Building The Ultimate Fantasy

by Stayrr

A young man sat on a chair and looked out at the ocean. With one wisp of Spirit Qi, he could point anywhere on this vast and expansive world, pointing at any place that didn’t look right. Someone once became the last one to wield a knife that could decapitate huge dragons and bathed in dragons’ blood. Someone once loved treating others to chicken soup, so he kept nine phoenixes in

1. 1

Building The Ultimate Fantasy

---

A young man sat on a chair and looked out at the ocean. With one wisp of Spirit Qi, he could point anywhere on this vast and expansive world, pointing at any place that didn't look right.

Someone once became the last one to wield a knife that could decapitate huge dragons and bathed in dragons' blood. Someone once loved treating others to chicken soup, so he kept nine phoenixes in his backyard. Someone once sat lazily on the top of mountains as his words flooded river banks, and his qi could hold a million soldiers back. Someone once moved mountains and shifted hills with just one brush, his paintings so captivating it could enchant immortals and deities. That year, the warmth of spring made the flowers bloom. They were merely an ordinary butcher, a bookworm, a chicken farmer and a poor artist. This is the story of how a Low Level Martial World Continent was transformed into the Ultimate Fantasy Universe.

---

Read Building The Ultimate Fantasy - Chapter 1 online free - NovelFull

Chapter 1: That One Fascinating Foot

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Whirling puffs of smoke rose from the burning sandalwood incense, filling the room with a pleasant aroma.

Deep carvings adorned the window frame made of a rich reddish wood. Sunlight streamed through the window, glinting off the surface of a vintage desk and gilding the layer of dust that lay atop it.

The study's four treasures—brushes, ink, an inkstone, and a crisp sheet of paper—were displayed neatly on the desk.

The high-quality sheet of rice paper lay flat on the surface with the inkstone standing next to it. The inkstone was still damp with ink. Brushes of various sizes hung not far from a set of jade stamps, big and small, with the character "Fan" engraved on each of them. The interior decorations perfectly captured the essence of the ancient Chinese scholarly style.

A wooden bed stood in the room, intricate patterns carved across its posts and frame. Behind the silk canopy of the bed, a silhouette tossed and turned restlessly. After a while, the man finally sat up, supporting himself on his arms.

Lu Fan turned to look outside of the canopy, trying to take in his surroundings. The antique style of the room sent a chill down his spine.

Where the heck was he?

As a newbie programmer, he usually had to work until three or four o'clock in the morning. He felt like he had accumulated two years' worth of experience in the one year he had worked since graduating from college. Computers were his life. An old-style set of writing implements on an elegant desk was not.

He remembered that he had been working day and night on a project for one of his company's biggest clients. At some point, he had felt a sudden, throbbing pain in his chest. That was the last thing he could recall.

Then he had woken up in this completely strange room.

Lu Fan started to get out of bed to take a better look around, yet as he tried to move, he realized that he had no sensation at all in his lower body. He instantly lost his balance and fell off the bed.

"Young Master!"

The deeply carved door flew open.

Three maids entered the room and helped him up. He could tell that they'd done this many times.

With the smooth sound of rolling wheels, one of the maids pushed a well-made wooden wheelchair toward him from a corner of the room. The other two helped the dazed Lu Fan get into the wheelchair.

"Young Master, considering your condition… Please let us help. If you need anything, just let us know."

Lu Fan slumped into the wheelchair, bewildered. He had so many questions.

Who was he?

Where was he?

How come he was paralyzed?

After mulling over the three major questions, he concluded that he had surely transmigrated.

His soul had gone into a paralyzed body!

Transmigrating into such a situation was… very unique!

In his mind, the faint memories of the body's previous owner started to rise to the surface.

"Lu Fan, courtesy name Ping'an. Great Zhou Dynasty. The only son of the City Master of Beiluo City. Legs paralyzed, rendering him unable to walk."

Despite struggling to digest the sudden memory of his sad background, Lu Fan still managed to sneak a glance at the three maids in front of him.

In consideration of the fact that his legs and mobility were compromised, Lu Fan's father had arranged three maids to take care of his daily tasks and safety.

They were all lookers.

The oldest was 24 or 25, slender built, but with curves and a charming face. She bore an unusually enchanting aura that could only belong to a mature woman.

The youngest was only 11, still a child.

The last was 17, with a foxy and enticing face. She had a long whip tucked into her belt.

A domineering lady, a loli, and a queen…

Only one word could describe this bonus that had come with his transmigration:

Thrilling!

Lu Fan dazed out as he indulged in this fantasy, and to his maids, he appeared to be lost deep within his own thoughts. He stared at the three girls in a slightly creepy way.

The image of the girls faded away in front of his eyes and was replaced by…

A pop-up window of stats.

[Host: Lu Fan]

[Title: Qi Refiner (permanent)]

[Refined Qi Level: 0]

[Soul Strength: 1]

[Physique Strength: 0.5]

[Spirit Qi: 10 wisps]

[Transformation Reward: Temporarily Unavailable]

[World Leveling System: Wuhuang Continent (Low-Level Martial World)]

[Access: Not Yet Activated]

Lu Fan's eyes popped. Was that a stats system interface?

Had he gotten the cheat sheet for this world?

Finally! That was the way transmigration bonuses were supposed to be rendered!

"Wait, a Low-Level Martial World?" Lu Fan muttered to himself as he looked over the data for the world he had entered.

He was no stranger to the concept of a "Low-Level Martial World," thanks to his familiarity with relevant novels, movies, and TV shows. It was simply a concept for the leveling system of capability classification.

Above that, there should also be Mid-Level Martial Worlds and High-Level Martial Worlds. However, even in a Low-Level Martial World, there should be martial arts practitioners and cultivators.

Lu Fan now had a great many questions, but the system interface didn't give any further information. He had no choice but to try to figure out what each entry meant.

His title was "refiner," but why had the word "permanent" been added?

What did that mean?

He had to work on refining Qi for the rest of his life?

And what was the "transformation reward?"

How could he increase his soul strength and physique strength?

The stats page looked simple. Yet without any explanation, Lu Fan had no clue what to do with this information or how he was supposed to advance.

Lu Fan focused, pouring his full concentration into the limited data he had been given…

A trembling cry pulled him back to reality.

"Young Master?"

As he shook himself and looked up, he realized that only one girl was still there. The other two were gone. He had no idea when they'd left the room.

The girl who remained was the youngest, the maid who looked like a kid.

At that moment, the girl's eyes were wide in terror and anxiety as she stared at Lu Fan. She looked lost.

"What's the matter, Ni Yu?"

Lu Fan was momentarily confused by what he'd just said, then another memory came back.

Ni Yu was the girl's name.

"Young Master… You've been in a stupor like that for half a zodiac hour. You didn't move at all. We did everything to wake you up, but you didn't respond."

Seeing that Lu Fan had come back to himself, Ni Yu looked a little relieved.

He hadn't moved for half a zodiac hour?

Lu Fan was shocked too. The stats user interface had completely captured his attention. He had been oblivious to the passage of time.

"Where did the others go?" Lu Fan asked Ni Yu.

"They saw that you were, um, distracted, so they went to report it to the Master," Ni Yu said, lowering her voice.

Learning that the other two girls had gone to tell the Master, Lu Fan felt a little uneasy.

The father of this body's previous owner was Lu Changkong, the City Master of Beiluo City. He was a distinguished and powerful man.

Although Lu Fan had merged with this body's original soul and learned what he would need to know about the original Lu Fan's life, he still wasn't fully prepared to meet his father.

Lu Fan weighed his options and let out a sigh. He had to face this sooner or later.

"Ni, please take me to see, um, my father," Lu Fan said from the wheelchair, slightly hesitant.

Ni Yu nodded instantly. Her Young Master had always been a little aloof, and his temper was unpredictable. She had quickly learned not to show the slightest trace of disagreement.

Ni Yu brought out a light blanket to cover Lu Fan's legs. She then walked behind the wheelchair and pushed him out of the room.

The Lu Manor was enormous. The buildings were tall and delicate, with every brick and roof tile styled in traditional Chinese architecture. Accompanied by a unique spin on classical landscaping and garden design, the whole place had a soothing and pleasant atmosphere.

Lu Fan was sitting in the wheelchair pushed by the little girl, Ni Yu. The service actually felt comfortable, almost familiar, which he attributed to the fact that his soul had already merged with the original owner's.

After enjoying the scenery for a little while, Lu Fan eventually redirected his attention to the stats user interface once more.

He focused on the entry about the world leveling system, and an informative message appeared in front of him.

[Wuhuang Continent. No spiritual energy. The host can transform the world and level it up to a Mid-Level Martial World, High-Level Martial World, or above, for which the host will receive transformation rewards based on the results.]

He was intrigued. "I can transform this world into some sort of fantasy universe?"

He was no stranger when it came to fantasy. In his previous life, he had read fantasy fiction all the time. He especially enjoyed the feeling of otherworldliness.

In a fantasy universe, martial arts cultivators could sucker-punch great mountains, kick the heck out of roaring rivers, break stars into pieces with a roar of their overwhelmingly powerful Qi, or chop the sun and the moon with a single sword slash. In summary, their powers were only confined by the author's imagination.

But now he was being asked to transform a Low-Level Martial World without any spiritual energy into a fantasy universe. And he had to do it from scratch…

With a sinking feeling, Lu Fan realized that he had no idea where to start.

After all, it was a big world. How was he supposed to transform an entire continent?

This wouldn't be like coding or writing fiction. He couldn't simply create a new document and start working.

A Low-Level Martial World without any spiritual energy…

That meant that this world's martial level was currently capped. To transform it into a fantasy world, he would first have to recover its spiritual energy.

Once the world's spiritual energy was awakened, the upper limit for its martial level could then be broken. At that point, creating a fantasy universe in this world might become possible.

The stats user interface said he had 10 wisps of spiritual energy. Their status was listed as "yet to be developed."

Lu Fan let his consciousness immerse itself in the interface, and he pondered the situation deeply, gazing at the 10 wisps of spiritual energy.

If he was going to transform the world into a fantasy universe, this amount of spiritual energy was nowhere close to what he would need.

Suddenly, a message appeared.

[Undeveloped spiritual energy detected inside the host's body. Confirm development?]

After a brief pause, Lu Fan was thrilled.

Having thought it over for a moment, Lu Fan made his decision. To transform this world into a fantasy universe, what did he need the most, yet didn't have enough of?

Spiritual energy.

"Confirm!"

As long as he had enough spiritual energy, he could transform a pig into a dragon if he was asked to.

Ten wisps of spiritual energy wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.

After his confirmation, the message quickly vanished.

Buzz…

Lu Fan's legs had never moved by themselves since the moment he was born, but now they started vibrating, waves of energy running through them.

Lu Fan's gaze traveled down his legs, which had become transparent, revealing a dense web of veins.

Clouds of some unknown substance clogged the veins.

As his legs shook, the clots melted away and transformed into streams of light blue, floating into the dantian in his lower abdomen.

Streams of light blue power! This was the spiritual energy he needed!

Lu Fan took a deep breath.

It was just like the saying: "Good fortune follows disaster."

The paralysis in his legs had been caused by clots of spiritual energy. Since spiritual energy wasn't known in this world, nobody had recognized the problem or known how to treat it.

Now the clots would become the foundation for his world-transformation plan!

An announcement appeared.

"Congratulations! The development of spiritual energy was successful. [Special Access] has been activated. Good luck!"

In the stats user interface, he noticed that the words "yet to be developed" under Spiritual Energy were gone.

His legs, which had felt as if they were under the pressure of an enormous pile of boulders, were finally liberated.

Behind him, Ni Yu was panting as she struggled to push the wheelchair. Her head was down, and her face was flushed in exertion.

The two older girls had gone through martial training and could consciously control their Qi and blood flow. They could even break bricks with their hands.

Ni Yu, on the other hand, had just started basic martial training, and she couldn't even perform a firm stance. She was still a child.

"Ni, stop!" Lu Fan shouted quickly.

Ni Yu paused. She turned her delicate features up toward him.

Lu Fan, clad in a white outfit and still sitting in the wheelchair, had pulled the blanket off his legs. He tugged a well-made boot and sock off one of his feet. He lifted his bare foot in excitement and pride.

Under the sun, his five toes were wiggling rhythmically in the wind.

The little maid was stunned by the surreal and fascinating scene.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 2: Spirit Qi Deployment

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Exactly how big was the Wuhuang Continent? Lu Fan had no idea.

But he did know that the Great Zhou Dynasty had a vast territory divided into 16 counties. The first emperor had appointed 16 mayors, one for each county. Since then, the number of mayors had been gradually reduced to 13 under the reigns of the successive emperors.

The royal power had declined through the years. The last emperor had suddenly died at the age of 30. Five of his six children were princesses, so there was only one male heir to the throne.

The new emperor had only been 11 when he was crowned.

His young age brought great vulnerability to the country, which was eventually consumed by chaos as rebellions started everywhere.

Lu Fan was still sitting in the wheelchair. Now that the clots of Spirit Qi had been taken care of, he had regained his ability to walk.

Yet because he had been confined to the wheelchair for more than a decade, Lu Fan didn't want to advertise his sudden recovery. He had decided to stay in the wheelchair for the moment.

Ni Yu appeared to still be in shock as she pushed the wheelchair. Her eyes were glaring with curiosity and excitement. Her face flushed red.

The picture of Lu Fan's wiggling toes had been imprinted vividly in her mind.

The aloof persona of her Young Master had collapsed.

Of course, she was more surprised by the fact that his legs could move now!

When they reached the entrance to the garden, the other two maids hurried toward them. The maids felt their hearts skip a beat when they saw Ni Yu pushing Lu Fan's wheelchair.

They soon let out sighs of relief when they noticed that Lu Fan was doing fine.

"Little Ni, let Sister Ning take over here," Lu Fan said to the blushing Ni Yu behind him.

Ning Zhao was the name of the oldest maid. She replaced Ni Yu behind the wheelchair as Lu Fan had ordered.

Ni Yu stuck her tongue out slightly and stepped aside, standing with the other maid.

Ning Zhao glanced suspiciously at Ni Yu's flushed face. Noticing that Lu Fan had a contented look, she knitted her brows slightly.

Had… something happened between the two?!

"Sister Ning, did you two go to my father?" Lu Fan asked. He had noticed Ning Zhao's suspicious look, but he felt no need to explain himself.

A clean hand wanted no washing.

"The Master is in the study. He asked us to have Doctor Hua come and check on you." Ning Zhao's voice was soft, and there was sympathy in her tone.

"Don't bother. Just push me to the study," Lu Fan ordered briefly.

Ning Zhao nodded and pushed his wheelchair out of the garden, heading to the study.

Since the development of Spirit Qi had been completed, the system reminded Lu Fan that the Access tab was available to view. But Lu Fan didn't plan to check it out yet. He was afraid that if he fell into the "creep mode" again, his father and the maids would freak out. That was unnecessary.

In the study, the red-hued door carved with exquisite patterns was already open. Ni Yu and the other maid waited outside, and Ning Zhao cautiously pushed the wheelchair in.

There was no threshold in the door frame so that Lu Fan could go in and out more easily.

From a distance, Lu Fan saw a tall, strong man wearing armor and a helmet.

As he heard the sound of the wheelchair rolling across the floor, the man in the study turned his head. His penetrating eyes glowed with the coldness of a combat-seasoned military man. The temperature in the room seemed to lower under his influence.

"Father," Lu Fan greeted him.

Even though he had obtained the original owner's memory, it was still strange to call this man his father.

The moment he saw his son in the wheelchair, the coldness in Lu Changkong's eyes faded away.

"Fan'er, Ning Zhao told me that you were in a trance. Are you not feeling well?" Lu Changkong asked with concern.

He had been on duty on top of the city wall when he received the message sent by Ning Zhao. Upon hearing the news, he had gone straight home without even taking off his armor.

He took a closer look at Lu Fan and let out a sigh of relief, seeing that his son was okay.

"I couldn't be better. Sorry that I made you worry, Father," Lu Fan said with a smile.

What?

As Lu Fan's father, Lu Changkong knew his son very well. He noticed that Lu Fan was different than usual.

Despite Lu Fan's disability, no one in Beiluo City—maybe no one in the entire Capital City of Zhou—dared to call him useless. Lu Changkong's influence wasn't the only reason for that; Lu Fan's achievements were also impressive.

While he was unable to learn martial arts, Lu Fan was profoundly knowledgeable about Confucianism. Even the Imperial Advisor spoke very highly of him.

But Lu Changkong was well aware that even though Lu Fan had worked hard in his Confucianist studies, deep down, something still bothered the young man. His paralysis and inability to move around freely dwarfed him in front of others. That wasn't an easy worry to shrug off.

"You can leave for now." Lu Changkong waved his hand, motioning for Ning Zhao to leave.

Ning Zhao paused for only a fraction of a second before backing out of the study and closing the door.

"Fan'er, the whole world is now in chaos. Twelve counties have already risen against the emperor. Beiluo City, as the northern forefront of the Capital City of Zhou, bears the brunt of the rebellions. I have to be on duty and lead the soldiers, so I can't spend enough time with you. Please do not hate me for that."

A hint of apology flickered in Lu Changkong's eyes.

Lu Changkong's apologetic look left a warm feeling in Lu Fan.

Lu Changkong was a good father. Despite his disability, Lu Fan had maintained his mental stability all these years without developing any antisocial tendencies. Lu Changkong had supported his son wholeheartedly since his birth, which had contributed considerably to Lu Fan's mental well-being.

Lu Fan hesitated for a bit, then decided to tell him.

There would be no way to hide it from his father, anyway.

Telling the truth now would be better than being questioned about it later.

Lu Fan looked up at Lu Changkong, his eyes glowing strangely.

"Father, I have something to tell you…"

Lu Changkong's eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Go ahead."

But Lu Fan didn't say anything. Instead, he pulled the thin blanket away from his legs.

He then rested both hands on the armrests, using the strength of his arms to stagger to his feet.

Silence. Seconds of silence.

A moment later, waves of energy from Lu Fan's Qi and blood started flowing in streams around the study, giving off surges of power as they crossed each other. Even the scroll paintings hanging on the walls shook with the waves of energy.

Lu Changkong hurriedly stepped forward to support Lu Fan's body. His eyes were filled with astonishment.

He had once hired the best doctor he could find to examine Lu Fan's legs in the hope of treating them. But the conclusion remained the same: Lu Fan would never stand on his own two feet. Now Lu Fan had somehow miraculously stood up all by himself!

This was almost too much to swallow.

As he stared at his son, Lu Changkong's lips attempted to move, but he couldn't say anything. Emotion had closed his throat. It was a minute before he found his voice.

"Fan'er, do you want to take a couple of steps?" Lu Changkong asked cautiously.

Lu Fan's face was flushed red. Lu Changkong's strong Qi and blood flow was like a throbbing pressure within his body. Maybe this was what martial art practitioners were capable of in this Low-Level Martial World.

Lu Fan took a deep breath, pressing down the strange feeling. With Lu Changkong's help, he started to move forward. His first steps were unsteady, and he almost fell.

In Lu Changkong's eyes, however, the only thing that mattered was that Lu Fan could walk!

Lu Changkong burst out laughing, the sound of his joy filling the study.

A lingering moment later…

With Lu Changkong's cautious help, Lu Fan sat back in the wheelchair.

Lu Changkong had no idea how his son's legs had recovered, but he didn't even want to ask. He didn't have to know everything.

The fact that Lu Fan's legs worked now was the best fortune he could have asked for.

Lu Changkong gave his son a stern look. "Fan'er, don't tell anyone besides your three maids about this. You can walk now. That's great! But if word of this gets out, the Imperial Advisor may ask the emperor to order you to go to the Capital City."

"We need to keep this to ourselves as long as possible. I selected and trained Ning Zhao and the other two to protect you. Their loyalty and devotion are unquestionable. As for anyone else, you can't trust them."

Lu Changkong's face was grave.

Lu Fan knew a little about what was happening in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Twelve counties had risen in rebellion, and the whole country was in chaos. Only six cities were still under the control of the royal family of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Together, those cities were barely the size of a county.

To prevent the city masters of the six cities from defecting, the Imperial Advisor ordered the first heirs of the five city masters to live in the capital city under his oversight. Supposedly, the young men were sent there to learn Confucianism. In truth, it was so the capital could keep an eye on them and contain the cities' power.

The Lu family was known for their generations of loyal generals. In addition, Lu Fan's legs were paralyzed, and he couldn't practice martial arts, not to mention that he had always been vulnerable to all kinds of sickness. He was considered an exception and allowed to live at home.

The other five city masters were fine with it.

But if they found out that Lu Fan's legs had healed, there was no way the city masters would still be so understanding. They would put pressure on the Imperial Advisor to ask Lu Fan to live in the capital city.

Lu Fan knew the stakes. He nodded his understanding.

"Good. You can go back to your room now. Take a good rest. Now that your legs are healthy, I won't have to worry about you so much anymore. Now you can relax and meet with your uncle Tantai."

Lu Changkong's face regained its serious and cold expression.

Lu Fan returned to his room.

The three maids started cleaning up, and Lu Fan finally had some time to himself.

He focused his consciousness, and the stats page appeared in front of him.

[Host: Lu Fan]

[Title: Qi Refiner (permanent)]

[Refined Qi Level: 1]

[Soul Strength: 1]

[Physique Strength: 0.5]

[Spirit Qi: 10 wisps]

[Transformation Reward: Temporarily Unavailable]

[World Ranking: Wuhuang Continent (Low-Level Martial World)]

[Access: (Quest), (Dao Imparting Platform), (Spirit Qi Deployment)]

Since he had already developed his Spirit Qi, the system reminded him that Access had been activated, so Lu Fan's attention was immediately drawn to that entry.

Three options appeared under Access. He had expected the changes.

"Quest? Dao Imparting Platform? Spirit Qi Deployment?"

Lu Fan squinted.

Among the three options, Spirit Qi Deployment was the only active one. Dao Imparting Platform and Quest were both grayed out.

He tried to focus his consciousness on the two options, yet there was no response.

Apparently, they required specific circumstances to be activated.

Lu Fan decided to put those two aside for the moment and started looking into Spirit Qi Deployment.

He closed his eyes and immersed his consciousness into [Spirit Qi Deployment].

A message appeared suddenly.

[Access to Spirit Qi Deployment: based on the host's current Refined Qi Level, Qi can be deployed using the Spirit Qi in the host's dantian. Targets will yield various multipliers (minimum is 100). In this way, the host can improve the practice environment and lead the way for other practitioners.]

[Note: Spirit Qi Deployments with human bodies as targets don't qualify for multipliers.]

Lu Fan was pleasantly surprised.

To transform a Low-Level Martial World into a fantasy universe, he needed enough Spirit Qi.

Now he had it.

Gaining access to Spirit Qi Deployment solved his Spirit Qi problem.

Lu Fan could not only create Spirit Qi himself; he could also move it around.

He had obtained the power to start a great Spirit Qi recovery movement.

The whole world would experience a full-blown transformation because of him.

Besides that, Lu Fan noticed something else.

Spirit Qi could be deployed into human bodies!

That meant that using Spirit Qi Deployment, he would be able to create practitioners who could benefit from Spirit Qi!

Lu Fan's eyes widened with a flash of inspiration.

Perhaps he should find someone for an experiment in Spirit Qi Deployment.

Ning Zhao was rolling rice paper on the desk with her delicate hands when a sudden shiver ran down her spine. Someone's gaze had sent a chill through her.

She instantly looked up, only to find Lu Fan in the wheelchair…

He rested his elbows on the armrests, palms under his chin, and stared at her with a mischievous smile.

Endnote: The ending "'er" in "Fan'er" denotes that a child is being addressed.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 3: An Immortal Touched the Top of My Head

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In Ning Zhao's eyes, Lu Fan's smile was nothing if not flirtatious. Ning Zhao blushed, her chest heaving as her breathing became rapid…

As if she were falling in love.

Lu Fan took a deep breath and turned to Ni Yu. "Ni, please close the door and make sure no one comes in."

Ni Yu responded right away. She trotted to the door, closed it, bolted it, and turned around before pressing her petite body against the door.

Ning Zhao's and the other maids' faces changed. Lu Fan had told Ni Yu to close the door. That was odd and confusing.

Lu Fan turned his gaze back to Ning Zhao. His expression grew serious.

Unexpected pressure suddenly weighed on the three maids.

"My father said that I could trust you," Lu Fan said, his finger lightly tapping the armrest of the wheelchair.

Ning Zhao's face became more serious as well. She quickly put down the rolled rice paper. "The master entrusted your daily life and safety to us, Young Master. Yi Yue, Ni Yu, and I will always be loyal to you. Alive or dead, we are always at your disposal."

Ni Yu, who was still pressed against the door, flushed from her collarbone to the roots of her hair.

Yi Yue, who was foxy and pretty and had a whip at her belt, quickly nodded her agreement to Ning Zhao's declaration of loyalty.

Lu Fan raised his eyebrows in surprise. He hadn't expected such strong reactions.

He smiled to lighten the atmosphere a little bit.

He remembered that all three of them owed their lives to Lu Changkong, as he had saved all of them when they were very young. He had also raised and trained them. Lu Fan wouldn't doubt their loyalty.

"Don't be so serious. I have something to share with you, but you have to keep it secret," Lu Fan said to all of them.

He took a deep breath before getting out of the wheelchair and slowly standing up straight.

Ni Yu had witnessed Lu Fan's spectacular toe-wiggling in the wind and had figured out that his legs were healed. She was rather calm.

Ning Zhao and Yi Yue, on the other hand, were stunned, just like Lu Changkong had been when he saw Lu Fan stand up.

They were even more surprised than Lu Changkong, since they had been taking care of Lu Fan every day but hadn't seen it coming at all.

Lu Fan stretched his body to his full height, then let himself fall back into the wheelchair.

He didn't walk around in the room. Instead, he took off his high-quality boots and socks.

His liberated feet moved back and forth.

He had a smile on his face.

Ni Yu flushed even deeper. There he went again! The Young Master found pleasure in such weird activities!

"Young Master… Your legs, are they healed?"

Ning Zhao's chest heaved. Some of her hair had slipped out of its bun in her excitement, and she quickly pulled it back up.

She was happy for Lu Fan.

Lu Fan's frustration over his crippled legs had been growing deeper and deeper, an inner demon he couldn't be rid of.

Ning Zhao couldn't count how many times she had heard Lu Fan's muffled crying in the middle of the night outside of his room. She could even picture his tears soaking the pillow.

"You have to keep this a secret. Besides my father, only the three of you know about it," Lu Fan said with a smile, pulling his socks and boots back on.

"Sister Ning, have you been trained in martial arts?" Lu Fan asked, eyeing Ning Zhao. He figured that since Lu Changkong had entrusted Ning Zhao with his safety, she had to be well-trained.

"Martial arts?"

Ning Zhao hadn't expected Lu Fan to ask about this. She nodded. She had been trained indeed. More than that, she was good.

"Young Master, do you want to practice martial arts?" Ning Zhao asked. Now that Lu Fan's legs had healed, it seemed understandable for him to be interested in such things.

Unfortunately, considering Lu Fan had passed the best age to start, it would be almost impossible for him to be successful.

Instead of answering her question directly, Lu Fan asked her another question.

"What's the martial arts leveling system like?"

"In the Great Zhou Dynasty, our ranking system is very simple. Not counting the amateurs, there are three tiers: Second Tier, First Tier, and Grandmaster."

Ning Zhao's rosy lips moved slightly while she spoke.

Lu Fan listened carefully.

He knew that the Wuhuang Continent was a Low-Level Martial World, yet it did have its own system.

"Martial arts practitioners start at a very young age. Some focus on external energy development, and others focus on internal energy development. Those who choose the former field are usually tall and strong. Battle-wise generals usually fall into that category."

"The development of internal energy, on the other hand, is mainly about the skill of controlling Qi and blood flow. By maintaining the richness and smoothness of your Qi, you can strengthen your inner organs."

"In essence, neither is stronger than the other. It is possible to become a Grandmaster by focusing on either."

Ning Zhao paused. Seeing that Lu Fan was fully engaged, she continued. "Second-Tier martial arts practitioners can defeat five opponents. First-Tier martial arts practitioners can beat ten. One Grandmaster can easily take down one hundred."

Yi Yue and Ni Yu were also absorbed in this explanation.

Lu Fan kept nodding. Although there was no Spirit Qi in this world, it was still a Low-Level Martial World, which had its own leveling system for martial arts practitioners.

"Sister Ning, may I ask what your level is?" Lu Fan asked curiously.

Ning Zhao hadn't seen that coming. She paused for a second. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly in a smile, and a proud look passed briefly over her face.

"My talents are limited. Thanks to the master's training, you can now count me as a First-Tier practitioner."

Her words were humble, but her tone was not.

Yet her pride came with proof.

Yi Yue pursed her lips.

Ni Yu made a little sound of awe. Sister Ning Zhao was a First-Tier martial arts practitioner! That was awesome!

Lu Fan was surprised. Ning Zhao was only 24 or 25, yet she had already reached the First Tier. She was way overqualified to be a maid.

This indicated how much Lu Changkong cared about Lu Fan. He had sent a First-Tier martial arts practitioner to be his bodyguard.

"Young Master, Yi Yue has no talents. I'm only a Second-Tier practitioner."

Yi Yue, the foxy maid standing at the side of the room, spoke with an unyielding tone.

As for Ni Yu, who was standing with her back against the door and so far had only contributed an exclamation…

Well, compared to Ning Zhao and Yi Yue, that girl seemed to be there as a mascot.

Sitting in the wheelchair, Lu Fan smiled and lightly clapped his hands.

"Very good."

He was very satisfied. He could try out his Spirit Qi Deployment ability now. The situation was perfect.

Lu Fan turned to Ning Zhao, thought for a moment, and said, "Sister Ning Zhao, since you are a First-Tier martial arts practitioner, may I ask if you've ever heard of 'Spirit Qi'?"

Spirit Qi?

Ning Zhao fell silent for a second. She held Lu Fan's gaze with a strange look on her face.

"Young Master, as martial arts practitioners, we focus on keeping our feet on the ground. Whether we're developing internal or external energy, we can't achieve anything without hard work, diligence, and talent.

"As for the so-called 'Spirit Qi,' that only exists in ancient mythologies… We martial arts practitioners don't believe in it." Ning Zhao shook her head with a smile.

Among her peers, Spirit Qi was sometimes joked about, but nothing more.

"Really? You don't believe in it?"

Lu Fan raised his eyebrows slightly. He turned to Yi Yue. "Do you believe in Spirit Qi, Yi Yue?"

Yi Yue pressed her lips into a smile. "Young Master, you are teasing us."

No doubt she didn't believe it either. Lu Fan raised one corner of his mouth with mischief.

He then turned to Ni Yu, who was still standing against the door. "Ni, what about you? Do you believe that there's Spirit Qi in this world?"

Ni Yu's eyes lit up. Her face was flushed like an apple.

"Yes! If the Young Master says so!" Ni Yu answered seriously.

Lu Fan couldn't help but laugh. This little girl was a natural when it came to being cute and acting supportive!

Ning Zhao and Yi Yue were speechless.

Lu Fan's smile faded away.

"Aren't you curious about how your Young Master's legs were cured?" Lu Fan glanced at them.

All three of the girls had looks of curiosity on their faces.

His legs had been paralyzed for so many years, yet now, they were suddenly as good as new. It was hard to explain, strange even.

They would be lying if they said they were not curious.

"Sister Ning, please come over here," Lu Fan said.

Ning Zhao walked over and stood right next to Lu Fan.

"The paralysis of my legs has frustrated me for seventeen years. So torturous…"

"Then one day, I dreamed that I paid a visit to another world where I met an immortal. He told me that our meeting was destiny, so he would enlighten me."

"The immortal then touched the top of my head, and Spirit Qi flowed through my whole body, unclogging my veins, curing my legs."

Lu Fan spoke with a straight face.

Words describing unbelievable miracles came out of his mouth, but he kept his cool the whole time. He almost believed himself.

As he spoke, he picked up Ning Zhao's small and delicate hands.

Her palms, however, had a lot of calluses, indicating that she had been practicing martial arts regularly for years.

Ning Zhao blushed a little.

As for what Lu Fan had said about how an immortal had touched the top of his head and Spirit Qi had coursed through his body, she simply took it as a story. She was not naive.

How could there be any immortals in the world?

But…

In the next moment…

Her blushing face grew pale. Her eyes widened.

Not just Ning Zhao; Yi Yue stared at them, dumbstruck.

Lu Fan opened his palms. A floating stream of faint blue light sparkled slightly above his hands.

Wind started blowing out of nowhere. The curtains floated.

Lu Fan's lips curled in a smile. He spoke to himself silently.

"Activate access to Spirit Qi Deployment."

"Deployment Target: Ning Zhao."

Buzz…

Ning Zhao's beautiful face flushed red. It wasn't embarrassment, but a reaction to the strange power that flowed from Lu Fan's palms into her body.

All the pores in her body opened up. She had been practicing the Transfusion Technique, so her blood was bubbling as if being boiled, trying to escape from her veins like steam from a pot.

"Guided by your consciousness, the Spirit Qi will go to your dantian." Lu Fan spoke calmly. Wisps of hair danced in the wind, fueled by his Spirit Qi.

Ning Zhao could barely stand. She couldn't help moaning. Still, her eyes were extremely bright.

At the moment, her consciousness and emotions were a bit compromised, but she still tried her best to follow Lu Fan's guidance.

The stream of Spirit Qi quickly slithered through her body. It soon stabilized under her mental control before it finally settled in her dantian.

Lu Fan let go of her palms.

Ning Zhao backed up several steps.

Crack, crack…

The black brick floor crackled and broke under her feet.

The Qi and blood in Ning Zhao's body had been stirred up as if some catalyst had been poured into her.

Waves of sound could be heard from inside her body, overlapping each other like a symphony.

Yi Yue was shocked.

"Strange explosions of sound within the body! That only happens with a Grandmaster-level martial arts practitioner!"

As a martial arts practitioner herself, how could she not recognize what was happening to Ning Zhao?

A Grandmaster! Practitioners of that level were rare, even in the whole Great Zhou Dynasty.

All Yi Yue could hear at that moment were the echoes of the otherworldly things Lu Fan had just said a moment ago.

"The immortal touched the top of my head, and Spirit Qi flowed through my whole body…"

Was the Young Master really…

Fated to have met with an immortal?!

Lu Fan, on the other hand, was focused on deploying that one wisp of Spirit Qi into Ning Zhao. He paid no attention to anything else.

The second before he completed the deployment, a message suddenly popped up.

[Congratulations, first successful deployment of Spirit Qi and creation of a practitioner with Spirit Qi. Access to (Quest) is activated. Transformation Reward achieved.]

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 4: Everything Is Under Control… Yeah, Right

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

[Successfully deployed the first wisp of Spirit Qi!]

[Successfully trained the first cultivator!]

Excited, Lu Fan read the system prompts again and again. A sense of gratification filled his heart, as if a planted seed was finally budding.

[Activate Transformation Reward and Access to (Quest)?]

Lu Fan's eyes lit up.

He felt a jolt of excitement and opened the stats page.

[Host: Lu Fan]

[Title: Qi Refiner (permanent)]

[Refined Qi Level: 1]

[Soul Strength: 1]

[Physique Strength: 0.5]

[Spirit Qi: 9 wisps]

[Transformation Reward: Fantasy Creation Qi Refining Manual]

[World Ranking: Wuhuang Continent (Low-Level Martial World)]

[Access: (Quest), (Dao Imparting Platform), (Spirit Qi Deployment)]

Lu Fan looked closely at the stats page and found some differences, as expected.

The entry of "Transformation Reward," which had once been blank, now had "Fantasy Creation Qi Refining Manual" in it. The very name of the reward thrilled Lu Fan so much that he started cheering in his mind.

A cultivation method!

A cultivation method that could improve his abilities!

Lu Fan had only obtained 10 wisps of Spirit Qi from his paralyzed legs.

The more wisps he used, the fewer he would have left.

He had been worried about what to do once he used them up. Now that he had a cultivation method, the problem was solved!

With his Fantasy Creation Qi Refining Manual, he didn't have to worry about running out of Spirit Qi anymore.

He really wanted to check it out.

Yet considering that Ning Zhao and the others were still in the room, Lu Fan forced down his excitement and focused on the (Quest) option, which was no longer grayed out.

A system message popped up.

[Please choose a quest, Host.]

Lu Fan took a deep breath and directed his consciousness to it.

A long message appeared.

[Main quest: transform Wuhuang Continent into Wuhuang Universe (accepted). Current rate of progress: Low-Level Martial World (Quest Rating: Not Activated).]

[Sidequest: saving Beiluo City from the immediate danger of falling into enemy hands. (Not accepted yet. Accept?)]

Lu Fan looked into the details of the requirements.

There weren't many quests. This was the only side quest besides the main quest.

Lu Fan didn't need much of an explanation of the main quest. Transforming Wuhuang Continent into a fantasy world was a long-term quest that would require tremendous effort and patience.

Between the levels of Low-Level Martial World and Fantasy Universe, there were two levels they had to go through: Mid-Level Martial World and High-Level Martial World.

Besides, Lu Fan had no way to decline the quest. The first time he looked at the stats page, it had already been considered accepted.

What Lu Fan cared more about was the side quest. He turned his attention to that.

"Save Beiluo City…"

Beiluo City was under the rule of Lu Fan's father, Lu Changkong, and it was also one of only six cities left under the control of the emperor.

"Accept the quest," Lu Fan told the system without hesitation.

He did so even though he had no idea what kind of crisis Beiluo City was in.

Lu Fan opened his eyes, and the look of pleasure on his face faded away.

Inside the room, the atmosphere was a bit bizarre.

Ning Zhao's eyes were closed, and she seemed completely mesmerized by the Spirit Qi in her body.

Yi Yue was staring at Lu Fan, astonished at what he had just done.

As for Ni Yu, the girl's eyes were huge, and her mouth was open wide enough to hold a boiled egg.

What she had just seen was way beyond her wildest imagination. It had blown her young mind.

Lu Fan coughed lightly to break the weird silence.

Ning Zhao's curvy body shivered as she slowly woke up. There was a glint in her eyes as she opened them.

"I thank you very much for sharing the results of your immortal encounter with me, Young Master!"

Ning Zhao bowed with deep sincerity, her arms crossed in front of her waist.

Spirit Qi!

There really was Spirit Qi in the world! Her longtime perspective regarding martial arts had been completely changed.

"Have you felt the Spirit Qi? As it entered your dantian, your level should have increased."

Lu Fan straightened the thin blanket over his legs. He was still sitting in the wheelchair.

Ning Zhao nodded with extreme excitement. "My abilities increased dramatically. It was a substantial transformation."

One wisp of Spirit Qi wasn't much, but to a martial arts practitioner from a Low-Level Martial World who had never possessed any Spirit Qi, it was a huge breakthrough. A milestone.

"Now I am one of the Grandmasters."

A radiant smile bloomed on Ning Zhao's beautiful face.

The Grandmaster was the ultimate level all martial arts practitioners could dream of. Ning Zhao was quite gifted. Otherwise, there would not have been any way that she could have hit the level of First Tier in her mid-20s.

If she had wanted to become a Grandmaster by normal methods, however, she would have required at least 10 more years of training.

Yi Yue looked envious upon hearing the news that Ning Zhao had reached the level of Grandmaster.

It was a practically effortless level-jump!

"The first wisp of Spirit Qi was only the beginning. The human body is like a furnace. Once you get one wisp of Spirit Qi, you can develop more and more, using it to fill your dantian. Then your abilities can further improve."

"Those are the basics of practice in the Qi Core Realm," Lu Fan told her.

Lu Fan had learned the term "Qi Core Realm" from previous system prompts.

As for the specifics of leveling, he didn't know much. But to create a legitimate Fantasy Universe, the cultivation realm was necessary.

When he got the chance, Lu Fan planned to look into the leveling of the cultivation realm with the system.

Ning Zhao bowed again. Her respect for Lu Fan grew even stronger.

It was a sort of respect that stemmed from mystery.

Maybe what Lu Fan had said was the truth, and he truly had encountered an immortal.

An immortal had touched the top of his head, and Spirit Qi had filled his whole body.

Even if that wasn't the case, now that Lu Fan had control over Spirit Qi, he had already obtained the key to changing the world.

The Young Master was destined to be extraordinary!

Plus, when Lu Fan talked about the Qi Core Realm, it sounded like he knew his stuff. She felt even more in awe of him.

Yi Yue, standing off to the side, suddenly addressed him. She bit her full, rosy lower lip as she spoke. "Young… Young Master…"

"What is it?" Lu Fan asked, a little confused.

"Young Master, could I also ask you to bestow upon me a wisp of Spirit Qi?" Yi Yue suddenly knelt in front of Lu Fan, bowing before him.

Ning Zhao stood next to Lu Fan. She looked at Yi Yue, her face expressionless. This was a rare opportunity that no practitioner would want to miss. She had expected that Yi Yue would ask Lu Fan for Spirit Qi for herself.

Lu Fan had known it as well.

Yi Yue wasn't slow in trying to catch the opportunity. Unfortunately…

"Come back and ask me again when you become a First-Tier martial arts practitioner."

Yi Yue shivered on the floor.

"Thank you, Young Master."

Lu Fan hadn't answered her with an absolute "no," which meant that she still had a chance.

Yi Yue stood up with her lips pursed. Her eyes blazed with determination.

She didn't appear upset or reluctant to accept Lu Fan's answer. She seemed to understand that Lu Fan had declined her request for her own good.

As a Second-Tier martial arts practitioner, receiving Spirit Qi wouldn't be enough to elevate her to Grandmaster. At this point, wouldn't it be a huge waste of the precious opportunity of the Young Master's immortal encounter?

"Young Master, I want it too!"

Ni Yu, who was still standing against the door, saw that both the older girls had either gotten something from Lu Fan or the promise of it. Her face was flushed red. She didn't want to be left out.

A corner of Lu Fan's mouth twitched.

