Chapter 148: Ten Thousand Blades Spirit Dragon: Thirteen Forms (Five Thousand Characters)

Lord Master Gongyang Yu utterly defeated the Lord of Thousand Jun Cave, Han Han Chuijun killed four great Meridian Opening martial artists by force, and all eight Elders of the inner sect of Thousand Jun Cave perished at his hands!

The three Commandants of the Divine Guard Army, along with true disciples such as Shi Hong, Ba Ba Wanli, and Qiu Qiu Changying, leading two thousand Divine Guard soldiers, have already encircled Thousand Jun City…

Half a month later, news from Dechang Prefecture arrived, and the already uneasy Fucheng of Zhelong Prefecture instantly erupted in uproar.

"Another great sect war is about to begin?"

"Begin what? The inner and outer sect Elders of Thousand Jun Cave are practically wiped out! Divine Weapon Valley is about to win a total victory!"

"No wonder Divine Weapon Valley disciples have been assassinated repeatedly lately. I heard the entire sect has been put on bounties by every assassin organization — they won't even spare outer disciples!"

"Sanyuan Wu and Pang Liexue Mountain probably won't sit by and watch, right? The great war is likely about to erupt at any moment…"

"Run, run, don't get dragged into these factions."

……

Inside and outside Fucheng, it was suddenly very lively, and no one knew how many jianghu folk quietly withdrew.

Neither the swarming assassins, Divine Weapon Valley's strict lockdown and searches, nor the impending great sect war were things they could afford to get involved in.

Even the boldest jianghu folk couldn't help feeling their hearts pound, and left Fucheng to lie low.

"Murder!"

Suddenly, a shriek rang out from Divine Weapon Street, and passersby scattered in panic.

Someone in a street-side tavern pushed open the window and looked out, and saw a youth in tight-fitting clothes soaked in blood, with more than ten corpses dressed as peddlers and pedestrians lying at his feet.

"Have these people all gone mad?"

After carefully wiping his exquisite hand-hammer, Brother Qiao Tianhe was somewhat dumbfounded.

It was true he had come out from the inner island, but he was no disciple of Divine Weapon Valley.

? ￠o

He's been targeted even here?

"Zhelong Prefecture is no place to stay!"

After explaining the situation to the hastily arriving Divine Guard soldiers, even Brother Qiao Tianhe, slow as he was, sensed the danger.

Wealth moves the heart; if Thousand Jun Cave truly stops at no cost, every assassin organization will likely go mad.

"Two pieces of flower-scented cake."

Tucking his hand-hammer into his sleeve, Brother Qiao Tianhe bought a few pastries from the roadside. Just as he was about to eat, his hand was pressed down.

"Master? You're hungry too?"

Brother Qiao Tianhe let go.

"Knowing assassins have set their sights on you, and you still dare eat random things?"

Wan Chuan casually tossed that piece of pastry aside. A roadside beggar's eyes lit up, he snatched it up swiftly, and stuffed it whole into his mouth.

"Does Master mean this pastry is poisoned?"

Brother Qiao Tianhe's face changed. He looked at the beggar, only to see him lean lazily against the wall corner again after eating the pastry.

"Th-this, isn't he fine?"

"He's fine after eating it, but that doesn't mean you would be."

As Wan Chuan spoke, he reached out and grabbed the peddler whose face was full of panic: "People just died by the roadside, and you're not afraid in the slightest?"

Crack!

The table shattered, wood splinters flew everywhere. The peddler flipped his hand and tried to retreat violently, but how could he possibly evade Wan Chuan?

Struck by a finger between the brows, in just a few breaths he dissolved into a puddle of blood under the horrified gazes of passersby.

"What sort of figure is Cao Bensheng? His Life-Urging Tower has expanded to the prefecture, and there aren't any real experts left."

Wan Chuan turned and flicked a finger. The beggar had already fled several zhang, yet was still pierced through by a finger, following in the stall-keeper's footsteps.

"Th-these were all assassins?"

Brother Qiao Tianhe was somewhat dumbfounded: "B-but I'm not a disciple of Divine Weapon Valley, so why, why would they target me?"

"Do you think only Divine Weapon Valley disciples get assassinated?"

Wan Chuan shook his head inwardly.

This disciple of his had outstanding talent, but unfortunately had little contact with people, making him seem a bit slow-witted. If not for Wan Chuan following along, he would likely suffer a terrible fall.

