Liver Become Mortal Sword Immortal

To maintain its rule, the Imperial Court had every right to clear away these obstacles, and issuing missions was essentially paying the sects to handle problems with money—a mutually beneficial arrangement.

However, the cost involved was enough to leave even the Imperial Court reeling.

As for the rewards given to disciples, that was only a small portion; the rest was likely kept by the sect, which was also perfectly reasonable.

Yun Shu casually found a table, squeezing through the crowd to make a spot for himself.

"This Young Brother looks quite unfamiliar. Might I ask if you are from the Gufeng Dynasty?" A Middle-aged Man handed over a clean wine bowl, speaking with a smile.

"Yes. I heard the Old Master has broken through to the Qi Condensation Stage, so I came to offer my congratulations." Yun Shu said while stuffing food into his mouth.

"But in the Martial World, I haven't heard of a Young Brother like you. The Old Master wouldn't invite just anyone irrelevant, so I'd like to hear your background."

The people nearby also crowded in to join the fun.

"Drink first, hahaha! A Young Brother with such fine spirit—truly a hero born young."

"In the Martial World of the future, there will surely be a place for Young Brother, though for now, your fame has yet to spread."

Yun Shu naturally raised his wine bowl without answering the question about his identity. "I toast to you elder brothers."

He wasn't good at pleasantries, but drinking was no problem.

One gulp down, and Yun Shu felt the wine was extremely crisp and refreshing, leaving his entire throat burning.

"Good wine!"

"Young Brother has a fine capacity for drink! Come, come, fill it up!"

"Good!" Yun Shu nodded, laughing heartily along with them.

But his gaze kept drifting toward the table at the very front.

After another bowl of wine, Yun Shu's eyes took on a deliberately hazy look.

"Are those the legendary Villa Three Heroes?" Yun Shu paused, glancing toward the front.

"Naturally. The one sitting in the middle is the Old Master of the villa. The three in red festive robes on either side are the three heroes, known as the Desert North Three Swords. Their strength is formidable—it's said that the three of them together once repelled several attacks from the Imperial Court."

The Middle-aged Man spoke, his eyes brimming with pride.

Throughout the entire Martial World, the greatest enemy they faced was the Imperial Court.

The might of the dynasty was deeply ingrained in everyone's minds, steadily compressing their territory. Now, with the Old Master of the villa breaking through to the Qi Condensation Stage, he could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Imperial Court's top Imperial Supplicant. Naturally, they were overjoyed.

From now on, the villa would leap from being a top force in the Martial World to a leadership position.

That was the qualitative change brought by a single Qi Condensation Stage cultivator!

The Desert North Three Swords.

Yun Shu glanced at the three of them. All wore crimson robes, their expressions brimming with joy. Even the Old Master, seated at the head, was beaming.

Then, Yun Shu withdrew his gaze.

Naturally, in the eyes of others, that look came across as envy, admiration, and reverence.

Soon, citing discomfort, Yun Shu left the table amid a group of reluctant gazes.

Because he had noticed one of the red-robed swordsmen leaving the banquet area, seemingly unable to hold his liquor, heading inside to rest.

This was a decent opportunity, neither too big nor too small.

Yun Shu planned to deal with them one by one.

Taking a Long Sword from his Storage Bag, Yun Shu strapped it to his back.

Moving through the darkness, Yun Shu was like a cunning cat.

Passing under the eaves, he was pleasantly surprised to find that no one seemed to be guarding this area. But then again, the lowly servants had mostly gone to the front hall to work, so few people came here.

After the first patrol of guards passed, Yun Shu knocked on the door of the room the red-robed swordsman had entered.

"Who is it?"

A deep male voice came from inside.

Chi.

A nearly imperceptible sound came from within.

Followed by the sound of blood flowing.

With just that one sound, Yun Shu had already pinpointed the red-robed swordsman's location. The attack of Sword Intent was impossible to guard against, giving him almost no chance before it had already sealed his throat with blood.

Yun Shu pushed the door open and walked in.

