Jade City Debut, Li Xian's Intimidation, First Flash of Brilliance, the Jade Maiden Takes Notice

That day, Taishu Chunfeng invited Zhao Zaizai to watch the battle. Although Zhao Zaizai disliked bloody scenes, he agreed because of the invitation from "Golden Boy" and his desire to see another "life-or-death battle".

That night, under the bright moon, Zhao Zaizai practiced his swordplay, his movements graceful and creating wondrous scenes. Thoughts flashed through his mind as he recalled his past, "For twenty years, I've cultivated in the mountains, accompanied by clouds and mist, befriended by the rosy dawn. When Sister Qiaoqiao wanted to eliminate the Flower Thief Flower Thief, although I agreed out of a sense of righteousness and a deep hatred for them, I secretly used this opportunity to travel the world. At the Water Altar of the Flower Cage Sect, we subdued the villains without bloodshed. When violence was necessary, Bian Chengfeng, Nangong Wuwang, and others handled it for me. Only Li Xian —I personally slew him. This man—was my first true victim."

"Later, he traveled with Golden Boy, fighting evil and eliminating harm along the way. Most of the villains they captured were handed over to the authorities. They never killed a single person."

"I don't know why, but I often think of those eyes, trying to fathom their thoughts. In the face of life and death, can everyone's eyes look like his? Were his eyes really nothing special? Are all people in the world so calm and composed once they decide to die? That Deathwish Valley —shaped like a beast's den, extremely cruel. But since those who come are all there voluntarily, it can't really be called evil. I suppose—I suppose many people also possess that kind of gaze."

She was utterly bewildered. Suddenly, she wondered, even if she had seen that look in his eyes, what could she do? Was it to prove that "Li Xian" was nothing special, just one of the masses, and that the matter was over and not worth remembering, thus making it easier to forget? Or was it something else?

She didn't know, but that's why she was curious about the Deathwish Valley.

After waiting for two days, Taishu Chunfeng, Su Tiexin, and Su Susu came to invite him. Zhao Zaizai accepted the invitation and traveled with them by carriage to the viewing platform of the Deathwish Valley. The viewing platform was located high on the mountainside and at the top of the mountain. The Death Duel Arena was as white as jade, and one could see the dangerous battle taking place on it.

The first life-or-death struggle was between two street vendors. Due to poor business, they came to the Valley of Deathwish Valley to fight for money and make ends meet. However, entering the valley was easy, but leaving was difficult. By then, it was too late for regrets, and they had no choice but to obey orders and fight to the death.

The fight to the death was extremely brutal, with severed limbs and broken arms and legs; it was incredibly cruel.

Zhao Ranran felt a pang of pity and disliked this kind of fighting, but she still observed intently. She felt that the two of them had transformed into wild beasts, acting like madmen, hysterical, which was far from the "calmly facing death" image she had imagined.

He couldn't help but think, "Deathwish Valley never be cramped, nor need it be. These people who have set foot here must have disregarded life and death. Why—yet—do they lack that feeling, and that look in their eyes?"

She asked, "Is this how it Deathwish Valley?"

Su Tiexin said, "To make it more interesting, the two sides need to be evenly matched in strength. These commoners don't know much martial arts, so if they encounter someone who does, they have no chance of winning. Such a fight would be boring to watch. Therefore, the opponents are also not skilled in martial arts. If the two want to win, they can only rely on their bloodlust and brute force. It's normal for Miss Zhao to find it boring. There will be a martial arts contest later, which will be much more exciting."

Zhao Ranran remained silent. Observing several more deadly battles, the fighting was brutal, with humans acting like beasts and beasts like humans. Teeth, nails, elbows, foreheads—all became weapons. Although there were no martial arts moves, this desperate struggle, which went straight to the heart, touched people's hearts and stirred their blood.

At the stands, the patriarch of Jade City and the noblemen of the clan shouted and cheered, adding fuel to the fire.

Zhao Zaizai felt heavy-hearted, her mind unsure of what to do. But today's trip had ultimately failed to achieve her goal. The next day, she went to the Deathwish Valley again with Taishu Chunfeng and Su Susu. Su Tiexin was busy with official duties and did not accompany her.