"Ah?"

Brother Qiao Tianhe scratched his head, not daring to retort.

"Let's go. That tiger keeps stalling, but we can't linger any longer. Whether it works or not, we have to try and then leave quickly."

Wan Chuan turned and left. Brother Qiao Tianhe, having been frightened, stuck close at his heels.

Soon, the two returned to Divine Weapon Valley, only to feel the atmosphere had changed drastically again. Inside and outside the mountain gate was thick with killing intent, and quite a few heavy-armored soldiers patrolled outside.

"Those old veterans…"

Wan Chuan's gaze shifted slightly; he had already spotted those old veterans scattered about, many missing arms or legs.

Every sect under heaven has the habit of keeping retired veterans. These old fellows who survived a hundred battles are each and every one fine hands at killing.

Moreover, their Wu Gong is often very high; after decades of bitter cultivation, they can at least tough it out to the Body Transformation stage.

With a single sweeping glance, he saw at least thirty-some Body Transformation old veterans in the outer sect, and in the inner sect…

Divine Weapon Valley, inside and out, was on full alert, resisting Thousand Jun Cave's final counterattack.

Master and disciple Wan Chuan and his apprentice also underwent a strict body search. By around midday, they finally arrived at Weapon-Forging Valley, their own residence.

"Master, have some tea."

Brother Qiao Tianhe poured tea: "Did you gain anything from your trip to Yunshu Tower?"

"I suppose so."

Wan Chuan nodded, his expression subtle:

"That Han Han Chuijun really took on a fine disciple — not only a rare talent in weapon-forging, but his comprehension and natural endowments are both excellent."

"Oh."

Brother Qiao Tianhe showed no reaction. A single prefecture's worth — how good could the best talent there possibly be?

If it were truly top-tier talent, it would have long since been swept up by the Huai Dragon Palace — how could it possibly fall to the Divine Weapon Valley?

"A bit worse than you, but not by much. Mm, that Li Yuan is said to have been born with nine forms, and in a single year he cultivated a lower-grade hammer technique to Great Perfection — that makes eleven forms!"

Wan Chuan paused slightly: "And he's not yet nineteen — three years younger than you."

"Dragon-form natural endowments, top-tier comprehension?"

Brother Qiao Tianhe's expression shifted.

Dragon-form natural endowments are not rare among the great sects of Daozhou, but when comprehension is also high, and there's a talent for weapon-forging on top of that — that is a different matter.

Placed within the Seven Star Palace, he'd even qualify to contend for a True Transmission seat.

"A bright pearl cast into darkness — a pity."

Wan Chuan shook his head.

Previously he had suspected for a time that Divine Weapon Valley was hiding a heaven-sent prodigy, but after spending a great sum at Cloud Comfort Tower to buy intelligence, he actually let go of that suspicion.

This Li Yuan's talent is not bad, but it's not even as good as mine, let alone compared to my own disciple.

"Master wants to take him to Seven Star Palace?"

Brother Qiao Tianhe's heart stirred.

"Stealing a sect's disciple is a deadly grudge. That Han Han Chuijun… his talent alone is not enough to make this Master offend that mad dog."

Wan Chuan shook his head: "It's just some regret. A genius like this, left in a place like this, could at best be a Channel-Opening cultivator his whole life…"

True geniuses of the weapon-forging method are too few — he truly did feel some regret.

"An ultimate art?"

Brother Qiao Tianhe sighed.

Seven Star Palace has all manner of ultimate arts, but those are only learnable by True Transmissions. Though his talent is good, he's still far from being a True Transmission.

"Let's go, take another walk through the Crimson Fusion Cave, and after that, it's time to leave this place of trouble!"

……

……

"Done!"

In the Crimson Fusion Cave, smoke and fire curled about. Li Yuan set down his forging hammer, let out a long breath, and felt a quiet joy in his heart.

【Crimson Dragon Fish Skin Armor (Fourth-Tier)】

【Forged from a weapon-armor hammer, tempered and quenched with the Weapon Master's blood, the first famed weapon bearing his high hopes……】

【Control Requirement: Weapon Master's bloodline】

【Control Effects:

Fourth-Tier Effect (Pale Cyan): Water-nature Perfection, Resistance to Water and Fire

Third-Tier Effect (Deep Blue): Resistance to Blades and Arms, Horizontal-Training Talent】

A famed-weapon-grade Crimson Dragon Fish Skin Armor, and two of them at that. The only flaw was that, because there was too little material, the gloves were only third-tier, and pitifully carried only a single third-tier effect — "Resistance to Water and Fire."

