Three days later, Li Xuan moved into an independent small courtyard.
With blue bricks and grey tiles, an old pagoda tree stood in the middle of the courtyard, alongside a stone table and stone benches beneath it. Compared to the handyman quarters and the dilapidated wing room, this place was simply paradise.
Yet he had no time to enjoy it.
Forcefully unleashing the Mountain Slaying Style during the grand competition had left his meridians damaged far worse than he had imagined.
Although he had forcefully recovered the majority of it using Potential Points, his foundation was still somewhat floaty.
For these past three days, he went nowhere and simply regulated his breathing right in the courtyard.
[Physique: 3.8] [Strength: 2.44] [Agility: 1.84] [Spirit: 1.6]
After his physique broke through to 3.8, his recovery speed doubled.
His fractured ribs had already healed, and the lingering pain in his meridians gradually faded away.
However, with the Northern Territory trial imminent, his strength at the Body Tempering fourth layer could only be considered barely passable.
According to Chen Feng, during the Northern Territory trial last year, the weakest of the three surviving disciples was already at the Body Tempering fifth layer.
He had to break through to the Body Tempering fifth layer within a month.
Just as he was thinking this, the courtyard gate was knocked upon.
"Is Senior Brother Li in?"
It was Chen Feng's voice.
Li Xuan opened the gate.
Chen Feng stood outside the threshold, carrying two jars of wine in his hands.
"I heard you moved over, so I brought some housewarming wine for you." He smiled and shook the wine jars.
The two of them sat down beside the stone table.
Chen Feng cracked open the mud seals and poured two bowls of wine.
The wine was the martial arts school's specially brewed "Blood Spring", its color dark red like blood, its entry spicy, but once swallowed, it transformed into a warm current that could nourish vitality.
"Congratulations." Chen Feng raised his bowl. "Top ten in the grand competition, inner courtyard disciple, a spot for the Northern Territory trial... A month ago, who could have imagined it?"
Li Xuan clinked bowls with him and drained it in one gulp.
The wine went down his throat, burning fiercely.
"As for Zhao Wuji..." Li Xuan put down his bowl. "Did he cause you any trouble?"
"Him?" Chen Feng scoffed. "He certainly wanted to, but his father wouldn't allow it. Zhou Zhengoyang has fallen and Wu Ming is dead, leaving two instructor positions vacant in the martial arts school right now. Zhao Wuji's father, Elder Zhao, is striving for it with all his might. At a juncture like this, he won't let his son stir up trouble."
Li Xuan nodded.
He did not want to meddle in the martial arts school's factional struggles.
Yet sometimes, he had no say in the matter.
"Right," Chen Feng lowered his voice. "Those two envoys from the Crimson Firmament Sect talked with the headmaster for a long time yesterday. I heard... they want to take you away directly."
"Take me away directly?" Li Xuan frowned.
"Right, exemption from the entrance examination." Chen Feng looked at him. "The Crimson Firmament Sect selects disciples from various martial arts schools every year, but all of them must go through layers of assessments. Direct exemption... hasn't happened for at least ten years."
"The headmaster agreed?"
"No." Chen Feng shook his head. "The headmaster said that with the Northern Territory trial imminent, the martial arts school needs manpower. We'll talk after the trial ends."
Li Xuan fell silent.
The headmaster was using him as a bargaining chip.
The Northern Territory trial was perilous, and having one more powerhouse meant one more layer of security.
Once he returned alive, his value would become even greater, and at that time they could negotiate terms with the Crimson Firmament Sect to reap more benefits for the martial arts school.
Old fox.
"What do you think?" Chen Feng asked.
"I must go to the Northern Territory," Li Xuan said.
"Why? Exemption from the Crimson Firmament Sect's entrance examination is a monumental stroke of fortune. If you go to the Northern Territory and something happens..."
"What if I die?" Li Xuan smiled. "Senior Brother Chen, in your opinion, during this month I've spent at the martial arts school, which time wasn't me risking my life?"
Chen Feng was taken aback.
