Chapter 77: [Thick Earth]

Popular Recommendation: Jiang Yebai quickly caught up to Jiang Yinuo, then stood before her in an extremely dashing pose.

In reality, Jiang Yebai's appearance was quite exquisite; if placed in any martial arts world, he would absolutely be a peerless swordsman of radiant grace.

"Dad~"

Seeing Jiang Yebai, Jiang Yinuo pounced on him at once, hanging off her father's body like a ragdoll.

"Dad, you were gone for so long this trip, it's been a good two or three months, right?"

"Two months and sixteen days."

"Hee hee, you remember that clearly? Dad, have you lost weight? You're a bit bony."

Jiang Yinuo jumped down from Jiang Yebai's body and said.

"Oh? Is that so? But I suppose it's possible; after all, the food outside was very mediocre, I didn't have much of an appetite."

"Mm-hmm, then now that you're back, how about your daughter cooks for you personally?"

"Uh..."

Jiang Yebai's complexion turned a shade paler, as if he had recalled some terrifying memory: "How about we find Lu Li instead? I haven't seen him in a long time either."

"Okay, okay!"

At the mere thought of Lu Li's cooking, Jiang Yinuo couldn't help but lick her lips.

Although she had just eaten noodles made by Lu Li this morning, that didn't stop her from wanting to eat his cooking again tonight.

Seeing Jiang Yinuo readily agree, Jiang Yebai couldn't help but heave a sigh of relief.

He knew his daughter's cooking skills very well; she was a proper Demon Beast in the kitchen... "By the way, Dad, I have good news to tell you: Lu Li has broken through to the Initial Realm!

It was yesterday when we went to the secluded forest south of the city..."

... Soon, the two returned to the Qingyang Sword Hall.

"Hall Master."

"Senior Sister Jiang."

Disciples approached from the opposite direction, and upon seeing Jiang Yebai, they all hurriedly bowed in greeting.

"Mm, go on with your work."

Jiang Yebai waved his hand and walked straight toward Lu Li's courtyard with Jiang Yinuo.

Lu Li was practicing his sword in the courtyard, but he was not using the heavy sword Mountain Slasher, because that sword was indeed too heavy for him right now.

One could see the sword light flickering; the simplest of sword moves appeared as if they were just thrust out at random, yet every strike secretly aligned with the Dao of heaven and earth, appearing incomparably natural.

To Jiang Yebai's eyes, it was enough to stir up a raging sea.

After all, Jiang Yebai was a master at the Fourth Realm Perfection, and he was a melee sword cultivator.

With just one glance, Jiang Yebai could see the extraordinary nature of Lu Li's sword technique attainments.

Mastery? No, his sword technique realm had already surpassed the scope of mere skill.

'Can two months of time allow a person to improve their swordsmanship this drastically?' In fact, Jiang Yebai was close friends with Lu Li's parents, so he had always been secretly concerned about Lu Li's cultivation.

Regarding Lu Li's decision to abandon cultivation progress to specialize in Basic Sword Techniques, he had also reminded Lu Li several times, hoping this nephew could return to the right path.

Before he left two months ago, he had even deliberately observed in secret and discovered that Lu Li's Basic Sword Techniques were only at Major Accomplishment.

Yet when he returned, Lu Li's swordsmanship was already faintly resonating with the Dao of heaven and earth.

Jiang Yebai couldn't help but start to doubt himself: 'Is it really Sword Intent? Did I really only go out for two months? Why does it feel like twenty years have passed...' He did not know that in another world, Lu Li had already practiced for nearly ten years!

Beyond the ten years of bitter cultivation, there were also the experiences and philosophies from another world.

Behind Lu Li was not just his own cultivation, but the support of world after world!

The two did not interrupt Lu Li's sword practice, but Lu Li discovered them.

"Uncle Jiang, you're back?"

"Mm, I didn't expect your swordsmanship to have reached such a realm. Oh? Your cultivation has also reached the First Realm Sixth Grade?"