"My weapon-forging method has already stepped into Proficiency — at the latest by early next year I'll reach Minor Accomplishment!"

The Crimson Dragon Fish Skin Armor was not pretty to look at, but it could not dampen Li Yuan's good mood. With these two inner armors, the Crimson Fusion Cave would no longer be so hard to endure.

"Finally done!"

Li Yuan rewarded himself with a Viscera-Protecting Pill. Looking back on the bitter endurance of this half-month, he almost admired himself for being able to bear it.

The Crimson Fusion Cave was called "Fire Prison" by the smiths of Weapon-Forging Valley. Even the two Body-Forging Great Completion veterans Wind had sent could not endure a full day before fleeing in disarray.

Hard to endure, but he had to admit it was an excellent place for closed-door cultivation.

In this half-month, several of his Wu Gong had made considerable progress — especially the Seven Star Horizontal Training Body, which under the tempering of ice and fire had already reached Great Accomplishment.

Though this was what he thought, Li Yuan could not wait to take full control of all four pieces of the Crimson Dragon Fish set.

Hum!

The instant the control switched, Li Yuan felt only that the hammer in his hand was gradually losing its spirit, as if separated by a layer of gauze, no longer possessing its former liveliness.

But at the same time, the sweltering heat within the Crimson Fusion Cave dropped at a perceptible speed, and soon, by his senses, it was no different from room temperature.

"Truly immediate results!"

Li Yuan brought his hand close to the forging furnace, feeling the change in temperature, and only when he thrust his entire hand into the flames did he feel the burning sensation.

"The four-piece Crimson Dragon Fish Skin set, plus the Great Accomplishment Seven Star Horizontal Training Body, mm, plus the two-layer grand circulation of Qi-Blood and Inner Strength…"

Li Yuan was mulling it over in his heart, but before he could try it in detail, he heard the faint sound of footsteps, and the two veterans trying to block them.

"People from Seven Star Palace?"

Li Yuan's heart stirred slightly. He swiftly tidied the messy forging table, then looked toward the entrance.

Before long, Jing Jing Shuhu walked in with a dark expression, followed by a grinning, prematurely aged youth.

That youth was roughly twenty years old, with a bronze complexion and the smell of smoke and fire all over him. At this moment he seemed unable to bear the high temperature within the Crimson Fusion Cave, coughing repeatedly.

But though he was clearly uncomfortable, he hadn't even broken a sweat?

"Elder."

Li Yuan stepped forward and bowed.

Seeing Li Yuan, Jing Jing Shuhu's expression only then eased somewhat. He nodded and said: "This is Elder Wan Chuan's personal disciple from Seven Star Palace, also a rare talent in weapon-forging."

"Brother Qiao Tianhe, at your service!"

"Li Yuan."

The two exchanged greetings. Brother Qiao Tianhe was already breathing with difficulty: "You — you're not hot?"

Brother Qiao Tianhe was somewhat surprised.

The youth before him wore only a pair of shorts; his tendons and bones were lean and powerful, not bloated, revealing an excellent physique, but what shocked him was that this youth walked freely within the Red Fusion Cave without even breaking a sweat?

"I'm used to it."

Li Yuan let his eyelids droop, his heart truly astonished as well.

This Brother Qiao Tianhe actually possessed two high-grade famous artifacts: an inner armor and a hand hammer, and besides these, there was plainly something he had never seen before.

【Red Flame Spirit Naga Fire-Repelling Pearl (Fourth Tier)】

【A rare object made from the inner core of a five-hundred-year-old Red Flame Spirit Naga, forged in fierce fire and tempered in secret medicines for ten years...】

【Control Condition: Blood of the Red Flame Spirit Naga】

【Control Effect: Fifth Tier (Pale Yellow): Immune to Scorching Flames】

A Fourth-Tier rare object!

Although it had only one control effect, its tier was actually as high as Fifth Tier!

What a good thing!

Li Yuan's heart pounded wildly; he also knew the people of the Seven Stars Palace had come prepared and likely truly knew where the Black Whale Hammer was located.

