Wudang's Leng Rushuang

"Ding—"

A clear, ringing sound echoed in Li Chen Zhou's mind, as distant as a morning bell from an ancient temple.

Jianghu journey officially begins. First stop: Famous Sword Manor. Mission: Challenge ten rising martial artists of Fifth Rank or higher. Reward: One random secret manual, ten years of pure inner energy.

Li Chen Zhou's slender fingers unconsciously stroked the Blood Demon Blade's scabbard at his waist. As if sensing something, the dark red patterns on the blade flickered, like a living thing exhaling bloody mist. In the distance, a lone rider sped along the mountain path, hooves shattering the sunset, raising a cloud of golden-red dust.

"Li Chen Zhou!"

A girl in red robes reined in her horse, blocking his path, the leash pulling the steed onto its hind legs. Qian Shisan's almond eyes blazed with anger, and the soft sword at her waist sprang out three inches with a "clang," revealing a chilling gleam: "Leaving me to clean up the mess in the Capital City while you gallivant around!"

"The children..."

"Done!" Qian Shisan tossed him a gilded waist tag, "Your reputation as 'Bloodhand Remnant Sun' is more effective than an imperial edict." She lowered her voice, sliding a half-rolled sheepskin scroll from her sleeve: "Regarding the Buddha Relic, Master has already..."

"Silence."

Li Chen Zhou suddenly gripped her wrist, his gaze like lightning shooting towards the ancient pine beside the road. Pine needles rustled down, but there was no wind.

As dusk seeped into the official road, the vermilion signboard of "Drunken Immortal Pavilion" came into view. Qian Shisan flipped through the air, her red boots barely touching the ground before a silver tael "thunked" into the counter: "Seven superior rooms! And tell your..."

"Hold on."

The bookworm snapped his bamboo scroll shut with a "clack," a cold glint flashing from his spectacles: "If I remember correctly, someone donated all their silver to the Orphanage Bureau yesterday?"

Qian Shisan's eyes darted around, her slender fingers flitting over the group like butterflies playing among flowers: "Aren't there all of you philanthropists here!"

Li Chen Zhou sat as still as a bell, Frost Heaven Six Annihilations turning in his palm, each page flipping with a scattering of tiny ice crystals.

The Earthly Fiends Four stood with folded arms, the weapons at their waists trembling slightly in unison: "The Hundred Flowers Brothel's debt hasn't been settled yet."

"Creak—"

The old wooden door of the inn groaned under the strain, and five figures stepped in, shattering the moonlight. The leading woman was dressed in white, purer than snow, a long sword wrapped with seven silver threads around her waist, reflecting a chilling light under the candlelight. With each step she took, thin frost flowers congealed on the bluestone floor.

"Five superior rooms."

Before Bai Lusong, the leading Wudang disciple, could finish speaking, the innkeeper was already bowing repeatedly: "Please forgive me, esteemed heroes, but the last seven superior rooms have all been taken by these..."

"Ordinary rooms will do," the blue-robed disciple beside Bai Lusong interjected.

"This..." The innkeeper's sweat trickled down, "There aren't even any spare rooms next to the stables..."

The bookworm snapped his bamboo scroll shut with a "clack," a sharp glint flashing behind his spectacles: "Wudang's 'Pine Crane Sword' Bai Lusong, 'Winter Plum Sword' Leng Rushuang..." His voice was very low, but it made the woman in white suddenly turn her head, sword energy erupting in her eyes.

"This lady," Bai Lusong stepped forward with his sword in hand, the crane pattern on his cuff unfolding with his movement, "The Wudang Sect has important business to attend to..."

"Important business?" Qian Shisan suddenly popped out from behind Li Chen Zhou, flitting between the two parties with her red sleeves fluttering, "We still have to go to Jiangnan to snatch a bridal bouquet!"

She deliberately emphasized the words "embroidered ball," causing someone among the Earthly Fiends Four to snicker.

"Snicker—"

Qian Shisan's laughter was particularly crisp in the silent inn. The blue-robed disciple was furious, the tassel of his sword whipping up with a "whoosh": "When did it become your place to interfere with the Wudang Sect's affairs..."

"Clang clang clang clang!"

Four cold lights flashed simultaneously, the Earthly Fiends Four's weapons forming a cold wall of blades.

Crippled Foot grinned sinisterly, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth: "Even famous sects have to learn the ways of mountain bandits?"

The air in the inn seemed to freeze instantly. The oil lamp "crackled," scattering a flower of light, under the dim light, the icy cover of Frost Heaven Six Annihilations in Li Chen Zhou's hand reflected an eerie light.

"The Wudang madman isn't bad, give them two rooms."

Li Chen Zhou turned a page of the book, frost flowers falling from his fingertips.

Bai Lusong's pupils shrank: "Does Your Excellency know Uncle-Master Feng?" He hurriedly bowed deeply, "I was just now..."

"Acting mysterious!" Song Qingfeng suddenly drew his sword, the sword cry like a crane soaring through the sky, "Take my move, 'White Rainbow Pierces the Sun'!"

At the moment the sword light exploded, Li Chen Zhou still maintained his reading posture, only casually reaching back with his right hand—

"Ding!"

"Ding—"

A crisp sword chime echoed through the inn.

The "White Rainbow Pierces the Sun," which was said to be able to penetrate iron armor, was lightly pinched between Li Chen Zhou's two fingers.

Song Qingfeng's face was ashen, the veins on his sword-wielding hand bulging, but the long sword was as still as if it were cast in iron.

