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

Chapter 203, Chapter 218: The Martial Venerable's Decree: The Rise and Fall of the Turks Depend on This Battle!
a few days later.

The vast grasslands stretch out under a sky like a dome, where the wind bends the grass low.

On a lush grassland surrounded by streams, stands a simple tent that looks like the kind that any ordinary herdsman would own.

But at this moment, the most powerful person on the grassland was standing respectfully in front of the tent with his head bowed and hands at his sides.

Behind him, a whole crowd knelt down.

Among them was Chao Gongcuo, the bald, slick-back-haired, white-bearded, and white-browed immortal from the South China Sea.

This veteran master, who was of the same generation as Ning Daoqi and was renowned in the Central Plains, was now prostrating himself on the ground in utter humility, just like the other Turks, as if he were worshipping a god.

I do not know how long it has been.

The tent flap was lifted, and a tall, imposing figure stepped out.

Upon seeing this figure, the only man standing outside the tent also bowed deeply in reverence.
"Greetings, Martial Venerable!"

The Turks prostrate themselves behind them all bowed their heads in devout prayer.

"Greetings, Martial Venerable!"

The tall figure that emerged from the tent was none other than Bi Xuan, the "god" in the hearts of the Turks, the Martial Venerable!
Chao Gongcuo did not sense any particularly overbearing aura.

After bowing to the crowd, I looked up and saw a man who looked to be in his early thirties standing in front of the tent.

He was robust and imposing, with a perfect physique. His bronze skin shimmered dazzlingly in the sunlight. His broad shoulders and upright back gave him an aura of power, as if his magnificent body could support the starry sky.

Those broad, thick hands seemed to contain the most terrifying power in the world.

He wore a simple linen robe, his long hair was tied in a simple bun, and his handsome and heroic face was like a statue cast in bronze.

A pair of eerily charming eyes were set on his high, straight nose. His gaze was deep and cold, giving people a ruthless feeling that he could destroy anyone or anything at any time without the slightest guilt.

This is Bi Xuan, the "Martial Venerable".

A man who, once seen, is unforgettable and even terrifying.

Even with Chao Gongcuo's cultivation level, even though he had fought against Ning Daoqi, one of the three grandmasters, and was proud of forcing out one of Ning Daoqi's "Eight Strikes of the Scattered Hands," when he saw this man, even though the other party did not exude the slightest intimidating aura, Chao Gongcuo couldn't help but feel an instinctive premonition that if he fought this person, he would die within a hundred moves.

Ning Daoqi ultimately did not kill.

When Chao Gongcuo fought Ning Daoqi, he could unleash his full potential without restraint, while Ning Daoqi had to hold back, considering how to defeat Chao Gongcuo without killing him, and ideally, leave him with some dignity.

But Martial Venerable Bi Xuan did not have such concerns.

The grasslands are governed by the naked law of the jungle: the strong prey on the weak, and the mighty are respected.

Bi Xuan's unparalleled martial arts were obtained through a lifetime of constant killing and conquest. It is the ultimate martial art of killing. He doesn't make a move unless he is dead.

Chao Gongcuo could fight Ning Daoqi for over a hundred moves, and even witness Ning Daoqi's "Eight Strikes of the Scattered Hands," but if he were to fight Martial Venerable Bi Xuan, he would certainly not survive to over a hundred moves.

He only glanced at Martial Venerable Bi Xuan.

Chao Gongcuo then lowered his head again.

Earlier, when he and the other Turks knelt before this tent, he was thinking to himself, "I am enduring humiliation and biding my time."

But at this moment, he truly felt awe and reverence for Bi Xuan.

Old Chao's pride had been completely shattered by Lu Chen, and he had already willingly submitted before Martial Venerable, one of the three Grandmasters.

Bi Xuan casually glanced at the crowd kneeling in front of the tent, then his gaze fell on Jieli in front of him.

"Zhao Deyan is dead?"

"That's right, he was killed by Lu Chen!"

Jieli gritted his teeth, his tone filled with resentment.