"I went from a refugee to a handyman, from a handyman to an outer courtyard disciple, and then to an inner courtyard disciple." Li Xuan looked at the wine in his bowl. "Every single step was fought for with my life. Now that there's an opportunity to go to the Northern Territory, an opportunity to slaughter barbarians and grow stronger, why should I give it up?"
He paused. "The Crimson Firmament Sect is strong, but if I enter, I'll merely be a bottom-tier disciple. Without strength, it's the same everywhere. Although the Northern Territory is dangerous, it also holds numerous opportunities."
Chen Feng stared at him for a long time before ultimately sighing.
"You are more ruthless than I am."
"It's not being ruthless," Li Xuan said. "It's having no other choice."
The two of them drank a few more bowls.
Before leaving, Chen Feng drew a booklet out from his bosom.
"These are the insights for the Iron Bone Skill left behind by my father," he said. "I can't master it anyway. Take it; it should be helpful for breaking through to the Body Tempering fifth layer."
Li Xuan received the booklet and spoke solemnly, "Many thanks."
"Don't thank me," Chen Feng waved a hand. "I'm merely investing. When you return from the Northern Territory, just don't forget this senior brother of yours."
Having spoken, he walked off swaying unsteadily.
Li Xuan flipped open the booklet.
Inside were densely packed notes recording the cultivation essentials, points of attention, and experiences in breaking through bottlenecks for the Iron Bone Skill.
The Iron Bone Skill was the core body-tempering technique of the Iron Fist martial arts school, an upper-grade mortal-tier art. When cultivated to grand mastery, one's entire bones would be as hard as refined iron, making them impervious to blades and swords.
What he was currently cultivating was still the incomplete body-tempering method, with a completeness of only thirty percent.
If he could switch to cultivating the Iron Bone Skill, his strength could increase by at least thirty percent.
Yet switching cultivation techniques required time.
And he had only a month.
That afternoon, the headmaster sent someone to relay a message.
"Li Xuan, the headmaster wants you to go to the study."
The messenger was an inner courtyard disciple, his tone respectful.
Li Xuan changed into a clean set of clothes and went.
Inside the study, the headmaster was not the only person present.
There were two others as well.
A man and a woman, both wearing cyan long robes with crimson cloud patterns embroidered at the cuffs.
The man was around thirty years of age, with a stern expression and a sword hanging at his waist.
The woman was in her early twenties, possessing a clear and pretty appearance, yet her gaze was sharp like a pair of blades.
"Li Xuan greets the headmaster." Li Xuan cupped his fists.
"Mm." The headmaster nodded. "These two are envoys of the Crimson Firmament Sect, Steward Liu and Senior Sister Yun."
"Greetings, two envoys." Li Xuan performed a greeting once more.
Steward Liu sized him up, his gaze hawk-like. "You are Li Xuan?"
"Yes."
"Was it you who cleaved the arena apart during the grand competition?"
"Yes."
"What technique did you use?"
"A blade technique I created myself," Li Xuan said.
"Created yourself?" Steward Liu raised an eyebrow. "At seventeen years old, you created a blade technique capable of splitting the arena apart?"
"I was lucky." Li Xuan neither humble nor overbearing.
Steward Liu stared at him for three breaths before suddenly smiling.
"Good, sufficiently arrogant." He turned his gaze toward the headmaster. "Headmaster Lin, name your price."
The headmaster leisurely took a sip of tea. "Steward Liu jests. Li Xuan is a disciple of my martial arts school, not merchandise."
"Then what does he want?" Steward Liu asked.
"We will discuss it after the Northern Territory trial," the headmaster said. "Cultivating him has not been easy for the martial arts school; he naturally must make some contributions to the school."
Steward Liu frowned, yet did not flare up.
He looked at Li Xuan. "Kid, the chance for a direct exemption to enter the Crimson Firmament Sect is not something just anyone has. If you miss this time, the next might be three years from now."
Li Xuan fell silent for a moment before speaking, "This disciple wishes to go to the Northern Territory."
"Why?"
"This disciple wishes to grow stronger," Li Xuan said. "The Crimson Firmament Sect is strong, but even if I enter, I will merely be an outer sect disciple. Although the Northern Territory is perilous, it holds opportunities."
