The martial world

Fine horses galloped.

Two gazes met for a moment, then drifted farther and farther apart.

On another fine horse, Fang Xin noticed the middle-aged man's unusual reaction and asked with concern, "What's wrong, Schoolmaster Zhao?"

The middle-aged man addressed as Schoolmaster Zhao withdrew his gaze and said with some feeling, "This Sword Discussion Convention, held just before Leaping Over the Dragon Gate, really has drawn countless powerful fighters! Young experts under thirty who still qualify for Leaping Over the Dragon Gate, in particular, have appeared one after another! Take that martial artist by the roadside just now. He was clearly young, yet I actually sensed a hint of primordial unity in him. Truly, the waves behind drive on those before them on the great river, and each new generation surpasses the old."

"Primordial unity!?"

Fang Xin's eyes widened at Schoolmaster Zhao's words.

Primordial unity was the stepping stone to an impervious body.

After blood exchange and marrow washing, only by comprehending the mysteries of primordial unity could one condition the flesh to attain an impervious body, then bring the body into an internal cycle, with strength circulating without end. Within that endlessly renewing internal cycle, one's essence, qi, and spirit would all rise to their utmost perfection.

Once one mastered one's qi and blood and found an opportunity to unite spirit and qi as one, one could cultivate the true through the false, produce true qi, and enter the True Qi Realm in a single leap-the beginning of transcendence.

Such figures belonged to the tiny handful at the very pinnacle of all Jiangzhou.

But that man just now...

Though he wore a face cloth and a bamboo hat, the exposed half of his face made it clear that he was young.

Yet he had already comprehended the mysteries of primordial unity!?

This...

"Master, was it really primordial unity!? Someone like that must have a chance of crossing the Dragon Gate!"

A man in his early thirties beside Schoolmaster Zhao was also deeply astonished.

"Our Great Zhou Dynasty has six places for Leaping Over the Dragon Gate each year. Prince Yue's Residence has secured one, leaving five. Of those five places, only two prodigies have been confirmed to have cultivated true qi and can receive a Dragon Gate Token directly: the nineteenth princess, Yan Yu, and Tai Xu Sword Palace's Sword Scion, Xiang Yangsheng. The remaining three places... will surely be decided among the many geniuses at the stage of the Heavenly Cycle Without Leak Realm..."

Schoolmaster Zhao glanced once more at the figure gradually receding into the distance. "If that man really is a martial genius with an impervious body, he is indeed a strong contender for this year's Leaping Over the Dragon Gate."

Hearing this, Fang Xin could not help looking toward that figure again.

Only...

The longer he looked, the more he vaguely felt that the figure seemed familiar.

Though the man was wrapped up tightly to keep out the wind and dust, Fang Xin still felt as though he had seen him somewhere before.

But after that thought circled through his mind for a moment, he suppressed it.

Even the master of the Marquis's Residence would have to honor an expert with an impervious body as a distinguished guest.

Schoolmaster Zhao Tianming, the martial instructor they had gone to such lengths to invite back from Canglang Mountain to deal with Li Xian, had only reached blood exchange and marrow washing.

He was still a full stage short of an impervious body.

As a mere guard captain at the Third Realm's muscle and bone great accomplishment, Fang Xin had no contact with figures of that caliber. How could he possibly find the man familiar or know him?

Besides...

The priority was to bring Martial Master Zhao back to the Marquis's Residence as soon as possible and discuss how to deal with Li Xian.

At this sensitive time, with dragons and snakes mingling around Canglang Mountain for the Sword Discussion Convention, it was best for them not to create additional complications while away from home.

"We should hurry back to Lijiang City."

Fang Xin spoke.

Zhao Tianming nodded as well.

Their business came first.

He had to help the Marquis's Residence resolve its trouble first, repaying the kindness of their financial support all those years ago.

"Very strong."

Li Xian had been reborn in another body. Though his body was weak, his mental perception was extremely keen.

He could clearly sense the dangerous aura emanating from the middle-aged man on horseback just now.

He was definitely an expert a notch stronger than someone at viscera great accomplishment like Liu Fu.

He was still over a hundred li from Canglang Mountain, yet he had already encountered an expert like that. It made him look forward all the more to the upcoming Sword Discussion Convention on Canglang Mountain.

His steps could not help quickening a little.

Half a day passed like this, and Canglang Mountain drew closer and closer.

