For the martial arts practitioners present, the Great Grandmaster was a sacred figure, a realm they dared not even dream of!
"Lu Yulin has become Great Grandmaster?"
In a private room on the second floor of the inn, Liang Zheng was also shocked to hear the news.
He could access the files of the Six Doors and knew that Lu Yulin was previously the number one martial artist in Hebei Circuit, surpassing Li Xiao, the number one martial artist in Shu Province, in both strength and prestige.
It's not impossible for Lu Yulin to break through and become Great Grandmaster.
only...
What do you mean by that?
On the long street, Li Xiao spoke.
Lin Qian looked directly at Li Xiao: "Lu Yulin broke through his barrier during our fight, and I was unwilling to accept that, so I came here to challenge the masters of Shu in order to achieve a breakthrough. I heard that Sect Leader Li is the number one master in Shu Province, so I came here to ask for your guidance!"
Li Xiao frowned. Regardless of whether Lin Qian had left Mount Liang or not, he didn't want to fight him.
Before he could speak, Lin Qian continued, "Sect Leader Li, you have been at the First Rank Realm for over a decade now. Don't you wish to explore even higher realms?"
Another uproar erupted on the long street.
Li Xiao's heart was stirred.
What did the other person mean by that?
Could it be that by fighting him, one might have a chance to glimpse the realm of Great Grandmaster?!
Although it may sound unbelievable, the Great Grandmaster realm is inherently mysterious and anything is possible.
If Lin Qian came today seeking fame, or had some other ulterior motive, Li Xiao would not pay him any attention.
But Lin Qian said he came to break through to the Grandmaster realm, which hit Li Xiao right where it hurt.
He is in charge of the largest sect in Sichuan, backed by the Jiannan Circuit Intendant, and has connections in both the legitimate and criminal worlds.
If there's anything Li Xiao desperately desires but can't obtain, it's the Grandmaster realm!
To rise step by step to become First Rank expert, how could he not have a deep passion for martial arts?
Li Xiao's expression shifted uncertainly, but he eventually stepped down the steps and stood in front of Lin Qian.
"In that case, I, Li, will gladly accept your expert advice!"
"Please!"
Lin Qian raised the long spear in his hand.
Along the long street, the onlookers' gazes grew intense; they never expected to witness a true battle for First Rank!
Li Xiao showed no mercy and launched the first attack.
Clang!
He drew his longsword, a flash of light, aiming straight for Lin Qian's throat.
From the very first move, this top expert of Shu Province displayed his profound knowledge and strength. His sword strikes were like the entire Mount Shu rising from the ground, steep and precipitous, piercing straight into the clouds!
The sword light, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound, resembled a cliff cleaved vertically downwards.
Lin Qian remained calm, his spear blocking the sword strike. The spear shaft collided with the sword blade, producing a crisp clang and sparks flying.
Li Xiao changed his moves extremely quickly. His second sword strike became a slanted cut, as difficult as the Shu Road, winding upwards at an extremely tricky angle!
Lin Qian flicked the end of his spear, causing it to spin and deflect Li Xiao's sword.
Li Xiao quickened his pace, circling around Lin Qian and unleashing the full power of the Mount Shu Sword Technique. Each sword strike was faster and more dangerous than the last, just like the peaks of Mount Shu, each strike carrying an insurmountable majesty!
In the blink of an eye, Li Xiao's sword light merged into one, as if the entire Mount Shu had been moved, suppressing Lin Qian within it.
The force of the wind generated by his longsword was so strong that even onlookers a meter away felt a stinging pain in their cheeks!
"Good!"
In a private room on the second floor of the inn, Liang Zheng's disciple couldn't help but cheer loudly.
Along the long street, cheers erupted.
As people from Shu Province, everyone present naturally hoped that the number one expert from Shu Province would win!
Faced with Li Xiao's superb swordsmanship and the overwhelming sword aura, Lin Qian did not retreat an inch. He spun his spear rapidly, creating swirling gusts of wind.
The spear would occasionally strike the ground, shattering the stone slabs into pieces, sending fragments flying like arrows! This startled nearby onlookers, who scrambled to avoid the flying stones, some of whom were injured in the process!
Li Xiao felt as if his sword strike had pierced into a vast ocean, all his strength being swallowed up.
The two exchanged less than twenty blows before Lin Qian turned the tables, completely shattering Li Xiao's swordplay and enveloping Li Xiao in a flurry of spear shadows!
Li Xiao became increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed. As fellow First Rank experts, he hadn't expected the gap between himself and Lin Qian to be so significant.
He felt as if he were a small boat in a storm at sea, about to capsize at any moment!
This cannot continue.
Li Xiao's swordplay changed, creating multiple sword shadows, one sword overlapping another, seemingly real yet illusory, as ethereal as clouds and mist.
This is the Mount Shu Illusory Sword, which he comprehended after observing the ever-changing sea of clouds atop Mount Shu for eight years!
There are no actual sword moves, only sword intent, which changes with the form and moves with the situation, and can be done at will.
With the appearance of this illusionary sword, Li Xiao was no longer led by Lin Qian, and all his attacks were no longer easily neutralized.
"Good!"
Lin Qian suddenly burst into laughter, and his spear stance abruptly changed. The rapidly spinning spear instantly came to a halt, as if all the undercurrents had converged into a raging torrent, transforming from the softest to the hardest.
The spear thrust towards Li Xiao like a flood bursting its banks; the immense force caused Li Xiao's expression to change drastically.