"Admirable, admirable."

Brother Qiao Tianhe silently clicked his tongue.

"The Red Fusion Cave connects to the earth veins' poisonous fire; the deeper one goes, the higher the temperature. Several experts in organ cultivation have perished within, and they were masters of hard body training!"

Jing Jing Shuhu frowned, warning: "Once you feel severe pain in your organs, return immediately, or even I cannot save you!"

"Thank you, senior, for the reminder."

Brother Qiao Tianhe bowed slightly, without avoiding the two, and pulled a fist-sized red fusion-colored pearl and a red porcelain bottle from his robes.

"The Red Flame Spirit Naga Fire-Repelling Pearl!"

Jing Jing Shuhu's face twitched; this pearl was one his ancestor's generation had lost to the Seven Stars Palace lineage, and this was only the second time he had seen it.

"This pearl?"

Li Yuan noticed the change in his expression.

"This spirit pearl is a rare object made from the inner core of a Red Flame Spirit Naga, possessing the ability to resist scorching flames."

Brother Qiao Tianhe explained briefly, then took a deep breath and drew a drop of crystal, congealed blood from the red porcelain bottle.

Wooo!

Even from several meters away, as that drop of blood fell, Li Yuan felt the surrounding temperature plummet.

He did not know if it was repelled by the pearl or absorbed by it.

"What a good thing!"

Li Yuan scratched his palm; with a glance from the corner of his eye, he saw Jing Jing Shuhu's face grow even darker.

"If you cannot resist, call for me immediately!"

Jing Jing Shuhu simply turned around, too lazy to watch.

The Red Flame Spirit Naga Fire-Repelling Pearl was naturally a good thing, but even the ancestral masters of past generations holding this pearl never reached the end of the Red Fusion Cave, let alone this junior?

Li Yuan watched intently.

"Hoo!"

Brother Qiao Tianhe held his breath, following his master's instructions, exerted force with his feet, and rushed forward wildly.

In a few breaths, he darted out several dozen meters.

"Ah!"

Then, Li Yuan heard a scream; Jing Jing Shuhu gathered his qi throughout his body, chased in at great speed, and returned shortly after.

The two were like boiled prawns, their entire bodies crimson; as they opened their mouths, thick black smoke billowed out.

Jing Jing Shuhu was fine; he circulated his qi with a shake and regained his color, while Brother Qiao Tianhe screamed a few times, tears and snot gushing from his eyes and nose in pain.

"Tianhe!"

Several dull thuds came from outside the Red Fusion Cave.

"Don't even think about it!"

Those two old soldiers fell into the cave, then rapidly sprang up; two long swords swept horizontally, striking directly at Wan Chuan.

"Stop!"

Jing Jing Shuhu stopped them in time, raised a hand, and tossed Brother Qiao Tianhe over; Wan Chuan reached out, caught him, and set him down.

"Master..."

Brother Qiao Tianhe opened his mouth, and thick black smoke billowed out.

"Shut your mouth!"

Wan Chuan stuffed a pill into his mouth, his body's vigorous qi surging to drive out the heat poison; his own expression was also far from pleasant.

"Your disciple doesn't know life from death; without even adapting, he rushed out nearly eighty zhang directly. Such recklessness is not my fault."

Jing Jing Shuhu let out a long breath, sweat beads rolling down his entire body; except for his shorts and inner armor, his clothes and shoes were all burned away.

"Hoo!"

After a long while, Wan Chuan finally stopped:

"What fierce fire poison!"

Sweat beads seeped onto his forehead; it seemed the exertion had been considerable.

"He rushed too fiercely; the fire poison is severe. He must soak in cold spring water for at least three months, or he will suffer serious long-term consequences."

Jing Jing Shuhu was also somewhat frightened; he never expected that boy to be so bold.

Eighty zhang inside the Red Fusion Cave; even he and Lord Master Gongyang Yu would have to be on high alert, and a single carelessness would result in severe injury from the fire poison.

"Thank you."

Unexpectedly, Wan Chuan did not press the matter; he merely nodded, cast a deep glance at the Red Fusion Cave, and turned to leave.

Jing Jing Shuhu had also expended considerable energy; after offering a few brief instructions, he too departed in haste.

"That fellow actually charged eighty zhang?"

