Chapter 525: Cloud Smoke and Ink Rain

Ande Province, Lingshou Prefecture.

The "Lingshou Lan Family," one of the seven great families, was located here.

On this day, the Lan Mansion opened its middle gate early in the morning, luxury cars arrived one after another, stopped outside the Lan Mansion gate, and big figures in Lingshou Prefecture visited one after another.

Among these big figures, there were people from the Lan family themselves, as well as big figures from the Lingshou Prefecture government, and even the Lingshou Prefecture Garrison Commander personally visited!

Just when people were surprised that something big had happened to the Lan family, a piece of news quickly spread in the city—

The Marquis of Jing'an, Li Fei, was visiting Lingshou Prefecture to spar with the Lan family ancestor, to make friends through martial arts!

Once the news came out, the whole city was shocked!

Almost all Jianghu people were frantically rushing to the Lan family, wanting to see if there was a chance to witness this battle.

Not to mention Grandmasters, even Martial Arts Grandmasters were big figures that many Jianghu people could hardly see in their lifetime.

Two Grandmasters sparring, and among them was the legendary figure, the Marquis of Jing'an—this battle was too attractive!

Lan Mansion.

In the main hall, a man wearing brocade clothes, with a steady demeanor and a handsome appearance, sat in the main seat.

He was the current head of the Lan family, Lan Lan Mingqian.

Besides him, several main figures of the Lan family, as well as big figures like the Lingshou Prefecture Garrison Commander and the Head of the Zhige General Academy, were all present.

"Family Head."

A person holding a sword walked quickly into the main hall:

"Cousin Ruoyun has already met the Marquis of Jing'an outside the city and is entering the city with the Marquis!"

Hearing this, Lan Lan Mingqian showed a smile:

"Good, go prepare."

After the person retreated, the Lingshou Prefecture Garrison Commander Ding Ze on the side immediately said with a smile:

"Ruoyun is the number one beauty in our Ande Province, and she is also a martial arts genius. She is already at the Martial Arts Grandmaster stage at a young age. If she can tie the knot with the Marquis of Jing'an, it will be the good fortune of our Lingshou Prefecture!"

"Hahaha, in the end, it still depends on whether she has this fate with the Marquis of Jing'an."

Ding Ze's words just happened to hit Lan Lan Mingqian's heart, and his smile became even brighter.

More than two years ago, at that time, Li Fei had just been enfeoffed as a Marquis not long ago. When he passed through Lingshou Prefecture, he specifically arranged for his daughter Lan Ruoyun to challenge Li Fei, to make friends through martial arts.

Actually, at that time, he already had the intention to match the two, hoping that his daughter could tie the knot with Li Fei.

It was a pity that Lan Ruoyun did not have this intention at the time, and Li Fei did not seem to have any special feelings for Lan Ruoyun either.

Now Li Fei was no longer what he used to be; his power, status, personal strength, reputation, etc., were all far beyond what they were back then!

Back then, if Lan Ruoyun married Li Fei, the two families could be considered a strong alliance, and the Lan family's status might even be higher.

But now, if Lan Ruoyun married Li Fei, the Lan family could already be considered climbing high!

It was no exaggeration to say that if the Lan family could form a marriage alliance with Li Fei, then from now on, it would not be one of the "seven great families."

The Lan family would immediately surpass the "three mountains, four sects, and seven great families" and become a Jianghu force second only to the Buddhist and Daoist sects, as well as the Lin Tianyi Tower and Hongchen Pavilion!

That was why Lan Lan Mingqian tried his best to match Li Fei and his own daughter.

After Li Fei's visiting card was delivered to the door, he immediately let Lan Ruoyun go to welcome him, creating an opportunity for the two to be alone.

In his view, age, talent, family background, appearance—all these factors added together, his own daughter was not to say the most suitable for Li Fei, but she could definitely be ranked in the top three!

Unless Li Fei was completely uninterested in women, otherwise he should consider it no matter what.

