Day had not yet broken, and the martial arts school was in an uproar.
First, Zhou Peng's body was discovered at the Life-and-Death Stage, with a clean and neat cut across his throat—using his own short blade, at that.
Immediately after, Martial Instructor Zhou and Zhou Zhengyang went to the school master to surrender and hand over all evidence of colluding with the enemy, including the letters Wu Ming had made him write that conspired with the barbarian tribes.
Finally, when the enforcement team rushed into Wu Ming's courtyard, the man was already gone.
He had fled!
He vanished without a trace, taking the gold, silver, and valuables he had accumulated over the years, along with a batch of military weaponry he had not yet managed to sell off.
The school master was furious.
"Investigate! Even if you turn Black Stone City upside down, you will drag Wu Ming out and bring him to me!"
The entire martial arts school entered a state of martial law.
All disciples were forbidden from going outside, all instructors underwent inspection, and even the handymen were interrogated three times over.
Yet no one knew where Wu Ming had gone.
Except for Li Xuan.
Inside the medical hall, Li Xuan had just finished changing his bandages.
The arrow wound on his chest had healed for the most part, leaving behind only a pink scar.
The cracked bone in his left shoulder had also set; although it still hurt a little, it did not affect his movement.
The recovery power brought by his 2.54 physique was so strong that even he was astonished by it.
"Li Xuan."
Ying Qi pushed the door open. This time he was not masked, but he wore a human-skin mask on his face, so thoroughly ordinary that he would not be recognized if thrown into a crowd of people.
"Wu Ming has run off," Ying Qi stated bluntly.
"I know."
"Do you know where he went?" Ying Qi stared at him.
Li Xuan shook his head. "I don't know."
"No, you do." Ying Qi pulled a map from his bosom and spread it out on the table. "Wu Ming has three strongholds in the south of the city: Drunken Fragrance Tower, Fulilai Inn, and... here."
"Where would he be?" Ying Qi asked.
Li Xuan looked at the map, analyzing rapidly in his mind.
Drunken Fragrance Tower was too conspicuous, and Fulilai Inn had just been searched. That left only the potter's field—isolated, desolate, and a place where nobody ever went under normal circumstances.
"The potter's field," Li Xuan said.
"Why?"
"Someone like Wu Ming will not go to crowded places," Li Xuan said. "There are burial chambers beneath the potter's field; they are warm in winter and cool in summer, and they can also conceal items. The most important thing is... no one will go there to search."
Ying Qi looked at him for three seconds before nodding. "The same as what I thought."
He put the map away. "The school master has given the order: the Shadow Guards will search the entire city. You are the last person to have seen Wu Ming, and also the only one who obtained evidence from his hands. Therefore... you are coming with me."
"Me?" Li Xuan frowned. "Wu Ming is in the Body Tempering fourth layer. Wouldn't I be going to my death by going?"
"That is precisely why it is called a joint encirclement," Ying Qi said. "It is not just the two of us. The school master has dispatched three inner courtyard disciples, all in the Body Tempering fourth layer. Add me, and add you—five against one."
"What can I do?"
"To which level have you practiced your Shadow Step?" Ying Qi asked.
"The first layer."
"That is enough," Ying Qi said. "Your task is not to engage in direct combat; it is to infiltrate, scout, and look for an opportunity. Wu Ming injured his meridians three days ago when his Qi deviated during cultivation, and his strength is at most seven-tenths of what it was. This is our only chance."
Li Xuan fell silent.
He was weighing the options.
If he went, he might die.
If he did not go... would Wu Ming let him off?
He was the one who had stolen the name list, and he was the one who had handed over the evidence. If Wu Ming found out, he would be the very first person the man killed.
"I'll go," Li Xuan said.
"Good." Ying Qi drew a small cloth pouch from his bosom. "Inside are three Blood Burst Pills. Once swallowed, your strength will double within an incense stick's time. However, after the medicinal effect passes, you will be weak for three days. Unless it is an absolute last resort, do not use them."
Li Xuan accepted the cloth pouch. "When do we set out?"
"Now."