He glanced at Ni Yu and rolled his eyes.

He refused her without thinking. "What do you think you're doing, kid? Behave yourself!"

Ning Zhao and Yi Yue both pressed their lips together in silence.

Ni Yu said nothing.

It was as if an invisible arrow had pierced through her young heart out of thin air.

The older girls had both gotten something, but Ni Yu had been left out and scorned.

Lu Fan ignored the disappointed Ni Yu.

He turned to Ning Zhao, and the look on his face became more serious. "Sister Ning, what is the current situation in Beiluo City? Do you know anything about it?"

Ning Zhao paused. She hadn't expected Lu Fan to suddenly act as if he were concerned with Beiluo City's fate. The Lu Fan she knew had never shown the slightest interest in it. All he cared about was reading Confucianist books.

As a martial arts practitioner, she always paid attention to the happenings in Beiluo City.

She parted her red lips and said in a soft voice, "The world is in chaos. Twelve counties have rebelled against the Great Zhou Dynasty and are trying to surround the capital city. West County's mayor, Xiang Shaoyun, has taken leadership of the rebels. They have officially declared that the Imperial Advisor has taken power and made the young emperor a figurehead, and that their people were suffering from it. So they decided to start a war against the Imperial Advisor to recover the Great Zhou Dynasty's lost power and prosperity."

Lu Fan weighed the situation as his fingers tapped the armrest of the wheelchair.

"So Beiluo City is facing the alliance of the twelve counties?" Lu Fan asked for clarification.

Ning Zhao shook her head.

"The city is under siege. But not all twelve counties have come against us yet. If that were the case, the master wouldn't have lasted so long. He would have retreated to the capital city by now."

"What does that mean?" Lu Fan didn't understand. Although he had inherited the previous owner's memory, it seemed like the former Lu Fan hadn't known anything about the situation.

"The master once spoke highly of the Imperial Advisor, who called on the heroes of the martial arts world to get together and fight against the rebel armies. That's why the twelve counties weren't doing very well in their fight against the emperor."

"Right now, there are only fifty thousand men laying siege to Beiluo City under the command of Tantai Xuan. He is the mayor of North County," Ning Zhao explained further.

She gave a confident smile.

"Don't worry, Young Master. The master has said that everything's under control."

Lu Fan fell silent.

Even the system's quest pointed out the truth.

Beiluo City was about to fall into the hands of the enemy.

Everything was under control… Yeah, right.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 5: I Am Very Good-Tempered

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The quest had been assigned to him by the system, so the threat must have been real.

If the system had concluded that Beiluo City was about to be taken by the enemy, no matter how much his father thought things were under control, that was probably overconfidence.

Lu Fan was frustrated. Did the opening quest have to be so high-stakes?

Yet defending was supposed to be easier than laying a siege.

Although the mayor of North County had his 50,000 men at the gate of Beiluo City, Lu Changkong was no ordinary defending general.

Lu Fan turned back to Ning Zhao. "Sister Ning, how many men does Beiluo City have altogether as our defensive force?"

"Young Master, your father will take care of this. You don't need to worry about that kind of stuff," Ning Zhao said sincerely.

The Young Master was already living a tough life. He didn't need to be concerned over this trifling matter as well.

"I was just asking…" Lu Fan gave a tender smile.

"Beiluo City has an army of twenty thousand. If we included the forces of the three major aristocratic families and a few other smaller families, we might put together about twenty-five thousand men. So it would be difficult for North County's army to break into Beiluo City," Ning Zhao answered.

She was no ordinary maid. She had her own opinion based on her analysis of Beiluo City's situation.

"The three major aristocratic families?" Lu Fan squinted.

If an impregnable city ended up being taken by the enemy, external forces like an invading army weren't actually the most important threat. There was a larger chance that it would crumble from within.

Was it possible that the three major aristocratic families had colluded with the mayor of North County?

Lu Fan's long slender fingers were tapping lightly on the thin blanket covering his legs.

Lu Fan thought for a while before voicing this question. "Sister Ning, do you think the three families might betray us?"

Ning Zhao hadn't expected that question. She raised her hand to tuck wisps of hair away from her face as her brows furrowed. "Impossible… The three aristocratic families would never dare to betray us." She shook her head as she spoke.

"After all, the Master is the only Grandmaster in Beiluo City. He has high prestige in this place."

The look in Lu Fan's eyes indicated that he wasn't convinced. "The Great Zhou Dynasty itself is a mess. And the emperor was revered as well, wasn't he? People in this world place their own interests above all else. Relying on something as abstract as prestige isn't enough."

"Sister Ning, take me to the city wall."

Ning Zhao's face paled a little. "Young Master, it's very dangerous up there on the wall."

"Sister Ning, don't forget that an immortal touched the top of my head!" Lu Fan gave a faint smile.

He had a feeling that this made-up immortal would serve as his cover for a lot of things in the future.

Ning Zhao took a deep breath. She felt the vibration of the Spirit Qi in her dantian. She still appeared hesitant.

At last, she chose to believe Lu Fan.

After all, the Young Master was the man with the key to changing the world.

Pushing Lu Fan in the wheelchair, Ning Zhao left Lu Manor.

Yi Yue and Ni Yu also followed as they realized what was happening.

On the city wall of Beiluo City…

Wearing ice-cold armor, his Qingfeng sword tucked into his waistband, Lu Changkong stood on the city wall with his brows furrowed and his flint-like eyes gazing ahead. His aura was striking.

Around him, several strong generals were also standing by, holding their swords.

Under the huge mottled stones of the city wall, dense lines of soldiers and officers formed an overwhelming siege in front of Beiluo City.

Right in front of the gate, a strong, fierce man was shouting and cursing on his horse, holding his knife high. He was shirtless, showing off his tattoo-covered olive skin.

Right in front of him lay the dead bodies of a man and his horse, both chopped in half. Gurgling blood reddened the yellow sand.

Lu Changkong's face was dark.

"What's that guy's name?" Lu Changkong asked his men in a cold voice. He didn't turn around.

"City Master, that man is Feng Shi, a general under Tantai Xuan, the mayor of North County. He's known for his almost unnatural power and strength."

Lu Changkong's men's faces had also fallen.

During the pre-battle challenging, one of the major generals from Beiluo City had been unexpectedly slaughtered, along with his horse. He hadn't even had time to retreat to the city. That was a huge slap in the face.

It was a heavy blow to Beiluo City's morale as well.

"This man is very strong, among the best. Does anyone from our Beiluo City dare to accept his challenge now?" one of Lu Changkong's deputies asked with a stony face.

Lu Changkong's sharp eyes roved over the enemy forces.

It was as if his gaze swept through the whole army until it reached a tent, searching for someone in specific.

"For the opening show, he sent a top First-Tier martial arts practitioner. What's Tantai Xuan's real plan?" Lu Changkong wondered.

Even among his men, there were only a few First-Tier practitioners.

There were even fewer top First-Tier practitioners such as Feng Shi.

Under the city wall…

Feng Shi was still showcasing his tall, muscular build. His thick hair was knotted in numerous braids. His attitude was extremely arrogant and brash.

He had ridden his horse right to the foot of the city wall, and he was still shouting curses up at the defenders. The huge knife that could slaughter a horse with one strike was tucked behind his back.

"Lu, you old fart of Beiluo City! Do you dare come out to fight me?!"

"Lu Changkong! You are a coward! Huddling up there on the wall like a f*cking turtle? Is that all you've got?"

"What kind of trash did you send me? I cut him down with one strike! It was too easy! I didn't even get to enjoy myself!"

"Ha, ha, ha! Loser Lu, I heard that your son Lu Fan lies paralyzed in bed, but he is pretty and fresh! You might as well give him to me! My men would all like someone soft to play with!"

Feng Shi's laughter was wild. The horse under him breathed out hot air.

On the city wall, all the generals looked outraged.

Lu Changkong had many strong fighters. They all clenched their fists tightly.

They begged Lu Changkong to send them out to fight Feng Shi.

Unfortunately, Lu Changkong didn't.

As the only Grandmaster in Beiluo City, he knew his men very well.

Feng Shi was a top First-Tier martial arts practitioner born with great strength and power. Regular First-Tier practitioners wouldn't stand a chance fighting him one-on-one.

If he sent any of his men, they would simply die for nothing.

He ignored their requests and cast a cold glance at Feng Shi on his horse.

Although trash talk and pre-battle challenges were normal, the garbage that came out of this man's mouth was simply too nasty.

Lu Changkong wouldn't have had a problem with it if Feng Shi was just trying to humiliate him.

But when the man said nasty things about his son, it was much harder for Lu Changkong to bear.

Lu Fan was Lu Changkong's ultimate trigger.

Lu Changkong's hand rested on the sword tucked into his waistband. His eyes were full of boiling rage and intent to kill. He suddenly turned around.

All the generals' and officers' hearts skipped a beat. Raw excitement glinted in their eyes.

The city master, who was a Grandmaster, would finally fight in person!

"You guys guard the front gate and keep an eye on the three aristocratic families. If they dare to show a hint of betrayal, simply cut their heads off and wait for me," Lu Changkong said to his trusted followers when he reached the gate. His expression was solemn as he gave the order.

His men were all surprised, but they nodded seriously and accepted the order.

In the next moment, Lu Changkong hopped on a Ferghana horse, whose hair was smooth and glowing in the sunlight.

He spurred the horse, the reins raised high in his hands.

The horse's whinny was loud and clear.

The gate opened.

The horse ran across the black bricks, leaving the city defenders in the dust.

Lu Changkong dashed out of Beiluo City like a spear aimed straight at its target.

Because of the besieging enemy, the civilians in Beiluo City had all gone back to their own houses.

The streets were deserted, as if the city were abandoned.

Creak… Creak…

The quiet squeaking of the wheelchair's wooden wheels sounded loudly in the empty streets.

An enchanting woman with a mature aura and beautiful figure was pushing the wheelchair. Her delicate hands rested casually on the handles as she and her charge moved slowly toward the city wall.

In the wheelchair, a young man in white sat quietly. He had a thin wool blanket cast over his legs. His chin rested on one hand, while the fingers of his other hand tapped lightly on the blanket.

His posture perfectly showcased his pride, touched with just a hint of aloofness.

On their right, a foxy, pretty maid wearing a light yellow muslin dress followed with her head down. Her long whip swung quietly from its place at her waist.

On the left trotted a girl with her hair up in buns. The softness of her features made her look even young as she tried to catch up with the group to hold an umbrella for the young man.

It was Lu Fan and his three maids.

The odd group looked particularly strange on the empty street.

Suddenly, a burst of loud, wild laughter was heard from outside the city.

Although the sound had been weakened by distance, to martial arts practitioners who had acute senses, the message was still very clear.

"Ha, ha, ha! Loser Lu, I heard that your son Lu Fan lies paralyzed in bed, but he is pretty and fresh! You might as well give him to me! My men would all like someone pretty and fresh!"

Lu Fan couldn't hear it very well.

But he did catch part of it and thought someone was complimenting his handsomeness.

He had his system, but on the stats page, it showed that his Physique Strength was only 0.5, which meant that he couldn't punch his way out of a paper bag. He would be completely incompetent in a fight.

But Ning Zhao and Yi Yue heard every word of it.

Ning Zhao's expression darkened. A cold, murderous look appeared on her pretty face.

Yi Yue bit her lower lip. Her hand reached for the whip, and she also wore the look of a killer.

Ni Yu looked confused. She, like Lu Fan, hadn't heard much. So she simply kept holding the umbrella as she hurried after them.

Ning Zhao was pushing the wheelchair too quickly for Ni Yu to stay apace easily. She had to trot the whole way.

"Sister Ning, what was the guy outside the city yelling about?" Lu Fan asked, using the hand that wasn't holding his chin to straighten the blanket.

A wide smile instantly replaced the murderous look on Ning Zhao's face. "Nothing, Young Master."

Lu Fan rolled his eyes. Her murderous expression hadn't escaped him.

"Don't worry. Simply tell me. I'm your Young Master. I've been lying in bed for years and have long since gotten used to all kinds of rumors and malicious words. I've developed an extraordinarily peaceful mind. Come rain or shine, I will still keep my cool." Lu Fan gave a faint smile.

Ning Zhao's smile remained carefully in place. She didn't say anything.

Yeah, right. Like she would believe him.

Due to the problem with his legs, Lu Fan's temper had always been terrible. As his maid, Ning Zhao knew this very well.

"Yi Yue, how about you tell me?"

Lu Fan turned to Yi Yue, who was now holding the umbrella for him.

Yi Yue hesitated. She didn't want to say anything. Yet considering that she still wanted to get Lu Fan to share the immortal encounter with her someday, she didn't dare say no. Yi Yue eventually told Lu Fan everything Feng Shi had said.

Before she could even finish, Lu Fan gasped as he put a hand to his chest.

The smile on his face faded.

"My chest feels so tight… I, your Young Master, have a pain in my liver."

He was so upset that even his liver hurt?

Ning Zhao and Yi Yue were speechless.

Had this man really just sworn that he had a calm temper and a peaceful mind?

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 6: A Grandmaster Maid

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Under the wall of Beiluo City…

The thump of hooves was like thunder.

Amid the clouds of dust, Lu Changkong dashed toward Feng Shi like a bolt of lightning as the mane of his horse flew and whipped in the wind. He had donned his heavy armor, and he gripped his long halberd, his eyes burning with a glowing intensity.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

On the city wall, a strong man started swinging the drumsticks. The deafening beating of the battle drum began.

Feng Shi's attention was locked on the charging horseman. His eyes grew intense as his opponent rushed at him with such deadly aggression that the yellow sand beneath him started to rise before him like an ocean swell.

"Lu Changkong… a Grandmaster-level martial arts practitioner!" Feng Shi murmured to himself. The next instant, he burst into deafening laughter.

He spurred his shaggy black horse, who neighed loudly.

Without the slightest trace of fear, Feng Shi also flew at his opponent like a roar of thunder.

Everything seemed to fly behind him.

His eyes glowed with bloodlust, and he held his giant knife horizontally.

Two figures on their horses, one from the north and the other from the south, were pounding toward each other.

Feng Shi was a huge man: a First-Tier practitioner who had focused on external energy development.

Lu Changkong, though quite stalwart, was not as large. He had focused on internal energy development, which was mainly about the skill of controlling Qi and blood.

The two got closer and closer to each other, like two lightning bolts.

Lu Changkong lowered his upper body closer to the back of his horse. The long halberd in his hand suddenly swept out.

The blue veins in his arm bulged. They looked like tiny dragons.

Feng Shi roared.

In the deafening and blood-boiling drumbeats, Lu Changkong's long halberd and Feng Shi's knife clashed.

Sparks flew as the two met. The whole battlefield echoed with the explosive crash.

Feng Shi was extremely strong and brave, reveling in his ridiculous natural strength.

By his second strike, he had overpowered his opponent with only his strength.

Although Feng Shi was not a Grandmaster yet, his power was no weaker than that of one.

Lu Changkong's sharp eyes were filled with murderous intent. He looked at Feng Shi as if he were staring at a dead man.

Lu Changkong's long halberd suddenly rotated in his hand. He moved the Qi and blood in his body to give his weapon a boost so strong that even his helmet was bumped into the air.

Slash!

The long halberd swept around Feng Shi's knife, pressing it down.

Startled, Feng Shi dropped his precious knife.

Lu Changkong snorted and threw his long halberd right at Feng Shi's weapon, pinning it to the ground.

Soon after that, Lu Changkong's fist was out.

Feng Shi roared in rage and met Lu Changkong's fist with his own.

However, since Lu Changkong was an internal practitioner whose Qi and blood flowed thick and rich, he quickly threw three punches in a row.

The blows landed before Feng Shi could recover his energy.

Thump!

Feng Shi fell off his horse and hit the ground heavily, coughing blood as he flopped over the dirt.

"Fabulous!"

"The city master rocks! Kill!"

"Our city master is a Grandmaster! Some savage with only physical power is no match for him!"

Up the city wall of Beiluo City, the defending generals and soldiers were all cheering. The morale of the defenders had been significantly boosted.

The army of North County, on the other hand, fell silent.

Lu Changkong didn't get complacent. His eyes were still calm and cold. Circling his horse, he quickly snatched his long halberd from the ground and swept it right at Feng Shi, aiming to cut him in half.

Without hesitation, Feng Shi started running back to his men.

His strong legs were like a pair of pillars, and the ground started shaking as if some giant beast were stomping on it.

Deep in the camps of the North County army…

Several huge tents stood.

A soldier flew into the largest tent and dropped to one knee.

"Mayor! The city master of Beiluo City came out alone. General Feng was defeated and forced to retreat," the soldier reported loudly.

On the central seat in the tent, a slender man sat elegantly. He was wearing armor and a red cape that fell straight from his shoulders and over his back.

As he sat in his chair, one of his hands held his chin, his index finger tapping on it.

Upon hearing the news, instead of getting worried, he looked somewhat pleased.

"I knew it! Lu Changkong came out in person."

Inside the tent, several generals also had strange looks of pleasure on their faces.

"Just as the mayor predicted! Beiluo City is ours to take." They all hurried to congratulate the mayor, Tantai Xuan.

His elegant, refined face formed a gentle smile.

"As crafty as that old man Lu Changkong is, I knew it wouldn't be easy to get him to come out alone. Only some foul-mouthed, hot-headed character like Feng Shi had a chance to provoke him to come out of the city."

Tantai Xuan stood up. There was an edge to his gentle eyes, a hidden sharpness.

"We invited you Grandmasters to make it impossible for Lu Changkong to return to Beiluo City today. We only have one chance. If Lu Changkong makes it back inside the city and rallies his forces to defend the walls, it will take us months to take Beiluo City, at the very least."

"Besides, it's time for our insiders to take action. With both external and internal crises, Beiluo City is doomed," Tantai Xuan said, putting on his helmet and waving his hand.

All the generals present accepted the order with their fists cupped in their hands.

The sound of horse hooves was thunder-loud.

Feng Shi's heart skipped a beat.

Suddenly, the lines of North County's forces parted, and several figures on horses dashed toward Lu Changkong.

The roar of Qi and blood within their bodies was loud and clear.

Internal Blasting Resonance! Grandmasters!

All these men rushing out were Grandmasters!

Lu Changkong's chest felt tight. He drew the reins, and the horse reared, its hooves thrashing high in the air.

Feng Shi was relieved. He burst into wild laughter.

The air crackled with the power of the Grandmasters flying toward their opponent.

Four men moved in, each holding their own weapon of choice: a spear, a sword, a knife, and a whisk.

"Luo Sword Sect, Black Tiger Clan… and Green City Temple?!"

This surprised Lu Changkong. He hadn't expected them to send out four Grandmasters, not to mention that only one of them was a North County general and the other three were all from the martial arts world.

"As practitioners from the martial arts world, you were supposed to answer to the Imperial Advisor's call and contribute to our Great Zhou Dynasty. Instead, you have betrayed us and joined the traitors!" Lu Changkong roared in outrage. A vein at his temple bulged.

The long halberd in his hand moved as if of its own accord, its silver blade blinding, and clashed with the Grandmasters' sword, knife, and whisk at once.

Though he was up against three opponents, Lu Changkong didn't let them get the better of him.

Some distance away, Tantai Xuan was standing on an observation platform that had been temporarily erected in the midst of the North County army. His eyes grew more intense.

"Lu Changkong's gotten even stronger… Luckily, we have three Grandmasters from the martial arts world helping us. Otherwise, it would be quite difficult to stop him," Tantai Xuan murmured with a sigh.

"Unfortunately, even a Grandmaster like Lu Changkong is still human."

With one strike, Lu Changkong pressed his opponents back. He then turned around without hesitation and rode back toward Beiluo City at breakneck speed.

His power had improved greatly in recent months. He had thought everything was under control. Yet the Grandmasters had unexpectedly betrayed the empire and joined the enemy. Lu Changkong knew he couldn't fall off the horse. Once they brought him down, Beiluo City was doomed.

Suddenly, Lu Changkong's eyes filled with overwhelming rage. His heart boiled over with anger.

"How dare you!" Lu Changkong snarled. His voice exploded in deafening waves of sound.

The city wall was a mess.

Armed men wearing Confucianist gowns from the three aristocratic families were fighting against the defending officers and soldiers.

As he fought, the city's front gate had been open the whole time.

Now, the gate was shut. Lu Changkong was isolated.

By the time Ning Zhao pushed Lu Fan's wheelchair to the city wall, the outer edges of Beiluo City were complete mayhem.

Behind the gate, dead bodies lay in piles. One of Lu Changkong's most trusted officers had been run through with a long spike. He was kneeling on the ground with his eyes wide open, still filled with rage. He wasn't breathing.

In the air was the pungent scent of blood.

The men in Confucianist gowns killed the soldiers guarding the gate, then shut and barred the gate.

Lu Fan's brow was deeply furrowed. He grew a little pale. He covered his nose and mouth with his woolen blanket. He wasn't used to the odor.

As martial arts practitioners, Ning Zhao and Yi Yue were no strangers to scenes of fighting and death like this.

Even Ni Yu had seen her share of blood.

For Lu Fan, it was the first time he had witnessed such a hellish scene.

"Young Master…" Ning Zhao eyed him with concern.

Lu Fan waved his hands slightly, a look of sudden enlightenment passing briefly over his face.

That was what troubled times looked like.

In turbulent periods of history, lives were highly disposable. Even though he had the stats page, if he couldn't survive, it would all be for nothing.

Those were the rules of this world.

"I'm fine," Lu Fan said calmly. "I'm just not a big fan of the smell of blood."

Three men wearing green Confucianist gowns and holding long, bloodstained swords stepped into the street, blocking Lu Fan and his maids.

"Stop!"

They eyed Lu Fan in the wheelchair strangely.

It was the Young Master of Beiluo City. As men of the three aristocratic families, they could recognize him. But the sick Young Master Lu showing up at the city wall was something they hadn't expected.

They exchanged looks, and twisted smiles crossed their faces.

"Young Master Lu, this is not the place for you to write poems or meet girls. You should leave now. A disabled guy like you shouldn't be here."

"Beiluo City will soon have a new master. Cripple Lu, you might as well go home and pack. Hurry! Run for your life!"

"Run for his life? Without his dad, how long can this cripple last? I do think the maids are pretty nice, though. We'll be more than glad to take care of them on his behalf."

The three Confucianist-looking men sneered and laughed, ignoring the look on Lu Fan's face.

Before that day, if they had run into Lu Fan, they would have given him their respect. Now that their betrayal was so obvious, they didn't bother pretending anymore.

A paralyzed man in a wheelchair and three maids. It was a pretty funny combination.

Of course, the three men weren't intentionally underestimating the women, either.

Since Ning Zhao had reached the level of Grandmaster, she had hidden her Qi and blood flow deep in her body. It was impossible to tell her level, not to mention that she didn't look like she was even armed.

They paid more attention to Yi Yue, who had a long whip tucked inside her belt. She was apparently a martial arts practitioner.

Judging by her face, they could tell that she had a strong flow of Qi and blood. The veins at her temples bulged too. She was no ordinary practitioner.

As for Ni Yu, who was holding an umbrella…

She was simply there to be cute.

Ning Zhao's beautiful face was emotionless.

Yi Yue had lifted the whip at her side. Her eyes were cold and sharp.

Ni Yu stood right next to Lu Fan with the umbrella handle tightly clenched in her arms. Her petite body was shaking.

Lu Fan still sat calmly in the wheelchair. His fingers were knitted and resting on the thin woolen blanket over his legs. His gaze traveled to the top of the city wall in the distance, and he frowned a bit.

It had happened after all.

He knew it. Since the system had assigned him the quest, he had no doubt about what was happening.

"You humiliated the Young Master… Die!" Yi Yue's foxy face contorted in a ghastly expression of fury.

Her long whip hit the ground, striking the street with an explosive sound.

Then Ning Zhao put her delicate hand on Yi Yue's shoulder.

"Yue, stay with the Young Master," Ning Zhao said softly.

In the next second, her small, soft hand lightly patted one of the wheelchair handles.

Clank.

A silver gleam darted out.

A long sword with a blade as thin as a cicada's wing was hidden inside the wheelchair.

She took the sword in hand.

Ning Zhao swept out like a light breeze, with Internal Blasting Resonances crackling from her body.

The three Confucianist men were stunned.

Then they were horrified.

"Internal Blasting Resonances? A Grandmaster?"

"A Grandmaster maid? What kind of show-off arrangement is this?"

"D*mn! Run!"

Those three Confucianist men from the three great aristocratic families had never expected that the quiet, graceful, beautiful maid was a Grandmaster.

They were sickened by fear, and they had lost their will to fight.

They quickly turned to escape.

However, in front of a Grandmaster, three Second-Tier practitioners didn't have the luxury of running.

Slash!

The silver-white gleam of the blade shot like lightning through the throats of the three men.

Their green gowns were soaked in blood as they dropped dead.

Swish, swish, swish.

As if a gentle gust of wind had just gone past, no dust was left.

Ning Zhao walked back to her group. She flicked away the drops of blood on her Cicada Wing Sword before putting it back into the sheath.

Lu Fan was covering his nose and mouth with the blanket. His brows knitted.

He didn't even look at the three slaughtered Confucianist men.

"Sister Ning, let's go up the wall."

Lu Fan kept one hand over his nose and mouth and tapped the other one lightly on the blanket.

His voice was a little shaky at first.

And then…

Calm.

Ning Zhao's face bloomed with a charming smile. Instead of answering, she continued to gently push the wheelchair forward. Her gait carried them smoothly past the three dead bodies, and the four of them resumed their walk to the city wall.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 7: Don't Be Afraid. I Have Your Back.

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The deaths of the three scholars didn't attract a lot of attention.

After all, both sides were still fighting each other mercilessly over the city gate. Light flashed continually off of swords, and the clashing sounds they made never ceased.

Besides, Ning Zhao had finished the men off in a matter of seconds. Her movements were light and simple, like those of a dragonfly on the surface of a pond.

With the addition of Spirit Qi, Ning Zhao had reached the Grandmaster stage. Even though she still wasn't completely in control of this new energy, killing off Second-Tier practitioners was a piece of cake for her.

There was shock and amazement in Yi Yue's eyes. Ning Zhao was so strong—she had become so powerful now!

She was even stronger and more imposing than an ordinary Grandmaster-level practitioner.

Yi Yue wouldn't have even managed to stop one swing of Ning Zhao's sword.

Ni Yu's face turned all red as she used both hands to grip the umbrella handle, and her eyes grew wide. Ning Zhao was amazing!

Lu Fan continued to sit in his wheelchair, his face expressionless.

It was the first time he had seen someone kill another person, and he wasn't used to it, but…

He had to get used to it sooner or later.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Since he was now living in these chaotic times, he would have to get used to the rules of this new world.

Ning Zhao bent her pretty head down next to Lu Fan's ear, and her hair cascaded down around his face. She said quietly, "Young Master, if you don't want to see all this blood, it would be better for you to cover your eyes."

Lu Fan froze for a moment, and then he laughed.

"Your Young Master isn't as fragile as you think. Sister Ning, take me to the city gatehouse. And Yi Yue, open the city gate," Lu Fan instructed, his hand still gently patting the woolen throw that covered his knees.

"Sure." Ning Zhao smiled gently.

A sharp glint flashed in Yi Yue's eyes as she cracked her long whip, causing her Qi and blood to rush as she catapulted over a heap of dead bodies.

Lu Fan turned and found that Ni Yu happened to be staring straight at him. He met the girl's gaze, then rubbed his palms together and smiled faintly.

"Ni, carry the umbrella properly. This charisma of mine hasn't accomplished its purpose yet, so I can't afford to be sunburned now."

Ning Zhao was taken aback as she pushed his wheelchair along.

Ni Yu, on the other hand, rolled her eyes. Their Young Master was shameless.

There was no slope from the bottom of the gatehouse to the top that could take a wheelchair. There was only a narrow flight of stairs that was only wide enough for one person.

At this moment, the steps were strewn with dead bodies sprawled in all directions.

"Young Master, sit tight," Ning Zhao warned him.

Lu Fan raised an eyebrow.

In the next moment, Ning Zhao placed her pretty hands against the back of the wheelchair as she took quick steps forward, moving with such speed that her white clothes billowed in the wind.

She lifted the wheelchair with both hands as she went up the stairs, and Lu Fan was practically suspended in midair.

It only took a few steps to reach the top.

Ni Yu hurriedly closed the umbrella and climbed the stairs as she tried to catch up, panting.

This was tough on Ni Yu as well. She felt bitter as she swore that, after today, she would throw herself fully into practicing martial arts.

The wooden wheels bounced back to the ground, making a bright sound as they hit the old tiles of the city gatehouse.

In reality, the battle at the top of the city gate was more or less over already.

It wasn't clear which side was winning, and they were both just trying to defend themselves now.

Lu Changkong's trusted general, Luo Yue, was the leader of the soldiers guarding the city on one side, while the men belonging to the three major aristocratic families were on the other side. Each side had taken its own section of the front of the city.

The top of the steps where Ning Zhao had pushed Lu Fan came out between the two sides, though they were a little closer to the three families' camp.

Their sudden appearance drew the attention of everyone present.

The atmosphere suddenly became a little awkward.

The air was already thick with the smell of blood, and both sides were on the verge of attacking.

The two groups of men were now staring at each other with a bit of confusion.

"Oh my! Young Master, Sister Ning… Wait for me…"

Ni Yu held the umbrella in one hand. The other one flailed clumsily as she finally managed to get to the top of the stairs, still trying to catch her breath.

Once she reached the top, Ni Yu supported herself with the umbrella and caught her breath as she put her other hand on her waist.

She had climbed so many steps to get there. This was the hardest she had ever worked.

"Young Master!" shouted a cold, fierce voice.

Ni Yu's hand jerked in fright, and she nearly dropped the umbrella in her hand.

A general among Lu Changkong's troops, holding a longsword stained with blood, had suddenly let out an angry roar. His roar carried both fear and despair.

Of course they all recognized Lu Fan. That was Lu Changkong's son, their Young Master.

The Young Master was handicapped. He was paralyzed from the waist down and had mobility problems, but he had appeared up here unexpectedly.

This place was now extremely dangerous. It could become hell on earth at any moment.

The three major aristocratic families had betrayed Beiluo City and had no intention of turning back. By appearing in front of the traitors' camp, Lu Fan was basically sending himself to his death.

On the other side, the fighters of the aristocratic families started celebrating. They had gotten over their initial shock.

"Isn't that Lu Changkong's only son? The cripple of the Lu family?"

"Hahaha! Capture him, and control of Beiluo City will be ours!"

"Be careful! Lu Changkong gave his precious son a First-Tier practitioner as a maid!"

There were many martial arts practitioners dressed like scholars among the traitor camp. Their eyes lit up.

Their arrogance didn't last long.

BOOM!

There was a rush of Qi and blood as some of the fighters from the traitor camp rushed out to attack as if they were wild animals that had caught a whiff of blood.

From the other side, Lu Changkong's general quickly dashed out to protect Lu Fan.

Lu Fan had suddenly become the target of both sides.

But this unsuspecting target remained very calm.

Even though the aggressive Qi and blood in the air made his face slightly red, he wasn't panicky at all. He still had a good grip on the sort of elegance he was supposed to have.

"Ni, open the umbrella," Lu Fan said. One of his hands supported his chin, and his other hand stayed on the throw on his legs.

Ni Yu hurriedly opened the umbrella and gripped the handle hard, her legs trembling as she shielded Lu Fan from the sun.

"The three major aristocratic families are in cahoots with the enemy, so everyone guilty should be executed. Chop their heads off and hang them from the city gate as a warning to the rest."

Lu Fan said these words coldly as he looked at the fighters coming for him.

After he spoke, Ning Zhao's eyes burned with fire. The longsword in her hand was as thin as a cicada's wing, and in an instant, it sprang out from the wheelchair handle once more.

An approaching First-Tier practitioner from the traitor camp laughed contemptuously.

"You're just a cripple who's half-paralyzed, but you're good at pretending to be imposing!"

This person was Chen He, the head of the Chen Clan, one of the three major aristocratic families. He had studied the ways of Confucius under the Imperial Advisor and normally looked like a well-mannered scholar. But today, he looked threatening and terrifying.

Ning Zhao's demeanor was cold, as if she had been frozen for thousands of years, and she moved forward elegantly and lightly.

Chen He didn't let his guard down. He knew that Ning Zhao was the First-Tier practitioner that Lu Changkong had provided to protect Lu Fan.

Moving at top speed, Ning Zhao and Chen He drew close to one another in a matter of moments.

Since he knew that they were both First-Tier practitioners, Chen He was confident that he had an advantage over a woman.

Lu Changkong's trusted general, Luo Yue, quickly ran over and stood in front of Lu Fan.

He watched the battle that was about to happen in front of him very carefully.

In the next moment, he blinked.

The reflection of the sword shone like a shooting star flying past.

Before anyone could react, the battle was over.

Chen He clashed head-on with Ning Zhao.

Chen He was immediately alarmed when he heard the Internal Blasting Resonance, but Ning Zhao flew up swiftly, and that sword as thin as a cicada's wing exploded with a force as strong as the heaviest hammer.

Chen He's hand exploded, sending his sword flying.

He hadn't even had the chance to scream in shock when Ning Zhao's sword cut his head off.

His head flew upward, and Ning Zhao used the flat of her blade to whack it, sending it bouncing over to stop at Luo Yue's feet like a rubber ball.

Ning Zhao kicked the rest of Chen He's body, and it tumbled to the side.

One move was all it had taken to kill a First-Tier practitioner.

But Ning Zhao behaved casually, like she had done something that wasn't worth mentioning at all.

She landed gently back on the ground as her slender body resounded with the sound of Internal Blasting Resonances.

The other two clan heads from the three families stared in disbelief.

"A Grandmaster practitioner?!"

"He's mad! Lu Changkong is completely mad!"

"He let a Grandmaster be a maid? Lu Changkong, you wily old fox!"

The instant death of the Chen Clan's leader suddenly jolted the rest of them awake.

Fear gripped them, and they cursed angrily.

The other two clan heads realized things weren't looking up for them, so they turned to escape.

Judging by how easily Ning Zhao had dispatched Chen He, she wasn't an ordinary Grandmaster!

Ning Zhao gripped her Cicada Wing Sword, and a cold glint flashed in her eyes.

"My Young Master sentenced you to die today."

"So you shall die," Ning Zhao declared.

A wisp of light-blue Spirit Qi flowed from her dantian and filled her entire body.

The speed of the flow suddenly increased. She flew swiftly over the heads of everyone in the traitor camp on the narrow path of the gatehouse and caught up with the fleeing clan heads.

PFFFT!

Blood fountained toward the sky.

With a light slash of her Cicada Wing Sword, two more bloodied heads rolled over to Luo Yue just like Chen He's head had. They lay in a neat row at Luo Yue's feet.

As for their bodies, they fell limply to the ground.

Ning Zhao gripped her Cicada Wing Sword in her hand. She wore a long, light dress, her hair flying in the wind as she carried herself with an elegance like no other.

All the practitioners and soldiers watching this were shocked to the core.

This Grandmaster-level fighter had picked out their leaders from among thousands of soldiers, jumped straight to them, and chopped off their heads.

They had witnessed this with their own eyes.

Ning Zhao walked out from among the soldiers in the traitor camp, her sword in hand as blood dripped from the tip. She walked to Lu Fan's wheelchair and resumed her position behind him.

Nobody dared to block her way.

There was absolute silence at the top of the gatehouse.

Luo Yue stared in shock at the neat row of three heads at his feet.

Had Ning Zhao taken drugs or something?

How was she so powerful?

At this moment, there was a loud creaking sound at the bottom of the gatehouse.

A deafening noise filled the air.

The city gate, which the three families had forced close, was being opened once more by Yi Yue.

The city gate was very heavy, but Yi Yue was a Second-Tier practitioner, after all. Qi and blood filled her entire body, and she managed to open the heavy gate just a little.

Outside the city.

Lu Changkong was still mounted on his horse, and his eyes lit up when he saw, through the flapping mane of his horse, a gap in the reopened city gate.

The horse was galloping so quickly, it became merely a moving, bloodied shadow.

"Open up!" Lu Changkong roared at the gate.

Planting one foot on the back of the horse, he flew up into the air. One palm landed on the heavy city gate, and he used all his strength to force the gate open even wider.

He then scrambled into the widened gap like an agile monkey and made it back into the city.

His horse, covered in sweat and blood, dashed back into the city as well. The moment the horse made it through, Lu Changkong rolled over, bent one knee, and slammed both palms against the gate. His Qi and blood levels rose so much that his clothing and armor exploded into pieces.

BOOM!

The city gate was forced shut once again.

"Lower the poles!" Lu Changkong commanded in a low voice.

Yi Yue was already waiting by the side of the gate, and her eyes glowed. Her face had turned all red from the powerful force of the Qi and blood radiating from this Grandmaster before her. She relaxed her grip on the long whip in her hand, and the heavy poles came down to lock the gates. Her body suddenly felt weak, and she collapsed to the ground.

Everything happened in a split second.

The four Grandmasters outside attacked together.

They all dealt a blow to the heavy city gate at the same time.

There was a loud blast from the gate, but it was unable to break through the solid surface.

Lu Changkong's muscular upper body was bare as he sat with his back against the gate. He turned a grim face to look at all the bodies of his trusted soldiers, lying on the ground with spears thrust through them.

Feng Shi had come chasing after Lu Changkong excitedly on horseback.

He had come just in time to watch Lu Changkong go back into Beiluo City. The big man instantly started cursing and swearing furiously.

"Bloody hell! He actually managed to escape!

"D*mn this useless lowlife, this son of a b*tch!

"Hand that fair-faced crippled son of yours over! My troops are still waiting to dote on him!"

Feng Shi pulled his horse to a stop at the city gate as he continued cursing.

He intended to provoke Lu Changkong into leaving the city again.

But… no luck.

There was no sound from behind the city gate.

Feng Shi's temples started throbbing. He continued to glare at the city wall, cursing furiously, and he hurled all sorts of horrible insults and false accusations without stopping.

At the top of the gatehouse…

Lu Fan could hear everything that Feng Shi was yelling.

He clutched his chest and started making a great show of how much pain he was in.

He was angry, and he wanted someone to pacify him.

Ning Zhao focused her gaze on him.

Her pretty hands hit the wheelchair handles.

The sword that was as thin as a cicada's wing flew out once more.

"Young Master, don't be angry. I will deal with him for you," Ning Zhao said flatly. "How would you like him to die?"

Lu Fan narrowed his eyes as he placed one hand on his chest and used the other to smooth the creases on the throw over his legs.

"Break both his legs and bring him back into the city. I… will kill him myself," Lu Fan replied.

Ning Zhao was stunned for a moment, then she broke into a beautiful smile.

"Sure."

"Go ahead. And if those Grandmasters try to block your way, just chop their heads off." Lu Fan smiled faintly and lifted a hand to pat Ning Zhao's waist lightly.

"Don't be afraid. I have your back…"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 8: Qi Core Realm Cultivator

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

On the battle observation deck of the North County troops…

Tantai Xuan's eyes were dark, and his face was grim. Under the immense amounts of Qi and blood he was emanating, his large red cape flapped wildly behind him.

The closed city gate of Beiluo City had been opened again.

Lu Changkong, who should have been held in check by those four Grandmasters, had slipped through the small gap in the gate and escaped back into his city.

"What pieces of sh*t!" Tantai Xuan spat, trying to calm himself down.

The three major aristocratic families inside Beiluo City had greatly disappointed him.

"That was our one chance. Now that Lu Changkong has gotten back inside Beiluo City, he'll hide within his walls like a turtle. He won't fall for the same goading again. It will be extremely difficult to find another opportunity to kill him off easily."

Tantai Xuan took a deep breath. He knew that the best opportunity to attack Beiluo City had slipped from him just like that.

Next to Tantai Xuan stood a dapper gentleman in full scholarly dress.

"Since Lu Changkong wasn't inside the city, there was no Grandmaster to watch over his troops. How did the three families fail?" The scholar shook his head, unable to figure out what had gone wrong.

Tantai Xuan ignored the scholar's mumblings.

"I only want results. I don't care how it happens…" Tantai Xuan hissed.

He made a quick decision. He drew the sword from his waist, pointed it to the sky, and started issuing orders. "While Beiluo City is still divided and in turmoil, send all our soldiers forward. We have to attack the city immediately!"

The order went out, and all 50,000 troops of North County immediately started moving toward the city wall.

Back at Beiluo City, the air seemed to have stilled for a moment.

Luo Yue looked at Lu Fan, open-mouthed.

He had followed Lu Changkong for many years, but he'd had very little interaction with Lu Fan.

Who knew that Young Master Lu was such a bloodthirsty man?

How could a Young Master with so little strength and mobility say that he had the back of a Grandmaster?!

"Young Master… The City Master has returned to the city, so we shouldn't attack at this moment. I think we should wait for the City Master and formulate a proper plan first," Luo Yue said. "There are four Grandmasters outside the gate. Ning Zhao may have reached Grandmaster level, but things will go poorly if she challenges four others alone."

Lu Fan sat in his wheelchair while Ni Yu obediently held up the umbrella to shield his eyes from the glaring sunlight.

After hearing Luo Yue's words, Lu Fan nodded solemnly. As his palm supported his chin, his index finger tapped lightly on his cheek.

"Uncle Luo, you have a point. But I, Lu Fan, have been paralyzed since I was young, and my mind is very twisted. I am a very petty man, and I can't take any offense."

"Even my father has never scolded me before, so how could those idiots below do that?" Lu Fan replied.

With that, he tapped Ning Zhao's supple waist again.

"Sister Ning, go ahead. I have your back."

"Young Master, your wish is my command."

Lu Fan smiled.

Ning Zhao gave a mesmerizing smile and rolled her eyes at Lu Fan in a way that he found rather amorous.

But he wasn't certain if the eye-roll was because Lu Fan had touched her waist, or if it was because he'd admitted that he couldn't take offense.