Zhao Deyan was his most trusted advisor, who devised strategies for him, strengthened the Turkic Khaganate, and devoted countless efforts to it.

For Jieli, dying in Chang'an now was like having an arm severed.

“Lu Chen…”

Bi Xuan savored the name.

This wasn't the first time he'd heard that name.

Initially, it was on his orders that he went to the Central Plains to hunt down Ba Feng Han. His two disciples, Tuoba Yu and Chunyu Wei, who were there for training, returned from the Central Plains with news of Ba Feng Han's death.

The killer's name was Lu Chen, nicknamed the Divine Sword Prince.

At the time, Bi Xuan didn't take it seriously, but only marveled at the outstanding people and abundant resources of the Central Plains, where rising talents were as numerous as carp crossing a river, and genius martial artists emerged one after another.

He heard Lu Chen's name several more times after that.

He single-handedly charged into Garuda's army, assassinating the king and breaking through his ranks.

In the courtyard of Manqing, she fought Qu Ao alone. At first, she was at a disadvantage, but in the end, she reversed the situation and injured Qu Ao.

Later, he stormed the Jingnian Temple alone, forcibly seized the Imperial Seal and the He Shi Bi, and faced the frontal attack of Empress Zhu Yuyan and the sneak attack from behind by Qu Ao. He never turned to face Qu Ao, and killed him with his back.

By this time.

Bi Xuan had already become somewhat wary of the name Lu Chen.

Later, Tuoba Yu and Chunyu Wei went to the Central Plains for the second time and brought back news that Lu Chen had killed Li Mi in battle.

In the past two years, Bi Xuan has heard the name Li Mi more often than any other name.

He even once thought that Li Mi had a great chance of unifying the Central Plains.

Unexpectedly, this overlord, who had never suffered a defeat since joining Wagang and had defeated countless elite soldiers and generals of the Sui Dynasty, died so hastily.

He was killed by Lu Chen, who rose like a comet.

The foremost military strategist of our time.

His martial arts skills were so high that they rivaled those of the three grandmasters.

He possesses superhuman strength and an indestructible body.

Its battle formation is even more formidable than that of the three Grandmasters.

As people's opinion of Lu Chen grew increasingly positive, Bi Xuan's vigilance deepened as well.

As the "god" of the Turks, Wu Zun Bi Xuan's greatest wish was for the Turks to become powerful.

Originally, he did not take the martial arts world of the Central Plains seriously.

Among the martial artists of the Central Plains, those with unparalleled skills, such as Ning Daoqi, were not adept at battle and did not even kill.

While skilled in battle formations, Bi Xuan's martial arts skills were rather average.

It is said that Song Que of the Heavenly Blade is extremely skilled in martial arts and proficient in military strategy, but he is trapped in the poor and remote Lingnan region, which is far away from the Turks and has no connection with them at all.

Furthermore, the Central Plains is currently a battleground for various warlords vying for power, with each faction fighting each other. The Turks' strategy is to support smaller warlords and suppress larger ones, keeping the Central Plains in constant turmoil and bloodshed until it weakens to a certain extent. Then, they will launch a major southward invasion to establish a vast empire spanning the grasslands and the Central Plains.

but now.

Lu Chen emerged from the Central Plains.

On the battlefield, he can be a match for a thousand men, and no one can stop him from breaking through enemy lines and beheading generals. Leading two thousand cavalrymen, he can easily defeat forty thousand strong soldiers and kill their commander.

In the martial arts world, whoever touches him dies. Even if the four great masters of the Demonic Sect came out together, along with many grandmasters and first-class masters, and a total of eighteen people attacked him, they were still cut down like vegetables and slaughtered without mercy.

Only Chao Gongcuo managed to escape.

Most importantly, he is still very young.

He is said to be only in his early twenties.

Bi Xuan did not believe that he, nearing ninety, could outlive Lu Chen.

After reviewing all the news about Lu Chen, Bi Xuan's gaze fell on Chao Gongcuo.

"Lord Chao, please stand up and speak."

"I dare not accept the title 'Lord Chao,' please just call me Old Chao."

