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

Chapter 43, pages 47 and 48: The young dragon girl outwits the villains.

Upon seeing the crack on the log, Huang Rong's eyes lit up, and she quickly went over to take a closer look. She saw that the crack was much thinner than that made by a real sword blade, and it looked as if it had been cut by a thin, sharp blade as light as a cicada's wing.

But even the thinnest crack left by the sword's edge can be fatal if it strikes a vital point. She stared intently at Lu Chen, excitedly saying:
"If it can cut through wood, it can cut through a person. Your sword light has real power."

Lu Chen nodded and smiled:

"The power of the sword's edge is about the same as that of a real sword. It's enough to kill enemies, but it's a bit short. And it can't be launched outwards; it has to be attached to the blade. It's just like giving the longsword an extra inch of killing range."

Huang Rong said with a smile:
"Even if it's only an inch long, it can be of great use if it's used unexpectedly."

Lu Chen understood what she meant.

When facing an enemy, one should not initially unleash the sword's brilliance, but instead use normal swordsmanship to mislead the enemy into misjudging the attack range of the sword in one's hand, and then suddenly unleash the sword's brilliance at the crucial moment.

In a battle between masters, sometimes the difference of a hair's breadth can determine victory or defeat, even life or death. That extra inch of attack range can instantly change the course of a battle in a crucial moment.

At this moment, Huang Rong crossed her arms and pondered for a while, then snapped her fingers and said with great enthusiasm:
"Right now you can only unleash a tiny inch of sword light. As your skill deepens, the sword light will likely grow longer. At that time, if your sword light can change length and brightness at will, changing unpredictably, even if your enemies know you have this skill, they will be completely bewildered and unable to cope."

Lu Chen laughed:

"Indeed. The sword light is sometimes long and sometimes short, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, and the attack distance changes constantly, making it difficult to predict. Even I would have a headache if I encountered such a swordsman."

However, this method of using sword energy requires an extremely high level of control over one's inner energy.

If one cannot control one's true energy to a minute degree and change it at will, it will be difficult to make the sword light change at will at any time.

However, this was not difficult for Lu Chen.

Without the ability to control one's own true energy with exquisite precision, he could not have developed the "sword aura" so quickly.

The only problem is that activating the sword's aura consumes a bit too much internal energy.

The true energy consumed by unleashing the sword's light and striking once is equivalent to the energy he normally channeled into his longsword to unleash ten consecutive attacks in one go.

So it's best not to show off your sword skills unnecessarily. Instead, as Huang Rong said, use them wisely in an "unexpected" way.

With the sword's edge now formed, the training over this period has yielded significant results.

Although this tiny sword light was rather pathetic, and far from being comparable to the Flaming Blade or Six Meridian Divine Sword that could be released and shot several feet away at will during the Tianlong era, it was at least another magical technique.

Furthermore, the attack range of the sword beam can be continuously increased as his skill improves.

This achievement is certainly worth celebrating.

Huang Rong specially sought out some seasonal wild vegetables and caught fish and shrimp in the stream, preparing a sumptuous wild vegetable feast for herself and Lu Chen to enjoy.

After the celebratory feast, the two took a walk along the creek to digest their food.

Huang Rong walked ahead with her hands behind her back, her movements light and cheerful, speaking in a light and lively voice:
"You've practiced the Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian (a martial arts manual), greatly improving your skills. Now, with this sword aura, you can be considered to have a unique skill. In the future, when your skills become even more refined, and the sword aura becomes longer and more unpredictable, even the most ordinary sword techniques will have many unexpected variations, turning into unpredictable and surprising moves. At that time, even the Five Greats might not be unable to put up a fight."

She turned around, walking backwards with her back to him, and smiled sweetly at Lu Chen:
"As for now, I think that below the Five Greats, Brother Lu Chen, you should have no rivals."

Lu Chen wasn't too arrogant; he simply looked at her bright smiling face and said with a smile:
"Below the Five Greats, there are still some masters. Qiu Qianren, the Iron Palm Water Skimmer of the Iron Palm Clan, is a master who is qualified to participate in the Mount Hua Sword Tournament. If I met him now, I would most likely still be no match for him. There is also Zhou Botong, the Old Urchin, who is also a peerless master who doesn't even know how powerful he is."