"Tsk… Men," Ning Zhao thought. She remembered very well how Lu Fan had claimed that his temper was excellent earlier. How had that changed in the blink of an eye?

Luo Yue opened his mouth but couldn't say anything in response.

This was a one-versus-four battle, and the four on the other side were all Grandmasters. Lu Fan was sending Ning Zhao to die.

With a rush of Qi and blood, Ning Zhao flew from the city wall, weightless as a swallow. She stepped on the sturdy stone tiles of the city gatehouse, and her white dress billowed, the light material dancing in the wind.

She floated down from the top of the 50-foot-high structure and landed gracefully on the ground.

Feng Shi was still yelling and cursing when he felt a rush of wind over his head, and he turned his head up in shock.

The four Grandmasters on horseback also looked up.

"Who is that?" All four Grandmasters focused their gazes, following Ning Zhao as she floated down from the gatehouse.

She looked like a fairy descending from the heavens. All the North County troops paused for a moment to take in the scene.

This incomparable elegance was as beautiful as a painting, capturing all of their attention.

Ning Zhao still held her Cicada Wing Sword, her face cold and calm. She was like a fairy, proud and distant, an iciness in her soul that had withstood thousands of years.

Her brows furrowed slightly as her gaze locked on Feng Shi. There was a murderous air around her.

This was the man who had humiliated and insulted her Young Master.

If the Young Master hadn't wanted him alive, Ning Zhao would have chopped this man into pieces!

The Young Master's life was hard enough as it was, and now he had been insulted by this piece of trash. This man deserved to die!

As she fell, she swung the Cicada Wing Sword horizontally, and a light-blue wisp of Spirit Qi came from within her dantian.

An invisible wave of air moved next to her and complimented the rush of Qi and blood.

Ning Zhao then gracefully landed on the ground.

Her gaze was still locked on Feng Shi.

Her full, red lips opened, and her cold, arrogant voice rang out. "I am Qi Core Realm cultivator, Ning Zhao."

"According to my Young Master's orders, I'm here to take your lowly life."

Behind Beiluo City's gate…

Lu Changkong turned away from the corpses of his subordinates. His eyes were bloodshot.

Suddenly, the hair on his bare upper body all stood on end. He could feel tremendous power being unleashed outside the city gate. Lu Changkong frowned deeply.

"This is a very strange sort of Qi and blood… Who is attacking outside the city?"

Yi Yue was still pale and lying on the ground where she had collapsed, but when she felt the rush of power outside the city, her face lit up.

"Master, it's Sister Ning…"

Lu Changkong shook his head. "Nonsense! Ning Zhao is only a First-Tier practitioner. How could she have Qi and blood flow of this level? Also, isn't Ning Zhao supposed to be by Fan'er's side?" Lu Changkong said sternly.

Yi Yue looked a little fearfully at Lu Changkong.

"Master, everything I've said is true. Sister Ning has been aided by the Spirit Qi that Young Master got through an encounter with an immortal, and now she's reached the Grandmaster level. I came to open the city gate because Young Master ordered me to."

Yi Yue had pursed her lips, but eventually, she pushed these words out stubbornly, even though she was still fearful.

This time, Lu Changkong looked at her in stunned silence.

An encounter with an immortal?

Spirit Qi?

What was this nonsense?

He was a martial arts practitioner and didn't believe in immortals or deities.

He only believed in Qi and blood and his fists!

The silence stretched. Ning Zhao's declaration of judgment rang clearly from outside the city gate.

Tantai Xuan was standing on the battle observation deck pulled along by several horses as he continued to hold his sword up.

He saw that incomparably beautiful figure float down from the top of Beiluo City's gatehouse, and his pupils narrowed.

Tantai Xuan took a deep breath.

"That woman… Who is she?"

This scene, which resembled some mythical creature descending from the heavens, etched itself deeply into his heart.

But none of the generals around him knew the name of this woman.

Even Tantai Xuan's most trusted advisers and scholars merely opened their mouths, but they couldn't come up with a name from the list of Grandmasters that they already knew.

"Beiluo City has an additional Grandmaster, and none of you knew about this?"

Tantai Xuan glared at everyone before him and laughed, incredibly angry.

He was still wondering why Lu Changkong had dared to leave the city himself. So there was another Grandmaster within the city to hold the fort!

No wonder the three families had failed.

If he had known there was a second Grandmaster inside Beiluo City, he would have changed his plans.

He'd thought he was the one who had laid a trap for Lu Changkong, but in the end… Lu Changkong had dug a hole for him and waited for him to jump in.

Lu Changkong… He was good at this!

Tantai Xuan's face slowly darkened.

"Don't be too worried, Mayor. We have four Grandmasters on our side, while Beiluo City only has two. We still have the upper hand," the scholar, Mo Ju, said with a faint smile.

Tantai Xuan realized that the man was right, and he calmed down.

But now the arrow was already on the bow, and it had to be shot.

He had no choice but to continue the attack.

"Hahaha! Little lass, I'm a general under Mayor Tantai. You dare try to kill me?" Feng Shi laughed loudly when he heard Ning Zhao's words, his eyes fierce.

So what if she was a Grandmaster?

Feng Shi was the fiercest general of North County!

He pulled on his horse violently. The horse let out a loud whinny as it kicked its front legs high, and its mane went flying.

Once its front legs hit the ground again, everyone thought Feng Shi was going to attack, but unexpectedly…

Feng Shi turned the horse around and rode away without even looking back. He was making a swift escape, his survival instincts greater than anything else.

He was running away, pride abandoned.

The four Grandmasters were a little taken aback. They looked at each other grimly.

"Qi Core Realm… What realm is that?"

"She said she's a cultivator. What is a cultivator?"

The four Grandmasters exchanged glances. They were Grandmasters in martial arts. They were considered to be experts in this field and had great knowledge in it, but they had never heard of a Qi Core cultivator.

"Pfft! Perhaps this woman is just trying to use this nonsense to confuse us," the Grandmaster general under Tantai Xuan said coldly.

In the next moment, he whipped his horse and headed for Ning Zhao.

The other three Grandmasters exchanged glances, then followed.

Ning Zhao's Qi and blood were strange and ferocious, but… she was on the same level that they were, after all.

The four Grandmasters sped ahead on their horses, Qi and blood filling the air.

They hadn't been able to capture Lu Changkong, so now they directed their anger at Ning Zhao. They hoped they could do something now to make up for their earlier mistake.

Feng Shi was escaping towards Tantai Xuan's troops.

The four Grandmasters were on their way to kill Ning Zhao, but her eyes were still fixed on Feng Shi.

She didn't even cast a single glance at the four Grandmasters.

Back at the gatehouse…

"Ni, push me over to the edge of the wall," Lu Fan said in a low voice.

Ni Yu's face was all red as she started to fold the umbrella.

"I'll do it." Luo Yue stepped over behind Lu Fan and pushed his wheelchair to a part of the wall that was low enough for him to look out.

Lu Fan looked into the distance. He could see the 50,000 troops from the north approaching the city like dark clouds.

He turned his focus to the battle that was going on just at the bottom of this city wall.

They needed to finish the battle below as quickly as possible. If the troops made it here before Ning Zhao was done, she wouldn't be able to fight them off. Not even a Grandmaster could handle that disadvantage in numbers.

Lu Fan couldn't bear to part with his Spirit Qi, but since he now had the Fantasy Qi Refining Manual that would help him to refine more Spirit Qi, he could make an endless amount of the spiritual energy.

So now, he could afford to be generous.

Luo Yue looked at Lu Fan doubtfully.

Lu Fan slowly lifted his hand and pinched his thumb and index finger together with his palm facing upwards.

Ning Zhao had to win this battle.

If one wisp of Spirit Qi wasn't enough…

…she could have another.

When he had confirmed his Spirit Qi's Deployment Target as Ning Zhao…

Lu Fan's lips twitched a little as he flicked one finger outwards.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 9: Leaving Quietly After the Mission Has Been Accomplished

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

[Host: Lu Fan]

[Title: Qi Refiner (Permanent)]

[Refined Qi Level: 1]

[Soul Strength: 1]

[Physique Strength: 0.5]

[Spirit Qi: 8 wisps]

[Transformation Reward: Fantasy Creation Qi Refining Manual]

[Current World Ranking: Wuhuang Continent (Low-Level Martial World)]

[Access: Quests, Dao Imparting Platform, Spirit Qi Deployment]

As Lu Fan flicked his finger, the stats page appeared before his eyes. In the Spirit Qi field, the number of wisps decreased by one. He was now left with eight wisps.

"Activate Access… Spirit Qi Deployment."

"Deployment Target: Ning Zhao."

He used his consciousness to confirm this.

The scene in front of Lu Fan's eyes changed. The sun had been shining brightly a moment earlier, but now the world instantly darkened. Shapes of people and buildings became mere outlines, allowing him to see straight through them.

It was like an atlas from the viewpoint of the heavens.

When he shifted his consciousness, he realized he could zoom in as much as he wanted, and he could now see the outline of Ning Zhao right in front of him.

There was a light blue wisp of Spirit Qi within Ning Zhao, and it seemed to be burning brightly in her dantian.

That was the first wisp of Spirit Qi that Lu Fan had given Ning Zhao.

With a flick of his finger, he willed the second light blue spark to fly gently out toward Ning Zhao's form.

Whoosh…

In the next moment, the additional wisp of Spirit Qi flowed into Ning Zhao's dantian like fuel being tossed onto a fire.

Lu Fan exited that fantasy-like mode. The world, which had turned into mere outlines and allowed him to zoom in and out as he pleased, went back to normal.

Lu Fan felt like a needle had been driven through his skill. He lifted a hand to hold up his head as his hair cascaded through the gaps between his fingers.

In the Soul Strength field of the stats page, the number one had become 0.5. It had decreased by half.

Now both Soul Strength and Physique Strength were on par.

"So remote deployment of Spirit Qi actually consumes my Soul Strength. I have been too careless about this." Lu Fan shook his head and laughed ruefully at himself as he took a deep breath.

The first time he had deployed Spirit Qi, Lu Fan had done so by holding Ning Zhao's hand, so it hadn't consumed any of his Soul Strength.

But this time, he was atop the city wall, while Ning Zhao was below.

Remote deployment apparently had a cost.

Lu Fan suddenly became alarmed. If his Soul Strength hit zero, would he become a vegetable?

It seemed like even though he had the advantage of the system, he couldn't become reckless. Even though being bold and wild might feel good in the moment, it wasn't worth it if he became useless in the process.

Lu Fan exhaled and put the thoughts out of his mind.

His bloodshot eyes looked down over the low section of the wall.

With Lu Fan's latest gift of power, Ning Zhao now had two wisps of Spirit Qi. Even though she still hadn't fully grasped the use of the Spirit Qi, the additional energy would still advance her skill in obvious ways.

How powerful would Ning Zhao become?

Lu Fan was rather looking forward to seeing that.

At the bottom of the gatehouse…

The battered city gate opened.

Lu Changkong sat astride his horse, his upper body still bare. He stalked forward on his horse, dusty hand gripping his long halberd.

He was there to help Ning Zhao.

How could he allow Ning Zhao to face four enemies alone? And all four of them were Grandmasters.

If he joined in the fight, then it would be two versus four, and there was a chance they could still retreat into Beiluo City. One could not simply allow a Grandmaster to die.

In the distance, Feng Shi, who had been galloping away furiously, also pulled up his horse and turned to watch the battle.

He wasn't going to miss this battle of the Grandmasters.

And he wasn't the only person watching with anticipation.

All of North County's troops were approaching.

Tantai Xuan's red cape billowed in the wind as he stood on the battle observation deck, which was slowly moving forward. He, too, was watching the battle about to begin at the bottom of Beiluo City's wall.

There was only one of her against four Grandmasters.

Even though the Young Master had granted her one wisp of Spirit Qi to aid her, Ning Zhao wasn't very confident…

But since the young master said he had her back, she believed in him.

The young master had experienced a real immortal encounter, and he was going to change the world!

The three Grandmasters of the martial arts world, as well as the Grandmaster serving Tantai Xuan, all rushed toward her.

The Grandmasters who trained in external energy were like ferocious wild beasts, and those who trained in internal energy were like an overflowing river!

Ning Zhao lifted her Cicada Wing Sword and waited grimly.

Suddenly, Ning Zhao's body jerked.

A red flush appeared on her calm, beautiful face.

In the next moment, her red lips parted slightly, and her eyes lost their focus.

A warmth settled on her from above, washing over her skin and down into her body.

Ning Zhao looked up, and her hair flew around her head as her dress billowed.

She knew this feeling!

The young master had granted her another wisp of Spirit Qi from afar!

Ning Zhao didn't have words to describe her excitement.

This was definitely the move of an immortal!

All the emotions within her culminated in a feminine shout.

Her dantian pulsed like a roaring furnace. She could sense that her soul had become sublime, and she felt like she had broken free from something she had never even realized was holding her back.

"Is this the Second Stage of the Qi Core Realm?" Ning Zhao's long lashes trembled slightly, and color filled her cheeks.

The four Grandmasters were still rushing at her.

The pressure from them, which had nearly made Ning Zhao's Qi and blood stop flowing, suddenly disappeared.

Ning Zhao swung her Cicada Wing Sword.

The two wisps of Spirit Qi flowed out from her dantian like pearls from a dragon.

As she leaped up and spun, her light dress billowed, making her look like a sprite dancing through the air…

Pfft!

There was astonishment on the four Grandmasters' faces.

Her attack struck all of them.

The force from that one move caused their hands to split open, their blood spurting out like crimson arrows. They were thrown from their horses, their bodies skidding several feet over the ground before they came to a halt.

A single swing of the sword had struck down four Grandmasters!

The entire battlefield froze.

Everyone's eyes turned to the woman in a light dress and holding a Cicada Wing Sword.

Hoofbeats sounded in the silence like the pitter-patter of rain.

Lu Changkong's face froze as he emerged from the city gate with his halberd in hand.

Was that… was that Ning Zhao? How had she become this ferocious?

Was this the maid he had found for Lu Fan?

Was a maid under his care… this powerful?

At the top of the gatehouse…

Luo Yue's mouth was wide open, and disbelief filled his eyes.

She had won?!

Ning Zhao had struck down four Grandmasters all by herself?!

Luo Yue suddenly thought of something as he turned to look at Lu Fan, who was seated in his wheelchair. Although he was slightly pale, his face was calm and natural, as if he had expected all of this.

"Young Master…" Luo Yue began.

He had a million questions, but his intuition told him that the change in Ning Zhao had something to do with Lu Fan.

Ning Zhao landed back on the ground gracefully, her face still cold and calm. She didn't even glance at the four Grandmasters.

Her long lashes fluttered, and her gaze landed on Feng Shi, who was still sitting mutely on his horse some distance away.

When her gaze locked on him, Feng Shi snapped out of his daze.

He was so frightened that he shuddered.

"D*mn it!" he whispered to himself.

Hesitating no longer, he kicked his horse and continued his escape toward the North County troops.

He started to regret stopping to watch the show. Why had he bothered?

Back at the gatehouse…

Lu Fan was sitting in his wheelchair with his head tilted to one side and a hand over his face.

"Sister Ning, I'm very tired. Get this over with quickly."

Lu Fan was very weak.

His voice wasn't loud, but Ning Zhao's pretty ears caught every word, even though she was at the bottom of the city wall.

She leaped forward in an instant.

She was even faster than a horse!

Feng Shi felt like his soul would leave his body soon, and his hands and feet were ice-cold from fear.

Even the horse under him, which was trying its best to gallop away, didn't give him any sense of security.

He looked up toward the oncoming northern troops and saw Tantai Xuan standing on the battle observation deck, his red cape flying grandly in the wind. He yelled in a trembling voice, "Commander, save me!"

Tantai Xuan's eyes focused, and the scholar next to him, Mo Ju, narrowed his eyes as well.

Pfft.

Alas…

The shout had barely passed Feng Shi's lips when he turned his head and saw that Ning Zhao had landed silently on his horse behind him. She was now standing and looking down at him.

A terrible chill sank into Feng Shi's gut.

"You…"

Before his huge body could even react, Ning Zhao slashed him twice with her sword. Feng Shi howled in pain as both his legs were severed and blood poured from the wounds.

With the flick of her sword, Ning Zhao also severed the ligaments in his hand. She picked him up by the collar and flew off the horse.

Somehow, she made the entire affair look effortless. Every movement she made was elegant and tasteful.

Tantai Xuan's troops stood right in front of Ning Zhao.

She glanced at them before turning back to the city, still carrying Feng Shi.

She had managed to strike down four Grandmasters with her sword, but it wasn't possible to go up against an army of 50,000 by herself.

The Spirit Qi from the young master had changed her immensely, but she was only a little stronger than an ordinary Grandmaster.

If she wanted to go up against 10,000 men by herself, that might become possible eventually, but only after she reached an advanced stage of the Qi Core Realm.

Lu Changkong snapped out of his daze.

Picking up where Ning Zhao left off, he gathered up the four stunned Grandmasters and took them back into the city.

Ning Zhao also flew back into the city, Feng Shi dangling from her hand.

The old, battered city gate of Beiluo City slammed closed behind them.

When he got back into the city, Lu Changkong immediately raised his long halberd and roared, his voice resonating in the streets.

"The enemy troops are coming! Prepare for battle!"

"Protect the city, even if it costs you your life!"

"Protect the honor of Great Zhou!"

Ning Zhao carried the despairing Feng Shi forward, and all the nearby guards glanced at her fearfully.

This woman was simply too terrifying.

"This is the man who was hurling insults at you from the bottom of the wall, Young Master. I have taken him prisoner, and you can decide whether to kill him or torture him," Ning Zhao said as she threw Feng Shi in front of Lu Fan with a radiant smile.

But her smile vanished the moment she saw how pale Lu Fan looked.

Her heart sank.

Lu Fan rubbed his palms together with little excitement as he looked at Feng Shi, who had collapsed on the floor and was pretending to be dead. He suddenly felt very empty.

At that moment, a message from the system popped up.

[Congratulations on completing the side quest. You now have two available points, and access to the Dao Imparting Platform has been activated.]

[Quest Rating: B (Pass).]

Lu Fan raised an eyebrow. He had only gotten a B for this side quest. It looked like Ning Zhao's power still wasn't quite enough.

But since the system said that he had completed this mission, the coming attack from the northern troops shouldn't affect Beiluo City too much.

Now that the crisis facing Beiluo City had been resolved, Lu Fan didn't want to waste any more time on this side of the city. Not only had the consumption of his Soul Strength left him exhausted, but…

He really wanted to go back and have a closer look at his quest reward.

"Father, I'll hand this crazy man over to you. You can skin him, chop him up, steam him, or boil him… Whatever you prefer, Father," Lu Fan said to Lu Changkong, who had just reached the top of the gatehouse. But he trailed off toward the end, waving his hands suggestively instead of finishing.

Feng Shi's muscles tensed as he lay on the ground, pretending to be dead. The terror in his heart spread throughout his body.

Was Lu Changkong's son a demon?!

Lu Fan glanced at Ning Zhao and said, "Sister Ning, take me back home."

Since the mission had been completed, it was time to leave.

"Fan'er, did this shake you up? Go home and rest well…"

Lu Changkong's heart ached when he saw how pale Lu Fan's face was.

He didn't believe what Yi Yue had said at all.

What was this about an encounter with an immortal? That was utter rubbish.

There was no such thing as immortals in this world.

Ning Zhao didn't say anything, nor did she explain anything to Lu Changkong. She felt that she must have had something to do with why the young master had become weaker, and so she was fearful and heartbroken.

As soldiers got into formation to defend the city around the gatehouse, Ning Zhao pushed the wheelchair, taking Lu Fan down to ground level.

When they reached the bottom of the wall, Yi Yue returned to Lu Fan's side with a pale but respectful expression on her face. Ni Yu held onto the handle of the umbrella and followed closely.

Lu Fan placed his hands on the throw that covered his legs. He closed his eyes to rest as his maids pushed him along. They left quietly, the same way they had come, not taking anything away from the scene.

The evening sun was low in the sky.

The last of the day's sunshine shone across them, stretching the shadow of the eldest maid far across the dusty surface of the street.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 10: Stop Taking Shortcuts and Refine Qi Seriously

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The battle of Beiluo City was over by nightfall.

Even though Tantai Xuan had launched his attack quickly, he couldn't turn the situation around.

Ning Zhao had taken down four Grandmasters by herself. She had even chopped the legs off of the fiercest general of the north, Feng Shi, right in front of Mayor Tantai. Then she had taken Feng Shi back into Beiluo City alive.

The morale of the northern troops had suffered a terrible blow.

On the other hand, the troops in Beiluo City were in high spirits. They beat their war drums hard, as if they had been given an extra dose of energy.

The battle between the Grandmasters and the final victory of Beiluo City made every single soldier guarding Beiluo City feel proud.

Moreover, the calm and immovable Lu Changkong was holding them all together. He was able to settle any chaotic situation and make important decisions firmly, and his firm control was mirrored in his people.

The troops from North County had attacked, but they had failed.

After a prolonged fight in which the northern troops tried to take the city wall, they were left with nothing but thousands upon thousands of dead soldiers. They retreated in the night like water receding in low tide and disappeared over the horizon.

That night, the moon was high in the sky. The bright moonlight shone in through the glass panes of the intricately carved redwood window, making snowflake-like patterns on the floor.

Lu Fan was sitting in his wheelchair and basking in the moonlight. He had a faraway look in his eyes, as if he was thinking about something.

Across from Lu Fan's room, Ning Zhao was sitting on the blue-tiled roof wearing a white dress, her hair loose around her shoulders. The moon shone on her skin, making her look like her body was glowing from within.

It was a scene as pretty as a picture.

But even though she looked lovely, Ning Zhao wasn't feeling that way at all.

She looked through Lu Fan's window and saw him sitting at his window in a daze.

Her eyes were clouded with worry.

Earlier that day, the Young Master had sent her a wisp of Spirit Qi as she prepared to fight in front of the city. But after the battle, his face had been all pale, and he had closed his eyes to rest all the way home, his whole body weak and listless.

Ning Zhao was really worried that something was wrong with the Young Master's physical health.

As a Grandmaster, Ning Zhao could feel how much weaker he was.

If a normal person's Qi and blood level were at ten, then the Young Master's Qi and blood level were only at around a five.

Ning Zhao sighed and looked back at the moon, her gaze becoming blurrier and blurrier.

The Young Master had suffered because of her, so she had to become stronger. She couldn't let the opportunity he'd given her go to waste!

She sat cross-legged on the roof and guarded Lu Fan. She also started to take a closer look at the two wisps of Spirit Qi within her dantian.

The Young Master had said that humans were the spirit of the universe. The soul was a medium for gathering Qi from nature, while the physical body was like a furnace that could form and refine that Spirit Qi.

Ning Zhao agreed with that opinion. If she could form and refine one wisp of Spirit Qi, she felt that she would level up in the Qi Core Realm.

Perhaps this was the Qi Core Realm's method of cultivation.

But Ning Zhao had also realized that there was a limit to her dantian. It could only take a maximum of nine wisps of Spirit Qi.

Once her dantian was full, Ning Zhao didn't know how she would continue cultivation.

Perhaps she should ask the Young Master the next day.

At the same time, Lu Fan was in his room.

He wasn't daydreaming. He was just looking at the stats page.

There was a rating given for completed quests, and he would get a different reward depending on his score.

He had completed the quest to save Beiluo City, but he had only gotten a B, so the reward was not as generous as Lu Fan had hoped.

He'd thought that the quest reward would be something like a hundred or even a thousand wisps of Spirit Qi.

In the end, all he got was two points and access to the Dao Imparting Platform.

As for Spirit Qi, the system didn't give him a single wisp. How stingy.

Lu Fan wasn't really interested in other rewards. What he needed most was Spirit Qi, because that was the key component for transforming the world.

But he wasn't too upset with what he had earned. After all, he had already received the Fantasy Creation Qi Refining Manual as a transformation reward. With this manual, he'd gain more Spirit Qi sooner or later.

Lu Fan shifted his consciousness.

The stats page popped up.

[Host: Lu Fan]

[Title: Qi Refiner (Permanent)]

[Refined Qi Level: 1]

[Soul Strength: 0.5]

[Physique Strength: 0.5]

[Spirit Qi: 8 wisps]

[Transformation Reward: Fantasy Creation Qi Refining Manual]

[Current World Ranking: Wuhuang Continent (Low-Level Martial World)]

[Access: Quests, Dao Imparting Platform, Spirit Qi Deployment]

[Available Points Awarded: 2]

After looking at the stats page, Lu Fan fell into deep thought. Since he only had two points available, Lu Fan had to use them wisely.

After thinking for a long time, his eyes lit up a little as he made his final decision.

"System, allocate the two points to my Refined Qi Level," Lu Fan instructed.

But just after he had given these instructions, a warning prompt from the system popped up.

[Host, you don't look like you're asleep, so stop dreaming. Please stop trying to take shortcuts and refine Spirit Qi seriously. Refine all 100 levels of Spirit Qi and strengthen everyone.]

Lu Fan leaned back in his wheelchair, eyebrows raised.

What was with this d*mned sarcastic system?

Lu Fan was disappointed. This prompt from the system had shut down any ideas about using the available points to increase his Refined Qi Level.

He had to put in actual effort to refine Spirit Qi. There was no easy way to do this.

But what shocked him more was the phrase "refine all 100 levels of Spirit Qi." What did the system mean by that?

In all the fantasy novels he had read, 10 levels of Refined Qi was plenty to conquer the universe!

So what did it mean by 100 levels?

Lu Fan tried asking the system about this, but he failed to get a response.

He could only think about the available points again.

Since he couldn't add them to the Refined Qi Level field, he had to add them to his Soul Strength or Physique Strength.

Lu Fan started to consider his options. Earlier at the city front, he had remotely deployed one wisp of Spirit Qi to Ning Zhao and consumed half a point of his Soul Strength. Clearly, his level of Soul Strength was closely connected to Spirit Qi Deployment.

Access to Spirit Qi Deployment was very important to Lu Fan. It was a tool he needed to transform the world.

The least he could do was make sure he had access to that important tool, right?

So after thinking for a while more, Lu Fan finally decided to add both points to the Soul Strength field.

A second later, his Soul Strength changed to 2.5 points.

Boom!

Lu Fan felt a loud resonance in his consciousness.

It was like being sprayed clean with a blast of jasmine-scented water after he had been rolling around in the mud.

He immediately became alert and refreshed. The weak, listless look on his face completely disappeared, and there seemed to be a glow in his eyes.

Increasing his Soul Strength had made Lu Fan more energetic.

He became even more curious about the system after being energized.

His consciousness fell on the transformation reward he hadn't looked through yet, the Fantasy Creation Qi Refining Manual.

As his consciousness focused on the manual, Lu Fan could feel a book slowly turning its pages before his eyes.

The three large golden words on the cover of the book, "Qi Refining Manual," nearly blinded him.

It was the déjà vu feeling of looking at a secret manual that he had chanced upon at some flea market.

But as the pages turned, there seemed to be a loud blast of philosophies ringing in his ears. The gold text seemed to have come alive and was dancing in front of Lu Fan, imprinting its meaning on his heart.

The words had come alive, and Lu Fan had gained insight as they moved within him.

[One point of Soul Strength can be exchanged for 10 wisps of Spirit Qi.]

[This Qi Refining Manual should be used in concert with the Dao Imparting Platform.]

After listening to a series of instructions from the book, Lu Fan finally understood what it was saying.

What a tragedy.

So this was how he was to refine Spirit Qi?

If he had to exchange his Soul Strength for Spirit Qi, how different was that from selling his body in return for money?

He wasn't going to become that sort of person!

Lu Fan glared at the manual. He felt like he had been sold a knock-off.

Surely this book couldn't be the real deal.

But Lu Fan realized that flipping through the Qi Refining Manual had caused a change in his stats page.

[Host: Lu Fan]

[Title: Qi Refiner (Permanent)]

[Refined Qi Level: 1 (Level 2 progress: 10/100 wisps)]

[Soul Strength: 2.5]

[Physique Strength: 0.5]

[Spirit Qi: 8 wisps]

[Transformation Reward: Fantasy Creation Qi Refining Manual]

[Current World Ranking: Wuhuang Continent (Low-Level Martial World)]

[Access: Quests, Dao Imparting Platform, Spirit Qi Deployment]

Lu Fan narrowed his eyes and stared at the stats page.

It wasn't a big change. There was just a progress update in the Refined Qi Level field.

But this addition allowed Lu Fan to see clearly what he needed to do to reach the next level of Refined Qi.

In other words, he had to refine 100 wisps of Spirit Qi before he could reach the next level.

One hundred wisps. If he used Spirit Qi Deployment to deploy them into objects rather than people, then they could multiply to become 10,000 wisps.

Was 10,000 wisps of Spirit Qi a lot?

It sounded like a lot, but if he had to spread those wisps to everyone in this world, then they would vanish like a fart on the wind.

This was a gentle reminder to Lu Fan: Don't set unrealistic goals!

Bringing a Low-Level Martial World to Fantasy World status was a long and slow process, and he couldn't do it overnight.

If he sent out the Spirit Qi he had now to the entire world, it would be like a drop of pee in the ocean, which would just dissolve without a trace.

So Lu Fan could only follow what the system prompt had told him earlier.

"Stop taking shortcuts, and refine Qi seriously."

He decided to set a small goal for himself first. Eventually, he would get to that d*mned 100th level of refined Qi.

He rubbed the space between his eyebrows.

Lu Fan put aside all these worries for the moment.

His eyes fell on the newly activated option under his Access section: the Dao Imparting Platform.

To be honest, Lu Fan was very curious about the Dao Imparting Platform.

Out of the three Accesses he had—Quests, Spirit Qi Deployment, and Dao Imparting Platform—the Dao Imparting Platform had required him to meet the most difficult conditions before activating. It sounded like it was really powerful.

Also, this platform seemed to be linked to the ability to refine Spirit Qi.

He took a deep breath, then muttered to himself, "Activate Access to Dao Imparting Platform!"

Immediately after he said that, a system message popped up.

[Dao Imparting Platform is now activated. One point of Soul Strength will be automatically deducted. (Note: If Host's Soul Strength falls below one point, access to Dao Imparting Platform will automatically deactivate).]

Lu Fan's heart skipped a beat immediately when he read this message.

What a despicable business!

This thing had administrative fees?!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 11: Dao Imparting Platform

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

[Dao Imparting Platform now activated. One point of Soul Strength will be automatically deducted.]

A second message popped up in front of him.

[Dao Imparting Platform attributes: Host's Refined Qi Level is at 1, so with the Host as the center, the platform will randomly pull a total of three people within a 3,000-mile radius. Platform will start pulling now…]

After the message faded, a heavy feeling suddenly hit Lu Fan, and he drowsiness crept over him. This was obviously a side effect of having a point deducted from his Soul Strength.

A glow light appeared in front of Lu Fan's fatigued eyes.

The glow was bright and glaring, and it carried an attraction that was impossible to resist. It swallowed Lu Fan's consciousness.

In the capital city of Great Zhou…

Zijin Palace. A side hall in the imperial study.

Large and austere framed paintings and calligraphy hung on the walls, and bookshelves stood in neat, orderly rows. Large bamboo scrolls were stacked on some of the shelves, and there were ancient yellowing paperbacks as well.

Below every bookshelf sat a court official with his head down, quiet and still. They were very familiar with where everything was, and the moment they received instructions from the master of the study, they would immediately pick out the material requested and deliver it to the master with great respect.

In the middle of the study, an oil lamp flickered in the dim room.

A fairly young man wearing a long black robe sat cross-legged on the platform in front of a flat desk carved with dragons and phoenixes. A bamboo scroll was open on the table.

The words on the bamboo scroll were difficult to make out in the dim light.

The young man held a brush covered in a thick layer of ink, taking his time as he thought and wrote.

Suddenly, the brush in the young man's hand wavered, and he couldn't stop his hand from shaking. The ink started spreading all over the bamboo scroll.

His gaze defocused, and a loud chime next to his ear rattled his concentration.

The young man felt that something was wrong, and he opened his mouth to yell for his men to protect him.

But before he could say anything, everything went black.

…

Lu Fan opened his eyes.

He got up and looked around.

He was covered in a cold sweat, and for a moment, he thought he had transmigrated again.

The first thing he saw was the light-blue wisps of Spirit Qi flowing all around him, as if he had come to an immortal realm.

A system message appeared.

[First entry into Dao Imparting Platform. Please choose a Dao Imparting Title.]

This message made Lu Fan breathe a sigh of relief. So he was now within the Dao Imparting Platform.

But after the feeling of relief had passed, Lu Fan's eyes shifted slightly. He needed a title within the Dao Imparting Platform?

Was a title required to keep his identity a secret?

After thinking more about it, Lu Fan sighed. Since the system had already deducted a point from his Soul Strength, he had better follow its rules.

Dao Imparting Title… Lu Fan narrowed his eyes and thought about it for a while.

He had been a programmer in his previous life. He was extremely familiar with the internet and believed that as long as he had a computer keyboard, he could conquer the world. Choosing a title now reminded him of registering a username. It was as easy as having a meal or drinking water.

After a moment of serious consideration, Lu Fan touched his chin and said, "What about calling myself 'Moonlight Shines on Twenty-Four Bridges'? Sounds like an immortal type of name, right?"

[Title is not valid.] The system message popped up instantly, displaying these heartless words.

Lu Fan was speechless.

His expression froze.

Was this user name not… "fantasy" enough?

Lu Fan's face grew serious. "Then I'll call myself 'Where the Beauty Teaches Flute.'"

[Title is not valid. Host, please be serious.]

Lu Fan was taken aback.

This was a rare chance for him to do what he wanted, and it was also a chance to truly reveal his personality, but the system had rejected his input twice.

Lu Fan had no choice.

He had to choose a simple and easy-to-remember title.

The aim of having a title was to keep his identity a secret, and he was the man who was going to transform the world. Since his method of changing the world was essentially the same as an immortal's, Lu Fan decided to call himself a Great Immortal. How about Great Immortal Lu?

That sounded a bit too obvious. Since Lu could be spelled as Liu too, he thought perhaps he could call himself Great Immortal Liuliu or Great Immortal Liudao.

As expected, after he chose a much more proper-sounding title, the system didn't reject it.

Another system message popped up.

[Dao Imparting Title "Immortal Liudao" has been created. Please proceed to the Dao Imparting Platform.]

Lu Fan's lips twitched. What had happened to the "Great"…?

But before Lu Fan could open his mouth and protest, he felt everything become very clear in front of him.

Whoosh…

A thick cloud of Spirit Qi billowed, and a huge platform floated under the light blue fog of spiritual energy.

Lu Fan realized he was right in the middle of this platform.

Beyond the platform was unending darkness and emptiness.

The Spirit Qi was like water. It flowed down the side of the platform, much like a waterfall. The scene was very grand-looking indeed.

"So this is the Dao Imparting Platform?!"

Lu Fan's mind reeled in shock. There was so much Spirit Qi here. If he could absorb it, he would instantly become an immortal right then and there!

The amount of Spirit Qi in the Dao Imparting Platform was too much to be counted by wisps.

Unfortunately, after many tries, he realized he could only look at the Spirit Qi. He couldn't absorb it or use it.

So what was this Dao Imparting Platform able to do? Was it just a place with a lot of Spirit Qi?

He had spent one point of his Soul Strength to get in here. Surely he couldn't just be here just to window shop for Spirit Qi, right?

That would be such a pointless loss.

[The Dao Imparting Platform can help the Host create Secret Realms, merge cultivation methods, and create treasures.] The system answered his unspoken question.

Lu Fan couldn't help but narrow his eyes.

"Create Secret Realms? Merge cultivation methods? This sounds like a powerful programming tool."

Lu Fan started thinking again.

Maybe changing this Low-Level Martial World into a Fantasy World required more than just flooding the world with Spirit Qi.

He also needed the people in this Low-Level Martial World to feel the changes in the world and become powerful along with it.

There was a phrase that said that wherever there were people, there would be a martial arts world.

People had to exist first to form a martial arts world.

So a fantasy world was the same. Where there were people, only then would a fantasy world exist.

Since Lu Fan couldn't change the environment directly, he had to change the people first.

With this thought in mind, Lu Fan felt that he had found a solution to his worries.

Lu Fan took a tour of the Dao Imparting Platform. He hadn't noticed it earlier, but now he realized the platform was in the shape of the Eight Trigrams.

He was now standing right in the middle of it.

"Qian, Dui, Li, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Gen, Kun… These are the labels of the Eight Trigrams."

Lu Fan furrowed his brows as he looked at the labels engraved in the platform.

The Eight Trigrams, as seen in the I Ching, were supposedly the work of Fu Xi. They were important in Daoist Study.

The two opposites, Yin and Yang, as well as the four directions—after the traditional Eight Trigram labels had been moved and embellished by the Spirit Qi, they had become the Dao Imparting Platform he was standing on right now.

Lu Fan took a deep breath and suppressed the shock in his heart.

He hadn't studied the Daoist principles behind the Eight Trigrams much in his previous life, but it still excited him to see something familiar in this strange, new world.

Lu Fan was sitting right in the middle of the Yin and Yang symbol.

As his thoughts began to change, the labels started coming to life like little elves dancing.

But there was something more here than he had first realized. These labels weren't just for show.

Lu Fan looked hard at the dancing labels.

"There are twenty-seven labels in all," Lu Fan muttered softly to himself.

Qian, Dui, Li, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Gen, and Kun corresponded to Heaven, River, Fire, Thunder, Wind, Water, Mountain, and Earth.

Plus Yin and Yang, that made 18 labels.

There were also the numbers one through nine, the nine single-digit numbers.

A total of 27 labels.

He realized that these labels could be controlled and arranged according to what he had in mind.

He understood that, after rearranging the labels of the Dao Imparting Platform, he could create all sorts of sequences, and running these sequences would create a secret realm.

This felt unnervingly familiar!

Wasn't this freaking programming?!

Lu Fan was shaken.

This was his old job.

Unfortunately, the Dao Imparting Platform required him to give up points of his Soul Strength, and this was difficult for Lu Fan to accept.

Receiving points seemed to be a rare occurrence so far.

Lu Fan was deep in thought.

Suddenly, there was a change in the Dao Imparting Platform.

A few lines of text popped up in front of him.

[Yu Wenxiu (Identity: Emperor of Great Zhou) has entered the Dao Imparting Platform.]

[Xiang Shaoyun (Identity: Mayor of West County) has entered the Dao Imparting Platform.]

[Nie Changqing (Identity: Beiluo City Butcher Stall Owner) has entered the Dao Imparting Platform.]

What?

Lu Fan froze.

The Dao Imparting Platform would randomly pull three people in. He had known about this already, so he wasn't shocked about that.

What shocked him was the identity of the third person.

The first two were fine. One was the Emperor of Great Zhou, and the other was the Mayor of West County, so they sounded like pretty powerful people.

But the third one…

Why the hell had it pulled in a Beiluo City butcher?!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 12: Great Immortal Lu Trying to Trick Everyone

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Spirit Qi flowed endlessly as it slowly formed three figures in the middle of the Dao Imparting Platform.

They looked blurry, so their exact appearances couldn't be made out.

Lu Fan observed these three people with a little curiosity.

The Dao Imparting Platform could randomly pull three people's consciousnesses into this place. These three were the lucky ones chosen by the platform.

Lu Fan narrowed his eyes. This Dao Imparting Platform Access was getting more and more interesting.

His consciousness wavered slightly, and he thought about the last bit he had read in his Qi Refining Manual. The manual had stated that in addition to consuming his Soul Strength, the Dao Imparting Platform provided him with another method of gaining Spirit Qi.

Perhaps the three who had been dragged into the Dao Imparting Platform were the key to getting more Spirit Qi.

After he figured this out, Lu Fan now had two choices regarding how he should face these three people.

One option was to pretend that he was also a "victim" of the Dao Imparting Platform and had gotten dragged in here unknowingly.

The other option was to use his understanding of and control over the Dao Imparting Platform to create the mysterious image of a higher being, lead them on, and get Spirit Qi from them.

It didn't take Lu Fan very long to decide.

There was no need to even consider the first option. Since he had control over and access to the Dao Imparting Platform, there was no need to act dumb or look shocked about anything.

As such, Lu Fan decided on the second option in a flash.

He sat confidently in the middle of the yin and yang symbol.

The billowing Spirit Qi covered the area in a mist, adding to the mysterious and strange aura around Lu Fan.

"The Emperor of Great Zhou and the Mayor of West County…" Lu Fan thought.

The message from the Dao Imparting Platform had put a strange expression on Lu Fan's face.

If he remembered correctly, the current emperor of Great Zhou should be that eleven-year-old who had just ascended the throne and was under great scrutiny and doubt from the other counties.

The Mayor of West County was the leader of all the counties currently rebelling against the emperor. He had caused the current mess.

One was the emperor, and the other was a rebel leader.

These were two people who would meet only if there was a grand showdown between both armies.

But they had appeared together in the Dao Imparting Platform through this strange method.

Was it a coincidence?

Or had the Dao Imparting Platform done this on purpose?

…

"Where am I?"

Yu Wenxiu frowned as he looked around at this extremely creepy place. He felt very uneasy.

But even though he was panicking inside, he had to maintain the assertiveness an emperor ought to have.

But after he spoke these words, he clutched his own throat in surprise. His usually childlike voice, which had not gone through puberty yet, now sounded very mature.

There were two more figures next to him. They looked very blurry, and he couldn't see their faces clearly, nor could he identify them.

Yu Wenxiu looked increasingly wary. He had been reading articles in the study just a moment ago, and now he was suddenly in this place.

Who had done this?

Who could have captured him from the fiercely-guarded palace of Great Zhou without anyone realizing it?

The other two seemed to be looking at their surroundings as well.

Suddenly, calm laughter rang out in the void.

"You're all awake?" a voice asked.

Yu Wenxiu and the other two figures looked towards the middle of the platform. There, a slim figure was seated cross-legged.