Chao Gongcuo spoke respectfully, slowly rising to his feet, his brows lowered and hands clasped, his posture utterly respectful.

Bi Xuan smiled faintly and said:
"I heard that Lord Chao has fought Lu Chen twice and was amazed by his progress?"

"Inhuman!"

A flicker of fear flashed in Chao Gongcuo's eyes:
"From the first time I fought Lu Chen in Luoyang to the second time I surrounded and killed him, less than two months had passed."

"In this short period of time, Lu Chen has gone from being able to fight Chao to being able to kill at will, even cutting melons and vegetables, under the siege of Chao, Zhao Guoshi, Xi Tianjun, Pi Chen, You Niaojuan and eighteen other experts!"
"Such progress is simply inhuman!"

Chao Gongcuo was not worried that exaggerating Lu Chen's martial arts skills would discourage Bi Xuan.

None of the three grandmasters would back down before the battle even begins.

Moreover, Bi Xuan's martial arts are so profound that he is capable of both self-defense and combat. Even if a true god descended to earth, as long as the survival of the Turks is threatened, Bi Xuan would dare to charge forward on horseback and would never be cowardly or retreat.

Chao Gongcuo looked at Bi Xuan with sincere eyes and cupped his hands in greeting:
"Martial Venerable, you are wise. Lu Chen's growth rate is too unbelievable. If we let him grow up, he will probably be the one to call the shots in the martial world and even the whole world, whether it is the Central Plains or the grasslands!"

"The survival of feudal lords, and even the rise and fall of states and tribes, all depend on his single thought!"

Jieli also said in a deep voice:
"Martial Venerable, this Lu Chen despises the foreign races' swaggering and domineering behavior in the Central Plains. He has never concealed this attitude, and Ba Feng Han and Qu Ao died because of it. If Lu Chen does not die, the future of our Great Turkic Khaganate is worrisome!"

Bi Xuan remained silent.

Having cultivated martial arts to his level, he has a mysterious premonition about certain things, even if they haven't happened yet.

At first, Bi Xuan didn't pay much attention to Lu Chen's name, but as Lu Chen rose like a comet, achieving one shocking and even unbelievable feat after another, and gradually became famous throughout the world, Bi Xuan's mysterious premonition gradually grew stronger.

There was a long silence.

Bi Xuan gazed intently at Chao Gongcuo and slowly said:

"Lord Chao, please tell me in detail about the two battles with Lu Chen. If you know any details about Lu Chen's fights with others, please tell me those as well."

Chao Gongcuo's spirits lifted, and he immediately recounted in detail all the battles he knew of Lu Chen, as well as the details of his two encounters with Lu Chen.

Bi Xuan listened attentively, occasionally asking a question or two about the details. Before he knew it, half an hour had passed.

After listening to Chao Gongcuo's gesturing and detailed account of the battle in which eighteen masters surrounded Lu Chen and were then ruthlessly counterattacked and killed by Lu Chen, they were left speechless.

Even Bi Xuan's deep and cold eyes couldn't help but show a slight ripple.

"Lu Chen... even after exhausting his true energy, he was still able to kill three top experts: Bi Chen, Xi Ying, and Zhao Deyan?"

"Not bad!"

"Without the protection of true qi, can he still be indestructible?"

"This... After he exhausted his true energy, he didn't take our attacks head-on anymore, and even dodged the Seven Kill Fist that Chao unleashed with all his might. But even so, he was able to break through the protective true energy of Xi Ying and Zhao Guoshi with his bare hands, and he could also break free from Xi Tianjun's Purple Qi Heavenly Net restraints. His body and bones were so strong that he was like a legendary demon!"

Bi Xuan frowned slightly, pondered for a long time, and then slowly said:

"Let's be lenient with our enemy. Even if Lu Chen exhausts his true energy, an ordinary grandmaster wouldn't be able to break his indestructible body... His divine strength is superhuman; even without true energy, he can still fight a grandmaster hand-to-hand... Ha, could this Lu Chen be a true god?"

