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

Chapter 175, page 190: A Walking Killing Spree! The Tang Emperor's Scheme!
Having passed Tongguan, the boat has entered the 300-li Guangtong Canal and is heading straight for Chang'an.

Inside the main cabin, Lu Chen sat cross-legged on the couch, comprehending the "Sword Five Imprint".

Suddenly, his robes and hair moved without wind, and his whole body exuded a cold and cruel aura of killing intent, even containing a hint of annihilation.

Lu Chen suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils a deep, dark black, as if leading straight to the deepest abyss, the most deathly darkness. Yet, within that darkness lay a hint of scarlet blood, revealing the coldest, most ruthless, and violent killing intent.

Just as his killing intent was about to erupt, a flash of lightning appeared deep in Lu Chen's pupils.

The lightning, like a sword's edge, instantly suppressed the bloody killing intent and dispelled the darkness and desolation.

The cold, cruel, and murderous aura emanating from Lu Chen also transformed back into a peaceful and serene one.

call--

Lu Chen let out a long breath, a few drops of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his expression became somewhat solemn.

"Calamity..."

His eyes were deep, and he was lost in thought:

"All calamities ultimately point to end and annihilation... Although the path from birth to death is the inevitable one for all living things in the world, and even for the stars and the universe, it is still too dangerous for a human to wield the power of calamities. If one is not careful, one will become a demon."

He had just comprehended the Five Swordsmanship Techniques, and unknowingly, the violent and evil side of his heart was awakened—he was not a pure and flawless saint, so of course there was a dark side in his heart.

Especially with such immense power now, it will inevitably encourage the dark side and breed the evil thought of "doing whatever one wants".

These evil thoughts originated from his own heart and were not "external demons." In fact, some of the evil thoughts that leaned towards killing and destruction were in line with the essence of the Zhuxian Sword Intent, so the Zhuxian Sword Intent would not interfere.

Therefore, it all depends on Lu Chen's own control.

Fortunately, as a training fanatic, he has the tenacity to train to the point of death as long as he doesn't die, so his self-control is naturally good. Now, his spiritual cultivation is also extraordinary, and the mental sword he has cultivated is enough to suppress his mind.

Just now, while comprehending the fifth sword and sensing the "calamity energy," those evil thoughts related to killing and destruction, aided by the calamity energy, almost turned into "demonic thoughts," overwhelming his reason and turning him into a great demon who was a hundred or a thousand times more terrifying than the people of the demonic sect.

As I said before, thankfully we have the "Heart Sword".

Fortunately, the cultivation of "Heart Sword" is strong enough.

"Only when the Heart Sword is strong enough can the fifth level of the Sword be unlocked... It turns out that it's not just a requirement to sense the calamity energy, but also the necessity to suppress evil thoughts. Only when the Heart Sword's cultivation is strong enough can one calmly control the calamity energy; otherwise, one will be controlled by the calamity energy. This is the difference between me controlling the sword and the sword controlling me."

The freedom to do whatever you want is just too tempting.

But Lu Chen knew very well that if he indulged his evil thoughts and did whatever he wanted, he would eventually lose himself completely and become a "calamity demon".

"This Sword Five has a hint of demonic power... No wonder it's called the Path to Annihilation..."

Actually, it's not just Sword 5.

The sword spirit mark in Sword and Fairy 4, "Born to be my person, dead to be my soul," still has a touch of demonic power.

But this is not some kind of magical power.

Or rather, if you can control it, then it's not a demonic art.

Because the cycle of life and death is the fundamental rule of the universe, just as stars eventually burn out, so too will the universe eventually perish.

As long as one can control the "calamity" of Sword Five and not be controlled by it, then one is on the right path, even if that path represents destruction, end, darkness, and annihilation.

"I almost lost control earlier... I need to be more careful from now on. Before studying Sword Five, I should first visualize Sword Four. Or I should do something beneficial to my physical and mental health to clear my mind..."

Lu Chen pondered for a moment, then recalled his feelings during his cultivation, and suddenly a strange smile appeared on his face:
"It turns out that I myself am already a walking massacre..."

Since his debut, he has ended the lives of many people.

Among them were many who were burdened with some mysterious "destiny" and should not have died young.

For example, Ouyang Feng, in the world of The Legend of the Condor Heroes, also has the destiny of being the "Number One in the World," as well as the destiny of father and son with Yang Guo, and the destiny that led to the Dragon Knight incident.

But Lu Chen ended his life prematurely.

All the masters of the Songshan Sect in The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, starting with Zuo Lengchan; Murong Bo and Ding Chunqiu in The Legend of the Condor Heroes; Zhu Can, Li Mi, Qu Ao, and Ba Feng Han in The Twin Dragons...

Especially Ba Feng Han, who also has a part of the protagonist's destiny.

But once the land is submerged, no amount of life can save them; they all perish in the calamity.

Before unlocking "Sword Five", it doesn't matter how many masters Lu Chen kills or how many people he crushes on the battlefield.

However, after unlocking "Sword Five" and comprehending "Calamity Qi", Lu Chen immediately realized that his body was covered with dense "threads".

