Wan Jian returns to his clan!

Chapter 163 Spiritual Concentration, Great Advancement of Sword Intent

"Lord Qiu, should we gather our forces and lend Mingxin Hall a hand to save that woman?"

Diagonally opposite Mingxin Hall, about fifty feet away, atop a seven-story pagoda, a man bowed respectfully, his eyes filled with a hidden yet restrained greed, as he looked at the woman offering incense before the Bodhisattva.

The woman was dressed in a wide robe, her hair was casually tied in a red bun, her skin was as white as jade, and her bare feet were white and spotless.

The woman didn't look very old, probably only in her early twenties, but her eyes shone with a wise and calm light, as if even if the sky were to fall, it wouldn't disturb her heart.

In the man's eyes, the woman before him was just as majestic and awe-inspiring as the Bodhisattva on the high platform, making him afraid to look directly at her.

"Guangyuan, don't rush. You can only do as much work as you eat. Since you came ashore, you have made some achievements and won a 30% share at Changfeng Wharf, but that's only 30%."

The woman's voice was like the tinkling of flowing water, very pleasant to hear, and it also carried a strange, foreign accent, which made Chen Guangyuan's heart flutter slightly, but he dared not miss a single word.

"Does Lord Qiu mean that this matter should be left to someone who is more anxious, and we should sit back and watch the tigers fight?" Chen Guangyuan's eyes were full of surprise.

Thinking that the Heavenly Star Sect only had two members, one of whom was hailed as the "Southern Sword" by Xiangzhou, he was still just a boy under seventeen years old. No matter how strong he was, his abilities were limited.

The other person, a woman, was ranked seventh among the direct disciples on Tianxing Peak. It was said that she had not yet broken through to the sixth rank of internal strength and was not worth mentioning.

What about outside the city?
Their Moon Shadow Hall personnel had long been deployed in various key locations, and they had thoroughly investigated the situation. There was no sign of the Heavenly Star Sect's main force moving eastward. In fact, they even knew the current location of every expert.

Therefore, the two Tianxing experts who came to Dongjun, that is, Cheng Liangyu's reinforcements, were actually only two people. So what was there to worry about?

However, judging from what Lord Wuying Qiushuang said, it seems that the other party cannot be easily humiliated, and if he leads his men there, he is likely to suffer heavy losses.

It would be better to let the Jinghai Division make the first move.

Yes, the dockside trade, on the surface, appears to be just a few gangs fighting to the death for territory.

In reality, the real bulk of the profits came from the Jinghai Division.

Or rather, it was the Jinghai Division and the Dongjun Prefecture, the forces of the imperial court, that took it.

Occupying the legitimate title and protected by a powerful military force, with the imperial court teeming with experts, it was only natural that they would reap 60% of the profits.

"But will they actually do it?"

Chen Guangyuan knew the nature of those government officials well: they would rush to the front when there were benefits, but would stay as far away as possible when there were tough opponents.

"Hmph, they have no choice but to take action. Once you've swallowed something, there's no reason to spit it out."
When Cheng Lin was still alive, they could only get 40% of the share, and even that was considered too little.

Therefore, they secretly plotted to eliminate Cheng Lin and his wife... their hands were stained with blood. After Zhu Ling's death, it was their turn anyway.

Wu Ying Qiushuang clapped her hands lightly, brushed away the incense ash, and laughed, "Besides, killing a young sect leader of the Tianxing Sect is extremely important to them. Jin Lin Qianhu Tong Qi is probably even more anxious than we are now."

"This person is more likely to ruin things than to accomplish anything. His own mishandling of the situation not only prevented him from succeeding, but also caused trouble for Mr. Hongye."

Lu Wubing is indeed not to be underestimated. He was able to defeat Mr. Hongye, so he must at least have the ability to break through stealth. His swordsmanship and movement techniques are both formidable.

However, there is one thing I don't understand: why are these Golden Scale Guards obeying the orders of Prince Gong's Mansion? And what is their purpose in plotting against the Heavenly Star Sect? Aren't they supposed to be in cahoots with the Heavenly Star Sect?

"Heh, you people from the Southern Dynasty..."