Canglang Mountain was the seat of a major Jiangzhou sect-the Canglang Sword Sect.

With a legacy spanning two hundred years, the Canglang Sword Sect enjoyed an illustrious reputation in the martial world.

Within a hundred li of Canglang Mountain, people even knew only the Canglang Sword Sect, not the county authorities.

In this territory, the words of the Canglang Sword Sect's leader carried more weight than those of the magistrates of the three surrounding counties.

Even a town of over ten thousand people at the foot of Canglang Mountain depended on the mountain for its livelihood. Its residents also mostly had some connection to the Canglang Sword Sect; in a sense, it was a residential settlement for the sect's families.

When Li Xian arrived in the town, he could already clearly see many people of the martial world wearing sabers and swords, coming and going in groups of three or five, talking animatedly.

These people spent lavishly, lending an even greater air of prosperity to the town, which already housed ten thousand people.

Canglang Sword Sect disciples could also be seen patrolling with swords from time to time, keeping these people from gathering to cause trouble.

This atmosphere...

Gave Li Xian the same sense of novelty he had felt visiting temple fairs with the old Taoist as a child.

As he looked around, a shout suddenly came from one direction. "Pine Wind Sword Zhang Yunsheng and Snow Baleful-Intent Saber Bai Zhanfeng are going to duel on the Sword-Dueling Platform!"

The next moment, a great crowd surged in the same direction.

Naturally, Li Xian, who had been examining his surroundings with interest, would not miss a chance to join the excitement. He followed the crowd and quickly headed toward the Sword-Dueling Platform.

Along the way, all sorts of information poured into his ears without him needing to ask.

"Pine Wind Sword Zhang Yunsheng and Snow Baleful-Intent Saber Bai Zhanfeng are both renowned young talents here in Jiangzhou. Snow Baleful-Intent Saber, in particular, earned his name through real fighting. They say he single-handedly swept through six bandit strongholds on Lianyun Mountain. If he hasn't killed a hundred bandits, he's killed eighty! Pine Wind Sword Zhang Yunsheng comes from an illustrious lineage, too. He's a disciple of Tower-Bearing Hand Zhang He—a fine pupil of a famous master. This will be a sight to see!"

"Those two don't seem to have any quarrel, do they? Their backgrounds are completely different, too. Why are they suddenly fighting?"

"I heard it has to do with Lady Yu! Bai Zhanfeng criticized her, saying she was using moral blackmail to force Sword Saint Guangyuan into her dispute with the Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang. Zhang Yunsheng couldn't bear to listen and spoke up against him. Things kept escalating until they ended up taking it to the Sword-Dueling Platform."

"That business with Lady Yu? It's really hard to say who's right or wrong there! I just wonder whether the rumors about her family's Blood Jade Art are true."

"Want to know? Go get yourself a copy. But it's already been verified-the rumors are false! Besides, if the Blood Jade Art really were as powerful as people in the martial world claim, could a mysterious martial artist have slaughtered all thirty-four members of the Xu Family?"

Amid the waves of discussion, the crowd arrived together at a stone platform at the foot of the mountain.

The stone platform seemed to have formed naturally, with some human finishing touches. It was oval, a good twenty meters across.

Since Li Xian had arrived somewhat late, the two "young talents" on the stone platform had already begun fighting.

Hundreds of spectators had gathered around, and several skilled martial artists wearing the robes of Canglang Sword Sect elders were maintaining order.

After watching for only a moment, Li Xian had already seen through the abilities of both men and felt a little disappointed.

These two...

Their physiques had both reached the stage of Internal Organ Refinement.

Pine Wind Sword Zhang Yunsheng's swordsmanship was exquisite but lacked fluidity, clearly revealing insufficient experience in real combat. At first glance, each strike seemed to contain countless variations, but in fact, his essence, qi, and spirit each worked separately when he struck, making his movements exceedingly stiff.

Snow Baleful-Intent Saber Bai Zhanfeng could be called experienced in combat, but his saber technique lacked variety. He repeated the same few moves over and over, relying entirely on sheer ferocity to gain a slight edge over Zhang Yunsheng.

However, as the limitations of his saber technique became increasingly apparent, the scales of victory were gradually tipping toward Zhang Yunsheng.

This caliber...

"So this is the standard of third-rate martial artists."

(End of chapter)