Li Yuan was greatly shocked; the last time, he had managed to walk less than fifty meters in total.

"If I were to obtain that pearl..."

Li Yuan felt a pang of envy, but could only dream of it.

Wan Chuan's Wu Gong surpassed Old Lei's; he was at least at the Great Perfection of the Through-Vessel stage, and might even have already refined his internal organs.

After the group left, the two old soldiers fled as if their backsides were on fire; this place was simply not fit for humans to linger in.

Li Yuan calmed his breathing, took out slices of Red Dragon Fish meat, and ate them, consuming roughly four or five jin.

He then took out two Organ-Protecting Pills and held them in his mouth; only then did he take a deep breath and walk deeper into the Red Fusion Cave.

"Ten meters... thirty meters... fifty meters!"

Controlling the four-piece set of Red Dragon Fish skin, Li Yuan quickly covered one hundred and fifty meters, reaching the first turn of the tunnel.

Here, the temperature surged violently; Li Yuan could barely keep his eyes open, and the surroundings were a sea of crimson, with walls and ground made of Blazing Fire Refined Iron.

His bare feet stepping on it made a 'hiss-hiss' sound.

"I won't even be able to keep my shorts!"

After only a few steps, the hair wrapped in wet cloth soaked in Cold Pool Water began to burn, and within moments, it was completely incinerated.

After walking another ten-plus meters, Li Yuan's shorts went 'hiss' and vaporized along with the fine hair all over his body.

The four-piece Red Dragon Fish set could also no longer withstand the intense heat from all sides.

And this place was already...

"Eighty zhang!"

Li Yuan saw faint human-shaped traces on the ground; clearly, someone had been burned to ash here.

Along the way, there were many such traces, but here they were the most numerous!

"At least a hundred people have died here!"

Li Yuan made a rough count, and his heart grew cold; he had heard Lei Lei Jingchuan say that even Jing Jing Shuhu and Lord Master Gongyang Yu could only reach the eighty-zhang mark.

In other words, those who died here must have been at least Great Perfection of the Through-Vessel experts!

"I can't go on; the four-piece set can only last this far; I cannot proceed further."

The two Organ-Protecting Pills Li Yuan had held in his mouth were already swallowed, yet he could still feel his internal organs stabbing with pain.

As he prepared to leave, he opened his eyes to take a look and suddenly saw a faint black trace not far away.

What was that?

"Could it be something that repels fire?"

A thought struck Li Yuan; gritting his teeth, he took two steps forward, and a pale yellow light came into view:

【Ten Thousand Blades Spirit Dragon Body Diagram (Fifth Tier)】

A Fifth Tier Body Diagram?!

Li Yuan even did the calculation in his mind: the Weapon-Forge Method was Fourth Tier, and the Soldier Dao Battle-Slaughter Hammer should also be Fourth Tier.

Then this scroll of Body Diagram...

"Supreme Art!"

Li Yuan forced himself to take one step forward, and the complete radiance appeared before his eyes:

【Ten Thousand Blades Spirit Dragon Body Diagram (Fifth Tier)】

【A Body Diagram written on Spirit Leather, forged and burned from the complete skin of a Crimson Flame Spirit Naga, by a martial artist who cultivated the 'Ten Thousand Blades Spirit Dragon Body' to Great Perfection...】

【Prerequisite: Mastery of any Lower-Grade Hard Body cultivation to Perfection, Great Dragon Body Constitution, or Serpent-Naga Body.】

【Effects of Mastery:

Sixth Tier (Yellow): Hard Body Talent

Fifth Tier (Pale Yellow): Ten Thousand Blades Spirit Dragon Thirteen Forms, Immune to Blazing Flames】

A Fifth Tier Strange Object, a Supreme Art-level Hard Body technique!

Li Yuan's heart pounded wildly; with almost no hesitation, he pressed forward despite the excruciating pain in his organs.

One zhang, two zhang...

After walking several zhang and reaching the third corner, Li Yuan could no longer walk; he could only extend his arms simultaneously, retrieve a twelve-foot iron spear, and hook it.

Hiss!

The instant the iron spear was drawn out, it seemed to be subjected to burning by raging fire, visibly turning red to the naked eye.

"So close!"

Li Yuan gritted his teeth and forced himself one step further; the long spear trembled, and finally, he managed to hook back that scroll of naga skin, as tall as a person.