A mocking smile curled at the corner of Wuying Qiushuang's lips.

"Guangyuan, you come from a fishing family and have lived a hard life since childhood. Even now, you are still a bit petty and don't understand the thoughts of those high-ranking officials and nobles."

Don't overthink it. Just know that the power of the imperial court isn't necessarily the power of the emperor. Even the emperor of the Southern Dynasty's Ji family might not necessarily be unwilling to let the Tianxing Sect die.

"That kid got off too easy. Let him live a few more days. If Lord Qiu were to take action himself, he probably wouldn't survive tonight."

Upon hearing this, Wuying Qiushuang tilted her head and remained silent for a while before slowly saying, "You're wrong again. Even if all the experts from Yueying Hall were to launch a surprise attack, let alone me alone, we might not be able to take him down."

If I let him escape and he counterattacks, using his superior swordsmanship to launch a sneak attack, it won't matter to me, but everyone in Moonshadow Hall will die.

"It's so."

Chen Guangyuan's body trembled, and he gripped the long knife tightly in his hand, a sudden sense of fear rising in his heart.

He had no doubt about Wuying Qiushuang's judgment.

If this Lord Qiu is indeed a direct disciple personally taught by the venerable Xuanzang on the ship, then Wuyin Hongye can at best be called a servant.

On the day the large ship docked, Itō Yukihara's three swordsmen became famous, sweeping away all opposition with a single strike. Mist-Hidden Autumn Frost, however, wasn't idle either.

She did something even bigger: she sneaked into Prince Gong's mansion and took a paperweight with phoenix blood from the prince's desk.

Moreover, he escaped unscathed despite being surrounded and attacked by the three chief retainers of the Prince's Palace.

This is precisely why the fleet has remained stationary at sea, plundering along the coast for thousands of miles, and has been able to reach tacit agreements with major wealthy families.

Because the Zhenhai Guard troops did not actually launch a proper attack on this fleet.

Being hesitant to act for fear of inadvertently harming the enemy is one thing, but having only a small fleet that poses no significant threat is another.

In Prince Gong's mind, there was really no need to get entangled with a few desperate criminals.

He has more important things to do.

Of course, the outside world had no idea that the assassin who had committed such a great deed was actually such a beautiful and delicate young woman.

It can only be said that one cannot judge a book by its cover, nor can one measure the depths of the sea.

But how could Chen Guangyuan not be shocked that such a powerful expert showed no confidence in front of him?

Is it true or false?
He remembered that when Lord Qiu was facing a ragged beggar, he also showed this kind of apprehension.

It turned out that the beggar was just a figurehead; he was killed when a low-ranking member of the Moon Shadow Blade gang chopped off his arm with a single blow.

He died from excessive bleeding before a day had passed.

This woman was afraid of loneliness.

She is both incredibly brave and incredibly timid.

Chen Guangyuan secretly curled his lip, but on the surface he wore an admiring expression, saying, "You're so clever, you have such good judgment." He tentatively asked, "So we're just going to ignore it?"

"It's not that we're ignoring it, we'll wait..."

A smile appeared on Wuying Qiushuang's face: "Once the Duanshui Sect arrives, we can take action."

If we don't make a move, all is well; but once we do, we can't leave Lu Wubing any chance to escape.

The speed at which this person has grown is truly astonishing; there must be some unspeakable secret about him…

She appeared calm on the surface, but inside she was incredibly anxious.

However, no matter how urgent things are, you can't let your mind get muddled.

Although Wuyin Hongye did some of the things a servant should do, she served the old ancestor Wuyin Xuanzang very well and attentively, and thus learned some of his true skills.

Contrary to what others might have guessed, he is not without ability.

Thinking of that golden seal, a sense of helplessness rose in her heart again; it was simply too difficult to comprehend...

But no matter how little he could grasp, Mist Shadow Red Leaf was not someone that any expert could easily kill.

Hongye died silently, unable to even escape.

If I go myself, the most important servants are not reliable... I might really suffer a loss.

If the Great Master Duan Shui arrives, with his Duan Shui Blade, the best weapon for frontal assault, then killing that person will be a sure thing.

……

"That's all."