"Opportunities?" Steward Liu sneered. "The Northern Territory barbarians are ferocious, and thirty percent of the disciples sent by the Crimson Firmament Sect for the trial last year died. Do you think you are stronger than them?"
"This disciple does not know," Li Xuan said. "But this disciple wishes to try."
Steward Liu stared at him, then suddenly raised his hand.
He lashed out with a palm strike!
It was merely a casual palm, yet the wind of the palm pressed down upon Li Xuan, causing his breathing to choke!
Body Tempering seventh layer? No, at least the eighth!
Instinctively, Li Xuan executed the Shadow Step, retreating rapidly backward.
Yet the palm wind followed him like a shadow, impossible to dodge no matter what.
Just as it was about to strike his chest--
Li Xuan gritted his teeth, circulated his entire body's vitality, and threw a punch forward!
Hard against hard!
Air pressure exploded.
Li Xuan was sent flying backward, crashing into the wall, a sweet taste rising in his throat.
Yet he managed to stand steady.
He hadn't fallen.
"Oh?" A trace of astonishment flashed across Steward Liu's eyes. "Body Tempering fourth layer, and you take a palm from me without falling. Rather interesting."
He withdrew his hand and looked toward the headmaster. "Headmaster Lin, I want this kid. Name your conditions; as long as they aren't excessive, the Crimson Firmament Sect can agree to them."
The headmaster smiled.
"Steward Liu is straightforward," he said. "I want three things: first, three spots for Crimson Firmament Sect outer sect disciples; second, one hundred lower-grade spirit stones; third, an upper-grade mortal-tier cultivation technique."
Steward Liu frowned. "The first two are acceptable, but the third... an upper-grade mortal-tier cultivation technique is far too valuable."
"Li Xuan is worth this price," the headmaster said.
The two of them locked gazes.
The atmosphere congealed.
After a long while, Steward Liu nodded. "Fine, I agree. But the cultivation technique can only be a transcribed copy, not the original."
"Acceptable," the headmaster said.
"Then Li Xuan..."
"After the Northern Territory trial, he leaves with you," the headmaster said.
Steward Liu rose to his feet. "It's a deal."
He walked up to Li Xuan and tossed over a token.
It was a crimson token, with the two characters "Crimson Firmament" engraved on the front, and a serial number on the back: Jia-Seventy-Nine.
"Drop your blood to bind it," Steward Liu said. "From now on, you are a registered disciple of the Crimson Firmament Sect. After the Northern Territory trial, rely on this token to enter the Crimson Firmament Sect's outer sect."
Li Xuan caught the token, bit his finger, and let a drop of blood fall upon it.
The token flashed with a faint glow before returning to its original state.
"Many thanks, Steward Liu." He cupped his fists.
"Don't thank me too early," Steward Liu said indifferently. "If you die in the Northern Territory trial, this token becomes useless. The Crimson Firmament Sect does not accept dead people."
Having spoken, he led Senior Sister Yun away.
Only the headmaster and Li Xuan remained in the study.
"Li Xuan," the headmaster looked at him, "do you know why I want you to go to the Northern Territory?"
Can't find it by searching the book title? You can try searching by author instead; perhaps it just changed its name!
"This disciple does not know."
"Because the Northern Territory... holds what you want," the headmaster said. "Although the Crimson Firmament Sect's cultivation techniques are good, they ultimately belong to others. While the Northern Territory barbarians are savage, their body-refinement methods are best suited for battlefield slaughter."
He paused. "I want you to find the barbarian body-refinement method 'Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique' in the Northern Territory. Bring it back, and the martial arts school will share it with you."
Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique?
A stir rippled through Li Xuan's heart.
"Headmaster, this cultivation technique..."
"Upper-grade mortal-tier, approaching spirit-tier," the headmaster said. "Once successfully cultivated, your vitality will be like baleful intent, and your bones like steel, allowing you to match ten men on the battlefield. Most importantly—it has no bottlenecks."
No bottlenecks?
Li Xuan's eyes lit up.
What he currently lacked most was a method to rapidly enhance his strength.
"This disciple understands."
