Penetrating the Hidden and Perceiving the Subtle

Early that morning, inside the Brocade Guard Hundred-Household Office, Li Chen Zhou sat upright in a grand chair, slowly wiping the blade of the Blood Demon Blade with a piece of silk.

The edge reflected the morning light beyond the window, glimmering with an eerie crimson radiance, as though blood were flowing between the blade's edges.

"Soul Absorption Art..." His fingertips brushed the patterns on the blade, a trace of coldness flashing through his eyes. "I deliberately kept it hidden before. Now that I'm about to break through to the fifth rank, it's time to let this technique see the light of day again."

Thinking of the merits he had earned over the past few days by consecutively destroying Heavenly Desire Palace strongholds, his promotion to Hundred-Household Commander was already as sure as a nail hammered into a board.

Just as he was pondering this, footsteps sounded beyond the door.

"My lord, it is our turn to patrol the streets today." Bookworm stood at the door with clasped fists, a saber hanging at his waist and a respectful expression on his face.

Li Chen Zhou sheathed his saber, its scarlet tassel swaying lightly at his waist. "Mm. A stroll outside would do us good. Pick ten brothers and come with me."

Que Avenue was bustling with voices, vendor cries ringing out without end. Yet Li Chen Zhou's brows gradually furrowed—there were many unfamiliar faces on the streets today.

Sword-bearing wanderers gathered in twos and threes at tea stalls, brawny men carrying sabers leaned against tavern railings, and some even openly sized him up, their eyes either blazing with fighting spirit or brimming with mocking amusement.

"Something is wrong." Li Chen Zhou turned his head and murmured, "Go back and investigate why so many people from the martial world have gathered in the Capital City recently."

Bookworm had just been about to accept the order when a clear sword cry suddenly rang out ahead!

"Clang—"

A gleaming longsword plunged into the bluestone pavement, the words "Gentleman" on its tassel fluttering in the wind.

The swordsman wore a moon-white robe, his face as fine as carved jade. He was none other than Xie An, forty-seventh on the Earth Ranking, the "Gentleman's Sword."

"Lord Li of the Brocade Guard?" Xie An cupped his fists, though his smile did not reach his eyes. "I am Xie An, forty-seventh on the Earth Ranking, the Gentleman's Sword. I have come specifically to seek your guidance."

Li Chen Zhou's gaze turned cold.

As if sensing his mood, the Blood Demon Blade gave a faint hum within its sheath. Chilling killing intent surged toward the other man like a tidal wave.

The oil pan at a roadside stall suddenly crackled and popped, startling passersby into retreating.

"Where did you hear my name?" His voice was calm, yet the temperature around them seemed to plummet.

Xie An raised his brows. "Heavenly Desire Palace has offered a thousand gold for a way to counter your techniques, while the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion has placed you among the top twenty of the Rising Dragon Ranking." He suddenly lowered his voice. "Now half the martial world knows that beneath your Flying Fish Uniform... you hide an evil art capable of absorbing other people's inner force."

Li Chen Zhou swept his gaze around—heads poked from teahouse windows to watch the excitement, idle men crouched at alley entrances cracking melon seeds, and even the old man selling sugar figurines had stopped working. This was clearly someone's trap!

"Clang!"

The Blood Demon Blade slid three inches from its sheath, its biting killing intent forcing Xie An back three steps!

"This is the Capital City. I am an official, and you are a commoner." He suddenly sneered, slamming the sheath heavily against the bluestone pavement. Hidden force spread through the floor tiles, and the "Gentleman" badge at Xie An's waist cracked with a sharp crack, a thin fissure running across it. "Block my path again, and I guarantee you will not walk out of the Capital City alive."

Unhurried, Xie An unfolded a scroll of yellow silk. "Contests over the martial world rankings were decreed by the Founding Emperor himself, and the Ministry of Rites only stamped its seal yesterday. However, Lord Li is busy with official duties, so I shall not disturb you for now." He stepped aside to clear the way, then said meaningfully, "When Lord Li has the time, Xie will await your esteemed presence at Emerald Cloud Tower these next few days..."

The group continued onward, but the whispers clung to them like gangrene on the bone:

"What little devil? He is merely relying on his official status..."

"He does not even dare accept a challenge. He has disgraced Duke Zhen's Estate completely..."

Li Chen Zhou's knuckles turned white, but he forcibly suppressed his rage. Only after returning to the guard office did he smash the desk with one punch. "Investigate! Find out who is fanning the flames!"