Lu Wubing looked at a box that was carried into the room. Inside the box were only purplish-red beads covering the bottom of the box, and he looked slightly surprised.

Although he didn't know exactly how many of these legendary, precious Purple Flame Shells from the deep sea were there, he had heard of them, and that they were brought back ship by ship.

Furthermore, he had overheard Shen Zhuxin mention that when Prince Gong celebrated his birthday, the Zhu family had sent three cartloads of Purple Flame Pearls alone.

People usually send congratulatory gifts in three cars.

Even the smallest carriage wouldn't just carry one or two boxes, and those boxes wouldn't be completely empty.

If it doesn't weigh seven or eight hundred pounds, how dare you use a horse-drawn cart to carry it?

It would be more convenient and faster for two people to carry it.

Therefore, it can be estimated that the Zhu family sent over two thousand catties of Purple Flame Shell Hearts as part of their gift list.

And here, is there twenty pounds?

Besides these remaining ones, very few blood corals remain, only three or five.

This stuff is used for cultivating qi and blood, and its applications are much wider, so the supply can't keep up with the demand. With only three or five plants available, how many people can actually use it?
Cheng Liangyu's expression was also unpleasant. Behind him followed a tall, robust old man with a long white beard, carrying a box of blood jade coral.

Lu Wubing didn't pay attention to the quantity of blood jade coral, but instead focused his gaze on the tall, white-bearded old man. Besides this man, there was also a thin, tall middle-aged man behind him.

The reason these two people caught Lu Wubing's attention was because their bodies and faces were covered with scars, and in some places, the skin had just scabbed over, making them look rather disheveled.

Although they appeared disheveled, both of them possessed formidable auras, with the white-bearded elder's aura being significantly stronger than Cheng Liangyu's...

Lu Wubing carefully sensed the situation and silently estimated in his mind that this person was no less capable than the two Zhu family elders he had met before. He estimated that the other party should also be a first-rate expert, either a third-rank or a second-rank expert.

"This is Shanbo. When my father and mother were still alive, they respected him greatly and he was in charge of the Mingxin Hall's war affairs."

After the incident that day, Uncle Tieshan rushed back, but was caught off guard and ambushed by the poisonous woman. He was imprisoned in the dungeon and was only rescued today.

"Also, this is Uncle Chuan, who is in charge of the gang's money transactions, communication with various parties, and cargo transportation."

Without him, many things at Mingxin Hall were not functioning properly... The venomous woman couldn't bear to kill them, and instead tried to subdue them, tormenting them for nearly a month, almost killing them in the process.

At this point, Cheng Liangyu's expression turned sorrowful, and her eyes reddened again: "And Uncle Ming and Uncle Fang, their cultivation was not high enough, they couldn't withstand the severe torture, one bit off his tongue and committed suicide, the other ran into a wall and died..."

"So it's you two seniors, Shanbo and Chuanshu. My apologies for not recognizing you."

Lu Wubing understood immediately upon hearing this.

These people were actually the team that Cheng Lin and Wen Yuan, the two senior uncles, built up after they went down the mountain to start their own businesses. It would be fair to call them brothers who had been through thick and thin together.

There's an old saying: "A fence needs three posts, and a hero needs three helpers." These people are the brothers that the two senior uncles of Mingxin Hall have won over and subdued...

Back then, the Tianxing Sect was fragmented, and the various branches under its name were in turmoil. Because the main sect's strength had greatly declined, it could not provide any assistance to the branches, and in effect, it had already broken away.

Furthermore, the lineage of the former sect leader, Ouyang Zheng, worked diligently for the imperial court, which made the other branches uncomfortable, and therefore they had not been in contact for a long time.

Without the support of the Tianxing Sect's main branch, each branch could only expand its ranks, gather experts, and devise its own strategies to grow stronger.

Some succeeded.

Just like Mingxintang, it was thriving and became the dominant force in Donghai County.

Jin Yutang is a large and powerful family in Mingyang City with many disciples. In terms of sheer numbers, influence, and wealth, he is far superior to the Wangtian Cliff lineage of Tianxing Peak.

Of course, there were also unsatisfactory aspects.

