Chapter 565: Arrogant Lord Ma, Stubborn Chen Qisheng

Chapter 565: The Arrogant Prince, the Bewildered Chen Qisheng

Night cloaks Nanchang Prefecture.

The city is silent, void of any sound.

This is the formidable grip of the Dao Sequence upon its own foundation; with a single command from Gezong Mountain, all within a ten‑mile radius centered on the Nanchang Dao Palace are emptied of people and houses.

Wind sweeps the empty streets, the echoes wail like ghosts and howl like wolves.

Three miles southwest of the Nanchang Dao Palace, a multitude of Gezong Mountain Dao Sequences perch upon rooftops, poised in strict formation.

“Have the people from Longhu Mountain arrived yet?”

Gezong Mountain elder Yi Kuidou stands atop a high tower, hands clasped, slowly drawing back his gaze that had been fixed on the distant palace.

The battle in Fenyi County, Yuzhou Prefecture, ended three days ago; during this time they have trailed behind Li Jun in a leisurely manner, maintaining a safe distance between them.

Li Jun seems aware that someone has been tailing him, yet he shows no inclination to turn and confront Yi Kuidou, nor any sign of trying to shake off the pursuit.

The two parties thus drifted together from Yuzhou Prefecture into the borders of Nanchang Prefecture.

Finally, Li Jun even simply halted in the empty Nanchang Dao Palace, appearing as if he were waiting for the Gezong Mountain and Longhu Mountain factions to encircle him.

Such odd behavior sowed doubt in Yi Kuidou’s heart, making his actions ever more cautious.

“Report back to the elder, the people have arrived.”

Hearing the messenger’s reply, Yi Kuidou raised an eyebrow in mild confusion before dispersing his divine thoughts.

In the northeast direction of the Nanchang Dao Palace, numerous auras indeed manifested.

Yet within Yi Kuidou’s divine perception, no familiar Longhu Mountain Taoist Master of the third rank was sensed.

“Who leads the Longhu Mountain contingent?”

“The Imperial Teacher’s Xiantan Hall overseer, Zhang Qingyu.”

The responder paused briefly, then added, “A fourth‑rank Daoist, occupying seat forty‑three among the Earthly Immortals of the White Jade Capital.”

“Never heard of him.”

Yi Kuidou furrowed his brow, his thoughts growing ever more weighty.

What does Longhu Mountain mean?

If we follow Jiang Jue’s speculation, they might be joining forces with Li Jun, in which case at least one of Zhang Chongyuan or Zhang Chongcheng should have come.

With only this scant number, to swallow him whole—even with Li Jun’s aid—all who come from Longhu Mountain would have to perish.

If they have no intention of seizing the opportunity to ambush, but merely come to slay Li Jun, they should not be without a proper third‑rank Daoist; how can they retain Li Jun with merely those corrupted, stench‑filled sealed third‑rank Daoists?

The present Li Jun can no longer be judged by ordinary reason.

Even during the era of ‘Divided Martial Arts under Heaven,’ the most outstanding fourth‑rank martial sequences fell far short of his overwhelming power.

This monster may already rival a sect’s third‑rank martial disciple who has refined a single technique to perfection, and could even surpass them by a margin.

“Could it be that Zhang Chongyuan has been frightened by Li Jun, refuses to appear personally, and merely uses these disciples as cannon fodder while he hides behind manipulating the celestial tracks and stars?”

The notion had just taken root when Yi Kuidou’s lips curled into a contemptuous, cold smile.

“If that is truly the case, Longhu Mountain has but a few years of fortune left; the seat of the ‘Jia’ Celestial Immortal will inevitably become mine, a treasure of Gezong Mountain!”

In contemplation, Yi Kuidou’s gaze once more fell upon the figure perched on the ridge of the main hall of the Nanchang Dao Palace.

Though the night bears wind without rain, a dense black mist has arisen from nowhere, gathering atop the palace roof, casting a heavy, inexplicable pressure upon the heart.

[Consumes 300 Proficiency Points, Tian Shi (Fourth‑Grade Internal Skill) advances to Great Perfection]

[Obtains Kedi (Internal Martial Art) – Acquired]

[Sequence]: Martial Sequence Four—Xin Zhu

[Combat Techniques]: Sharp Edge, Gluttonous (Fourth‑Grade Great Perfection), Cangzheng Technique (Fourth‑Grade Initial), Zhide Method (Fifth‑Grade Great Perfection), Devour Dragon Tiger (Sixth‑Grade Great Perfection), Clear Ghost Intent (Fifth‑Grade Great Perfection)

[Footwork]: Ascend the Peak (Fourth‑Grade Great Perfection), Hong Sheng Step (Fourth‑Grade Initial)

[Body Cultivation]: Ten Thousand Li Mountains and Rivers

[Internal Skills]: Conceal the Heavens, Overcome the Enemy

[Remaining Proficiency Points: 132]

Another martial art has been forged from the three internal skills ‘Zhenlu’, ‘Qisheng’, and ‘Tianshi’.

