Chapter 271: A Simple Favor, a Boundless Blessing

'What a coincidence.'

Li Rui's mouth twitched.

Jiang Lin and he had both set up hidden doors in their rooms.

For all his sharp brows and starlit eyes, he's got more schemes than you'd think—no wonder I didn't see Jiang Yan that night.

Sure enough, as soon as the hidden door fully opened, they saw Jiang Yan and the old Daoist Xu Xuan seated inside the secret chamber.

'Elder, Yan'er, the matter is resolved.'

Jiang Lin stepped in first.

Xu Xuan's eyes glowed unnervingly bright; he said nothing, merely stared at Jiang Lin for a long while, then burst into laughter: 'Good, good, good—I never misjudged you, boy.'

He had confirmed: Jiang Lin had entered the Earth Immortal realm.

The Huang Ting Mystery Art had truly birthed a terrestrial immortal.

And Jiang Lin was no ordinary Earth Immortal—with Huang Ting Qi as his foundation, his future would be extraordinary; perhaps he could even open the legendary Heavenly Gate.

Jiang Lin bowed deeply to Xu Xuan: 'Thank you, Elder, for transmitting your art.'

The old Daoist before him had used his own lifespan as fuel to ignite the Immortal Flame for him.

This was a great debt.

Xu Xuan waved his hand.

'I already said—if I didn't pass it to you, I'd take it to the grave anyway, wasted.'

Xu Xuan took this very lightly.

The Huang Ting Qi was meant to be passed on.

Otherwise, why cultivate Huang Ting at all?

Xu Xuan's aura visibly withered; after transmitting his art last night, what little life he had left was now nearly gone—only five years remained.

Li Rui listened nearby, and finally understood.

No wonder Jiang Lin had ascended to the Earth Immortal realm—it was because of Xu Xuan's transmission.

Xu Xuan chuckled: 'If you truly want to thank me, then reach the First Rank before I die, so I can rest easy with a smile.'

'.'

Even Jiang Lin, brilliant as he was, dared not claim he could break two ranks in three to five years—especially to the upper three ranks.

Just as Jiang Lin was about to speak,

Xu Xuan suddenly turned his head toward Li Rui, squinting slightly.

As if he'd discovered something amusing, he chuckled:

'A trivial matter.'

Before Li Rui could grasp what Xu Xuan meant, the old man's withered hand settled atop his crown.

In an instant—

A cool thread flowed into his body from the top of his head.

'The Immortal caresses my crown, ties my hair and grants eternal life.'

Xu Xuan cultivated the Huang Ting Mystery Scripture; its final technique had no combat power—it was called: Immortal Caresses the Crown!

Li Rui's eyes widened.

Transmission of power!

Xu Xuan activated a great divine art; Huang Ting Qi surged through Li Rui's entire body, just as when he broke through the Ocean-Viewing realm—his internal impurities were washed away, leaving him utterly refreshed.

This time, no foul odor emitted.

Instead, the room filled with a sweet fragrance.

The Qi did not return to Xu Xuan's body—it remained within Li Rui.

The Huang Ting Qi was balanced and harmonious.

For a martial cultivator, it was a boundless blessing—look at Jiang Lin: he gained the Huang Ting Qi and instantly ascended to Immortality.

Xu Xuan's face paled visibly; his body swayed. Jiang Lin swiftly caught him.

'Done.'

He chuckled, his excitement outweighing his exhaustion.

Li Rui's gaze sharpened; he drew a deep breath, then bowed just as Jiang Lin had: 'Thank you, Elder, for transmitting your art.'

Xu Xuan wore a serene expression: 'One is a transmission, two is a transmission—I like you, boy. Take it.'

Now,

what had been five years left became only one.

But Xu Xuan was utterly carefree.

To him, living twenty years, five years, or one year—all were the same.

Yet if this last scrap of life could bring something new to the world, then it was well spent.

If Jiang Lin was chosen by Gu Changsheng,

then Li Rui was chosen by him.

He was a man who trusted first impressions; if he took a liking to you, he'd give it all away without hesitation.

Xu Xuan waved his hand: 'Enough. We seekers of Immortality bow only to Heaven and Earth—bowing to me is pointless.'

Li Rui rose.

He never imagined that meeting Xu Xuan once would grant him such a boundless blessing.

'Truly, Sichuan breeds heroes.'

Xu Xuan was from Sichuan—he truly deserved the words 'hero' and 'chivalrous.'

'Alright, I'm tired. I need rest.'

'My days are few, and I have much to do. In a few days, I'll leave. Don't disappoint me, both of you.'

Jiang Yan helped Xu Xuan into a nearby room.

The secret chamber was left with only Li Rui and Jiang Lin.

Li Rui asked: 'Younger Brother Jiang, is there any way to extend one's lifespan?'

Jiang Lin shook his head:

'Lifespan is ordained by Heaven. Elder Xu is a primordial body—elixirs are useless; he has reached his limit.'