Outside Lingshou Prefecture city, on a flying boat.

A woman dressed in white, with a delicate figure, willow-like eyebrows, and eyes like autumn water, standing like a white crane on the clouds, stood side by side with Li Fei.

The first Jianghu force Li Fei chose to ask about the sword was the Lan family.

Back then, the 【Lanyin Xuguo】 that Lan Ruoyun used when she sparred with him left a deep impression on him.

This Dao strength was a unique skill of the Lan family and could be practiced to the Creation stage at the highest!

And this was also a sword art, which was just suitable for Li Fei's 【Wanxiang】.

"After parting back then, I didn't expect that now I don't even have the qualification to spar with the Marquis."

On the flying boat, Lan Ruoyun smiled self-deprecatingly.

More than two years ago, she could at least fight back and forth with Li Fei.

And now, Li Fei came to Lingshou Prefecture again, but it was to ask about the sword from the strongest Grandmaster of the Lan family!

Back then, after she fought Li Fei, she only felt that the other side was "barbaric and rude," and it was really suffocating to fight.

Looking at it now, it was her own shallowness.

Lan Ruoyun considered her talent not bad, and she had never been slack for a day, but compared with the one beside her, she still produced a huge sense of frustration.

Li Fei looked at the city in the distance and said neither coldly nor warmly:

"Miss Lan does not need to belittle herself. Climbing the martial arts path is not a matter of a moment. With Miss Lan's talent, in the future, it is not impossible for us to meet at the peak."

Lan Ruoyun turned her head and looked at Li Fei's side profile seriously:

"Meet at the peak?"

She savored this word repeatedly, and her eyes became brighter and brighter.

"Thank you, Marquis, for your encouragement."

Subsequently, she did not take the initiative to speak again and stood quietly on the flying boat.

Lan Ruoyun certainly understood her father's meaning, but she was only focused on climbing the martial arts path and did not pay much attention to the feelings between men and women.

Of course, for taking the initiative to contact Li Fei, she did not exclude it either.

Otherwise, even if the family head spoke personally, with her current realm and status, she could completely ignore it.

It was her own willingness to come, so she came.

It was just that Li Fei did not seem to have any other meaning, and Lan Ruoyun did not force it, so the two just rode the flying boat into the city quietly.

The flying boat finally landed outside the gate of the Lan Mansion.

At this time, the surroundings of the Lan Mansion were already crowded with people, mostly Jianghu people who came after hearing the news.

Seeing Li Fei and Lan Ruoyun, there was a commotion.

However, there were Lan family members maintaining order on the periphery, making these people unable to get close.

"Hahaha, greetings to the Marquis of Jing'an, greetings to Pavilion Head Li!"

Lan family head Lan Lan Mingqian took a group of people to take the initiative to welcome them, laughing and bowing with cupped hands.

This time Li Fei submitted the visiting card in the capacity of the head of the Lanxun Pavilion, so Lan Lan Mingqian addressed him as Pavilion Head Li.

"Greetings, Senior Lan."

Li Fei bowed with cupped hands in return.

Subsequently, Lan Lan Mingqian led him into the Lan Mansion gate.

This made the group of Jianghu people on the periphery feel disappointed.

It looked like this sparring was a closed-door exchange, and these people were fated not to watch.

"Pavilion Head Li, our ancestor is already waiting in the martial arts arena."

Lan Lan Mingqian led Li Fei all the way forward inside the Lan Mansion.

"Good, sorry for the trouble."

"Pavilion Head Li is too polite."

While the two were talking, the group soon arrived beside a huge martial arts arena.

In the center of the martial arts arena stood a man wearing a white outer robe, wearing a high crown, looking even younger than Lan Lan Mingqian, with a handsome and elegant appearance.

The appearances of the main figures of this branch of the Lan family were all extraordinary, otherwise Lan Ruoyun could not have become a beauty famous in the Jianghu.

This man waiting in the martial arts arena was the Lan family ancestor, a generation of Grandmasters—Lan Lan Tingzhou.

