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

Chapter 163, page 178: That Lu Chen, no one can control him!

In front of a bronze mirror, polished to a high shine, its clarity not much inferior to that of a glass mirror.

Dugu Feng looked at herself in the mirror and saw a delicate red mark resembling a flame between her eyebrows. As she made various expressions, the red mark was moved, and the "flame" seemed to come alive, giving people a sense of ethereal and lively beauty.

"it's beautiful……"

Dugu Feng smiled with satisfaction and turned to look at Lu Chen:

"Isn't it supposed to be beneficial to swordsmanship? I don't seem to feel any effect."

Lu Chen was also very satisfied with this mark.

Dugu Feng was beautiful, but she naturally gave off a cold and aloof feeling, like an ice doll that strangers should not approach. Now, with this crimson flame-like mark, ice and fire blended perfectly, making her every frown and smile even more vivid and charming.

Just as he was admiring his masterpiece, she asked about his swordsmanship, and he immediately smiled and said:
"It can only be experienced during cultivation."

"Then I must hurry up and try cultivating!"

Full of energy, Dugu Feng couldn't wait to get up and go to the main room, where he sat cross-legged on the couch and began his cultivation.

Hmm, the martial arts fanatic little phoenix has forgotten that she needs to take the initiative with Lu Chen again, and has become engrossed in cultivation once more.

Lu Chen naturally had no objection to this.

Last night, his meridians and acupoints underwent a major development thanks to the He Shi Bi jade. Today, he also obtained a portion of the essence of the Yin Hou Tian Mo Da Fa (a powerful technique for cultivating and comprehending the arts). He went to his bedroom to start cultivating.

On Dugu Feng's side, after entering the deepest meditation, a strange flash of lightning suddenly appeared deep within her mind.

When the lightning flashed, Dugu Feng's mind was immediately captivated.

Following a mysterious and indescribable feeling, she subconsciously poured her sword intent into the lightning. In an instant, sparks of inspiration burst forth, and all sorts of sword principles came rushing in, immersing her deeply in them and making her completely forget herself.

same night.

When Shi Feixuan returned to Jingnian Zen Temple, she began her daily routine of cultivation and entered the deepest state of meditation.

A strange flash of lightning suddenly appeared deep within her mind.

Given Shi Feixuan's spiritual cultivation at the "telepathic" level, she should have been alerted immediately to this situation resembling an "external demonic invasion."

Cihang Jingzhai has a complete lineage and has long had mature solutions for dealing with various inner demons and external demons during cultivation. Even if Shi Feixuan is temporarily confused by inner demons or external demons, her spiritual sword heart should be able to make a response on its own and awaken her.

However, in reality, when the lightning flashed, her spiritual sword heart did not make any attempt to awaken her stress response. Instead, as if it had been parched for a long time and had found sweet rain, it moved towards the strange lightning without hesitation and threw itself into the lightning. Afterward, it gladly accepted the inspiration and sword principles bestowed by the lightning.

No sword path can resist the intent of the Immortal Slaying Sword.

Like Dugu Feng, Shi Feixuan was deeply immersed in it, completely forgetting herself.

……

Early the next morning, a bombshell piece of news spread throughout Luoyang.

Lu Chen, the Divine Sword Prince, faced off against Empress Zhu Yuyan head-on last night, and while defending against Zhu Yuyan's attacks, he killed Flying Eagle Qu Ao with his back!

"What do you mean by killing with your back? Do you mean smashing Flying Eagle Qu Ao to death with your back?"

"How could the Sword Master's swordsmanship be so grand and elegant? How could he use such a crude and barbaric fighting method as back strike? I heard that the Sword Master uses the acupoints on his back to unleash sword energy, and with a storm of sword energy, he killed Qu Ao alive."

"Sword energy erupting from acupoints on the spine? What... what kind of technique is this?"

"Who knows? Perhaps it's the unique secret technique of the Divine Sword Prince?"

"By the way, who told you this? It's not just a rumor, is it?"

"How could that be? There were quite a few people involved in the battle last night. The Yin Gui Sect mobilized a large number of people, and on the Divine Sword Young Master's side, there was also Dugu Feng, the eldest daughter of the Dugu Clan, along with Kou Zhong, Xu Ziling, and Fairy Shi. More than ten people from both sides fought fiercely, and each of them was a master with lightning-fast movements and the ability to walk on water without leaving a trace... There were also many people watching from afar and saw everything clearly."

"Tsk tsk, to be able to kill Flying Eagle Qu Ao with sword energy while resisting the attack of Empress Zhu Yuyan... Could it be that the Divine Sword Prince's martial arts have already reached the level of the three grandmasters?"

"It shouldn't be. It's said that when the Divine Sword Prince was resisting the Empress Yin's attack, he was forced to retreat seven steps, and he was suppressed by the Empress Yin the whole time."

"In the battle at Manqing Academy, the Divine Sword Prince was suppressed by Qu Ao the whole time, until the last move, when he suddenly turned the tide and injured Qu Ao."