"Old Urchin?" Huang Rong laughed. "He's my good friend. I ran away from home because my father wouldn't let me go play with him. I got so angry that I had a big fight with him... I didn't see how good Old Urchin's martial arts were, but he's definitely a master at playing marbles. I can't even beat him."

Lu Chen smiled too. The old rascal was indeed a wonderful person to be able to play with Little Huang Rong.

He's just too out of touch with reality, and speaks without thinking, which can be unbearable at times.

The reason he was imprisoned for fifteen years with his legs broken by Huang Yaoshi was because when he went to Peach Blossom Island to question Huang Yaoshi about the Nine Yin Manual, he heard that Huang Yaoshi's wife had died. He sincerely congratulated Huang Yaoshi, saying that the death of his wife was a great thing, and that he could now concentrate on practicing martial arts.

This angered Huang Yaoshi, resulting in Huang Yaoshi having his leg broken and being imprisoned.

“Brother Lu Chen, we’ve been practicing the Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian for a while now, and you’ve even mastered the sword aura. Shouldn’t we go into the Ancient Tomb again? Of the Nine Yin Manual in the secret chamber, I’ve only memorized the Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian; there are still many techniques I haven’t memorized yet.”

"Yes, we'll go into the ancient tomb again tomorrow. We'll also find Mochou and reveal the Nine Yin Manual to her, so she can do something for her sect. That would be a way to make up for our trespassing."

"Great! Sister Mochou might be quite startled if she sees us popping out of the ancient tomb..."

Seeing Huang Rong grinning as if she were plotting something mischievous, Lu Chen couldn't help but shake his head with a smile:

"Rong'er, don't try to scare people. There are still children in the ancient tomb."

Huang Rong nodded repeatedly:

"Yes, I know. She's Mo Chou's junior sister, Little Dragon Girl. I won't scare children."

When Huang Rong escorted Li Mochou back to the Ancient Tomb, Li Mochou told her and Lu Chen about the general situation of the Ancient Tomb Sect, so Huang Rong already knew that Li Mochou had a little junior sister who was only five years old.

"Sister Mochou said her junior sister is very cute. I'll have to see just how cute that little one really is tomorrow..."

……

The next morning, Lu Chen and Huang Rong once again entered the ancient tomb through the secret passage of the underground river.

Having learned the "Breath-Holding Secret Technique," Lu Chen's underwater stealth ability has become stronger. He no longer needs to rely on the weight of the Xuan Tie Heavy Sword to stabilize his body, so this time he only brought the Qing Gang Sword.

Upon arriving at the secret chamber where a portion of the Nine Yin Manual was inscribed, the two took out clothes wrapped in oiled paper and changed into them before beginning to examine the inscriptions.

Last time, Huang Rong only memorized the "Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian" and learned the "Breath-Holding Secret Technique" from Lu Chen on the spot. This time, she memorized all the skills, including the "Acupoint Unlocking Secret Technique," "Soul Transfer Technique," and "Great Demon Subduing Fist."

After memorizing all the martial arts techniques carved on the wall, the two began searching for the secret passage leading to the upper level of the ancient tomb.

Huang Rong was skilled in mechanisms and quickly found a mechanism in the secret chamber. After opening it, a stone staircase leading upwards was revealed. Following the staircase, she arrived at a stone coffin.

Lu Chen yanked open the heavy coffin lid, revealing an empty stone hall with five stone coffins on display.

He turned back, took Rong'er's small hand, and led her out of the stone coffin. He didn't linger in the tomb chamber where the dead were actually buried. He bowed twice to the stone coffin among the five coffins, the one that was clearly sealed and contained the coffin of Lin Chaoying, the founder of the ancient tomb, and then quickly left.

The ancient tomb was riddled with traps, so the two dared not venture in recklessly. Huang Rong led the way, carefully surveying the area, avoiding the traps, and memorizing the route. After a while, they arrived at a closed stone door. Just as they found the mechanism to open the door, a young girl's voice suddenly came from ahead:

"Who is there?"

Along with the sound, a light shone over.

Lu Chen and Huang Rong looked towards the lamplight and saw a little girl, about five or six years old, wearing a white dress, with her hair in two buns, and with a delicate and beautiful face like a snow doll. She was carrying an oil lamp in one hand and lifting her skirt with the other, and she was running over with a pattering sound.