Jiang Yebai walked over and patted Lu Li on the shoulder.

He discovered that Lu Li's cultivation had also improved very quickly, and he couldn't help but laugh heartily: "Good!

Good!

Li'er, your cultivation has finally progressed."

"Such a happy occasion calls for a big drink!

Lu Li, go prepare some delicacies quickly; you and I, uncle and nephew, shall drink together."

"Alright."

Lu Li nodded and said.

In Lu Li's heart,

Jiang Yebai was not only the Hall Master of the Sword Pavilion and his own master, but also his closest relative in this world.

Others might think the two had only been separated for two months, but in Lu Li's reckoning, they had been separated for ten years.

Even if Jiang Yebai hadn't asked, he would have been willing to cook and have dinner with the Jiang father and daughter.

"Wait!

Why the rush? Lu Li, my master has a gift for you."

Jiang Yinuo called out to stop Lu Li and handed the Golden Silk Armor to him.

"Here, it's this. I told my master about the demon cultivator matter; you absolutely cannot refuse."

Lu Li looked at the soft armor in Jiang Yinuo's hand and murmured: "This is... Golden Silk Armor?"

"Mm!

My master wove it in the past; it's better than ordinary Golden Silk Armor."

"Thank you, Yinuo."

Lu Li did not decline; in fact, he truly needed to replenish his equipment.

The Golden Silk Armor was exactly to Lu Li's liking; the Golden Silk Armor was very light, and wearing it on his body would not affect his movements.

It could also provide defense; it could be called a precious armor.

"If there is a chance, I must thank Yinuo's master..." To send me a gift before we have even met, this Uncle Yu Ying is truly a good person.

They say older aunts know how to care for people, and it is true indeed... Jiang Yebai scratched his head and laughed: "Almost forgot!

Take these Treading Wind Boots; it is not to thank you for saving Yinuo, but rather a reward for your breakthrough in realm."

Treading Wind Boots: The effect of the shoes is just like their name; once worn, it is like treading on the wind to walk, with unparalleled swiftness in action.

One can spend less Spirit Qi to gain an increase in movement speed.

"Thank you, Uncle Jiang."

Lu Li accepted the two gifts.

He had exchanged for the heavy sword Zhanyue from the City Lord Mansion; although he could not use it yet, he would certainly be able to adapt to it in the future.

Now, he had even obtained a piece of Golden Silk Armor and a pair of Treading Wind Boots; the three items respectively enhanced attack, defense, and movement.

Calculated this way, his equipment could be considered initially complete.

Only at this moment could Lu Li be considered to have truly upgraded his gear.

Not only had his cultivation improved, but his own equipment had also been upgraded along with it.

... The three of them ate dinner in Lu Li's courtyard just like a family. Lu Li made only home-cooked dishes, but being able to make home-cooked dishes very flavorful was also very rare.

After three rounds of wine and five flavors of dishes, Jiang Yinuo at the side cleared the battlefield at an extremely fast speed, stuffing her stomach until it was bulging, while both Lu Li and Jiang Yebai were slightly tipsy.

Jiang Yebai was clearly very happy and directly picked up his cup to clink it with Lu Li.

"Li'er, to tell you the truth, I was really worried that you would remain obsessed with the Basic Sword Technique.

Your natural talent is extremely high; you were the fastest among these few batches of disciples to cultivate a sense of Qi.

If you had truly remained obsessed, I would really feel I had failed your parents.

Fortunately, you walked out of it yourself."

Lu Li nodded and said: "Mm, I have never given up."

Lu Li's gaze suddenly became clear and bright, as if he were not drunk at all.

He had never given up on cultivation, and even more so, he had never given up on avenging his parents!

"By the way, have you ever seen this thing?"

Lu Li took that badge out from his bosom.

The turbid eye pattern on the badge, however, emitted an eerie light in the night.

"Eh, isn't this the badge left behind by that demon cultivator?"

Jiang Yinuo saw the badge and spoke up.

She remembered that she was the one who had given this badge to Lu Li.