The Mingjian Hall was located at the foot of the snowy mountains in the western border. It was destroyed by the demonic sect, the Blood Lotus Sect, and its disciples scattered, leaving it without even a hall.

I heard that Ouyang Zheng went to look for him once, but he was almost surrounded and killed by the demonic sect masters in the western border. Since then, he has never made any contact with them again.

As for Mingfa Hall, although it still retains the name of the hall, the news that Lu Wubing heard was that the senior and junior masters of this hall seemed to have been reduced to serving as servants in the mansions of high-ranking officials and nobles.

They're the kind of thugs who draw a salary, take orders, and kill for the powerful and wealthy...

It was truly heartbreaking to hear and brought tears to the eyes of all who listened.

The former leader of the Three Divine Peaks, known as the one who could suppress a nation with a single sword, has had his descendants utterly disgrace their sect and ancestors.

These trivial matters flashed through Lu Wubing's mind. He turned his gaze back to the two old men and said with a smile, "Let's not worry about other things for now. The various complicated affairs of Mingxin Hall still require the help of the two seniors."

As a junior, I have some skills in acupuncture, to say the least. I'll treat your injuries first.

He was tortured like this by Zhu Ling's men, his skin and flesh were torn apart, and there were hardly any intact pieces of his body. In fact, it was unknown how many bones were broken.

Lu Wubing could tell that they had come to pay their respects while forcing themselves to be healthy.

Undoubtedly, these two were loyal men, which earned his respect.

"Thank you, young sect leader."

The white-bearded old man laughed heartily, seemingly unconcerned about his injuries: "Young Master Lu, please don't treat us as seniors, just call us buddies."

"Your subordinate, Wang Chuan, will give orders from the young sect leader."

Another thin middle-aged man looked at Cheng Liangyu, a trace of sadness flashing in his eyes, and said gently.

After saying that, he added, "Even though we are in the dungeon, we are not completely cut off from the news. We have heard those traitors talk about the affairs of the martial world and heard of Young Master Lu's divine needle technique, which can bring the dead back to life and heal the wounded. It is truly a blessing for us to be treated by Young Master Lu himself."

If the master were still alive, upon seeing the young sect leader, he would surely be overjoyed and would definitely drink ten jars of fine wine with gusto…”

After the injuries were treated.

Only then did Lu Wubing ask about the whereabouts of Mingxintang's goods.

Not to mention the large amount accumulated over the years, the goods alone for just one month would amount to more than this.

The only explanation is that Zhu Ling used it for other purposes during her time in power.

I just don't know where to use it.

"The Zhu family, it must be the Zhu family. When Zhu Yuanqing came to visit that day, he couldn't take his eyes off the eldest young lady. Afterwards, he even made some outrageous remarks and was kicked out by the master."

Fu Tieshan's face was full of anger.

Now that his injuries had healed, his aura was even more powerful. As he spoke, his clothes were billowed with energy, and his eyebrows and beard stood on end, making him look like an iron lion.

"The Zhu family's territory is mainly in Yuyang City, Wenzhou, where they mainly deal in grain and smuggled salt. They have many skilled fighters under their command and have a huge demand for Purple Flame Shells."

Their family came to Dongjun this time because they urgently needed to send a batch of goods to help with an emergency.

We thought that the second young master of the Zhu family just wanted to gain an advantage, but we never expected that he was a wolf in sheep's clothing and actually joined forces with others to plot against the master and madam.

If I'm not mistaken, once that wicked woman Zhu Ling gains power, she'll undoubtedly be eager to show off, and will pack up all the precious treasures of Mingxin Hall and transport them back to the Zhu family. They're probably already on their way.

"Such a thing has happened, Elder Tie. You should gather your men and investigate carefully to find out the exact location of the goods."

Never resort to violence. If you alert the snake and make it wary, it will only make things worse.

"Old Wang, from this moment on, you will continue to take over the dock affairs. Don't be afraid to spend money."

Recruit more people and acquire cultivation supplies. If anyone obstructs you, there's no need to take action... just remember their identities and report them to the government office afterwards.

"What do you think, Senior Sister?" Lu Wubing asked Cheng Liangyu.

