Reinforcements

"Impervious body."

West Courtyard.

Li Xian had just taken a dose of Blood Spirit Powder and was feeling the blood and qi surging inside him.

As expected of Blood Spirit Powder, which could unleash a bloody storm among those at the internal organ refinement and even blood exchange and marrow washing realms if it appeared in the outside world, its effects were extraordinary.

At this rate, by the time he finished absorbing this dose of Blood Spirit Powder, he would more or less have completed blood exchange and marrow washing.

And once he perfected blood exchange and marrow washing...

Having already comprehended primordial unity, he would naturally step into the Body Without Leaks Realm, like water flowing into a channel.

"From the moment I woke up in that bed at the Marquis's Residence and achieved embracing qi and forming a core, reaching the Impervious Body Realm was never in doubt. What I'm truly looking forward to is blood and qi mastery, the mark of perfection in that realm! And... merging my mind into my blood and qi, achieving spirit and qi as one, using the false to cultivate the true, and refining this blood and qi into true qi."

Hopefully...

That commander at the Prince's Mansion, Zhang Shuheng, would not disappoint him.

Time passed swiftly as Li Xian exchanged his blood and washed his marrow, studied the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique and the limit-breaking state, and waited for the Prince's Residence to deliver its challenge.

In the blink of an eye, six days had passed.

For six whole days, apart from tightening security, the Prince's Mansion had remained as calm as an unruffled sea.

There was not even a trace of the commandery prince's heir.

In fact, based on information gathered by its spies, the Zhou Family even suspected that the commandery prince's heir had secretly left Lijiang City for parts unknown.

However, after discussing this information, the Zhou Family did not find it credible.

A young commandery princess of the Commandery Prince's Residence had died, slain in full view of everyone at that. The Prince's Mansion had been slapped until its face was swollen.

If Yan Kaigui fled just like that under these circumstances, what face would he have left to establish himself in Lijiang, let alone Jiangzhou?

Thus, after several rounds of speculation, the Zhou Family, including Zhou Juechen, all reached the same conclusion.

"It looks like we're in trouble."

That day, Zhou Juechen sought out Li Xian, who had just finished another round of blood exchange and marrow washing. "It's the eighth day, and the Prince's Mansion still hasn't delivered its challenge. There's only one explanation... they really have called for reinforcements and are waiting for them to arrive."

"I guessed as much."

Li Xian spoke calmly.

"To avoid being put on the back foot when the time comes, we can only seize the initiative."

Zhou Juechen's voice was grave.

"It's fine."

Li Xian said, "Let him call for reinforcements."

He was only a day or two away from perfecting blood exchange and marrow washing.

Moreover, over the past few days, he had been gradually refining the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique and the limit-breaking state. He could clearly feel how much these two burst Secret Arts enhanced his combat strength.

But...

Feeling a powerful enhancement was one thing. How effective it actually was was another.

He urgently needed to fight one or several experts at least at the blood exchange and marrow washing realm, using Heavenly Demon Disintegration and the limit-breaking state to ignite his blood and qi and unleash all his body's potential, touching upon new physical limits.

Through those limits, he would determine what was beneficial and what had drawbacks in a life-and-death struggle.

Once he had made that clear, he could use [One Proof, Eternal Proof, Never Regressing] to fix those beneficial limits in place, turning the extreme into the ordinary and climbing another step beyond the hundred-foot pole.

Of course, the prerequisite was that his body could withstand those limits.

This...

Was the best cultivation method, one that belonged to him alone.

It was also why, in his previous life, he had broken through several realms in three years, achieved embracing qi and forming a core, and become the sole grandmaster, looking down upon all before him, invincible beneath heaven.

"Although I'm considered first-rate in the martial world with my Impervious Body cultivation and carry some weight, while you've achieved blood exchange and marrow washing at such a young age and have a chance of making the Hidden Dragon Ranking in the future, meaning some forces with only ordinary ties to the Prince's Mansion might not accept their invitation, still..."

Zhou Juechen said solemnly, "The Prince's Mansion has deep reserves. No one knows what sort of experts they might invite out of seclusion. We mustn't be the slightest bit careless."

He spread his fingers, then clenched them hard. "When it's time to act, act decisively!"

"The result matters, but so does the process. This battle may be extraordinarily arduous, but as long as we endure it, our bodies, minds, and hearts will all undergo a transformation. When we face difficulties climbing toward greater heights in the future, this fearless spirit will also become the bedrock of our resilience, allowing us to see challenges as opportunities and turn rugged paths into smooth roads."

Li Xian spoke.

Zhou Juechen glanced at him, feeling that he was asking for suffering.

"Don't get too arrogant. Since we've already established that they're enemies, the best approach is to give them no breathing room whatsoever! If the Prince's Mansion weren't so powerful, and breaking the rules wouldn't do us more harm than good, we should have stormed it on our very first night back in Lijiang City!"

"You're being a little too extreme. Don't jump straight to wiping out entire households."

Li Xian raised a hand.

"Ex... extreme?"

Zhou Juechen looked at Li Xian, as though several question marks had sprouted over his head.

"I'm extreme?"

"Yes. People should still be reasonable and persuade others through reason."

Li Xian nodded. "Beating the weak to death brings no sense of spiritual accomplishment."

