I became a Sword Emperor in the Martial Arts World

Chapter 171 Standing on the cusp of a trend, even a pig can fly.

"I'm not dead?"

Duan Ming sat up, then looked at Ye Qingzhou with a complicated expression: "You're not going to kill me?"

What good would it do me to kill you?

"My head is worth 2000 million now."

"..."

Ye Qingzhou suddenly felt a little tempted and subconsciously touched the hilt of the sword. This action sent a chill down Duan Ming's spine and made him break out in a cold sweat.

In the end, Ye Qingzhou gave up the readily available 20 million yuan: "Sigh, what can I do? I'm too kind-hearted."

Duan Ming didn't believe a word of this, not even the punctuation. He had witnessed Ye Qingzhou killing people without blinking an eye at the He family's house. The reason he didn't kill him must be because he had something to do with it.

Duan Ming steeled his resolve and looked defiantly at Ye Qingzhou: "If you want to use me to deal with the Heart Fiend Clan, I advise you to give up. I will not betray the organization."

Ye Qingzhou smiled upon hearing this: "I'm not here to break you up with Xin Sha Liu, I'm here to join you."

"You want to join the Heart-Slaying School?"

Duan Ming frowned, somewhat puzzled by Ye Qingzhou's idea: "You are a martial arts prodigy attracting worldwide attention. The Eastern Extremity Kingdom's government has already taken notice of you. Gu Minghui from the Heavenly Mystery Research Institute, and Qinglong, one of the four great generals of the Imperial Capital's Divine Strategy Army, are representing the government to assess you. When you take the college entrance exam, whether you join the Heavenly Mystery Research Institute or the Divine Strategy Army's military academy, you will undoubtedly have a smooth journey..."

"So, does this mean the Heartbreaker Flow doesn't welcome me?"

Ye Qingzhou spoke calmly. Although he had accepted Gu Minghui's invitation and joined the Tianji Research Institute, there were some things that were not suitable for him to do using his public identity.

"You're ignoring the path to heaven; you must have ulterior motives."

Duan Ming clearly did not trust Ye Qingzhou. If it were the old Xin Sha Liu, he would have welcomed a genius like Ye Qingzhou with open arms.

However, the Heart Sha Sect is now in decline and on the verge of collapse due to the departure of its founder, Zhang Xinwu.

Given Ye Qingzhou's future prospects, it's impossible for him to willingly board the dilapidated ship of the Heart Fiend Stream without a reason.

"This is not something you should be worrying about. Take me to see the Rain Master and let him make the decision."

"it is good."

Although Duan Ming couldn't fathom Ye Qingzhou's thoughts, he truly had no right to make the decision on this matter.

…………

Three days later, in the suburbs of Linjiang.

Dark clouds and winter rain cast a gloomy shadow over the earth.

On the banks of the Xiaoshui River, a tall figure stands between heaven and earth, exuding an aura as majestic as a mountain. Yet, his body and mind are one with the heaven and earth, giving people a sense of "not being able to see the true face of Mount Lu".

The newcomer was none other than Yu Shi, one of the Six Masters of the Heart Fiend Stream, a martial arts expert who has lived from the ancient mythological era to the present day.

"You want to see me?"

"It really was you."

Ye Qingzhou stared at the "person" in front of him and compared him with the time and space image captured in the Douzi Seal. He then confirmed the other party's identity as a powerful member of the Feather Clan under Chi You, a god of the Dongyi Clan, and the Rain Master who once fought against the Yellow Emperor at Zhuolu!

Although their forms are different—the Rain Master at this moment looks like a human, not the Shang Yang Divine Bird covered in colorful feathers—their aura is exactly the same.

"You've broken the Taoist seal on the Dou character?"

With his shrewd and experienced mind, Yu Shi knew the source of Ye Qingzhou's information almost instantly.

Even though his identity has been exposed, Yu Shi's face shows no sign of anxiety. Instead, he calmly looks at the audacious young man in front of him with a composed gaze.

"Tell me, why do you want to join the Heart-Slaying Sect?"

"I want to destroy the Gu family and wipe out the Yuanxue Society's strongholds in the Eastern Pole Kingdom. Neither of these two things is something I can do."

Ye Qingzhou was very honest because lying about such things was pointless.

The Gu family of Xingcheng is a renowned martial arts family. Many members of the family hold positions in the martial arts association and have a deep and extensive network of connections in the local area, making them extremely influential.

In a simple contest of strength, Ye Qingzhou could have easily led Yingyue to storm the Gu family's door and wiped them out.