Lan Lan Tingzhou's appearance and demeanor were both extraordinary, but the first glance of everyone walking into the martial arts arena would not be attracted by him, but by the long sword he was using to support the ground with his palm.

The extremely sharp sword intent was like substance, covering the entire martial arts arena, as if cutting the space apart, making the martial arts arena completely independent from heaven and earth!

All martial artists except Li Fei sensed the danger at the first moment and did not dare to take a step into the martial arts arena.

Seeing this, Li Fei's eyes lit up.

It seemed that Lan Lan Tingzhou's attitude toward this battle was still very serious and he did not intend to go through the motions.

This made Lan Lan Mingqian on the side show a look of worry.

His own ancestor had stayed at the Shenyan stage for many years, while Li Fei had killed a Shenji-stage Xu Jing alone before breaking through the realm.

The battle on the Baifeng Plain was even more of a solo kill of the Gouchen Sword Master Bai Chen!

Now that Li Fei's realm was one level higher, Lan Lan Mingqian did not think his own ancestor was Li Fei's opponent.

In his view, since Li Fei visited in the capacity of the head of the Lanxun Pavilion this time, it was obviously that the drunkard's heart was not in the wine, and sparring was not the point.

So it would be fine for everyone to spar casually.

But Lan Lan Tingzhou put on such a serious posture, and if he provoked Li Fei to also become serious, it would be difficult to end.

It was a pity that Lan Lan Mingqian could not decide anything.

Li Fei stepped forward without hesitation and walked into the martial arts arena:

"Greetings, Senior Lan!"

As he walked into the martial arts arena, everything outside disappeared, and only that person and that sword in front remained in his eyes.

"Pavilion Head Li."

Lan Lan Tingzhou looked at Li Fei seriously, "Did Bai Chen die under your blade?"

Li Fei nodded.

Lan Lan Tingzhou showed a bitter smile and sighed deeply:

"I have lost to Bai Chen three times in my life. Over these years, I have been practicing the sword and comprehending the sword, just to win back once one day. It's a pity, there is no chance anymore."

He and Gouchen Sword Master Bai Chen were of the same generation. Back when both were Martial Arts Grandmasters, they had a public duel.

In that battle, Lan Lan Tingzhou lost by one move.

Later, Lan Lan Tingzhou broke through to become a Grandmaster with four divine abilities, one step ahead of Bai Chen.

After Bai Chen also became a Grandmaster, he challenged Bai Chen to a duel again.

But this time the loss was very obvious, and he was defeated by Bai Chen in just over two hundred moves.

After that, Bai Chen broke through to the Shenyan stage one step ahead, while Lan Lan Tingzhou, who broke through first, broke through to the Shenyan stage nearly twenty years later.

The two had a third duel, and this time the duel was unknown to anyone. The final result was Lan Lan Tingzhou's crushing defeat!

He only managed to hold on for less than a hundred moves before he was defeated by Bai Chen.

Three battles and three losses, Lan Lan Tingzhou had always been brooding over it.

But he would never have the chance to win back again.

"Over these years, the old man has comprehended three swords, specifically prepared for Bai Chen. Since Bai Chen died under Pavilion Head Li's blade, would the Pavilion Head be willing to take my three swords?"

Lan Lan Tingzhou asked.

He was more than a hundred years old this year, more than five times Li Fei's age, and his seniority was even greater, but now he said let Li Fei take his three swords, taking the initiative to put himself in the position of a challenger.

"I would be more than happy to."

Li Fei agreed happily.

"Good—"

Lan Lan Tingzhou drew his sword!

Clang—

The clear sword sound resounded through the Lan Mansion.

Without seeing the slightest sword light, the entire martial arts arena was covered by a sea of clouds.

In the clouds, Li Fei completely lost his perception of the outside world.

Only white clouds, only the sound of the wind, and the sword intent that was sharp enough to split the space also dissipated like smoke, as if everything was just an illusion.