"So perhaps the Divine Sword Prince's cultivation method is special, and his actual combat strength cannot be judged by ordinary standards? By the way, there's another piece of news. It's said that the Yin Gui Sect's enmity with the Divine Sword Prince stems from the fact that he killed Mo Yin Bian Bufu..."

Lu Chen was already renowned, but his battle against Qu Ao at Manqing Academy and his seizure of the He Shi Bi jade at Jingnian Zen Academy further enhanced his prestige.

After last night's battle, his reputation was so great that it was no less than that of renowned figures such as Empress Zhu Yuyan and Heavenly Blade Song Que. He was considered to have martial arts skills comparable to Zhu Yuyan and Song Que. Song Que had not left Song Family Mountain City for many years, and no one knew that Song Que's current martial arts skills were actually worthy of being ranked as a Grandmaster.

As for military affairs, Lu Chen is unique in the world due to his "innate superhuman strength and indestructibility".

Many people believe that if Lu Chen were to appear on the battlefield, it would require at least three grandmaster-level experts whose martial arts skills were no less than Qu Ao's, along with a large number of ordinary experts, or several archers who could draw a bow with a draw weight of more than ten stones and possessed profound internal strength, to possibly restrain him.

But which feudal power in the world could send out such a magnificent lineup?
It seems that none of the feudal lords in the world today have this power.

As for martial arts forces...

The Demonic Sect is full of experts, but it is fragmented and constantly fighting among itself, making it impossible for them to unite against the Divine Sword Prince.

The Buddhist community also has many highly skilled individuals and is very united.

However, it is said that when the Yin Gui Sect besieged the Divine Sword Prince last night, Fairy Shi arrived in time to lend a helping hand with her sword. As a result, many people speculate that the Divine Sword Prince may have returned the He Shi Bi out of respect for Fairy Shi, and the two sides have become friends.

In conclusion, after some discussion...

Whether they were powerful warlords or wandering martial artists, they were all astonished to discover that, apart from the three grandmasters, no one could subdue the Divine Sword Prince!

……

In an ordinary residential area south of Luoyang city.

In the backyard of an unremarkable house, Shen Luoyan spoke to a tall, imposing man with long, flowing hair:
"Master Mi, did you ask Immortal Chao to help you seize the He Shi Bi last night?"

The man with long, flowing hair and a robust, imposing figure was none other than Li Mi.

He also secretly infiltrated Luoyang, where he remained hidden, plotting to assassinate Wang Shichong.

To avoid being exposed prematurely, he didn't even make a move when he tried to seize the He Shi Bi last night.

"Not bad. I had Immortal Chao and Mei Tian give it a try."

Li Mi's voice was deep and gentle, possessing a charm that made people willing to listen to him.

Shen Luoyan's tone was somewhat urgent:

“But Lord Mi, almost no one can control Lu Chen. Even the three Grandmasters, though they can defeat him, cannot necessarily kill him with certainty… We could have tried to recruit him! If we could get him to join us, Lord Mi would be even more powerful, and Luoyang would be within our grasp!”

Li Mi smiled slightly:
"But Luo Yan, you've already tried to recruit him, and Lu Chen remains unmoved, hasn't he?"

Shen Luoyan was silent for a moment, then said:

"Didn't you tell us, Lord Mi, not to provoke Lu Chen?"

Li Mi smiled and said:
"Therefore, both Chao Xianweng and Mei Tian concealed their appearances last night, and seeing that things were hopeless, they withdrew voluntarily and did not fight Lu Chen to the death."

Shen Luoyan frowned: "But they still made a move..."

Li Mi didn't take it seriously.

"Chao Xianweng and the South Sea Sect both came to Luoyang in secret, never revealing themselves publicly. Lu Chen has never dealt with them and wouldn't know who they are. By the time he finds out, I will have already defeated Wang Shichong, captured Luoyang, and formally allied with the Song Clan..."

"Given my status at the time, I could have offered him immense wealth and honor, and I could have also mobilized enough experts to deal with him. If he were a smart man, he wouldn't have bothered with me over such a trivial matter."

Shen Luoyan murmured:
"I hope so."

However, she felt a little uneasy and decided to prepare another generous gift for Lu Chen later, under the pretext of congratulating him on his victory over Yin Hou, who had killed Qu Ao and won a great victory.

……

evening.

Dugu Feng held a gift list and counted the various gifts she had received that day.

The once empty main house storeroom was filled with a dazzling array of gifts in just half a day.

Silk brocades, gold and silver artifacts, precious trinkets, rare medicinal herbs, calligraphy and paintings by famous artists, weapons and armor...

Everything is available.

Lu Chen examined a horse-drawn carriage carved from a single piece of mutton-fat jade, its craftsmanship a masterpiece, and asked:
"This horse is quite beautiful. Who sent it?"

"Let me see……"

Dugu Feng flipped through the gift list and searched for a while:
"It was delivered by Shen Luoyan on behalf of Li Mi."

"Shen Luoyan does have a clever mind, and she's quite loyal to Li Mi, but unfortunately Li Mi has become arrogant..."

Lu Chen shook his head, sighed, and decided that he would give the horse to his father-in-law next time he returned to Peach Blossom Island.

He put down his horse, which was treading on white clouds, and walked to the weapon rack. He picked up a longsword with a sharkskin scabbard and drew it with a clang.

