Luo Shisanlang

An expert!

An absolute expert!

The jianghu folk dining in the tavern were all stunned as well.

The indomitable momentum within that spear strike, along with the startling brilliance of Chen Yuan's slash, were both rare even among Qi Forging Realm martial artists.

The four Iron Garb Sect martial artists were inwardly horrified as well.

The man in front swiftly removed his Iron Conical Hat and held it across his body, forcefully taking Chen Yuan's strike.

After entering the middle stage of the Qi Forging Realm, Chen Yuan's inner force had surged dramatically. The power of this slash instantly sent that Iron Garb Sect martial artist flying, even cleaving the Iron Conical Hat in his hand cleanly in two!

Previously, even with the Azure Dragon Blooddrinker, Chen Yuan had been unable to sever an Iron Conical Hat with a single slash.

Now, a mere minor breakthrough had increased his strength so noticeably. This was also due to the effects of the Inner Scenery Deity Visualization Method.

That Iron Garb Sect martial artist's hands were dripping with blood and trembling without cease, his eyes filled with terror.

Chen Yuan did not pause. Surging Waves inner force roared and churned as his Wave-Treading Slash descended, carrying boundless might!

Seeing this, an Iron Garb Sect martial artist behind him hurriedly raised his Iron Conical Hat and smashed it toward Chen Yuan's back.

Yet Chen Yuan's Wave-Treading Slash abruptly changed direction and slashed toward him.

As the freezing blade radiance neared him, the Iron Garb Sect martial artist let out a roar. The muscles across his body bulged as blackish-gray true qi surged forth.

Iron Armor, Cold Garb! Iron Chain Across the River!

He attacked Chen Yuan with the Iron Conical Hat in one hand while forming a fist seal with the other, smashing it down with a howling gale.

This man's strength was somewhat greater than that of the man Chen Yuan had sent flying earlier, and he too had reached the middle stage of the Qi Forging Realm.

Moreover, he possessed abundant combat experience. He knew that against the Azure Dragon Blooddrinker's sharpness, passive defense would only lead to disaster; he had to meet attack with attack.

But the problem was, his attack could not overcome Chen Yuan's.

The Iron Conical Hat was forcibly torn apart, and half of one of his hands was sliced away with it.

Yet he seemed not to feel it at all. His fist seal was already less than three inches from Chen Yuan's head, its blackish-gray true qi already upon him!

But in the next instant, Chen Yuan's arm moved like a spirit serpent winding silk. With a yielding force that redirected strength, he effortlessly dissolved the fierce and domineering power of that fist seal.

Then Shattered-Jade Force abruptly erupted. Like a giant python strangling its prey, it snapped his wrist and shattered his bones. The Iron Garb Sect martial artist's entire wrist was twisted to pieces, exposing jagged white bone.

Before he could cry out, the Azure Dragon Blooddrinker in Chen Yuan's hand had already swept across his throat. Blood sprayed in an instant, and his body crashed to the ground.

Chen Yuan turned his head. The wounded Iron Garb Sect martial artist from before immediately turned and fled.

The next moment, the power of the Surging Waves, Flowing Clouds Formula erupted within Chen Yuan. His inner force surged as he lunged forward, bringing down an Autumn Wind Slash. Blade radiance filled the sky, gorgeous yet brimming with chilling killing intent.

Both of that Iron Garb Sect martial artist's hands had been crippled, so he could only circulate the Iron Chain Across the River Method and take the blow head-on.

But his strength was inferior to Chen Yuan's, and the Azure Dragon Blooddrinker's sharpness was particularly suited to breaking the Iron Garb Sect's hard arts.

Countless blade radiances fell. Like cutting tofu, they easily broke through his Iron Armor, Cold Garb and chopped him directly into a heap of minced flesh!

The blood on the blade gathered into a line along its edge. Chen Yuan flicked away the blood droplets, sending them flying in a neat streak.

Sheathing his saber, Chen Yuan turned around. That simple-looking, somewhat foolish fellow had been no slower than Chen Yuan. He had likewise dealt with the other two Iron Garb Sect martial artists.

The long spear in his hand resembled a black roaming dragon, its momentum and strength both astonishing.

It was also an exceptionally sharp Mystic Weapon, its quality not much inferior to the Azure Dragon Blooddrinker.

When the Iron Garb Sect martial artists used their Iron Conical Hats to defend, the spear simply punched holes straight through them.

Their Iron Armor, Cold Garb could withstand ordinary blades and swords, but before his spear, it was no different from tofu. Each thrust left behind a bloody hole.

In the blink of an eye, the two men had been pierced into sieves, blood gushing from every part of their bodies.

Seeing that Chen Yuan had also made short work of the Iron Garb Sect martial artists, the simple-looking man's eyes immediately lit up.

