yet I have never heard of her achieving any military exploits. Perhaps she prefers negotiation to fighting. So she might try to persuade me first. If persuasion fails, she might propose a one-on-one swordsmanship contest to determine the ownership of the He Shi Bi jade."

Dugu Feng smiled sweetly and said expectantly:
"Although Shi Feixuan has no battle records, it is said that her cultivation of the Cihang Sword Manual has reached the level of 'telepathic connection' and her realm has surpassed that of her master Fan Qinghui, approaching the realm of 'sword heart clarity'. In terms of sword cultivation alone, there are very few in the world who can compare with her."

Lu Chen nodded and smiled:

"Therefore, I have high expectations for her swordsmanship."

To achieve "sword heart clarity" in the Cihang Sword Manual, one must undergo the tempering of the heart in the mortal world.

When Shi Feixuan left the mountain to travel, she was practicing this kind of cultivation.

However, even though she hasn't reached the level of "Sword Heart Clarity," Shi Feixuan's swordsmanship is indeed extremely high. Even considering the older generation, there are very few people stronger than her.

After all, the "Compassionate Sword Manual" is one of the four great books of ancient China.

Even though it ranks last among the Four Great Classical Novels, it is not a sword technique that can be easily countered.

After Shi Feixuan advanced to the "Sword Heart Clarity" stage, her actual combat level may have been slightly lower than Fu Cailin's, but in terms of swordsmanship alone, she was already comparable to a grandmaster of swordsmanship.

Lu Chen naturally looked forward to such a swordsman.

Two more groups of people came to visit afterwards.

One group consisted of members of the Wagang Army, led by the charming strategist Shen Luoyan. Lu Chen only served them a glass of cold water, chatted casually for a while, and then dismissed them.

Another group included Liu Heita, a general under Dou Jiande. He also asked Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, who were on good terms with him, to help introduce them.

However, Lu Chen did not treat him differently and served him the same plain water.

After that, no one came to our door.

As dusk approached, Dugu Feng couldn't help but feel a little strange:
"Li Shimin didn't send anyone?"

After pondering for a while, Lu Chen began to understand Li Shimin's mindset:

"Li Shimin was, after all, only the Prince of Qin of the Tang Dynasty, not the Crown Prince. He came to Luoyang on behalf of Li Yuan. If Shi Feixuan is choosing a wise ruler, she should acknowledge that Li Yuan is a wise ruler and express her support for him."

"But if Shi Feixuan declares that Li Shimin is the wise ruler they have chosen and voluntarily gives him the He Shi Bi jade, it will put Li Shimin in a difficult position..."

Li Shimin's current status is indeed somewhat awkward.

If Shi Feixuan really gave him the He Shi Bi jade, how would he conduct himself?
After returning to Chang'an, how will he face his father, Emperor Li Yuan, and his elder brother, Crown Prince Li Jiancheng?

Should we rebel immediately?
But the Tang Dynasty had only just been established, and Li Shimin was not yet the "General of Heavenly Strategy," nor did he have the great military achievements and prestige he would later attain. What did he have to rely on to rebel?

For Li Shimin now, the He Shi Bi jade is probably a hot potato.

It's gone just like that. Not only does it not cause him any loss, but it also helps him avoid a dilemma.

In any case, what's important isn't the He Shi Bi jade, but the support of a group of powerful forces, represented by Cihang Jingzhai, who possess strong financial and military resources.

As long as Cihang Jingzhai provides the actual support, that's fine.

Thinking about this, Lu Chen suddenly realized that Cihang Jingzhai was very powerful, and its ability to persuade and manipulate sycophants was also very strong, but it seemed that it was really not good at politics.

You admire Li Shimin, but have you ever considered his current status?

Have you ever thought about what would happen to Li Shimin if this talent show were actually turned into a big publicity event, and then the He Shi Bi was handed over to him?
No wonder that in the original timeline, after Kou Zhong and Xu stole the He Shi Bi jade, so many forces actively participated in their pursuit and interception, wanting to seize the jade. Only Li Shimin, who led a team of elite warriors, remained indifferent to the jade, only caring about Kou Zhong himself...

"Li Shimin will not come to discuss the He Shi Bi with me."

Lu Chen was slightly disappointed. He wanted to spar with Li Shimin's elite team of experts, but it seemed he would have to find an opportunity later.

"The last visitor today may be Shi Feixuan."

Lu Chen was right.

As dusk fell, a young woman dressed as a male scholar, carrying an elegant ancient sword and possessing an ethereal air, arrived at Lu Chen's residence.

She stopped in front of the open door, parted her lips slightly, and spoke in a soft, sweet voice:
"Young Master Lu, Shi Feixuan requests an audience."

soon.

Dugu Feng appeared at the gate.

She carefully examined the girl in front of her, and couldn't help but admire her inwardly.

It wasn't that I was praising Shi Feixuan's beauty.