Su Susu was perceptive and noticed the differences. Although she occasionally entered the valley to observe the battles, it served as a reminder to herself that she needed to constantly improve so as not to end up in a desperate situation like the Deathwish Valley. She enjoyed watching quick thinking in life-or-death situations, but disliked the gruesome scenes of blood and gore, severed heads and broken legs, so she didn't watch the battles every day. Observing Zhao Zaizai's expression, she felt that she didn't seem like a warlike, bloodthirsty person and should dislike the Deathwish Valley, yet she watched very attentively.

Curious, she asked, "What are you looking for, Sister Zhao?" Zhao Zairan was taken aback, thinking, "Ah, she's right. I do seem to be looking for something, but what exactly?" She replied, "Looking for what?"

Su Susu laughed, "I was asking you, why are you asking me?" Zhao Zaizai said, "Perhaps it's just a rare opportunity to come to Jade City, so I'm just looking around. As for finding something, that's far from it."

Zhao Ranying suddenly asked, "Sister Susu, the Deathwish Valley indeed cruel. Why did they come here willingly? Is there something more important than their lives?" Su Susu replied matter-of-factly, "For what? Of course, for money."

If you are lucky enough to win, you will receive three hundred taels of silver.

Zhao Ranran asked, "A mere three hundred taels of silver, and you'd make them willingly take the risk?"

Taishu Chunfeng laughed and said, "Sister Zai, let alone three hundred taels of silver, even one tael would be enough for someone to risk their life. One tael of silver is enough for ordinary people to eat meat and drink wine for a long time. These times are hard, and although these people are driven by desire and are willing to die in order to change their status, they are also quite pitiful when you think about it carefully."

Zhao Ranran said, "I don't know this. Is it so difficult for ordinary people to eat?" Taishu Chunfeng said, "Profound Dao Mountain is simple and natural. Although there are no nobles, there is no shortage of rice and meat. The people live in peace and contentment and have no worries about food."

But things were different in other places. To be honest, I didn't know that at the time. It was only after I traveled around and learned about the hardships of those times that I realized how difficult life was. Therefore, I always kept extra money on hand and donated it whenever I could.

Zhao Zairan's understanding was incomplete. It was as if Divine Bird had soared through the sky, and the dazzling lights and brightly lit palaces would inevitably overshadow the dim and dilapidated thatched huts. This is the same as the ancient saying, "Why don't they eat meat porridge?"

As Zhao Ran grew increasingly aware of the hardships of the times and the many people who were powerless to change their fate, her gaze gradually shifted. Watching the Death Duel Arena, she felt a pang of pity. Before each life-or-death battle, the guards would deliver a "paper slip" informing her of the code name and origin of the condemned—as she read the slip, she could vaguely sense the bitterness and helplessness within each one.

She suddenly thought, "So this world is so complicated, and there are many things beyond our control." Those eyes surfaced in her mind, like a bottomless abyss, focused and calm. Thinking back carefully, those eyes were incredibly beautiful. That bearing, that courage—

His words impressed her greatly.

She seemed to understand yet not quite: dying for one's lover was certainly admirable, but what truly moved her was this spirit that transcended life and death, this unique quality! It was this intangible thing that kept her preoccupied, that made her try every means to verify that this quality, this spirit, did not belong to him alone, but that she could see it in others.

Therefore, the subconscious search, which failed to find, only made it all the more unique. The prime minister of the Great Yu Kingdom committed many evils, yet when the country was destroyed and his family perished, he chose to die for his country. This resolute and composed attitude in the face of life and death is enough to serve as a model for both ancient and modern times.

That brief encounter that day illustrated this principle. Zhao Zaizai didn't understand it, but it was already etched into his mind.

But the mockery and disdain deep in his eyes made her feel inexplicably stifled, resentful, and the Unseen, leaving her with no way to express it.

Taishu Chunfeng was confident and warlike, Deathwish Valley aroused his fighting spirit. However, once he entered the valley normally, it would not be easy to leave. Taishu Chunfeng had important matters to attend to, and although he could indulge in play for a while, he could not neglect his duties.

