The Reversal of Heaven Begins with The Smiling, Proud Wanderer

The next moment, a terrifying aura, as majestic as a mountain and as deep as a vast ocean, suddenly erupted.

A figure dressed in a four-clawed python robe, with a dignified face and eyes filled with anger and cold killing intent, appeared like a ghost on the high steps at the end of the square.

It was none other than the Iron-Blooded Marquis, Zhu Wushi!

His gaze was like lightning, fixed on the white-clad figure in the arena. Although he was shocked and furious that Lin Mu had managed to eliminate Cao Zhengchun before directly entering this place, his arrogance as a hero and the confidence he had built up over many years allowed him to quickly calm down.

"You wretch! You wreak havoc on the martial world, murder an imperial official, and trespass into my forbidden territory. You deserve to die! Today, I will ensure you never return!"

Zhu Wushi's voice was deep and resonant, each word carrying immense weight.

"When did the Iron-Blooded Marquis become a prince?"

Lin Mu's lips curled into a mocking smile: "By the way, I'm also curious, you're clearly born into royalty, so why aren't you a prince, just a marquis? Is it because you don't like it?"

These words were like a sharp sword, piercing Zhu Wushi's heart.

Who would want to be a marquis when they can be a king?

He wasn't even a duke.

Is it that Zhu Wushi doesn't want to?

of course not.

Zhu Wushi's mother was just a palace maid. She was the grandson of the current emperor, Zhu Houzhao, who had a drunken encounter with her and was instantly captivated by her, which is why she gave birth to this thirteenth son.

Zhu Wushi's status as an illegitimate child meant he was not favored by Zhu Jianshen, hence the name "Wushi" (meaning "ignore").

From the very beginning, he was not on the list of candidates for emperor, nor even a prince.

As Zhu Wushi grew up, he understood his situation and devoted himself to martial arts, roaming the martial world freely.

Later, he met Gu Santong and his fiancée Su Xin, and fell in love with her at first sight. He did not hesitate to steal his brother's girlfriend, and took advantage of Gu Santong's obsession with martial arts to abduct Su Xin.

When the two returned to the capital, Zhu Jianshen learned of this and was furious at Zhu Wushi's behavior, ordering that Zhu Wushi would never marry Suxin in this lifetime.

It was precisely because of this slight arbitrariness of power that Zhu Wushi lost the person he had finally obtained, which caused him to turn completely evil. He practiced martial arts frantically and finally absorbed the internal energy of 108 masters from Taihu Lake, and then framed Gu Santong for it.

Later, he fought Gu Santong in the name of eliminating demons and protecting the righteous path. He won by half a move by using psychological tactics, but almost accidentally killed Su Xin, and regretted it for half his life.

In the same year, Zhu Jianshen died, and Zhu Wushi's third brother, Zhu Youcheng, ascended the throne.

Zhu Youcheng reigned for eighteen years. Before his death, he feared that Zhengde was too young and easily manipulated by treacherous people, or that he was incapable of governing the country and could not distinguish between loyalty and treachery.

Therefore, the emperor specially ordered his younger brother Zhu Wushi to establish the "Dragon Guard Manor," whose power could surpass all other court institutions, and bestowed upon him the two most precious treasures: the "Iron Certificate" and the "Imperial Sword."

In reality, Zhu Wushi had neither military power nor the throne.

Secretly, Zhu Youcheng also instructed Zhu Houzhao to be wary of this younger brother.

This is also why Zhu Houzhao heavily relied on Cao Zhengchun.

Returning to the original topic, Zhu Wushi's status as a marquis was indeed a joke within the Ming Dynasty.

However, Zhu Wushi was known for his unparalleled martial arts skills, and no one dared to speak to him like that in the past.

Lin Mu's sarcasm was directly hitting Zhu Wushi in the back.

Even the three top secret agents couldn't help but feel suspicious after hearing Lin Mu's words.

Yes, my adoptive father is loyal and righteous, devoted to the country and its people, and is even a relative of the imperial family. Why is he only a marquis?

This is a question that no one has mentioned before, nor has anyone dared to raise.

But now that Lin Mu has pointed it out, any intelligent person can understand the deeper meaning behind it.

It's simply that the three emperors of the Ming Dynasty all disliked Zhu Wushi; otherwise, why wouldn't they have even given him a throne?

Zhu Wushi's face was ashen, but he still suppressed his anger and maintained his composure, saying coldly, "Demon, don't try to confuse the situation! You will die today. Three secret agents, seize this fiend for me!"

"Yes! Foster father!"

Duan Tianya, Guihai Yidao, and Shangguan Haitang moved swiftly across the square like a gust of wind, forming a triangular formation around Lin Mu.

Knowing that Lin Mu's strength was unfathomable, the three showed no mercy and unleashed their strongest killing moves right from the start.

Duan Tianya's illusory sword was like a dream, its light flashing as it pierced straight through Lin Mu's vital points.