Li Rui sighed softly and nodded.

He already understood this truth.

The so-called divine pills that mortals claim prolong life merely restore lost postnatal lifespan—they do not break the limit.

The primordial realm has already returned to the primordial state, granting a terrifying lifespan of four hundred years.

Medicine and herbs no longer work.

Xu Xuan truly had only one year left.

Dawn broke.

A thousand-strong elite army appeared outside Qinghe City—all rode demonic horses, clad in heavy armor, their intense killing aura chilling to behold.

They moved slowly through the city walls.

Not a single sound was made.

What is an elite army?

This is it.

The An Nan Town Black Armor Army!

The people of Qinghe, having endured disaster, saw the Black Armor Army and felt as if rescued—they poured from their homes and knelt upon the ground.

At the front, riding a horse, was an elderly man with sharp eyes and vigor.

Regional Commander Xue Gui.

Xue Gui looked upon the ruined city, his face dark with fury, and said to his aide Dai Yu: 'What are you standing there for? Go save lives!'

Assistant Regional Commander Dai Yu immediately replied: 'Yes!'

He then pulled his reins, turned his horse around.

Moments later,

the thousand Black Armor soldiers scattered in all directions.

Xue Gui rode alone with only a dozen riders along Qinghe's streets.

Dawn.

The jade tablet of the An Ning Wei in An Nan Town shattered. This tablet, forged by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, was a mother-child pair; when one shattered, the other—even ten thousand miles away—would shatter too. The mother tablet was kept in An Nan Town, the child tablets in each guard battalion.

Once shattered, it signaled major unrest.

So as soon as Xue Gui received the news, he immediately led his elite Black Armor Army through the night.

Xue Gui's eyes were icy.

Siege.

Such an event had not occurred in Yunzhou for over a hundred years—it was a slap in the face of the Holy Master.

For such a thing to happen within his jurisdiction, he would inevitably be held accountable.

'Who is it?!'

Xue Gui's veins bulged.

Moments later, he arrived at the An Ning Wei, which had now become a makeshift infirmary—all the injured from Qinghe's night of chaos had been gathered here.

Xue Gui walked straight to the Assistant Regional Commander's residence.

He stepped inside.

There he saw Jiang Linxian standing in the courtyard.

"Speak. What exactly happened?"

Xue Gui got straight to the point.

Jiang Linxian did not hide anything—he recounted every detail of what had occurred the previous night.

When he heard the name Nine Souls Dharma King, Xue Gui's expression changed.

A Earth Immortal!

That was a being capable of suppressing an entire province.

But when he heard Jiang Linxian had slain the Nine Souls Dharma King, he could no longer remain calm, and asked hesitantly: "Have you entered the Earth Immortal realm?"

Jiang Linxian said nothing, only calmly raised his right hand into a sword finger and slashed forward into empty air.

Nine tiny swords, each the size of a thumb, appeared before him. Seeing this, Xue Gui's pupils contracted slightly.

Then Xue Gui's thunderous laughter echoed through the Assistant Regional Commander's residence: "Good! Very good! Excellent! From now on, your title of Sword Immortal is truly deserved."

Having an Earth Immortal under his command was a tremendous honor.

And for Jiang Linxian to slay another Earth Immortal—the Nine Souls Dharma King—immediately upon entering the realm was a great achievement.

Xue Gui gazed at the young man before him, whose aura was profound and unmoving as a mountain, his eyes filled with admiration.

"Truly, the younger generation is formidable."

How old was Jiang Linxian?

Just over forty?

A forty-something Earth Immortal? Good heavens—the Lord of Donghai City, the one man who held the entire Yu Kingdom's martial world down for a hundred years, didn't even enter the Earth Immortal realm until he was seventy!

The greatest under heaven!

Please… Your Majesty… collect_(!)

When these four words appeared in Xue Gui's mind, he startled himself.

The martial world of the Yu Kingdom was about to turn upside down.

"You've done well."

Xue Gui nodded.

Jiang Linxian had slain a Dharma King of the Ghost Sect—this was a great feat.

"Qi of the Southern Frontier, Ghost Sect."

Xue Gui's eyes burned with endless fury.

One thing at a time.

Jiang Linxian killed an Earth Immortal; the Yu Kingdom gained, not lost.

But for a siege to occur on his territory was an unforgivable humiliation.

If he didn't reclaim his honor, how could he ever hold his head high before the other thirty-one Regional Commanders? He wouldn't even dare sit at the same drinking table.

So this grudge must be settled!

Urgent imperial courier, eight hundred li.

The Yu Kingdom's army, originally ordered to return to camp, received the urgent command and immediately turned their horses—five divisions converged on Manggu City.

Only three days.

Manggu City fell.

The Yu Kingdom's army built a pyramid of skulls within the city and returned in triumph, heads held high, their military might fully displayed in a single battle.

"Too bad the Lord of Lingluo wasn't in the city—if he had been, I'd have cut off his head!"