The sword appeared dull and unremarkable, but when he infused it with his true energy, the sword vibrated with a hum, emitting a bright blue light and a chilling aura. Within moments, the entire warehouse cooled down rapidly, becoming as cold as an ice cellar.

Lu Chen casually waved his hand, and a streak of azure sword energy shot out, cleaving a straight, narrow, and deep crack in the ground. Snow-white frost even condensed at the edge of the crack.

"This is a fine sword. What's its origin?"

"The Dongming Sword. It is known as the supreme weapon of the Dongming Sect."

Dugu Feng laughed:
"It was sent by Princess Dongming, Shan Wanjing, to thank you for killing Bian Bufu."

"The Eastern Sea Sword? I've heard of it."

Previously, Lu Chen had heard that the Dongming Sect had issued a bounty on Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling for stealing the account books, offering a reward of a thousand taels of gold plus the Dongming Sword for their heads.

However, the Dongming Sect later withdrew the bounty order.

It is said that Xu Ziling endured a sword strike from Princess Dongming, and the two sides reconciled.

Unexpectedly, Princess Dongming sent the Dongming Sword as a thank-you gift.

On another note, it seems that Princess Shan Wanjing of Dongming has some connection with Ba Feng Han?

She wouldn't hold a grudge against me for killing Ba Feng Han, would she?
Hmm, I might hold a grudge, because the gifts from the Dongming faction were delivered by Shang Ming, the Dongming princess's fiancé.

Bian Bufu was a sworn enemy of Princess Dongming and Lady Dongming.

Lu Chen killed Bian Bufu, so Princess Dongming should have personally come to thank him.

She only sent her fiancé, which clearly showed that she still harbored some resentment towards him.

However, Lu Chen didn't care.

As long as the gift arrives, that's fine.

"This sword can be called a divine weapon. Its sword aura carries a trace of icy coldness, which can slow down the enemy's blood circulation. It feels no less powerful than Kou Zhong's Well Moon or Shi Feixuan's Void Sword. Feng'er, would you like to use this sword?"

Lu Chen returned the sword to its sheath and tossed it to Dugu Feng.

Dugu Feng caught the Dongming Sword and asked with a smile:
"Brother Lu, don't you need it?"

Lu Chen shook his head:
"This sword can at most amplify the power of my swordsmanship by 30%, so it is of no use to me."

It was useless to him, but the 30% power boost would be good for Dugu Feng. Although the Dugu Clan was one of the four great clans and had no shortage of good weapons, divine weapons of the level of Well Moon, Color Void Sword, and Eastern Sea Sword were extremely rare and hard to come by, and even the Dugu Clan did not have them.

Without hesitation, she hung the sword on her waist and continued counting the gifts.

Quite a few people gave gifts today.

Not only did Wang Shichong, Li Mi, the Dongming Sect, and Li Shimin send generous gifts, but many martial arts gangs and independent martial artists in Luoyang also sent gifts, not for any other reason than to give Lu Chen a name and become familiar with him.

The Dugu clan also sent gifts, but they were far less valuable than Wang Shichong's. Lu Chen didn't care, but Dugu Feng was quite dissatisfied—perhaps the Dugu clan felt that with Dugu Feng around, things were already stable and there was no need to waste money anymore.

After roughly counting the gifts, it was already getting dark.

Lu Chen and Dugu Feng went to the main house's dining room, lit candles, and ate the takeout food delivered by the restaurant.

After a satisfying meal, the two went for a walk in the courtyard to digest their food. Dugu Feng casually mentioned her cultivation insights from the previous night.

Lu Chen also started discussing it with her with great interest. When they got excited, the two of them got into a fighting stance and started sparring in the courtyard.

They fought fiercely for about an hour before Dugu Feng reluctantly stopped.

It wasn't that she didn't want to continue fighting, but if she did, she wouldn't be able to hold on.

Every time I fought Lu Chen, I was able to perform exceptionally well, fully utilizing all my skills. I even had flashes of inspiration and insights during the battle. However, my strength, stamina, and even mental energy were depleted very quickly, even faster than in actual combat. Before I knew it, I was exhausted.

At this moment, Dugu Feng was so exhausted that her pretty face was flushed and she was covered in sweat.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve and said breathlessly:
"I can't take it anymore, I need to take a bath and change my clothes..."

Lu Chen, without changing expression or panting, and without a bead of sweat on his forehead, nodded and said:
"Go."

After Dugu Feng went to the bathroom to take a bath, Lu Chen returned to the main house upstairs, entered the bedroom, and began to ponder the essence of the Heavenly Demon Great Art again.

Cultivation without knowing the time.

I don't know how much time had passed, but suddenly I heard light footsteps entering the bedroom.

The footsteps and breath were very familiar; it was Dugu Feng.

However, Dugu Feng usually didn't enter his bedroom when he was cultivating.

Why did he come over while he was cultivating? Is there something wrong?
Lu Chen was puzzled. He opened his eyes and was about to speak when he saw Dugu Feng's attire. He was slightly taken aback and the words caught in his throat.

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(End of this chapter)