These strands are the "calamity energy," which is even more mysterious than the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Each strand represents a killing calamity personally brought down by Lu Chen.

The heavier the destiny he carries, the more vivid and robust the calamity energy becomes after he ends it.

Lu Chen could even tell at a glance which of the tribulation energies represented Ouyang Feng, and which represented Zuo Lengchan, Zhu Can, Li Mi, Qu Ao, and Ba Feng Han.

The reason Lu Chen almost lost control just now was because he sensed too much and too dense tribulation energy at once. His killing intent surged instantly, and he almost jumped up to kill everything in sight.

Although his killing intent was promptly suppressed by the Heart Sword, Lu Chen did not relax. He then carefully visualized and nurtured the "Heart Sword" before standing up and stretching his muscles.

Although my mind has returned to peace, my body's energy and blood are still a bit restless, and I want to find an opponent to practice my skills.

Walking onto the terrace outside the main cabin and looking down at the deck, I saw Wanwan, dressed as a female knight-errant, fighting with Dugu Feng with swords.

Since acquiring the "Sword Spirit Mark," Dugu Feng spends at least an hour each day comprehending the mark and pondering sword principles. With Lu Chen's practical guidance, her swordsmanship has improved daily. Now, she has begun dual cultivation with Lu Chen, and her skill is advancing rapidly.

Although Wanwan had no sword spirit mark, she still had opportunities to spar with Dugu Feng and receive guidance from Lu Chen.

A grandmaster of swordsmanship, plus Lu Chen, whom Hong Fu Nu praised as having swordsmanship no less than that of a grandmaster, the "Divine Sword from Beyond the Heavens," two great masters serving Wanwan alone—what a blessing that must be!

Wanwan's "Thirteen Soul-Snatching Swords" has gradually grown into a lush and powerful "tree," and it is no longer like before, where Dugu Feng would defeat her after only a hundred or two moves, leaving her with no way out.

In Lu Chen's view, Wanwan would soon be qualified to be marked with the "Sword Spirit Mark".

After watching Dugu Feng and Wanwan's sword duel for a while, Lu Chen leaped down and unleashed a burst of sword energy with a wave of his hand:
"Come on, join forces to attack me! Today, I'll fight you to your heart's content!"

Amidst the clear shouts, Wanwan and Dugu Feng showed no mercy, using the tacit understanding cultivated through their daily practice to launch a joint attack on him from the left and right.

Soon, Lu Chen was engulfed by their dazzling sword light, which was like falling snow and flashing lightning.

……

Chang'an Imperial City, Taiji Palace, Taiji Hall.

Emperor Li Yuan of Tang sat upright behind his desk, looking at a secret letter that Li Shimin had urgently sent back by a skilled messenger. Li Yuan was over fifty years old, but he looked only in his early thirties. He had fair skin, a handsome face, and bright, clear eyes that shone with a deep and piercing light, revealing his profound inner strength.

The leaders of the Li Clan and the Dugu Clan, two of the four major clans in the Twin Dragons World, are not the number one experts in their respective clans, and they are not even ranked second. But this does not mean that they are weak.

Li Yuan, for example, once traveled with Yue Shan, the Overlord Blade, in his youth. They joined forces to annihilate bandits outside the northern border, and his martial arts skills were quite remarkable. In the original timeline, he even personally led a team to besiege and kill Shi Zhixuan.

Although this was somewhat overconfident and became Shi Zhixuan's breakthrough point, it could still be considered a commendable act of courage.

now.

Li Yuan first read the secret letter word by word, then read it again from beginning to end. His brow furrowed slightly as he looked at his most trusted friend, Pei Ji, the Right Vice Minister of the Tang Dynasty, and said:

"Shimin wrote that Lu Chen, the Divine Sword Prince, seems to want to move to Chang'an."

Pei Ji's eyes lit up:
"Is the Divine Swordsman coming to settle in Chang'an?"

Li Yuan nodded:

"According to what Shimin said in his letter, the Divine Sword Prince seems to have this intention."

Pei Ji was overjoyed:

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! The Divine Sword Prince has twice broken through enemy lines and killed kings, especially in the Battle of Mangshan, where he slew Li Mi, earning him unparalleled prestige. Even the He Shi Bi jade is in the Divine Sword Prince's hands. His settling in Chang'an is surely a declaration to the world that he is optimistic about the future of our Great Tang. In this way, our Great Tang will gain even more popular support!"

Li Yuan shook his head and smiled bitterly:

"I also hope so. But, did the Divine Sword Prince come to Chang'an truly because he has faith in our Great Tang?"

Pei Ji was slightly taken aback:
What are Your Majesty's concerns?

Li Yuan's eyelids drooped, his eyes revealing worry.
"Lu Chen is too close to those two lads, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling. He helped Kou and Xu by defeating Yang Xuyan in Jiangdu, Qu Ao in Luoyang, and Li Mi in Mangshan. And Ba Feng Han, whom Lu Chen killed in Xiangyang, is also said to have chased after Kou and Xu..."

