An Arm for an Artifact

Today, the usually crowded Sanxianfang was cleared out.

Ling Yun stood on the street, dressed in a dark undershirt and carrying an iron sword—a standard and ordinary attire for a martial arts practitioner.

In fact, the Yuezhi Manor sends disciples into the town every day to gather intelligence and observe the actions of the martial arts practitioners gathered there.

This task was supposed to be done by other disciples today, but Ling Yun took it over. It was a task "handpicked" by Xu Yinluo, and he would get angry with anyone who dared to take it from him.

The person Ling Yun admires and idolizes the most is Xu Yinluo.

When I was cultivating in the sect, I had respect or awe for the sect leaders and elders, but that was different from admiration.

He wandered around the town and gleaned important information: the sorcerers of the Earth Sect and a mysterious group from the imperial court had invited the Martial Alliance to a meeting at the Three Immortals Market.

They cleared the area in a domineering manner, yet seemed unconcerned that their conversation was being overheard, allowing busybodies to stand on the street below and join in the fun.

They must be secretly plotting how to deal with the villa. Lingyun held his breath, straining his ears to catch the conversation on the second floor.

On the second floor, where the watchtower had been built, three groups of guests sat in distinct groups. One group was a Daoist priest in feathered robes, whose hair was meticulously combed and whose eyes held deep malice.

Her glances sent shivers down one's spine.

At one table sat mysterious figures shrouded in black robes and wearing black iron masks, the leader of whom wore a golden mask. It was this group of people who, this morning, had brought cannons and bombarded the Yuezhi Manor.

A table was filled with beautiful women, one of whom stood out in particular. Her face was covered by a light veil, and her eyes sparkled like autumn water.

Her perfectly proportioned figure made her stand out from the other women present.

"Does the Martial Arts Alliance have no men left? Sending a bunch of women to make trouble," the middle-aged Daoist priest with a blue lotus embroidered on his chest sneered.

Master Lanlian's gaze lingered on the woman's alluring and voluptuous figure, making no attempt to conceal his lust and malice.

The evil sect of the Earth Sect is blatantly wicked.

Xiao Yuenu, the owner of the Wan Hua Lou (Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion).

She held a small silver-ribbed fan in her slender hand, narrowed her eyes, and said in a cool, aloof tone, "Get to the point. If you keep looking around, I'll gouge your eyes out and soak them in plum wine."

Master Lanlian chuckled, showing no fear whatsoever, but instead becoming even more unrestrained, almost ignoring the provocation.

"Ha, threatening these lunatics will only make things worse." The black-robed man with the golden mask let out a hoarse laugh.

He held a porcelain bowl filled with plum wine in his hand, and as he toyed with it, he said, "Since you agreed to the alliance, why did the Ink Pavilion withdraw halfway? We need an explanation from the Martial Alliance."

Xiao Yuenu said calmly, "All sects under the Martial Alliance are independent. The Mo Pavilion's decision is its own and has nothing to do with the Martial Alliance."

Master Lanlian sneered, "Is this the Martial Alliance's explanation?"

Enraged, Rongrong retorted, "The Martial Alliance has its own rules, and it's none of your business to interfere."

Master Lanlian gave her a deep look filled with malice.

Snap!

A small silver fan suddenly unfolded, blocking Rongrong's path.

Xiao Yuenu's attack seemed extremely abrupt, as if she had misjudged her opponent and blocked nothing. The female elders of Wan Hua Lou keenly sensed an invisible and intangible force that had been blocked by the Lou Master.

Xiao Yuenü's beautiful eyes widened, her anger blazing. "If your Earth Sect wants to turn against my Martial Alliance, Xiao Yuenü will fight to the bitter end."

Master Lanlian snorted and withdrew her gaze.

Unaware that she had just narrowly escaped death, Rongrong sat there blankly, her face stiff. After a few seconds, she came to her senses, and cold sweat soaked her back.

"It's not just the Ink Pavilion; if I'm not mistaken, several other sects will withdraw from the competition tomorrow," Xiao Yuenu said calmly.

"As you should know, Xu Yinluo has joined the Yuezhi Manor. He holds a high position in the hearts of martial arts practitioners and the common people, and the Mo Pavilion does not want to be his enemy."

Lan Lian said in a deep voice, "I'm afraid it's not just that they don't want to be his enemy. I've heard that some people in the Martial Alliance are planning to protect Xu Qi'an."

This is the real reason why the Earth Sect and the man in black robes invited the martial arts alliance to come.

The black-robed man wearing a golden mask snorted, "I hope that when Lord Xiao returns, he will tell Alliance Leader Cao to restrain his subordinates and not let a few bad apples tarnish the entire martial arts alliance."

Xiao Yuenu sneered, "Are you threatening the Martial Alliance?"

She realized something was wrong. The people from the Earth Sect were too wary of the Yue Clan Manor. Logically speaking, even with the support of Li Miaozhen, Xu Qi'an, and others, the other side had very little chance of winning given the current situation.