Undoubtedly, this art’s nature belongs to ‘suppression’.

However, unlike Li Jun’s ‘conceal the Heavens’ forged in Yushan City to evade the Celestial Track’s lock, ‘Kedi’ exerts external pressure.

It greatly enhances and elevates the suppression capacity of the solitary martial gene, thereby disrupting and subduing opponents in combat.

Just as when he slew Ge Jing within Fenyi City of Yuzhou Prefecture that day.

Yet at that time Li Jun merely briefly disturbed Ge Jing’s formless release technique; in subsequent clashes, Ge Jing quickly adapted to the pressure, erasing its genetic effect entirely.

Li Jun used this ability to startle Ge Jing, drew near, and, relying on his physique and combat techniques, brutally killed him.

But if, at this moment, Ge Jing were dug from his grave and fought again, after Li Jun drew near, most of his flamboyant techniques would likely fail to execute smoothly.

Unless his divine sense is powerful enough to completely suppress the vibration of the genes.

“Only a footwork art and a combat technique remain.”

The foes on either side appear to be watching, and Li Jun, unhurried, sits astride the head of a beast, cataloguing the martial arts at his disposal.

As for the footwork art, there is no need to elaborate; once enough points are gathered, pushing Hong Sheng Step to Great Perfection will naturally allow its forging.

Li Jun also feels a premonition that after completing the footwork refinement, he will again hear the clanking of the copper lock within his body.

In combat, the newly injected fourth‑grade technique ‘Cangzheng’ awakens spleen capacity, chiefly promoting wound healing and toxin resistance.

Li Jun seeks this art because he wishes to combine it with explosive techniques such as ‘Devour Dragon Tiger’ and ‘Zhide Method’, aiming to forge a skill that fully mobilizes the five viscera of his bodily essence.

This notion sprouted during his many forging attempts; Li Jun asked Shen Li for opinion, yet received only a silent, sorrowful visage.

It seems no one in the sect’s martial hierarchy has attempted such a method before.

As for ‘Clear Ghost Intent’ and ‘Gluttonous’, these are classified as functional martial arts in Li Jun’s view; they too can be refined, though he currently lacks sufficient accumulation.

Within the Tianque, mastery of this art is equally scarce; moreover, no traitor among its ranks practices it, leaving no avenue to procure a practitioner.

Having clarified the martial arts at hand, the next essential step is the ritual.

Regarding this, Li Jun remains utterly bewildered, with no hint of understanding.

Unlike sect martial hierarchies, the solitary martial path faces an elevated threshold and virtually unrestricted choice of arts, leaving no standard answer or template, forcing Li Jun to explore on his own.

Although Li Jun’s past experience suggests rituals are tied to the vows of martial sequences and other lineages, the shift upon advancing to the fourth rank in the Woyu region clearly altered the direction; pure slaughter and revenge no longer satisfy the ritual’s demands.

Otherwise, after returning to the imperial homeland, he would have slain so many Confucian and Daoist disciples—indeed a genuine third‑rank Daoist, Ge Jing—yet his genes now lie as calm as still water, showing no sign of agitation.

Xin Zhu.

The two characters ‘Xin Zhu’ suddenly flashed through Li Jun’s mind.

Although this was merely a whimsical impulse of Su Ce before his death, Li Jun feels it is the most correct direction the elder pointed out for him.

Perhaps the ritual for his advancement is indeed linked to the ‘Flame of the Sun’.

Li Jun had chosen to exchange the ritual gear meant for independent practitioners to Tianque, not only to strengthen himself for the immediate situation but also to carry some of the "passing on the flame" considerations. Yet, so far, the results had been rather lackluster.

"Could it be that there are too few independent cultivators? Or perhaps he still hasn't found the right focus?"

As Li Jun pondered, a piercing sound of breaking the void echoed from the night sky above.

A figure descended like a hawk, swiftly approaching the Dao Palace rooftop, then abruptly halting just before impact. In an instant, it transformed from motion to stillness, then flowed like water, with a gentle breeze settling beside Li Jun.

The sound of distant voices shouting reached his ears, and the forces of two Dao sects seemed to be in a state of panic and unease upon seeing this figure.

The towering, massive body blocked the moonlight, casting a shadow over Li Jun.

The body, clad in armor etched with rune-covered beast patterns, was adorned with blazing flames that formed a flowing cape behind it. Beneath the helmet's visor lay a lion-faced demon mask, with a blood-flame-like gem embedded in his brow.