He slowly got to his feet, and as he stood up, the misty blue gas around him followed the movement of his body.

The form in front of them was brilliant and beautiful, as if a deity from a fairy tale had descended to earth.

"Where are we?" another figure demanded before Yu Wenxiu could.

"Do not speak so loudly."

Lu Fan lifted a hand and waved it slowly.

Whoosh…

Suddenly, a whole cloud of Spirit Qi flew up and formed a giant face. It remained suspended over the person who had shouted, and the giant face quietly watched the man as if a deity or a demon was closely observing his every move.

Xiang Shaoyun's body stiffened, and his eyes widened. All the words that had been ready to spring out of his mouth earlier suddenly seemed to be stuck in his throat.

Lu Fan kept his face expressionless and made sure his eyes were difficult to read. He had to maintain a mysterious image for these three people.

"This is a secret realm for imparting Dao, a place for one to become an immortal. All of you have been equally blessed with an immortal encounter. Remember carefully—while you are in this place, you must not reveal your real identities. Otherwise, you may incur the wrath of the heavens and dwell forever in the depths of hell," Lu Fan said smoothly.

Yu Wenxiu and Xiang Shaoyun were completely confused by these words.

Secret realm for imparting Dao?

A place for one to become an immortal?

The butcher stall boss, Nie Changqing, on the other hand, started laughing to himself.

"There's no such thing as an immortal in this world. You're just pulling a fast one…"

Lu Fan glanced at Nie Changqing. Since this man had been chosen by the Dao Imparting Platform despite being only a butcher stall owner, he was certainly no ordinary person.

Nie Changqing narrowed his eyes at Lu Fan and said, "I don't care about this immortal stuff. I have twelve more pigs to slaughter, so I don't have time to listen to your babbling."

Yu Wenxiu and Xiang Shaoyun remained silent.

Lu Fan raised an eyebrow, but he maintained his elegant and mysterious look.

"When the way to heaven collapsed, the road to becoming an immortal closed along with it. Thus, no more humans sought to become immortals. But since all of you have appeared, it means that the road to becoming an immortal has opened once more, and Spirit Qi will fill the earth again. Since you have been able to reach this place, it means you are not ordinary people."

Lu Fan spoke these words slowly as he purposely swirled the Spirit Qi around his body to make himself look even more like an immortal.

These words shocked both Yu Wenxiu and Xiang Shaoyun.

They both felt that Lu Fan had a haughty look in his eyes, but he also seemed like he had seen everything the world had to offer.

Could Lu Fan have identified who they were?

Yu Wenxiu was the current emperor of Great Zhou. Xiang Shaoyun was the rebel leader and headed the rebel troops from the other 12 counties. They were not ordinary people by any means—one could even say they were right at the top of this world.

The butcher stall boss, Nie Changqing, also fell silent.

He was just a butcher, but he was one of Beiluo City's best butchers. He could kill a piglet with just one knife, so he wasn't ordinary either.

Lu Fan smiled, satisfied. This was the effect he had wanted.

If he only had a fancy pavilion built among these clouds, that would create the perfect ambiance for this scene.

Just as the thought crossed his mind…

The trigram labels started to float in front of his eyes.

They rose to arrange themselves in accordance with his thoughts, and his surroundings began to change.

Yu Wenxiu, Xiang Shaoyun, and Nie Changqing all felt the shift in their environment. They looked around them in shock and wonder as things shifted and reorganized themselves, and the dark void beyond the platform disappeared.

Several pavilions suddenly appeared, each one built on a layer of clouds in the distance. This change shocked them more than anything ever had before.

Even Lu Fan himself was taken aback by this newfound ability, but there was no way he was letting go of this chance to look powerful even for just a moment.

His expression remained the same, and he even recited poetry.

"The White Jade City of the heavens… Five castles and twelve buildings. An immortal touched my head, granting me immortality." A deific voice rang in the air and echoed throughout the space.

This added on to his mysterious aura.

His words were otherworldly and difficult to understand—like he was caught between heaven and earth.

Three sitting mounds appeared.

Xiang Shaoyun, Yu Wenxiu, and Nie Changqing obediently sat on the mounds. All these things had appeared out of nowhere. The shock they felt was more intense than any they had ever felt before, so right now… They needed a moment to think.

Pavilions in the clouds, a deity that seemed to come from another world…

Were they dreaming?

Lu Fan had a faint smile on his lips.

Perhaps this was the legendary feeling of pretending to be superhuman.

Lu Fan glanced at the three of them and slowly spoke again.

"Since you have been able to enter this place, all of you must have been fallen fairies with broken legs in your previous lives."

Fallen fairies with broken legs?!

The three men, who were seated obediently like good students, exchanged glances.

Had they really fallen that low?

Lu Fan coughed quietly. This was the first time he had ever pretended to be an immortal, and he seemed to have gone a little too far with it.

"All of you have been chosen to have this immortal encounter. Afterward, you will return to the world of the mortals and restore the universe to what it once was. Today, I will officially start by imparting this encounter to you," Lu Fan continued calmly.

Even though he couldn't absorb or refine any of the Spirit Qi in the Dao Imparting Platform, Lu Fan could still control its movements. So within the Dao Imparting Platform, he was indeed like an immortal in that he had control over the thick layer of Spirit Qi.

He lifted a hand, causing the waterfall-like Spirit Qi to billow powerfully. He turned the huge cloud into a dragon with five claws in one moment, then into a flying phoenix in the next moment, each one mysterious and unpredictable.

He was serious about showing off what he could do.

All three of them were stunned into silence.

After several moments, Xiang Shaoyun finally managed to open his mouth. His voice was a little low, but it wasn't his normal voice either.

"Your Excellency, what will you grant to us in this encounter? Do we have to give up something in exchange? Or is this merely an illusion like the ones created by those mediums in the Yinyang Clan?"

He was a very practical martial arts practitioner. Just like Lu Changkong, he only believed in Qi and blood. He didn't believe in immortals.

Xiang Shaoyun narrowed his eyes.

"The Spirit Qi of the universe has not been restored, so there is no use in giving you the method to attain immortality," Lu Fan said calmly. His eyes narrowed when he remembered that the Dao Imparting Platform was able to create and refine cultivation methods.

"Instead, you can hand over your own cultivation techniques. I will make some changes to them that will help you to cultivate with the aid of the Spirit Qi of the universe."

Xiang Shaoyun's lips twitched a little.

Yu Wenxiu shook his head. "One's cultivation technique is vital to every martial arts practitioner and concerns the life of his entire clan. Nobody would hand this over so easily. Unless Your Excellency is trying to trick us into handing it over? If our flaws are exposed, then we could die when we face our enemies."

Xiang Shaoyun looked at Yu Wenxiu, clasping his hands and smiling as he said, "My brother, we are of the same opinion."

Yu Wenxiu clasped his hands and smiled gently in return. Even though he couldn't tell who this other person was, he suddenly felt like he had a connection with this man. He felt sad that they hadn't met before this.

Lu Fan continued looking as immortal-like as possible. He watched the two in front of him suddenly find a friend in each other, and his lips twitched.

One was the emperor, and the other was the leader of the rebel army.

They were feeling sad that they hadn't met before this? What a joke.

If each knew who the other was, they'd probably be trying to strangle each other right now.

Lu Fan shook his head, but his cheeky side started imagining what expressions they would have on their faces when they each found out who the other was.

When he thought about the three people in front of him, he suddenly formed a hypothesis.

"System, if these three men manage to refine Spirit Qi, will it have anything to do with me?" Lu Fan asked.

He didn't think the system would answer him.

But, unexpectedly, a message from the system popped up.

"If the ones chosen by the Dao Imparting Platform refine Spirit Qi, the Host can use an exchange of treasures or cultivation methods to exchange for the refined Spirit Qi."

Lu Fan's eyes lit up.

So this was the secret behind refining Qi.

If he gave them something here, that would be like putting in a long-term investment, right?

His lips twitched a little.

There was a sudden burning in his heart. So he could refine Qi in this way too!

Still, he maintained his godly appearance, making sure that his expression remained cold and calm, as if even the collapse of a mountain wouldn't faze him.

When it came to the way he carried himself, he had always done a good job of presenting himself exactly the way he intended to.

He looked at Yu Wenxiu and Xiang Shaoyun, who still looked very touched and attached to one another.

Lu Fan's consciousness shifted.

He suddenly disappeared.

He didn't amount to much in reality, but within the Dao Imparting Platform, he was as powerful as a god.

When he reappeared, he was right in front of Xiang Shaoyun and Yu Wenxiu.

He touched his middle finger to the fleshy part of his thumb, placing one hand on Yu Wenxiu's forehead and the other on Xiang Shaoyun's forehead.

"There was a real immortal encounter right before your eyes, but you did not know how to cherish it."

"Since that is so, I will just grant you a simple gift. Do not regret this in the future."

Then he flicked his fingers.

Pop!

His Access to Spirit Qi Deployment activated.

Deployment targets: Xiang Shaoyun and Yu Wenxiu.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 13: I Have Come, So Now There Are Immortals

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Two flicks of a finger.

Yu Wenxiu and Xiang Shaoyun were stunned for a moment after a finger tapped each of their foreheads.

Did this person know who the two of them were?

One was the emperor of Great Zhou, and the other was Mayor of West County… They were both very important people, and one could say that they stood on the top rung of society.

But despite that, their foreheads had been flicked like a naughty child's.

Lu Fan was floating in midair, and the Spirit Qi continued to swirl around him, covering his face and body more and more thickly. They found it difficult to make him out.

"Your Excellency, what do you mean by this?" Xiang Shaoyun was already on the verge of losing his temper.

Yu Wenxiu frowned but didn't say anything.

"Didn't you want an immortal encounter? I have just granted you a special gift…" Lu Fan calmly replied.

"Since you do not wish to hand over your cultivation techniques for me to improve, then I will not force you to do so. But do not regret this in the future."

"I have bestowed a gift on both of you. It is your choice whether or not to believe me."

"Spirit Qi has been restored in this world, and the immortal realm has returned, so there will be a great change in this continent. Experiencing this immortal encounter is the greatest blessing you will receive in three lifetimes, so if you don't know how to cherish it, then that will definitely be your greatest tragedy," Lu Fan said as Spirit Qi encapsulated his body.

His voice seemed a little far away, coming down to them as if he was high up in the heavens.

"Leave now. Since you are the chosen ones, I will give you one more chance. Three days from now, you will have one more opportunity to come back here."

Lu Fan then waved his sleeve.

The Spirit Qi suddenly became a typhoon.

Yu Wenxiu and Xiang Shaoyun opened their mouths to say something, but their bodies, which were merely made up of Spirit Qi, exploded into pieces and were thrown out of the Dao Imparting Platform.

In the huge immortal pavilion area, only Nie Changqing remained. The butcher stall owner stood by himself in a far corner.

Lu Fan was still floating in the great mist of Spirit Qi as he looked at Nie Changqing.

He shot a meaningful glance at the man.

"Do you wish to leave too?" Lu Fan asked calmly.

Nie Changqing took a deep breath. Even though everything he had seen here was way too magical, his intuition told him that perhaps… Perhaps none of this was a dream.

"This world really has immortals?" Nie Changqing asked finally.

Lu Fan didn't answer immediately. He looked hard at Nie Changqing.

"This world did not have immortals. But because I have come, now there are."

These simple words made Nie Changqing's entire body start trembling violently, as if he was about to have a seizure.

He slowly closed his eyes.

After taking three deep breaths, Nie Changqing opened his eyes again.

He looked at Lu Fan, stubbornly but with determination.

"I don't believe in immortals," Nie Changqing said to Lu Fan.

Lu Fan's expression didn't change after he heard those words. "Whether you believe or not, immortals exist."

Nie Changqing laughed. "Even though I don't believe in them, I am willing to give you my cultivation technique."

He smiled and laughed, but there was sadness in his eyes.

"All these cultivation techniques are all useless to me. Right now, I am nothing but a butcher," Nie Changqing said bitterly.

Lu Fan sat down in the floating cloud of Spirit Qi, his face calm and cold. Perhaps Nie Changqing had a story to tell, but he didn't have any wine on hand.

He didn't want to listen to the man's story, anyway.

"Read the contents of your cultivation technique to me and I'll listen," Lu Fan said calmly.

Nie Changqing's eyes filled with nostalgia as he slowly started reciting the contents of a transfusion technique and a knife technique.

As he spoke, Spirit Qi flowed like a river from his mouth and formed his words, arranging themselves neatly in the space between himself and Lu Fan.

Nie Changqing was shocked by this and paused for a while, but soon he calmed himself down and continued his recitation.

After some time, Nie Changqing finally finished.

Nearly a thousand words formed a long, continuous essay in the once-empty space.

"Cultivation method, Daoist Transfusion Technique."

"Knife technique, Dispersed Knife Technique."

Lu Fan was taken by surprise. He hadn't expected this very ordinary-looking butcher to actually be someone so special.

He was a Daoist.

Lu Fan narrowed his eyes.

In the Wuhuang Continent, besides the Great Zhou royalty and various other political factions, there were also several martial arts powers.

In the martial arts world, practitioners were split into various sects and clans within the Hundred Schools of Philosophy.

Daoism was one of the schools of philosophy. It was an extremely mysterious one.

Besides Daoism, there was also Confucianism, Mohism, Militarism, the Sword Sect, the Yinyang Clan, and the Astrology Sect, among many others.

Of course, the "Hundred Schools of Philosophy" was just a general way of referring to them. There weren't necessarily one hundred of them.

The Imperial Advisor of Great Zhou, the teacher to the emperor Yu Wenxiu, was a Confucianist, belonging to one of the schools of philosophers.

But this Daoist disciple was now merely a butcher?

Was he hiding his actual identity? Or was there more to it?

Lu Fan was suddenly very curious about Nie Changqing.

"Cultivation techniques are useless to me, since I'm now a good-for-nothing. If you want my cultivation technique, you can have it."

Nie Changqing waved his hands. He started looking a little tired and impatient as he said, "Can I go now? Twelve more pigs are waiting for me to slaughter them."

Lu Fan continued to float in the swath of Spirit Qi. He faded in and out of view, sometimes appearing clearly in the pavilion and sometimes not.

"Don't be in such a hurry… It won't take long to make some improvements to this low-grade cultivation technique that doesn't even know how to make use of Spirit Qi," replied Lu Fan.

His voice seemed far away, and his words were hard to understand.

Nie Changqing froze when he heard these words. This was a Daoist cultivation technique, a world-class technique! What did he mean by calling it a low-grade technique?!

"Activate Dao Imparting Platform Access… Make changes to the Daoist Transfusion Technique and Dispersed Knife Technique," Lu Fan commanded in his heart.

In the next second, the trigram labels floated up before Lu Fan's eyes and started arranging themselves.

To Lu Fan, these labels were like keys on a computer keyboard. They were neatly stacked in front of him.

He rubbed his palms together.

Lu Fan's lips twitched slightly, and he stretched his palms out above the trigram labels as his fingers began typing. A wave was sent out every time the flesh of his fingers touched the labels. He looked like an elegant elf performing a beautiful piece.

Qian, Dui, Li, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Gen, and Kun… Each label had its own special meaning. When he paired them with their corresponding labels and arranged them in various combinations, it was like writing code, creating sequences and logic that a program could base its operations on.

The Dao Imparting Platform could improve cultivation methods and create treasures, among other things… All these functions were possible, but Lu Fan had to develop it first.

Based on his knowledge, Lu Fan decided that the Dao Imparting Platform was the fantasy version of computer programming.

Just as Lu Fan finished writing the program for making changes to cultivation techniques, a message from the system popped up.

[Congratulations to the Host for successfully creating the All-Method Furnace (Level One) for making changes to cultivation techniques. You have received a Transformation Reward of five available points.]

Lu Fan was stunned for a moment. Then he was overjoyed.

A hidden quest?

He had received five points as a reward without even intending to do so…

Five points was the same thing as 50 wisps of Spirit Qi!

That was a huge reward!

His consciousness shifted.

The stats page popped up.

[Host: Lu Fan]

[Title: Qi Refiner (Permanent)]

[Refined Qi Level: 1 (Level 2 progress: 10/100 wisps)]

[Soul Strength: 1.5]

[Physique Strength: 0.5]

[Spirit Qi: 6 wisps]

[Transformation Reward: Fantasy Creation Qi Refining Manual]

[Current World Ranking: Wuhuang Continent (Low-Level Martial World)]

[Access: Quests, Dao Imparting Platform, Spirit Qi Deployment]

[Sub-Access: All Method Furnace (Level 1)]

[Available Points: 5]

As expected, there was now a Sub-Access section on the stats page.

"All-Method Furnace is still at Level One? Looks like this All-Method Furnace has several levels too." Lu Fan smiled.

Back in the Dao Imparting Platform, Lu Fan focused his mind on the Sub-Access.

Then a loud ringing sound boomed throughout the whole space.

The entire Dao Imparting Platform started shaking.

Nie Changqing's heart filled with fear that quickly slid toward despair when he heard this terrible sound.

A palm-sized furnace suddenly appeared in Lu Fan's hands.

As opposed to Nie Changqing's terrified face, Lu Fan looked very calm, as if he had seen all of this before. He held the furnace in his hand as if everything was going according to his expectations.

He had to maintain the elegant and mysterious aura of an immortal, after all.

He flipped his thumb up daintily and pulled the lid off the All-Method Furnace. The words of the cultivation technique that had been floating in the air earlier jumped into the furnace by themselves, as if they had come alive.

System message: [Confirm deduction of five wisps of Spirit Qi to improve Daoist Transfusion Technique and Dispersed Knife Technique?]

Lu Fan's face froze. Even breathing felt painful.

Wasn't he merely improving some techniques?

Doing so required FIVE wisps of Spirit Qi?

This was daylight robbery!

Lu Fan's heart was bleeding, but he didn't have a choice. He had started this process to impress the right people, so he had to finish it, even if he felt like crying.

"Make the changes!" Lu Fan said through gritted teeth.

As expected, five wisps of Spirit Qi were deducted from the Spirit Qi field, and now the stats page reported his one lonely remaining wisp of Spirit Qi.

The All-Method Furnace in his palm started to spin at high speed.

[Improvement completed. Cultivation technique Daoist Spirit Transmission and military strategy Knife Control Technique successfully developed. Rating: Earth Level High Grade.]

On the floor of the platform, Nie Changqing took a deep breath. That voice from above had made the blood in his veins, which had been stagnant for a long time, suddenly start to rush. The terrifying authority of the voice had shaken him. That was a voice that defied all resistance.

Could there really be immortals?!

Suddenly, Lu Fan opened his eyes and stood on a blurry cloud, looking just like an immortal.

"I have helped you to improve your cultivation method. Take it," Lu Fan said, holding the furnace with one hand as the other hand rested behind his back.

With that, he violently waved his sleeve.

Nie Changqing felt as if something strange had entered his brain, and the scene in front of him began to fade.

His body, which was made up of a cloud of Spirit Qi, exploded into pieces.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 14: This World Really Has Immortals?!

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

In the capital city of Great Zhou…

Zijin Palace. The imperial study.

Yu Wenxiu suddenly opened his eyes and took in a huge breath. He rolled onto his back, then used his legs to spring up from the table as the sound of his heavy breathing filled the room.

"Your Majesty!"

A senior official rushed into the study, taking small, quick steps. His face was filled with great anxiety.

All the junior officials within the study gathered around and knelt on the floor with their heads bent. They didn't even dare to breathe too loudly.

The eleven-year-old emperor, Yu Wenxiu, had already started enforcing his authority when necessary.

He waved his sleeve, and all the trembling officials kneeling on the floor quickly left the room. Only the senior official stayed.

Yu Wenxiu's brows were tightly furrowed, and he had many questions.

Had that been a dream?

It must have been a dream. All that talk about an immortal encounter was just a joke. Surely.

But if it was a dream, then the dream had been too real.

The mysterious, unpredictable things that "the immortal" had done made Yu Wenxiu a little afraid.

"The White Jade City of the heavens… Five castles and twelve buildings."

Yu Wenxiu mumbled this to himself as he lifted a hand to touch his forehead and felt a throbbing pain.

Suddenly, his eyes focused.

A pale blue light flashed between his brows, and in that instant, a huge gust of wind rushed through the study. The pale blue light engulfed Yu Wenxiu's body like a dragon, then entered his body through the center of his forehead and headed for his dantian.

"What's happening?"

Yu Wenxiu was shocked beyond words. The energy inside that one wisp of Qi was about to make his body explode.

The senior official remaining in the study was filled with Qi and blood, and his Qi and blood were agitated by the Spirit Qi inside Yu Wenxiu.

"Your Majesty! What is this?!"

The senior official suddenly straightened up as he looked closely and a little anxiously at Yu Wenxiu. As the immense amount of Qi and blood continued to rush through the man's body, seven blasts rang out.

This senior official was a very high-level Grandmaster practitioner!

Yu Wenxiu was also very puzzled and more than a little frantic. He was only eleven, after all.

"Call the Imperial Advisor now!" Yu Wenxiu yelled, starting to panic. It was very frightening to have a foreign source of Qi forcing its way into his dantian. He had no idea if it would be harmful to him or not.

His panic and confusion had turned his brain to mush.

Then he remembered the barely-discernible "Immortal Liudao" who had appeared inside that mysterious space.

Had this energy that kept heading for his dantian… Had this been given to him by that immortal?

Yu Wenxiu was in a complete panic.

The senior official immediately flew out of the study at Yu Wenxiu's command, but as soon as he left the room, he froze.

An old man in a wide robe and a tall headdress was making his way slowly towards him.

The senior official used all his energy to make his Qi and blood dissipate as quickly as possible.

"Greetings to the Imperial Advisor." The senior official moved aside and bowed low as he greeted the old man respectfully.

"I know everything about what happened to His Majesty. Guard the study and don't let anyone in," the Imperial Advisor instructed.

The senior official bowed even lower in response.

The Imperial Advisor didn't look at the senior official as he slowly, calmly walked into the study.

Inside the study, Yu Wenxiu's mind was still all over the place. He felt like the strange new ball of energy inside him was going to burst out of his body, and his face was so red that it looked like it could start bleeding at any moment.

Yu Wenxiu was trained in martial arts, but his skill level was very low because he had trained only to strengthen his body and health.

He wasn't really able to control his Qi and blood.

The Imperial Advisor stepped into the study.

Yu Wenxiu felt like his savior had arrived.

"Teacher, save me," Yu Wenxiu exclaimed to the Imperial Advisor.

"Calm your mind, calm your heart, and calm your spirit. Let your energy, spirit, and mind become one. There is Confucianist Righteousness Qi in the universe, and there is Confucianist Righteousness Qi in the human body as well. Your Majesty, do not be afraid, and learn to control it," the Imperial Advisor said, very slowly and gently.

Yu Wenxiu's frantic heart started to calm down when he heard this.

He took a deep breath, and that wisp of Spirit Qi also calmed. It started to fill his body and made him glow from within.

"This is…" Yu Wenxiu was shocked.

An immortal encounter… It really had been an immortal encounter!

"Your Majesty, tell me, what happened?" The Imperial Advisor looked at Yu Wenxiu with deep, caring eyes.

Western Liang. Within the army camp.

Xiang Shaoyun violently opened his eyes as a terrifying rush of Qi and blood surrounded him. A series of blasts sounded within him, and everything inside the tent was blown about wildly.

His full head of black hair shot straight out as if he'd been electrified.

Thwack!

Xiang Shaoyun slapped his forehead. There was a glowing light twinkling there, a wisp of strange Qi that had been held captive by his overpowering amount of Qi and blood.

A small pair of soft, fair hands reached out from behind his back and wrapped themselves around his wide, muscular chest.

There was a soft grunt as hair cascaded down and fair, smooth skin was exposed…

"Shaoyun, what's wrong?" The voice was as gentle and sweet as a little bird chirping.

"Mingsang, sorry for waking you up." Xiang Shaoyun's large, angry eyes instantly seemed to melt, and his voice became soft and gentle. Macho men had their soft sides too.

An extremely beautiful, petite face appeared from behind Xiang Shaoyun. This woman was Luo Mingsang, someone who had grown up with Xiang Shaoyun.

Luo Mingsang lifted a supple hand and gently placed it over the hand Xiang Shaoyun had on his chest. Worry filled her clean, clear eyes.

Xiang Shaoyun took Luo Mingsang's hand in his and used his other hand to caress her smooth hair, gently comforting her.

After he managed to get Luo Mingsang to go back to sleep, the gentleness on Xiang Shaoyun's face disappeared completely.

He could feel that even his powerful Qi and blood had some trouble keeping this strange new Qi under control, and there was some shock and puzzlement on his face.

"This wisp of Qi… What exactly is it?" he wondered. "Was that tricky fellow really an immortal?!"

"This world really has immortals?!"

Beiluo City. Lu Manor.

Lu Fan was sitting in his wheelchair, his eyes shining brightly.

The moonlight shone on his face through the window, casting a white glow over his features.

"This Dao Imparting Platform is very interesting. It works very much like a programming tool."

Lu Fan fell into deep thought, turning over the things he had learned in his mind.

He shifted his consciousness, and a light blue glow swiftly gathered in his palm. Soon, the blue glow formed the shape of a palm-sized three-legged furnace, which appeared dimly in Lu Fan's palm.

"The All-Method Furnace… Is it unable to appear properly in reality because my Refined Qi level is too low now?" Lu Fan murmured to himself.

The All-Method Furnace was able to develop cultivation methods by using Spirit Qi, transforming various abilities like transfusion techniques and martial arts moves into Spirit Qi techniques instead.

This point alone made the All-Method Furnace invaluable to him.

This All-Method Furnace was now only at Level One. So if it could level up, would it be able to develop methods of becoming immortal?

Lu Fan breathed out slowly.

He made the little furnace disappear, then got up from his wheelchair and walked over to the window.

He looked up.

On the rooftop, Ning Zhao was sitting cross-legged and meditating, bathed in the moonlight. Two wisps of Spirit Qi circled her body and gave off a dim glow.

Lu Fan leaned against the window and shifted his gaze to a green-tiled space further away. He could see the shadow of a whip as the maid with a foxy face, Yi Yue, emanated Qi and blood under the night sky. Sweat poured down her face.

She was going to train herself hard and become a First-Tier practitioner as soon as possible, so that the Young Master would also gift an immortal encounter to her.

Beside the green-tiled space, Ni Yu hugged a lunchbox, her little chin resting on it. She was snoring away, and saliva dribbled down the corner of her mouth.

Lu Fan smiled warmly.

This scene was both beautiful and heartwarming.

"Sidequest activated."

The system message broke the heartwarming scene in front of him. Lu Fan was stunned. He hadn't been thinking about anything at all, and suddenly a side quest had been activated from out of nowhere.

The stats page popped up by itself.

[Host: Lu Fan]

[Title: Qi Refiner (Permanent)]

[Refined Qi Level: 1 (Level 2 progress: 10/100 wisps)]

[Soul Strength: 6.5]

[Physique Strength: 0.5]

[Spirit Qi: 1 wisp]

[Transformation Reward: Fantasy Creation Qi Refining Manual]

[Current World Ranking: Wuhuang Continent (Low-Level Martial World)]

[Access: Quests, Dao Imparting Platform, Spirit Qi Deployment]

[Sub-Access: All-Method Furnace (Level 1)]

According to the stats page, Lu Fan's Soul Strength had hit 6.5. This was the highest it had ever been.

He had added all five available points he had received as a transformation reward to his Soul Strength.

If he could get another 2.5 points, then he would have nine points of Soul Strength.

According to the Fantasy Creation Refining Qi Manual, nine points of his Soul Strength could be exchanged for 90 wisps of Spirit Qi.

Along with the 10 wisps that were first added from his legs, that would make a total of exactly 100 wisps, and he would reach the next level of Refined Qi.

He looked back at the stats page.

Lu Fan focused his eyes on the word "Quests." This word had started blinking, becoming dim, then bright, then dim again.

Lu Fan narrowed his eyes.

After a low grunt, he stopped hesitating.

He shifted his consciousness and entered the Quests zone.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 15: I Am a Martial Arts Practitioner; I Don't Believe in Immortals or Deities

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The sudden activation of a quest took Lu Fan by surprise.

But then again, a new quest was a good thing. Completing quests earned rewards that could help him reach the next level of his Refined Qi.

Lu Fan rubbed his hands together as he continued to lean against the intricately carved window, starting to get a little excited about this.

He felt a nervous anticipation, akin to the feeling of scratching a lottery ticket.

He wondered what mission he would get this time.

His consciousness dived into the Quests zone.

In the next moment, everything went dark, and a whole bunch of messages from the system popped up.

Besides that familiar main quest, anyway.

Lu Fan's eyes fell immediately on the new side quests that had appeared.

[Quest explanation: As the power behind building this fantasy world, you need to possess vast knowledge and an excellent foundation.]

[Sidequest 1: Develop five transfusion techniques or martial arts moves (Current quest progress: 0/5).]

[Sidequest 2: Create Supreme Power from nothing (Current quest progress: Not started).]

[Sidequest 3: Save the exiled Daoist disciple, Nie Changqing, from being assassinated by a Daoist assassin and gain his loyalty.]

The three side quests were like three hammer blows to the head, and Lu Fan was stunned for several moments.

After he finished reading all the side quests, he fell into deep thought.

These three missions could be done all at the same time, but each mission was fairly difficult in itself.

Just the first mission alone required him to develop five transfusion techniques, which meant that he had to find five different techniques and use his Spirit Qi to develop them.

The problem of Spirit Qi was easily solved. Lu Fan had 6.5 points of Soul Strength and could exchange them for 60 wisps of Spirit Qi, so he had plenty to spare.

The bigger problem was… Where on earth was he going to find so many transfusion techniques?

There was still that second mission.

"Create Supreme Power from nothing."

The system itself said it was from nothing, so how the hell was he going to create it?

And what was "Supreme Power," anyway?

He had heard it referenced as a power that was mysterious, high above all others, and looked down upon the whole world. It was also the strongest ability of martial arts, and it struck fear in everyone's hearts. A power that could hold the world in its palm and control everything in it—that was Supreme Power.

But Lu Fan could understand where the system was coming from. To build this fantasy world, he had to start by creating a power that belonged to him. This would be the only way to make sure he was not controlled or restricted by anything else, and he could do whatever he wanted.

Lu Fan scratched his head in frustration.

While the Wuhuang Continent might have been only a Low-Level Martial World, it wasn't a simple world at all.

There were so many mysterious sects and clans within the Hundred Schools of Philosophy, but Lu Fan's current power wasn't even enough to go against Great Zhou alone.

Even though he had a maid at the Grandmaster level, Ning Zhao…

This was far from enough.

Lu Fan took in a deep breath and refocused. The third mission had aroused his curiosity.

"Exiled Daoist disciple, Nie Changqing? I have to save him, then get him to follow me…" Lu Fan fell back into deep thought.

Compared to the first two, the third one looked much easier.

This Nie Changqing was that Beiluo City butcher who had been randomly dragged into the Dao Imparting Platform, and so Lu Fan was more confident about this mission.

It was getting late.

Lu Fan decided not to think about these things anymore. He yawned a few times and stretched lazily.

He smiled at the maids outside his window.

"Ladies, going to sleep and waking up early is good for your complexion."

Lu Fan flashed a smile, then walked away from the window.

Ning Zhao, who was still sitting cross-legged on top of the green-tiled roof, fluttered her eyelashes and opened her eyes. Her eyes were as pretty as a painting, and Lu Fan's voice continued to echo in her ears. She pursed her lips slightly and smiled faintly.

Further out, Yi Yue put away her long whip. Her skin was slightly ruddy, and she was drenched in sweat.

Meanwhile, Ni Yu licked her lips in her dream. Her chin slid off the lunchbox, jolting her awake.

…

The night went by in silence.

The next morning, the beautiful sunshine shone in through the intricately carved window.

Lu Fan opened his eyes and got out of bed.

The moment she heard a sound in the room, Ning Zhao, who had been waiting outside his door, pushed the door open and walked in.

Yi Yue and Ni Yu followed closely behind her.

Ni Yu's little face was all red. She had her sleeves rolled up, and she was hugging a bronze basin filled with hot water that had just been boiled.

"Young Master has awoken? We will help you with washing up." Ning Zhao smiled gently.

Yi Yue was holding a wooden tray that held plain porridge, a few side dishes, and a small mound of salt.

The salt was for washing up, while the porridge and side dishes were for breakfast.

This service was exactly what he needed.

Lu Fan's lips twitched a little.

The last couple of days had been… Well, a little messy.

After he washed up, he had breakfast.

Ning Zhao pushed Lu Fan out of the room in his wheelchair, while Ni Yu held up the umbrella as always, and Yi Yue walked along at his side.

In the garden, Lu Changkong was dressed in a long robe as he watered the plants. The strong smell of blood he had carried away from the battlefield had faded, and he no longer gave off that murderous aura.

The sound of the wooden wheels creaking against the ground made Lu Changkong stop what he was doing.

"Father, you've settled the siege of the city?" Lu Fan smiled from his seat in the wheelchair. The woolen blanket had been placed back over his legs.

Lu Changkong looked at Lu Fan with searching eyes.

"It's all thanks to Ning Zhao. Otherwise, Beiluo City would be in ruins right now." Lu Changkong sighed deeply.

He had been too careless. If Ning Zhao hadn't come out to help, then Tantai Xuan would have conquered Beiluo City. The rebels would have broken through the last defense that Great Zhou had, and nothing would have stopped them from attacking the capital city. The consequences of that were too terrible to even think about.

"Ning Zhao told me everything. She said she was able to rise to the Grandmaster level because of this Spirit Qi. Is there really Spirit Qi in this world?" Lu Changkong asked, narrowing his eyes.

He had thought about this for the entire night. But he was a martial arts practitioner, after all, and he didn't believe in immortals.

"Of course there's Spirit Qi. Doesn't Sister Ning's sudden breakthrough prove it?"

Lu Fan's lips curled upward.

"Father, I had an immortal encounter, and now I can walk and even cultivate, so all of this is good news."

Lu Changkong also smiled and flicked his hands to clear away the droplets of water.

"Having an immortal encounter… Of course it is a good thing, but Fan'er, I still want to warn you. Don't trust other people too easily. You must learn how to protect yourself," Lu Changkong said to him sternly.

Immortal encounter? Was there really something like that in this world?

He was afraid that the change in Lu Fan was because of the Yinyang Clan, or some scheme by a strong fighter from one of those secretive clans from the Hundred Schools of Philosophy.

"I know what to do." Lu Fan nodded. He knew what Lu Changkong was worried about, so he didn't try explaining. Many things would only get worse if he explained.

He tapped a finger lightly on the woolen throw.

Suddenly, Lu Fan looked up at Lu Changkong.

"Father, I have something to ask of you," Lu Fan said.

Lu Changkong raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"I would like to create my own branch of power," Lu Fan replied very calmly.

Hmm?

A glint flashed in Lu Changkong's eyes.

Ning Zhao and Yi Yue also narrowed their eyes from behind the wheelchair.

The Young Master had just received this immortal encounter, and he was already going to step into this chaotic world?

"Father, this world is only going to get messier, so I need to develop power… Think of it as a form of self-defense."

After thinking it through, Lu Fan decided that self-defense was a pretty good justification. His father couldn't possibly say that he was going to use it to make trouble, right?

He was weaker than the wind, and he had little strength in his hands. So there was nothing wrong with creating a branch of power to protect himself.

"This world is indeed becoming messier… It seemed like those Grandmasters merely defected to the enemy camp, but I'm sure there's a greater power behind all of this," Lu Changkong said. He took in a deep breath.

"Isn't having Ning Zhao enough for you?" Lu Changkong looked at Lu Fan. If he just needed to protect himself, Ning Zhao should be enough.

Ning Zhao's abilities couldn't match a Grandmaster with Eight or Nine Resonances.

But among the Grandmasters with One or Two Resonances, she was quite terrifying.

Ning Zhao didn't say anything. She was an intelligent girl, and she knew that she only had to listen obediently when her Young Master and Master were talking.

"They're not enough. Sister Ning is only at the Second Stage of the Qi Core Realm… That's way too far off," Lu Fan said, shaking his head.

Ning Zhao looked slightly taken aback at these words. She had great confidence in her cultivation level. This Second Stage Qi Core Realm was enough to strike down four Grandmasters with Two Resonances, so it was already very powerful.

Lu Fan's words made her feel a little disappointed and also a little indignant.

Lu Changkong narrowed his eyes. "Qi Core Realm?"

"The Qi Core Realm is the first realm level for cultivators. Take Sister Ning's dantian as an example—she can only take a maximum of nine wisps of Spirit Qi now. Every time she gets one more wisp, she will progress by one stage," Lu Fan explained.

Lu Changkong fell silent.

Whatever Lu Fan was saying was a completely new system of cultivation. It came as quite a shock to him, and he wasn't able to comprehend it.

After a long time, he finally let out a sigh.

"Fan'er, this Spirit Qi is like an illusion—like looking at flowers in the mirror or the moon in the water. It could appear now and then disappear once it has been used up. A strong physical body is the only thing you can rely on."

"I've never cared about Spirit Qi. I've relied only on my own Qi and blood to get where I am today. I am a martial arts practitioner, and I don't believe in immortals or deities. I only believe in the Qi and blood of my body and my fists," Lu Changkong said, his voice very serious and sincere.

Ning Zhao, standing behind Lu Fan's wheelchair, started to say something. She wanted to refute the master's words, but she stopped herself.

Lu Fan waved his hand, and Ning Zhao kept her mouth closed.

Lu Fan smiled at his father.

He didn't argue or try to explain.

Instead, he grabbed Lu Changkong's hand.

"Activate Access to Spirit Qi Deployment."

"Deployment target: Lu Changkong."

A sudden gust of wind rolled through the garden, billowing Lu Changkong's long robe.

His eyes brightened.

He could feel a strange flow of Qi running through his arm and entering his body, combining itself with his Qi and blood. It filled his entire body and finally collected in his dantian.

It was as if a restraint on his body had been smashed to pieces by this Spirit Qi.

Lu Changkong's energy, mind, and spirit… They were now expanding like crazy.

The sudden rush of energy completely flattered the plants in the garden, and Ning Zhao took a step forward to protect Lu Fan.

Ni Yu hid behind Yi Yue and watched with large eyes. She was both excited and curious.

After some time, Lu Changkong regained control of the aura emanating from his body.

His face returned to normal, and he put his hands behind his back and looked at Lu Fan, his gaze seemingly conflicted.

"Father, how do you feel?" Lu Fan asked, still seated in his wheelchair.

Lu Changkong kept his expression calm. He wanted to insist on continuing in his ways and claim that Qi and blood were the correct path. He wanted to hold onto everything he had always believed in.

He wanted to be as immovable as a mountain.

He…

He hesitated. The words reached his lips, but they instantly changed in tone.

"This Spirit Qi… is simply amazing! It feels great!"

"Son, why don't you give me another wisp?"

Lu Fan gaped as he looked at his suddenly enthused father.

He didn't say anything.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 16: I, Ni Yu, Want to Cultivate and Become an Immortal!

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Lu Fan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His father's attitude had turned around much too quickly, hadn't it?

But one had to experience Spirit Qi himself to fully understand what it was like.

The higher a martial arts practitioner advanced, the more passionately they would feel about Spirit Qi. The existence of Spirit Qi was as good as allowing these martial arts practitioners, who had reached the limits of their skills, to see new hope and light.

This made it possible for them to accept a new method of cultivation.

"Father, Spirit Qi is good, but you have to be able to completely control it and use it properly before it will benefit you. If you take in too much Spirit Qi at once, it won't do you very much good. It will be a hindrance to you because you didn't build a good foundation before trying to increase your level."

"Just like Sister Ning—if Sister Ning had been able to completely control her one wisp of Spirit Qi, then she could have taken on those four enemies by herself at the bottom of the city wall yesterday and still struck all four of the Grandmasters down. But because Sister Ning's grasp of Spirit Qi still isn't refined enough, she needed a second wisp of Spirit Qi in her dantian to be able to manage the four of them herself," Lu Fan said.

"So for a very long time after this, I won't give Sister Ning any assistance at all unless she manages to fully grasp those two wisps of Spirit Qi."

Ning Zhao stood behind Lu Fan, looking ashamed of herself.

"I would like to thank you for your guidance, Young Master." She was indeed rather unhappy with her performance the day before.

Lu Changkong fell into deep thought. Now that he could feel the Spirit Qi in his dantian, he could truly understand how powerful this new energy was.

"What you said makes sense. It is mind over matter, after all. Spirit Qi is much like Qi and blood in that each person needs to be able to control their own strength." Lu Changkong lowered his head slightly.

He had been a Grandmaster for a long time now, so his understanding of martial arts was much deeper than Ning Zhao's.

"So, Father… What about helping me create my own branch of power?" Lu Fan asked, his eyes burning bright.

Lu Changkong was taken by surprise. He chuckled.

He looked carefully at Lu Fan. Did this boy really want to create his own power only to protect himself?

"What do you need?" Lu Changkong asked.

Lu Fan's lips curled up slightly. He leaned back in the wheelchair with one hand supporting his chin and the other lightly tapping the woolen throw that covered his legs.

"Not much. I just need a piece of land and a building."

Lu Changkong narrowed his eyes and waved his hands. "If you want land, I don't have any. Your father is the City Master, and I don't tolerate corrupt practices or bribery, so I have no land for you…"

"But the Chen family has a piece of land on the east side of the city. You can check with them. Tell them that your use of their land will count as the Chen family beginning to repay their debt."

Lu Changkong's words made Lu Fan chuckle. His eyes lit up a little. The three major aristocratic families had been in cahoots with Tantai Xuan, so they had completely fallen out with the Lu's as well as Great Zhou. It was payback time.

Throughout his life, people from the three aristocratic families had made fun of Lu Fan so happily. In so doing, they had caused severe emotional trauma to the young man.

So now, Lu Fan felt that he ought to get some compensation for this emotional damage.

"Fan'er, do you need me to gather a troop of bodyguards for you?" Lu Changkong asked. If Lu Fan wanted to create his own power, he couldn't do it without people.

