Battle Against Jian Wu Dao

"System, didn't you say Father would only completely lose control in half a year?"

"With the host's Soul Absorption Art, he can indeed last for half a year."

Li Chen Zhou was silent for a moment… It seemed acquiring Shaolin's Buddha Relic also had to be put on the agenda.

The next day, Li Chen Zhou arrived at the Brocade Guard early in the morning.

On the blue stone steps of the Brocade Guard headquarters, four burly men stood like iron towers. Crippled Foot's iron boots splashed the accumulated water, Iron Arm Arhat's bronze skin gleamed blue in the rain, Soul Severing Blade was picking his teeth with the tip of his blade, and Heartless Sword was gazing at the sky with his sword in his arms—they were the Earthly Fiends Four, famously known throughout Listening Rain Pavilion.

"My lord!" Seeing Li Chen Zhou appear, the four of them knelt on one knee in unison, causing ripples in the accumulated water on the ground.

After so many years, these three days had been the most pleasant days for them. Crippled Foot, Iron Arm Arhat, Soul Severing Blade, and Heartless Sword had spent three days in prison, and upon their release, they were at the gate preparing to bid farewell to Li Chen Zhou.

Li Chen Zhou said, "I'm short on manpower. You're just going back to killing people anyway, so why not kill people for me?"

The four of them looked surprised and delighted. They were tired of living a life of licking blood off blades, and without any guarantee. Following Li Chen Zhou, the four of them could consider their later years settled.

A "crack" suddenly sounded in the rain. Li Chen Zhou crushed the jade token in his palm. As the fragments fell to the ground, four gilded waist badges were tossed into the arms of the four men.

"From today onwards, every person you kill…" The hem of the Flying Fish Uniform swept across the accumulated water, Li Chen Zhou's voice came from the depths of the rain and mist, "has the endorsement of the imperial court."

"Hey! What about me!" A crisp female voice pierced through the rain. Qian Shisan clung to the iron bars of the prison door, her almond eyes wide. The copper coins pinned in her hair had long since rusted, but they set off her eyes, making them even brighter.

Li Chen Zhou looked puzzled, "Why haven't you left yet?"

Qian Shisan was completely distraught upon hearing this, "Didn't you say that I can't leave without your order?"

Li Chen Zhou suddenly realized that he had forgotten to tell her, "Then leave."

Qian Shisan suddenly asked in a low voice, "Can I join the Brocade Guard?"

Li Chen Zhou's expression darkened, "The Brocade Guard doesn't just take anyone."

Qian Shisan's little face was angry, "Don't look down on people."

The Bookworm next to her also said, "Just someone from the Blood Demon Hall, they really can't be put on the stage."

"Bullshit!" Qian Shisan suddenly threw three copper coins from the gap in the fence, arranging them in a "品" shape in the air, "See clearly! This is Silent Night Rain's technique!"

The Bookworm was shocked, "The Thief Ye Wuhen?"

Qian Shisan wiped her nose triumphantly, "Hmph, do you know how powerful this young lady is now?"

The Bookworm then said faintly, "It's quite powerful, daring to steal the night-luminescent pearl from the imperial palace. The reward is now ridiculously high."

Everyone then looked at Qian Shisan with shining eyes.

Qian Shisan quickly defended herself, "Nonsense, my master was framed. He only went in to steal some wine at the time, and happened to encounter someone stealing from within, so he was framed."

The Bookworm flipped through the files in his hand, unconcerned, "It's nothing, but the jar of wine he stole was brewed by the Illusion Truth Palace with all its strength, collecting the world's natural treasures, and finally presented to the emperor. Its preciousness is unmatched by even ten night-luminescent pearls."

Everyone's eyes fixed on Qian Shisan again, shining brightly.

Li Chen Zhou suddenly thought of something, "Contact your master to help me steal something. After it's done, I'll let you into the Brocade Guard."

Qian Shisan asked timidly, "What is it?"

Li Chen Zhou leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Shaolin Temple's Buddha Relic."

"That's something that's suppressed in the Damo Cave…" She suddenly bit her tongue, her eyes darting towards the box of silver, "You have to add money!"

"Bookworm… how much money did I leave behind from the last raid on the Chen Residence?"

"Reporting, my lord, twelve thousand taels of silver, eight hundred taels of gold." The Bookworm took out a gold-lettered account book from his arms, "There are also three hu of South Sea pearls, two boxes of Shu brocade…"

"Give it all to her." Li Chen Zhou turned to look at Qian Shisan, "Is that enough?"

