I became a Sword Emperor in the Martial Arts World

Chapter 196 Spanning Three Thousand Miles

"Evergreen!"

Gu Guangbo stood on the bank of the river, holding a long sword at an angle, drawing power from the flowing water to his own advantage. Water vapor swirled around the blade, circulating endlessly, its power boundless.

This is precisely the Gu family's inherited skill of harnessing the power of water and air. That's why the Gu family's ancestral home was deliberately located on the banks of the Xiang River. To put it bluntly, it was to be able to take advantage of the terrain at any time to repel any possible invading enemy.

"Second Uncle."

Gu Changqing was equally focused at this moment, silently circulating his mental energy to control the ever-flowing river behind him, drawing on the power of heaven and earth to confront the mysterious and powerful nemesis of the Gu family.

Gu Guangbo gathered his strength for a moment, then unleashed a slash with the force of a surging river or a torrent, hurtling straight towards Ye Qingzhou.

"I'll cover you and create an opportunity for you to make your move!"

In the instant of telepathic communication, Gu Guangbo leaped into the air, brandishing his blade and charging towards Ye Qingzhou. He was focused on disrupting the enemy's vision, hoping to create an opportunity for Gu Changqing to kill him with a single blow.

Although the uncle and nephew had a falling out, they were still blood relatives, and now, for the sake of their family's survival, they cooperated perfectly.

Wow~

The surging river water, like a long sword, crashed down with a deafening roar. The rushing sound of the water echoed in his ears, disturbing his mind, but Ye Qingzhou remained calm and composed.

He cleaved through the waves of blades with a single sword stroke, then stepped forward and walked on the water.

"You villain, prepare to die!"

The thought of his three brothers dying at the hands of the man before him filled Gu Guangbo with rage. At this moment, his mind was filled with nothing but "revenge."

Ding~

clang~clang~

The Blade of Treading the Tide accumulates true energy, its power becoming increasingly violent.

After exchanging blows for a while, Ye Qingzhou sensed the changes through the vibrations of the Black Shark Sword and was slightly surprised: "This move is quite similar to the mid-level martial art 'Overlapping Waves.' The difference is that in 'Overlapping Waves,' the user bears the cost, while in this move, the pressure is borne by the weapon in hand."

Gu Guangbo's mastery of the Tide-Treading move is not as good as Gu Guangsheng's. He has only reached the proficiency level, and each time his sword energy is stacked, it is only 80% instead of doubling.

However, the underlying principles of the moves are the same.

Therefore, after exchanging a few sword strikes with him, Ye Qingzhou understood the secret: "Transforming true energy into a vortex of dark currents, allowing it to adhere to the weapon, condensing without dissipating, gathering momentum for release, interesting."

Ye Qingzhou once studied the Yuwang Stele and gained insight into the fragments of the "Tai Xuan Yu Ce" on it.

This book was created by Xuan Emperor, one of the Five Emperors. It is as famous as "Yan Yang Bao Zhuan" and "Jiu Long Di Tu". They are all top-notch martial arts manuals containing the principles of the Great Dao.

The "Blazing Sun Treasure Seal" belongs to the fire element, the "Nine Dragons Emperor Diagram" belongs to the earth element, and this "Supreme Mystery Jade Book" is a peerless divine skill belonging to the water element.

"In ancient times, the Xuan Emperor was born in Ruoshui, and thus he attained enlightenment in the water, comprehending the ultimate principle of heaven and earth that all rivers flow into the same place. All fluctuations and flows of energy are contained within this principle."

After pondering for a moment, Ye Qingzhou silently circulated the martial arts true energy stored in the combat puppet's body, transforming it through the five internal organs into innate Kui water energy and innate Ren water energy.

The Qi of Kui Water is Yin, and the Qi of Ren Water is Yang. When the two are combined and integrated, they flow smoothly and naturally, evolving into the image of Tai Chi in the Qi Sea of ​​the battle puppet.

The sound of rushing water then rang out within Ye Qingzhou's body. He casually slashed three times with his sword, managing to draw upon the power of the Xiangjiang River and gather it onto the blade.

Each strike is stronger than the last, with the power increasing by about 40% with each strike. This is the mark of entering the Dark Tide realm.

clang~ clang~ clang~

By the time Ye Qingzhou unleashed his fifth sword strike, the power of his sword energy had doubled. Gu Guangbo was sent flying by the immense force, his blood and qi surging violently within him.

"Tide Flow Sword Technique? Dark Tide Sword!"

Gu Guangbo looked shocked, his expression a mixture of anger and doubt: "When did you steal the Gu family's secret techniques?"