Therefore, he requested the "Su Family" to help him leave the valley at any time.

Zhao Ranran would occasionally come over to observe. She saw that Taishu Chunfeng truly lived up to the demeanor of Profound Dao Mountain, easily defeating any opponent without harming their life. Zhao Zaizai deeply agreed and expressed her appreciation for this.

That day, Taishu Chunfeng had just won a match, and Zhao Zaizai was determined to return home. Suddenly, he overheard people talking. "How strange, how strange! The Deathwish Valley in Jade City has been in preparation for many years. We've seen all sorts of people, whether they're looking to turn their lives around or simply to survive. But this is truly the first time a debtor has participated."

"Could it be someone pulling the strings in the shadows?"

"Logically speaking, in the Deathwish Valley Death, anyone willing to die can enter. Debt slaves are my possessions of Jade City; it's not unreasonable for them to enter the valley to risk their lives and seek a chance to turn their lives around."

"That would be a better way to pay off the debt as soon as possible."

"As far as I know, the Cage Bracelet worn by debt slaves cause them to bleed after walking aimlessly for a certain distance. Ordinary debt slaves who want to enter the Deathwish Valley first don't know where it is, and secondly, they can't get there. It is said that when this debt slave arrived at the Deathwish Valley, he was covered in blood and looked extremely ferocious and terrifying."

"Interesting, very interesting. This debtor's adversary was once a judge at Clear Peace Tower. Arranging a death match between these two would be quite a spectacle."

Hearing these words, Zhao Ranran couldn't help but feel very curious, so she lingered for a while, staring intently at them.

Before long, the two entered the Death Duel Arena. Their opponent had been a judge, but had gained favor with his superiors and risen through the ranks.

Then, for reasons unknown, he fell into the Deathwish Valley. His name was "Wang Jiang," and he revealed his true appearance to the world. He was middle-aged, his face weathered, his eyes sunken, and his eyes bloodshot.

Li Xian wore a mask, carried an ordinary iron sword, and appeared somewhat thin.

Zhao Ranran immediately looked over, feeling a strange, indescribable feeling. There was a vague sense of familiarity about it.

Upon seeing the light of day again, Li Xian noticed "Zhao Zaizai" and thought to himself, "This woman hasn't left yet, this is extremely troublesome. If she recognizes me, she will definitely kill me. The first battle is imminent, I shouldn't think too much!" He stared at his opponent, ready for battle.

The Wang Jiang had been severely injured in a dangerous battle three days prior. This duel was truly forced upon him. Both were seriously wounded, both were at the Second Martial Realm, and claimed to be evenly matched.

And so a perilous battle unfolded in an instant. The Wang Jiang, skilled with an axe and having fought several Deathmatch Arena life-or-death struggle, idle talk was useless. Seeing Li Xian wearing a mask, he thought, "This man is wearing a mask; he must be new here. After a few more battles, he'll be willing to risk everything, even strip naked, to win and live. Besides, since he's arranged for me to fight him, we must be evenly matched; both sides have a fighting chance."

"This person is new to the game; if we suppress his momentum now, we can gain the upper hand in every way!" he gritted his teeth and charged forward, letting out a thunderous roar.

Li Xian, with his keen eyesight, saw that this slash already contained profound martial arts skill. Lower Vehicle "Jade-Carrying Axe" technique of Jade City, a Major Accomplishment martial art that had reached its peak. The attack was fierce yet well-rounded. It was rough yet meticulous, meticulous yet strategic, and strategic yet courageous—no small feat. However, it lacked martial arts evolution and did not possess any extraordinary phenomena. Li Xian dodged to the side, easily avoiding the attack. The experienced general, Wang Jiang, followed closely, shouting as he swung his great axe repeatedly, slashing down towards the feet. This was the "Mountain-Breaking Root" move, specifically designed to attack the lower body. Li Xian retreated repeatedly, his eyes scanning the surroundings, taking in every detail of the general's movements.