Guihai Yidao's Heartless Slash is unparalleled in its ferocity, its blade energy crisscrossing and capable of splitting Mount Hua in two.

With a flick of her slender hand, Shangguan Haitang unleashed a shower of flowers and coins, and countless hidden weapons poured down like a torrential downpour, blocking all of Lin Mu's escape routes.

The combined power of the three secret agents is enough to annihilate the vast majority of masters in the world!

However, Lin Mu simply smiled faintly.

Have you ever seen snow falling on earth?

As soon as he finished speaking, his aura rippled slightly, and the Demon Blade Thousand Blades was already in his hand.

The body moved, the knife moved, a cold wind suddenly arrived, and snow fell on the earth. The once clear sky was suddenly filled with a biting wind and flying snow.

What fell was not only snow, but also incomparably sharp sword energy and scattered fragments of demonic swords, like the cold winds of Siberia sweeping across the land.

Duan Tianya's dreamlike sword light instantly froze and shattered; Gui Haiyi's domineering sword energy was also shattered and rebounded with a bang; Shangguan Haitang's sky full of hidden weapons were also impacted and scattered.

The three of them groaned simultaneously, sent flying by the overwhelming force of the sword energy and blades, their bodies splattered with blood, their eyes filled with horror.

The three of them combined their strength, yet they couldn't even withstand a single move from their opponent!

If Lin Mu hadn't refrained from killing them, that attack would have killed all three of them.

[Ding! You have come into contact with the influential figure Duan Tianya, triggering the side quest: Stab your adoptive father.]

[Mission Requirements: Within one year, help Duan Tianya kill his adoptive father, Zhu Wushi.]

[Task Reward: Randomly selected.]

[Ding! You have come into contact with the lucky figure Guihai Yidao, triggering the side quest: Find the real culprit.]

[Mission Requirements: Within one month, help Guihai Yidao find his father's killer.]

[Task Reward: Randomly selected.]

[Ding! You have come into contact with the influential figure Shangguan Haitang, triggering the side quest: Misjudging People.]

[Task Requirements: Within one day, help Shangguan Haitang see through Zhu Wushi's true colors...]

[Task Reward: Randomly selected.]

Seeing the three side quests, Lin Mu was quite satisfied. After a moment's thought, he took out Guihai Bailian's relics and casually tossed them in front of Guihai Yidao.

"This belongs to your father. It contains the 'Dominating the World' sword technique. Now it is being returned to its rightful owner."

As Lin Mu was speaking, a system notification sounded.

[Ding! Side quest: 'Returning the Item to Its Rightful Owner' has been completed. Reward: The Six Secrets of Aohan!]

【The Six Secrets of Aohan: Originating from the world of Fengyun, this is a superior martial art. Its moves blend natural imagery with life philosophy. The first five secrets correspond to different offensive and defensive strategies: A Glimpse of Startling Cold focuses on swift and powerful attacks; Three Feet of Ice emphasizes defense and building momentum; Red Apricot Over the Wall contains the characteristic of surprise attacks; Peach Blossoms in Full Bloom uses softness to overcome hardness; and Searching for Plum Blossoms in the Snow borrows momentum to defeat the enemy. The sixth secret, Cold Blade and Icy Heart, is an ultimate technique that can only be mastered by reaching a state of cold-heartedness.】

【Do you want to receive it? 】

"More martial arts." Lin Mu was not very satisfied with this reward. He could wield the forty-meter-long broadsword with the "Dominating the World" technique, so whether he had the "Six Secrets of Frost" or not, it didn't significantly improve his strength.

Gui Haiyi's expression changed drastically upon receiving his father's belongings. He glared at Lin Mu and demanded, "How did you get my father's belongings? What did you do to my mother?"

Lin Mu said calmly, "She's still alive. And let me tell you a secret: the person who killed your father was actually your mother. Surprised? Unexpected?"

[Ding! Side quest: 'Find the real culprit' has been completed. Reward: Snow Drinking Saber!]

[Snow Drinking Saber: From the world of Feng Yun, a family heirloom of the Nie family. It is three feet and seven inches long and is the coldest thing in the world, forged from "White Dew," a remnant of Nuwa's patching of the sky.]

【Do you want to receive it? 】

Lin Mu silently received the message, ignoring Gui Haiyidao who was suffering from a mental shock, and turned to look at Shangguan Haitang.

"Actually, your godfather is a villain disguised as a loyal man, and is by no means a good person. Twenty years ago, he stole his sworn brother's woman and drained the internal energy of 108 masters from Taihu Lake, framing Gu Santong. That old geezer is really wicked."

"Moreover, he also secretly allied with Japan..."

Zhu Wushi's pupils suddenly contracted, and his shock intensified.

How does he know about what happened back then? We absolutely cannot let him continue talking!

"You illegitimate son, stop spreading your heretical rumors!"