At the back gate of the martial arts school, three horses were already waiting there.
Aside from Ying Qi and Li Xuan, there were three other people.
An elderly man with white eyebrows, his gaze like that of a hawk, with a pair of short halberds hanging at his waist.
A middle-aged woman with a stern expression, carrying a longbow strapped across her back.
And a young man—whom Li Xuan recognized.
Chen Feng.
"Let me introduce them," Ying Qi said. "White-Browed Hawk, inner courtyard instructor, peak Body Tempering fourth layer, skilled in short halberds. Iron-Bow Zhang, inner courtyard instructor, Body Tempering fourth layer, hits the target a hundred paces away. Chen Feng... you know him."
Li Xuan cupped his fists. "Disciple Li Xuan."
White-Browed Hawk sized him up and let out a cold hum. "So you are the one who forced Wu Ming out? You certainly have some nerve."
Iron-Bow Zhang said nothing, merely nodding.
Chen Feng looked at Li Xuan, his expression complicated. "I didn't expect we'd meet again so soon."
"Neither did I," Li Xuan said.
"Mount up." Ying Qi swung himself onto his horse. "We reach the potter's field before dark."
Five horses charged out of the martial arts school and headed straight for the west of the city.
The potter's field was twenty li west of the city, an abandoned graveyard.
It was said that when the previous dynasty was torn by war, tens of thousands of people had been buried here. Later on, fierce hauntings broke out, and no one dared to come here anymore.
When the sun slanted westward, the five of them reached the edge of the potter's field.
It was utterly desolate.
Withered trees leaned at odd angles, tombstones had collapsed, and wild grass grew taller than a man. The wind blew through, emitting a mournful wailing sound like the crying of ghosts.
"Dismount," Ying Qi said. "Go in on foot."
The five of them dismounted, tethered their horses in the woods, and walked inward on foot.
The further they went, the more desolate it became.
On the ground, white bones could occasionally be seen, though it was impossible to tell whether they were human or beast bones.
"Search separately," White-Browed Hawk said. "Using that old locust tree as the boundary, search the four directions of southeast, northwest. If you discover anything unusual, send a signal."
He pointed toward a withered old locust tree in the distance.
"Li Xuan, come with me," Ying Qi said. "Your experience is insufficient; acting alone is too dangerous."
Li Xuan nodded.
The five of them scattered.
Ying Qi led Li Xuan toward the southern side.
Along the way, Li Xuan pushed the Shadow Step to his utmost, his footsteps as light as a cat's. Ying Qi glanced at him, a trace of approval flashing in his eyes.
"Who taught you your Shadow Step?" Ying Qi asked suddenly.
"An old handyman," Li Xuan said.
"That old man who sweeps the floor?" Ying Qi smiled. "Back in the day, he was a top expert who ranked in the top three among the Shadow Guards. It was only after he lost an arm that he stepped down."
Li Xuan was startled.
The old handyman... was that strong?
"Why did he help me?" Li Xuan asked.
"Because he thinks highly of you," Ying Qi said. "The Shadow Guards need fresh blood, especially someone like you—talented, ruthless enough, and unafraid of death."
As the two of them spoke, they arrived before a patch of collapsed burial mounds.
The mounds had been dug open, and the interior was empty.
"Someone has been here." Ying Qi squatted down and touched the soil. "Fresh, no more than a day old."
He stood up and surveyed his surroundings.
"Have a look around; there should be an entrance nearby."
The two of them separated to search.
Li Xuan walked behind a stone tablet, and his footing suddenly gave way beneath him—
Crack!
The ground collapsed!
His entire body fell downward.
"Li Xuan!" Ying Qi rushed over.
But it was already too late.
Li Xuan dropped into a deep pit and crashed heavily onto the ground.
Fortunately, his physique was strong enough that he was only somewhat dazed by the fall.
He climbed to his feet and surveyed his surroundings.
It was a burial chamber.
It was not large, measuring about three zhang square. Oil lamps were hung along the walls, casting a dim, yellowish light.
In the center of the burial chamber sat a stone table.
Before the table sat a person.