The figure radiated fierceness and deadly intent.

One man, one armor, their gazes locked. After a moment of silence, a deliberately deep, gravelly voice emerged from the lone eye.

"First, don't say anything else. Just tell me—are you handsome or not?"

"You're pretty, but how come you're starting to look more and more like Shu, the leader of the other sect?"

Li Jun tilted his head, examining the figure. "My lord, honestly, tell me—what's your relationship with Shu?"

"Get lost."

Ma Wang, irritated, raised his hand and swept away all the auras Li Jun had just triggered with his refined "Defeat the Enemy" martial art.

Li Jun narrowed his eyes, about to speak, when Ma Wang asked first.

"What are you doing now? No longer using hit-and-run tactics, but charging straight into a one-on-one battle with two major Dao sects? Bold."

Ma Wang crossed his arms, his lone eye projecting a pillar of red light that swept across all directions.

"People are coming from all around, aren't they?"

Li Jun sighed, smiling helplessly. "I originally planned to stir up trouble, hoping to provoke these two old enemies into fighting each other so I could eliminate a few while they're at it. But now it seems they're more enduring than I expected. I'm in a bit of a bind."

"Not necessarily because they're truly strong. They might just be too clever."

Ma Wang sneered coldly. "I think they're probably both suspicious that the other is working with you, preparing to dig pits and set ambushes here. Otherwise, they'd have started fighting already."

Ancient as he was, Ma Wang's words broke the stalemate of the current confrontation.

"Looks like we can't force them to fight right now. Let's not worry about them. How's the situation at Qingping Dao Shrine?"

"When I left, Zhou Siu had already retrieved Zhao Yanglong's realm from the Huangliang Youhai. Now, Chen Qisheng has entered."

"So if Qingping Dao Shrine is exposed, only Yuan Mingfei and Shen Li would be able to meet the enemy?"

Li Jun's voice carried concern.

"Rest easy. Yuan Mingfei is far more powerful than you imagine. You should worry more about yourself."

Ma Wang chuckled under his breath. "Even a good tiger can't hold back a pack of wolves, you little brat. You're usually pretty clever, but before, when you encountered people you couldn't handle, you'd just run away without hesitation. How come this time you're being so reckless?"

"After being beaten so many times on the face, even if I'm cautious, I'd probably be desperate enough to jump out the window."

"Are you worried about Zhang Chongjian?"

Li Jun nodded. "Though the information we have now suggests that this 'Zhang Tianshi' is in cultivation seclusion, unable to pay attention to the outside world. But such matters are never certain. What if he suddenly 'opens the Dao' again? Then all of us would be stuck here."

"Just the two characters 'Yi Er' make me want to headbutt a wall. Hearing you say that, I think we need to wrap this up quickly."

Ma Wang sighed. "So what's your plan now?"

"There's no plan. Just wait until things get chaotic, then make a break for it. But with you here, escaping shouldn't be a problem."

"What do you mean, 'not a problem'? You've got no spirit at all, Ma. Since I've met you, why would I run away?!"

Ma Wang declared proudly. "This time, I'll cover you. You can go ahead and fight them all!"

What's going on? Why is Old Ma suddenly so bold?

Li Jun's heart leaped, his eyes widening in surprise.

"That expression suits you."

Mo Jia raised his arm and swung it, the vast cape behind him billowing in the wind, flames spreading several zhang in the night, standing out vividly.

"Ma, my noble Mo San, how could you fail to support me?"

His booming voice rolled out like thunder, spreading in all directions.

How could Ma Wang have promoted to Third Rank so quickly?

Though unsure of the requirements for Mo Jia's promotion, Li Jun felt it must be related to the gifts Ma Wang received from Shu during the time in the Wa region.

Everything happened naturally.

"Ma."

Li Jun smiled. "Next time, if there's such a good opportunity, could you be less subtle? I was just calculating how to escape."

"Actually, I also feel it's not prestigious enough. According to my estimate, you should already be bruised and swollen from the beating, just in time for the desperate phase where you can exchange a few. In a life-or-death situation, I should have directly descended like a god of war, crushing the entire field, killing those filthy sect disciples without leaving a single piece of armor. That would have been so powerful."

"But it's not meant to be. These people are too cowardly. When I was younger, fighting a gang in Mingguo, as long as we had the numbers, we'd attack immediately. They'd never be so cautious and hesitant like them."

Ma Wang sighed. "Now we can only manage a one-on-many battle. By the way, remember to fight boldly. I want to record it. I wonder if the modern Mingguo girls still enjoy such brutal, bloody scenes."