Several powerful and precise axe strikes were all dodged at close range. Zhao Zaizai noticed something amiss. "This dodging technique isn't about skillful footwork, but rather improvisation. This person's reaction speed is exceptionally fast!"

Seizing the opportunity, Li Xian slashed with his sword at an angle. With a clang, the Wang Jiang's axe was knocked away by the immense force. He was filled with horror, and his hand was in excruciating pain. Li Xian's sword strike appeared light and graceful, but in reality, it was extremely powerful! Outsiders could not see it and only thought that the Wang Jiang a slip of the hand.

Taking advantage of the momentum, Li Xian kicked out. With a loud "bang," Wang Jiang tumbled out. Getting up was extremely difficult; he used all his strength, but just as he managed to stand up, he fell down again. The onlookers booed, clearly not enjoying the spectacle.

The Death Duel Arena —those who ascend it either win or lose their lives. Therefore, every person who ascends the platform fights to the death. Very few can be kicked twice and fall to the ground without getting up.

Little did the onlookers know the sheer force of Li Xian's strength. Had he wished, he could have killed him on the spot.

The stands erupted in commotion: "This judge, Wang Jiang, lost to a debtor, fine. But he was so utterly defeated, a disgrace to Jade City!" "No wonder he was kicked out." "Was this guy deliberately courting death? How come he couldn't even get up after just one kick?" "He's really ruining my fun."

Someone shouted, "You debtor, the man you defeated was once a judge. You have defeated him, why not quickly tear him to pieces and quell your anger? Hahaha!"

Traditionally, the judge decides the fate of debtors, but this time the Heavenly Gang have turned, and the debtor has utterly defeated the judge. The spectators on the platform are all amazed, exclaiming, "Excellent! Excellent! That debtor, I have a bag of gold here. If you chop him up, I'll give it all to you if I'm satisfied with watching!"

"I have a string of pearls here, I'll give it to you."

The crowd showered him with gifts, the total amounting to several thousand taels of silver. The Wang Jiang sighed deeply, knowing he was doomed to a tragic end. He had once been on the platform fortuitous opportunity chance, but how could he have known that times would change so drastically and his situation would be so different now?

Li Xian gazed at the onlookers on the high platform, his heart filled with utter disgust. His peripheral vision glanced intentionally or unintentionally at Zhao Zaizai. In his eyes, Zhao Zaizai stood among the crowd of onlookers, no different from them. His disgust intensified, and he thought, "Though I, Li Xian, am poor, I would never sell my humanity for money. Humph, you tell me to kill, but I will not. I would rather fight three hundred battles than accept this kind of reward."

He lightly patted his sleeve, turned and left. The onlookers on the high platform were stunned, their anger turning to Li Xian.

Some even said that whoever killed Li Xian would be rewarded with a large sum of silver.

The Wang Jiang was stunned for a moment, staring at Li Xian's back. Zhao Zaizai's gaze was strange, quite gleaming, and he kept thinking, "Ji Yuan won but did not kill, which was a detached act of charity. This person won but did not kill, which is -- which --" He didn't know how to describe it, but felt vaguely familiar.

What was initially dismissed, with increasing experience, becomes more understood and appreciated, and its charm is thus better admired. Zhao Ranran noted down the code name "Guilt Sword," pondering, "Guilt Sword, Guilt Sword, does it mean having a clear conscience?"

Li Xian returned to his cell, retrieved the jade token, and earned three hundred taels of silver—a perfect record of one win and zero losses. He deeply appreciated how hard-won it was; what seemed like a single victory was actually the result of a rapidly changing battle. A slight miscalculation, or an unexpected turn of events, could have led to defeat even for someone with superior strength and skill. Li Xian pondered, "Just now, if I had simply followed their wishes, I would have received a large reward. But to kill for money, I would no longer be Li Xian, but a beast of immense strength. I would rather—"

I would rather die like this. A man in this world has things he can discard, and things he cannot discard.

This is the "Five Organs Purge-Turbidity Revive-Yang Scripture," which circulates the Five Organs Turbidity Circulation, slightly restoring Qi and Blood. Li Xian sat quietly to rest, ignoring external affairs. After his breathing calmed down, he took out his precious sword and practiced in the prison cell. Not long after, the guard came and said, "Not bad, I didn't expect you to be able to win despite your depleted Blood Qi and blood."