Zhu Wushi roared, his figure flashing like lightning, instantly covering dozens of feet, and struck Lin Mu with a palm. The palm wind howled, carrying an aura of compassion and mercy, it was none other than the Shaolin's ultimate technique—the Great Compassion Palm!

Although it was a move made out of compassion, Zhu Wushi showed no mercy, his palm strikes surging and aimed straight for Lin Mu's vital points!

"Pure Yang Qi!"

Lin Mu circulated his pure Yang true energy and used the palm technique he had comprehended.

The internal energy circulates through specific meridians, surging into the left palm and then exploding outwards.

The palm energy was solidified, extremely powerful and yang, like a star exploding, radiating brilliant light.

Their palms struck each other from a distance, and the impact was like a missile exploding. The shockwave rippled outwards from the two of them, shattering the plaza tiles as if they had been plowed, with gravel flying everywhere. The guards who were on high alert around them were blown away by the shockwave.

It left behind a large pit several feet deep.

"Your Great Compassion Palm technique is quite good, but it's a pity..."

Lin Mu dusted off his sleeves and said in a calm tone, "If your heart is black, even the most righteous martial arts will carry an evil tinge when used."

"Unlike me, I'm full of righteousness."

Chapter 63: Zhu Ignores the Breakthrough

Upon hearing Lin Mu claim to be righteous, Zhu Wushi used the Qiankun Great Shift to deflect the force, stabilized his body, and coldly snorted, his voice full of sarcasm: "You kill without hesitation, and you dare to talk about righteousness?"

"What necessary connection is there between murder and righteousness?"

As Lin Mu spoke, he flipped his wrist, and the hilt of the Demon Blade Thousand Blades was already in his hand.

He raised his hand and gestured, and the scattered blades flew up and quickly reassembled like birds returning to their forest, forming a complete blade with a cold, gleaming light.

What's even more astonishing is that a pure and powerful aura of righteousness emanated from him.

This aura was so powerful and unyielding that it made him appear as a paragon of righteousness, upright and honorable.

If one did not know his background well, at first glance one would find it hard to believe that he was actually a ruthless and decisive master of the Demon Blade.

Even Zhu Wushi, who was a treacherous villain disguised as loyal and had been feigning benevolence for years, paled in comparison to Lin Mu's righteous spirit, as if the difference between truth and falsehood was immediately apparent.

[Just who is this guy? He's killed countless people and is filled with murderous intent, so how can he cultivate such pure and righteous energy?]

[His skill seems to surpass mine... He hasn't even used his Invincible Vajra Divine Skill yet. If he goes all out, I don't know if I can withstand it?]

Zhu Wushi's eyes grew increasingly cold, his heart filled with suspicion and uncertainty.

Although he hadn't used his full strength in his attack, he had still used ninety percent of his power. He had intended to finish the fight quickly and shut Lin Mu up, but unexpectedly, the other party not only withstood the attack but also gained the upper hand, which far exceeded his expectations.

"You devil, don't get away with your words!"

Zhu Wushi knew little about Lin Mu and couldn't figure out his weaknesses. He couldn't gain the upper hand with words and was afraid that Lin Mu would continue to reveal his secrets, so he stopped talking and pounced on him again like a shadow.

23

As his palms flew, the force of his palm strikes suddenly became fierce and violent, with a gust of wind howling.

"Vajra Palm! You've learned quite a few of the 72 Shaolin Arts, yet you still claim you weren't the one who absorbed the power of West Lake."

Lin Mu sheathed his sword and dodged in an instant. At the same time, he formed hand seals, and his aura suddenly changed, as if he were connected with heaven and earth.

Fire elements gathered wildly from all sides, and scorching air currents swirled and condensed, instantly creating a majestic and blazing flame dharma image six zhang tall!

The Four Symbols of Heavenly Will - The Wrath of the Fire God!

Faxiang and Lin Mu moved in sync, radiating intense heat. Wherever they passed, the ground turned black and fallen leaves spontaneously combusted.

Duan Tianya, Guihai Yidao, and Shangguan Haitang were forced to retreat repeatedly by the terrifying heat wave, unable to get any closer.

At this time, Zhu Wushi had not yet absorbed the power of Cao Zhengchun and the Four Ghosts of Xiangxi. He only relied on secretly absorbing the internal energy of the death row prisoners in the Heavenly Prison, and his cultivation level was far from reaching the astonishing level of the later part of the original work.

In contrast, Lin Mu absorbed a much greater amount of power, and coupled with his extraordinary physique, his combat strength was naturally superior.

Lin Mu leaped into the air, the Vulcan Dharma Image following closely behind.

The Dharma Image is enormous, with flames burning on its arms, and its attack range is extremely wide.

With a thought, Lin Mu used the Fire God Technique as an extended limb, and while in mid-air, he threw a punch at Zhu Wushi from afar.

"Ora ora ora—!!"