Li Jun obediently nodded. "No problem, Ma, you're in charge. Which sect should we attack first? Geosou, or Longhu?"

"Whoever dares to step forward first, we'll focus on. The other sect can wait—we'll kill them later!"

Their conversation, loud and boastful, was clearly heard by the Dao sect forces in all directions.

In the southwest, where the Geosou sect had gathered.

In the silence, Yi Kui's face turned grim and iron-gray, his eyes no longer calm, but fixed on the distant flames with immense gravity.

"Youtravel Mo San, Tianku?!"

The black and white realm was indistinguishable from the weather.

In a secluded courtyard of Xuanyue Mountain, the young Zhao Yanglong lay on a rocking chair, one hand holding a teapot, the other supporting his head, looking utterly at ease.

In the courtyard, Chen Qisheng was practicing his fists.

Without any shouting or wind sound, his hands and feet rose and fell lightly, his body swaying as if cradling an invisible sphere. His techniques were soft and flowing, with no deadly force at all.

"Well, my senior brother, you should really practice properly. Taiji Fist has a long history, supposedly passed down from Wudang Mountain. Even the Daoist disciples of Wudang consider it the first lesson for attaining the Dao. If we weren't a branch of Wudang, you wouldn't have this privilege."

Zhao Yanglong yawned lazily. "If you could master Taiji Fist, maybe when you develop true qi, you might get a chance to practice at Wudang Mountain."

"Why aren't you practicing, Senior Brother?"

After finishing a set of fist techniques, Chen Qisheng exhaled slowly, his closed pores suddenly opening, his entire body soaked in sweat.

"My senior brother is a genius. There's too much true qi inside me to waste on such trivial exercises."

Zhao Yanglong was so terrified by his tone, picked up the teapot and took a sip leisurely.

"You shouldn't practice either. Rest for a while, then go help in the guest hall. There are many visitors these days, and some are too busy. When you return, bring some meat for me."

"Senior Brother, we're not in the main sect. Where would we get meat from?"

“Do not let them fool you; the kitchen crew keeps a stash of meat, and not just any meat but genuine, unprocessed flesh, which I have seen with my own eyes. We are now in the phase of growth, yet we eat that paste‑like ointment every day—how could that possibly work?”

Zhao Yánlóng squinted at Chen Qisheng and said, “Besides, what era are we in? Even the venerable Daoist Patriarch himself appears to preach in person; how can we still be so rigid? I've heard that some temples outside now promote a technique that lets disciples enter dreams to practice—something called ‘Huangliang’? In any case, the path of cultivation is becoming stranger and stranger.”

“I understand. I'll go again later after another round.”

Chen Qisheng nodded, shifting his weary feet, and slowly settled beneath the eaves.

“Little Qisheng,” he said.

Zhao Yánlóng watched the scene, a hint of pity in his eyes as he pursed his lips and said, “You don't need to push yourself so hard. Though you are called Qisheng, it is not you who stops; the heavens will reclaim the life you begged for.”

Zhao Yánlóng rose, his brows youthful, yet his tone carried the weight of age: “The path of cultivation hinges on opportunity and fortune. Sometimes, despite your tireless practice, the true qi may refuse to surface. Yet perhaps one night, while you lie in bed, a spark of qi might burst forth on its own—such is the possibility, isn't it?”

“Mm-hmm.”

Chen Qisheng tapped his aching legs, replying casually, “…”

“Hey!”

Seeing his demeanor, Zhao Yánlóng's temper flared instantly.

He ground his molars back and forth, yet could not utter a single harsh word, sighing in defeat.

“You think your good intentions are noble? You’re merely a stubborn scoundrel!”

The emptied teapot was casually tossed into the recliner; a slanted spout still dripped with lingering droplets.

“You rest well, my friend; I'll fetch you a meal. I wouldn't want you to be worn out, lest the master later accuse this senior instructor of mistreating his peers, a burden I cannot bear.”

Having spoken, Zhao Yánlóng turned and walked toward the door.

“You, boy, hurry and find a hidden spot to kindle a fire; wait for the feast!”

Reaching the threshold, Zhao Yánlóng glanced back, tipped his chin, and wore a grin.

“What are you doing?”

Just after leaving, Chen Qisheng heard a quarrel erupt outside the courtyard.

“Good heavens, Zhao Yánlóng! How bold you are! The kitchen's lost items were all stolen by you, weren't they?”

“What items? I warned you not to speak ill of others!”

“It’s not you; it’s your foolish, clueless junior brother. Get away.”

“Hold on. I took it from the Dao Master. What’s wrong? While you feast, I refuse to eat? Do you dare block me here? Do you believe I’ll tell you…”

“Admit… I… I…”

“I won’t… I…”