White Cat Nine hurried inside and handed over a secret report. "My lord, we have found out. Heavenly Desire Palace joined forces with the Nangong family to spread the news and draw the battle for this martial world ranking into the Capital City!"

"The martial world rankings?"

"Exactly." White Cat Nine wiped away sweat as he explained, "The Earth Ranking lists martial artists below the fifth rank, while the Rising Dragon Ranking lists rising talents under thirty. Beyond those are the fourth-rank Heaven Ranking, for Lesser Grandmasters; the third-rank Sky Ranking, for Masters; the second-rank Dragon Ranking, for Grandmasters; and the Supreme Ranking above the first rank, for peak experts."

Before he had finished speaking, Deputy Hundred-Household Commander Zhang Biao strode inside. The man known for his iron-blooded methods wore a grave expression at the moment. "Chen Zhou, this is more troublesome than we imagined."

Li Chen Zhou rose to greet him and personally poured tea. "Lord Zhang, please enlighten me."

"Those martial world people chose the Capital City for the contest over the three rankings. They are clearly trying to slap the court in the face!" Zhang Biao set down his teacup with a heavy thud. "But this time, we will make sure they come but never return!" It turned out that the Eastern Depot, the Brocade Guard, and even the six ministries had long reached a consensus—since those martial world people had delivered themselves to their doorstep, they would use this chance to give them a vicious warning!

"The Ministry of Rites has taken responsibility for hosting it." A sharp glint flickered in Zhang Biao's eyes. "Every young member of the court must participate. The higher the ranking, the greater the reward!" He lowered his voice. "The Commander specifically instructed that you must fight your way into the top ten of the Earth Ranking!"

Late at night, when all was silent, Li Chen Zhou sat alone in the cultivation room. The system panel appeared before his eyes:

Host: Li Chen Zhou

Realm: Sixth-rank peak (113/120)

Martial arts:

- Thirteen Guardian Golden Bell Shield (mastered)

- Three Abyssal Slashes (mastered)

- Soul Absorption Art (mastered) Divine attribute 20%

Weapon: Blood Demon Blade (Blood-Drinking Amplification)

"Just seven more years of cultivation, and I can successfully enter the fifth rank—" He stroked the saber hilt when he suddenly heard a faint sound of tiles shifting outside the window.

"Who is it!"

A black shadow flipped through the window. It was Nangong Yue's personal shadow guard! The newcomer dropped to one knee and presented a gilded invitation. "The Holy Maiden invites my lord to meet at Drunken Immortal Pavilion tomorrow at noon."

Li Chen Zhou sneered.

As martial world figures gathered in the Capital City, the Capital City's Five City Military Command fully mobilized to maintain order. The Eastern Depot, Western Depot, and Brocade Guard all cooperated, while Six Doors recalled the God Hunter and the Four Great Constables from outside the city. The four departments each maintained security in one of the Capital City's four districts, and with the court's intervention, the city where martial world people had gathered became much more peaceful.

As the sun sank beyond the western hills, Li Chen Zhou returned to Duke Zhen's Estate and saw Duke Zhen Guo, Li Qing Shan, seated in the main hall drinking tea.

"You're back." Seeing Li Chen Zhou return, Li Qing Shan raised his teacup and asked.

"Mm." Li Chen Zhou removed the Blood Demon Blade from his waist and sat down. "The matter of fighting for the martial world rankings?"

Li Qing Shan set down his teacup. "The Nangong family had wanted to provoke a slaughter between you and the martial world people, but they did not expect the Emperor to pluck the peach instead. After using Prince Jin to deal with certain people at court, the Emperor is now preparing to extend his blade into the martial world."

"Whatever. No matter who it is, as long as they do not block my path." Li Chen Zhou had just risen, preparing to leave.

"Wait." Li Qing Shan took out a box and handed it over. "Take this."

Li Chen Zhou did not refuse. He accepted the box and returned to his room. Upon opening it, he was slightly taken aback. "It's the Greater Revitalization Pill the Emperor gave last time."

Back in his bedchamber, Li Chen Zhou swallowed the Greater Revitalization Pill. The pill entered his stomach like surging magma.

"Boom!"

The instant his sea of qi acupoint broke through its shackles, the system display flared brilliantly:

"Ding—Congratulations, Host, on breaking through to the fifth rank: Penetrating the Hidden and Perceiving the Subtle Realm!

Unlocked the second layer of the divine martial art: Soul Absorption Art, second realm—Cosmic Shift

The Blood Demon Blade has awakened a new trait: Blood-Drinking Charge"

The bronze bell beneath the eaves suddenly rang without wind.