Putting aside the overwhelming power of a fourth-rank expert, the Earth Sect's leader alone could almost sweep through the Yue Clan Manor, even though it was just an avatar.

The Earth Sect seemed unwilling to let anyone leave, eager to strengthen its own power. Could this mean that there was a super expert hidden within the Yue Clan Manor, which made the Earth Sect so wary and try every means to unite with the Martial Alliance? Xiao Yuenu pondered to herself.

Just then, someone clicked their tongue and said, "Is a mere Xu Qi'an worth all of you wasting your breath on?"

Accompanied by the sound of footsteps on the stairs, a handsome young man in a white robe and jade belt appeared first at the top of the stairs. Following him were two towering giants, wearing bamboo hats and black robes.

Master Lanlian turned around and said fiercely, "What kind of nobody dares to disturb my meeting?"

The young man in white narrowed his eyes and said calmly, "Left Envoy, slap him!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the giant iron tower on the left suddenly disappeared, followed by a loud slapping sound from the second-floor hall.

"Click."

The wooden planks on the ground broke, and half of Master Lanlian's face was embedded in the shattered wooden floor, blood flowing from his seven orifices.

Xiao Yuenu and the man wearing the golden mask both narrowed their eyes slightly; the former gripped her silver-bone fan tightly, while the latter pressed his hand on the hilt of his knife.

The disciples of the Earth Sect stood up abruptly, their eyes filled with malice as they stared at the three young men in white robes.

"Not dead, not dead, not dead."

The young man in white robes waved his hands repeatedly, smiling, "It's just a punishment for him. My servants are very careful; you can all rest assured."

He always spoke with a smile, exuding an arrogant and disdainful air.

Such a person is either an empty-headed playboy or someone with sufficient confidence.

The white-robed man's gaze fell on Xiao Yuenu, his eyes suddenly lighting up. He rubbed his jade thumb ring as he strolled over.

During the process, he brushed past a black-robed man wearing a golden mask. The black-robed man's fingers twitched several times, as if he wanted to draw his sword and launch a surprise attack, but in the end he chose not to.

The man in the white robe curled his lips into a smile that seemed both cold and mocking as he walked past the table to the one filled with beautiful women.

"When I came to Jianzhou, I sent people to inquire about its customs and culture. The Jianghu (martial arts world) of Jianzhou is truly boring, like a stagnant pool. But the Jianghu of Jianzhou is also very interesting, because there is a Wan Hua Lou (Ten Thousand Flowers Pavilion)."

"Everyone says that Xiao Yuenü, the mistress of the Wan Hua Lou, is a beauty that could topple kingdoms, a rare gem. Tsk tsk, she truly lives up to her reputation."

The white-robed man's next words caused everyone at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion to tremble with anger.

"Once this journey through the martial world is over, I will take Master Xiao back with me. We happen to be short of a concubine to serve us in bed."

Rongrong's master suddenly stood up, her face grim, and with a surge of energy, struck the white-robed young master in the chest.

The young man in white raised his hand and struck her wrist precisely, causing his palm, imbued with profound energy, to hit the beam and the roof tiles.

Amidst the flying debris and shattered tiles, he reached out and scooped the beautiful woman into his arms, clicking his tongue and saying, "A bit old, but still charming. I like women like you."

Before Xiao Yuenu could make a move, he wisely withdrew, leaving the beautiful woman utterly ashamed and indignant.

"I'm here to form an alliance."

He suppressed his flamboyant smile, revealing a certain dignity and composure cultivated by the Aristocratic Clan family.

"An alliance?"

The man in black robes wearing a golden mask retorted.

"I want the lotus seeds, and I want Xu Qi'an's dog's life too."

The young man in white robes laughed, "You dare not offend him, but I do! A barefoot man has nothing to fear. I'm barefoot now, and I don't care how highly regarded he is in the eyes of the people."

"What do you plan to do?" the man in black asked with interest.

The young man in white robes remained silent, strode to the edge of the observation deck, braced himself against the railing, Dantian his inner energy, and said, "Listen up, everyone!"

The loud noise immediately attracted a crowd of onlookers and townspeople.

The young man in white robes extended his left hand, "Sword box!"

The Left Envoy silently handed over a small, dark, square box.

"Young Master, that person's Primordial Spirit fluctuations are several times stronger than those of ordinary martial artists. He is a member of the Earth Sect from the Yuezhi Manor," the Left Envoy said in a low voice.

The young man in white robes followed his gaze, glanced at Ling Yun who was disguised, ignored him, opened the box, took out a small sword as thin as a needle, and flicked it with his finger.

The small sword flipped and grew larger and larger, eventually becoming a three-foot-long green blade that jingled as it embedded itself into the bluestone-paved street.

A chilling sword intent emanated from it, proclaiming its identity: Law Artifact.

The young man in white robes announced, "Whoever can cut off Xu Qi'an's arm will be rewarded with a Law Artifact. Cut off two arms, two weapons; cut off four limbs, four weapons."

As he spoke, he flicked his fingers and sent longswords flying, one by one, into the middle of the street.