"No need. My power lies in quality, not in quantity." Lu Fan smiled faintly and instructed Ning Zhao to push him out of the garden.

Yi Yue and Ni Yu hurriedly ran to catch up with them.

"Oh, by the way, Father, could you make a copy of your transfusion technique manual for me? It would be of great use to me," Lu Fan called over his shoulder.

Lu Changkong folded his hands behind his back and watched as Lu Fan, sitting in his wheelchair, was pushed into the distance and eventually disappeared around the corner. There was a flickering glow in his eyes.

"Immortal encounters and Spirit Qi…

"This world is going to get complicated."

…

Ning Zhao pushed Lu Fan out of Lu Manor.

Ni Yu held onto the umbrella. She had to start running a little as she sheltered Lu Fan from the sun.

Suddenly, she started to say something, then stopped herself.

"Young Master…"

Lu Fan, resting in his wheelchair, opened his eyes slightly. He glanced at Ni Yu from the corner of his eye and made a slightly nasal sound.

"Hmm?"

Ni Yu's chest, which was as flat as a board, started to move up and down slightly. Finally, she looked like she had made a decision.

"I, Ni Yu, want to follow you and cultivate to become an immortal!"

She felt that if she continued like this and didn't improve herself, she could lose the right to be the Young Master's maid.

"Oh?" Lu Fan hadn't expected Ni Yu to show such ambition.

Ning Zhao and Yi Yue were also taken by surprise.

"You say you want to cultivate as well, but your martial arts skills are poor, your body is weak, and you're a lazy girl. Tell me… What are you good at?" Lu Fan replied with a laugh.

Ni Yu gripped the umbrella tighter, her face all red from holding her anger in. The Young Master's words were very hurtful.

But after stammering for a long time, she realized she had no idea what she was good at.

In the end…

She twisted her mouth and declared, "Young Master, I… I am good at eating!"

Lu Fan paused for a moment before he burst out laughing.

Yi Yue and Ning Zhao also covered their mouths, laughing quietly and elegantly.

Ni Yu felt completely defeated.

Lu Fan chuckled for a while. He reached out a hand to tousle Ni Yu's hair.

"It's a blessing to have food to eat. Don't be anxious. Your Young Master will bring you along so you can eat and cultivate at the same time."

Ni Yu's eyes immediately brightened.

After leaving Lu Manor, Ning Zhao continued pushing Lu Fan slowly along the pavement.

"Young Master, where are we going now?" Ning Zhao asked, her voice flowing like water.

"Are we going to the residences of the three major aristocratic families?" Yi Yue cut in.

But Lu Fan shook his head. He sounded a little lazy when he spoke.

"We're going to look for a butcher's stall," Lu Fan said calmly, leaning his head back and playing with his slender fingers.

A butcher stall?

Ning Zhao's eyebrows rose when she heard Lu Fan's response. She thought she had misheard. Wasn't the Young Master going to make trouble for the three aristocratic families?

How had this become a visit to a butcher?

"Young Master, you want to eat pork?" Ni Yu's eyes instantly lit up when she heard the mention of a butcher.

When it came to eating, she was the expert.

"No, I'm going to the stall to speak to someone." Lu Fan's lips twitched a little.

"Young Master, there are many butchers in Beiluo City. Which stall belongs to the person you're looking for? The stall in the east of the city? Or the west? Or the south? There are also several butcher stalls downtown, so which one are you referring to, Young Master?" Ni Yu rambled on and on.

Lu Fan glanced expressionlessly at the overly-excited Ni Yu.

"You have so much to say… Lead the way. Every time we reach the wrong one, you will have to miss one meal."

Ni Yu was speechless.

Was her Young Master a demon? Hadn't he just said it was a blessing to have food to eat?!

When they saw how hopeless Ni Yu looked, Ning Zhao and Yi Yue couldn't hold their laughter in anymore and started chortling.

…

"Boss, give me half a pound of meat and mince it for me, if you will. My wife is making dumplings and minced pork noodles tonight!" shouted a smiling man. His coarsely-made, dirt-smeared clothing marked him as a farmer.

There were several pieces of pork, striped red and white, all chopped up and hung in front of the stall. The slabs had been hung up neatly in rows, like a forest of meat.

Behind the stall, two people sat on low wooden stools, waiting for customers to approach them.

One was a middle-aged man wearing an apron that reeked of raw pork. The other one was a child with a large head who looked four or five years old.

When he saw the customer approaching, the middle-aged man stood up and turned to the child.

"Shuang'er, stand back."

The large-headed child nodded obediently. His large eyes blinked, looking completely out of place in this forest of bloody meat.

Whoosh…

The heavy cleaver resting on the chopping board swiftly started spinning, creating a gust of cold, pungent wind as the middle-aged man spun it around a finger.

He chopped a piece of pork off of a larger slab. The man didn't even weigh it. It was as if he had already weighed it beforehand. He proceeded to skin it and get rid of any hairs or excess blood.

The knife glinted brilliantly as it danced over the piece of pork. There was something almost mesmerizing about the way it moved, flashing in the light.

Thwack, thwack…

The sound of pork being minced followed.

In no time, the pork had been diced and minced. The man turned the knife on its side, pulled out a lotus leaf, and used the leaf to wrap up the minced meat. He tied it up with a leaf stem. Then he threw the minced pork to the customer and completed the transaction.

After that, the man violently slammed the cleaver back into the chopping board, wiped both hands on his apron, and turned to walk back to the large-headed young boy.

The customer caught the pork, checked the weight with his hands, and left.

"Father, another customer is here," the large-headed boy said in his childlike voice. He suddenly pointed into the distance.

The older man suddenly shuddered. He turned his head abruptly.

The wheels of the wheelchair rolled against the slightly-sticky surface of the ground. They made a strange noise, like the sound that one made when munching in a particularly chewy rice cake.

The man immediately shielded the large-headed boy. He had experienced much of the world and had many stories to tell, and he was now on high alert.

"After going through six butcher stalls in Beiluo City, I've finally found the right one…" came a calm voice.

The butcher saw a young man seated in a wheelchair with a woolen throw over his legs. An extremely beautiful maid was pushing him along. They came to a stop at the stall.

Sitting comfortably in his wheelchair, the young man smoothed out the thin blanket that was laid over his lap and smiled at the middle-aged man.

"The exiled Daoist disciple Nie Changqing… Is that you?" the young man asked the middle-aged man, who was still protecting the large-headed boy.

The middle-aged man's eyes immediately narrowed, and murderous air seemed to rush out of his body.

"Oho, it looks like I've finally found the right person." The young man tilted his head and laughed quietly.

Behind the butcher stall, the murderous air emanating from Nie Changqing slowly filled the space around him as he continued to shield the large-headed boy behind him.

"Were you sent here by the Daoists? It's been so many years, but you still wouldn't let me and my son go free." Nie Changqing's voice became a little hoarse with bitterness and anger.

He had already reached around to grab the handle of the thick cleaver stuck in the chopping board, and the veins in his large hand started to pop as he gripped it.

Lu Fan remained in his wheelchair. His lips twitched a little when he heard what Nie Changqing said. He used one hand to support his chin and raised his eyebrows a little.

"Was I sent by the Daoists? Hmph. Are they worthy of my time?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 17: The One I Want Is You

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Studying the middle-aged man, Lu Fan raised his eyebrows a bit.

This man had a familiar aura. His body was almost identical to the vague silhouette composed by the Spirit Qi on the Dao Imparting Platform.

The man in front of him must be Nie Changqing.

Ning Zhao stepped up in front of Lu Fan to protect him. Her charming face darkened slightly.

This rather grizzled butcher somehow made her feel threatened.

Was he a Grandmaster? He didn't seem like one. The man's flow of Qi and blood seemed to be overly knotted and clogged.

There was someone so mysterious hiding in Beiluo City?

Yi Yue's small, delicate hand reached for the long whip at her waist. Her whole stance grew tense.

Since Yi Yue wasn't as powerful as Ning Zhao, she felt the gravity of this man's presence more strongly. A single glance from the grizzled butcher sent a chill down her spine, as if all her pores had closed and the flow of her Qi and blood had suddenly clogged up.

As for Ni Yu…

She acted as if her life had lost all meaning. She leaned against one side of Lu Fan's wheelchair with lusterless eyes.

Just because she had led them in the wrong direction a couple of times, she would be forced to skip meals!

Ni Yu wanted to slap herself for volunteering to guide them when the butcher's shop came up in conversation.

If she really couldn't eat for the next several days, she would starve to death for sure.

Her Young Master had just praised her for having a good appetite as a sign of good fortune, yet it hadn't taken him long to decide to starve her to death…

The Young Master was becoming worse and worse.

…

Nie Changqing eyed Lu Fan as he took the boy in his arms to protect him.

His gaze was suspicious. What Lu Fan had said puzzled him.

Lu Fan's words were overflowing with arrogance, yet the way he spoke made every word sound so natural, making perfect sense.

"You were not sent by the Daoists?" the butcher's hoarse voice once again echoed between the buildings.

Ning Zhao addressed him this time. "This is the Young Master of Beiluo City. He has nothing to do with the Daoists."

Lu Fan, sitting in the wheelchair, was still smiling. One hand held his chin, and he used the other to lightly tap on the woolen blanket covering his legs.

He didn't look at Nie Changqing. His gaze fell instead on the boy in Nie Changqing's protective arms.

The boy's eyes were as clear as a cloudless blue sky. Pure and spotless.

As the boy held his gaze, Lu Fan, who had always been proud of his self-claimed purity, flushed with shame.

The big-headed boy buried his head deeper in Nie Changqing's arms. He looked a little scared.

Maybe this was because Lu Fan's gaze was too strong.

"Young Master Lu! I had no idea the Young Master would stop by our tiny shop. How can I help you?"

Once he learned who Lu Fan was, Nie Changqing felt a little more at ease.

But he didn't completely relax his guard. How could Lu Fan know that he was an outcast of Daoism? He had been hiding in Beiluo City under an assumed identity for five years. Nobody was supposed to know his whereabouts.

To protect Nie Shuang, he had even changed the boy's name to "Nie Rourong."

Yet here Lu Fan was! He had found him!

Nie Changqing wasn't sure if Lu Fan had anything to do with the Daoists.

"What's his name?" Lu Fan gestured to the boy in Nie Changqing's arms with a half-smile.

Alarmed, Nie Changqing clutched the boy a little tighter. The boy's head was buried in Nie Changqing's greasy, bloody apron.

"Young Master Lu, my son's vulgar name is nothing good. You don't need to worry about it."

It was pretty obvious that Nie Changqing didn't want to share the information.

Lu Fan's smile faded. He regarded Nie Changqing with a serious look in his eyes.

"As the saying goes, 'once you are part of the martial arts world, it's impossible to keep it to yourself.' You think hiding and taking on a different identity can bring you peace for the rest of your life? Even if you don't face the truth for yourself, can't you face it for your son?"

Lu Fan addressed these questions to Nie Changqing.

"Do you want your son to end up inheriting your butcher's knife and live as an ordinary butcher the rest of his life, reeking of blood and grease?"

Nie Changqing was stunned.

He hadn't expected Lu Fan to give him a speech like that.

But instead of arguing back, Nie Changqing fell silent. He patted his son's head, lost for a second.

"Living as an ordinary butcher… What's wrong with that? Isn't living a peaceful, stable life what parents want the most for their children?" Nie Changqing asked, his tone bitter.

Lu Fan squinted.

He didn't respond to Nie Changqing. Instead, he shifted his gaze to the boy.

"Hey, little buddy. Tell me, do you want to be a butcher when you grow up?" Lu Fan asked with a smile.

In Nie Changqing's arms, Nie Shuang turned around and looked at Lu Fan with his huge, bright eyes. A smart kid.

"No… I don't."

"Shuang'er…" Nie Changqing looked at his son in surprise.

The little boy looked up at Nie Changqing with a determined, serious look. "Father doesn't like being a butcher. If Father doesn't like it, Shuang'er won't like it either."

The boy spoke sincerely.

Gazing at his son's face, Nie Changqing felt as if his heart had been grasped tightly by an invisible hand.

Leaning back in his wheelchair, Lu Fan straightened the thin woolen blanket on his legs.

"He is a piece of true gold, yet you'd rather hide him and let him collect dust. That's a crime, you know?" Lu Fan said in a soft voice.

Neither Ning Zhao or Yi Yue knew what to say.

After all, their Young Master had earned the approval of the Imperial Advisor. Each word he spoke showed power indeed.

Even Ni Yu, who had been in low spirits the whole time, suddenly got her energy back.

"I am also a piece of true gold! My Young Master left me to collect dust! This is a c-crime!" Ni Yu's cute little face was flushed red with excitement.

The corners of Lu Fan's mouth twitched.

He glanced at Yi Yue. "Shut up. Talk again, and I'll smack you!"

Ni Yu shivered and hurriedly covered her mouth.

The Young Master acted so cruelly. It hurt her feelings so much, as if her heart had been pierced by an arrow.

Her eyes filled with tears.

Ni Yu pounded her chest and stomped futilely, sobs rising in her throat until she couldn't talk anymore.

Nie Changqing didn't say a word.

After a long moment, he finally started talking in a hoarse voice.

"So… You see something in my son and want to train him, Young Master Lu?"

The big-headed boy, Nie Shuang, was staring at Lu Fan with his bright eyes.

He had spent his life looking out at the outside world. He wanted to be strong and powerful, like an eagle soaring high in the sky, so he could go look for his mother!

Sitting in the wheelchair, Lu Fan raised one corner of his mouth, looking the boy up and down with appreciation.

A moment later, he spoke again. "Nope. The one I want is you."

Silence fell—sudden, chilling silence.

The big-headed boy's bright eyes were filmed with a sudden shock.

He froze.

Now, he perhaps felt a bit more empathy for the sad little maid.

Nie Changqing was also surprised. He seemed to be confused too.

A moment later, however, his face twitched a little. "Young Master Lu, I'm afraid I have to say no. My heart belongs elsewhere."

Now it was Lu Fan's turn to be surprised.

"My little shop closes early today. I'm sorry," Nie Changqing said.

The next thing they knew, the meat hanging at the shop was quickly being taken down and put in a basket. Nie Changqing pulled the basket over his shoulder and headed out with his son. His footsteps, muffled by straw sandals, faded quickly down a little alley on one side of the street.

As she watched Nie Changqing run away, Ning Zhao hesitated. She turned to Lu Fan with a strange look on her face.

"Young Master, do you want me to catch him for you?"

Resting against the back of the wheelchair, Lu Fan lightly rubbed his beardless chin as the corners of his mouth curved into a smile.

"No hurry. Sooner or later, he will understand."

…

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The weather suddenly changed.

Heavy, depressing clouds were approaching. Huge drops of rain fell and hit the ground, splashing in the dirt and sending up steam.

Nie Changqing tied a rain hat on Nie Shuang's head, shielding him from some of the downpour.

He wiped the rain off his face and stepped back onto the road. He was holding Nie Shuang's hand and carrying the basket on his back. They walked on the street paved with black stones, heading toward a shabby little house deep in a small alley.

Suddenly, Nie Changqing paused.

The rain was getting heavier. The sound of raindrops kept being interrupted by the crashes of thunder. Newly-formed mist blurred the world. Everything grew more and more surreal.

In front of the shabby little house at the end of the alley, three men wearing straw rain capes and hats waited.

The mist blurred their shapes.

"Shuang'er!" Nie Changqing yelled into the rain. He kept his face impassive, lightly squeezing Nie Shuang's tiny, cold hand with his own. "When I tell you to run, you turn around and run! Remember, don't look back, no matter what."

Nie Shuang was a smart boy. He pressed his lips into a line.

Boom!

A deafening roll of thunder cracked the sky.

Nie Changqing's voice was as loud as the thunder.

"Shuang'er! Run!"

Without hesitation, Nie Shuang turned around and ran, his hands tightly holding his rain hat.

Nie Changqing dropped his basket, spilling the chunks of meat. The ground was covered in red and white. He lifted a sharp, shining butcher's knife from the bottom of the basket.

He stepped forward with his sandal-clad feet, splashing through puddles of rain.

At the end of the alley, one of the three men stayed still. The other two dashed toward Nie Changqing.

Under their rain capes, blinding silver blades cut open the rain-heavy air.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 18: Daoist No. 9

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Raindrops pelted the ground, sending splashes two feet into the air.

Butcher's knife in hand, Nie Changqing stared ahead with bloodshot eyes. The rain slithered along his face like earthworms until they dripped off his jaw.

He looked angry and unwilling to accept what was coming. He was seething with fury.

What he'd known would come sooner or later had finally happened. It had been five years. He couldn't hide from this after all.

Blinding silver blades flashed through the grey, covering the sound of the rain as if the raindrops had all been cut in half.

He heard the rapid thumps of footsteps.

Nie Changqing growled as he swung his butcher's knife in a semicircle.

The Qi and blood of the two assassins were so strong that the raindrops around them exploded out under the force.

Clang! Clang!

Their silver blades met the butcher's knife.

The three of them fought and moved across the little alley, splashing through the puddles of water. A mixture of rain and blood reddened the ground before being washed away.

A deep, bone-exposing gash soon ran from Nie Changqing's shoulder to his lower abdomen, and blood flowed out over his clothes.

At the same time, however, the torso of one of the assassins slid off at the waist and hit the ground with a thump. Dead. Blood splattered around the two pieces of the corpse. The other assassin turned around and attempted another attack at Nie Changqing.

Nie Changqing's knife-holding hand started shaking.

Nie Shuang hadn't completely followed his father's order. He had turned around after several steps, only to see his father kill a man with the butcher's knife.

It turned out that the butcher's knife didn't just kill pigs. It could kill people too.

Nie Changqing's simple clothes were soaked in blood.

Young Nie Shuang was shaken in a way he had never been.

After all, he was still a child. Petrified in the rain, Nie Shuang cried and wailed himself hoarse in fear and worry.

Nie Changqing couldn't let himself be distracted.

If the assassins didn't die, he and Nie Shuang would.

The butcher's knife spun around his hand in a crazy, fierce, and seemingly random way. Yet it also appeared to be following its own rules.

The one remaining assassin had to keep backing up under the attacks of Nie Changqing's knife.

At the end of the little alley, the man who hadn't attacked made his move.

He stepped forward and took out a wooden flute. He started playing, and the music somehow obscured the heavy rain, filling the whole alley.

Flop.

Nie Changqing's butcher's knife slid through the assassin he had been fighting. Blood gushed everywhere.

Staggering, knife in hand, Nie Changqing stared at the man who was slowly walking forward. The rain kept falling along his face and dripping off his chin. His eyes were full of reluctance to accept what was coming for him.

"If you hear 'Song of the Waves,' the man before you is Daoist Number Nine, Han Lianxiao," Nie Changqing said as he gazed at the man through the filter of the rain.

The rain showed no sign of stopping.

Wearing a straw cape and hat as he played the wooden flute, Han Lianxiao walked quite slowly.

But before Nie Changqing knew it, the man was already in front of him.

The song ended.

Under the rain hat, there was a handsome face with well-kept sideburns.

"Daoist Number Ten, Unparalleled Knife… You've still got it! Even with the tendons in your hand permanently damaged, you still managed to kill two First-Tier martial arts practitioners! Junior Brother Nie, I have to say that as your Senior Brother, I am impressed!"

Han Lianxiao raised his wooden flute and pressed it against Nie Changqing's knife. An overwhelming flow of power forced Nie Changqing to press his knife against his own chest.

The words coming from Han Lianxiao's mouth sounded smooth and gentle, as if he were complimenting Nie Changqing. Yet he didn't miss the rich sarcasm in Han Lianxiao's tone.

"If the tendons in my hand were still intact, I could kill you with a single swing of my knife." Nie Changqing coughed up blood as he smiled bitterly at Han Lianxiao. His blood dripped along the wooden flute.

Han Lianxiao eyed the blood on his flute and furrowed his brows. "Bring Shuang'er and come with me. As long as you admit to His Excellency that you made a mistake, your life may be spared."

"Five years. I have the same answer for you… I didn't do anything wrong!" The blue veins in Nie Changqing's neck bulged.

"Then I have no choice but to take your corpse back and call it 'mission accomplished.'" Han Lianxiao let out a sigh.

A moment later, waves of Qi and blood surged through his whole body as five loud, clear Internal Blasting Resonances sounded.

The wooden flute pressed against the butcher's knife with incredible power.

Nie Changqing thought his soul was going to be broken into pieces.

More blood dripped over his lips.

His whole body was thrown backward. He touched down about five yards away in the rain on one knee, but his body was still sliding backward. He had to thrust his knife deeply into the black bricks under his feet, which made an awful grating sound as he finally slowed to a stop.

Nie Changqing staggered to his feet once again.

He wiped the mixture of rain and blood off his face, his butcher's knife tightly clenched in his hand.

The rain hat on Nie Shuang's head was crooked. Standing in the rain all by himself, he looked particularly lonely.

The downpour from the sky washed over his tiny body. He shook as he cried himself hoarse.

Han Lianxiao's handsome face was emotionless under his rain hat. He raised the wooden flute and lightly tossed it into the air.

In the next instant, he quickly slapped it.

The flute started swirling rapidly, splashing and stirring the rain around it as if it were a dragon made of water.

Thump!

Numerous sharp silver blades came out of the flute.

The whole thing was soaring at Nie Changqing in a storm of deadly metal.

Since the tendons in Nie Changqing's hand had been destroyed, he was no longer at the Grandmaster level.

There was no way he could counter the attack.

Then, Han Lianxiao raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Just as the grinder-like flute was about to kill Nie Changqing, a sword with a blade as thin as a cicada's wing flew out of nowhere. It looked almost transparent in the rain.

Slashing through the rain, the sword made a clear sound.

Ping!

The sword hit the wooden flute, knocking it backward.

The blades retreated as Han Lianxiao took the flute back in his hand.

Next to Nie Changqing, a beautiful woman in a long silk dress appeared. In one hand, she held an oil-paper umbrella, and in the other, she held the Cicada Wing Sword.

"Trying to murder a person in Beiluo City? And someone I've asked to join my service, at that? Well, well, well… You are completely ignoring me! I'm the Young Master of Beiluo City."

The voice had a casual, even drowsy tone to it.

The sound of wooden wheels rolled down the alley.

Han Lianxiao frowned and glanced forward.

In the rainy alley, a young man in a wheelchair with rosy lips and bright-white teeth was moving toward him. One maid stood on each side of him, each holding an oil-paper umbrella. Despite the rain, they looked as if they were merely out for a walk.

The wheelchair stopped next to Nie Shuang, who was crying and wailing.

Lu Fan turned to Nie Shuang, the corners of his lips slightly raised.

"Hey, little buddy. Are you happy to see me, your big brother?" Lu Fan asked the boy.

Nie Shuang's eyes were red and swollen. Still sobbing, he looked quite confused and lost.

Still, he responded to Lu Fan's question in a small, childlike voice that was still quavering. "Y-yeah! I'm happy to see you."

Lu Fan pleasantly raised his brows. "How happy?"

Nie Shuang seemed unsure how to respond.

He paused.

Lu Fan smiled. "I'm here to save your father. Are you happy?"

Nie Shuang realized what was going on and suddenly knelt in front of Lu Fan. He started bowing, ignoring the wet, hard ground. The straw rain hat toppled off his head, unnoticed.

"Please, Young Master, save my father!" Nie Shuang's hoarse voice still sounded tearful.

Lu Fan nodded slightly from the wheelchair.

He shifted his gaze to Han Lianxiao in the distance.

"You heard him. I promised this little guy. So, would you let his father go for my sake?" Lu Fan gave the man a faint smile.

Holding his wooden flute in one hand, Han Lianxiao raised his other hand to stroke one of his sideburns. He glanced over Lu Fan out of the corner of his eye and raised one side of his mouth slightly in contempt.

"So you are the Young Master of Beiluo City." His voice was gentle and soft.

Lu Fan smiled, and Han Lianxiao returned the favor. Gazing serenely at each other, they looked like two friends who'd known each other for years.

Han Lianxiao's low, pleasant voice echoed in the alley.

He sounded as if he were greeting an old friend.

"If your father, Lu Changkong, were here, I might consider doing so for his sake."

"As for you, Young Master Lu, you just aren't worth the favor."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 19: I'm a Cultivator. This Is Spirit Pressure

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The patter of raindrops continued.

The rain filmed the whole world with a layer of mist, leaving everything blurred and grey.

In the small alley, raindrops kept hitting the black stones of the street, splashing high.

Yi Yue, holding the umbrella, had a look of disbelief on her foxy face.

Ni Yu's eyes were wide, too. Her mouth was in the shape of an "O" as she gazed at the handsome man wearing a straw cape and hat in front of them.

This guy… How dare he say something like that?

The Young Master was nothing if not petty. This wouldn't end well.

Lu Fan narrowed his eyes. He looked at Han Lianxiao through the filter of rain pouring from the edge of the oil-paper umbrella. Han Lianxiao's smile became hazy.

Lu Fan laughed. He clapped his hands softly.

"That makes sense. I'm just a paralyzed scholar who appears to know nothing more than poem-writing and girl-chasing. It is bold indeed for me to ask for a favor like that of you," Lu Fan responded.

Han Lianxiao raised his eyebrows a little.

Everyone said that because of his paralyzed legs, Lu Changkong's son was easily irritated and bad-tempered. Yet, based on what Lu Fan had just said, it seemed that the rumors were unreliable.

He actually seemed like a very good-tempered guy.

"Since you have made such an accurate evaluation of yourself, Young Master Lu, you might as well get out of the way." Han Lianxiao motioned gently with the wooden flute.

His voice was soft, but his tone was cold and heartless.

Nie Changqing staggered to his feet.

Blood was still leaking from the corner of his mouth, and his face was pale from the cold rain.

"Young Master Lu, I appreciate that you came to help, but this is my problem. It won't do you any good to get involved."

Nie Changqing's voice trembled a bit.

"Yet I do have only one favor to ask you, Young Master Lu. I humbly beg that you take my son. He's just a child. He's innocent."

Sitting in his wheelchair, Lu Fan held his chin with one hand and flipped some raindrops off his thin woolen blanket with the other.

The little alley was cramped and extremely narrow, just like the dark, cloudy sky above it.

"Junior Brother Nie, now you are drawing Young Master Lu into something he doesn't need to be involved in. His Excellency's order was to take you and Shuang'er back. Particularly Shuang'er. His Excellency has been missing him a lot."

Han Lianxiao flipped the raindrops off his wooden flute as he spoke.

Although his voice was still cordial, the authoritative tone was hard to miss.

Nie Changqing's face reddened with anger. He stared at Han Lianxiao, his eyes growing wide and intense.

No wonder Han Lianxiao had shown up here. He had come for Nie Shuang!

Slap!

Lu Fan struck one of the armrests of his wheelchair, producing a loud cracking noise.

The explosive sound was like a clap of thunder in the rainy little alley.

Ni Yu jumped.

Yi Yue was startled too. Ning Zhao, who stood at the very front of the group, raised her Cicada Wing Sword a little. Her Qi and blood, along with her Spirit Qi, stirred. Her long silk dress and obsidian hair seemed to dance in the air.

Lu Fan raised one hand to slightly dab the corners of his eyes.

"A father's love is like no other. This kind of love always kills me. It reminds me of my kind father, who is now waiting for me to come home, safe and sound, and have a meal with him.

"It also reminds me of the saying, 'When the tree wants to remain still, the wind keeps blowing; when the child wants to take care of the parents, they're long gone.'"

Lu Fan looked down with his eyes full of sorrow. Then he looked back up and eyed Han Lianxiao. A dangerous smile crossed his lips.

"I almost forgot to ask where you came from, sir. In Beiluo City, what gave you the courage to refuse to do me a favor?"

Lu Fan's voice echoed in the narrow, rainy little alley.

Han Lianxiao frowned and stared at Lu Fan. The atmosphere in the alley was growing tenser with every passing second.

Lu Fan's stare made Han Lianxiao shiver.

Clenching his wooden flute tightly, he forced that budding chill to evaporate with his inner power, which was burning like a furnace.

"You hear 'Song of the Waves,' you see Daoist Number Nine, Han Lianxiao. I'm with the Daoists, one of the Hundred Schools of Philosophy," Han Lianxiao said.

Slap!

As soon as Han Lianxiao finished his sentence, Lu Fan slapped at the armrest again.

"D*mn it! Why didn't you tell me this earlier?"

"Judging from the pretentious way you carried yourself, I thought you were one of the Gold and Silver Guards sent by the Imperial Adviser from the Capital City to take Mr. Nie out. You had me worried!"

"A Daoist? Who the heck do you think you guys are? How dare you refuse to do me a favor in Beiluo City, my home?"

Leaning against the wheelchair, Lu Fan sneered at the man in contempt.

The alley was suddenly silent.

Nie Changqing stared at Lu Fan in shock.

He wasn't sure if Lu Fan was pretending he didn't know where Han Lianxiao came from, or if he truly had no idea.

Regardless, could Lu Fan have been any more of a snob and a bully?

A grin flashed across Yi Yue's foxy face. Ni Yu rolled her eyes. The Young Master was always like this, no matter what the situation.

Ning Zhao raised her sword. A string of raindrops fell off the tip of it. She pointed it right at Han Lianxiao.

Han Lianxiao's smile faded away. He stared at Lu Fan, seemingly confused about why Lu Fan was acting so presumptuously.

What did he have up his sleeve? This entry-level Grandmaster maid?

"Young Master Lu, what are you doing?" Han Lianxiao's tone became cold and annoyed.

"You talk too much." Lu Fan gestured with his hand. "Sister Ning, take care of him."

Buzz…

As soon as Lu Fan finished his sentence, the sword in Ning Zhao's hand started vibrating. Two streams of Spirit Qi in her Qi Core flared up like a flame in a furnace.

It was as if the sword was cutting the curtain of rain in two.

The blinding sword leapt for Han Lianxiao like a lightning bolt.

Raindrops continued to fall from Han Lianxiao's rain hat as the man ignored Ning Zhao's charge. Instead, he kept his eyes on Lu Fan.

"A Grandmaster maid. Lu Changkong has made some interesting arrangements for you, that's for sure. This maid's got some power. I heard that outside of Beiluo City's gate, her sword held back four Grandmasters…"

Han Lianxiao's face lit up again with a broad, amused smile.

He gently raised his wooden flute.

"Young Master Lu, you are not a Grandmaster yourself, so you may have some misunderstandings about the power of Grandmasters. As for the mysterious and powerful Hundred Schools of Philosophy, you know even less. Next to nothing, in fact."

"As for this maid of yours… Even though her Qi and blood seem pretty special, that doesn't give you the right to act with such outrageous arrogance."

Crack!

Han Lianxiao's wooden flute flashed out to meet the point of Ning Zhao's sword.

When they came into contact, Ning Zhao felt a chill run down her spine. Her eyes darkened.

The wooden flute suddenly split right where it met the sword.

Numerous tiny wooden strips laced themselves around the sword and ended up locking all of Ning Zhao's joints.

She couldn't move at all.

Ning Zhao's umbrella fell to her feet. The rain began to soak her whole body.

"When it comes to fighting experience, this maid of yours is a mere First Resonance Grandmaster. She's no match for me," Han Lianxiao said blithely.

He clasped his hands behind his back, completely ignoring the bound Ning Zhao.

As a First Resonance Grandmaster, it would take some time for her to escape the trap. Han Lianxiao had asked an expert who specialized in mechanisms to craft the mechanical lock in his wooden flute.

He started walking again, water splashing out from each step in miniature waves.

He locked his eyes on Lu Fan, stepping toward him. Arrogant superiority and cold pride radiated from the man. He looked like some deity who was prepared to act as judge, jury, and executioner for Lu Fan.

Nie Changqing raised his butcher knife.

Han Lianxiao casually slapped the knife away, barely stirring his Qi and blood to do so. It flew up into the air before clattering back to the ground.

Han Lianxiao didn't even look at Nie Changqing. In his eyes, Nie Changqing was worthless.

The tendons in his hand were destroyed, and his Qi and blood were pretty much dead.

The once-powerful Grandmaster swordsman was now no better than a First-Tier martial arts practitioner.

Han Lianxiao didn't have time for that. Instead, he kept walking toward Lu Fan with that same smile on his face.

"The heavy rain, a narrow alley, and a perfect night for killing. I've got the right time, place, and people around me. With everything in my favor, nobody will even know it if I kill you."

"If I don't, it'll be like wasting a perfect chance granted by heaven!"

Han Lianxiao's voice grew more chilling and creepy with every word. He made no effort to conceal his intent to murder them all.

"Now, let me introduce myself one more time. I'm Han Lianxiao, Daoist Number Nine, a Fifth Resonance Grandmaster."

He suddenly stomped.

Boom!

Water sprayed away from his stomp in seven-foot-high fountains, as if creating a storm.

Yi Yue's face changed dramatically. She grabbed her whip and hopped in front of Lu Fan.

But Han Lianxiao merely struck the rain with the flat of his hand, sending countless tiny raindrops into Yi Yue. She flew back, spitting out blood.

Now that Han Lianxiao had decided to kill Lu Fan, he wouldn't hesitate at all.

He was from the martial arts world, and Lu Fan was the son of the city master of Beiluo City, part of the emperor's forces.

Once he took action, there was no way out.

He couldn't afford to leave any evidence behind.

Though the Great Zhou Dynasty was in the middle of a crisis, the Imperial Adviser was still holding the Hundred Schools of Philosophy in check.

Han Lianxiao stared straight at Lu Fan in the wheelchair. Such sweet rosy lips and glowing white teeth!

In his eyes, Lu Fan was pathetic. In the face of death, the cripple couldn't even run in fear

because of his paralyzed legs.

"Die!" Han Lianxiao roared.

With a straightforward slap, he sent the raindrops before him hurtling forward. As the raindrops flew, he prepared to cut Lu Fan's throat with the edge of his fingers as a blade.

In the wheelchair, Lu Fan knitted his eyebrows tightly. The rain came at his face in the wind like tiny cold knives. His clothes were soaked. Behind him, Ni Yu's legs shook as she clutched the oil-paper umbrella in her arms.

But she didn't run.

She was simply staring at the frightening monster that Han Lianxiao had become.

Lu Fan breathed out and slowly closed his eyes.

Ning Zhao had failed, which was unexpected. But that wasn't all he had.

He could have given Ning Zhao more Spirit Qi. However…

This time, Lu Fan decided otherwise.

He focused his consciousness.

On the stats page, he withdrew five points from his 6.5 points of Soul Strength.

He could exchange one point of Soul Strength for 10 wisps of Spirit Qi.

Instantly, Lu Fan's Spirit Qi was boosted from zero to 50 wisps.

Then Lu Fan opened his eyes.

He looked straight into Han Lianxiao's eyes as Han Linxiao dashed toward him. Lu Fan's expression was impassive, unshakeable.

His Qi Core was like a furnace.

His consciousness was waving inside him. Lu Fan used the cultivation method of Daoist Spirit Transmission he had revised for Nie Changqing with the All-Method Furnace.

In the next second, Lu Fan could feel a reaction from the 50 wisps of Spirit Qi in his Qi Core.

Lu Fan still appeared to be sitting quietly in his wheelchair, yet 50 wisps of light blue Spirit Qi started flowing around him, intertwining.

Boom!

A tremendous pressure came out of nowhere.

When that pressure landed on Han Lianxiao, it drove him instantly to his belly on the wet ground in the little alley.

The ridiculous pressure made it almost impossible to look up.

One side of his face was pressed tightly against the ground, where water splashed up nonstop as if trying to get away from him.

His whole body was pinned to the ground. He couldn't move.

He was shaken.

"What… what is happening?!"

Han Lianxiao's eyes were full of disbelief, as if he had just seen a ghost.

In the center of the whirling Spirit Qi, Lu Fan gently wiped off the droplets of water that had landed on his thin woolen blanket. He glanced at Han Lianxiao, who was pinned to the ground with his legs splayed out awkwardly behind him.

Lu Fan casually leaned back into his wheelchair and gave the man a half-smile.

"I'm a cultivator. This is Spirit Pressure."

"An insignificant trick."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 20: He Is a Big Fat Liar

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The rain died down until it was nothing more than a fine drizzle. Like newly brewed white Maojian tea leaves in a cup, the raindrops danced in the night sky.

In the little alley, the scene had become exceedingly strange.

A handsome young man with rosy lips and beautiful white teeth was sitting in a wheelchair, leisurely holding his chin.

Streams of blue light whirled and intertwined around him. With the young man sitting in the center, it looked like a moving star system.

The last of the rain still misting from the sky was caught and dispersed by the Spirit Qi before it could even get close.

Everyone stared in silent awe.

Even the three maids who knew Lu Fan well were astonished.

At the moment, their Young Master seemed like a stranger.

So powerful… As if he were high above everyone else.

They'd never felt that way before.

Sitting in the wheelchair, Lu Fan glanced with a stony face at Han Lianxiao, who was still pinned to the ground on his belly.

Han Lianxiao was a Grandmaster.

If the fight between them had been determined by their Qi and blood, then even 100 Lu Fan's couldn't have beaten one Han Lianxiao.

But what Lu Fan wasn't relying on Qi and blood. He was using Spirit Qi.

Lu Fan had activated Daoist Spirit Transmission, an Earth Level High-Grade cultivation method. It enabled him to move the streams of Spirit Qi as they intertwined with each other to form a vast layer of energy. In this way, he created overwhelming pressure.

Lu Fan had named it "Spirit Pressure."

This was a kind of suppressing strategy that could be used by a cultivator on a non-cultivator. It stemmed from the differences between the professions.

Of course, Lu Fan's ability to suddenly activate 50 wisps of Spirit Qi was also a factor.

Without enough Spirit Qi, it wouldn't have been possible to create Spirit Pressure that strong.

Ning Zhao's case was similar. Although she had two wisps in her Qi Core, all she could use them for was improving her fighting ability and boosting her strength in battle. She wasn't capable of creating Spirit Pressure.

Even if she had been able to, the pressure she created with two wisps wouldn't have had much influence on a Grandmaster.

As he was lying face-down on the ground, Han Lianxiao's straw rain cape and clothes were entirely soaked.

He attempted to get up despite the enormous pressure.

Every part of his body, however, felt as if it were locked in extremely heavy shackles. It was as if a huge rock weighing tens of thousands of pounds was pressing down on him. The slightest movement was too difficult to manage.

A cultivator's Spirit Pressure?

Insignificant trick?

Han Lianxiao's mind reeled.

The son of the city master of Beiluo City, a half-paralyzed man, was this powerful?

Han Lianxiao knew that what Lu Fan could do was way beyond any other martial arts practitioners.

Even Eighth or Ninth Resonance Grandmasters would have a hard time pulling off something like that.

With difficulty, he pulled his face out of the water puddling on the street. The man he had always been—handsome, with a cultured and elegant bearing—was gone. Now, he looked like a drowned rat, and his wet sideburns stuck to his pale face.

He managed to lift his head high despite the overwhelming pressure. He was determined to find out what kind of expression was on Lu Fan's face.

To his amazement, he saw the light blue streams of Spirit Qi intertwining. Sitting in the center of the flows of light, Lu Fan's faint figure looked like an immortal from a painting.

"You…" Han Lianxiao's eyes widened.

Lu Fan held his chin with one hand and used the other to lightly tap on the thin woolen blanket covering his lap.

He gave Han Lianxiao a dispassionate glance.

Fifth Resonance Grandmasters were no doubt powerful. Once the man got used to Spirit Pressure, he might be able to move around more easily under it. Yet because 50 wisps of Spirit Qi had formed Spirit Pressure in this world for the first time, Han Lianxiao couldn't adapt fast enough to save himself.

How intense would the Spirit Pressure be if it was formed with 100 wisps of Spirit Qi?

How horrendously powerful would it be if it used 1,000 or even 10,000 wisps of Spirit Qi?

Instantly, Lu Fan felt the excitement of raw potential in his stomach.

Farther down the alley, Ning Zhao had escaped from the mechanical wooden flute.

As she held the Cicada Wing Sword in her hand, her hair fell loosely around her. Her smooth, fair skin had several thin, bloody wounds she'd gotten as she tried to break free from the mechanism.

Ning Zhao was silent with guilt and self-accusation.

She had acted too carelessly. Armed with Spirit Qi, she had underestimated the Grandmaster before her, and she had ended up being confined by the mechanism of the wooden flute.

The Young Master had been in danger because of that.

If not for the Young Master's incredible abilities, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Just as Han Lianxiao had pointed out, it was dark and quiet in the tight little alley. If he had killed Lu Fan, no one would have ever learned the truth.

Even if Lu Changkong had managed to find some scrap of evidence afterward, Han Lianxiao would have left Beiluo City by then. As the saying went: "Swim like a fish in the sea; fly like a bird across the sky."

The point of her sword dragged across the ground as Ning Zhao took light, elegant steps forward, the water splashing high around her feet.

"Young Master, what are we to do with him?" Ning Zhao's voice was cold and emotionless.

With one hand holding his chin, Lu Fan glanced at Han Lianxiao. Without much hesitation or concern, he made his decision.

"Kill him," Lu Fan ordered.

His voice was calm.

Nie Changqing quivered. Nie Shuang wrapped his arms tightly around Nie Changqing's legs.

Still pinned against the ground by Spirit Pressure, Han Lianxiao's breath caught in sudden fear. He opened his mouth as if to say something.

Thwack!

The thin silver blade pierced Han Lianxiao's chest. Blood gushed out, forming a dark red puddle under his body.

So decisive! No hesitation at all.

As he coughed up blood, Han Lianxiao's eyes were still glaring with disbelief, unwilling to accept his fate.

The whole world had been tricked! The Young Master of Beiluo City was far more than a silly Confucianist bookworm who did nothing but study!

He had unpredictable strategies and abilities, and a cold heart capable of incredible decisiveness!

He was a big fat liar!

He… What exactly did he want?!

Han Lianxiao's head was down. As he died, he was still staring at Lu Fan, refusing to succumb.