"As Young Master Lu says, Uncle Tieshan, Uncle Chuan, from now on, Mingxin Hall will be returned to Tianxing Sect and will recognize Young Master Lu as its master. You will all obey his orders."

"Yes!"

Their faces glowed with joy.

Having just been released from prison, they had already heard from some of the surrendered servants about Lu Wubing's awe-inspiring power, and felt that they had a bright future ahead of them. At this moment, they were full of confidence.

Although they only found the young sect leader to be gentle and approachable, they were all seasoned veterans who did not judge a book by its cover and showed no contempt whatsoever.

Especially after hearing the stories of the servants and guards recount the events of that time, they had a clear understanding of the situation.

The servants spoke as if they were seeing ghosts.

The method of killing a hundred people silently with a single sword strike was something that Fu Tieshan and his companion had never even heard of.

They were also aware of the strength of those two Zhu family elders in charge of external affairs.

When the incident occurred, Fu Tieshan only had a slight advantage against one person. Against two, he was immediately defeated.

As for the Wangchuan, they couldn't defeat a single one.

But even these two Zhu family experts couldn't withstand a single move from Lu Wubing when they attacked together.

One person was punched to death, all his bones shattered.

One man was overwhelmed by speed and struck through the head with a single sword.

He died a swift and decisive death.

With such martial arts skills and such a temperament, it can only be said that he is much stronger than Cheng Lin, the former head of Mingxin Hall.

If anyone can truly save Mingxintang, it is none other than this person.

'The Heavenly Star Sect has produced such a monstrous genius; the Bright Heart Hall has hope now.'

The two exchanged a glance and hurriedly contacted their subordinates.

They had lived in Dongjun for over twenty years and were very familiar with everything.

The network of relationships they cultivated was astonishing.

Even Zhu Ling, who is arrogant and prone to overconfidence, only wanted to subdue them and did not want to kill them, because such talents are rare.

In just one night, the original affairs of Mingxintang were picked up again.

Furthermore, they also learned some important information.

……

Lu Wubing looked at the last remaining Purple Flame Shell Heart in the box and let out a long sigh.

It's not that these purplish-red beads are useless.

Even without refining it into the Purple Heart Pill and without the aid of auxiliary medicines, simply absorbing its cooling properties was enough to greatly benefit his mental strength.

In just one night, after consuming seventy-three pearls, Lu Wubing felt his mental energy double in strength.

As the Purple Flame Shell shattered and melted, the fiery, restless energy within his spiritual power was gradually suppressed.

Like a cluster of flames, slowly burning deep within a lake.

Although the lake water could not completely extinguish the fire, the heat of the fire could not penetrate the tens of thousands of tons of lake water and affect his mind.

The greatest benefit, of course, is not just the elimination of hidden dangers, but the effect of purifying one's mental energy.

He drew his sword and swung it lightly.

Then they discovered a semi-transparent sword-shaped light and shadow faintly emerging in the void. As the light and shadow appeared, the inner force of the Azure Sea merged into it, giving it a feeling of coming to life.

The sword energy was like a dragon or a snake, constantly twisting and turning, changing with one's will, and possessing an extremely firm yet flexible feel.

Lu Wubing gently waved his sword.

The iron candlestick before the bed was gently brushed by this emerald-green, transparent sword energy. As if skimming across water, the candlestick was severed.

The sword intent has already seeped into the internal energy, beginning to materialize from the ethereal and interfere with the present world.

He has completed 70% of the first stage of innate sword intent, the Yin Void Realm.

As long as you have enough Purple Flame Shell Hearts, you will definitely be able to pass through all the [Yin Deficiency Realm] stages in a short time and reach the [Yang Realm].

At that time, regardless of the quality of his internal energy, he will at least be able to rival Master Bi of the Ziyang Sect in terms of sword intent.

In other words, as long as we don't compare consumption and only the burst of power in a short period of time, it shouldn't be much weaker than his.

Think about this.

Lu Wubing was secretly delighted.

Then they heard familiar footsteps approaching hurriedly outside the door.

Knowing that this was Fu Tieshan and Wang Chuan, who had gone out to gather information, returning to report, he understood.

I wonder if the goods have been shipped out of Dongjun yet?

……

(End of this chapter)