Inside was a single figure, dressed in a red robe, but now the robe was stained with blood.

In the center of his brow was a large hole.

The Long Sword had pierced straight through his forehead. Along the way, the sword had even drilled through a stone pillar in the room, the sound nearly nonexistent. Clearly, the refinement of his Sword Intent had given Yun Shu greater control and finesse.

Yun Shu picked up the Long Sword embedded in the wall.

He wiped it gently, took one look around the room, and walked straight out.

The entire process was clean and efficient, without a trace of hesitation.

But even if he hadn't reached the Qi Condensation Stage, killing the man before him would pose no pressure whatsoever.

After stepping out, Yun Shu pondered how to eliminate the remaining three.

Should he pick them off one by one, or wait until they gathered together and had no defenses, then strike them down in an instant?

Soon, however, Yun Shu found his next opportunity.

It was the Old Master.

"Hmph, Third Brother is getting more and more out of line. Everyone here is bustling about, and he's off hiding in leisure." The Old Master muttered to himself, but it was clearly meant for those nearby, his tone carrying a hint of frustration over a failed protégé.

"I'll go fetch him." Another wandering hero in a red robe stood up.

"Forget it, don't bother. Let Uncle Fu go. Wake Third Brother up and have him sleep inside—no more sulking alone in the side room." The Old Master shook his head.

"Well... fine." The man in red sat back down.

Yun Shu, lurking in the shadows, silently lamented the missed chance.

But then, the Old Master rose to his feet.

"Everyone gathered here are comrades of the Martial World. Still, we're all in the same boat. If you can trust this old man, I will, in the days ahead, widely invite fellow martial artists. We'll share a common hatred and direct our strength toward one goal. Though unworthy, I am willing to take the lead. What say you, fellow comrades?"

The assembled martial masters instantly began to Discuss Vigorously.

The Old Master was indeed highly respected and exceptionally powerful, standing in the eyes of the crowd as no less than a leader.

Now he merely sought that status and renown. Besides, with the wine fueling their spirits, no one raised any objections.

One after another, they drank the wine in their cups.

But then, the Old Master's next words made everyone's faces change drastically.

"This wine contains a colorless, odorless poison that will temporarily dissolve your strength. Everyone, calm yourselves. You all have influence behind you. From now on, you need only issue your commands. Of course, if you refuse to cooperate, we can have a private chat."

Hearing this, Yun Shu cursed under his breath.

This Old Scoundrel was truly a dog!

Without caring whether the few sips he'd taken were poisoned or not, he pulled a pill from his Storage Bag and swallowed it.

Mundane poisons were child's play for a force like the Myriad Sword Pavilion.

Still, Yun Shu's expression flickered slightly.

Wasn't this an opportunity?

After the Old Master spoke, everyone's faces twisted with fury.

"Old Master, we came here to celebrate your advancement. But to detain us—what is the meaning of this?"

"Yes, since when do you imprison your guests!"

"Old Master, you are a famed veteran of the Martial World, with transcendent skill. Yet what you do now is utterly disgraceful!"

"Once my five elder brothers arrive, this Dust Avoiding Villa will have to be stormed."

Among them, some had influence nearly rivaling the Dust Avoiding Villa and spoke even more boldly.

"Old Master, you've regressed with age. A hundred years lived, and it's all gone to the dogs. How dare you imprison us? Tomorrow, this Dust Avoiding Villa will be trampled flat by martial elders."

"Yes, if you lured us here today just to play tricks, there's no need. We won't indulge you."

"I thought the Old Master was some kind of hero. Turns out he's a rat. I'm ashamed to be associated with you!"

The entire scene erupted into a chorus of condemnation.

The Old Master stood at the front, his expression calm, as if the outcry had no effect on him.

Then he gave a slight wave, and from all sides emerged over a hundred men dressed as household servants.

Each held a Long Sword. As the crowd took them in, their faces shifted.

They were uniformly at the Mid Body Refining Stage, well-trained, with cold, expressionless faces—clearly Death Warriors.