Qian Shisan said in surprise, "Enough... enough, it's more than enough."

"Imperial Edict——" A shrill voice broke the stalemate. The eunuch announcing the decree stepped into the courtyard holding bright yellow silk, and in the gilded plate held by the little eunuch behind him, the Captain's bronze seal glittered in the morning sun.

"...Specially promoted to Captain of the Brocade Guard, bestowed with python robe and jade belt..."

Li Chen Zhou's mouth twitched as he kowtowed to thank the emperor. The emperor's generosity was even stingier than sending away beggars!

Inside the warm pavilion of the Forbidden City, the emperor was gnashing his teeth at the princess's portrait. In the painting, the girl had bright eyes and white teeth, but a blood-colored short blade, the same style as Li Chen Zhou's, hung from her waist.

"This little bastard…" The vermilion pen poked a hole in the memorial, "He stole my pearl and dares to complain about the reward being small?"

The Supervising Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial knelt and presented a secret report, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Dragon Tiger Mountain's Little Celestial Master Zhang Xuanling has entered the capital with the Five Thunder Ritual, and Wudang's Mad Taoist has arrived at the Meridian Gate carrying the True Martial Sword..."

"Pass down the decree." The emperor suddenly sneered, "Today's arena will be rebuilt with basalt—I want to see how crazy this little devil can be!"

Brocade Guard Captain's Office. At this time, the White Cat came in and reported to Li Chen Zhou, "My lord, today's arena has opened. There are many Jianghu people today. I heard that Dragon Tiger Mountain's Little Celestial Master and Wudang Sect's Mad Taoist have both arrived, waiting for you to duel Jian Wu Dao."

Li Chen Zhou changed into the newly issued Captain's uniform, "Let's go, let's meet those geniuses."

The basalt arena in front of the Meridian Gate shone with a cold blue light in the scorching sun. The crisscrossing knife marks and sword carvings on the stone surface seemed to wriggle like living things in the sunlight. Zhou Yanru, Minister of Rites, held a golden nanmu hammer and struck the bronze sundial heavily, the nine bell rings shaking the copper bells on the eaves.

"Today's judges are mainly from the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, with us as assistants; Brocade Guard, Eastern Depot, Western Depot, and Six Doors, maintain order on the scene."

Brocade Guard Commander Wei Wuji, Eastern Depot Chief Liu Xi, Western Depot Chief Cao Shaoqing, and Six Doors Godly Catcher Leng Wu She, all peak experts of the third rank, were present to maintain order.

"The final battle of the Earth Ranking, begin——"

The Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion reluctantly sat on the judge's seat, his old eyes under the bamboo hat swept over the crowd below. When his gaze swept over Li Chen Zhou, the "Heavenly Secrets" jade牌 at his waist suddenly emitted a strange blood-colored light.

"First match, Brocade Guard Li Chen Zhou versus Sword King City's Jian Wu Dao!"

Li Chen Zhou lightly tapped his toes, his figure transforming into a streak of crimson lightning as he ascended the arena. The Blood Demon Blade hummed with a ravenous hunger within its scabbard, the third eye of the Taotie design on the hilt now fully opened.

"The top spot on the Earth Ranking is mine," he declared, his thumb pushing open the sword guard, revealing three inches of the blade's scarlet edge. "Anyone who disagrees is welcome to come up."

Jian Wu Dao, clad in flowing white robes, stepped onto the platform. The jade plaque of "Hidden Dragon Seventeen" at his waist struck against his sword's sheath, producing a clear, resonant dragon's roar.

"I still have a battle left unfinished with Lord Li from yesterday. I shall open the proceedings today."

As he slowly drew his sword, the entire arena suddenly trembled violently!

"A Heaven-Ranked Divine Weapon—Seven Kill Sword - Po Jun!" The mad Daoist below the stage spat out his wine in shock. "Did Sword King City actually bring out their city-guarding treasure?"

The instant the blade left its sheath, seven streaks of bloody starlight descended from the heavens, coalescing into a Big Dipper pattern upon the sword's edge.

Jian Wu Dao's entire demeanor underwent a sudden transformation, a palpable aura of carnage and slaughter rising between his brows.

"Brother Li," he said, his sword tip lightly touching the ground, leaving behind lingering trails of starlight in the air. "Please, enlighten me."

Jian Wu Dao began with a deadly move. The Seven Kill Sword traced a profound trajectory, and wherever its blade passed, subtle rifts appeared in space!

"A Sword Separates Worlds!"