Ping'an County.
Midnight.
Boom.
Thunder exploded.
Deep night shrouded the sky, and dark clouds blanketed all of Ping'an County.
This was April's first heavy rain. It was already midnight, and all of Ping'an County had long since fallen quiet.
Outside Ping'an County.
On a desolate mountain.
Rain poured down, beating against the branches. The thunderstorm roared, filling the air with an inexplicable unease.
In the rain.
Cheng Lidong was soaked through. He held a short sword, his hair plastered against his face, his deathly pale features exceptionally grave.
His gaze betrayed no ripple of emotion as he let the rain strike his body.
Clang.
Boom.
Alongside the thunder, the ringing of a saber sounded.
A shadow flashed past, swift as could be, the white spine of its blade reflecting a blinding glare beneath the lightning.
Wu Yan appeared, gripping his great saber tightly. He charged out at incredible speed, layers of blade shadows carrying terrifying murderous intent.
Swish.
In an instant, the short sword in Cheng Lidong's hand shot out and collided with the great saber, producing a crisp ring.
"Wu Yan, cooperating with the Prefectural Lord can keep you safe. Though you've practiced an unorthodox art, that doesn't mean there's no way to save you. At the very least, helping you enter the ranks quickly won't be a problem."
"Cooperation is your only way out now."
Cheng Lidong had not truly attacked.
Beneath the pouring rain, cold gleams flashed from his short sword as he watched Wu Yan nearby and tried to persuade him.
But to Wu Yan, those words sounded strangely familiar.
"Cheng Lidong, do you think I'm a fool?"
"Once you've practiced an unorthodox art, death is certain. You might fool others, but there's no point trying to deceive me."
Wu Yan's voice grew colder.
The great saber in his hand trembled slightly.
"Fine. I won't use that as the basis of our deal."
"I'll make a private deal with you."
"Tell me where the Martial Emperor's Legacy Treasure is, and I'll spare your life."
Cheng Lidong spoke. No one else was here, so certain things could be said aloud.
"What do I gain by telling you? Just my life?"
Wu Yan asked.
"We split it equally. The Martial Emperor's Legacy Treasure is worth a fortune. Half for each of us. At least you can put out the fire at your brows, and I can seize this chance to soar to success."
"Wu Yan, a wise man knows which way the wind blows. I know your heart holds plenty of humiliation and resentment, but if you die, it all becomes empty talk. Whoever you hate, whatever your purpose, as long as you live, there's hope."
There was no denying that Cheng Lidong's words were persuasive.
Wu Yan fell silent.
He stood quietly in the rain, seemingly weighing the offer in earnest.
Seeing this, Cheng Lidong continued.
"I can swear an oath on the Martial Dao, or even give you a pledge of allegiance. I, Cheng Lidong, am no good man, but I have ambition, and you have a goal. We can cooperate."
"I'll climb to a position of power, step by step. When that time comes, whatever wishes or plans you have, I can help you."
Cheng Lidong continued. His words were practical, and they also expressed his true thoughts.
His manner was sincere, his eyes filled with longing.
Wu Yan pondered without speaking.
"Wu Yan, if we join forces, we'll surely achieve something great. I won't remain beneath others, but I can see you have something weighing on your heart, something you must accomplish."
"I can let you leave now. Once you've thought it through, you can come find me. But don't try to escape. A net stretching from heaven to earth has already been laid over Ping'an County. You can't get away."
"The Prefectural Lord has sent stronger experts. If they show up, they won't take you alive. Cooperation truly is your way out."
As Wu Yan remained silent, Cheng Lidong could not help speaking again, hoping to move him.
"Fine. I can cooperate with you, but I have three demands."
Beneath the pouring rain, Wu Yan finally spoke. He agreed to cooperate, but put forward three demands.
"Forget three. Even thirty would be fine."
Hearing Wu Yan speak, Cheng Lidong was overjoyed. Delight appeared on his pale face.
"Don't agree too soon."
"I want to leave alive. No matter what, I must leave alive."
"I want the head of the Southern Yu Prefecture's Prefectural Lord."