Eventually, he breathed his last in the puddle of blood.

Nie Changqing dropped his butcher's knife. Many different emotions warred across his face. Daoist No. 9, Han Lianxiao… was dead.

A Fifth Resonance Grandmaster.

In the Hundred Schools of Philosophy, not counting the Philosophers themselves, Han Lianxiao had been among the top Grandmasters. Few could compete with him.

A martial arts practitioner so strong had just died quietly in Beiluo City.

Nie Changqing fell silent. Mixed feelings filled his heart.

An assassination targeting him had just been stopped, yet he didn't show any signs of delight. All he could feel was a depressing chill all over his body.

The death of Han Lianxiao might become a trigger.

In the future, the strong practitioners in Daoism might come to Beiluo City one after another.

The Great Zhou Dynasty was in chaos, and the Imperial Advisor was preoccupied. The practitioners from the Hundred Schools of Philosophy had become more aggressive and unscrupulous.

No one knew better than Nie Changqing how cruel and unreasonable those Daoists could be.

Lu Fan dismissed his Spirit Qi and deactivated Daoist Spirit Transmission. After he'd worked on it, this Transfusion Technique had become an Earth Level High-Grade cultivation method of Spirit Qi.

The technique enabled him to refine Spirit Qi so he could create Spirit Pressure.

Unfortunately, though he could create Spirit Pressure, Lu Fan was unable to refine his Spirit Qi using the same cultivation technique as others.

"Thank you very much for saving our lives, Young Master Lu," Nie Changqing said, walking up to Lu Fan with Nie Shuang by his side. His face was pale.

Nie Shuang's huge eyes glowed with awe and enthusiasm.

The way Nie Shuang saw it, Lu Fan had casually raised a finger to pin down Han Lianxiao, who had appeared so strong. That blew his young mind.

Ning Zhao didn't say anything. She pulled her sword out of Han Lianxiao's body and wiped the blood off before putting it back into the sheath. She then walked behind Lu Fan and stood there quietly.

Yi Yue also picked herself up in silence. This was her first encounter with a Grandmaster, and it hit her hard.

She wasn't even qualified to protect the Young Master.

Lu Fan glanced at Nie Changqing. "You want a peaceful and stable life, but others don't necessarily want you to have it. The weak don't have the luxury of talking about living a stable life. Exploiting your strengths can change that, though. As long as you are strong enough, the world will be full of peaceful places to live."

Nie Changqing trembled and remained silent.

Lu Fan was right. No matter where he hid, the Daoists would never let him or Nie Shuang be.

"The point is that you have to be strong enough," Lu Fan emphasized.

Nie Changqing took a deep breath. His wound, which had been soaked by the rain, burned like fire as he breathed in.

He didn't pay much attention to it. He'd experienced this kind of wound many times before, and he'd gotten used to it.

"But… the tendons in my hands were destroyed. I have less than one-tenth of my Qi and blood left, even if I tried to develop them," Nie Changqing said in dismay. He looked at his palm, which was trembling slightly.

"You really see the immortal encounter as nothing."

Lu Fan spoke with humor in his voice, his fingers tapping on the thin blanket. His tone was light and casual, as if he were chatting with a friend.

But once Nie Changqing heard those words…

He stared at Lu Fan as if he'd been struck by a lightning bolt.

"Of course, even with methods of immortal cultivation, you still need a special moment to trigger your path of cultivation." Lu Fan smiled. "You saw the Spirit Pressure, yes? Do you want to learn it?"

Lying back against his wheelchair, Lu Fan spoke with leisure. "If you follow me, I will teach you."

Nie Changqing was confused and conflicted.

He had never told anyone about his immortal encounter, but Lu Fan knew it in detail.

Was Lu Fan the so-called "Immortal Liu?"

No… It couldn't be. The Immortal Liu had no leg problems. Besides, Lu Fan's methods and style were too different from those of the Immortal Liu.

But maybe Lu Fan had been to the immortal cultivation place and had his own immortal encounter?!

Nie Changqing came to a sudden realization.

There really were immortals in the world!

Nie Changqing's emotions swirled within him, as if there was a battle between the immortals and humanity in his head. All kinds of thoughts collided with each other.

After a while, he looked at Lu Fan, thrilled.

Thump!

Nie Changqing dropped to one knee in front of Lu Fan.

Nie Shuang, blinking his big, round eyes, followed suit next to him.

"I, Nie Changqing, will follow you as your humble pupil, Young Master Lu." Nie Changqing said formally.

No sooner had he finished talking than he bowed deeply, pressing his forehead hard against the ground.

He splashed the water on the ground two feet high.

Nie Shuang's eyes were full of passion and hope.

"Me… me too!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 21: Be My Coachman First

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

"Congratulations on completing Side Quest 3, earning 5 Available Points."

"Quest Rating: A (Pass)."

The instant Nie Changqing's bowed head touched the ground, the virtual system messages popped up in front of Lu Fan's eyes.

Lu Fan's heartbeat quickened.

This time the Quest Rating was an A! That was unexpected!

Excitement rose within Lu Fan. He had been rewarded with 5 Available Points, with which he could achieve Refined Qi Level 2.

All sorts of feelings welled up in Lu Fan's heart. Finally, he could level up…

That hadn't come easily.

This was his first time leveling up. Deep down, Lu Fan had a feeling of anticipation.

The rain stopped. The sky cleared as fast as the storm had come.

The wind dispersed the dark clouds.

The moon, round and smooth like a jade plate hanging in the sky, finally came out.

The moonlight flowed down from the sky and covered the ground in a thin veil.

Kneeling on the ground, Nie Changqing bowed. His head was soaked in the rain.

It had taken him a long while to make the decision to follow Lu Fan.

It had been a tough decision to make, and not just because of his pride as the former Daoist No. 10.

He was more concerned about Lu Fan and Nie Shuang's safety.

Nie Changqing was a Daoist outcast, and the Daoists had been trying to hunt him down.

Once he started to follow Lu Fan, the young man would be involved, too.

Lu Fan, however, had given the order to kill Han Lianxiao without hesitation. At that moment, Nie Changqing realized his worry was unnecessary.

Lu Fan had been prepared to accept the consequences of angering the Daoists from the moment he decided to kill Han Lianxiao.

With that realization, Nie Changqing decided to follow him.

He wanted to learn "Spirit Pressure," the technique Lu Fan had demonstrated earlier that belonged to cultivators.

Next to Nie Changqing was Nie Shuang. He was also kneeling respectfully on the ground.

Following Nie Changqing, Nie Shuang had also bowed to Lu Fan.

He said in his little boy's voice, "Me too!"

Holding the umbrella handle with both hands, Ni Yu couldn't help but titter.

Lu Fan came to himself, pulling his attention away from the system messages. Seeing what Nie Shuang was doing, he also chuckled.

"Okay. Get up."

"It looks like there's a buy one get one free deal on followers today. Sounds good to me."

He gave a light smile.

Nie Changqing rose to his feet, pulling Nie Shuang up with him.

"From today on, you will follow me. I happen to need a coachman. So, for now, how about you fill that spot and start teaching Ni martial arts on the side?" Lu Fan said.

The original Lu Fan had paralyzed legs. Even though he could use his wheelchair to move short distances, he had to resort to carriages if he needed to go anywhere farther.

"Yes." Nie Changqing cupped his hands in front of his chest.

"Shuang, you are welcome to join Ni in practicing martial arts," Lu Fan said with a smile as he glanced at Nie Shuang, who was holding his father's hand.

"Let's see which of you can become a Second Tier martial arts practitioner first! Your Young Master will reward the winner handsomely," Lu Fan said. He leaned back in his wheelchair and let his fingers tap casually on the armrest.

Ni Yu was still holding the umbrella. Her eyes instantly lit up.

Nie Shuang's eyes flicked up to Lu Fan, his lips compressed into a determined line.

"Young Master! Ni promises never to disappoint you!" Ni Yu's baby face was flushed a deep red with ambition and excitement.

She clenched the umbrella handle more tightly and shot a slightly defiant look at Nie Shuang.

Nie Shuang, who was apparently a boy with few words, simply tightened his fists.

Nie Changqing brushed a hand lovingly over Nie Shuang's head.

"Okay. It's getting late. Your Young Master is a little tired…" Lu Fan said lazily, dropping his chin back into one hand and rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"Yi Yue, take care of the dead bodies, if you will. Sister Ning, please push me back home," Lu Fan said. "Nie, why don't you and Shuang come and stay at Lu Manor?"

Nie Changqing slightly pursed his thick lips.

In truth, he still had a lot of questions for Lu Fan.

When he obtained the cultivation method, he gave it a try using the Transfusion Technique, yet it didn't work at all. He then concluded that the "Immortal Encounter" was fake.

The Knife Control Technique had claimed it could allow one to control a knife without touching it and kill an enemy from several miles away. He had thought such claims must be nothing more than fantasy.

After he saw Lu Fan perform Spirit Pressure, however, he started to believe it.

Lu Fan mentioned that all Nie Changqing needed was a special moment. He was curious about what that could be.

Ni Yu was standing by the side with a blush still on her pretty. She suddenly spoke up, as if something had just occurred to her.

"Young Master, the Master sent us to the Chen family to inform them that we'll be using some of their property instead of requiring that they pay us rent. Are we still going?"

Lu Fan paused, remembering the purpose of today's trip.

"Okay. Let's pay the Chen family a visit on our way back," Lu Fan said with a nod. He lightly rubbed the spot between his eyebrows.

Securing the use of this property would be of considerable significance to Lu Fan. That was where he planned to build his own Supreme Power.

This property would become the starting point of the fantasy universe he was about to build.

"Nie, how about you go home and pack up?" Lu Fan asked. "You can report to me at Lu Manor tomorrow."

He glanced at Nie Changqing, who was soaked and covered with wounds. Water was still dripping from his jaw.

"No need. Shuang'er and I don't have much to pack. We can go with you now," Nie Changqing said as he lowered his head respectfully, holding Nie Shuang's hand in his.

Lu Fan nodded and turned to Ning Zhao. "Okay. Sister Ning, give him a bottle of golden boils potion."

Lu Fan fell silent, and Ning Zhao took out a small bottle of potion and tossed it to Nie Changqing. Then she started to push the wheelchair, heading out of the tight alley.

Holding the umbrella, Ni Yu followed behind them.

Lu Fan glanced at her and smiled. He gently touched her head and said, "The rain has stopped. You don't need to cover me anymore."

Nie Changqing picked up his basket and put the slabs of pork back in place. He followed Lu Fan with slow steps, still holding onto Nie Shuang with one hand.

Yi Yue waited until Lu Fan and the others disappeared at the opening of the small alley before she set about her duty. Her gaze traveled to Han Lianxiao's dead body.

Mixed feelings filled her heart.

Han Lianxiao, Daoist No. 9, had almost taken her life with a single move.

Yet that same man had writhed like an insect when the Young Master pinned him to the ground.

The Young Master was far stronger than any of them had expected.

She made up her mind to become as strong as her Young Master so that she could protect him. She wanted to be taken seriously.

Yi Yue turned her gaze up to the shining moon. Her eyes glared with determination.

She snapped her whip, which instantly wrapped around the bodies of Han Lianxiao and the other two First Tier martial arts practitioners. She then headed out of the alley, dragging the bodies along behind her.

A red puddle was the only remaining sign of everything that had happened in the alley.

The thick odor of blood hung in the air.

…

The study of Lu Manor.

The candle flame danced merrily on its wick.

The heavy rain outside the window had been coming down all night, but it had finally slowed to a drizzle over the last few minutes. Water dripped rhythmically from the wooden frame of the window.

At the desk, Lu Changkong was writing on a satin-bound scroll. He lifted the brush with one hand as the other hand held his sleeve. While he wrote, his hand moved as smoothly as the wind.

Lu Changkong soon finished, but he waited until the ink had dried to call for someone outside the door.

"Luo."

The carved wooden door was pushed open.

Luo Yue entered the study. He was wearing a dark set of armor and had his sword with him. His hand rested formally on his sword's pommel.

"Take this letter to the capital city as soon as possible. Tell His Majesty that I will be on my way tomorrow, and I will be bringing the captured Grandmasters from the martial arts world with me," Lu Changkong said.

"Keep in mind that you have to hand this letter to the emperor with your own hands."

Luo Yue took the letter and bowed his head seriously. "I promise I won't fail you, City Master."

Lu Changkong smiled. "The world is falling into chaos…Those Grandmasters had been following the Imperial Advisor's orders, yet they suddenly betrayed us. If it weren't for Ning Zhao, Beiluo City would have been taken. At this moment, Tantai Xuan's forces would be heading straight for the capital city."

Luo Yue fell silent. As a trusted general under Lu Changkong, he was well aware of the importance of that battle.

"Back in his day, the Imperial Advisor could don his Confucianist gown, take a feather fan in hand, and deter all the schools and sects of the martial arts world. He even kept the Philosophers of the Hundred Schools of Philosophy at bay. Now, however, the Imperial Advisor is getting older and weaker, and the martial artists are acting up again," Lu Changkong said with a sigh.

Lu Yue also took a deep breath. "Those people just don't learn!" His tone was serious and cold.

"The world is different now. The late emperor passed away, and the Imperial Advisor's time has passed." Lu Changkong grew quiet for a long moment, then sighed again.

"Go ahead." Lu Changkong waved his hand, gesturing to Luo Yue that he could go.

Luo Yue cupped his hands to Lu Changkong and left the room. He put on his helmet and hurried to have his horse prepared.

Lu Changkong was wearing a Confucianist gown. He stood in front of the carved wooden window with his hands clasped behind his back.

He watched the moonlit night outside the window.

"Huang, is Fan'er doing alright?" Lu Changkong asked suddenly.

A black shadow appeared quietly in the room.

The man had a hunched figure, and rainwater still dripped from his body. He cupped his hands to Lu Changkong and said, "When the rain was heavy earlier tonight, the Young Master killed a Daoist officer."

"Really? Daoist officer? Which one?" Lu Changkong asked, hands still clasped behind his back. He was a little surprised.

"You hear 'Song of the Waves,' you see Daoist No. 9, Han Lianxiao," the hunched figured said in a husky voice.

"Daoist No. 9, the Fifth Resonance Grandmaster who liked playing the flute?" Lu Changkong raised an eyebrow. "How was he killed?"

Lu Changkong was curious. It was unlikely that Ning Zhao could kill a Fifth Resonance Grandmaster.

The hunched figure fell silent. The man seemed to be unsure of how to explain the scene with words.

He had been watching from a distance, so he hadn't seen it very well.

It had looked like the flute-playing Grandmaster fell flat on the ground in front of Lu Fan. Then, as the man laid there like an idiot, Ning Zhao ran her sword through him. But how could the man say something so ridiculous to Lu Changkong?

It was too weird…

"That's fine. What's done is done. Someone in the capital city has started taking action. The Daoists won't dare to make any moves for now. You keep protecting the Young Master… Ning Zhao is a Grandmaster now, but she is still too young," Lu Changkong said as he noticed that Huang seemed to be hesitant.

"Yes, Master."

The hunched man bowed.

His shadowy form burst into countless pieces and vanished from the room like a wave crashing on the beach.

Standing in front of the window, Lu Changkong squinted his eyes and raised his hand.

In his palm, a light blue flow of energy was glowing. That one wisp of Spirit Qi moved freely in the center of his palm.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 22: The Night's a Little Too Quiet

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

There were three major aristocratic families in Beiluo City: the Chen family, the Liu family, and the Zhu family.

Aristocratic families were hugely influential in the Great Zhou Dynasty. They controlled an incredible amount of land and labor, which let them establish self-sufficient economic systems. All the aristocratic families in the country had deep-rooted relationships with each other, and they all possessed incredible resources and power.

Take the rebellious 12 counties, for example; most of their Mayors actually came from aristocratic families.

Since Beiluo City was one of the closest cities to the capital, the emperor kept a close eye on it. The aristocratic families didn't dare to get too far out of line. All three major families in Beiluo City were a lot weaker than those from other counties.

But as weak as they were, they were still aristocratic families.

…

Dark and quiet.

Inside Chen Manor, one of the aristocratic families.

The front gate of Chen Manor was shut. Fallen leaves knocked down by the storm covered the road in front of the entrance, giving it a sense of bleakness. The gate looked like an ostrich that had buried his head in the sand.

Tantai Xuan had led his forces to attack Beiluo City just as the three major aristocratic families betrayed Lu Changkong. He had hoped that with the collaboration of those families, he could take Beiluo City in one swoop. The three aristocratic families, on the other hand, had hoped to break themselves out of Lu Changkong's control and rule Beiluo City themselves.

However, changes kept outrunning their plans.

Somehow, Lu Changkong had managed to hide a Grandmaster martial arts practitioner. That powerful woman had taken out the leaders of the three major aristocratic families without even hesitating.

That terrified the three families.

Tantai Xuan hadn't even made it through the city gate, and the three families had been brought to heel in short order.

Creak…

The echoing sound of wooden wheels rolled over the black bricks of the street, breaking the deep-night silence.

In the obscuring darkness, Lu Fan's group arrived at the shut gate of Chen Manor.

"Is this Chen Manor?" Lu Fan asked.

He resettled himself in the wheelchair, pulling the thin woolen blanket up a little. The post-rain air was wet and cold.

Ning Zhao slightly nodded as she pushed the wheelchair forward.

"Master would like to punish the three families, but considering their deep economic roots in Beiluo City, it would probably impact Beiluo City's economy. So the Master hasn't decided how to deal with them yet," Ning Zhao said. "Traditionally, in troubled times, warlords and heroes tend to come from aristocratic families."

Lu Fan smiled as he knitted his fingers together and stretched a bit.

"It's getting late. Your Young Master is getting tired. Let's do this fast," Lu Fan said.

Ning Zhao nodded. Her hands gripped the handles of the wheelchair as she lifted it slightly and carried it up the black-brick steps at the Chen Manor gate.

Ni Yu was standing next to Lu Fan, and he reached out and lightly touched her head.

"Ni, go knock at the door."

Ni Yu paused as she was surprised by her Young Master's order.

"What? Young Master, I'm scared," she murmured, looking at Lu Fan.

"What's there to be afraid of? To practice martial arts, you need to train yourself to be brave. Without courage, no one can become a top martial arts practitioner," Nie Changqing said, glancing at Ni Yu. He glanced down at his son. "Shuang'er, you go with her."

Nie Shuang was also a little scared, truth be told. Yet, seeing his father's stern look, he took a breath and puffed up his chest.

His father had never given him a stern look like that.

Although Nie Shuang was very young, he was a sensitive kid.

In the short time since they decided that Nie Shuang was going to begin martial arts training, Nie Changqing seemed to have become much stricter with him. Seeing his father's change in demeanor filled Nie Shuang with anticipation.

With Nie Shuang's company, Ni Yu became braver.

The two kids exchanged looks, collected their courage, and walked up to the front gate of Chen Manor.

They lifted the door knocker, which was designed to look like a beast's mouth, and let it fall loudly against the door.

"Hello! Anybody home?" Nie Shuang yelled in his little boy's voice. Ni Yu followed suit.

Sitting in the wheelchair with one hand holding his chin, Lu Fan smiled.

No one answered the door.

Ni Yu and Nie Shuang kept knocking and shouting.

Their childish voice broke the quiet night sky.

The bright moonlight lit up Ni Yu and Nie Shuang's faces as they grew more and more excited in yelling and knocking at the door.

"What are you yelling about? It's late and past midnight! You're too loud!" boomed a deep voice from behind the gate.

Bam! The bolt dropped.

The gate opened up, and a housekeeper wearing plain clothes glared down on them furiously.

Ni Yu and Nie Shuang looked up at the housekeeper with innocent expressions on their faces.

"Who's silly kids are you! How dare you come to Chen Manor and behave like this? Get out of here before I beat the crap out of you!" the housekeeper shouted.

Nie Shuang kept his head up, staring at the housekeeper stubbornly. He didn't move at all.

Ni Yu, though so scared that her legs were shaking, also managed to hold the housekeeper's gaze. She didn't back up even one step.

This man was so vicious!

Lu Fan raised his hand and slightly touched the bridge of his nose.

Nie Changqing had already moved.

He appeared out of the dark like a shadow, lifting the butcher knife and setting it against the cranky housekeeper's neck before the man had even realized what had happened.

As the housekeeper lifted his gaze to the moonlit street, he finally saw Lu Fan in the wheelchair and the others standing nearby.

"You… All of you…" The housekeeper's face went pale. Cold sweat trickled down his cheeks.

As shocked as he was, the housekeeper still summoned enough courage to yell, "Who are you? This is the home of the Chen Manor, not some market filled with screaming children!"

Ning Zhao pushed Lu Fan's wheelchair over the door sill. Slowly, the wooden wheels started rolling again, taking Lu Fan into Chen Manor.

The wheelchair slowly passed by the housekeeper. Lu Fan had one hand holding his chin and the other resting on the bridge of his nose. He didn't even look at the housekeeper as he said emotionlessly, "It's an order from the City Master. We're just collecting some rent."

The housekeeper's eyes widened, and his whole body went rigid.

His pulse throbbed in his throat.

City Master Manor?!

With what the Chen family had done, how could the housekeeper not know of their conspiracy?

When enemy forces surrounded the city, the three major aristocratic families had betrayed the City Master…

Now the manor of the City Master was still intact, and the three aristocratic families would have to face the consequences of their actions.

The housekeeper was as pale as death. The new person in charge of the Chen family had warned him not to open the gate no matter what.

But what did he do?

He opened the front gate and let in people from the City Master's manor.

How sly!

The housekeeper suddenly wanted to cry.

They had sent little kids to knock on the door, so he let his guard down. He thought it was just some rowdy little troublemakers being noisy in the middle of the night.

Who would think that the mighty City Master would send little kids to knock on his door?

Had he known what was happening, he'd have let himself be killed before he opened the gate.

Ning Zhao pushed the wheelchair into Chen Manor. Lu Fan totally ignored the housekeeper.

The layout and decorations of Chen Manor were a little like those of Lu Manor. They both bore the classic Chinese garden style. Yet of the two households, Chen Manor was clearly the more luxurious. A delicate path connected the pavilion, the artificial hill, and the little pond in the garden. In the soft moonlight, the scene was quite stunning, like some elaborate painting.

Nie Changqing was still holding the butcher knife against the housekeeper's neck. His stony face made him utterly unpredictable.

The housekeeper's legs were shaking. The pungent odor of blood on the butcher knife made him want to retch.

As he felt it press against his skin, the housekeeper knew that this knife had done horrible things.

Sitting in the wheelchair, Lu Fan quite enjoyed the caress of the post-rain wind.

Ning Zhao was standing quietly behind Lu Fan. Her long black hair fell low on her back. The moonlight veiled her slightly, and she looked like a goddess who should only be worshiped, not flirted with.

Ni Yu, who was again holding an umbrella almost as tall as she was, stood next to Lu Fan.

"Nie, the night's a little too quiet."

Lu Fan's gaze traveled down to look at the fish in the pond. His fingers lightly touched the thin blanket.

Nie Changqing squinted his eyes. He took Lu Fan's hint.

The butcher knife quickly swept across the housekeeper's upper leg. Blood spurted out.

The housekeeper's nostrils flared as he screamed like a pig being slaughtered. Blood dripped onto the entryway of the manor.

The horrendous screaming tore apart the quiet night sky.

Inside Chen Manor, oil lamps began to light up, casting the garden into light and shadow.

Thumping footsteps hurried toward them as people splashed over the wet ground.

From deep in the garden, Lu Fan's group could hear the sound of bowstrings being pulled.

A group of archers wearing green Confucianist gowns turned their bows toward Lu Fan and his group. Their arrowheads glistened with cold silver light.

The situation was suddenly touch-and-go.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 23: Select a Poetic and Idyllic Place

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The atmosphere within the garden suddenly grew very intense.

A pleasant breeze had been blowing since the rain stopped, but now it became a freezing wind that sank through flesh and straight into bone.

The arrowheads glinted with cold moonlight, like poisonous serpents hiding in the dark and staring at their prey with soulless eyes.

Rushing water was the only sound that could still be heard in the shadowed garden.

It was so quiet.

One could have heard a pin drop.

"How dare you?!" Ning Zhao hissed, her face stony and her rosy lips pressed into a thin line. Her delicate hands still rested on the wheelchair's handles.

Buzz!

With the loud, crisp clicking sound, the Cicada Wing Sword hidden inside the handle popped out. Ning Zhao caught it instantly.

She took several light and easy steps to get in front of Lu Fan. Her long dress and dark hair danced with her movement.

Nie Changqing was still holding the butcher knife against the housekeeper's neck. His face was expressionless, but the slightly bulging blue veins on the back of his hand indicated that he was ready to slit the housekeeper's throat at any moment.

As for the housekeeper who just screamed like a pig being slaughtered, he didn't dare to make another sound. Now he was simply staring with eyes wide open. The tension in the air had gotten to him. He didn't even dare to gasp.

Even though he had a gushing wound on his thigh, he was too petrified to make any noise.

"Interesting."

The moonlight sifted through the dark clouds, casting a speckling of light on Lu Fan, who was lounging in his wheelchair.

His red lips had pulled back in a grin, revealing his clean white teeth. His face was glowing through the veil of the moonlight.

"Are you going to force my father to send armies to take down the Chen family?" Lu Fan smiled as he lightly clapped his hands.

His words broke the intense and suffocating silence.

Lu Fan was actually very curious about something. Why hadn't his father simply given an order to take down the three aristocratic families, charged them with treason, locked them all up, and taken all their businesses by force? Although such a strategy would definitely have short-term consequences, in the long run, it would solve a lot of problems.

Thump.

The archers parted to form a path, and several Confucianists wearing Confucianist gowns walked out.

The leading Confucianist was a young man wearing a green gown and a jade hairpin through the top knot on his head.

He had a nice beard, thick dashing eyebrows, and eyes as bright as the stars. On his back was a sword box made of the wood of a flowering pear tree.

"Oh boy, it's you, Young Master Lu! What a misunderstanding…"

"You've come to visit Chen Manor so late at night! You've stirred our household into quite a frenzy, Young Master."

"I'm afraid these servants didn't recognize you. They mistook you and your companions for some of those bandits who've been causing trouble in Beiluo City." The Confucianist gave a little laugh, stroking his beard.

He raised one hand and made a pressing gesture. The archers all lowered their bows.

"I'm Chen Beixun of the Chen family."

The Confucianist in the green gown cupped his hands to Lu Fan. His star-like eyes shone with intensity as they gazed at Lu Fan.

Still sitting casually in the wheelchair with one hand holding his chin, Lu Fan looked at Chen Beixun with an impassive face. A trace of curiosity flickered in his eyes.

The Chen family's head, Chen He, had been taken out. Lu Fan had thought that the Chen family would have devolved into chaos by this point.

Unexpectedly, the Chen family was being held tightly in check. Lu Fan couldn't even hear any female family members crying over their loss. Everything was in such perfect order that it was almost startling.

It seemed that Chen Beixun was very likely the reason behind the calmness. Lu Fan squinted his eyes.

"Chen Beixun… You are part of the Chen family?" Lu Fan asked, rubbing his long, thin fingers together.

Chen Beixun smiled and flicked his long sleeves as he started talking.

"When I was little, my father sent me to the Zhongnan Sky Mountain to learn techniques of the sword. I only returned yesterday. I wouldn't expect you to know me, Young Master Lu. I, on the other hand, have heard about your talent and knowledge. I have learned that, despite your disability, you are known for your incredible talent and intellectual achievements. Even the Imperial Advisor has spoken very highly about you. You are a real role model for all the scholars and students of our generation."

Chen Beixun's words rolled through the garden, loud and strong.

His *ss-kissing talent was seemed to come perfectly naturally to him.

Chen Beixun's face didn't change at all, as if he really had a great admiration of Lu Fan.

Lu Fan raised one corner of his mouth. Everyone said that swordsmen were very straightforward.

"Straightforward indeed. Look at this guy, Chen Beixun. Such an honest dude," Lu Fan thought.

"The Zhongnan Sky Mountain… The Sword Sect?!" Nie Changqing's attention had snapped to the young man in front of them.

He was referring to the Sword Sect of the Hundred Schools of Philosophy!

As the former Daoist No. 10, Nie Changqing was very familiar with the Sword Sect.

The Sword Sect was no ordinary school. It was among the Hundred Schools of Philosophy, which proved that it was powerful and secretive.

"I like honest guys like you." Lu Fan laughed, rubbing his fingers together.

It was no ordinary laugh.

The Sword Sect?

If the Sword Sect was behind the three major aristocratic families, that might have been why his father hesitated to punish them.

A moment later, his gaze traveled up to Chen Beixun. This guy had come directly from the Sword Sect. Lu Fan hadn't seen that coming.

This was starting to look like a plan that the Sword Sect had been developing for a long time.

As one of the six cities guarding the capital city, Beiluo City had a significant strategic position.

If the Sword Sect really had control over the three major aristocratic families, their purpose would be pretty obvious.

Lu Fan just wasn't sure if his father already knew about this. Lu Changkong might have already planned for this eventuality.

"You flatter me, Young Master Lu," Chen Beixun said. He remained calm.

"Nie, let the housekeeper go. We're here to collect the rent. We should reason with the Chen family instead of using force," Lu Fan said, tipping his head toward Nie Changqing.

Nie Changqing silently lowered the butcher knife.

The housekeeper, legs shaking, pressed on hand to the bleeding wound on his neck as he crawled toward Chen Beixun.

"I thank you very much, Young Master Lu. Please come in and have a drink. It's dark and cold. How about I send someone to heat up some plum wine to warm you up?"

Chen Beixun noticed Nie Changqing. The butcher was covered with wounds, but his face was still and untroubled. Chen Beixun's eyes narrowed slightly.

"This guy is still alive?" he thought incredulously. "Does that mean that Daoist No. 9, Han Lianxiao, failed?"

"Was he stopped by Lu Fan?"

Chen Beixun was startled at the thought. The placid smile on his face never wavered, though.

Lu Fan waved his hand.

"I'll have to pass on the drink. My father sent me here to collect the rent, so let's get down to business," Lu Fan said.

"If it's the City Master's order, the Chen family will certainly obey. When I came back home and found out that my father had been working with the traitors, I was devastated. Luckily, thanks to City Master Lu's wise leadership, the source of the evil was destroyed, and Beiluo City was saved. I, Chen Beixun, couldn't be more grateful and appreciative. Next, as the representative of the Chen family, I promise that we will take serious actions to reorganize and reform."

Chen Beixun stroked his long beard for a second, then he turned around and gave an order to a guard behind him. "Bring out the 1000 liang of silver."

A moment later, two housekeepers carrying two chests of silver walked out from somewhere deep within Chen Manor. They set the crates down in the garden.

The wind was blowing in the cold moonlight.

The silver in the two opened chests glowed blindingly under the moon.

Sitting in his wheelchair with one hand holding his chin, Lu Fan yawned.

Glancing at the two chests filled with silver, 1000 liang altogether, Lu Fan didn't feel a thing in his heart.

"Young Master Lu, is this enough?"

Chen Beixun's face bloomed into a smile.

The Chen family Confucianists around them, on the other hand, were still watching Lu Fan and Ning Zhao in awe.

Several days ago, on top of the city wall, Ning Zhao had slaughtered a bunch of people. The memory was still fresh in their minds.

"The Chen family is an aristocratic family indeed."

Lu Fan gave a half-smile as his hand lightly stroked the thin woolen blanket over his legs.

The smile on his face soon faded away.

"That day on the city wall, scholars from the three major aristocratic families made fun of my paralyzed legs, which was a huge emotional blow to me," Lu Fan said. "Even now, thinking about it, I still feel deeply depressed. So, 1000 liang silver is hardly enough to soothe my traumatized heart."

Chen Beixun's face went a little stiff. So… It wasn't enough?

Chen Beixun regained his calm and ran his hand through his beard.

"Someone, please bring another 1000 liang of silver!" he said with a smile.

"Wait," Lu Fan cut him off. "Chen, I'm afraid that money isn't the point."

In the moonlight, his smile appeared quite sincere.

"I have been paralyzed since I was born. I can't move around or take care of myself easily. So, my dream ever since I was little was to have a place to spend the rest of my life…"

"Today, our conversation has proven that you and I really click. I like you. How about…"

Chen Beixun's expression went a little stiff.

As he gazed at Lu Fan, he found that Lu Fan's eyes were glowing with pure sincerity.

Chen Beixun burst out laughing.

"Easy. A place to spend your time? The Chen family has no shortage of properties. If it will make you happy, Young Master Lu, I'll give up any property no matter how much I like it," he said generously. Then he waved his hand.

"Go ahead and bring out the second 1000 liang of silver!" Chen Beixun shouted. "On top of that, bring the title deeds."

Whatever Lu Fan asked for, he would grant.

As soon as Chen Beixun gave the order, the group of Confucianists stirred.

However, at this point, Chen Beixun held the reins of the Chen family. He was the one who spoke for them. After all, Chen Beixun had the Sword Sect behind him. That was the only reason that the Chen family still existed in Beiluo City.

Soon, another two chests of silver were brought out.

A maid also brought a pile of title deeds.

Seeing the thick stack of title deeds in Chen Beixun's hand, Lu Fan felt the corner of his lips twitch. D*mn aristocratic family!

Chen Beixun quickly looked through the title deeds.

He then strode up to Lu Fan in a confident manner.

Ning Zhao took two graceful steps forward. Spirit Qi rushed through her Qi Core, and the Internal Blasting Resonances of her Qi and blood pounded within her.

"Stop." Ning Zhao pointed the Cicada Wing Sword at the ground in front of Chen Beixun and stopped him. Her face was ice cold.

"Ni, go get the title deeds." Lu Fan patted Ni Yu's head, who was hiding timidly next to him.

Ni Yu took the order and trotted over.

She took the title deeds from the hand of Chen Beixun, who had stopped in front of Ning Zhao.

Ni Yu ran back and handed the title deeds to Lu Fan.

"Young Master."

Lu Fan took a deep breath as he saw the stack of title deeds.

They included both residential and business properties. All kinds of business fields with various sources of financial backing were represented.

Chen Beixun's had handed over these specific title deeds intentionally.

He was reminding Lu Fan that the Chen family better stay safe. Otherwise, they might take the lives of people in Beiluo City down with them.

In fact, this was what made Lu Changkong hesitate. The businesses of the three major aristocratic families were plentiful and diverse. Their roots were too deep.

The garden was tranquil, and the pond in the middle was like a mirror. In the breezy wind, the water glistened.

Sitting in his wheelchair, Lu Fan quietly flipped through the title deeds.

Nobody dared to even breathe loudly.

A radiant smile was still plastered across Chen Beixun's face. "Take your time, Young Master Lu. It's the Chen family's honor to make you happy."

Suddenly, Lu Fan's eyes lit up. He took a deed from the pile and laid the others down on his lap.

Holding the deed in his hand, Lu Fan flipped through it a couple of times. He took a closer look as the corners of his lips rose.

"Okay. I've made my decision. This is it."

"Young Master Lu, you've made up your mind already?" Chen Beixun cupped his hands and smiled. "We have more than 1000 merchant properties and 100 residential ones. Are you sure you don't want to take a look at more? I'm curious, which property is the lucky one that Young Master Lu has laid his eyes on?"

Lu Fan handed the title deed to Ni Yu, then sank back against the wheelchair and closed his eyes.

Ni Yu took the deed and began reading, squinting her eyes to see in the faint moonlight.

"The place Young Master selected is… Drunk Dust Court on Beiluo Lake Island."

Ni Yu's voice was crisp and clear, like different sizes of beads hitting a jade plate. After she read it out loud, however, her chubby face instantly flushed red.

The smile on Chen Beixun's face froze.

Nie Changqing was shocked too.

Even Ning Zhao's sword-holding hand trembled for a second.

The Confucianists of the Chen family all looked strangely shaken.

Was this guy serious?!

They had never imagined that Lu Fan would pick such a place.

Drunk Dust Court, though it had a beautiful name that sounded poetic and idyllic, was actually…

A place that men went to spend pleasurable nights!

The place that Lu Fan claimed he wanted to spend the rest of his life was… a brothel?!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 24: This Guy Is No Ordinary Creature

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Lu Fan continued lounging in his wheelchair, his eyes half-closed.

He was satisfied with his selection.

Drunk Dust Court had been a total surprise, but it met all his requirements.

Beiluo City was quite a big place, and it held a lake within its walls. All sorts of Beiluo City residents liked to go there.

Recreational boats often docked on the lakeside, and young gentlemen often chose the lake for their romantic endeavors.

In the center of Beiluo Lake, there was a small island. Drunk Dust Court was the only building on the island.

The quest Lu Fan had accepted required him to build a Supreme Power from scratch, so he had a lot of factors to take into consideration before he picked a location.

Once the location was selected, Lu Fan would start deploying Spirit Qi in that area to build a cultivation spot. In the future, he would train more and more cultivators there.

So, it was vital that he chose the right spot to begin building his Supreme Power.

Because it stood alone on an island, Drunk Dust Court was separated from the urban area of Beiluo City. At that moment, it was Lu Fan's best option.

The moment he saw the deed, Lu Fan felt an immediate connection to the place.

Chen Beixun had a strange look on his face as he gazed at Lu Fan, whose eyes were closed. He still wasn't sure if Lu Fan was pulling his leg.

Did Young Master Lu really want to get his hands dirty in the brothel industry?

Or was Lu Changkong actually behind this decision?

Chen Beixun set his wits to work and contemplated many possibilities.

The nation was in chaos, and the Hundred Schools of Philosophy had teamed up with 12 counties to take down Great Zhou.

Beiluo City was the Sword Sect's target. Chen Beixun, as the Sword Sect's representative, was certainly under a lot of pressure. Any decision he made had to be the result of deep consideration.

"Young Master Lu…" Chen Beixun took a deep breath. He put a smile back on his face.

"Drunk Dust Court is a romantic place. Although Confucianists have been known since ancient times to enjoy the occasional romantic encounter, this might not be the best place for you to spend the rest of your life, Young Master Lu."

Lu Fan opened his eyes. His face went cold.

"What's wrong with brothels?" Lu Fan asked calmly.

"If this is really what you want, then I will not push the matter." Chen Beixun squinted his eyes.

The Chen family scholars behind him also fell silent. As angry as they were, they didn't dare to say anything. Lu Fan was so arrogant and pushy, but there was little that they could do about it.

Lu Fan had the City Master behind him. If Chen Beixun hadn't returned from the Sword Sect, the City Master Manor would have already leveled the Chen family, and they knew it.

Instantly noticing the hardness in Lu Fan's voice, Ning Zhao raised her Cicada Wing Sword.

Although the wind had stilled, her long dress danced around her in a phantom breeze. A flow of Qi seemed to swirl around the point of her sword.

Nie Changqing also lifted his butcher knife. His face was like granite, but for some reason, his lack of visible anger made him even more intimidating.

Chen Beixun laughed.

"What are you talking about, Young Master Lu? If you like this property, there's no way that the Chen family will break our promise. The only thing is…"

"Drunk Dust Court is jointly owned by the Chen family, the Liu family, and the Zhu family. I can't make the decision alone," Chen Beixun said seriously.

"Besides, Drunk Dust Court provides a lot of services. Once Young Master Lu closes Drunk Dust Court down, it will surely provoke the dissatisfaction of a lot of scholars in Beiluo City. At that point, Young Master Lu, you might find yourself being criticized by thousands of people." Chen Beixun said.

He had chosen his words carefully to send a message to Lu Fan. He then looked at Lu Fan calmly.

Heavier clouds floated over the night sky, darkening it even further.

The Chen family's garden was incredibly quiet.

Leaning back in the wheelchair, Lu Fan raised his hand and grabbed the title deed. He held it between his index finger and middle finger and waved it in front of Chen Beixun.

"Good. Since you represent one of the three families that operate this place, you might as well go talk to the other two families. Each of them needs to provide their copy of the title deed to Drunk Dust Court, plus an additional 2000 silver liang. Tomorrow, you will bring everything to Lu Manor, and we will consider this matter closed."

"Otherwise, I will personally visit both families tomorrow. At that point, the price will not be the same," Lu Fan said.

Chen Beixun paused, staring at Lu Fan with disbelief.

Lu Fan had struck a perfect balance between arrogance and confidence.

Yet, based on the political state of the city, Lu Fan's aggressive approach was justified.

"As far as the dissatisfaction of the scholars in Beiluo City…"

Leaning back in his wheelchair, Lu Fan drummed his fingers on the armrest. He glanced at Chen Beixun with a shark-like grin.

Under the moon, Lu Fan's smile seemed even more feral.

"What does their dissatisfaction have to do with me? They are welcome to come see me, if they dare. I will be the target of the animosity of thousands of men? How interesting…"

Lu Fan's smile was full of sarcasm.

"Sister Ning, please push me back home. I'm tired."

Lu Fan then closed his eyes. He didn't bother discussing the matter further with Chen Beixun.

Ning Zhao stepped back behind the wheelchair. She put her Cicada Wing Sword back in the sheath built inside the wheelchair, and her hands returned to resting lightly on the handles. The wheelchair started moving slowly.

The sound of wooden wheels rolling on the black bricks filled the quiet garden in the dark.

Ni Yu returned the deed to Chen Beixun.

She and Nie Shuang walked on either side of Lu Fan's wheelchair.

Nie Changqing propped the bloody butcher knife on his shoulder. He remained in place for a second, his sharp eyes glancing over the Chen family soldiers as he covered Lu Fan's departure.

Chen Beixun recalled the meaningful and complicated smile on Lu Fan's face. He took a deep breath.

He grabbed the stack of title deeds and slapped them lightly against his palm.

He then cupped his hands and bowed toward Lu Fan's departing entourage. His voice was loud and clear.

"You have my utmost respect, Young Master Lu. Until next time."

Then Chen Beixun turned around and gestured for his men to follow suit.

The scholars of the Chen family opened their mouths reluctantly.

