You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

Before he finished speaking, he bent his knees and sprang forward, charging towards Lu Zuo at lightning speed!

Its sword pierced the air, creating a whistling sound, and its blade flashed with a cold light. The attack was sharper and faster than before!

"Who on earth wants to kill me?"

Lu Zuo was filled with doubt. Could it be Kong Fan?

Thinking this, he didn't stop moving, but his body had only moved a little distance when another sharp thorn came flying through the air!

"Such a clear trajectory!"

Because of the sudden attack just now, Lu Zuo could only roughly judge the direction of the sharp spike's attack. But now that he is focused, he can accurately judge its flight trajectory!

With a snap, a fragment of the demonic blade in his hand instantly flew out and headed towards the trajectory of the sharp spike.

Clang!

The two collided violently, producing a crisp sound and sparks flying in mid-air, knocking the sharp spike away.

However, the fragments of the demonic blade continued their relentless advance, still trailing a streak of azure light in the air as they hurtled and shot forward!

After walking for more than twenty feet, it suddenly darted into the trunk of a tree, causing the branches to shake and leaves to fall in a flurry.

Almost at the same time!

The other man's sword was already upon him. Lu Zuo took a half step back, raised his longsword, and struck the blade.

A clang!

The opponent felt an immense force sweep over him, and the sword tip immediately deviated from its target, being guided diagonally upwards, grazing past Lu's left eyelid.

Just as the two figures crossed paths, Lu Zuo bent his arm and suddenly stopped!

He slammed his elbow into the other man's chest!

Bang!

The man's forward momentum came to an abrupt halt, and he was then thrown backward like a kite with a broken string.

While you are sick, I will kill you!

Lu Zuo stomped his feet hard on the ground, causing the soil beneath his feet to collapse several feet. Using the force of the recoil, he transformed into a swift and powerful figure, his blade aimed directly at the retreating swordsman!

chi chi chi...

Just then!

A series of sharp whistles came hurtling down from overhead!

Lu Zuo quickly stopped his attack and retreated again and again, stopping only after more than ten feet.

Immediately, he saw countless shimmering spikes embedded in the spot where he had just been and in his path.

"Hahahaha..."

"Amazing, amazing!"

"Brother Lu's swiftness in responding to the enemy is unmatched by anyone I have ever seen in my life."

A hearty laugh came from behind.

Lu Zuo turned around and saw Chu Yunlong dressed in black, pulling off his mask to reveal his true face.

"I was hoping to throw Brother Lu into a bit of a mess."

A graceful figure leaped down from a nearby treetop; it was Huang Ye.

She smiled faintly, walked to Lin Ruhai's side, and helped him up: "Are you alright?"

Lin Ruhai pulled off his mask, rubbed his chest, and frowned: "The injuries aren't serious, but it hurts so damn much!"

"Gentlemen..."

Lu Zuo suddenly realized: "Are you testing me?"

Chu Yunlong walked over and nodded: "A martial arts spar is, in the end, just a spar."

"The experience gained is only useful for competing with others, and not very applicable to life-or-death battles."

"Therefore, I, Chu, had no choice but to take it upon myself to ambush here and strike suddenly, to hone Brother Lu's reaction and experience in the face of the enemy."

"Hehe..." Huang Ye chuckled, "We were thinking that we could cause Brother Lu some trouble, more or less."

"I never expected Brother Lu to react so quickly!"

"If we continue fighting, even if the few of us win, the cost will be considerable."

The three of them risked injury to help him gain experience, and Lu Zuo naturally had to accept this favor.

He immediately bowed in thanks, chatted with the others for a while, and then found an open space to continue their sparring.

Although Chu Yunlong and his companions were not as skilled as Lu Zuo, their experience in the martial world and in combat far surpassed his by several times.

If we compare reality to a game.

Cultivation level and techniques are equivalent to the attributes and skills of a game character.

Experience is simply practice.

How to position oneself, how to unleash skills, etc., are all profound subjects.

……

For the next few days, Lu Zuo's life was very regular.

During the day, he would take a nap in the Hall of Mental Cultivation and then go to play with Kong Fan's wife.

In the evenings, they would spar with Chu Yunlong and his friends, discuss martial arts principles, and expel toxins from their bodies...

Through his exchanges and discussions with the three, Lu Zuo absorbed valuable knowledge like a sponge, growing stronger and more robust day by day.

The deadly poison attached to the meridians has been cleared in six places, and all attributes have been improved.

In particular, the increase in his understanding of the Dao is extremely important for his growth!

Lu Zuo is now able to understand, to some extent, the reflections left by Lu Shiyu.

……

That day, Lu Zuo, as usual, traversed the dense forest to find Chu Yunlong and the others.

But just before they arrived at the cliff, they saw that they were already waiting there.

All three were dressed in dark robes, holding weapons in their hands, with solemn expressions, resolute eyes, and a deep, unfathomable aura.

He stopped and glanced at the group, sensing that something was off.

"Brother Chu..."

He had only uttered two words when Chu Yunlong waved his hand, interrupting Lu Zuo's attempt to speak.

"Brother Lu, we're leaving tonight."

"I can never repay your life-saving kindness, and besides..."

After a pause, Chu Yunlong sighed, "And I may never be able to repay my brothers in this lifetime."

Lu Zuo frowned slightly, vaguely sensing that the group seemed to be heading to their deaths...

He thought for a moment and then asked, "What are you all going to do?"

Huang Ye: "Something big has happened!"

"This is the reason we came to Jiankang."

Lin Ruhai: "We've discussed it and decided that before we part, we must let Brother Lu know our true identities."

"To be honest, the three of us are all wanted criminals of the imperial court and leaders of the Nantong rebels!"

The cheat system had already given him a hint, so Lu Zuo wasn't surprised. He was just curious about what these three were planning to do.

"Brother Chu, Brother Lin, Miss Huang."

"We've known each other for quite some time now, and I've long considered you all close friends."

"Regarding the matter you all wish to undertake, I wonder if I, Lu, may be of any assistance?"

Chu Yunlong: "This journey is fraught with certain death. Not to mention you alone, even if two or three more Lu Zuos came, they wouldn't be able to return alive."

"What exactly do you want to do?"

Chu Yunlong took a book from his pocket and handed it to Lu Zuo: "We're going to assassinate the Prefect of Nantong!"

"This has nothing to do with you, you don't need to get involved."

"The martial arts techniques we three have learned have all been recorded in this book. Brother Lu, please keep it safe; consider it a parting gift."

After saying that, he shoved the book into Lu Zuo's arms, turned around, and said in a deep voice, "Let's go."

Just as the three were about to leap down, a shout suddenly rang in their ears!

"etc!"

The group turned to look, and saw Lu Zuo step forward and say in a deep voice, "Now that things have come to this, I will no longer hide my identity."

"Gentlemen, I am the current Emperor of the Great Chen Dynasty!"

ha?

Chu Yunlong and the other two stared wide-eyed...