Wu Ming.
He was drinking wine.
"You're here?" Wu Ming raised his head, looked at Li Xuan, and smiled. "I've been waiting for you a long time."
The hair all over Li Xuan's body stood on end.
A trap!
This was a trap specially set for him!
"Surprised?" Wu Ming put down his wine cup. "From the day you stole the name list, I knew you would come. It's just as well that waste Zhou Peng died; it saves him from creating a mess for me."
He stood up and slowly walked toward Li Xuan.
The momentum of the Body Tempering fourth layer opened up fully.
The air itself grew heavy.
Li Xuan felt as though he were being crushed by a mountain, making even breathing difficult.
"Hand over the duplicate of the name list, and I'll give you a quick death," Wu Ming said.
"The name list has already been handed over to the school master," Li Xuan said.
"I know," Wu Ming nodded. "But what I want is... the list of Shadow Guards. The one the old handyman gave you."
Li Xuan's pupils constricted.
How did he know that?
"Surprised?" Wu Ming smiled. "Did you think the Shadow Guards were of one mind? You're wrong. Among the Shadow Guards, there are also my people."
He extended a hand. "Hand it over, and I'll leave your corpse intact."
Li Xuan said nothing.
"Don't wait for them," Wu Ming said, seeing through his thoughts. "I've already sealed the exit hole above. Your companions should be entangled by my subordinates right now."
The moment the words fell, the sounds of battle echoed from above the burial chamber.
Weapons clashed, and angry shouts rang out one after another.
Ying Qi and the others really had been intercepted.
"Now," Wu Ming's gaze turned cold, "I'll ask you one last time—will you hand it over, or not?"
Li Xuan drew a deep breath.
His hand felt toward his waist.
Three Blood Burst Pills were tucked there.
"I'll hand it out," he said.
"Wise." Wu Ming nodded.
Li Xuan thrust his hand into his bosom and pulled out a roll of sheepskin—it was the duplicate of the Shadow Guard name list.
He took two steps forward.
Wu Ming also took one step forward.
The distance between the two of them was three zhang.
Two zhang.
One zhang...
The instant Wu Ming reached out his hand to take the sheepskin scroll—
Li Xuan moved!
He did not use the Blood Burst Pill.
He used the Shadow Step!
Bursting forth with all his might, his entire body became like a shadow, instantly circling behind Wu Ming!
At the same time, his short blade left its scabbard!
Blade Breaking Saber Technique · Wind Breaking Style!
The blade light was like lightning, stabbing straight at Wu Ming's back!
It was so fast that Wu Ming did not even have time to react!
The tip of the blade struck Wu Ming's back, yet it emitted the sound of clashing metal and iron.
The clothes on Wu Ming's back split open, revealing beneath them... a layer of soft iron armor!
"Soft armor?" Li Xuan's expression changed.
"Naive." Wu Ming spun around and threw a punch.
This punch was one Li Xuan could not dodge at all.
He could only block it horizontally with his saber.
The short blade was battered and bent by a single punch, and Li Xuan's whole body went flying backward, crashing into the wall.
A mouthful of blood spewed out.
His ribs broke once more.
"Is that all the skill you have?" Wu Ming shook his head. "And here I thought you could give me some surprise."
He walked over and stepped on Li Xuan's chest.
Crack.
Another rib snapped.
The pain made Li Xuan's vision go black.
Yet he did not give up.
His hand reached toward his waist once again.
This time, he pulled out a Blood Burst Pill.
He swallowed it down!
The medicinal pill entered his throat, turning into a scalding hot current that instantly surged through his entire body.
His strength skyrocketed!
[Strength: 1.34 → 2.68]
His physique rose along with it as well!
[Physique: 2.54 → 3.05]
The threshold of the Body Tempering fourth layer was shattered!
Li Xuan felt his entire body fill with power, as though it were about to burst.
He fiercely shoved away Wu Ming's foot and flipped up to his feet.
"Oh?" Wu Ming raised an eyebrow. "A Blood Burst Pill? Interesting."
He assumed his stance. "Come, let me see how many moves you can endure."