Killing someone is easy; what's difficult is killing someone without going to jail.

If Ye Qingzhou really dares to openly and brazenly destroy the Gu family, then he can expect to be a fugitive for the rest of his life.

The same applies to the Sweep of the Source Blood Society. Within the Eastern Pole Kingdom, the Source Blood Society owns many legitimate businesses and supports numerous agents. Before these individuals reveal their true colors, Ye Qingzhou is equally powerless to deal with them through legitimate channels due to a lack of compelling evidence.

It's impossible for the authorities to arrest and sentence someone just because of Ye Qingzhou's "suspicion".

But passively taking hits is not in Ye Qingzhou's nature. For a swordsman, offense is the best defense.

Therefore, Ye Qingzhou needed to put on a disguise so that he could act recklessly against these lackeys of foreign forces. After all, they harbored evil intentions and their deaths were not a pity.

Yu Shi was so angry at Ye Qingzhou's shamelessness that he laughed and retorted, "You mean you want us, the Heart Fiend Clan, to take the blame for you?"

Ye Qingzhou felt no shame, but rather pride: "If I become a member of the Heart Fiend Sect, isn't it only natural that the organization would provide me with protection?"

"Aren't you afraid I'll report you?"

"If I don't admit it, who will believe me?"

Ye Qingzhou remained completely unfazed: "Why would I, a promising martial arts prodigy, abandon the light and join a declining organization?"

"Alright, alright, you're practically jumping off my face with your abacus beads."

Yu Shi laughed and scolded, showing no anger at Ye Qingzhou's shamelessness and scheming, but rather admiration: "We, the Heart Fiend Sect, are willing to pay a price, but only if we receive sufficient benefits. So, what benefits can you bring us?"

"Emperor Sword Dragon Abyss".

"Are you willing to exchange it for a divine weapon?"

The Rain Master was quite surprised.

Ye Qingzhou rolled her eyes at him dismissively: "What are you dreaming about? I meant borrowing!"

Although it is unknown what Yu Shi needs the Emperor Sword Longyuan for, the fact that he was able to bring Longyuan out of Lingyun Cave Heaven right under Kang Jinlong's nose proves that the two had made a deal in private.

Moreover, this transaction must be based on the premise of not harming Longyuan.

It's obvious to anyone with half a brain that the Liu family of Xingcheng was able to successfully seize the sword from the Xin Sha Liu. It was all a scheme by Yu Shi, who was essentially making the Liu family do all the work for Xin Sha Liu by repairing the sword soul of Long Yuan.

Then, when the melons were ripe and ready to fall, the Rain Master sent people to pick the peaches.

Unfortunately, Longyuan eventually fell into Ye Qingzhou's hands.

Now that Ye Qingzhou has obtained the Sword Emperor's inheritance, the Emperor Sword Longyuan has rightfully become his property. If Ye Qingzhou continues to stay in Lingyun Cave and refuses to leave, it will be extremely difficult for Yu Shi to seize the sword.

After a brief moment's consideration, Yu Shi agreed to Ye Qingzhou's conditions: "I can forge an identity for you, and you will become my personal disciple, named..."

Ye Qingzhou: "The Ultimate Sword."

"A sword to wipe out all enemies? You certainly have a strong killing intent."

Yu Shi smiled, then his gaze fell on Long Yuan, and he instructed Ye Qingzhou, "Take good care of the Emperor Sword Long Yuan. Don't let me down when I need your help."

"understood."

Ye Qingzhou gave a perfunctory reply and then turned to leave.

Only then did Duan Ming, who had been waiting at a distance, approach with a suspicious look. Although he hadn't heard the specific content of the conversation between Yu Shi and Ye Qingzhou, he could guess the answer from Ye Qingzhou's dejected appearance.

"Rain Master, are we really going to let this dangerous fellow join our Heart Demon Sect?"

"What's wrong? Are you unhappy?"

"No, I'm just worried that the organization will take the blame for him."

"It doesn't matter, more debt is no burden."

Yu Shi didn't care about the life or death of the Gu family of Xingcheng, nor did he care about the revenge of the Source Blood Society. He had lived for five thousand years since he was successfully enshrined as a god in ancient times.

Hasn't he seen enough of the ups and downs of life?

Throughout the long course of history, even dynasties have experienced rise and fall, let alone a single family or a fleeting so-called organization like the Bloodline Society.

If it weren't for the grand plan that had been painstakingly prepared over thousands of years, and the fact that the Rain Master didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble, the Six Absolutes could have easily wiped out the Divine Gang Path if they had joined forces.