"As long as you understand." The headmaster retrieved a wooden box from beneath the desk and pushed it forward. "This is the sponsorship given to you by the martial arts school. Ten portions of Body Tempering Powder, five bottles of Vitality Pills, and... this."
He opened the wooden box.
Inside lay a blade.
The blade was three feet and two inches long, with a narrow and slightly curved body. It was pitch-black throughout, with only the cutting edge emanating a chilling light.
"Black Scale Saber, middle-grade mortal-tier," the headmaster said. "Forged from dark gold and scale iron, weighing eighteen catties, it can pierce defenses below the Body Tempering fifth layer."
Li Xuan gripped the saber.
It was heavy, but fit his hand well.
The blade was icy cold, like a piece of frozen iron.
"Thank you, Master."
"Don't thank me." The master waved his hand. "This is an investment. Go to the Northern Territory for the trial, come back alive, and bring back the Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique. If you die..."
He did not finish.
But the meaning was clear.
If he died, everything would be lost.
After returning to his small courtyard, Li Xuan began preparing.
He swallowed five of the ten portions of Body Tempering Powder in one go.
The medicinal power erupted inside him like a volcano.
Gritting his teeth, he circulated the method from the Iron Bone Skill insights, guiding the medicinal power to temper his bones.
Once, twice, three times...
Fine cracking sounds came from his bones, like bamboo shooting up joint by joint.
[Body: 3.8→4.2]
His constitution broke through 4.0, officially crossing the threshold into the fifth layer of body tempering!
But it still was not enough.
He swallowed three more portions.
His meridians felt as though they were about to split open, and fine beads of blood seeped from his skin.
But he did not stop.
He continued tempering.
[Body: 4.2→4.6]
He was still just a little short.
He swallowed the final two portions as well.
It was as though something inside his body exploded.
[Body: 4.6→5.0]
The fifth layer of body tempering—achieved!
Li Xuan opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air.
The foul breath shot out like an arrow, piercing the leaves of the locust tree three zhang away.
His strength surged.
[Strength: 2.44→3.0]
His agility rose as well.
[Agility: 1.84→2.2]
He clenched his fist, feeling as though he could punch straight through a wall.
But this still was not enough.
It was said that even the weakest soldiers among the barbarians of the Northern Territory had reached the third layer of body tempering. The elites started at the fifth layer, while those at captain level were all above the sixth layer.
He needed greater strength.
For the next half-month, Li Xuan did not leave the courtyard.
During the day, he practiced saber techniques.
With the Black Scale Saber in hand, the power of the Blade Breaking Saber Technique increased by thirty percent.
The first move, Windbreaker, had already reached the stage where his saber swept like the wind and left no trace in its wake.
He could barely execute the second move, Flow Severance, but it consumed far too much. A single slash drained three-tenths of his qi and blood.
As for the third move, Mountain Cleaver... he did not dare try it again.
The last time he had forced it, his meridians had nearly been crippled. If he acted recklessly again, they might truly be ruined.
At night, he practiced Shadow Step.
With the Iron Bone Skill insights Chen Feng had given him, his understanding of circulating qi and blood had deepened. His cultivation speed with Shadow Step doubled.
His movement technique, which had originally only counted as having barely glimpsed the doorway, could now be considered just barely at the level of entering the hall. Within a ten-zhang radius, he could land without a sound and come and go like the wind.
But Li Xuan knew this was still not enough.
The battlefield of the Northern Territory was not a martial arts tournament. There were no rules and no referee—only life and death.
He needed a killing move.
A true killing move.
On the twentieth day, Ying Qi came.
It was still at night, and he still climbed over the wall.
"How are your preparations?" Ying Qi asked.
"Not bad," Li Xuan said.
"'Not bad' means no good." Ying Qi tossed over a scroll. "Read the intelligence on the Northern Territory yourself."
Li Xuan unfurled the scroll.
It was covered in dense writing and maps.
"The barbarians have been unusually active this year. Two of the Northern Territory's three cities have already fallen. The remaining one, Iron Wall City, is guarded by General Wang Meng, the Northern Garrison. The Crimson Firmament Sect, Heavenly Sword Sect, and Mystic Moon Sect have all sent disciples to reinforce it. Our martial arts school is responsible for garrisoning Wolf Fang Pass, thirty li south of Iron Wall City."