Li Xuan wasted no words.
He picked up the curved saber from the ground.
Shadow Step moved once more!
This time, his speed was twice as fast as before!
Wu Ming's gaze narrowed.
He had not expected Li Xuan's speed to increase by this much after taking a Blood Burst Pill.
However, he did not panic.
The Body Tempering fourth layer held an absolute advantage over the Body Tempering third layer.
Even if Li Xuan temporarily broke through to the fourth layer, it was merely a superficial boost that could not last long.
"Break!"
Wu Ming threw a punch, the force of it sounding like a tiger's roar.
Li Xuan neither dodged nor evaded, thrusting out a punch of his own in kind!
Hard against hard!
Their fists collided, and a shockwave exploded outward!
Even the walls of the burial chamber shook.
Li Xuan retreated three steps.
Wu Ming... also retreated one step.
"Good!" Excitement flashed in Wu Ming's eyes. "Now this is more like it!"
He held nothing back anymore, striking out with his full strength.
His fists were like a violent storm, every single blow as heavy as a mountain.
Li Xuan gritted his teeth and stubbornly resisted.
He pushed Shadow Step to its absolute limit, dodging and shifting within the cramped burial chamber while occasionally launching a counter-attack with his blade.
Still, Wu Ming's defense was far too strong.
Protected by soft armor, his fist techniques were exquisite and his experience seasoned.
Li Xuan could simply find no flaws.
Furthermore, the medicinal efficacy of the Blood Burst Pill was rapidly fading.
He could feel his strength draining away.
There was at most half an incense stick's time left.
After half an incense stick's time, he would fall into exhaustion and become a lamb to the slaughter.
He had to finish this swiftly!
A ruthless look entered Li Xuan's eyes.
He would risk it all!
He abandoned defense, taking Wu Ming's punch head-on while simultaneously thrusting his short blade straight at Wu Ming's throat.
An exchange of injuries for a life!
Wu Ming had not expected him to be so vicious, and hastily retreated.
Even so, the blade's edge still grazed across his neck.
It left behind a trail of blood.
Not deep, but it was bleeding.
"You..." Wu Ming touched his neck, his expression changing. "You're courting death!"
He was completely enraged.
His fist technique shifted, turning even more ferocious.
Li Xuan could only struggle bitterly to sustain himself.
He took three more punches.
His left arm was fractured, and his right leg was struck, leaving him unsteady on his feet.
Even so, he kept persisting.
At last—
A massive crash echoed from above the burial chamber.
Rumble!
The ceiling was smashed open in a giant hole.
Ying Qi leaped down, covered in blood, yet his gaze was sharp.
"Wu Ming, prepare to die!"
Wielding twin sabers, he lunged straight at Wu Ming.
Wu Ming had no choice but to turn and deal with him.
An opportunity!
Cold light flashed in Li Xuan's eyes.
He used all his remaining strength, executed Shadow Step, and circled behind Wu Ming.
His short blade was raised high.
It was not Wind Breaking Style.
It was the second style of the Blade Breaking Saber Technique—Severing Current!
He had never even mastered this style; forcing it out might shatter all his meridians.
Yet he could no longer care about that!
"Slash—!"
Li Xuan roared, bringing his saber down in a chop.
Life force burned along the blade, suffusing it with a bloody glow.
Wu Ming sensed something was amiss and tried to turn around.
However, Ying Qi tightly entangled him.
Splat!
The blade's edge fell.
It cleaved in from Wu Ming's left shoulder and slashed out from his right ribs.
Cut in two!
Wu Ming's movements froze.
He lowered his head to look at his split body, disbelief in his eyes.
"How... is this possible..."
He opened his mouth, and blood gushed out.
His body separated into two halves, and he died!
Li Xuan collapsed as well.
The moment the efficacy of the Blood Burst Pill wore off, a sense of weakness rushed over him like a tide.
He lay on the ground, unable to even twitch a finger.
Ying Qi walked over and inspected Wu Ming's corpse.
Only after confirming that he was thoroughly dead did he let out a breath of relief.