"And I need an Exquisite Seven-Orifice Pill. Can you get one?"
Wu Yan stated his three demands.
But all three were harsh.
"Letting you leave is something I can do."
"The head of the Southern Yu Prefecture's Prefectural Lord isn't impossible, but as things stand, I can't do it. Once we obtain the Martial Emperor's Legacy Treasure and lie low for a few years, I can help you accomplish that."
"As for the Exquisite Seven-Orifice Pill, I'll get one for you within ten years. How about that?"
Cheng Lidong gave his answer.
"Ten years is too long. Three years. You must get it within three years."
Wu Yan shook his head, shortening the deadline to three years.
"Fine."
Cheng Lidong agreed without hesitation, then spoke.
"Tell me the secret of the Martial Emperor's Legacy Treasure, and I'll get you an Exquisite Seven-Orifice Pill within three years."
He looked at Wu Yan, his gaze unwavering.
"Tell you outright? Do you take me for an idiot?"
Wu Yan smiled, his eyes full of contempt.
"If you don't tell me, how can I trust you?"
Cheng Lidong countered.
"I can give you some related information, but I'll keep the core secret in my hands. Once I've left alive, I'll contact you. How about that?"
Wu Yan proposed a solution.
"Agreed."
Cheng Lidong accepted without any hesitation.
Both had their misgivings, so caution in making the deal was perfectly natural.
"The Martial Emperor's Legacy Treasure requires yin-yang power to open. Hidden inside is the Pill Deity Ancient Scripture."
"Is that information enough?"
Wu Yan spoke slowly, revealing some of what Cheng Lidong desperately wanted to know.
"The Pill Deity Ancient Scripture?"
In an instant, Cheng Lidong's pupils contracted, his eyes filling with shock.
He knew what the Pill Deity Ancient Scripture was.
The foremost divine text of pill refinement. Rumor had it that the Pill Deity Ancient Scripture recorded methods for breaking through Martial Dao realms.
The Martial Dao had ten ranks, each separated by a whole heaven.
Breaking through was as difficult as ascending to heaven. Aptitude, talent, perseverance, and fortune-not one could be lacking.
Especially toward the end, the ranks became ever more daunting.
Being trapped in a single realm for a lifetime was nothing unusual.
But with the Pill Deity Ancient Scripture, one could break through without end. One only needed to find the medicinal ingredients required by its formulas to refine Realm-Breaking Pills.
After swallowing one, a cultivator would break through directly, with no need to wait.
How could Cheng Lidong not be thrilled?
How could he not be excited?
He was now an Eighth Rank Dantian Realm martial artist. Reaching the Seventh Rank might be hopeless even over a lifetime, but with the Pill Deity Ancient Scripture, he could break through to the Seventh Rank with ease.
He might even reach the First Rank within his lifetime.
Even the mighty Prefectural Lord of Southern Yu Prefecture was only a Sixth Rank martial artist. Once Cheng Lidong obtained the Pill Deity Ancient Scripture, surpassing the Prefectural Lord would be all too easy.
"That's not enough. Where is the Martial Emperor's Legacy Treasure?"
"And what does yin-yang power mean?"
He asked, feeling that this information was insufficient and wanting Wu Yan to reveal more important details.
"Do you think I'd tell you where the Martial Emperor's Legacy Treasure is?"
"But I can tell you about yin-yang power. What we call yin-yang power is..."
Wu Yan spoke. His first sentence was nothing remarkable.
But his second drew Cheng Lidong's full attention.
Cheng Lidong knew Wu Yan would not reveal the treasure's location so readily, but he knew nothing about yin-yang power, and his attention wavered.
Yet in that very instant.
Clang.
The saber's shadow came slashing again. Its blade energy cut through the rain, thick with murderous intent, cleaving straight toward Cheng Lidong's forehead.
"Damn you!"
Cheng Lidong roared, reacting with incredible speed as he raised his hand and thrust his sword.
The short sword collided with the great saber, scattering sparks.
The next instant, Cheng Lidong trembled all over. Terrifying blade energy disrupted the flow of his internal energy, splitting the web of his hand and sending blood bursting out.
Swish.