"Wudang swordsmanship..."

Li Chen Zhou slowly turned around, the tip of the sword being clamped instantly covered with frost. A cold light flashed in his eyes: "Is nothing more than this."

"Crack!"

With a light flick of his fingertip, the fine steel long sword broke in response. Three sections of broken blade shot through the air, nailing into the beams with "thud thud thud," arranged in the shape of a winter plum blossom. As Song Qingfeng staggered back, a white shadow flashed past—Leng Rushuang had stood behind him at some point, gently supporting his back with her fair hand, thus saving him from embarrassing himself in public.

"Next time," Li Chen Zhou's gaze was like a knife, sweeping across Song Qingfeng's throat, "It will be this that breaks."

He turned and stepped onto the stairs, leaving behind a sentence as his sleeves fluttered: "Since you don't like these two rooms, please do as you wish."

Qian Shisan stuck out her tongue at Song Qingfeng: "Wudang's top disciple~ can't even take one move from our lord!" She skipped up, her red skirt fluttering. The Earthly Fiends Four sneered repeatedly, their iron boots thumping loudly on the stairs.

The bookworm slowly closed his bamboo scroll, the light glinting off his copper-rimmed glasses. "You can't discuss the ocean with a frog in a well..."

On the second-floor corridor, Qian Shisan tugged on Li Chen Zhou's sleeve, bubbling with excitement. "That finger you used just now was amazing, my lord! You should have seen Song Qingfeng's face..."

Down in the main hall, Bai Lusong, his face ashen, helped the limp Song Qingfeng to his feet.

The latter's sword-wielding right hand was still trembling violently, and shards of ice were falling from the broken blade.

"Senior... Senior Brother..." Song Qingfeng's voice was hoarse. "If this gets back to the martial world..."

"Shut your mouth!" Veins bulged on Bai Lusong's forehead.

"Enough."

The cold voice cut through the air like an icy blade. Leng Rushuang stepped forward slowly, the black sword tassel swaying despite the lack of wind.

She picked up the broken sword, her fingertip tracing the mirror-like cross-section, and her pupils contracted sharply.

"Frost Heaven Force." She suddenly looked up, her gaze piercing through the railing. "The Nie Family's ultimate technique."

Upstairs, Li Chen Zhou paused slightly.

Qian Shisan leaned over the railing, craning her neck. "That ice queen has quite the eye."

A sword-light erupted in Leng Rushuang's eyes, and with a light wave of her fair hand, a blur flashed past.

"Smack!"

The crisp sound of a slap echoed through the inn. Song Qingfeng stumbled back three steps, five red welts instantly appearing on his left cheek.

"This slap is for three offenses," she said, her voice like ice. "First, for acting rashly; second, for disgracing the sect's rules; and third..." The black sword tassel swayed without wind. "...for nearly ruining Wudang's century-long reputation!"

Bai Lusong quickly clasped his fist in salute. "Enforcement Elder Leng is wise." He turned to glare at Song Qingfeng. "Still not..."

"There's no need," Leng Rushuang said, waving her jade hand dismissively. "Is Wudang not humiliated enough?" Turning to the innkeeper, her tone returned to normal. "Two shared rooms."

The innkeeper was greatly relieved and was about to lead the way when he saw Leng Rushuang suddenly clasp her fist towards the premium room on the second floor. "Wudang will certainly provide an explanation to Senior for today's events."

The seven silver threads on her snow-white scabbard suddenly gleamed with a cold light.

"At the Famous Sword Manor Sword Tournament, Rushuang looks forward to experiencing the Nie Family's ultimate technique."

A soft chuckle came from the room. "I'll be waiting."

Qian Shisan leaned on the window frame, watching the Wudang group head towards the dilapidated side rooms in the back courtyard, and couldn't help but giggle. "That ice queen is really interesting, clearly wanting to fight but still putting on airs."

The bookworm slammed his bamboo scroll shut. "Leng Rushuang of the Winter Plum Sword, only twenty years old and already ranked eighth on the Rising Dragon Ranking." His glasses reflected a cold light. "Qingxu Zhenren once said that her swordsmanship has already grasped seven-tenths of the true meaning of 'Winter Plum Reflecting Snow'."

Crippled Foot spat out the grass root in his mouth. "In front of my lord..." His curved saber suddenly trembled slightly at his waist. "...she's just an easily broken plum blossom."

Li Chen Zhou, back in his room, called up the system information panel:

"Host: Li Chen Zhou

Realm: Fifth Rank Mid-Stage (192/240)

Martial Arts:

Thirteen Guardian Golden Bell Shield (Mastery)

Three Abyssal Slashes (Mastery)

Soul Absorption Art (Mastery) Divine Attribute 20% (Unlocks Cosmic Shift)

Thousand Faces (Mastery)

Soaring Illusionary Steps (Mastery)

Hell Soul Exchange Scripture (Mastery)

Wind God Kick (Mastery)

Heavenly Frost Fist (Mastery)

Hundred Hit Dragon Claw Hand (Mastery)

Frost Heaven Six Annihilations (Glimpse of the Doorway)

Indestructible Divine Skill (Mastery)

Internal Energy Cultivation: 192 years (Calculated as one year of basic cultivation for an ordinary person)

Lifespan: 37 years

Weapon: Blood Demon Blade (Charging: Current Progress 60%)"

With the help of the memories from so many mastered martial arts, Frost Heaven Six Annihilations was progressing so rapidly.

He estimated that by the time he reached Jiangnan, he would be able to fully grasp it and enter the Mastery realm.