"Martial Venerable!" Jieli exclaimed in fear. The Martial Venerable was the god of the Turks, how could this be...

"Lu Chen is indeed very strong, no, extremely strong!"

Bi Xuan said calmly:

"For a martial artist, carelessness and underestimation of the enemy are the path to death."

Jieli gritted his teeth and said:
"Since this child's true energy is not inexhaustible, we can conscript cannon fodder from various races to exhaust his true energy. As for his so-called divine power, once he has exhausted even his physical strength, how much strength will he have left? Will he still be indestructible? Martial Venerable, this child must be eliminated as soon as possible, otherwise he will surely become a great threat!"

Bi Xuan remained silent, his hands clasped behind his back, gazing up at the sky.

The premonition grew stronger, and even the azure sky in his eyes seemed to be shrouded in blood.

"Are the fates of nations and tribes determined by a single thought? A god who controls the destiny of the world?"

The Martial Venerable's lips curled into a carefree smile:

"Even if you are truly a god and wish to hinder the rise of my Great Turkic Khaganate, I, Bi Xuan, will... slay the god!"

Thinking of this.

Wu Zun looked at Jieli:

"Could it be possible to mobilize the entire 40,000 Golden Wolf Army, and then conscript at least another 40,000 servants?"

Jieli's eyes lit up, and he nodded emphatically:

"can!"

Bi Xuan then said:

"Send a messenger to Tuli and tell him to bring his Black Wolf Army. Twenty thousand Black Wolf soldiers, not a single one can be missing!"

Jieli said:
“Tuli and I have a long history of conflict, and he may not obey the call to arms.”

Bi Xuan said calmly:
"Take my token with you. This matter concerns the rise and fall of the Great Turkic Khaganate; he cannot shirk his responsibility!"

Jieli was even more excited:

"Yes!"

Bi Xuan then said:

"Send messengers to inform Liang Shidu and Liu Wuzhou that each of them must contribute at least ten thousand soldiers. They must also prepare some provisions and weapons for my army. If they dare to shirk their responsibilities, I will personally lead my troops to raze their territories to the ground!"

"Yes!"

"This battle..."

Bi Xuan surveyed the crowd before the tent, his gaze indifferent, his tone cold:

"After crushing the Li Tang dynasty and conquering Guanzhong, we will station our troops in Guanzhong, drink from the Wei River, and make Chang'an our secondary capital!"

Jieli trembled with excitement, and together with the equally trembling Turks, they raised their arms and shouted:

"Crush the Tang Dynasty! Conquer Guanzhong! Drink from the Wei River! Long live the Martial Venerable!"

……

In the Zhongnan Mountains.

In the backyard of a simple Taoist temple.

Ning Daoqi stood with his hands behind his back, observing the stars at night. Suddenly, from some mysterious and strange perspective, he saw a military aura rising from the north, like a blood-red wolf howling at the moon, its chilling gaze fixed on Chang'an.

Even with Ning Daoqi's composed mind, a hint of surprise couldn't help but surface in his clear, bright, and wise eyes:
"Wolf, Moon? Moon, Wolf... Bi Xuan? His military might is aimed directly at Chang'an... What is he planning?"

Although the atmosphere in Chang'an was cleansed after Lu Chen swept away the demons, the city of Chang'an and even the entire Guanzhong martial arts world entered an unprecedented state of peace and tranquility.

Li Shimin also defeated Xue Ju, captured Xue Rengao, pacified Western Qin, and the complete stabilization of Guanzhong was just around the corner.

Just when things seemed to be going very well, Ning Daoqi actually saw signs that resembled Bi Xuan leading his troops to attack!

Can the newly established Tang Dynasty survive?

What is even more worrying is that if the Turks are planning a large-scale invasion of the Central Plains, conquering cities and seizing territories, wouldn't the dark history of the Five Barbarian Invasions be repeated?
"I need to go to the grasslands myself to confirm this!"

Ning Daoqi, with a solemn expression, flicked his sleeves and descended the mountain, stepping on the moonlight.

[Please vote with monthly tickets!]

(End of this chapter)