He looked at Li Xuan with a complex gaze.
"You killed him," Ying Qi said.
Li Xuan did not speak.
He lacked even the strength to talk.
"Rest well." Ying Qi pulled a bottle of medicine from his tunic, poured out two pills, and stuffed them into Li Xuan's mouth. "This is 'Rejuvenation Pill'; it can alleviate the side effects of the Blood Burst Pill."
The medicinal pill entered his abdomen, transforming into a cooling current that nourished his damaged meridians.
Only then did Li Xuan feel somewhat better.
He opened his panel.
[Potential: 0.82 → 1.27]
Killing a Body Tempering fourth layer opponent had granted 0.45 potential.
Combined with the previous 0.82, it totaled 1.27.
He struck it rich.
"How is it up there?" Li Xuan asked.
"Everything is resolved," Ying Qi said. "Wu Ming's subordinates, all six of them, are dead. White-Browed Hawk sustained a minor injury, and Iron Bow Zhang is fine. Chen Feng... he killed two."
Li Xuan nodded.
"And the roster?" Ying Qi asked.
"Inside my tunic," Li Xuan said. "The Shadow Guard roster, the one Wu Ming wanted."
Ying Qi reached out and pulled the piece of sheepskin parchment from inside Li Xuan's tunic.
He opened it, glanced at it, and his expression changed drastically.
"This roster... where did you get it?"
"The old handyman gave it to me," Li Xuan said. "He told me that if I ever encountered mortal danger, I should hand this roster over to the master."
Ying Qi fell silent for a long time.
"This roster is even more important than the one Wu Ming had." He put away the sheepskin parchment. "What is recorded on it... are the serial numbers, true identities, and family information of every single Shadow Guard in the martial arts school."
He looked at Li Xuan. "If this roster leaks, the entire Shadow Guard system will collapse. If Wu Ming had gotten his hands on it, he could have controlled the whole martial arts school."
Li Xuan understood.
The old handyman had handed such an important item to him as a gamble.
A gamble that he would survive.
"I won the bet," Li Xuan said.
"Yes, you won," Ying Qi nodded. "Starting today, you are an official member of the Shadow Guards. Serial number... seventy-nine."
He searched Wu Ming's corpse, pulled out a token, and tossed it to Li Xuan.
The token was forged from dark iron, with "Shadow" engraved on the front and the number seventy-nine on the back.
"Prick your finger to bind it with your blood," Ying Qi said.
Li Xuan bit his finger and let a drop of blood fall.
The token glowed faintly before returning to normal.
"From now on, this token is your proof of identity," Ying Qi said. "With it, you can go to Shadow Guard outposts to exchange for resources, accept missions, and investigate intelligence."
Li Xuan gripped the token tightly.
At last.
He finally had a foothold in this world.
Though it was merely as a Shadow Guard, at least... he was no longer a handyman at the mercy of others.
"Let's go." Ying Qi helped him up. "It's time to head back."
The two of them walked out of the burial chamber.
Outside, the sky had already turned dark.
White-Browed Hawk, Iron Bow Zhang, and Chen Feng were standing there, alongside six corpses.
"Is it resolved?" White-Browed Hawk asked.
"Resolved," Ying Qi nodded.
"Did this kid kill him?" Iron Bow Zhang looked toward Li Xuan.
"Hmm."
"Not bad." Iron Bow Zhang offered a rare compliment. "You've got grit."
Chen Feng walked over and patted Li Xuan on the shoulder. "You alright?"
"I won't die," Li Xuan said.
"Good then," Chen Feng smiled. "I'll treat you to a drink when we get back."
The five of them mounted their horses and rode through the night back to the martial arts school.
Along the way, Li Xuan leaned against his horse's back, looking at the token in his hand and then at the 1.27 potential points on his panel.
He wondered how he should use these potential points.
His physique was already 3.05, which was enough for now.
His strength was 2.68, but it would drop back down once the effect of the Blood Burst Pill wore off, leaving him with an actual 1.34.
Agility was still his shortcoming at a mere 0.57.
Both Shadow Step and Blade Breaking Saber Technique needed improvement.