"Correct."

Lu Li looked at Jiang Yebai and said: "I remember three years ago, that demon cultivator's forehead had a similar pair of eyes. Does Uncle Jiang know the origin of this thing?"

Jiang Yebai's drunkenness also faded; he stared at the badge in Lu Li's hand and sighed.

"I didn't expect you to encounter it after all.

These years, I have been keeping an eye on this clue; I thought you were still young, so I didn't tell you."

"After I arrived back then, the three of us—your parents and I—fought a fierce battle with that demon cultivator.

That demon cultivator was powerful; although the three of us joined forces, we could only sever one of the demon cultivator's arms.

Your parents lost their lives, and I could only bring you back."

"You are right; that demon cultivator's forehead did indeed have a vertical eye, identical to the pattern on this badge.

That chaos and turbidity that seemed to flow, it remains fresh in my memory..."

Jiang Yebai recounted slowly; it turned out that in these few years, he had been inquiring everywhere for news of this totem.

This pattern of the Chaos Eye came from a demon cultivator organization, 【Thick Earth】.

This organization, 【Thick Earth】, seemed to have a clearly fanatical worship for this kind of chaotic eye.

Lu Li thought to himself: 'In that case, the demon cultivator who killed my parents came from this organization!

That is to say, as long as I find this organization, I can find the murderer who killed my parents.

' Lu Li's fist slowly tightened under the table; if he could not find that demon cultivator, then he would slaughter this organization clean!

"In that case, was the demon cultivator Qu Ji, whom we killed yesterday, a member of this organization?"

Jiang Yebai shook his head and said: "No, according to the information I have gathered.

Members of 【Thick Earth】 do not carry this kind of badge; they engrave the Chaos Eye onto their own bodies, just like that demon cultivator from three years ago."

"And only those who obtain three badges have the chance to become official members of this organization."

As he spoke, Jiang Yebai also spread out his palm.

I do not know when, but an identical badge had also appeared in his hand.

A Chaos Eye badge.

Lu Li understood; those carrying this kind of badge were at best candidates for 【Thick Earth】.

True members had an even crazier love for the Chaos Eye, directly engraving the eye from the badge onto their own bodies.

Someone like Qu Ji, who only had one badge, was merely a probationary member.

One must go through a series of trials until obtaining three badges to become an official member.

For many organizations, these are the rules.

If you want to join, you have to perform some tasks; it is a kind of initiation pledge.

"Perhaps, when I have collected three badges, I will be able to find some clues..." Thinking of this, Lu Li said with a firm gaze: "Uncle Jiang, could you give me your badge?"

Jiang Yebai shook his head and said: "Lu Li, I know you want revenge, but what you should be doing most right now is improving your own cultivation."

Jiang Yebai was somewhat worried that Lu Li would be blinded by hatred, just as he had been when practicing Basic Sword Techniques before.

"Don't worry, Uncle Jiang, I won't act rashly.

Even if you don't give it to me, I will find other ways to search for it, and I would have to take more risks then."

If you don't give it to me, I will go find other demon cultivators to take it, which will be even more dangerous.

To tell the truth, this move of Lu Li's was a bit shameless.

"You... must be careful.

If anything happens, contact me immediately."

Jiang Yebai felt helpless, but in the end, he handed this badge to Lu Li.

Only now did Jiang Yinuo realize the reason why Lu Li had asked her for her badge.

So, this badge was related to the death of Uncle Lu and Auntie Lu; he was seeking revenge for his parents... "Lu Li, I will also keep an eye out for this badge."

"Good."

There were still no leads on the 【Thick Earth】, so he needed to continue searching.

What was coming up right now was tomorrow's internal sect selection.

Meanwhile, in a quiet place, the aura on Zhou Tai's body suddenly surged.

He slowly opened his eyes; after nearly two days of cultivation, he had finally broken through to the Second Realm!

"I have stepped into the Second Realm."

"Tomorrow is the internal sect selection; Lu Li, in this battle, you will surely be defeated."