Ning Zhongtian.

He was present when Manggu City fell.

Lady Lingluo had attacked Qinghe City; their homeland had been stolen, and the soldiers of Anning Garrison were furious—after all, who in Qinghe didn't have family or relatives there?

Cao Wei even vowed to grind Lingluo's bones to dust and scatter them.

But when they stormed the Lord's residence, Lingluo had already fled.

A great regret.

Li Rui listened as Ning Zhongtian, Ge Hong, and Wei Ming spoke with furious indignation.

Then,

Ning Zhongtian curiously asked: "Brother Li, is it true our Elder Jiang has become an Earth Immortal?"

Li Rui nodded.

Hearing Li Rui's confirmation, Ning Zhongtian and the other two exchanged glances, filled with awe.

When they left, Jiang Linxian had outwardly been only fifth-rank—now they returned to hear he had entered the Earth Immortal realm and slain another Earth Immortal, the Nine Souls Dharma King.

On the way back, they had heard the rumors.

What is true Sword Immortal potential!

"Remarkable."

Ning Zhongtian.

In the entire Yunzhou, there were no more than three Earth Immortals.

Even in the Central Plains, where martial cultivation was most flourishing, the number was still small.

Jiang Linxian has now firmly earned his title as Sword Immortal of the Jiangdong region—another pillar of the world's sword arts.

Ge Hong and Wei Ming also felt it unreal.

They had essentially witnessed the birth of an Earth Immortal; when they went out for drinks, just mentioning this would make everyone take turns to toast them.

So prestigious!

"That's a Sword Immortal!"

Ning Zhongtian's mouth watered with envy.

He wished he had been in the city that day—he would have dearly loved to witness the battle between two Earth Immortals.

As the men spoke,

a disciple from Huayqing Sect knocked on Li Rui's courtyard gate.

"Lord Li, Elder Jiang requests your presence at his residence."

"Understood."

Li Rui nodded.

Ning Zhongtian watched Li Rui depart, his eyes filled with envy—Li Rui had been visiting the Assistant Regional Commander's residence far too frequently lately.

If you could cling to Jiang Linxian's leg, how could you ever lack wealth and glory?

Moments later,

Li Rui arrived at the Assistant Regional Commander's residence. As his left foot crossed the threshold, he paused slightly.

For besides Jiang Linxian, there stood another imposing, dignified old man.

He recognized him.

The Regional Commander of Annan Town—Xue Gui.

He stepped forward quickly and saluted: "Commander Xue, Elder Jiang."

He knew Xue Gui had come to Qinghe.

But their ranks differed too greatly for any meeting to have been possible.

Today was their first encounter.

Jiang Linxian smiled and gestured to Li Rui: "Commander Xue, this is Li Rui."

Xue Gui looked at Li Rui:

"Good. You killed two fifth-rankers single-handedly—impressive."

Receiving Xue Gui's praise,

Li Rui was taken aback.

His killing of Yuan Gao had caused too much commotion—it happened right in the city. Not only had the Heaven's Alliance seen it, but many townspeople must have witnessed it too.

Impossible to hide.

Better to reveal it openly than to keep pretending.

"Lucky."

Xue Gui shook his head: "This is real ability, not luck. Xiao Jiang already told me—no need to hide from me."

Li Rui bowed again:

"Yes."

Xue Gui studied Li Rui's demeanor and found him even more intriguing.

Logically, Li Rui was an undeniable genius—and geniuses usually had eccentric temperaments. Someone as humble as Li Rui was rare.

Perhaps this stemmed from his past experiences.

'His potential is limitless.'

Xue Gui raised his estimation of Li Rui even higher.

A genius who shows too much brilliance too soon often perishes early—a dead genius is no different from sand.

But someone like Li Rui? He'll live a long time.

Thinking of Jiang Lin becoming an Immortal under his command, and now seeing a talent like Li Rui, his mood instantly improved.

Xue Gui considered himself only second-rate in martial skill, but he believed his ability to recognize and employ talent was top-tier.

Before Jiang Lin arrived at Annan Town, he already had a patron.

If his guess was correct, it must have been the Holy Master.

Xue Gui certainly couldn't pry Jiang Lin away from that patron.

And now Jiang Lin had become a Earth Immortal, his status equal to Xue Gui's—he knew he lacked the power to recruit such a man.

But Li Rui was different.

Scholars often regarded the Vice Minister of Rites, who presided over the imperial examinations, as a benefactor; the same held true in the military—Li Rui was a commander of Anning Guard, a disciple Xue Gui had trained.

And he knew Li Rui was not some damn covert agent—Jiang Lin had told him this himself.

Since his background was clean, he was even more worth cultivating.

Xue Gui gazed at Li Rui and spoke slowly:

"Little Li, I think the position of Assistant Regional Commander in Anning Guard suits you perfectly."

"."

Li Rui blinked, glancing at Jiang Lin beside him.

"Brother Li, congratulations on your promotion."

(End of Chapter)