"Brother, what skill! What a fast saber!"

Chen Yuan smiled. "Your spear isn't slow either."

The two returned to the tavern. Everywhere they passed, the jianghu folk instinctively made way for them.

Though the Iron Garb Sect was not some supreme great sect, it was still a regional overlord along the borders of Youzhou.

In particular, Iron Garb Sect martial artists cultivated formidable hard arts. Even if one could defeat them, it was difficult to kill them.

And if one failed to kill them, what awaited was the revenge of a whole pack of iron turtles.

These two had faced four opponents with only the two of them, yet slaughtered Iron Garb Sect martial artists of the same realm as easily as chopping melons and slicing vegetables.

Their refined body-tempering arts had been as fragile as paper before these two. Such combat power was truly terrifying.

When they returned to their table, it had somehow already been filled with dishes.

Perhaps the tavern keeper had been frightened and had specially rushed their food out.

The moment the fellow saw the table full of dishes, his eyes turned red. He shouted at the waiter, "Bring me a basin of rice!"

After the waiter brought over the rice, the fellow ate half a basin of it with the dishes before finally feeling somewhat recovered. He raised his head and gave Chen Yuan an embarrassed smile.

"Forgive me, Brother. I haven't eaten for several days. Oh, right, I still haven't asked for your esteemed name."

Chen Yuan paused before saying, "Chen Tian."

Since he did not know the other man's background, Chen Yuan still gave a false name.

When traveling the world, having a few alternate identities was perfectly normal.

"So you're Brother Chen. Judging by your accent, Brother Chen is from Youzhou, right? My name is Luo Lie, and I am from Yanzhou."

Chen Yuan nodded. Then, as if recalling something, he asked in a low voice, "Luo Shisanlang of the Day-Changing Alliance?"

Luo Shisanlang grinned and rubbed his head honestly. "Brother Chen knows of the Day-Changing Alliance, and even knows my nickname?"

Chen Yuan thought, Of course I know. I also know that you will die a miserable death in the future.

The man before him was the adopted son of Zhishilang, the leader of the Day-Changing Alliance. After the Day-Changing Alliance raised its banner in rebellion, Luo Lie led deathsworn men to be the first up the city walls in every battle. On one occasion, he charged through the enemy formation thirteen times back and forth, earning himself the nickname Luo Shisanlang within the Day-Changing Alliance.

Later, as the Day-Changing Alliance gradually grew stronger, Luo Shisanlang also gradually became one of its core fighting forces—a standard fierce general of the battlefield, unstoppable as he charged into battle.

In the end, the Day-Changing Alliance was besieged from within and without, then wiped out by the imperial court working together with jianghu forces. To cover Zhishilang's retreat, Luo Shisanlang fought alone against experts from the imperial court and all sides of the jianghu. At last, after being worn down by successive waves of opponents, he died with ten thousand arrows piercing his heart.

Luo Shisanlang was loyal and righteous, fearless in the face of death. Even after the Day-Changing Alliance had suffered betrayal from all sides and fallen into desperate straits, he still chose never to abandon it. He was indeed a true hero.

But the Day-Changing Alliance had only just raised the banner of rebellion. He ought to have been in Yanzhou, so why had he come to Youzhou?

"The Day-Changing Alliance has raised the banner of revolt against the tyranny of the imperial court. Who in the jianghu does not know of it?

"Brother Luo, you were the first up the city walls and charged through enemy formations thirteen times at the risk of your life. That was truly stirring and fierce."

Luo Shisanlang beamed with delight at the praise. "That's exaggerated, that's exaggerated. My Day-Changing Alliance hasn't even made it onto the Jianghu Wind and Cloud Ranking yet. How could we dare claim that everyone knows us?

"Besides, the imperial court's armies in Yanzhou are rotten to the core. Several times, I only had to charge at them a few times before they ran. There wasn't much danger at all."

The so-called Jianghu Wind and Cloud Ranking was compiled by the Skywind Rain-Listening Tower. It listed certain top powers that controlled Divine Weapons and Demonic Arms and could stir the winds and clouds of the jianghu.

Its order was: one island of the Eastern Sea, two cities of the northwest, three Buddhist temples, four Daoist teachings, five branches of the demonic path, six Fish-Dragon Sects, Seven Alliances of the Realm, eight great clans, and Nine Martial Sects.

The Murong Clan of Dragon City in Youzhou, for instance, was one of the eight great clans, while the One Qi Piercing Sun Alliance was among the Seven Alliances of the Realm.

The Ningzhou Martial Suppression Hall that Chen Yuan intended to join also belonged to the Seven Alliances of the Realm.

At present, the Day-Changing Alliance had only just raised the banner of revolt, its might only beginning to show, so it had not yet entered the Jianghu Wind and Cloud Ranking.