"You have our utmost respect, Young Master Lu. Until next time." They spoke in unison, with shame and reluctance filling their voices. Their voices were so loud it was as if they intended to tear the night sky into pieces.

Lu Fan's silhouette in the wheelchair disappeared as Ning Zhao pushed him out of their sight.

Still carrying the butcher knife on his shoulder, Nie Changqing gave Chen Beixun a cold glance before he slowly backed away and disappeared into the dark.

After Lu Fan left, Chen Beixun let out a half-laugh with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Interesting. I thought the son of Lu Changkong was no more than a nerdy scholar who knew nothing but reading Confucianist books. Now I see…The world has been wrong about this Young Master Lu. We are on the precipice of troubled times where extraordinary talents rise."

"This guy is no ordinary fish swimming in a pond. When the moment comes, he will take off and soar like a dragon."

Chen Beixun stroked his well-kept beard.

Out of nowhere, he burst into laughter.

"But I, Chen Beixun, will enjoy tearing out a dragon's tendons and drinking its blood."

…

By the time Lu Fan got back to Lu Manor, it was already very late.

Yi Yue was standing in front of the gate, waiting for Lu Fan and others.

"You took care of the bodies?" Lu Fan asked, looking at Yi Yue.

"I weighed them all down with rocks and tossed them into Beiluo Lake," Yi Yue answered, pressing her lips together and absently brushing a bloodstain on her light yellow skirt.

"Thank you. Sister Ning, could you please get a room for Nie and Shuang?" Lu Fan nodded to the pair.

He lightly rubbed the spot between his eyebrows and had Ni Yu push him back to his room.

"Sister Ning, please don't overthink about what happened today. I'm not really as weak as I look. But…" Lu Fan paused for a moment.

"You do need to learn from your mistake. With Spirit Qi, you are ahead of others, certainly. Spirit Qi, however, isn't the answer to everything. Until your Spirit Qi has an overwhelming advantage, don't underestimate other martial arts practitioners in this world."

Ni Yu kept pushing the wheelchair. Lu Fan was tapping his fingers lightly on the thin woolen blanket.

"Don't let this happen again," Lu Fan said.

Following his words was absolute quietness, broken only by the squeaking of the wooden wheels as Lu Fan rolled away.

Ning Zhao was still standing there with a pale face and tightly clenched fists. Her rosy, full lower lip had a deep dent from where she was biting it.

Her mistake had indeed hit her hard.

If the Young Master hadn't suddenly and unexpectedly taken control of the situation, the result of tonight's encounter would have been totally different.

The body tossed into Beiluo Lake might have been Lu Fan's, not Han Lianxiao's.

Of course, Ning Zhao knew that Lu Fan wasn't blaming her. After all, it hadn't been long since she had received her Spirit Qi.

Unfamiliarity with controlling her Spirit Qi wasn't the only reason she had failed, though. More importantly, she had arrogantly underestimated her enemy.

She could have done better.

She had thought that with Spirit Qi, she was superior to regular martial arts practitioners.

She was so confident that she didn't even take the other Grandmasters all that seriously.

In truth, however, Grandmasters' Internal Blasting Resonances ranged from one to nine. Any Fifth Resonance Grandmaster or higher could kill Ning Zhao pretty easily. A Ninth Resonance Grandmaster could kill her effortlessly.

"As a martial arts practitioner, you have to guard against arrogance and impetuosity. A lion, even when facing a rabbit as his enemy, must still fully concentrate on fighting. That is all the more important when your enemy is a Grandmaster," Nie Changqing rumbled quietly in his low voice.

In the dark, he looked at Ning Zhao as he lightly rubbed Nie Shuang's head.

He gave her the advice, hoping it would save her trouble in the future. Based on his experience, he thought it was an important thing to keep in mind.

The defeated look on Ning Zhao's face disappeared. She bowed slightly to Nie Changqing.

"I really appreciate your advice, Big Brother Nie. Please come this way."

With broad smiles, Ning Zhao and Yi Yue led Nie Changqing to a side room.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 25: Level-Up: Refined Qi Level 2

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The bright moon drifted high in the night sky, and absolute quietness hung over the manor.

The post-rain air, soothing and pleasant, could comfort the deepest aches of one's heart.

Through the carved wooden window, Lu Fan could be seen sitting on the bed inside the room. The canopy of the bed was down, obscuring his form.

His eyes were sparkling with excitement.

Lu Fan pulled up the Stats System Page.

Having successfully saved Nie Changqing, he completed Side Quest 3 with a Quest Rating of A, which earned him 5 Available Points.

With the five Available Points, Lu Fan could now enter Refined Qi Level 2.

Lu Fan had been anticipating this rise in level, and his expectations were rather high.

At Refined Qi Level 1, the more wisps of Spirit Qi Lu Fan had used, the fewer he had left. He couldn't renew it. The only way to get more Spirit Qi was to exchange his Soul Strength for it.

His Qi Core was unable to revive Spirit Qi.

Take Ning Zhao as an example; although she was only at Second Stage Qi Core Realm, she could use her Qi Core to revive the Spirit Qi that she used in battle. This was quite different from Lu Fan's situation.

"System, please add 4.5 Available Points to Soul Strength, and add the remaining half a point to Physique Strength," Lu Fan instructed silently.

Soon, the numbers on the Stats Page had changed.

His Soul Strength was 6 points now.

His Physique Strength wasn't that pathetic anymore. Now it had one point, which meant that he was finally as strong as a regular person.

"Please turn four points into Spirit Qi," Lu Fan said.

Instantly, an unseen wind stirred through the room.

Paintings hanging on the wall started to shake. Brushes on the brush rack also jumped back and forth.

Wisps of light blue swirled around Lu Fan.

[Great oaks grow from little acorns. Congratulations on entering Refined Qi Level 2. Your stock of Spirit Qi is now 100 wisps. Reward Earned: Spirit Pressure Chessboard and 10 Random Spirit Weed seeds.'

[The Host has entered Refined Qi Level 2, earning self-revival ability (Spirit Qi, Soul Strength, and Physique Strength).]

System messages popped up in a continuous stream.

Lu Fan's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

The System Page in front of his eyes also changed.

[Host: Lu Fan]

[Title: Qi Refiner]

[Refined Qi Level: 2 (progress towards Refined Qi Level 3: 100/1000 wisps)]

[Soul Strength: 13 (exchangeable: 2)]

[Physique Strength: 1 (exchangeable: 1)]

[Spirit Qi: 90 wisps]

[Transformation Reward: Fantasy Creation Qi Refining Manual]

[World Ranking: Wuhuang Continent (Low-Level Martial World)]

[Access: (Quest) (Dao Impartment Platform) (Spirit Qi Deployment)]

[Sub-access: (All Method Furnace [LV1])]

This was the first time he had leveled up.

In general, not much had changed. But the change that Lu Fan did notice proved his previous assumption.

As expected, once he entered Refined Qi Level 2, he had earned the revival ability, which would allow him to revive Spirit Qi, Soul Strength, and Physique Strength.

Yet this revival ability of Spirit Qi seemed to be a little weak. After all, he was still at a lower Refined Qi Level. As to how exactly weak his ability was, he hadn't tried it out yet.

No matter how slow the process of revival was, however, Lu Fan would still accept it.

After all, with this ability, he no longer had to worry about using up his Spirit Qi and losing control over it.

Of course, Lu Fan's Soul Strength had revived immediately, but he was still a little disappointed after he checked on the results.

Although he could revive it, the points of Soul Strength that he had already exchanged for Spirit Qi couldn't be reused. Lu Fan thought that was a shame.

Lu Fan opened his eyes.

The flows of Spirit Qi around him gradually settled.

At that moment, his consciousness was incredibly bright. He felt like a new person whose soul had been completely purified.

He hadn't quite experienced the sort of purge of meridians that fantasy novels often described. After that kind of process, the character in the novels often would be covered with some stinky dark stuff.

Still, Lu Fan did feel a sense of transformation.

This time, his Soul Strength wasn't the only thing that had improved; his Physique Strength had also grown.

Lu Fan still wouldn't stand a chance in a hand-to-hand fight with a Grandmaster like Ning Zhao. Maybe not even with a Second Tier practitioner like Yi Yue.

But, he had a chance if he faced someone like Ni Yu, right?

Well, it would at least be a head-to-head match.

Earning self-revival ability wasn't all he'd received.

The level-up reward that surprised and thrilled Lu Fan the most was the Spirit Pressure Chessboard.

Curious, Lu Fan focused his consciousness.

Reality shook around him with a sonic boom as loud as thunder. The next thing he knew, an incredibly profound power started stirring up in front of him.

A void was torn open in Lu Fan's room, hanging in mid-air. A simple antique chessboard flew out of the opening and drifted over to float before him.

The opening of the void resealed, knitting reality back together. The chessboard stopped glowing and fell onto his bed. It became a plain, primitive-looking chessboard. Nothing special.

In addition to the chessboard, two boxes of chess pieces had appeared on his bed. One box had black pieces, and the other had white ones.

[Spirit Pressure Chessboard: Heaven Level Low-Grade Spirit Tool (able to level up). Every chess piece played costs one point of Soul Strength. Black pieces release targeted Spirit Pressure on enemies, adding five times the Spirit Pressure; white pieces can revive half of the target's original Spirit Qi.]

The system's explanation of the Spirit Pressure Chessboard left Lu Fan speechless for quite some time.

Lu Fan was no stranger to Spirit Pressure.

The Spirit Pressure he released using 50 wisps of Spirit Qi pinned Han Lianxiao, a Fifth Resonance Grandmaster, to the ground. It had rendered the man almost unable to move.

If fives times that much pressure had been used, Han Lianxiao would have crushed. Even if he didn't die right away, he would have suffered so much that he would have doubted the importance of surviving.

Plus, Lu Fan now had 100 wisps of Spirit Qi to use with his multiplier ability. He was confident that Han Lianxiao wouldn't have lasted for longer than a second under that much force.

"Spirit Tool, a precious item that can be used to transfer Spirit Qi…" Lu Fan murmured as he gently stroked the chessboard.

Originally, Lu Fan hadn't been very confident about using Spirit Pressure.

But with the Spirit Pressure Chessboard, his ability would become more powerful and unpredictable.

Lu Fan glanced at the wheelchair next to his bed. He thought it over and decided to have the mechanic make some changes the next day. He wanted a hidden slot inside each of the armrests to store his boxes of chess pieces.

As to the chessboard, Ni Yu could simply carry it for him.

From then on, the chessboard would be Lu Fan's weapon.

It was no doubt a unique and outstanding weapon, and it fit perfectly with his gentle and well-educated manner.

In addition to the Spirit Pressure Chessboard, he had been rewarded ten "Random Spirit Weed seeds," which, as the name suggested, meant weeds that could produce Spirit Qi.

He figured that the process would probably be similar to the way most plants produced oxygen using photosynthesis.

Lu Fan found it very intriguing.

Even though he could increase the Spirit Qi intensity in an area through Spirit Qi Deployment, the Spirit Qi created this way tended to be too dull and lacked smoothness.

Yet with the gentle and smooth Spirit Qi produced by the spirit weed to balance it out, the Spirit Qi would be more suitable for cultivation.

In a word, the existence of these seeds was of epochal significance.

Lu Fan took a look at the seed on his palm, which was still wrapped in its husk. It was a dark brown seed that the system had called Heaven Facing Spiritual Chrysanthemum.

Lu Fa raised one corner of his mouth slightly and put the seed of Heaven Facing Spiritual Chrysanthemum away.

He was more than happy.

The moonlight was bright and smooth like water, sifting through the carved wooden window and shining down on Lu Fan. He yawned and stretched.

…

The day after.

Lu Fan woke up, and the noise he made signaled Ning Zhao and the others who were waiting outside. They pushed the door open at Lu Fan's approval and entered the room.

Yi Yue was carrying a plate holding light porridge and side dishes.

Ni Yu, with her sleeves rolled up, was carrying a basin full of boiled water. Her little face was flushed red from the steam.

Ning Zhao strode up to him and started helping Lu Fan get dressed and freshen up with her smooth and delicate hands.

Lu Fan squinted his eyes. A beautiful day started with a luxurious morning.

"Young Master, this morning, the Master headed out to take the captured Grandmasters to the capital city. He told me to bring you this copy of the Transfusion Technique manual," Ning Zhao said. She then took out a piece of white silk.

The piece of silk was filled with delicate, beautiful handwriting.

Lu Changkong was a tall and robust Grandmaster, a powerful warrior in his own right, but his handwriting was as delicate and graceful as some young lady's. Definitely unexpected.

Lu Fan took a bite of the light porridge and raised his eyebrows.

He took the piece of white silk from Ning Zhao.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 26: Reviving the Blood That Had Gone Dry, Sixth Resonance Grandmaster

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

After taking a mouthful of the plain porridge, Lu fan took the white fabric that Ning Zhao was holding out to him.

Lu Changkong's transfusion technique was recorded on this piece of fabric.

Lu Fan scanned through it and quietly compared it to the Daoist Transfusion Technique that was already in his possession. When he compared the two, the transfusion technique recorded by Lu Changkong seemed to be more powerful.

This actually surprised Lu Fan.

Lu Fan tucked the fabric away. He decided to collect the four remaining transfusion techniques and then develop them all at the same time.

"Has my father entered the capital already? Isn't he afraid that Tantai Xuan's North County troops will attack again if he goes to the capital at such a sensitive time?"

Lu Fan took a mouthful of one of the side dishes. The sourness of the dish filled his mouth slowly, with hints of sweetness coming through after a second. It was an excellent complement to the porridge.

"Young Master, you needn't worry. Master received news that after the North County troops failed in their attack on the city, they moved away to meet with the West County troops. They're refocusing their efforts on Drunken Dragon City in the west," Ning Zhao replied.

Lu Fan nodded. These were great powers in this world, but he didn't really understand a lot about them.

But if Lu Changkong could leave Beiluo City without worrying, then he was obviously confident in his understanding of the situation.

Of course, Lu Fan still wasn't fully confident in Lu Changkong. The memory of their defense of the city was still vivid in his mind.

His own father didn't always behave predictably.

Of course, even if a huge army came to attack, it would be impossible to take Beiluo City quickly. After all, Lu Changkong had assigned special teams to keep a close eye on the city's three major aristocratic families. Even if a strong fighter from the Sword Sect was able to keep the families together, he wouldn't dare to do anything rash.

And if a besieging army didn't have help from within the city, attacking Beiluo City would be quite difficult.

"I want to go out and get some sun. Sister Ning, go see if someone from the three families has brought the title deed over," Lu Fan said after he had eaten his breakfast and stretched himself lazily.

"Got it."

Ning Zhao bowed her head and left the room.

"Yi Yue, go find the best carpenter in the city. Use the dimensions of this box of chess pieces to make a new customized wheelchair with two hidden drawers in its sides," Lu Fan instructed Yi Yue.

Yi Yue looked curiously at the two boxes of chess pieces in Lu Fan's hands. There were black and white chess pieces inside these boxes.

After some thought, Lu Fan waved at Yi Yue again. She came closer, and Lu Fan whispered some instructions into her ears. Yi Yue's expression became grim, and after she had heard his full instructions, she quickly left the room.

After Yi Yue left, Lu Fan smiled and passed the Spirit Pressure Chessboard directly to Ni Yu.

"Ni, you'll be carrying this chessboard. Take good care of it."

Ni Yu took it from him and tied a rope around it. After she put on her back, the chessboard nearly reached her ankles, making her look somewhat clumsy and comical.

"Young Master, are you going to play chess?" Ni Yu's large eyes sparkled with terrible curiosity.

"That's right. You know how? Should we play a game?" Lu Fan's eyes lit up and he glanced at Ni Yu. Seeing her excitement, he smiled and said, "Let's go, let's go. We'll go to the courtyard and have a round."

Still carrying the chessboard, Ni Yu pushed Lu Fan out of the room.

…

Nie Changqing had his hands behind his back, and his butcher knife hung from his waist. Nie Shuang stood behind him, completely covered in perspiration.

The two of them walked over the meandering stone bridge of the garden and came to the front of Lu Fan's courtyard.

"Young Master Lu." Nie Changqing bowed slightly.

In the courtyard, Lu Fan and Ni Yu were playing chess.

Lu Fan picked up a white piece and squeezed it between his index and middle fingers, then put it down like a professional.

When he heard Nie Changqing greet him, Lu Fan waved his hands.

"Nie, you can just call me 'Young Master' like Sister Ning and the rest… Do you know how to play chess? After I'm done thrashing this little girl, I'll exchange a few moves with you." Lu Fan smiled faintly.

Nie Changqing was stunned for a moment, and he couldn't stop a smile from appearing on his face.

"It's been many years since I last played chess, and my skills may have gotten rusty. I hope you won't be angry with me, Young Master."

Then Nie Changqing turned around to look at Nie Shuang, and his face slowly became cold and stern.

"Shuang'er, do a half squat, properly this time. Hold it for two hours." Nie Changqing was very strict.

Nie Shuang pursed his lips and didn't argue. He turned his attention away from the chess game and did a half squat where he was.

Nie Chanqing had already dragged him out of bed early that morning to run ten laps around the garden. The boy's body and mind were already a little tired, but since he wanted to practice martial arts, going through hardship was inevitable.

Nobody became a martial arts practitioner overnight.

As Nie Shuang was doing his half squats, Nie Changqing placed his hands behind his back and walked over to where Lu Fan and Ni Yu were playing against each other.

Lu Fan, also known as Lu Ping'an, was the Young Master of Beiluo City, and a genius handpicked by the Imperial Advisor.

His literary talent surpassed that of most, so he had to be better at chess than others too.

Chess could train the mind and shape one's personality. Daoist practitioners didn't have to be excellent in the four aspects of zither, chess, literature, and art, but they had to be familiar with them.

Nie Changqing's gaze fell on the chessboard, and his breath caught in his chest.

The moment his gaze landed on the chessboard, Nie Changqing felt like a bright light shot out at him and flashed across his eyes.

It was as if the chessboard was glowing.

It was merely a chessboard, but he felt a pressure that made it difficult for him to breathe.

"This chessboard and these chess pieces… They are like something from another world!" He exclaimed in his heart. Then he shifted his gaze to look at the current chess game.

Great excitement and anticipation filled Nie Changqing's face, but as he watched, and watched…

The smile on his face slowly started to fade.

He looked at the extremely stern and serious-looking Lu Fan, then turned to Ni Yu, who was holding her chubby chin.

Both of them were in deep and serious thought, thinking hard about their next step.

Nie Changqing's lips twitched and his face cramped up.

He had thought that this was a showdown between professional-level players, but in the end…

This was a game between two players who were utterly incompetent.

There was no more suitable way to describe the way Lu Fan and Ni Yu were playing chess.

With his own modest skills, one look was enough to tell him that there were so many weaknesses on this chessboard.

Lu Fan held a chess piece with an extremely stern face, as if he was fighting through the battle of the century.

Nie Changqing looked for a while, then turned away because he just couldn't bear to look anymore.

Pak!

There was a soundless massacre on the chessboard.

There was a tapping sound as Ni Yu put her chess piece down, and a whole group of black chess pieces were wiped out shortly thereafter.

Lu Fan leaned against his wheelchair with a dark expression on his face.

Ni Yu pursed her lips, and her eyes had turned into crescent moons as she used her fingers to count the remaining pieces on the chessboard.

"Oh… Ni wins narrowly by two pieces." Ni Yu stood up, her face filled with great happiness and cheer.

"Since you've won, you can go over there and do a half squat. Yesterday you were happily declaring how you wanted to work hard and cultivate, so your training will be twice as hard as Nie Junior's training. Quickly, now," Lu Fan said, glancing at Ni Yu with a warm smile.

Ni Yu's face froze, and she couldn't keep a shiver from running through her small body.

Was the Young Master's heart only the size of a sesame seed?!

"Nie, come come come… Let's play a round!"

Now ignoring Ni Yu, Lu Fan turned to look at Nie Changqing with bright eyes.

"Young—Young Master… Let's not worry about that right now. My chess skills are… They're not too good," Nie Changqing said hesitantly.

"Don't be afraid to lose, come here."

Lu Fan's eyes shone even brighter as he started to remove the chess pieces from the chessboard and put them back into their boxes.

Nie Changqing had a fairly conflicted expression on his face. He sat across from Lu Fan and picked up a chess piece, his face looking like he was constipated, then finally put the piece down.

Ning Zhao walked in from outside the garden.

"Young Master, the heir to the aristocratic Chen family, Chen Beixun, would like to see you."

Lu Fan was holding a chess piece in his hand and frowning slightly. He gave an "oh" before continuing to consider the chess game in front of him.

Ning Zhao hesitated for a while, then continued, "The Chen's heir has brought the title deed from the Liu's and the Zhu's, as well as four thousand silver pieces."

Lu Fan's eyebrows relaxed.

"Have they agreed?" The corner of his lips twitched a little. After all, the Liu's and the Zhu's didn't have any reason to refuse. "They've come pretty quickly. Father has barely left, and Chen Beixun is already here. It looks like the transfer of this title deed might be a little problematic."

He placed the chess piece back into the box. Now that he was thinking about the title deed to Drunk Dust Court, he wasn't in the mood for chess. He looked a little regretfully at Nie Changqing.

"Nie, what a pity. Let's play chess another time," Lu Fan said, his voice filled with regret.

Nie Changqing, on the other hand, suppressed a long sigh of relief.

"Sister Ning, let them come in," Lu Fan said as he placed one hand under his chin, and put the other on the woolen throw that covered his legs.

Ning Zhao bowed her head, then turned and left.

But Lu Fan looked towards Nie Changqing, and the corner of his mouth curled upward slightly.

"Since we can't play chess, let's talk about something serious. Nie, didn't you say you want to learn Spirit Pressure yesterday? But if you want to learn Spirit Pressure, you're still missing a catalyst… And now, I want to give you that catalyst," Lu Fan said to Nie Changqing as he leaned against the wheelchair.

Nie Changqing was stunned.

Lu Fan reached out. He had originally intended to deploy Spirit Qi to Nie Changqing by holding the man's hand, the same way he had with Ning Zhao.

But then he thought about how Nie Changqing was a large and rough man, and how the man's palms were heavily calloused from butchering pigs.

Lu Fan's lips twitched a little.

In the end, he decided to use another method.

"Nie, sit cross-legged."

Lu Fan pointed to a spot in front of his wheelchair.

Nie Changqing didn't understand what Lu Fan was trying to do, but he followed the Young Master's instructions and sat down cross-legged in front of the wheelchair.

Lu Fan's expression became serious.

Light blue Spirit Qi started to flow around his body.

One wisp, two wisps, three wisps…

Wisps of Spirit Qi were densely interwoven around his body.

His hair floated up and his eyes shone brightly.

Lu Fan raised a hand and gently placed it on Nie Changqing's head, like a deity of sorts.

"Activate Access Spirit Qi Deployment."

"Target: Nie Changqing."

He shifted his consciousness.

Nie Changqing immediately felt his entire body shake as a warm flow went through the top of his head and down into his entire body.

His Qi and blood had dried up and been left in ruins for years, but now…

Now they revived under the catalytic action of this warm flow.

His Qi and blood started to boil and blast within him.

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

Nie Changqing sat cross-legged on the ground, his eyes like fire, and his hair flying straight up from his head.

Within his body, blasts were resonating, as if he had broken free from his shackles, as if he was a lion woken from deep slumber.

There were six blasts in a row, and the courtyard was covered with fallen leaves from the impact.

Just at that moment, Ning Zhao was leading Chen Beixun and the two heirs of the Liu's and the Zhu's into the courtyard.

As they entered, their ears resounded with the Blasting Resonance of Qi and blood that only a Grandmaster martial arts practitioner would have, and it made all of them tremble.

The Blasting Resonances were like terrifying booms of thunder in their ears!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 27: Beiluo Lake Island, Nie Tries Out His Knife

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Six deafening blasts boomed in a row!

Internal Blasting Resonances come from Grandmasters, and the more blasts there are, the higher the Grandmaster's power level is.

Chen Beixun was in full scholarly dress and a matching head piece. It made him look both learned and handsome.

He had neatly combed his hair with a comb soaked in flower petals, which gave his hair a unique fragrance.

But just when he stepped into Lu Fan's courtyard…

He heard the deafening sounds of a Grandmaster's Internal Blasting Resonance, and a violent blast of Qi and blood blew his way.

It blew so hard his hair became all messed up.

He looked deeper into the courtyard. Lu Fan was in his wheelchair, a woolen throw covering his legs. Under the sunshine, he looked fairly lazy and relaxed.

Nie Changqing was seated cross-legged in front of Lu Fan. The six Internal Blasting Resonances had come from this man.

A Sixth Resonance Grandmaster!

Chen Beixun's heart dropped.

A Grandmaster martial arts practitioner of this level was considered one of the best martial arts practitioners in all of Great Zhou!

He knew who Nie Changqing was. He was known as Daoist No. 10, Unparalleled Knife.

He hadn't expected to find that Nie Changqing was still alive. Moreover, his cultivation ability had been restored and he had made a breakthrough to the Sixth Resonance!

With the addition of Nie Changqing, Lu Manor now had three Grandmasters. What an incredible and terrifying power that was!

"Chen, you're here early."

Lu Fan leaned back in his wheelchair and fiddled with a black chess piece in his hand. The chess piece seemed to be made from pebbles. It gleamed under the sunlight, but it felt cool and round, and felt nice to the touch.

"Oh, no. Not early at all. I just couldn't wait to deliver the title deed to Young Master Lu. After you left yesterday, I immediately rushed to Liu Manor and Zhu Manor to discuss this matter regarding the title deed of Drunk Dust Court with the heirs of the two families. After they understood that this was a request from you, we had a good chat, and we're all very willing to give it up." Chen Beixun bowed slightly and laughed, his hands clasped together.

Nie Changqing was still seated cross-legged on the floor when he opened his eyes and glanced over at Chen Beixun. He masked the agitation on his face as he got up, gripped the hilt of the butcher knife at his waist, and stood behind Lu Fan.

He was stern, serious, and emanated the overwhelming aura that was unique to Grandmasters.

Behind Chen Beixun were two well-dressed young men.

They were clearly also martial arts practitioners. Qi and blood actively flowed in their bodies and pulsed in their temples.

But then again, they were probably only Second Tier Practitioners.

The moment they had entered the courtyard, they became alarmed by Nie Changqing's six Resonance Blasts.

"Young Master Lu." The two heirs of the Liu and Zhu family quickly forced a smile to their lips.

Lu Fan glanced at the two of them and bowed his head slightly. He couldn't even be bothered to say a word in reply.

"I've set my eyes on Drunk Dust Court. Do any of you have any objections to that?" Lu Fan asked as he looked down and played with the chess piece in his hand.

Liu Ye, the heir to the Lius, stealthily glanced at Chen Beixun, then said with a smile, "Since Young Master Lu has set his eyes on it, we wouldn't dare to raise any objections."

Zhu Yishan, the heir to the Zhus, also smiled politely.

The two of them took out the title deeds and held them out to Lu Fan. Nie Changqing took a step forward, glanced at the both of them, then took the title deeds and held them out to Lu Fan.

Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan's faces were all red. Nie Changqing's overwhelming Grandmaster Qi and blood made them feel extremely uneasy.

Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan were different from Chen Beixun. They didn't hail from one of the Hundred Schools of Philosophy, so they didn't know who Nie Changqing was. "Young Master Lu, who is this senior over here?" they asked.

"Oh… Nie? He's my coachman," Lu Fan calmly replied without lifting his head, looking through the title deeds.

Chen Beixun was standing further apart from the rest, and the smile on his face froze when he heard this.

Daoist No. 10, Unparalleled Knife… had become Lu Fan's coachman?

"Coach… coachman?!" Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan exchanged glances and gasped in shock.

A Sixth Resonance Grandmaster as a coachman?

Even an emperor wouldn't treat such people like this!

"Excellent." Lu Fan tapped the two title deeds in his hand and added the title deed from Chen Beixun.

From today onward, Drunk Dust Court belonged to the Lus.

When Lu Fan thought of this, his mood improved.

The sun shone on Lu Fan's red lips and white teeth, and one could even see the hairs on his face.

"There's no better time than now, so let's go right away to take a look at Drunk Dust Court." Lu Fan smiled faintly, then looked intently at Chen Beixun, who was standing off to the side with his head lowered, looking downward.

Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan's eyes also flashed, and they quickly put a smile on their faces.

"Nie, prepare the carriage."

"Sister Ning, push me out of the house," Lu Fan said as he lightly tapped a finger on the thin woolen throw.

Nie Changqing took his leave without saying a word.

Ning Zhao's dress whirled about as she quietly and swiftly moved behind Lu Fan, placed her pretty hands on the wheelchair, then pushed it along slowly.

Chen Beixun, Liu Ye, and Zhu Yishan smiled and made way for them, then walked behind Lu Fan.

Ni Yu was still doing a half-squat on the ground, an upset expression on her fat little baby face as she stared at Lu Fan with huge eyes.

Young Master was going out to have fun and wasn't bringing her along…

After winning the chess game, had she… fallen out of his favor?!

"Ni, carry the chessboard and come along," Lu Fan said, one hand under his chin, as he glanced at the upset Ni Yu and tried not to laugh.

"Oh, yay!" Ni Yu immediately burst into a smile, and the unhappy look on her face disappeared.

She then picked up the chessboard and walked closely behind Lu Fan.

As for Nie Shuang, who was also in the courtyard, he stubbornly remained half-squatting on the ground.

They walked out of Lu Manor.

Outside the manor…

An exquisite horse drawn carriage was parked outside.

A Ferghana horse was pulling the carriage. It snorted, white wisps of air coming out of its nostrils.

Nie Changqing was seated on one side of the driver's seat and was leisurely twirling the horse whip in his hand.

Lu Fan had asked a carpenter to specially make this horse carriage for him. The carriage door was at the side and opened downward, making a slope for the wheelchair to be pushed inside.

The carriage was larger than a typical carriage, so its interior was wider than most. It was also padded with soft cotton and covered with hand-woven fabric, ensuring its passengers' comfort without making them feel claustrophobic.

After Ning Zhao pushed the wheelchair into the carriage, she gathered her skirts and sat on the other side of the driver's seat.

As for Ni Yu, she had special permission from Lu Fan, so she hugged the chessboard and happily hopped into the carriage.

Nie Changqing glanced at Chen Beixun and the other two men with him, and ignored them all.

He raised the horsewhip in his hand.

Pak!

There was a loud neigh.

The horse reared its legs, then landed hard on the green tiled road before dashing forward.

Chen Beixun looked on, stroking his beard, as the carriage disappeared into the distance, and his eyes flashed.

Soon, a servant brought some horses over. The three of them each got on one, took the reins, and followed the carriage.

…

The horse carriage dashed through the main road at an extremely high speed.

Nie Changqing had never been a coachman before, but with his Grandmaster martial arts ability, it wasn't difficult for him to control the Ferghana horse.

Beiluo City was very developed, since it was near the capital, and there were many buildings on both sides of the main road.

The exquisite carriage was swiftly pulled through the main road by the Ferghana horse, and all the pedestrians moved to the side the moment they heard the sound of a horse galloping down the road and a carriage's rolling wheels.

Several hawkers, who'd set up shop on the main road without permission, frantically pulled their stalls away from the road.

Then a head poked out from behind a small stall and saw the elegant horse carriage with the word "Lu" on it fly past.

It was the horse carriage from the City Master's residence!

The Young Master of Lu Manor was going somewhere!

The horse carriage tore through the main road, then turned onto the road around Beiluo lake. A protective wall of white marble encircled it.

The horse carriage finally slowed down, and the horse neighed.

Nie Changqing pulled on the reins, and the Ferghana horse snorted and slowly came to a stop.

"Young Master, we've arrived," he said. "Drunk Dust Court is on Beiluo Lake Island, but no road leads to it, so we'll have to take a boat."

Lu Fan's faint laughter came from within the carriage. "Nie, you're pretty familiar with the way to Drunk Dust Court, huh?"

Nie Changqing's wizened face instantly reddened.

What man in Beiluo City wasn't familiar with the way to Drunk Dust Court?

Of course, he didn't have the money to go to such a place. He had merely passed by it occasionally and looked across the lake at it before.

Ning Zhao hopped off the carriage, dusted off her dress, then opened the door and carefully wheeled Lu Fan out.

Lu Fan alighted and looked at the gleaming surface of the lake through the white marble wall, and felt at ease.

To tell the truth, this was actually Lu Fan's first time here.

The Lu Fan of the past had rarely gone to Drunk Dust Court since… his legs were paralyzed.

Many people say that the areas south of the Yangtze River are misty with fine rain droplets.

Beiluo City's in the north, but the area around Beiluo Lake seems fairly similar to those areas.

It rained heavily the night before, so there was a mist on the surface of Beiluo Lake, but the sun sometimes peeked through the clouds. It was exactly like that poem about West Lake in Hangzhou.

"Chen Beixun and the rest haven't arrived yet?" Lu Fan asked as he looked out at the lake.

Ning Zhao shook her head slightly, her delicate hands pushing the wheelchair, and made a displeased sound through her pretty nose.

"Interesting." Lu Fan looked away from the misty surface of the lake and dusted the title deeds in his hand, the corners of his lips curling upward slightly.

"Looks like they're not coming. Sister Ning, find us a boat. We're going to Beiluo Lake Island." Nie Changqing placed a hand covered in calluses on the hilt of the butcher knife at his waist as he looked out across the misty surface of the lake. He could barely make out one lonely boat on the water, which faintly loomed in the mist, and there was a rather skinny figure inside it.

"Young Master, do you really want to go?" Ning Zhao's expression became grim. "This lake…might not be that calm."

In response to the concerned Ning Zhao, Lu Fan merely smiled faintly and smoothed the creases in the thin woolen throw that covered his legs.

He looked at the bluish-green misty surface of the lake, and his eyes narrowed.

"No problem. It's a good chance for Nie to… try out his knife."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 28: Stepping on Lu Ping'an's Dead Body

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Ning Zhao felt a little helpless. She didn't know what else she could do to persuade him otherwise, so she simply pursed her lips and didn't say another word.

When Young Master was in a good mood, it meant someone else was in for trouble.

She became alert. Ning Zhao changed her attitude after what had happened with Han Lianxiao.

As long as she lived, she would never let anyone touch a single hair on Young Master's head, even though she really couldn't tell exactly how powerful Young Master really was.

But since she was supposed to protect Young Master, his life was everything to her.

There was a pier on the side of Beiluo Lake, and two or three fishing boats were moored there.

The boats were meant for fishing. Beiluo Lake was full of large and plump sea bass. If the fish's color was good, one could sell it for as much as two pieces of silver.

Bass was a favorite among the aristocratic families.

At night, several recreational boats heavily decorated with lights would come from Drunk Dust Court on Beiluo Lake Island, and the entire lake would become lively and festive, turning into a place of pleasure and self-indulgence.

In the daytime, these recreational boats were moored by Beiluo Lake Island.

Ning Zhao found a fishing boat, and the skipper was an old man in a conical hat with a huge gap-toothed grin on his face.

Lu Fan remained in the wheelchair and was carried into the small fishing boat by Ning Zhao and Nie Changqing.

Once everyone had gotten on board, the old skipper held the long, thin paddle, stabbed it with a loud "dong" into the lake, then pushed it through the water so that the fishing boat slowly moved forward and glided along the surface of the lake.

The deafening sound of horses galloping came from the shore after the little boat Lu Fan was in had already traveled quite a distance across the lake.

On the shore, Chen Beixun, Liu Ye, and Zhu Yishan had arrived on horseback. They pulled the reins and stopped their horses as they looked out across the lake.

"He still dared to go?" Liu Ye remarked in surprise as he watched the small boat float off into the distance.

"He has a First Resonance Grandmaster maid and a Sixth Resonance Grandmaster coachman with him. That's his source of confidence."

Chen Beixun turned to look at Liu Ye, his beautiful hair flowing in the wind.

He turned back around to look at the fishing boat, which was gradually becoming more and more blurry as it advanced further along the misty surface of the lake and twirled his hair.

"But then again, all men are philanderers. There are some scholars who were capable but didn't gain recognition, and they've used Drunk Dust Court to spread glamorous stories about themselves to become famous. Touching down on Drunk Dust Court will only bring trouble upon oneself, and even someone like Lu Changkong would think twice before going there."

"Lu Fan is a scholar who's read nothing but Confucius. If all of Beiluo's Confucianists went up against him, I imagine he'd become disheartened and would lose focus, or even fall into depression. And if he falls into the lake by accident and drowns, even if Lu Changkong comes back… nothing can be said about it." Chen Beixun held onto his horse's reins, and a confident smile played about his lips, which were covered by his hair.

Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan's eyes also lit up.

Since they were heirs to aristocratic families, they naturally weren't useless, empty talkers.

"Beixun, this is an incredibly vicious move."

"Lu Changkong left the city this morning and went to the capital. If Lu Fan has to go up against all those Confucianists, even if he becomes disheartened, the two Grandmasters by his side will be difficult to deal with."

"But I'm a Confucianist, and all Confucianists have Righteousness Qi. Confucian Righteousness Qi is fearless, even in the face of a Grandmaster."

"Besides, all the Confucianists present are capable, and many regard the Imperial Advisor as the greatest of them all. If Lu Ping'an allows his Grandmasters to kill at random, that would be the same as offending the Imperial Advisor of Great Zhou, which would be a really difficult situation for Lu Fan to wriggle himself out of," Zhu Yishan laughed.

"Scholars' tongues are evil and poisonous," Liu Ye added.

Chen Beixun pushed his hair aside and dismounted his horse. He looked out at the misty lake and said calmly, "Lu Ping'an's Grandmasters aren't a problem. Sword Sect from my side… also has a Grandmaster on standby. Lu Changkong thinks the Sword Sect wouldn't dare to do anything too drastic, but he's wrong. Times have changed. Today, I'll step on Lu Ping'an's dead body and let Lu Changkong know… that Sword Sect has stepped up its game."

With that, the three of them found a small boat, and it cut the water's surface as it chased after Lu Fan's little fishing boat.

They weren't going to miss out on any of the action that was going to take place at Beiluo Lake Island.

…

The old man gripped the paddle and thrust it through the surface of the water, startling the fish.

The fishing boat cruised onward and created a misty, cool breeze that blew through Lu Fan's hair and made it fly elegantly in the wind.

Ni Yu had the chessboard on her back. She was sprawled on the side of the boat and holding her stomach, her face covered in tears and snot.

She was close to puking up last night's dinner.

She… was seasick.

Nie Changqing and Ning Zhao both had their hands on the hilts of their weapons. They stood alert on either side of Lu Fan, sternly scanning the misty and blurry surface of the lake.

As Grandmasters, they had heightened senses and could detect danger nearby. This lake… looked calm, but it wasn't really calm at all.

The old man also seemed to sense that something was amiss, and he slowed his paddling down.

"Uncle, continue to row… and I'll pay you double the amount of silver," Lu Fan said calmly as he sat in his wheelchair, one hand under his chin and the other gently playing with a black chess piece.

The old man looked a little conflicted, but he eventually revealed a smile, which was missing two front teeth.

"You're a really practical boy."

The old man raised his paddle high again and even started singing a Beiluo City folk song to bolster his courage.

His singing lingered on the surface of the lake, and it made for a rather unique experience.

Lu Fan glanced at the old man, who was singing with great gusto, while his thumb lightly tapped on the chess piece between his index finger and middle finger.

Beiluo Lake Island actually wasn't very large.

The entire island was round and was only about three miles in diameter.

There were peach trees on one half of the tiny island, and the flowers were currently in bloom, so the trees were all pink, and there were large clusters of flowers everywhere.

Besides for Drunk Dust Court, there were no other structures on the island.

As the fishing boat rocked along, Lu Fan and the rest could make out Beiluo Lake Island, which had earlier been shrouded in mist.

He could make out a six-story building. Its walls were painted vermilion, and it had glazed roof tiles that curved upward at the corners… there was a large red lantern on each floor, and its red cloths flying in the wind accentuated its gentle charm.

This was truly a place that was depraved to its core.

Lu Fan narrowed his eyes.

His Physique Strength was now at 1, and his eyesight had improved by quite a bit. He could sort of see that each floor of the building was filled with pretty courtesans, who were all laughing merrily. Some of them were daintily holding silk handkerchiefs. A few wore intricate makeup, while others used paper fans to cover half of their faces. All of them were looking at the rocking fishing boat Lu Fan was on as they continued to gently nudge and push each other and laugh coquettishly.

Nie Changqing's expression didn't change, but Ning Zhao frowned and said in a low voice, "How unbecoming!"

Ni Yu continued to puke.

She was still seasick…

Lu Fan put the black chess piece back into its box and intertwined his fingers on the woolen throw over his legs.

The expression on his face hardened.

He lifted his head and looked in front of him.

Rocking back and forth in the mist… one boat after another broke through the haze and sailed toward them.

Twenty-odd recreational boats came in succession and filled the lake.

All the recreational boats that Drunk Dust Court had were in use.

Lu Fan slightly raised an eyebrow.

The old skipper panicked a little and thrust the paddle into the lake to stop the small boat from moving.

Each boat that came toward them through the mist was bigger, prettier, and more opulent than their old and battered fishing boat.

Scholars in long robes and scholarly headdresses stood on the recreational boats, looking at Lu Fan and the rest on the fishing boat. They either had a look of self-righteous anger on their face, a cold look, or no expression at all.

"Young Master Lu… our brothers Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan have told us that Young Master Lu has selfish reasons for wanting to take over Drunk Dust Court and dismissing all the young ladies here. Is this true?"

"Lu Ping'an, we are all scholars, and we all seek justice in our hearts. How has Drunk Dust Court wronged you? Do you want to destroy it just because your legs are disabled, which makes it difficult for you to indulge in this area of life?"

"There is righteousness in this world, and there is justice in people's hearts. Courtesans are humans too, and they represent a profession that has widely been accepted by the people… Since it's a profession, they have pride and dignity. If you do this, these young ladies will lose the place where they belong, and their lives will be ruined. This is a sin!"