“If it weren’t for the discrepancies in age and surname, I would have suspected that Lu Chen was the biological father of Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling. And Kou and Xu hold the secret of the Yang Gong Treasure Vault… How could we know that Lu Chen’s arrival in Chang’an wasn’t a prelude to Kou and Xu opening the Yang Gong Treasure Vault?”

Li Yuan had already determined that Yang Gong's treasure trove was located in Chang'an.

Although he did not know where the entrance to the treasure vault was, nor how to open it, he had arranged for experts to bury jars in the ground at multiple locations within Chang'an City, taking turns day and night to listen for any activity underground.

He will know immediately once the treasure vault is opened.

He was a landlord in Chang'an, and he was absolutely certain that he could seize the Yang Gong Treasure Vault after Kou and Xu opened it, but now...

Pei Ji was also startled:
"If that's the case..."

After exchanging glances with Li Yuan, both men looked dejected and helpless.

After the Battle of Mangshan, Lu Chen's status was already considered extraordinary.

Given his current prestige, in this time of great chaos and warlord rivalry, no warlord would dare to offend him unless they wanted to suffer the same fate as Zhu Can and Li Mi.

Whatever Lu Chen wants, he only needs to mention it casually, and countless people will rush to flatter and fawn over him. He doesn't need to serve any power at all.

Even the feudal lords had to actively curry favor with him, not seeking his allegiance, but only hoping that he would remember their favor and not help their rivals.

Although Li Yuan was the Emperor of Tang, he was still just a regional power and far from unifying the country.

To the west, Xue Ju and his son threatened the Li Tang dynasty's rule over Guanzhong, while to the north, Liang Shidu and Liu Wuzhou, who were allied with the Turks, were eyeing the region covetously.

Given Li Tang's current power, they really don't have many bargaining chips to win over Lu Chen.

If Lu Chen really wanted to help Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling obtain Yang Gong's treasure trove, what could Li Yuan and the others do?
A coordinated attack by top experts?

However, according to Li Shimin's secret letter, Lu Chen once withstood a blow to the throat from Li Mi's steel spear on the battlefield of Mangshan without sustaining any injury.

Even with such a vulnerable and vital area as the throat, Lu Chen was not afraid of being struck by the sharp weapons of a master of Li Mi's caliber. Where could the Li Tang find a master who could injure Lu Chen?
Well, they didn't know that Lu Chen was currently only immune to attacks from experts of Li Mi's caliber in his throat, crown of the head, and temples.

I'm still afraid of the other vital points.

Only six months later, when his entire body has been "forged in the arts," Lu Chen will truly be indestructible.

Even a master of Li Mi's caliber would be completely unable to harm him.

"Could you please ask Master Ning..."

Pei Ji shook his head as soon as he uttered the name.

Let alone whether they can persuade Ning Daoqi.

Even if he were to be summoned by chance, Master Ning would never kill, always leaving himself an escape route.

Given Ning Zhenren's fighting style, he might be able to defeat a top expert like Lu Chen, who possesses a superhuman physique, but he would definitely not be able to kill him.

If Lu Chen were to escape and harbor resentment towards the Li Tang dynasty, he could turn around and stand in the ranks of Xue Ju, the "Overlord of Western Qin," wielding two massive hammers each weighing 800 jin (approximately 400 kg), leading the Western Qin army into battle. In that case, the great city of Chang'an would likely be taken over by the Xue family.

"The good news is that Lu Chen accepted the manor gifted by Shimin, and even sparred with a group of experts under Shimin's command, giving them guidance. They got along quite amicably."

At this moment, Li Yuan mustered his spirits and delivered some good news, adding:
"In addition, Lu Chen wants a hot spring palace in the Lishan Palace. I plan to allocate the Feishuang Palace and the Jiulong Palace to him, and select a group of palace maids to serve him. All expenses will be covered by my private treasury."

The Feishuang Hall and Jiulong Hall are located in what was once the Huaqing Palace during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong.

Although it is not as magnificent and luxurious as the Huaqing Palace built during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, it is still the best palace among the Lishan Palaces.

The Imperial Pool in the Nine Dragons Palace is as large as a swimming pool, where visitors can enjoy a refreshing swim.

This was originally a winter retreat exclusively for emperors of all dynasties.

Li Yuan had originally planned to go and enjoy himself in the winter, but since Lu Chen had spoken up, he decided to give Lu Chen the best of everything.

"Your Majesty is so magnanimous!"

Pei Ji sincerely praised it.

Li Yuan smiled and said, as if to console himself:

"According to Shimin, Lu Chen and my cousin Dugu Feng were very close. Even so, when the Dugu clan was fighting for power with Wang Shichong, Lu Chen did not take action against Wang Shichong. The reason was that Wang Shichong was very respectful to Lu Chen and repeatedly gave him generous gifts."

"I have treated Lu Chen so well that even if I cannot get him to stand on my side, he should not openly make things difficult for me and the Tang Dynasty for the sake of Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling."

Despite this, Li Yuan was still deeply worried and pondered how to strengthen his relationship with Lu Chen.

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(End of this chapter)