Upon seeing Lu Chen and Huang Rong, the little girl was not afraid at all. Instead, she opened her big, bright eyes and looked at them curiously, asking in a slightly childish voice:

"Who are you?"

Without a doubt, this little girl is the famous Little Dragon Girl.

However, she is still just a "young dragon girl" and has not become cold and aloof because of cultivating the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra. She is still a lively little girl who is full of curiosity about new things.

Huang Rong looked at Xiaolongnu and said with a grin:
"The little one is indeed quite adorable. Your name is Little Dragon Girl, right?" "Huh, how did you know my name?"

Little Dragon Girl's mouth was slightly open, her rosy little face full of surprise:
Are you ghosts?

Huang Rong made a face at her:

"We are ghosts! Are you scared?"

Little Dragon Girl took a step back in shock, but quickly raised the oil lamp high to illuminate the two of them. She then looked down at the ground, pouted, pointed at Huang Rong, and said angrily:
"Sister, you're lying. You're not ghosts. There are shadows on the ground."

"This little one is really clever and brave, just like me when I was a child."

Huang Rong walked up to Xiaolongnu with a smile, squatted down, gently pinched her rosy cheeks, and said:
"This elder sister's name is Huang Rong, and this is Brother Lu Chen. We are your senior sister Li Mochou's friends. We need to see her. Could you please call her over?"

"Um……"

Little Dragon Girl looked at Huang Rong, then at Lu Chen, frowned for a moment, and nodded:

"Okay, you guys wait here, I'll go call your senior sister for you."

Without waiting for Huang Rong's reply, he picked up the oil lamp, lifted his skirt, and hurried back the way he came.

Rounding a corner, Xiaolongnu glanced back, and seeing that Huang Rong and Lu Chen were no longer in sight, she patted her chest in relief. She then meandered through the intricate tomb passages until she arrived at a chamber lit by candles. Entering, she said:
"Master! Master! There are bad people!"

The tomb was empty except for a straw mat on the floor, where a woman in her forties was sitting cross-legged in meditation.

Upon hearing the news from Xiaolongnu, she opened her eyes, looked at Xiaolongnu calmly, and asked:

Where are the bad guys?

This woman was none other than Li Mochou and Xiaolongnu's master, Lin Chaoying's personal maid, and the current leader of the Ancient Tomb Sect.

"Right over there!"

Little Dragon Girl pointed in the direction of the "bad guys" and said seriously:

"They were so scary! One of the girls even made a funny face to frighten me. She also lied to me, saying they were my senior sister's friends and wanted me to help them lure her away. Luckily, Long'er was quick-witted and didn't fall for it. She pretended to agree and quickly ran to find her master!"

"Someone actually broke into the ancient tomb?"

The sect leader of the Ancient Tomb Sect frowned slightly, but his expression remained calm, showing little anger. He simply murmured:
"Looking for Mo Chou? Could it be an enemy Mo Chou has made outside?"

He then got up and went to the wall, took a long sword from the sword rack on the wall, and took Xiaolongnu's small hand:

"Take me to them."

"Okay." Little Dragon Girl nodded obediently, then asked, "Master, should we call Senior Sister too?"

"She is still being punished and will be detained for a full month before she can be released."

The head of the Ancient Tomb Sect said calmly:
"Let me deal with the invading enemy first, then I will go and find her to find out what happened."

"Okay." Little Dragon Girl obediently responded and led her master toward the direction where the two "bad guys" were.

After another winding and turning path, Little Dragon Girl spotted a luminous pearl in the distance and pointed in that direction, saying:

"Master, the bad guys are over there."

"Long'er, wait here. If I am no match for you, activate the mechanism and go find Granny Sun and your senior sister."

The sect leader of the Ancient Tomb Sect gave a word of advice, released Little Dragon Girl's hand, and walked towards the light of the luminous pearl with his sword. As he got closer, he saw a tall man dressed in black and a petite girl in a green dress with a red sash.

When the leader of the Ancient Tomb Sect saw Lu Chen and Huang Rong, the two of them naturally also noticed her.

Seeing that the newcomer was not Li Mochou, and that the little girl Xiaolongnu was standing at the corner of the passageway in the distance, carrying an oil lamp and peeking in their direction, Huang Rong couldn't help but puff out her pink cheeks:

"I actually got fooled by that little one! I really underestimated her!"