"We will never agree to this!"

All the Confucianists stood at the helm of their recreational boats with their hands behind their backs. They faced the billowing wind from the lake, and the outline of their determined bodies was well-defined, and their words were firm and carried great weight.

Their words resounded like thunder, scaring a group of birds.

There were nearly thirty recreational boats, so there were more than a hundred Confucianists.

All of them were looking coldly at Lu Fan.

…

Behind Lu Fan's fishing boat, there was another fishing boat that had stopped several hundred feet away and was now bobbing on the surface.

Chen Beixun, Liu Ye, and Zhu Yishan were standing on the boat and looking out at the lake in anticipation.

More than a hundred Confucianists were coldly looking at Young Master Lu.

They had spent the night planning this and had imagined it over and over again in their minds, but now that they were actually seeing it unfold, their hearts pounded with excitement.

They were getting back at Lu Fan for the indignation they had felt at Lu Manor that morning.

Chen Beixun gently stroked his beard and narrowed his eyes, as if he had everything under control.

"These Confucianists are capable, but many of them are depressed because they haven't been able to make a name for themselves, so now they need a platform where they can make themselves known. For Confucianists, the most important thing is building a reputation. Even if they know all of this is just a ploy by the aristocratic families, they're willing to take part." Chen Beixun smiled faintly.

He was very pleased with all of this. He loved the feeling of being able to defeat his enemy without bloodshed.

Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan were also smiling.

The aristocratic families may have lost their standing and their control of Beiluo City, but… since Lu Fan actually dared to touch their assets, they couldn't be blamed for making sure he didn't come out unscathed!

They were very curious to see how this crippled Young Master Lu would handle this.

…

In the fishing boat, Lu Fan looked at the grand scene before him and laughed.

Nie Changqing had his calloused hand on the hilt of his butcher knife.

His butcher knife could kill pigs, and it could also kill people, especially if those people were unreasonable.

Ning Zhao's face had turned white from anger.

Those who were unreasonable were scholars, and those who were argumentative were also scholars.

Young Master had instructed her the day before to make sure each young lady was properly relocated after he dissolved Drunk Dust Court.

She wanted to argue back against the scholars, but facing a hundred scholars' scolding tongues was like standing before a hurricane; instead of a storm of water, it was words. Ning Zhao's words stuck in her throat, and she found it difficult to speak.

Lu Fan comforted Ning Zhao, patting her waist. His smile was like a beam of sunshine as he said, "Don't be angry. Don't be angry. You know I'm kind to people."

He then turned to look at the Confucians in the recreational boats, and the smile on his face slowly faded.

"But… when it comes to idiots, it's hard to say how I'll behave."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 29: Laughing at the Group of Confucianists, Nie Wields His Knife

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Lu Fan knew Chen Beixun was up to no good.

But he never expected that he would actually devise such a… foolish plan.

He felt a little disinterested now.

Chen Beixun was using Drunk Dust Court as his bait. He would use the Confucianists' philandering nature against them in order to make them all angry at Lu Fan and turn on him. His plan was to attack Lu Fan psychologically, and break him mentally.

If he were the Lu Fan of the past, he would've fallen into Chen Beixun's trap and would've become depressed, since his mental state was unstable back then due to his disability.

Unfortunately for Chen Beixun, Lu Fan wasn't the same Lu Fan from before.

Lu Fan remained seated in his wheelchair and slowly straightened his back. The wind blew back some of the hair that had fallen over his face.

Boat after boat were floating along the surface of the lake, and one Confucianist after another stood in their long robes, their hands behind their backs, as they looked coldly at Lu Fan's little fishing boat.

Their words were like a torrential downpour, and their Righteousness Qi stood the test of time.

Because the Imperial Advisor was in charge of Great Zhou, Confucianism had gained a large following, and its disciples were thus treated with great respect.

Wongggg…

Lu Fan narrowed his eyes.

As the Confucianists continued shouting at him, the mist on the surface of the lake slowly started to swirl into a tornado.

Nie Changqing placed one hand on his butcher knife and stayed by Lu Fan's side, his expression becoming more and more grim.

Lu Fan watched the mist swirling into a tornado, and his eyebrows raised slightly.

"Confucianism talks about 'Qi,' but this 'Qi' is different from Spirit Qi," Nie Changqing said hoarsely as he looked at the formless flow of Qi gushing out of the Confucianists' mouths, forming a tornado of mist. "What Confucius talked about was Righteousness Qi, which is in the heart. As the saying goes, a great Confucianist can make millions of soldiers retreat with one word. It's a hyperbole, but it refers to the power of Confucianist Righteousness Qi. Gods have no form, but Qi does."

"Qi can kill a person without leaving a trace," he continued as he wielded his butcher knife. "The Hundred Schools of Philosophy's three major moves, which everyone knows, are the Mohist City of Traps, Confucianist Righteousness Qi, and Yinyang Dream Killing Technique… Righteousness Qi is one of the reasons why Confucianism is one of the leading schools among the Hundred Schools of Philosophy. But, of course, these scholars are a far cry from the true great scholars of Confucianism…"

Lu Fan slightly nodded his head at Nie Changqing's explanation.

The swirling mist above his head pressed down on his body, but… this sort of pressure was much weaker compared to the Spirit Pressure cultivators could produce.

"This is perplexing." Lu Fan smiled, but he wasn't smiling on the inside. He had underestimated this Low Level Martial World.

"What are we going to do?" Nie Changqing asked as he held his knife tightly in his hand.

"Young Master, let your maid here kill all of them and cut off all their Righteousness Qi," Ning Zhao said, a frosty expression on her face. "If you argue with these men, you won't be able to defeat them."

"We can't kill them. These Confucianists are well-known for their achievements… and they're the Imperial Advisor's students," Nie Changqing said. He was Daoist after all, and obviously knew more than Ning Zhao. "Besides, even though you have Spirit Qi, you're only a First Resonance Grandmaster. You might not be able to completely cut off the Righteousness Qi of more than a hundred Confucianists."

"We can't outwit them, and we can't kill them… so what can we do?!" Ning Zhao said angrily. "We're Grandmaster level martial arts practitioners, and yet we have to suffer such injustice?"

Lu Fan laughed, then patted Ning Zhao's slim, supple waist. "I may have a good temper, but that doesn't mean I'll allow them to step all over me and do

whatever they want."

"No." He glanced at the twenty-odd recreational boats, a cheeky smile on his face. "Kill them all."

He would only reason with people who were on the same level as him. For those who weren't, he would only talk with them after he'd torn them to pieces.

BOOM!

The moment Lu Fan said "kill," Nie Changqing's eyes suddenly lit up like fire, and a wisp of Spirit Qi flowed out of his dantian.

The Qi and blood in his body flowed rapidly as six consecutive blasts loudly rang out.

Nie Changqing didn't advise Lu Fan otherwise. He'd said everything he should've said, but in the end, Lu Fan still decided to kill the Confucianists.

Since that was the case, he would carry out his orders.

In actual fact…

Nie Changqing's heart had also swelled with indignation.

The Confucianists could only rely on their words to put pressure on the Grandmaster martial arts practitioners, who had spent so much time and energy training themselves and transfusing their blood and Qi.

So why was he afraid?

So what if there were a hundred Confucianists here?

So what if they had Righteousness Qi?

Today, he, Nie Changqing, was going to use his knife to his heart's content!

On the fishing boat, the old man had already hidden himself in the cabin and had left the paddle at the end of the boat.

Nie Changqing leapt up and threw the paddle with such force that it instantly shot out of the boat like a javelin stick.

He held his butcher knife in his hand and used his feet to stomp hard against the floor. The boat sank briefly, then rose up, and Nie Changqing was catapulted out of the boat.

Pak!

The bamboo paddle floated horizontally on the lake's surface, and was drifting away.

Nie Changqing skidded across the water to the paddle, which was barely three fingers wide, and landed on the tips of his toes. He held the butcher knife as he stood on the bamboo paddle and glided along the surface of the lake, his clothes flapping loudly in the wind.

"A martial arts practitioner! The gall!"

"Young Master Lu, how dare you instruct a subordinate to wield his knife before us?!"

"All of us here have achievements recognized by the court, and we have Righteousness Qi from the Imperial Advisor!"

Three Confucianists stood at the front of one of the recreational boats. When they saw Nie Changqing furiously heading toward them with a butcher knife in his hand, their eyes widened in anger, and they shouted at Luo Fan.

A large wind made their robes flap crazily and stick to their bodies, outlining their figures.

The mist made from Righteousness Qi had swirled into a huge tornado.

On the boat paddle, Nie Changqing glided across the lake, but it was becoming harder and harder to move across the water.

Like a fountain, the Confucianists on the recreational boats endlessly spouted their indignation.

There was a strange feeling in the air between the skies and the water, and it made the Qi and blood boiling in Nie Changqing start to cool down.

On the fishing boat, Lu Fan looked on with interest.

This was probably the most fantasy-like scene he had seen in this universe so far. The scholars' Righteousness Qi sure was something…

In reality, Righteousness Qi couldn't really cause anyone any physical harm. It mostly worked by weakening a person's confidence and mental state.

Lu Fan's eyes flashed as he started to think. If he merged Righteousness Qi and Spirit Qi… what effect would that have?

Spirit Qi could cause physical harm, while Righteousness Qi could cause psychological harm. If Righteousness Qi was combined with Spirit Qi, would he be able to hold back millions of troops?

Could he turn demons to ashes with just a shout?

The more Lu Fan thought about it, the more interesting it became.

Holding back millions of troops would feel more fantasy-like than what he was witnessing now. The Righteousness Qi he was watching hold back Nie

Changqing was mere child's play compared to that.

Nie Changqing had a grim expression on his face. The wind howled, and waves rippled across the surface of the lake.

He stood up straight on the paddle and faced the twenty-odd recreational boats, which held more than a hundred Confucianists. The pressure and fear he felt from their Righteousness Qi made his hand holding the knife tremble.

The paddle didn't advance any further, and Nie Changqing wasn't able to board the recreational boats and kill the Confucianists.

Suddenly, Lu Fan's calm voice floated over to him, and he managed to hear it above the howling wind. It floated straight into his ears.

"Since your floating technique isn't enough to get you there, let's kill our enemies from a distance. Use Spirit Qi as your foundation, and control your knife remotely. Do you know how? Don't worry about not having enough Spirit Qi." Lu Fan said all this calmly. He had talked to Nie before about Knife Control Technique.

He wanted him to try out his knife, and to do that, he wanted him to perform… Knife Control Technique.

Nie Changqing slightly trembled.

Afterward, there was a brightness in his eyes that hadn't been there before, and his eyes shone.

The Immortal had imparted the Knife Control Technique to him. He had consulted Young Master about it before, but he was unable to grasp the technique, as he didn't have Spirit Qi.

But now…

He could try it out.

Nie Changqing looked up and stared straight at the hundred-odd Confucianists on the recreational boats.

Suddenly, he laughed heartily, and after he finished laughing, he closed his eyes.

He felt an inner peace like he had never felt before.

A wisp of Spirit Qi flowed out from his dantian and into his limbs and bones.

What appeared in Nie Changqing's mind was Knife Control Technique, which was the improved version of Dispersed Knife Technique. This was the technique that the Immortal had imparted to him.

The Spirit Qi started moving according to the steps for achieving the Knife Control Technique.

His heart suddenly quieted down.

And the sound of the Confucianists' endless scolding disappeared.

The sound of the wind, the sound of the water, and the sound of the frightened birds flapping their wings all vanished, and the only thing on his mind was the butcher knife in his hand.

The practical, unsophisticated, and simple butcher knife became a part of him.

Man and knife had become one!

A light blue wisp of Spirit Qi swiftly followed the technique's trajectory.

Nie Changqing stood on the paddle with the help of his martial arts abilities.

He suddenly opened his eyes.

His hair flew upward.

He raised his butcher knife high.

The next moment, a wisp of Spirit Qi surrounded the knife, and Nie Changqing slowly released his grip on the knife…

COMMENT

The wind blew hard, and his hair flew back.

The simple black butcher knife was in front of him…

and floating in the air!

Nobody was controlling it! It defied gravity!

On the fishing boat, Lu Fan watched, his lips curling upward.

He took the Spirit Pressure Chessboard from Ni Yu, who was still shaky from puking, and elegantly placed it on his legs.

Then, he calmly opened the box of chess pieces.

He used one hand to hold his sleeve, while he used the other to take out a gleaming white chess piece.

…

There was a mixture of shock, fright, and amazement on Nie Changqing's face.

"Knife Control…"

Nie Changqing suddenly laughed loudly and stepped hard on the paddle.

BOOM!

He flew up into the sky.

The boat paddle was now vertical. It stood vertically on the surface of the lake like a pillar holding up the heavens.

Nie Changqing stood high up on the top of the paddle.

He crossed his arms, then violently spread them apart.

The butcher knife floating in front of him started spinning fast, with the handle as its fulcrum.

Nie Changqing's loud laughter boomed across the surface of the lake.

He swung his arms, and the spinning butcher knife suddenly stopped, its blade pointing down at one of the exquisite recreational boats.

Through the blurry mist, the Confucianists could make out a magical shadow surrounding the butcher knife.

The knife could be controlled by command, and it could slash enemies from afar!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 30: Control Twenty Knives, Put Down Twenty Chess Pieces

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The knife was floating!

The knife was moving on its own, without anyone touching it. This was something only a deity could do!

The hundred-odd Confucianists in the recreational boats looked in amazement at the gravity-defying butcher knife, which was floating in the air and heading toward them!

That knife… could actually fly?!

There wasn't anything unusual about flying knives. After all, the Mohists had also created flying knives.

But their flying knives were hidden weapons, which was completely different from this butcher knife, which was flying gloriously through the air…

The butcher knife in front of them had a blurry knife-shaped shadow around it, and it brought about such a powerful pressure that it made all the Confucianists feel like they couldn't breathe.

Among the Hundred Schools of Philosophy… which one used such a technique?!

All the Confucianists in the recreational boats shut their mouths and stared at the butcher knife flying by itself through the air, their foreheads beading with sweat.

Nie Changqing was still standing on the vertical boat paddle, his clothes flapping loudly in the gushing wind.

The Qi and blood that had been suppressed earlier by the pressure of the Righteousness Qi started to boil within him again.

He had used Spirit Qi to control the knife, producing this beautiful, eye-catching move.

This was the most powerful knife Nie Changqing had ever wielded ever since he became a Grandmaster.

But Nie Changqing remained calm. As if he were merely butchering suckling pigs like normal, he was unflinching.

"Compared to how Young Master used Spirit Pressure to press down on Han Lianxiao with one word… this move of mine is nothing to fuss over," Nie Changqing murmured.

A moment later, his eyes landed on the recreational boats and became clear and steady.

BOOM!

The mist swirled into a tornado.

The Righteousness Qi that had swirled up the mist on the lake's surface was a combined effort that had reached its highest level.

The expression on the hundred-odd Confucianists' faces immediately changed.

They never expected Lu Fan to get Nie Changqing to attack them.

They were all accomplished Confucianists. Though they weren't of high standing, their deaths would make for a sensitive topic.

Lu Fan really dared to kill them?

If he killed them, he would attract the attention of the great Confucian scholars in the palace, and he might even be questioned by the Imperial Adviser.

When that happened… how would Lu Fan get out of such a mess?!

But.

Regardless of what these Confucianists thought…

Nie Changqing's knife had already come down toward them.

The waves, which had appeared on the surface of the lake as a result of the billowing wind, suddenly died down. The lake was like a mirror—there were no ripples, and it was so quiet it made one shudder.

The butcher knife locked on one of the recreational boats as its target, and the leading scholar, who stood arrogantly at the front of the boat, instantly cowered.

He wasn't just a Confucianist. He was also a martial arts practitioner.

But he was only a Second Tier martial arts practitioner, and this move by Nie Changqing made him feel the same terror he would feel if he were going straight to hell.

The Qi on his face disappeared, and the wisp of Righteousness Qi in his chest dissipated.

He was standing on the deck of the recreational boat, but suddenly he turned around, pushed through the Confucianists behind him, and ran toward the back of the boat like a mad man.

WONGGG…

Everyone was waiting for the butcher knife to land.

But Nie Changqing's butcher knife disappointed them. The knife didn't cut into the recreational boat.

It hovered an inch above the deck instead.

The knife's strange floating ability struck even more terror into their hearts.

The lake was completely quiet and calm. The Confucianists in the other recreational boats were wide-eyed, but as they suddenly felt that the scene wasn't interesting anymore, they were all expressionless.

However…

Most of the Confucianists in the boat the knife was hovering over reacted like the leading scholar. As if they had gone mad, they all hurriedly turned around to escape. But after running not even a few feet, a bloody cut appeared on their bodies, and they were chopped at the waist. They were split in two, just like that.

BOOMMMM!

In an instant…

The calm lake surface was covered in white foam. It looked like there was a white snake stretched from Nie Changqing to the recreational boats.

The surface of the lake had been parted in two, about 650 feet deep.

This knife seemed like it could behead even dragons.

The Righteousness Qi of the Confucianists collapsed into a mess after the knife came down.

KACHA.

The recreational boat broke in half.

Although the butcher knife hadn't hit the boat itself, there was a crack in the recreational boat.

Some of the Confucianists who managed to run quickly enough didn't die, but blood seeped through their robes as they screamed in horror and fell onto the boat deck.

The boat broke apart.

The bluish-green lake water bubbled and gushed into the recreational boat.

The recreational boat started to sink, and the remaining Confucianists were completely at a loss for what to do, having lost all Righteousness Qi they had. Now they were merely a group of scholars who weren't even as skilled as Third Tier martial arts practitioners.

Many scholars removed their long robes, regardless of how cold the lake water was. They quickly jumped off their recreational boat and started swimming toward the other recreational boats or to the shore.

Some of the scholars who didn't know how to swim were paralyzed with fear, their faces deathly pale, as they remained standing on the boat.

Nie Changqing lifted his hand.

It was as if his open palm had suction power. The butcher knife, which was still hovering above the sinking recreational boat, wavered and floated back to him.

Eventually, it flew back into his hand.

He stood straight on the boat paddle, his clothes blowing in the wind, and yet he had parted the lake with this one knife.

Knife Control Technique had been seen by the world for the first time, and it had both shocked and amazed everyone.

All the Confucianists in the other recreational boats were shocked, and many were still trembling.

One knife could part the lake, break a boat, and kill people, all by itself!

Was this really a move by a martial arts practitioner?!

Even those legendary great Grandmaster martial arts practitioners or those from the Hundred Schools of Philosophy… probably couldn't reach this level, either!

The entire surface of Beiluo Lake was silent.

The fishing boat was still bobbing on the water.

Ning Zhao had her Cicada Wing Sword in hand and stood quietly on the boat. When she saw this incredible, impossible scene in front of her, her plump red lips parted slightly.

Even someone like her… was also in great shock.

But Lu Fan, who was sitting in his wheelchair beside her, didn't even look up. The wind blew through his hair as he picked up a white chess piece, a faint smile on his face.

One hand gently rubbed against the clean, dust-free chessboard.

The next moment…

There was a white chess piece between his index finger and middle finger, and he suddenly put it down on one side of the middle of the chessboard.

The chess piece tapped against the board.

"Nie, continue," Lu Fan said calmly.

A flash emanated from the Spirit Pressure chessboard. Black pieces placed on the board released five times the amount of Spirit Pressure, while white pieces would restore 50% of the Spirit Qi of the target person.

There was no such thing as half a wisp of Spirit Qi. Since Nie Changqing only had one wisp, 50% restoration was equivalent to restoring one full wisp.

Nie Changqing, who stood straight on the boat paddle, holding his butcher knife, opened his eyes again.

Excitement flashed across his face.

That irresistible Spirit Qi… had come back!

WONGGG…

The butcher knife in his hand was surrounded by Spirit Qi once more.

Nie Changqing was a little doubtful about the chop he had made earlier, so he executed the chop again from a different angle this time.

He aimed at a different recreational boat.

The Confucianists on this boat were frightened half to death.

Unlike the great Confucian scholars, they were still unable to remain calm in the face of death.

On the boat paddle, Nie Changqing continued to wield his knife, while on the little boat, Lu Fan continued to place chess pieces on the chessboard.

The two of them were coordinating their movements well.

The scene was actually somewhat poetic.

He put down twenty chess pieces in a row, and all of them were white.

Nie Changqing continuously executed his move twenty times, each knife chopping down on the recreational boat.

He started to gain a deeper understanding of this Knife Control Technique.

As for the group of Confucianists on Beiluo Lake, they couldn't maintain their initial stance anymore and started falling into the lake like dumplings.

All their faces were deathly pale due to the freezing water, but nobody dared to be angry or say anything.

Some of the Confucianists who were killed by the butcher knife also fell into Beiluo Lake, causing the water to become bloodied.

The mist on Beiluo Lake dissipated.

It was dispelled by the twenty knife moves that Nie Changqing executed.

Nie Changqing returned to the fishing boat with the paddle in tow.

On the boat, Lu Fan was taking his time placing each chess piece back into the box.

"Young Master, the remaining Confucianists… how do you want to deal with them? Kill them off with one chop?" Nie Changqing asked, holding onto his butcher knife.

Lu Fan massaged his long fingers, then supported his chin with one hand as he glanced at the Confucianists struggling in Beiluo Lake.

The corners of his lips twitched a little.

"Let them struggle. Since they wanted to step all over me in order to be known as men who went to war over pretty ladies… then they should pay the price for doing so.

"If they drown to death, forget it. For those who don't…

"Once they reach the shore, there'll be people from City Master's office who will deal with them," Lu Fan replied calmly.

"But now, let's go over and have a look at Drunk Dust Court."

…

Several hundred feet away from the fishing boat…

Chen Beixun's pupils dilated, and his body trembled slightly as he carried a wooden sword box on his back.

Remotely controlling a knife that could part a lake!

This abandoned Daoist disciple… was that powerful?!

That was a knife move that could make people tremble in despair.

Next to him, Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan had already collapsed on the floor of the boat, and were in a daze.

"How… how can this be?!" one of them stammered.

"Is he even human?! Is there really someone out there who can control a knife from afar like that and kill his enemies?"

Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan were exclaiming in low voices, like they had been possessed by a demon.

"Don't be anxious… there's still the Grandmaster I have from Sword Sect!" Chen Beixun encouraged them.

There was a glint in Chen Beixun's eyes as he clenched his fists.

The mist swirling on the surface of Beiluo Lake had been completely dissipated by Nie Changqing's knife.

Far out from the mist, a small boat bobbing in the lake could be seen.

Chen Beixun's eyes lit up as he looked at the figure proudly seated all by himself on that small boat.

That figure was also carrying a wooden sword box like himself, and in it were four swords.

That was someone from Zhongnan Sky Mountain's Sword Sect!

He had four swords, which meant this person was an assassin on par with a Sixth Resonance Grandmaster martial arts practitioner!

Suddenly, there was excitement in Chen Beixun's eyes.

He watched as the swordsman on the small boat stood up, his long robe flapping in the wind.

The swordsman from Sword Sect was going to make his move!

However…

Chen Beixun's excitement soon dissipated.

Because after that Sword Sect swordsman stood up, he quickly emanated Qi and blood without hesitation to make the small boat move very quickly along the water.

The boat left several wide-spreading ripples on the surface of the lake.

The swordsman was making a run for it at top speed, and didn't turn back.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 31: It Has Appeared! Young Master's Spirit Pressure

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

He… escaped?

At a loss, Chen Beixun, who was by himself on the fishing boat, watched the small boat quickly leave in the opposite direction.

Within Sword Sect, one's status and level are indicated by how many swords one has in their sword box.

First Tier martial arts practitioners had the right to carry a sword box.

Grandmasters could hide two swords in their sword box.

First to Fourth Resonance Grandmasters had two swords in their sword box.

From Fifth Resonance Grandmaster onward, each additional resonance had one more sword than the last.

A Sixth Resonance Grandmaster could hide four swords in his sword box.

The highest level was a Ninth Resonance Grandmaster, and his sword box could hold seven swords.

Moreover, those seven swords could be specially made by a top Mohist swordsmith, and were one of the best weapons in the world.

This was the tradition that Sword Sect had observed since its beginning.

The highly skilled Sword Sect assassin on that small boat had four swords in his sword box, which meant that he was a Sixth Resonance Grandmaster…

And yet, such a strong fighter had actually abandoned the original plan and escaped without even looking back!

Nie Changqing had used one knife to part the lake, then sent out twenty more chops in a row, breaking twenty recreational boats and killing dozens of Confucianists. Had he really frightened this Sixth Resonance Grandmaster from Sword Sect?

Chen Beixun slightly trembled.

He suddenly understood why Lu Fan was so calm and so fearless.

This abandoned Daoist disciple's power…

He was practically a monster!

On the fishing boat…

Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan's faces were also filled with fear.

But when they looked at Chen Beixun, their expressions became angry and threatening. "Chen Beixun, you tricked us?!" Zhu Yishan roared in a low voice. "You said you were confident you could get rid of Lu Pingan!"

Liu Ye also looked at Chen Beixu menacingly.

The day before, Chen Beixun had come looking for them in the night. After spending the whole night devising a plan, he had confidently promised them that Sword Sect would be part of the plan and would seize the opportunity to get rid of Lu Fan when he was on a boat headed for Drunk Dust Court.

But everything he had said was good for nothing now.

The highly skilled fighter from Sword Sect had been frightened off before he had even showed his face!

They… had been betrayed!

They could only imagine what fate would befall them when Lu Fan decided to deal with them.

Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan thought of that lazy and elegant young man who sat on his wheelchair, and for some reason, they felt a chill in their hearts.

"What are you afraid of!" Chen Beixun said.

"Since the beginning of time, for as long as water flowed through the mountains, the aristocratic families have been unmovable… the three aristocratic families of Beiluo City may not be as powerful as families like the Tantais, but we have one of the Hundred Schools of Philosophy, the Sword Sect, supporting us… Lu Pingan won't dare touch us."

Chen Beixun stood proudly at the front of the boat. He carried his wooden sword box on his back, his robe flapping in the wind off the lake.

His voice was cold and harsh, and it carried weight.

"But the fighter from Sword Sect has… has escaped!" Liu Ye said in a trembling voice, as he pointed a finger toward the small boat, which was disappearing out of sight.

Chen Beixun clenched his teeth. After taking a deep breath, he said, "This is just a strategic temporary retreat. We'll retreat too and then continue discussing this when we get back!"

He then ordered the skipper to turn the boat around.

However…

Just when the skipper held up the paddle and was about to make the difficult turn…

Suddenly…

A terrifying pressure suddenly exploded.

BOOOOM!!!

…

"Hmm?"

Lu Fan had just put away all the chess pieces in the chess box and raised his eyebrow slightly.

He looked out after the mist on the lake's surface had cleared to see a small boat that was facing his fishing boat suddenly create a spray of water as it shot off into the distance.

After the mist over the lake had cleared, he looked into the distance and saw a small boat facing his fishing boat. It suddenly shot off into the distance, spraying water in its wake.

"Who… was that?" Lu Fan asked in surprise. He stroked his chin as he watched the small boat madly make its getaway.

Nie Changqing held onto his butcher knife and looked up in the direction of the small boat, which had already gone quite a distance.

"A wooden sword box with four swords hiding inside, so he's from Sword Sect, one of the Hundred Schools of Philosophy… a Sixth Resonance Grandmaster swordsman."

Nie Changqing was Daoist No. 10, so naturally, he wasn't a stranger to highly skilled fighters from Sword Sect.

"Sword Sect… Grandmaster level swordsman?"

Lu Fan narrowed his eyes.

"Why is he running? I have such a good temper. Does he think I might gobble him up?"

Nie Changqing whistled, speechless, as he glanced at the group of Confucianists still struggling in Beiluo Lake.

Lu Fan has a good temper… my foot.

His magnanimity was no greater than the size of dragon fruit seeds.

So Nie Changqing decided not to respond.

Lu Fan supported his chin with one hand, slowly closed his eyes, and checked the progress of his Spirit Qi restoration while he waved the other. "Forget it, forget it. I'll take it that he knows what's good for him."

"Young Master, there's a boat behind us. Chen Beixun is in it, along with the other two heirs of the Lius and the Zhus," Ni Yu said, tired and weak, while pointing out a fishing boat. She was still sprawled on the side of the fishing boat, nearly drained of all her energy after puking so much due to seasickness.

"Oh," Lu Fan said, then closed his eyes after glancing at Ni Yu's pitiful face.

Nie Changqing had executed twenty moves, and his chess pieces had used up twenty wisps of Spirit Qi.

But he could feel his dantian churning like a furnace, slowly restoring itself.

At this speed, he would recover a wisp of Spirit Qi in about two hours. This restoration speed was definitely a little on the slow side.

However, Lu Fan was satisfied with it.

"Young Master… they're leaving." Ni Yu's weak voice rang in Lu Fan's ears.

Lu Fan opened his eyes.

"They're leaving?"

He grabbed the Spirit Pressure chessboard and placed it on his lap. Then, he took a black chess piece from the box.

The black chess piece gleamed as Lu Fan held it between his index finger and middle finger.

"Since when do I, Lu Ping'an, do anything just for show?"

The next moment, everything in his surroundings turned into translucent outlines, just like the time he deployed Spirit Qi to Ning Zhao from a distance.

He zoomed in and found the fishing boat Chen Beixun was using to make his getaway.

The corners of his lips twitched slightly.

Then, he placed the chess piece right in the middle of the chessboard.

Pak.

A light blue wisp of Spirit Qi rose up from the chess piece like a small spark of fire.

Wind suddenly started to blow across the calm surface of the lake.

Ning Zhao's long dress flapped nonstop in the wind.

Nie Changqing's pupils narrowed, and he held his legs together tightly…

It had appeared!

Young Master's… Spirit Pressure!

…

On the fishing boat…

Chen Beixun was trembling. The pressure that came down hard like a threat from the heavens made him defenseless in that moment. His face hit the floor and was firmly pressed down.

His entire body was prostrate on the floor, and he didn't even have the energy to move his fingertips.

Not just him—Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan were in the same predicament.

They were in even worse shape than Chen Beixun. Blood poured out of their mouths and noses.

As for the skipper, he had already jumped into the lake and was desperately swimming toward the shore.

Chen Beixun roared in a low voice. He wanted to climb back up, but the pressure bearing down on him was as heavy as a mountain.

BOOM!

The water within five feet of the fishing boat suddenly exploded, and the fishing boat immediately started sinking into the lake.

The freezing lake water rapidly engulfed Chen Beixun, Liu Ye, and Zhu Yishan.

The strong-smelling lake water flowed into their mouths.

What was going on?!

How did the boat suddenly start sinking?

Where was this terrifying pressure coming from?

It never crossed their minds that Lu Fan was the cause of this. He was so far away from them and wasn't an immortal, so he couldn't possibly have been able to create a pressure so great that it could sink a fishing boat.

They were full of questions, but their survival instincts kicked in, and the only thing they could think about was using all their strength to try and swim to shore.

Even a Second Tier martial arts practitioner would be completely exhausted after soaking for so long in the freezing lake water before finally reaching the shore.

In fact, many of the Confucianists had lost all energy after swimming halfway to the shore, and all their memories and regrets in life sunk to the bottom of the lake with them with a thud.

Chen Beixun was still doing okay, since he was a First Tier martial arts practitioner. Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan were also in training, so they all managed to make it to the shore alive.

They were completely drenched, and their clothes stuck to their bodies, along with filth from the lake.

Suddenly…

The ground started shaking.

There was the deafening sound of horses galloping.

A group of soldiers on horseback arrived in full armor. The people who had gathered to watch yelped and moved aside. They recognized these soldiers as troops under the City Master.

Yi Yue rode on a brown horse, and behind her were Beiluo City's Ironblood troops in their cold, hard armor.

"Young Master has sent instructions to bring the heirs to the three aristocratic families back to the city jail for tea," Yi Yue said, the expression on her face cold and serious.

"Handcuff them."

The next minute…

Several Ironblood soldiers walked over with cold, heavy chains.

Chen Beixun was completely soaked as he climbed to his feet. The hair that he had carefully done up earlier that day was now a mess.

He straightened himself up and stood confidently.

"I am Chen Beixun, disciple of Sword Sect, you…"

PAK!

Before Chen Beixun could finish speaking, Yi Yue suddenly pulled her whip out and whipped him.

The burning pain immediately caused Chen Beixun's eyes to fill with tears.

"I demand to see Young Master Lu!"

"I…" Chen Beixun shouted, but Yi Yue kept a cold expression on her face as she whipped him again, leaving a bloody mark on his body.

"Young Master has given me precise orders. He said if you open your mouth to speak, then… I have to whip you," Yi Yue said politely. A faint smile could be seen on her attractive face as she curled the long whip up with her dainty hands.

Chen Beixun immediately stopped talking.

He wanted to protest, but there were nearly a hundred of Beiluo City's fiercest and bravest Ironblood soldiers present. What… did he have to protest with?

Even if a Grandmaster met with so many of Beiluo City's Ironblood soldiers, he, too, would hold his hands out obediently.

Liu Ye and Zhu Yishan didn't even think of protesting. They obediently allowed themselves to be handcuffed and led away.

There was seaweed tangled in Chen Beixun's hair. He turned to look out at the fishing boat drifting quietly in the middle of Beiluo Lake and thought he could see the gentle young man in his wheelchair.

He shuddered slightly.

"I've been careless this time around… OW!" Looking out over the lake, Chen Beixun couldn't help but exclaim as he was handcuffed with the metal chains.

But before he could finish his sentence…

PAK!

Yi Yue whipped him again.

"OW! Not… not so hard!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter

Chapter 32: Plant Chrysanthemums and Kill Half the Peach Trees on the Island

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

The fishing boat bobbed on the surface of the water.

The old skipper with a gap in his front teeth clambered out of the cabin, picked up the boat paddle, and rowed Lu Fan and the rest to Beiluo Lake Island.

Its wooden hull hit the blue tiled pavement of Beiluo Lake Island.

Lu Fan raised his head and looked up to see a large patch of peach trees before him. Its pink flowers were in full bloom, just like the ladies on the island.

An exquisite building was hidden deep in the peach tree forest and could vaguely be seen among the trees. The courtesans' coquettish laughter floated over to them from the building.

The entire island was filled with the smell of peach blossoms.

The wind blew, and the peach trees swayed. The pink petals of the peach blossoms fluttered down, adding to the beauty of the scenery.

In the distance, behind the carved wooden door of Drunk Dust Court, there were dozens of gentle and graceful figures.

The sound of coquettish laughter was all around.

Under the guidance of the brothel's madam, the courtesans in Drunk Dust Court all wore coy smiles and expressions on their faces as they held round paper fans. Their fair and soft skin could be seen through the thin fabric of their clothes, and their faces were painted in exquisite makeup. They all fought to be the first one to welcome their guest.

Lu Fan would be the new owner of Drunk Dust Court, and perhaps their owner too.

These courtesans were all women who had fallen straight to the bottom of society. If they were able to catch Young Master Lu's eye, they wouldn't have to worry about anything the rest of their lives.

They didn't dare to dream of becoming the wife of the city's Young Master, but if they could become his concubine, that would be enough to guarantee them a life of luxury.

As for those smelly scholar lovers they had…

They decided to let go of the past.

There was a somewhat strange look on Nie Changqing's face, and he glanced Lu Fan, who was calm and collected.

He picked up his butcher knife and took a step forward to stand in front of Lu Fan. He raised the knife and swung it in front of the courtesans, who all looked like they had stories to tell.

Nie Changqing's actions made the courtesans stop what they were doing. They stayed far away and didn't dare to move forward.

"Sister Ning, push me over there," Lu Fan said to Ning Zhao as he massaged his fingers and ignored the courtesans.

Ning Zhao bent her head slightly as she placed her pretty hands on the wheelchair and pushed it over to the building.

The wooden wheels of the wheelchair rolled over the fallen peach blossom petals as it made its way over to Drunk Dust Court.

Suddenly, Lu Fan turned to look at Ni Yu, who looked thin after puking so much from being seasick. "By the way, Ni, come over here."

"There are ten seeds here. Find a place on the island and dig ten holes to plant them in."

Lu Fan pulled out the ten Heaven Facing Spiritual Chrysanthemum seeds that the system had rewarded him with, and passed them to Ni Yu.

Ni Yu cupped her hands together to take the seeds from Lu Fan, and was stunned for a while as she held the ten seeds in her hands and looked at them. Each one of them was warm and shiny like a jade, and they had a sweet fragrance to them.

To Ni Yu, these looked just like… freshly fried broad beans.

Ni Yu had puked so much that there was nothing left in her stomach… so she couldn't help but feel a little hungry.

"Young… Young Master!"

Ni Yu lifted her head, and there was desire written all over her pale face.

"Hmm?" Lu Fan paused.

"These broad beans… can they be eaten?" Ni Yu asked as a little saliva dribbled out of the corner of her mouth.

Lu Fan's face immediately darkened. He nearly wanted to forget about his image and jump up from his wheelchair and give this gluttonous little girl a kick.

"Those are chrysanthemum seeds, not broad beans!"

Ni Yu's face was filled with longing.

Lu Fan glanced at her and said threateningly, "Don't eat them. Remember that! You must not eat them! If you eat them, you'll regret it! If you dare to steal any, I'll get the old skipper to take you on a boat ride around the island!"

These ten seeds were his key to transforming Beiluo Lake Island!

They were like the sunflowers in the Plants vs. Zombies game Lu Fan had played in his previous life, so they were extremely important!

Ni Yu's heart constricted. If she had to go on a boat ride around the island, she would puke all her insides out.

There was fear on her face and a trace of regret. Holding the seeds in her hands, she had no choice but to carry the chessboard on her back and go dig some holes to plant the seeds in.

…

At the edge of Beiluo Lake Island, a small figure was carrying a huge chessboard and running under the sunlight among the swaying peach trees.

Ni Yu was in a pretty good mood as she held the ten Heaven Facing Spiritual Chrysanthemum seeds in her hands and looked for a suitable place to plant them.

She could plant them today, then harvest a whole mountain of chrysanthemums another day.

Ni Yu liked this sort of work that was stress-free and relaxing.

Young Master doted on her after all. He never called her when it came to fighting or killing.

After finding a place between two large peach trees, Ni Yu picked up a peach tree branch and stuck her butt out as she started digging a hole in the ground.

After she finished digging the hole, she took one Heaven Facing Spiritual Chrysanthemum seed and carefully placed it inside.

She covered it up with soil, then stepped on the mound of dirt with both feet. She then picked up a small container to water it, and used a small knife to carve the words "Chrysanthemum 1" into the bark of the peach tree next to it to mark that the first Heaven Facing Spiritual Chrysanthemum was planted here.

Then she continued on, running along the shore of the lake for quite a distance.

There were ten seeds, so she planted one after she'd gone some distance from the previous one, planting Chrysanthemum 1 all the way to Chrysanthemum 10 and perfectly gauging a good distance between them.

After she finished planting Chrysanthemum 10, her head was covered with sweat and her little face was all red. She put her hands on her hips. This exercise had really worn her out.

She then turned around to look at what she'd accomplished and claim credit from Young Master.

But the moment she turned around… her chubby little face suddenly trembled.

The smile on her face… disappeared.

Peach trees covered half of Beiluo Lake Island, and whenever the wind blew through the trees, there would be a rustling sound, and the fragrance of peach blossoms would fill the air as the blossoms fell to the ground like rain.

The scene was extremely beautiful and mesmerizing.

But now…

Ni Yu was carrying the chessboard and standing under a peach tree in a daze.

The little island was originally filled with pink peach blossoms and filled the place with beauty and life.

But all of a sudden…

It all changed.

The peach tree she carved "Chrysanthemum 1" into dried up, as if the water in it were being sucked away, and the life was cleanly wrung out of it.

Its branches were full of peach blossoms, but each one dried up and faded, as if they'd been scorched by the hot sun all day.

In an instant, this place went from heaven on earth to hell.

From Chrysanthemum 1 to Chrysanthemum 10, it was as if each tree were a light bulb that had been switched off.

The entire patch of peach trees were drying up and fading and dying in sequential order…

Her long eyelashes fluttered as she looked at the place where she'd planted the ten chrysanthemum seeds.

And what she saw…

The seeds she had just sown started breaking through the ground in the order that they'd been planted in, extending their branches to meet the wind as if they had come alive. They swayed slightly, and their green jade-like stems sparkled like azurite in the sunshine.

Ni Yu's legs trembled, and the expression on her face changed.

She was still standing in the peach tree forest.

But the next moment, the entire forest started making a rustling sound.

The wind from the lake blew through the trees.

And it rippled through each of the peach trees like a shockwave.

Boom…

All the peach blossoms on the trees were like pieces of burnt paper, and turned to powder from the wind.

The entire forest was filled with fallen and faded peach blossoms.

It was like a deadly, heavy snowfall.

Ni Yu was shocked by what she'd just witnessed.

And she wasn't the only one.

The courtesans that had been frightened off by Nie Changqing on Beiluo Lake Island looked as if they'd just seen a ghost. They all fell to the ground in fear.

They were naturally very familiar with the peach blossoms that covered half of Beiluo Lake Island.

But…

In an instant, all the peach blossoms had dried up.

It was as if a demon were living on the island, and they were suddenly filled with fear from head to toe.

Humans are always fearful of the unknown.

Ni Yu looked at the ten gleaming green chrysanthemum saplings swaying in the wind, waiting to bloom. She could make out a flow of Qi moving along the surface of the ground and converging from all directions to flow into the young chrysanthemum trees.

It was as if… the chrysanthemum seeds had sucked the life out of the peach trees and took their nutrients for their own growth!

Ni Yu felt her legs go weak, and her face went pale.

Young Master hadn't lied to her. Those chrysanthemum seeds… really weren't safe to eat!

Ni Yu's flat chest suddenly heaved violently, and she breathed a huge sigh of relief.

She was so glad… that she hadn't thought the chrysanthemum seeds were broad beans and eaten them.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know report chapter so we can fix it as soon as possible.

Report chapter