Ying Qi pointed at the map. "Wolf Fang Pass is a vital choke point. If the barbarians want to move south, they must break through this pass first. Three thousand people died here last year, including five hundred martial artists."
Li Xuan fell silent.
Three thousand people.
Five hundred martial artists.
It was a meat grinder.
"You have two missions," Ying Qi said. "First, stay alive. Second, find the Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique. The master has already reached an agreement with the Crimson Firmament Sect. As long as you bring back the technique, the Crimson Firmament Sect will give you a spot as an Inner Disciple."
An Inner Disciple.
One rank higher than an outer disciple, with more resources and better techniques.
"Do we have any intelligence on the barbarians?" Li Xuan asked.
"We do." Ying Qi nodded. "The commander of the barbarians this time is Wanyan Lie, the young chieftain of the Blood Wolf Tribe. He is at the eighth layer of body tempering and excels with curved sabers. They say he cultivates the Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique. He has eighteen personal guards at his side, all above the sixth layer of body tempering."
The eighth layer of body tempering.
Eighteen guards at the sixth layer of body tempering.
With such a lineup, let alone a fifth-layer body tempering cultivator like him—even if the master went, he might not gain the upper hand.
"How do I find him?" Li Xuan asked.
"I don't know," Ying Qi said. "But Wanyan Lie has a habit—he always charges at the very front in every battle, and whenever he kills an enemy, he takes the head. If you want to get close to him, you can only go onto the battlefield."
Onto the battlefield.
A head-on clash.
Li Xuan tightened his grip on the hilt.
"There's something else." Ying Qi looked at him. "Aside from you, Zhao Wuji, Chen Feng, and two Inner Court disciples are going to the Northern Territory this time. Zhao Wuji's father, Elder Zhao, may try to kill you on the way."
"Why?"
"Because of the three outer disciple spots for the Crimson Firmament Sect." Ying Qi said, "The master gave one to Zhao Wuji and one to Chen Feng. There's one left... Elder Zhao wants to give it to his nephew. But with you going, that spot will be yours."
Benefits.
Benefits again.
Li Xuan sneered.
"I understand."
"Be careful." Ying Qi said, "The Northern Territory is dangerous, but the most dangerous people are often those at your side."
With that, he climbed over the wall and left.
Li Xuan stood in the courtyard, gazing at the night sky.
He drew a deep breath and tightened his grip on the Black Scale Saber.
Come.
Come all of you.
Let's see who can live to the end.
Three days before their departure, the martial arts school held a farewell feast.
All the Inner Court disciples came, and even the master attended in person.
After three rounds of wine, Zhao Wuji came over carrying a wine bowl.
"Junior Brother Li." A smile hung on his face. "The Northern Territory is perilous. We fellow disciples should look out for each other. Whatever misunderstandings we had before, let them be wiped away with this cup of wine."
He sounded exceptionally sincere.
"Senior Brother Zhao is too courteous." Li Xuan raised his bowl. "I'll be counting on you during our journey to the Northern Territory."
The two bowls clinked, and they drained them in one go.
The wine was fierce.
But human hearts were cold.
After the feast dispersed, Li Xuan returned to his small courtyard.
He found a letter on the stone table.
There was no name on it.
When he opened it, there was only one line:
"Be careful on the road. Elder Zhao has bribed the Black Wind Bandits."
The Black Wind Bandits?
Li Xuan's gaze turned cold.
They were the most vicious bandits near Black Stone City. It was said that their leader, Black Wind Fiend, was a seventh-layer body tempering expert, with more than a hundred desperate outlaws under him.
For the sake of an outer disciple spot, Elder Zhao had actually colluded with bandits?
Good. Very good.
He burned the letter and returned to his room.
From beneath the bed, he dragged out a chest.
Inside were the things he had prepared over the past half-month.
Three bottles of poison—fatal upon contact with blood.
Ten throwing knives—coated in poison.
And three Blood Burst Pills.
Before you continue