Dugu Feng has never been sensitive to beauty or ugliness.

What she admired was Shi Feixuan's extraordinary temperament.

When Shi Feixuan stood here, the environment around her seemed to transform into a beautiful, ethereal landscape, with more vivid colors and richer layers, giving people a strange and dreamlike feeling.

An aura can influence the surrounding environment; such spiritual cultivation...

Shi Feixuan truly deserves to be called the most outstanding successor of Cihang Jingzhai throughout the generations!
No wonder no one has ever been willing to fight her since her debut.

Her aura alone is enough to move people's hearts and make them reluctant to use force to destroy this beauty.

"The Cihang Sword Manual truly lives up to its reputation as one of the Four Great Classical Novels. Its ethereal and beautiful aura alone is enough to subdue the enemy without a fight..."

Dugu Feng sighed inwardly and gestured for her to proceed.

"Please come in, Fairy Master. Brother Lu is waiting for you."

"Thank you, Miss Dugu."

Shi Feixuan smiled and thanked her, then followed Dugu Feng through the gate, straight to the courtyard, and then into the main house, going up to the second floor.

In the small hall on the first and second floors, Shi Feixuan saw Lu Chen.

Moreover, this wasn't the first time she had met Lu Chen.

Yesterday, she also went to Manqing Temple under the alias "Qin Chuan" to seek out Song Shidao of the Song Clan and Li Tianfan of the Wagang Army, asking him about the way of being a ruler.

Song Shidao was naturally a great disappointment.

As a son of the Song dynasty, he was preoccupied with personal matters and had no ambition whatsoever.

Li Tianfan... let's not talk about him.

Since they were in Manqing Courtyard, they naturally witnessed the duel between Lu Chen and Qu Ao.

Back at Jingnian Temple, after hearing Buchen and the others talk about how the He Shi Bi jade had been stolen and describe the appearance and figure of the thief, Shi Feixuan immediately knew who the thief was.

now.

Lu Chen was standing by the window, toying with a seal in his hand.

It was indeed the He Shi Bi jade.

Shi Feixuan smiled gently:
"Is Young Master Lu trying to intimidate Fei Xuan by handling the He Shi Bi jade in front of her?"

Her voice was ethereal and sweet, like a spring of pure water, capable of cleansing the soul.

Lu Chen turned his head to look at Shi Feixuan, who had never actually drawn her sword since leaving the mountain, yet whose reputation was already more renowned than Wanwan's.

It must be admitted that Shi Feixuan was indeed exceptionally beautiful, possessing a pure and natural beauty that was like a lotus emerging from clear water, unadorned and unpretentious.

But what's truly amazing is her temperament.

That kind of charm was comparable to the strange allure derived from Wanwan's Heavenly Demon Art, and even more capable of arousing people's yearning for beauty. It was as wonderful as a fairy, and even Lu Chen couldn't help but admire it.

If Wanwan is like a mysterious moon hidden behind the dark clouds of night, appearing and disappearing intermittently, then Shi Feixuan is like a ray of bright sunshine breaking through the secluded valley and forest at dawn, shining radiantly and gracefully upon the earth.

pity.

The ethereal charm of Fairy Jingzhai, which could make many admirers unable to resist, could not shake Lu Chen's heart in the slightest.

He withdrew his gaze from Shi Feixuan, lowered his eyes to look at the He Shi Bi jade in his hand, and said calmly:

"A show of force? I guess so."

Wait, he actually admitted it!

This answer surprised Shi Feixuan slightly.

Dugu Feng, however, raised the corners of her lips slightly, revealing a smile that seemed to confirm her expectations.

She was all too familiar with Lu Chen's upright and straightforward style.

After a moment of stunned silence, Shi Feixuan smiled helplessly.
"Brother Lu is indeed straightforward. Since Brother Lu is of such a frank nature, then I, Fei Xuan, will not beat around the bush. May I ask, Brother Lu, which lord do you serve?"

Lu Chen looked at Shi Feixuan strangely:
"Which lord do you think is qualified to recruit me?"

Shi Feixuan's smile grew increasingly helpless.

Last night, when she returned to Jingnian Temple, Buchen and the others told her that even though Lu Chen was carrying the He Shi Bi jade and could not use his true energy, he was still able to withstand the heavy steel staffs of the four guardians with his bare hands. Each strike could repel or even injure the four guardians.

The other Zen monks were no match for him.

This is enough to show that Lu Chen possesses extraordinary physical strength and an indestructible body that can be described as divine.

With such a physique, even without true qi, one can break through a thousand troops with sheer strength, and is even more suitable for fighting against armies than a Grandmaster.

Combined with his internal energy and swordsmanship, his record of "Assassinating the King and Breaking the Army" was clearly genuine and did not rely on any strange tricks or schemes.