"Only trash like you would cherish such a trivial trick so much, afraid that others would learn it."

Ye Qingzhou spoke with disdain, his sword flashing as he launched a frontal assault.

With a heavy step, he slashed with his sword. In just a few breaths, he had mastered the Dark Tide Blade and increased the power of his sword energy from 0.4 to 0.6.

Each strike became more powerful and heavy. The 60% increase in power, combined with Ye Qingzhou's already strong explosive force, made it difficult for Gu Guangbo to defend himself.

Even under the continuous slashes, the famous sword in his hand reached its limit. In the end, the surface of the blade was covered with frost, and it broke into two pieces under Ye Qingzhou's fierce slash.

"Evergreen!"

In desperation, Gu Guangbo shouted for help.

"They're here!"

Gu Changqing finished gathering his strength and his figure disappeared from the spot in an instant. The speed at which he swung his sword reached three times the speed of sound!

A combined attack of wind and thunder, a high-level martial art that can cleave in two with a single strike!

This strike was as swift as the wind and as powerful as thunder. Wherever the blade went, nothing was spared, nothing was cut through, and its power was earth-shattering!

Ye Qingzhou used his sword as a shield, but he still couldn't withstand Gu Changqing's earth-shattering attack. The Black Shark Sword shattered the moment the weapons clashed.

Gu Changqing's blade, still sharp and undiminished, slashed fiercely at Ye Qingzhou's chest, but instead produced a clanging sound and failed to advance an inch.

Just now, Ye Qingzhou used his sword as a shield. Although he failed to block the attack, he successfully deflected most of the force, making Gu Changqing's blade as weak as a spent crossbow bolt, unable to pierce even the finest silk.

Having taken the blow, the combat puppet's energy was replenished once more. Then, its eyes lit up with a red light, and it unleashed the super-level martial skill that Ye Qingzhou had comprehended.

Second gear!

Explosive Mode!

Secret Sword, Divine Edge and Shadowless Blade!

The sword of lightning speed, vanishing without a trace!

Ye Qingzhou's speed instantly exploded to Mach 20, and the surging power stirred up the air, with the aftershocks sweeping in all directions.

Although the blade is broken, at such speed, even if one were holding a brick, one could easily kill a martial arts master, let alone a top-grade sword forged from three kinds of rare metals.

A fierce wind was blowing.

Flames soared into the sky.

The incredibly fast sword light left Gu Guangbo no time to react, and he was cleaved into pieces. Under the impact of the powerful sword energy, his body instantly turned into a cloud of blood mist, and he was blasted apart by Ye Qingzhou.

"Second Uncle!"

Gu Changqing's eyes were bloodshot as he swung his sword at Ye Qingzhou once more. At this moment, he was completely driven mad.

The Gu family of Xingcheng boasts six grandmasters, representing a rich family heritage and serving as the backbone of the Gu family.

Now that five out of six are gone, he is all alone. In the future, he is destined to be unable to support the family alone, making the Gu family exist in name only and unable to reverse its decline.

"You deserve to die!!"

Driven by extreme hatred and rage, Gu Changqing's heart was already a raging sea of ​​anger, and his grief and indignation made his sword flash even more fiercely.

Wind Force, a high-level martial skill, can kill a thousand people in an instant!

The power of a high-level martial skill at the perfect realm is extraordinary. When Gu Changqing slashed out, endless sharp light burst forth, like a hundred birds flying into the forest, attacking Ye Qingzhou at the same time, as if he would cut him into a thousand pieces and execute him by slow slicing in the next moment.

Despite such a terrifying attack, Ye Qingzhou remained completely calm, holding his broken sword and standing composedly.

He simply reached out and beckoned, and the broken blade of the Black Shark Sword flew into his palm from a short distance away, where he caught it firmly.

By joining the broken pieces together and injecting martial arts energy, the broken Black Shark Sword was visibly restored to its original state.

This is precisely the characteristic of indestructible iron. After being forged, it possesses a metal memory function. As long as martial arts true energy is injected, it can be restored to its original state at any time, making it difficult to be truly destroyed.

Ye Qingzhou allowed thousands of blade beams to strike the combat puppet. This kind of attack was the least threatening to the combat puppet, which was also forged with indestructible iron.

As long as it is not destroyed by an attack that is too powerful to withstand, the more attacks the combat puppet withstands, the stronger its output will become.

"You were hit by my Instant Thousand Kills, and you're still unharmed?"