"Yuntian Sword Canon"—【Yunhai Cangjian】!

The same move, back outside the train station, Li Fei had seen it in Lan Ruoyun's hands.

Used in Lan Lan Tingzhou's hands at this moment, perfectly combined with the martial arts domain, Li Fei could not even perceive the martial arts domain.

The heaven and earth in his eyes had been magnified dozens of times, the sea of clouds surged around, mountain mists stood tall, and ancient pines grew on the cliffs.

The mountain mists around were like ink stains spread out, and only black and white colors remained in Li Fei's eyes.

The ancient pines by the cliff moved without wind, and the pine needles shaken off turned into streaks of sword Qi, merging with the floating clouds in the mountain stream, and strands of cloud fluff surged toward Li Fei from all directions like a sea tide!

Golden light bloomed from Li Fei's body, covering a radius of a hundred meters.

He unfolded the 【Hunyuan Sword Realm】, but deliberately reduced the scope of the sword realm, only used to resist the other side's martial arts domain, so that he would not be unable to use divine abilities.

But he did not rely on the strength of the 【Hunyuan Sword Realm】 to suppress the other side's martial arts domain.

Li Fei wanted to let Lan Lan Tingzhou fully display these three swords!

Countless cloud fluffs entered the 【Hunyuan Sword Realm】, all turning into nothingness, like dream bubbles.

Li Fei's perception was fully open, but he could not capture the slightest breath of danger.

Suddenly, the golden light on his body shook violently, but it was constantly impacted by streaks of invisible sword Qi!

"This sword is named 【Yunmo】."

Lan Lan Tingzhou's voice entered the sword realm.

This move was derived from 【Yunhai Cangjian】 and went a step further, merging with the martial arts domain and the changes of the Shenyan stage, not only with greater power but also with sword Qi that was traceless and difficult to capture.

Li Fei's perception of sword Qi in the 【Hunyuan Sword Realm】 had reached a subtle level, and he still did not perceive the trace of sword Qi.

"Creation stage!"

Li Fei's eyes lit up even more, with a bit more joy.

He originally thought that this battle could at most see the Creation-stage sword art 【Lanyin Xuguo】, but he did not expect to see an unexpected Creation sword art in the first move!

The Dao strength of the Emperor Xuanjing stage could mobilize the power of heaven and earth and could affect the hearts and minds of everyone within the range.

The Dao strength of the Creation stage went a step further, not a divine ability but better than a divine ability, capable of creating effects similar to divine abilities.

This move 【Yunmo】 by Lan Lan Tingzhou was equivalent to endowing sword Qi with a certain type of concealment divine ability.

This undoubtedly had already reached the level of the Creation stage!

The golden light on Li Fei's body flickered constantly, but it was never broken.

Lan Lan Tingzhou's 【Yunmo】 was strong in concealment and slightly weaker in attack.

Li Fei's defensive power was inherently extraordinary. After weakening the sword Qi with the 【Hunyuan Sword Realm】, he almost felt no threat.

Boom—

A thousand peaks all rang.

The ink-like cloud layer split a line of sky, revealing the rugged sword-spine mountain shadow behind it. The mountain shadow was actually flowing, the layered rock edges turned into sword blade cold light, and the waterfall turned into falling sword Qi.

The offensive of 【Yunmo】 went a step further!

Li Fei saw it; Lan Lan Tingzhou should possess more than one divine ability capable of constantly enhancing the offensive, all of which were integrated into 【Yunmo】.

So this Lan family ancestor was the type who became stronger the more he fought.

Li Fei wanted to see the other side's strongest posture, so he did not dodge or avoid, letting the other side act.

After a while, the sword Qi had turned into a storm, also infecting the 【Hunyuan Sword Realm】 with large groups of ink color.

Lan Lan Tingzhou not only possessed a divine ability capable of constantly enhancing the offensive but also possessed a certain divine ability capable of infecting others, combined with his Shenyan stage changes, this move 【Yunmo】 was truly like ink constantly spreading on rice paper, infecting Li Fei's 【Hunyuan Sword Realm】!