Clang!
With a crisp sound, the longsword in Li Xiao's hand broke in two. He staggered back more than ten steps, blood spilling from his mouth!
"Thank you for your kind offer."
Lin Qian did not pursue, but stood still, put away his gun, and bowed to Li Xiao.
"Master!"
The Mount Shu Sect disciples in front of the hall only then realized what was happening and rushed forward.
A gasp of surprise rang out on the long street, and everyone stared at Lin Qian in disbelief.
In less than fifty moves, Li Xiao, the number one martial arts master in Shu Province, was defeated with his sword broken?!
Just how high a level has Lin Qian reached?
Li Xiao's face was grim. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, pushed aside the disciples surrounding him, and stared intently at Lin Qian: "You said you lost to Lu Yulin. Did you already possess this level of skill when you fought him?"
"Good."
Lin Qian nodded.
"..."
Upon hearing this, Li Xiao's expression darkened.
"Ha ha!"
He chuckled and shook his head. "Grandmaster? Grandmaster!"
Lin Qian ignored him and the shocked looks from the others, turning away cleanly and decisively.
"Master, aren't we going to do anything?"
In a private room on the second floor of the inn, the young disciple asked Liang Zheng a question.
Liang Zheng stared intently at Lin Qian's departing figure, but hesitated to give the order to make a move.
'If I hadn't joined the Six Doors back then, and hadn't neglected my martial arts training because of official duties, would I have had the chance to reach that legendary realm?'
The thought suddenly popped into Liang Zheng's mind.
He watched Li Xiao return to the guild hall dejectedly, and felt that the other man seemed to have aged considerably in an instant.
"Grandmaster! Grandmaster!"
Liang Zheng suddenly let out a long sigh, and his usually upright back slowly bent down.
Requesting monthly votes~
Chapter 191: A Leaderless Flock! (Large Chapter)
The sixteenth day after Xu Rong was killed.
Zhang Liao arrived in Ya Province with more than 1,400 soldiers of the Shannan Army, where they joined up with the main force of the Shannan Army.
Wang Yan summoned Zhang Liao immediately.
"Wang Shuai!"
Zhang Liao knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Zhang Liao is guilty; I failed to save General Xu!"
Wang Yan helped Zhang Liao up, pulled him to sit down, and said in a deep voice, "What exactly happened? Tell me in detail."
Zhang Liao nodded. "General Xu led us to Yi Province first. By the time we arrived, the Mount Liang forces attacking Yi Province had already been defeated..."
He recounted in detail his experience of fighting alongside Xu Rong, without altering the first half, only downplaying the presence of Wu Shuangren and the Yi Province Militia.
Furthermore, the original text changed the story from Wu Shuangren's initiative to march on Rong Province with Xu Rong to Xu Rong coercing the local militia of Yi Province to join him in attacking Rong Province City.
"... After discovering that the fleeing Mount Liang forces had split up, General Xu also ordered us to split into two groups. I led several hundred men and the Yi Province Militia in one group, while General Xu led the main force to pursue the other group."
"No one expected that Lu Yulin would break through to the Grandmaster realm and lead the Mount Liang forces in a counterattack! He killed General Xu in battle, causing the morale of the remaining soldiers to collapse, ultimately achieving a great victory and capturing more than three thousand people..."
"Lu Yulin, greedy for the wealth within Rong Province City, led his men back to Rong Province City. I reorganized the surviving Shannan Army and, together with the Yi Province Militia, recaptured Rong Province City..."
According to his account, most of the wealth in Rong Province City was eventually taken away by Lu Yulin and his men, and he and the Yi Province Militia dared not pursue him because of the latter's Grandmaster.
After listening to Zhang Liao's account, Wang Yan's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty.
Finally, he sighed deeply, "General Xu is the governor's trusted and beloved general. The governor specifically assigned him to oversee the battle, but I never expected..."
Zhang Liao's expression turned somber, and he pursed his lips without speaking.
"General Xu's death was not your fault. Your ability to recapture Rong Province City is already a great achievement!"
Wang Yan finally said to Zhang Liao, "You must be tired from your journey. Go and rest."
"Yes!"
Zhang Liao responded and left the main tent.
A moment later, two generals entered Wang Yan's tent one after the other.
"How?"
Wang Yan asked.
These two generals were just responsible for questioning the soldiers Zhang Liao brought back.
The two men told Wang Yan the results of their inquiries, and combined with what they had learned from the soldiers, they could preliminarily confirm that Zhang Liao's account was accurate.
"Continue the search for Lu Yulin and the others!"
Wang Yan gave the order with a grim expression.
With Xu Rong dead, his merit on this mission is reduced by at least half!
A few days later, news of Lin Qian arrived from Shu Province.
"... Lin Qian defeated Li Xiao, the number one expert in Shu Province, within fifty moves. Afterwards, he was surrounded and attacked by the Six Doors and government troops, but easily broke through the encirclement and escaped."
Wang Yan frowned as he looked at the intelligence report in his hand.
"So, Lu Yulin has indeed become Great Grandmaster!"
He had already made his own judgment and basically believed what Zhang Liao said.
Lin Qian was able to easily defeat Li Xiao, who was also First Rank expert, within fifty moves, but he publicly admitted to losing to Lu Yulin.
Lu Yulin is very likely already Great Grandmaster!
"Someone, bring back the intelligence about Lu Yulin and the news of General Xu's death to Shannan Circuit and deliver it to the military governor."