Li Xian said, "Just lucky." The constable said, "That makes sense. That Wang Jiang must have been at his last gasp; otherwise, how could he have been unable to get up after just one kick? But congratulations anyway. However, you are incredibly ungrateful. Do you know how many fortuitous opportunity you missed just now?" Li Xian said, "How many?"

The constable said, "A full five thousand taels of silver. If you do as I say, you'll receive a full five thousand taels of silver as a reward. That Wang Jiang has offended many people, and you, a debtor, defeated him. That's why the magistrate of Jade City is so generous with his reward. But you pretended to be aloof and missed this opportunity. Not only will you lose the money, but you'll also displease the magistrate. When someone else defeats you, they'll ruthlessly humiliate and cruelly abuse you to please the magistrate and thus obtain the reward."

Li Xian laughed and said, "We'll talk about it later." The constable sighed, "Whether I say it or not, you have certainly caught my eye. Your demeanor is quite remarkable. I hope you live a long life." He brought over a bowl of hot rice, which was already full, and then a small dish of side dishes, which were plentiful and included four thick pieces of pork.

The constable said, "Let me give you a piece of advice: this silver is very useful. You can buy elixirs and weapons. Your Blood Qi and energy are weak, and it's difficult to fully recover by just relying on supplements. You can use the silver to buy elixirs to heal your injuries or to purchase Great Wu. This will help you stay alive. Also... let me give you a heads-up: the Plunder Feast is coming. You'll have the chance to obtain Essence Treasure, so seize the opportunity."

Li Xian picked up the rice and ate heartily. With the enhancement from the Consumption, his healing power Perfect Aspect, his five internal organs were strong, and his many characteristics were in harmony. His blood depletion would be completely cured in a few days, saving him the money to buy elixirs. His eyes sharpened; he was genuinely interested in the "Plunder Feast."

[Bone-Sculpting Embryo]

[Proficiency: 13/100]

Although Li Xian's strength improved daily, his cultivation level stagnated due to a lack of Essence Treasure. The Second Martial Realm involves Bone-Sculpting Embryo and transforming the bone structure. There are six stages in total, and Li Xian hasn't even completed the first, which is a significant weakness. However, the path of martial arts is long and cannot be rushed. He only needs to escape his predicament, gain respect and wealth in Jade City, and then cooking will no longer be difficult, allowing his cultivation level to gradually improve.

Before arriving at Jade City, Li Xian traveled the world, practicing medicine, curing the sick, and eliminating evil, having a great time. Along the way, he ate and drank some soup, and through the strengthening effects of these Consumption, his cultivation level increased slightly.

He calmed himself down and rested quietly. During this time, there were several life-or-death battles in Death Duel Arena, the fighting was so fierce that it was unbearable to watch.

Li Xian had already planted hair strands in advance, so he could observe the duel at any time. Familiarizing himself with his opponent's moves and knowing himself and his enemy was the key to victory in every battle!

The next day, Li Xian was summoned to begin the second round of the duel. He exhaled a clear breath, which made the iron sword cold and emitted a faint, eerie light.

As soon as Fang Yi stepped onto the stage, countless eyes turned to him. There were even more spectators on the high platform, including Zhao Zaizai, Su Susu, Su Tiexin, and others, who were already waiting for him. It turned out that Li Xian, codenamed "Guilt Sword," had a unique style of doing things that had aroused discussion in the city.

His reputation began to spread. Su Susu, Su Tiexin, and others, out of curiosity, all came to see for themselves. Meanwhile, onlookers, curious about Li Xian's fate, came with a schadenfreude.

Zhao Ranran said hesitantly, "He's here," her eyes filled with anticipation. Li Xian coldly surveyed the crowd, his mind resolute, and stood before the Death Duel Arena. Several spectators on the platform chimed in, seizing the opportunity to jeer, "That Copper Bear, if you can defeat this brat, I'll reward you with four gold ingots." "Heh heh, that's not all! For every Root Bone you crush, I'll add fifty taels of silver."