When the golden light on Li Fei's body was also infected with a layer of ink color, he finally stopped defending.

And his counterattack was very simple and rough—

【Hunyuan Sword Realm】 fully unfolded!

The golden light ball spread rapidly among the ink landscape, unstoppable.

"Hmm?"

Lan Lan Tingzhou was surprised in his heart.

Li Fei's martial arts cultivation base was clearly only at the Shenyan stage, but at this moment, the strength of his martial arts domain had already reached the level of the Lidao stage.

This was simply unbelievable!

Streaks of brilliant Buddha light shone down from the firmament, illuminating the ink landscape world created by Lan Lan Tingzhou into gold.

【Yunmo】 was broken accordingly!

Immediately after, patches of ink clouds opened at the dome, and rain fell.

Cloud smoke turned into rain.

At first, it was as thin as silk, and in the blink of an eye, it had become a downpour of ink.

The falling raindrops elongated in mid-air, turning into sword Qi and falling.

Mountain rocks produced smoke when meeting rain.

The ink-colored sword Qi seeped into the rock veins, and mountain peak after mountain peak was gradually dyed into scorched ink; the sword intent was as cold as ice, causing the sword Qi within the 【Primordial Sword Realm】 to freeze one after another!

"The second sword—【Yunyu】, paying respects to the Marquis of Jing'an."

Lan Lan Tingzhou's voice sounded again.

Compared with the move 【Yunmo】 just now, the offensive of this sword was even more fierce. Under the circumstance that the sword momentum had already accumulated to the peak, it went a step further!

"Good."

Li Fei praised.

This move 【Yunyu】 actually did not reach the Creation stage, but Lan Lan Tingzhou made changes on the basis of 【Yunmo】, perfectly inheriting the momentum of the previous sword, making it although not reaching the Creation realm, but in terms of power, it could go a step further!

Such ingenuity gave Li Fei new ideas.

He was probably difficult to break through his Dao strength to the Creation stage in a short time, but he could learn from Lan Lan Tingzhou and use various means to superimpose sword momentum, thereby making the power of sword arts go a step further.

Li Fei raised his right hand, mountain peaks and rivers were generated in the 【Hunyuan Sword Realm】, and then turned into billions of golden rays gathering in his hand, turning into a three-foot sword edge.

He stabbed a sword toward the firmament.

Mountains and rivers reversed the momentum, breaking through the firmament!

"Good—"

Lan Lan Tingzhou's tone had a bit more excitement.

Because he recognized that Li Fei's sword was exactly the Gouchen Sword Sect's creation sword art—"Daqian."

He did not expect Li Fei to have practiced this sword art, which undoubtedly made up for his regret of not being able to duel with Bai Chen again.

The sword momentum of the Daqian world stabbed through the firmament, dispelling the ink clouds.

Even if Li Fei's "Daqian" had not reached the Creation stage, with the terrifying strength of the 【Hunyuan Sword Realm】, it was enough to make up for it.

【Yunyu】 was broken accordingly!

But immediately after, thousands of mountains and rivers reversed from the broken firmament.

Heaven and earth reversed, reversing yin and yang!

Lan family unique skill—【Lanyin Xuguo】!

This Creation sword art was somewhat similar to divine abilities like 【Thorn Armor】, but the difference was that what it rebounded was not strength, but the move itself.

Cloud ink turned into rain, lingering between the mountains and rivers, covering Li Fei together.

Lan Lan Tingzhou was equivalent to adding his own power on top of Li Fei's "Daqian" sword, and then rebounding it!

The timing was just right, and Li Fei was like giving himself a punch with all his strength, completely unable to dodge or change moves to defend.

If another Lidao-stage Grandmaster came, it was really possible to be injured by this blow.

But Li Fei just simply activated his divine ability to break this move—

Two golden big characters were like two big talismans, appearing out of thin air between heaven and earth, instantly suppressing the mountains, rivers, and cloud ink that covered him.