Lu Chen laughed:

"It's a good thing for kids to be clever. Otherwise, wouldn't they be easily coaxed away by bad guys?"

After speaking, he looked at the leader of the Ancient Tomb Sect, about to speak, but unexpectedly, the leader of the Ancient Tomb Sect drew his sword and attacked in a flash.

The sect leader of the Ancient Tomb Sect had lived in seclusion in the Tomb of the Living Dead for many years and was not used to communicating with outsiders. In addition, because of Wang Chongyang, she felt that there was no good man in the world. Now that she saw Lu Chen, a man, daring to trespass into the Tomb of the Living Dead, she would not waste words with him and planned to take him down first before talking to him.

Her lightness skill and swordsmanship were several levels higher than Li Mochou's. With a single movement, she instantly flew more than ten steps, closing in on Lu Chen. With a flash of her sword, the scattered cold light enveloped all the vital points on half of Lu Chen's body.

Although the Ancient Tomb Sect Leader was not well-known, he had received the true teachings of Lin Chaoying in martial arts. Even though his skill was far inferior to Lin Chaoying's, he was still a great master who could take advantage of the Ancient Tomb's dark environment, traps, and other home-field advantages to strike the acupoints of the madman Ouyang Feng and drive him out of the Ancient Tomb.

Although the price she paid for her battle with Ouyang Feng was severe injuries that led to her death not long after, this was enough to prove her strength.

Faced with such a master, Lu Chen didn't even have time to speak. He could only draw his Azure Gang Sword to first defend against the Ancient Tomb Sect Leader's attack.

clang clang clang clang...

A dense, rain-like sound of metal clashing rang out, and sparks flew as the blades collided.

The Ancient Tomb Sect Leader's figure was elusive, like a fleeting shadow, appearing in front and then suddenly behind, swiftly circling Lu Chen. His dazzling sword light was like snow falling from the sky, or like a cold star falling rapidly, blinding to the eye.

Lu Chen's swordsmanship is sometimes expansive and powerful, like a fierce general conquering the battlefield; sometimes like a sudden gust of wind blowing down petals; and sometimes the sword light is swift and lightning-fast, with fierce and deadly power.

After practicing the "Yi Jin Duan Gu Pian" (a martial arts manual), his skill level increased greatly, and he was no less than the leader of the Ancient Tomb Sect.

After sparring with Hong Qigong for more than ten days, under the immense pressure of the Five Greats' various martial arts techniques being displayed in turn, he has developed a wealth of experience in dealing with masters.

In addition, having sparred with Li Mochou dozens of times, he had become extremely familiar with the Ancient Tomb Sect's swordsmanship and had even deduced a considerable amount of its internal cultivation techniques. Therefore, although his lightness skill was inferior to that of the Ancient Tomb Sect Leader, he was able to keep up with the Ancient Tomb Sect Leader's pace with his steady and methodical approach, exchanging blows and fighting back and forth with her.

Before they knew it, the two had exchanged over a hundred blows.

The more she fought, the more alarmed she became. She had now clearly seen Lu Chen's appearance and knew that he was just a boy not yet twenty, perhaps only slightly older than Mo Chou. So young, yet possessing such astonishing skills...

Who is this child prodigy from?
How did Mo Chou manage to provoke such a formidable enemy?
the other side.

When Little Dragon Girl saw that the villain with the strange name "Brother Lu Chen" was actually fighting to a standstill with her all-powerful master, she couldn't help but widen her eyes in surprise and open her mouth into a half-circle.

After staring blankly for a while, and then glancing at Huang Rong standing guard beside her, she quickly did a simple math problem in her mind:
The master fought to a draw with "Brother Lu Chen" in a one-on-one fight, which means one equals one.

There's also that villainous young lady named Huang Rong eyeing us menacingly. Once she joins the fight, one plus one equals two, which is greater than the master's one. Therefore, the master will be unable to defeat her!

Thinking of this, Xiaolongnu didn't say a word. She picked up her skirt, turned around and ran off to call for help.

Yes, there are Granny Sun and Senior Sister in the ancient tomb. Master plus Granny Sun and Senior Sister equals three, which is more than two bad guys. That way we can win!
[Today's two chapters are combined again, please vote with monthly tickets!]

(End of this chapter)