The one known as "Copper Bear" is our opponent in this match. He is tall and strong like a bear, with a naturally Copperhide Aspect complexion, his skin as if it were cast from bronze and iron, hence his self-proclaimed name "Copper Bear".

He also cultivated extraordinary martial arts such as "Savage Bear Vajra Force" and "Iron Garment Art". Deathwish Valley could suppress martial arts, the physical enhancement brought about by daily martial arts practice could not be completely suppressed.

Copper Bear, relying on his physical strength, has won forty-nine matches without a single defeat. He is extremely powerful. It seems that Li Xian was disobedient yesterday, so someone secretly plotted against him, intending to use Copper Bear to defeat him.

The Copper Bear said, "Gentlemen, please hand this boy over to me, and I guarantee you will be satisfied." It gave a cruel smile; its enormous bear body was awe-inspiring. Its eyes, no bigger than mung beans, gleamed with a sharp light.

Li Xian gently wiped his longsword and walked towards the Copper Bear. The Copper Bear was about ten feet tall, like a small giant, with legs as thick as its waist, and its whole body exuded a black bronze color. The atmosphere was tense. Suddenly, the Copper Bear sneered and suddenly swept its leg out with a whip kick.

The speed was extremely fast, and a series of loud "crackling" sounds echoed through the air. The spectators on the high platform cheered loudly, gloating triumphantly. Zhao Ranran, watching from a distance, was actually worried for him, frowning and saying, "Why aren't you moving aside yet?"

Suddenly, I felt a tremor.

The Copper Bear's whip kick was caught by Li Xian with one hand. At this moment, it was purely a contest of physical strength. The Copper Bear was nearly ten feet tall and had been practicing martial arts to increase its strength, so one could imagine that it was extremely strong.

Li Xian was tall, but not as tall as Copper Bear. However, once they started fighting, the difference in skill was immediately apparent; Li Xian didn't even move an inch. He could have concealed this divine power, gradually revealing it and winning as many rounds as possible with ease.

But he was proud and arrogant. He felt that if he didn't use his divine power when the time came, it would be a waste. He also thought that if he hid his skills, they would eventually be exposed. How could we, as martial artists, be afraid to show our strength?

His eyes flashed with sharp intent, and he tightened his grip slightly. A bloodcurdling scream echoed from the Copper Bear, a sound of bone cracking coming from its leg. Li Xian's hand couldn't even hold the Copper Bear's calf.

But as he exerted force, the Copper Bear's iron skin and bronze flesh gradually caved in. Relying entirely on his grip strength, Li Xian was able to crush the Copper Bear's leg, skin, flesh, and bone, in one go! The sheer magnitude of this force was unimaginable.

The spectators on the high platform were all astonished, and someone exclaimed, "Is this a human?" The Copper Bear screamed and brandished its hands, rushing towards Li Xian's closed fan. Li Xian twisted his body and threw the Copper Bear high into the air. The Copper Bear, in its panic, could not maintain its balance and crashed down with a loud "bang".

He was so confused and disoriented that he was completely unaware of the world around him. Li Xian's sword tip was pressed against his throat; with a slight release, he could kill the Copper Bear. This Copper Bear was full of ferocity, and killing it would be without shame.

But he deliberately spared his life, neither seeking reward nor feigning innocence. He turned and left. Among the spectators on the high platform, some were furious, while others were intrigued and curious—and naturally, there was much discussion.

May a person with superhuman strength arrive in Death Valley.

Zhao Zaizai's eyes gleamed with a strange light as he murmured, "This Guilt Sword is determined to fight three hundred battles to the death, refusing to bow down to Lord Cheng!"

(P: Recently, some readers have felt that my status in Jade City is too low, and I haven't made a name for myself yet. I'd like to offer a brief explanation. I had already planned out Xiao Li's career path before he even entered Jade City. Without power or influence, he can only take it one step at a time. Don't worry, it won't be too slow, but it won't be too rushed either. After all, the theme of this book is that Heaven Rewards Diligence, and you have to take it one step at a time.)