Therefore, Yu Shi agreed to Ye Qingzhou's conditions, because Longyuan was an indispensable key element.

Three days later, Ghost Sword Sorrow Duan Ming personally delivered the tokens of the Heart Fiend School: a jade mask and a jade token.

"Both of these items are tokens that can prove your identity. Currently, only Yu Shi and I in the organization know your true identity. Everyone else only knows that your code name is Absolute Sword and that you are Yu Shi's disciple."

Duan Ming handed the items to Ye Qingzhou.

Many members of the Heart Fiend School choose to conceal their true identities, and therefore are accustomed to wearing masks and using specially made tokens to confirm each other's identities.

However, since it is an organization, there is naturally a hierarchy among its members, which can be seen from the materials of the masks and tokens.

Within the Heart Fiend School, members are ranked into five levels: Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Jade, and the highest level, Faceless.

For example, the Rain Master is a Faceless level cultivator, whose apparent cultivation level is Martial Arts Grandmaster.

Ye Qingzhou and Duan Ming are both at the Jade level, which is equivalent to a martial arts master.

Duan Ming was actually very unhappy with Ye Qingzhou, who had just joined the organization and was now on equal footing with him, but there was nothing he could do about it, since he couldn't beat Ye Qingzhou.

Ye Qingzhou took the mask and token and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Huh? They're actually made of corundum! It seems the Heart Fiend Clan is really rich and powerful. Could you give me a few more? I'm afraid I'll lose them."

"!!!"

Duan Ming was so angry he gritted his teeth. How could such a valuable thing be lost?

I can tell you're just trying to take advantage of my heart!

"No!"

Duan Ming immediately dissuaded Ye Qingzhou from such a shameless idea: "It's possible to get a replacement, but it will cost money. Corundum is a top-grade rare treasure, so you'll need to offer something of equal value in exchange."

"How stingy."

Upon hearing that money was required, Ye Qingzhou immediately backed down.

After all, he doesn't know how to craft magical artifacts and doesn't have much need for corundum. Why would he buy this stuff just to store it in his warehouse?

"I'll be going now if there's nothing else!"

Duan Ming didn't dare to linger for even a moment longer, fearing that Ye Qingzhou, that shameless fellow, would make some outrageous demands later.

They even dared to fleece the Heart Fiend Cult! The person in front of him was the most shameless person Duan Ming had ever seen in his life!

Watching Duan Ming flee in disarray, Ye Qingzhou felt a pang of regret: "I feel like I've gotten the short end of the stick."

Yingyue hugged Ye Qingzhou from behind, her soft, delicate body pressed tightly against his back, and whispered in his ear, "What did you lose, my lord?"

"For me, not getting a benefit is a loss."

Ye Qingzhou then put on the mask made of corundum, and his entire aura changed.

"Huh? Your jade mask is actually a magical artifact?"

Yingyue sensed the change in Ye Qingzhou's aura and was immediately very surprised.

You must know that she is a peak Grandmaster of the sixth level of the Ascension Realm, and also a close friend of Ye Qingzhou, yet she couldn't recognize the unfamiliar aura on Ye Qingzhou at all.

"As expected of a work by a celestial being, truly extraordinary."

Ye Qingzhou was very satisfied with the mask. Compared to simply changing one's body shape and appearance, this method of directly changing a person's aura was obviously much more difficult!

Every martial artist has different fluctuations in essence, energy, and spirit. Therefore, under the influence of energy perception, many disguises are difficult to hide from the senses of a strong person and will be exposed on the spot in a matter of minutes.

Especially for master-level martial artists, their energy permeates heaven and earth, and under the light of their hearts, their spiritual perception is incredibly powerful.

Such trivial tricks as bone-changing and body-shifting are a joke in the face of a martial arts master's ability to sense qi.

"The Rain Master possesses such skills, yet he doesn't use them on himself. Is he confident that no one will recognize him, or is he doing it intentionally to intimidate his opponents by revealing his identity?"

After a moment's thought, Ye Qingzhou came to the conclusion: "I am certainly not the first person to know the secret of the Nine-Character Mantra Seal, so the Rain Master must have done it on purpose."

"The art of war is to make the deceptive appear real, and the real appear deceptive; the interplay of deception and reality makes it difficult to distinguish truth from falsehood. Perhaps the Rain Master hasn't fully recovered his strength, so he deliberately exposed his identity to make others hesitate when they want to attack the Heart Fiend. Or perhaps the Rain Master has already recovered his strength but deliberately exposed his whereabouts, intending to use himself as bait for a sting operation..."