With such ability, he could become a regional lord and dominate the world if he wanted to, so why should he live under someone else's roof and serve others?

Thinking of this, Shi Feixuan gazed into Lu Chen's eyes and asked softly:
"So, Brother Lu has designs on the world?"

Lu Chen shook his head: "Not interested."

Shi Feixuan was stunned again:
"Then, Brother Lu, what is the purpose of taking the He Shi Bi jade?"

Lu Chen countered:

"Is it strange that I took the He Shi Bi jade, which is beneficial for cultivation, to use it for cultivation?"

"This……"

Shi Feixuan felt that what he said made a lot of sense, and for a moment she was speechless.

For a fleeting moment, she even felt a pang of frustration.

She felt that Lu Chen was the most difficult person to communicate with among all the different kinds of people she had met since she left the mountain, without exception.

But since it concerned matters of national importance, she regained her composure and continued to try to communicate:
“Since Brother Lu is only using the He Shi Bi for cultivation, then Fei Xuan can decide to temporarily lend the He Shi Bi to Brother Lu…”

"Temporary loan?"

Brother Lu raised an eyebrow:
"Is Cihang Jingzhai posing as the owner of the He Shi Bi jade?"

Shi Feixuan explained softly:
“Brother Lu, you misunderstand. My Cihang Jingzhai does not consider itself the owner of this treasure. It is merely the Imperial Seal of the State, and my Jingzhai is only holding it in trust. Once a wise ruler is chosen, we will present this treasure to him…”

Lu Chen chuckled and said:

"Fairy Master, in truth, if I wished, I could also choose a wise ruler on behalf of all the people of the world. Do you agree, Fairy Master?"

Shi Feixuan's eyes narrowed:
"What do you mean by that, Brother Lu?"

Lu Chen said calmly:
"Fairy Master should understand what I mean. Cihang Jingzhai has the ability to support the wise ruler you have chosen, and so do I. Do you agree, Fairy Master?"

Shi Feixuan remained silent.

She couldn't deny Lu Chen's words, because if Lu Chen went to the battlefield, whichever side he stood on would almost certainly win.

Cihang Jingzhai, with its strength as the leading righteous sect in the world, can choose and support a wise ruler.

Lu Chen could also use his personal strength, such as assassinating King Po Jun, to support a wise ruler.

this moment.

Shi Feixuan suddenly realized that Lu Chen was not only extremely difficult to communicate with, but he also had the power to influence the fate of the world.

There was a long silence.

Shi Feixuan sighed softly, her bright eyes, seemingly brimming with the light of dawn, looked at Lu Chen and asked in a low voice:
"May I ask, Brother Lu, which warlord in the world today could meet your discerning eye?"

Lu Chen asked curiously:

“Didn’t you hear me clearly, Fairy Master? What I said was, ‘As long as I’m willing.’ This can also be interpreted as, ‘If I’m not willing, it doesn’t matter who becomes emperor.’”

"..."

this person!
Even though Shi Feixuan's swordsmanship had reached the level of "telepathic understanding," her emotions were still in turmoil, and her cheeks almost turned red.

"I will not return the He Shi Bi jade to you."

Lu Chen's tone was decisive:

"Such a treasure for cultivation is too wasteful to pass on to the emperor. It's better to give it to us cultivators. If you, Fairy Master, still want to continue the activity of selecting a wise ruler, you can get a good piece of jade and carve a fake one."

Shi Feixuan clenched her fists.

After a long while, she finally let out a long breath and smiled slightly at Lu Chen:
"Brother Lu fought Qu Ao in a fierce battle at Manqing Courtyard last night. His swordsmanship was superb, which I greatly admire. I am also a swordsman, and I wish to use all my skills to test my abilities against Brother Lu. If I am fortunate enough to win even a single move, I humbly request that Brother Lu return the He Shi Bi to me."

Lu Chen couldn't refuse the swordsmanship contest.

Especially the swordsmanship of the "Compassionate Voyage Sword Manual".

But there's no reason why he should be the only one to place the bet.

"If I win, what will Master Fairy do?"

“If Brother Lu wins, Feixuan promises that Jingzhai and the Buddhist sect will no longer bother Brother Lu about the He Shi Bi.”

Despite trying her best to calm herself down, Shi Feixuan couldn't help but say something else, tinged with a hint of defiance, after saying the previous sentence:

"Feixuan will find a good piece of jade herself and carve a fake one."

"Not enough." Lu Chen shook his head.

"What does Brother Lu want?"

"..."

This time, Lu Chen was stumped by the question.

Because he discovered that he was invincible because he had no desires.

Aside from witnessing the Cihang Sword Manual, it seems I have no other need for Buddhism...

"Alright, if I win, then Fairy Master will owe me a favor. You can repay it later when you've thought it over."

[This chapter is 8K words long, and has been combined into one chapter. Please vote with your monthly tickets!]

(End of this chapter)