Gu Changqing's hand holding the knife trembled slightly as he used "One Slash, Two Cuts" and "Instant Kill" in succession. His depleted true energy could be quickly replenished by drawing on external power through the master-level "Qi Penetrating Heaven and Earth" characteristic.

However, muscle strain and mental exhaustion require a moment to recover.

"You...are too weak..."

Ye Qingzhou gripped the Black Shark Sword, his tone icy and ruthless: "Until you reach the Grandmaster realm, you will only die by my sword. Martial arts families, raising a bunch of utterly useless trash, how laughable."

A thousand kills were instantly inflicted upon him; the battle puppet had already charged up its power, and the Divine Sword of Shadowless Edge was ready to strike.

"Take my sword, and all grudges will be settled. Whether you live or die is up to your own fate."

Clang~

As the Black Shark Sword moved, Gu Guangqi's vision went dark in an instant. He felt as if the world had lost its color and the sun and moon had disappeared. He only had time to follow his fighting instincts to dodge to the side before a sharp pain shot through his chest, causing him to lose consciousness.

Ye Qingzhou sheathed his sword, looking at the broken famous sword Taoguang and the unconscious Gu Changqing on the ground, his eyes were cold, but he did not continue to make a move.

"The Gu family's swordsmanship is utterly terrible. But you are somewhat worth watching, managing to dodge vital points in time and escape death."

Clang~

Ye Qingzhou unleashed a powerful sword aura, stirring up the Xiangjiang River and reducing half of the Gu family mansion to ruins. He left behind a resounding message that echoed for miles around: "Tonight, the Gu family of Xingcheng is removed from the list of martial arts families."

The next day, although Gu Changqing woke up, a hideous sword wound on his chest was still seeping blood through the gauze, and the bleeding wouldn't stop.

Gu Changqing coughed up black blood, clearly indicating that he was seriously injured. A sword aura containing killing intent surged through his body, and even with the physique of a martial arts master, it was difficult for his wounds to heal for a while.

"Honey."

"dad."

Cheng Yurong and her daughter Gu Yingshi wept bitterly.

The rest of the Gu family members were gathered around the sickbed, waiting for Gu Changqing to give orders, since he was now the only remaining martial arts master of the Gu family in Xingcheng.

"Second brother, what should we do now?"

Gu Changheng was completely disoriented. The Gu family's situation was extremely precarious, and the only surviving martial arts master, Gu Changqing, was still seriously injured.

If a powerful enemy attacks, what will the Gu family use to defend themselves?

Gu Changqing touched the excruciating pain from his wound, remained silent for a long time, and finally gave an order: "I intend to hand over the Gu family's inherited martial arts techniques to the Martial Arts Association. As for some of the family's businesses, those that should be given up should be given up."

"What?!"

"We disagree!"

Many members of the Gu family voiced their opposition, their expressions filled with righteous indignation: "The cultivation techniques and inheritance are the foundation of the Gu family's existence; how can we simply hand them over to others?"

"This is absolutely unacceptable!"

If they hand over all of it to the Martial Arts Association, how will these people surnamed Gu maintain their high and mighty status in the future?

"From this day forward, there's no more concern for family."

Gu Changqing glanced around, his heart filled with despair. Even at this point, these fools in the clan still didn't realize that danger was imminent.

Having lost all their master-level combat power, the Gu family is now just a piece of easy prey in the eyes of others.

The Gu family's martial arts inheritance is like a gold brick.

For the strong, it is an aid; for the weak, it is a death warrant.

Only by making a copy and submitting it to the martial arts association can one ensure their own safety.

After all, the authorities have always been very interested in the inheritance of martial arts families. If the Gu family is willing to be the first to hand over their inheritance, even if it's just for the sake of buying horse bones, the authorities would never allow anything to happen to the Gu family.

"My mind is made up, Changheng. Contact Chairman Zhao immediately."

"Second Brother..."

"Do as I say! Cough cough cough~"

Overwhelmed with emotion, Gu Changqing vomited several mouthfuls of black blood, which frightened Gu Changheng so much that he quickly agreed, fearing that Gu Changqing might suffer a serious injury from anger.

…………

"Holy crap, you single-handedly wiped out the Gu family of Xingcheng?"

After learning about the changes in the Gu family, Ghost Swordsman Duan Ming immediately guessed that Ye Qingzhou was responsible. After all, the murderer called himself "Absolute Sword" and was a member of the Heart Fiend School. He was now wanted by the Martial Arts Association with a bounty of 100 million, which was five times that of Duan Ming.

This greatly displeased Duan Ming: "You've only appeared once, and your head is already worth more than mine."