However, it would not be long before the Day-Changing Alliance revealed its power and replaced the One Qi Piercing Sun Alliance as one of the Seven Alliances of the Realm.

"Brother Luo, there is no need for modesty. The Jianghu Wind and Cloud Ranking is not set in stone. It is only a matter of time before the Day-Changing Alliance takes its place upon it."

Chen Yuan said, "By the way, Brother Luo, shouldn't you be in Yanzhou right now? Why have you come to the borderlands near Ningzhou?"

Luo Shisanlang scratched his head and sighed. "I wasn't heading to Ningzhou, but to Youzhou.

"At present, the Day-Changing Alliance is confronting the imperial court. There was not much for me to do if I stayed within the alliance, so I wanted to help my adoptive father recruit experts from the jianghu.

"By chance, I heard that Zuo Xinglie, the 'Nine-River Flood Dragon' and former leader of the Thirty-Six Waterways Alliance of the Nine-Dragon River, was living in seclusion in Linked Mountains City in Youzhou. So I wanted to invite him to join the Day-Changing Alliance.

"Who would have thought that after arriving, I could not find Zuo Xinglie? There were also many Murong Clan people in Linked Mountains City killing people indiscriminately. I even had a fight with the Murong Clan people.

"Since I could not find him, I planned to return. But halfway back, I ran into those Iron Garb Sect fellows bullying people again.

"I only spoke one fair word, and they got so worked up that they insisted on fighting. I had no choice but to oblige them and stabbed those men to death.

"Later, I heard that some damn Demon-Sealing Conference was going to be held nearby, so I thought I would come join in the excitement.

"I never expected those fellows to be so petty. They actually chased me all the way here. What rotten luck."

Chen Yuan stroked his chin. Had he affected the plot again?

Probably not. In the original plot, there truly had been no mention of Luo Shisanlang coming to invite Zuo Xinglie into the Day-Changing Alliance.

Either he had failed to find him, or Zuo Xinglie had refused.

At that moment, Luo Shisanlang suddenly seemed to remember something. He said to Chen Yuan excitedly, "Brother Chen, your saber arts are so stunning. Would you be willing to join my Day-Changing Alliance? I dare guarantee that your status would absolutely not be beneath mine.

"Oh, right, why not acknowledge my adoptive father as your adoptive father too? The old man cherishes talent most of all. He would definitely treat you well."

Chen Yuan: "..."

His last adoptive father had only just gone cold. He had no desire to keep becoming someone else's adopted son.

Besides, the Day-Changing Alliance had no shortage of internal problems. Though Zhishilang was a heroic tyrant, his character also had flaws. This caused the Day-Changing Alliance to rise rapidly, only to collapse like a mountain when its armies were defeated.

Even though Chen Yuan knew the plot well, he had no way to completely turn the tides.

Without sufficient strength or confidence, even if he spoke of all the Day-Changing Alliance's shortcomings, no one would take him seriously.

So Chen Yuan had no desire to step into the Day-Changing Alliance's pit of fire right now.

"Many thanks for Brother Luo's kind intentions, but I already have plans for the future. For now, I have no intention of going to Yanzhou to join the Day-Changing Alliance."

Luo Shisanlang shook his head regretfully, but did not press the matter.

"It truly is a pity that I cannot work alongside Brother Chen. By the way, Brother Chen, your saber is truly fine. Could you lend it to me for a look?"

Chen Yuan handed over the Azure Dragon Blooddrinker. Luo Shisanlang drew it from its sheath, revealing a snow-bright blade with an edge crimson as blood jade.

"Good saber! If I'm not mistaken, this should be a treasured saber forged from Earth Weapon materials."

Luo Shisanlang praised it, then returned the Azure Dragon Blooddrinker to Chen Yuan.

Chen Yuan accepted the saber. "Brother Luo has sharp eyes to see that at a glance."

"Heh, I used to be a blacksmith. I originally wanted to become a weapon-forging master, but I never expected to end up rebelling alongside my adoptive father."

Luo Shisanlang took out his long spear and handed it to Chen Yuan. "This spear is called the Dark Flood Dragon. My adoptive father helped me find the Earth Weapon materials, and I forged it with my own hands. Brother Chen, what do you think?"

Chen Yuan accepted the Dark Flood Dragon. The moment it entered his hand, he felt its extreme weight. It likely weighed two or three hundred jin and had definitely not been forged from ordinary materials.

"Good spear! Its exterior is dark and lustrous, its spearhead rugged and upright, its killing intent chilling. It is truly a vicious weapon."

Chen Yuan praised it before returning the Dark Flood Dragon to him.

Luo Shisanlang scratched his head. Why did he feel that something was off? Yet he could not say what exactly was wrong.