All eyes were fixed on the four intertwined magical Law Artifact, as if a magnet had encountered a steel nail, and they could not look away.

The white-robed young master declared decisively, "Whoever can behead Xu Qi'an will have this entire box of Law Artifact."

The street was in an uproar.

The young man in white robes turned back to the table, smiling as he looked around. The astonished and shocked expressions on the faces of the women at the brothel made his smile widen.

He stared at the man in black robes, then looked up at the awakened Daoist Lanlian, and said calmly, "What wandering Rogue Person value most is nothing more than resources. I'll deliver those resources to them right now. Do you think they'll still respect Xu Qi'an?"

"Will you still be wary of him? Will you still dare not offend him? No Rogue Cultivator can resist the temptation of Law Artifact. I know that includes you."

Xiao Yuenu said coldly, "What's the point of you doing this?"

A Rogue Person cannot kill a master who has cultivated the Vajra Divine Skill.

The young man in white shrugged, his tone relaxed. "Didn't Xu Qi'an recite a line of poetry? 'I couldn't bear to see a waiter become a new tycoon, so I angrily stepped onto the arena to strike again.' That's my answer."

Does he have a grudge against Xu Qi'an? Xiao Yuenu suddenly realized. She glanced at Daoist Lan Lian of the Earth Sect and was astonished to find that the other party had restrained his malice and did not retaliate.

It seems the Earth Sect is truly wary of the Yuezhi Manor.

The man in black robes smiled; it seemed everyone shared the same goal.

Young Master Xu's enemy has arrived? One of his attendants could easily injure the fourth-rank Daoist Lanlian. He regarded Law Artifact as dirt. Ling Yun realized that this white-robed young master who suddenly appeared in the town was a formidable foe.

He silently took a dozen steps back, then turned around, intending to leave.

As Ling Yun took his first step, he heard the voice of the white-robed young man from the watchtower behind him. "Ah, I forgot, there's one more thing. You're a Daoist from Yuezhi Manor, aren't you?"

Ling Yun's pupils suddenly contracted, and he felt the hairs on his body stand on end. His emotions were on the verge of exploding.

Then, he found himself unable to walk; his feet seemed to be glued to the ground.

No, no, get moving! We need to get the message back. We need to tell Xu Yinluo that he sent me to gather intelligence, and I can't let him down. Ling Yun's face twitched, and he started sweating profusely, large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead.

The young man in white robes appeared before him, smiling, and said, "Are you going back to report?"

"I... I don't know what you're talking about. I'm just a Rogue Person," Ling Yun said, forcing a smile.

The young man in white robes beckoned, summoning a long sword stuck in the street. His smile remained unchanged, "I didn't say you couldn't deliver the message, but..."

He paused, then grinned maliciously, "Sorry, you'll have to crawl back."

He coldly swung his sword; a flash of light, and Ling Yun's knees suddenly sank, his legs leaving their owner.

"Aaaaah!" He screamed in agony, writhing on the ground in pain.

The young man in white glanced at him. "A friendly reminder: hurry back. You might still be able to get treatment before you bleed to death."

Having said that, he brandished the sword in his hand and said, "Did you all see that? It's a genuine magical Law Artifact. Tomorrow, when the lotus seeds ripen, each of you will have the chance to kill Xu Qi'an."

"Young Master, if the Master finds out, you will be punished. The Master said not to provoke him lightly," the Left Envoy warned telepathically.

"If I don't provoke him, what's the point of my trip?" The white-robed young master sneered.

"If I bring that kid back, with such an incredible achievement, wouldn't my position be as secure as Mount Tai?"

The main purpose of this trip was to hone his martial Martial Dao, but seeing the boy who should have died at the end of the year in the Capital Evaluation was also part of his objective.

Since the Capital Evaluation, he had heard about Xu Qi'an's deeds one after another, and his anger went berserk.

The more successful and powerful the man surnamed Xu was, the angrier he became.

Those glories and those extraordinary adventures should have been his.

Most importantly, it's about luck, and that's his too!

After lunch, Xu Qi'an practiced the preliminary process of "Heaven and Earth One Slash" alone in a secluded courtyard, allowing his aura and Qi and Blood to collapse inward and condense into a single force.

By drawing inferences from one instance to another, one can strengthen control over physical strength and accelerate the cultivation of internal energy.

He felt he had reached a bottleneck, just one step away from breaking through to the fifth rank.

"I feel like something's missing. I hope tomorrow's battle will allow me to advance as I wish." Xu Qi'an's ears twitched as he heard light footsteps approaching.

He immediately stopped practicing, turned his head, and saw Qiu Chanyi, the flower of Yuezhi Manor, with a pale face and her big eyes filled with tears.

When Xu Qi'an eyes met, tears streamed down her face like broken pearls.

Qiu Chanyi sobbed, "Young Master Xu, Ling Yun, Ling Yun is dead!"

P. S.: All the missed updates are finally here. Whew, what a relief. Time for bed, I'm so tired.