"If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have almost forgotten that your head is worth twenty million."

Ye Qingzhou's gaze fell on Duan Ming's neck, and he couldn't help but ponder the feasibility of this matter, muttering to himself, "Even a mosquito's leg is still meat."

"Stop!"

Duan Ming felt a little uneasy under Ye Qingzhou's gaze: "I'm here to tell you some good news."

Hearing this, Ye Qingzhou temporarily abandoned his idea of ​​taking Duan Ming's head for a reward: "Tell me, what kind of good news is it?"

"We have located an organization's stronghold that is linked to the Bloodline Society."

"Oh? Where?"

"In the country of Chenli."

"Not in the Easternmost Country?"

Ye Qingzhou frowned, which meant that he was going on a long trip.

It should be noted that the straight-line distance to Chenli Kingdom is more than 1,800 kilometers. It is located in the southwest of Dongji Kingdom and borders Yunnan Province.

"What specific information?"

"I'll give you an address, go and ask for it yourself."

Duan Ming dropped off a small note and then fled in panic. Being with a monster like Ye Qingzhou made him feel extremely unsafe.

Ye Qingzhou picked up the note, read it, and then burned it.

As night fell, Ye Qingzhou changed into Juejian's vest and, in the form of a possessed spirit, went to a secret stronghold of the Xinsha faction in Linjiang City.

Despite being called a base, it's actually just an ordinary-looking night market.

This night market is located in an urban village, and it is bustling with pedestrians coming and going, seemingly perfectly normal.

In reality, this is a black market.

It is a trading venue located outside of regulation and exclusively open to martial artists. Only those holding a token issued by the Heart Fiend School can enter under the guidance of a designated person.

Meanwhile, the ordinary people around them were distracted by mental martial arts techniques and turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to the existence of the black market.

"A minor hermit lives in the city? Interesting."

Holding the token, Ye Qingzhou entered the black market and then went to a shop called Liuyunzhai, where he met a shop owner dressed in ancient costume and wearing a fox-faced smiling mask.

Produce the token to identify yourself.

"So it's Lord Juejian, my apologies for my rudeness. My name is Yun Suiliu."

"A free spirit, drifting with the tide? Your name sounds so fake."

Ye Qingzhou made a casual joke, not really taking it to heart.

After all, if he can use a disguise, others can too. The reason why the Heart Fiend School can grow and thrive is not only because the common martial artists who were suppressed in the early days wanted to stand out, but more importantly, because there are always some things that are not suitable to be dealt with in public.

"I need information about the Bloodline Society, preferably information about their strongholds."

"I happen to have some relevant intelligence on hand; please take a look."

Yun Yuan, disguised as "Yun Sui Liu," took out a document bag from his sleeve.

Ye Qingzhou casually opened the file and found that the records inside were very detailed, including the area where the target was located, the list of people involved, and their direct connection with the Source Blood Society.

"Excellent, this is exactly what I want. Name your price?"

"free."

"Free of charge?"

"I only want to be friends with Lord Juejian."

Yun Yuan's words were quite sincere. After all, how could he not befriend a master from a martial arts family who could single-handedly and with just a sword attack and wipe them out?

…………

The southwestern airspace of the Easternmost Kingdom.

drop drop~

Inside the radar monitoring station, a piercing alarm sounded.

"An aircraft has exceeded ten times the speed of sound and passed over our military area!"

"Can you confirm the target's identity?"

"No! The signal cannot be detected!"

"Can we send fighter jets to intercept them?"

"No, the opponent is too fast!"

Ten times the speed of sound! At that speed, even an air-to-air missile can't intercept it, let alone a fighter jet.

In the end, everyone could only watch helplessly as the target broke through the air defense zone and crossed the border.

Boom~

On the northern border of Chenli Kingdom, Ye Qingzhou landed at too high a speed and accidentally collapsed a local mountain. After landing, he took out his mobile phone from the Xiayu Treasure Ring and checked the time.

"It took me one minute and forty-eight seconds to complete. Ten times the speed of sound is really powerful."

Ye Qingzhou couldn't help but sigh. For a martial artist to reach his level, traveling three thousand miles on a long journey was much easier and more enjoyable than an ordinary person going downstairs to buy a skewer of beef offal.

"It's just that the energy consumption is a bit high. The martial arts true energy stored in my dantian and dantian has been almost completely used up."

Ye Qingzhou looked around, filled with curiosity about this unfamiliar country.

On the internet of the Eastern Pole Country, this place is known as a living hell where even a martial saint would have to have his kidneys cut off before he could leave.

(End of this chapter)