Settling Scores

No wonder people often said that the Ninth Rank and Eighth Rank were merely improvements to the physical body—greater bodily strength, greater force, and so on. In the end, one was still walking the path of "training."

But once one broke through to the Seventh Rank and mastered true qi, only then did one truly step onto the path of martial arts.

Just like now: even though Zhang Heng was injured and his strength had greatly declined, Lu Zhaojin still had to expend some effort if he wanted to kill him.

In an instant, Lu Zhaojin unleashed ten Sword Lights. They crisscrossed like a woven sword net, shrouding Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng's palm techniques opened and closed in great sweeping arcs. True qi surged, dissolving every Sword Light, while he also struck back with a palm at Lu Zhaojin's chest and abdomen. Yet it caused no substantial harm.

Zhang Heng's face turned pale with shock. He had never expected Lu Zhaojin's attainments in the Hardening Technique to be so profound that even palm imprints condensed from true qi could not injure him.

Before he had consumed the blood ginseng, that palm strike would have forced him back several steps and inflicted internal injuries.

Now that the blood ginseng's medicinal power had nourished his body, it had become even tougher. Even true qi found it difficult to penetrate it, much less harm his internal organs.

However, the power Zhao Jinzhi had used back then was far beyond this true qi. It had been purer; if it had been any denser, it might have blasted a great hole through him.

Even his current body might not have been able to withstand it.

Thus, Lu Zhaojin knew he had to remain wary of Zhao Jinzhi's hidden trump card.

Seizing Zhang Heng's panic, Lu Zhaojin swung his sword at Zhang Heng's neck.

Zhang Heng retreated in alarm, while Lu Zhaojin pressed forward step by step.

Zhang Heng crashed into the stone wall, gasping for breath. With Lu Zhaojin bearing down on him, he could no longer suppress the true qi within his body. It began rampaging through him once more, making it difficult for him even to mobilize his own true qi.

Zhang Heng suddenly spat blood, clutching his chest with his right hand. His face turned as white as paper as that true qi wreaked havoc within his heart meridian.

At that moment, Lu Zhaojin's sword thrust straight at him, its point aimed directly at Zhang Heng's heart.

Zhang Heng seemed to see Zhang Jiao and Zhang Mang waving at him. Today was likely the end of his road—and the end of the Zhang Lineage as well.

But Zhang Heng was unwilling!

After so many years, he had finally waited for the chance for the Zhang Lineage to rise to glory. They only needed a little more time for the Zhang Lineage to become the foremost Lineage in Shiqiao City, and for Zhang Heng himself to become Shiqiao City's lord. How could he die here?

Zhang Heng made a desperate final gamble. He no longer suppressed that foreign true qi, instead mobilizing all his own true qi and gathering it in his palm.

"Tablet Splitting Palm!"

With a furious shout from Zhang Heng, wild winds erupted around him. His disheveled long hair flew without wind, his robes billowed, and a hurricane howled. It was as though an immense repulsive force had arisen; Lu Zhaojin's thrusting sword was obstructed and failed to achieve its aim.

At the same time, Zhang Heng's right palm, containing all his strength, struck Lu Zhaojin squarely in the chest. It sent him flying backward, and when he hit the ground, he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Lu Zhaojin did not notice that the blood he had spat out was an even deeper crimson, like magma. His gaze remained fixed on Zhang Heng.

Zhang Heng still held his palm-strike stance, but his eyes had lost their focus and their light. He stared blankly ahead.

Lu Zhaojin climbed to his feet. This time, the Hundred Refined Sword finally pierced Zhang Heng's heart, then severed his head. He was dead beyond all doubt.

Kill a Seventh-Rank Martial Artist. Experience +5000

Experience: 7568

What a bountiful harvest.

Lu Zhaojin exhaled a breath of stale air. The spot on his chest where Zhang Heng's palm had struck still throbbed faintly, and his breathing had become somewhat labored. It seemed Zhang Heng's palm had shaken him into internal injury.

Lu Zhaojin looked toward the three branching paths, chose one at random, and prepared to find a quiet, deserted place to raise the Flowing Water Art to perfection and enter the Seventh-Rank Realm.