Though ambushed without warning, Cheng Lidong reacted extremely quickly. He had maintained some vigilance, but Wu Yan's words had made it impossible for him to keep his mind fully focused.
Otherwise, he would not have suffered such a heavy loss.
Pfft.
He spat out a mouthful of blood.
Cheng Lidong's gaze instantly turned icy.
He knew that everything Wu Yan had just said had been for the sake of that single slash. Wu Yan had never intended to cooperate with him.
He had merely dangled bait to lure Cheng Lidong into a trap so he could kill him.
What cunning.
Once he understood everything, Cheng Lidong hesitated no longer. He circulated his internal energy, moved with swift steps, and thrust his short sword.
Beneath the lightning, his sword flashed as fast as a thunderbolt, severing the tendons in Wu Yan's wrists and ankles before plunging into his lung.
His attacks were vicious and ruthless.
Though Wu Yan had entered the Eighth Rank, he was seriously wounded, and had only just reached that rank.
Cheng Lidong had entered the Eighth Rank years ago and was uninjured. The disparity between them was enormous.
"I'll give you one final chance."
"Tell me everything, and I can spare your life."
"Wu Yan, don't struggle in vain."
With his short sword piercing Wu Yan's lung, Cheng Lidong pinned him to a tree stump, yet still did not kill him.
The Pill Deity Ancient Scripture was far too tempting.
So tempting that even though Wu Yan was determined to kill him, he could not bear to kill Wu Yan.
"You damned cur."
"Do you think I'd believe you?"
"Hahahaha! Die!"
Pinned to the tree stump, Wu Yan showed not a trace of fear or despair. Instead, a crazed expression appeared on his face.
The next instant, netherworld cold energy gathered at his wound. The terrifying chill instantly spread over the short sword, then covered both of Cheng Lidong's hands.
Swish.
In a single instant, Cheng Lidong retreated dozens of steps, internal energy surging through his body. He stared at his hands, veins bulging.
He had been fooled again.
Wu Yan had drawn his saber not to catch him off guard, but to deliberately enrage him, paying with his own life to release the netherworld cold poison and poison Cheng Lidong to death.
This man was too ruthless.
Even more ruthless than he was.
Despite his fury, Cheng Lidong did not lose his composure. He immediately tried to force out the cold poison.
But the cold poison was too terrifying. Wisps of freezing energy covered his hands, refusing to be driven back.
In the end, Cheng Lidong condensed energy at his fingertips and cut open the vessels in his wrists. Blood radiating cold energy gushed out. Though this harmed his body, at least it kept the chill from spreading fully inside him.
"You have no great feud with me."
"Yet you dared to show yourself, and even deliberately exposed an opening."
"All because you wanted to kill me."
"You didn't want to kill me."
"Under normal circumstances, you wouldn't kill me either."
"Because you knew the gap between us was too great."
"Someone ordered you to kill me at all costs."
"Who was it?"
As he purged the poison, one thought after another flashed through Cheng Lidong's mind. He voiced his questions one by one, his gaze fixed coldly on Wu Yan.
But icy energy had already spread throughout Wu Yan's body, freezing him stiff and extinguishing his life.
"Who gave the order?"
"To kill me?"
"Was it a deal?"
"If he dared to show himself, he must have been prepared to die."
"He handed everything crucial over to someone else."
"The contact changed. The secret wasn't on him."
"And the other party wanted me dead."
"Who was it?"
Cheng Lidong kept thinking, his mind racing.
Crack.
Boom!
A thunderclap rang out.
A delicate-featured face surfaced in Cheng Lidong's mind.
"Xu Qingxiao."
The name escaped him in a low murmur.
His face cold, Cheng Lidong tore open his sleeve and used it to bind his wound. His body shook violently. The icy energy had still entered his body, but it would not kill him-only cause him considerable trouble.
Yet at that moment, he knew who wanted him dead.
He also knew the clue to the Martial Emperor's Legacy Treasure.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha."
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha."
"Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough."
Wild laughter rang out, followed by a fit of coughing.
Then Cheng Lidong collapsed to the ground.
Before you continue