Then there was the most important thing—the cultivation technique.
What he was practicing now was still an incomplete body tempering technique, with a completeness of only 3.1%.
If he could obtain the complete technique...
Li Xuan closed his eyes.
Back to the martial arts school, recover from injuries first.
Then, grow stronger.
The martial arts school, the master's study.
Ying Qi placed two lists on the desk.
One was the evidence of Wu Ming colluding with the enemy.
The other was the roster of the Shadow Guard.
The master finished reading them and remained silent for a long time.
"Wu Ming is dead?" he asked.
"Dead," Ying Qi said. "Li Xuan killed him."
"Li Xuan..." The master murmured the name. "The kid who climbed up from being a handyman?"
"Yes."
"How old is he?"
"Seventeen."
"Seventeen years old, killing a Body Tempering fourth layer." The master smiled. "Interesting."
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the night outside.
"Ying Qi, how far do you think... he can go?"
"I don't know," Ying Qi said. "But he's very special. Ruthless enough, decisive enough, and not afraid of death."
"Then cultivate him well." The master turned around. "The Shadow Guard needs people like this. Also... rewrite that Shadow Guard roster. Burn the old one."
"Yes."
Ying Qi withdrew from the study.
The master picked up Wu Ming's list and looked at it again.
"Collusion with the enemy... privately selling military equipment... Black Wind Fortress..."
His gaze grew progressively colder.
"It seems some people think I'm old and can no longer lift a saber."
He tossed the list into the brazier.
The flames surged, and the paper rolls turned to ashes.
"Pass down the order," the master said to the outside of the door. "Three days from now, the Martial Arts Competition will be held as usual. All disciples must participate."
"Yes!" guards outside the door acknowledged.
The master sat down, tapping his fingers on the tabletop.
"Li Xuan... Let me see what you're really made of."
The outer court disciple residential area.
Li Xuan lay on the bed, his entire body wrapped in bandages.
The side effects of the Blood Burst Pill were greater than he had imagined; he now found it difficult even to get out of bed.
Yet the potential points on the panel gave him hope.
1.27 points.
All poured into agility!
[Agility: 0.57 → 1.84]
A warm current rushed toward his legs, and his meridians were reshaping.
He could feel his speed growing faster.
Although he couldn't move right now, once his injuries healed...
The power of Shadow Step would increase by at least threefold.
The door was pushed open.
Zhang He walked in carrying a bowl of medicine.
"Li Xuan, time for medicine." He handed the bowl over.
Li Xuan took it and downed it in one breath.
It was so bitter that his face crumpled.
"The master has ordered that the competition will be held as usual in three days," Zhang He said. "I heard this time... inner court disciples will also participate."
Inner court disciples?
Li Xuan's gaze shifted.
Inner court disciples were at least at the Body Tempering fourth layer, and the strong ones even reached Body Tempering Layer Six.
Although he had killed Wu Ming just now, that relied on a Blood Burst Pill and luck.
If he truly went up against an inner court disciple, he wouldn't stand a single chance of winning.
"Also," Zhang He lowered his voice, "I heard... the master wants to select three people from this competition to participate in the Northern Territory Trial."
"Northern Territory Trial?"
"Right." Zhang He nodded. "Word is that the Northern Territory barbarians have been restless lately, and the border war is tight. All the martial arts schools must send people to support them. It's both a trial and... a gilding. Those who return alive can all receive heavy rewards, and can even be scouted by sects."
Sects.
Li Xuan's heart raced.
Above martial arts schools, there were sects.
That was the place where true experts gathered.
If he could enter a sect...
"I understand," Li Xuan said. "Zhang He, do me a favor."
"Name it."
"Go to the Logistics Hall and help me exchange for three bottles of Vitality Pills and five portions of Body Tempering Powder. Contribution points... use my token."
Li Xuan handed over the Shadow Guard token.
Zhang He took it, his eyes widening. "Th-This is..."
"Don't ask," Li Xuan said. "Go quickly and return soon."
"Understood!" Zhang He turned and sprinted off.
Before you continue