Lu Zhaojin had barely left when those entering behind him arrived at this spot. Smelling the blood in the air, their expressions changed slightly. They raised their weapons before them, guarding against unknown dangers.

They saw the corpses of the Zhang Lineage's guards, picked up the torches that had not yet gone out, and held them overhead to let the firelight illuminate a wider area.

At last, they saw the full scene—and Zhang Heng's headless corpse. Cries of alarm rose from them. Worry and fear filled their hearts. They had never expected even a Seventh-Rank Realm expert to die here, and they began to hesitate over whether to venture deeper.

Within one of the branching tunnels.

Lu Zhaojin sat cross-legged in an open patch just large enough for one person.

Consume 2500 experience points to upgrade the Flowing Water Art?

Lu Zhaojin decisively chose to upgrade the Flowing Water Art.

Experience: 5068

Flowing Water Art (Perfect)

As the final two meridians were opened, an invisible current arose within his body and circulated through his unobstructed meridians. Greater Celestial Circuit, Lesser Celestial Circuit—at last, it sank into his dantian and lingered without dispersing.

Lu Zhaojin's realm seemed to break free like a chick cracking its shell. He entered the Seventh-Rank Realm, also known as the True Qi Realm.

Realm: Early Seventh Rank

Lu Zhaojin opened his eyes, bright and spirited. In this dark place, they were like two candle flames, impossible to ignore. Yet no one else had entered, so no one noticed this place.

Lu Zhaojin felt the true qi circulating within him, moving at his command. When he gathered it in his palm and struck the stone wall to his right, a dull boom sounded, and a palm print was left on the wall.

At the same time, he took the Hundred Refined Sword from the System Backpack. As true qi circulated, a faint blue glow appeared along the blade. He slashed forward, and a strand of Sword Qi shot forth, leaving a long, narrow sword mark one finger deep in the stone wall ahead, carrying a sharp and cutting intent.

Lu Zhaojin sheathed his sword, his eyes brimming with amusement. "Now this looks a little like a Sword Cultivator."

With his breakthrough in realm, all his injuries had healed as well. Lu Zhaojin did not linger. On Mount Qi, the Zhao Family—his enemy—still remained unresolved.

Lu Zhaojin continued onward and once again arrived in a spacious cave. Before him were still three branching paths. "A cunning rabbit has three burrows?"

Lu Zhaojin casually chose another path. Unless the owner of this Cave Mansion was well versed in formations and the eight trigrams, did not wish others to find his remains, or intended to test those who came, then continuing onward would surely lead to the end.

Lu Zhaojin knew little about formations or the eight trigrams. If he could not find the Cave Mansion, then he would simply wait at the entrance. They would have to come out eventually.

Fortunately, this Cave Mansion was not as complicated as he had imagined. Fierce sounds of battle came from ahead, and Lu Zhaojin heard a familiar voice.

That voice stirred fragments of the previous owner's memories, bringing forth the image of a weathered face. It resembled the previous owner by seventy percent, though it was more mature.

The previous owner's father was ahead.

Lu Zhaojin could not help quickening his pace.

Or rather, the lingering obsession of the previous owner was driving him onward.

With Zhang Heng dead, the Zhang Lineage was heading toward ruin. Through this body, the previous owner wished to see his father one last time.

Once that obsession was dispelled, this body would belong entirely to Lu Zhaojin.

Lu Zhaojin did not forcefully suppress it. After all, he did not want such a ticking time bomb lurking within him.

After passing through the narrow tunnel, the view suddenly opened up.

This cave was much larger than the previous ones, and it had no branching paths. This was likely the Cave Mansion.

At the innermost part of the Cave Mansion stood a platform. Three stone pillars stood atop it, each holding a wooden brocade box. Those were likely the treasures left behind by the Cave Mansion's owner.

To reach the platform, one had to ascend the steps on either side.

A stone tablet stood in the middle of the steps, densely covered with writing, seemingly introducing the identity of this Cave Mansion's owner.

Yet no one was reading it.

For the treasures atop the platform, they had fallen into a chaotic melee, each refusing to let the others seize them.

Amid the melee, Lu Zhaojin saw that familiar figure and was momentarily dazed.