Ye Qingzhou instantly thought of all sorts of possibilities. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that Yu Shi was unfathomable and must be an extremely cunning old fox with grand schemes.

Oh well, it has nothing to do with me anyway.

The Heart Fiend Clan doesn't intend to rebel; they just have a somewhat extreme style of doing things. Ye Qingzhou has no prejudice against the Heart Fiend Clan, after all, he himself also enjoys quick revenge.

…………

January 20, big cold.

This marks the end of the year, signifying the passing of winter and the arrival of spring, as the four seasons begin a new cycle.

In many parts of the Eastern Kingdom, there are many important folk customs during the period from the Great Cold to the Beginning of Spring, such as getting rid of the old and welcoming the new, making preserved meats, worshipping the Kitchen God, and the year-end feast.

Yingyue wanted to do as the locals do, so she bought a lot of ingredients a few days in advance and dragged Xiaoyou Ruo into the kitchen to cook a big meal, which broadened Ye Qingzhou's horizons.

Ye Qingzhou was indeed amazed, but what amazed him was not a grand meal, but a pot full of Cthulhu-style dark cuisine stew.

Some ingredients were carbonized under Yingyue's processing, while others were boiled fish with a bizarre deep-sea style, which made Ye Qingzhou lose all appetite and even avoid them at all costs.

In the end, Ye Qingzhou had no choice but to order a deluxe takeout meal. The three of them... well, one person and two snakes, enjoyed a happy meal together.

The day after the Great Cold, Ye Qingzhou received a call from Xu Yunxi: "Ye Qingzhou, I've found the dragon vein you asked me to find before."

"Oh? So fast?"

"It's a coincidence, I suppose. Have you heard of Dr. Qiu? He's a member of our Hunan Provincial Geographical Association. Although his martial arts skills are mediocre, not even at the professional level, he has cultivated a unique technique called 'Dragon Seeking and Gold Dividing,' which allows him to sense the flow of energy in mountains and rivers. He's very skilled in feng shui. The dragon vein you're looking for is the one he found."

"Why doesn't he use the dragon vein he found?"

"He doesn't need it."

Xu Yunxi smiled and said, "The so-called dragon vein sounds impressive, but it's actually just the circulation of energy underground. It's possible to extract some of this energy for use, such as converting it into luck, through specific methods. However, this energy cannot be directly absorbed and refined by the human body, so its uses are actually very limited."

"So he gave it to me for free?"

"It costs money."

"How much did he ask for?"

"One hundred million."

"Can't we negotiate the price?"

Although Ye Qingzhou was not short of money, he still instinctively wanted to save money, after all, he was used to being poor.

Xu Yunxi was both amused and exasperated: "Ye Qingzhou, this is a dragon vein! Do you know how many wealthy tycoons want it? If Dr. Qiu hadn't known your identity as a martial arts prodigy, and had high hopes for your future, wanting to make your acquaintance, he might not have been willing to sell it."

"Hey, he's trying to curry favor with me, he should just give it to me for free."

Ye Qingzhou sighed, feeling like he had missed out on a fortune.

Xu Yunxi was helpless against Ye Qingzhou's stinginess. Thinking he was short of money, she asked, "How about I pay for it for you first?"

Ye Qingzhou shook her head: "No need, I have my own."

The payment for the divine gold sold to Gu Mingye has been fully received, so Ye Qingzhou is not short of money now. Whether it is one hundred million or one billion, it is just a number to him.

But having a lot of money doesn't mean he'll spend it recklessly.

After all, he had personally gotten all that money from Kang Jinlong; it was hard work, you know.

After resting for a day, Ye Qingzhou went to the agreed location and met the person in question.

"Hello, Dr. Qiu."

"Ye Qianlong, I've heard so much about you."

With the reserved demeanor typical of intellectuals, Qiu Xiangyuan exchanged a few polite words with Ye Qingzhou.

Ye Qingzhou had no intention of cultivating a relationship with Qiu Xiangyuan, so he went straight to the point: "Where is the dragon vein I want?"

"Deep within Longhua Mountain, its veins resemble a soaring dragon, and its beauty is everywhere. If a billionaire were to acquire it, with the blessing of good fortune, he might be able to reach a hundred billion."

This was the first time Ye Qingzhou had heard of such a claim: "Making money through luck?"

Qiu Xiangyuan, however, was unfazed: "In business, many times it's about being in the right place at the right time; even a pig can fly."

(End of this chapter)