"..."

Zhou Juechen suddenly no longer wanted to talk to him.

Just then, Hongyu's voice came from outside. "Master... someone outside is asking to see you. She says she has brought important information about the Dingfeng Marquis Estate and the Yueyang Prince's Residence."

"The Dingfeng Marquis Estate?"

Zhou Juechen froze.

He had almost forgotten about that matter.

"Bring her in."

He gave the instruction.

Soon, Hongyu brought in a woman dressed entirely in white, looking delicate and pitiable.

"You?"

Li Xian recognized her.

"Yu Niang pays her respects to Master Zhou and Hero Li."

The woman, Xu Yu Niang, bowed gracefully.

Compared with twelve days ago on Canglang Mountain, she looked even more haggard, her face even paler.

That soft, fragile appearance could easily stir a desire to protect her.

"You said you brought important information about the Marquis's Residence and the Prince's Mansion. What is it?"

"According to the information I have, ever since Hero Li caused an uproar at the Marquis's Residence not long ago, the Dingfeng Marquis Estate has been seeking revenge. To that end, they even invited Zhao Tianming, a blood exchange and marrow washing expert they once invested in..."

"Zhao Tianming?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Juechen immediately felt some relief. "Him?"

He had dealt with this Master Zhao, who likewise ran a martial arts school in Lijiang City.

His strength fell a notch short of Zhou Juechen's...

At most, he was on par with Daoist Xuantie.

A reinforcement like that...

"Wait, that's not right! Hasn't Zhao Tianming been in Lijiang City all along? Why would the Prince's Mansion be waiting for him?"

Zhou Juechen abruptly said, "Besides, news that Li Xian killed Daoist Xuantie at the Wave-Viewing Tower and that I advanced to the Body Without Leaks Realm has already spread throughout Jiangzhou. Zhao Tianming couldn't possibly be unaware of it. Would he still dare wade into these muddy waters?"

"Naturally, Zhao Tianming doesn't want to make enemies of Hero Li and Master Zhou. But the Marquis's Residence's financial support played a crucial role in his achieving blood exchange and marrow washing back then. Now that the Marquis's Residence faces a crisis, if he stood by and did nothing, how could he maintain his standing in the martial world? Thus, after racking his brains, he finally found a way to break the deadlock..."

Xu Yu Niang turned her gaze toward Li Xian. "He sent a letter by swift horse and invited the Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang."

"The Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang?!"

Zhou Juechen's expression instantly changed. "Why would they come all the way to Jiangzhou to interfere in this matter?"

But then he noticed the way Xu Yu Niang was looking at Li Xian, and a flash of insight shot through his mind. "The Blood Jade Art?!"

"Yes."

Xu Yu Niang nodded. "Rumor has it that Hero Li gained the combat strength of the blood exchange and marrow washing realm in such a short time because he obtained our Xu Family's Blood Jade Art. The Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang have coveted our Xu Family's Blood Jade Art for a long time, going so far as to wipe out our family. Suddenly hearing that someone's strength has soared thanks to the Blood Jade Art, they would never pass this up..."

She took a deep breath. "At present, the Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang are spurring their horses onward, heading straight for Lijiang Prefecture in Jiangzhou. They will arrive within three days at most."

Zhou Juechen's gaze turned cold as he stared at Xu Yu Niang. "Were the Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang really invited by Zhao Tianming?"

"It is absolutely true. Yu Niang would never dare deceive Master Zhou."

Xu Yu Niang seemed to feel that even she found those words unconvincing. She clenched her teeth. "My only hope in staying alive is to see the Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang, who slaughtered my entire Xu Family, beheaded. And Master Zhou and Hero Li are the only people who can avenge my family. I will have people keep a close watch on the Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang's movements. The moment they reach Lijiang, I will notify Master Zhou..."

Before she could finish, Zhou Juechen cut her off and gave an order.

"Hongyu, seize her and lock her up."

"Yes."

Hongyu had also guessed something. Somewhat indignant, she stepped forward and seized Xu Yu Niang.

Xu Yu Niang did not resist, merely pleading, "No matter who it is, as long as they have achieved something in the Blood Jade Art, the Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang will never let them off lightly! At a time like this, we must join forces and kill them with the crushing might of thunder as soon as they arrive in Lijiang... once they join up with the Marquis's Residence and the Prince's Mansion, only death will await you, Hero Li and Master Zhou..."

Zhou Juechen ignored her, letting Hongyu take Xu Yu Niang away.

"Vicious woman!"

Li Xian, standing to the side, appeared quite calm.

"Now we know what reinforcements they're waiting for."

He spoke calmly.

"The Thirteen Eagles of Luoyang are very strong."

Zhou Juechen looked at him and said gravely, "Their leader is at the Body Without Leaks Realm. The third, fourth, and sixth are at blood exchange and marrow washing. The other nine are all experts at viscera great accomplishment! All thirteen have no ties or burdens, and they run rampant around Luoyang. No one dares provoke them!"

"Not bad. They really are quite strong."

Instead, a smile appeared on Li Xian's face when he heard this.

"You can still smile?"

"Why wouldn't I be able to smile?"

Li Xian looked at Zhou Juechen. "Have you considered the possibility that I'm stronger?"

(End of chapter)