【Jing'an】!

Within the territory of the Great Lan Dynasty, combat power was added, and a great power was generated out of thin air, forcibly blocking Lan Lan Tingzhou's counterattack.

After one breath, the power of the 【Jing'an】 divine ability was defeated, but it also won enough time for Li Fei.

He drew the Ghost-Slaying Blade and slashed upward with one blade, the scorching strength dyeing heaven and earth red.

【Heaven and Earth One Blade】!

After one blade, the mountains, rivers, cloud ink, and smoke rain all dissipated!

On the martial arts arena, all the gorgeous light dissipated, revealing the figures of the two again.

Lan Lan Tingzhou had already sheathed his sword.

He looked at the young man not far away, his expression filled with emotion:

"Worthy of being the number one in history, it is the old man who lost."

He took the initiative to admit defeat.

Actually, if Li Fei had not deliberately let him act just now, he would have been defeated faster!

"You are too polite."

Li Fei bowed with cupped hands in return.

He was also very satisfied with this battle, not only seeing two Creation-stage Dao strengths but also broadening his ideas.

At the same time, he also had a preliminary estimate of his own combat power.

Just now, when sparring with Lan Lan Tingzhou, he did not consume a single blood soul, nor did he use the strongest offensive means of 【Blood Rage】 + 【Dragon Elephant】, and he defeated his opponent so easily!

"In Pavilion Head Li's view, if I were to fight Bai Chen, would I have a chance of winning?"

Lan Lan Tingzhou suddenly asked.

Li Fei thought for a while: "If it were a battle of the same realm, there would be a thirty percent chance of winning."

"Thirty percent?"

Lan Lan Tingzhou was first dejected, then laughed loudly:

"Well, to be able to fight with Pavilion Head Li, I have no regrets in this life!"

Hearing the conversation between the two, the people on the sidelines had different expressions.

They knew that Lan Lan Tingzhou probably could not beat Li Fei, but they thought that both sides could at least fight back and forth for a while.

But they did not expect that in less than three minutes, a Grandmaster-level sparring ended like this?

For a time, everyone looked at Li Fei's back, and the awe in their eyes became even stronger.

Lan Ruoyun heard her own ancestor say the words "no regrets in this life" and felt deeply.

Others might think that this was Lan Lan Tingzhou taking the initiative to praise Li Fei.

But as someone who had fought Li Fei before, she immediately understood Lan Lan Tingzhou's meaning—

Perhaps it won't be long before he won't even have the qualification to fight Li Fei!

So taking advantage of the fact that Li Fei had not yet reached the peak, being able to fight him once was indeed a fortunate thing.

Next, Lan Lan Tingzhou invited Li Fei to sit down and drink tea together, while Lan Lan Mingqian, Lan Ruoyun, and others accompanied them on the side.

The two Grandmasters exchanged some martial arts insights, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

"The Buddhist sect is rampant, plotting rebellion and killing the Emperor. As the head of the Lanxun Pavilion, I want to gather the power of the Jianghu to share the worries for the country."

At a certain moment, Li Fei took the initiative to mention this matter.

He looked at Lan Lan Tingzhou: "I wonder if the Lan family is willing to contribute?"

Lan Lan Tingzhou looked at Lan Lan Mingqian on the side: "The old man has been obsessed with martial arts over these years and has not intervened in family affairs for a long time. Since Pavilion Head Li has this intention, why not talk to Lan Mingqian."

So Li Fei also looked at Lan Lan Mingqian.

Lan Lan Mingqian's expression was gentle, and he smiled: "My Lan family has received the care of the imperial court, and many family members are officials in the court, so naturally, we are willing to contribute."

He agreed very decisively, but soon began to describe his family's difficulties.

If Li Fei only wanted the Lan family to send a few more experts to join the Lanxun Pavilion, he would definitely agree without hesitation.

But Li Fei wanted the Lan family to stand with the imperial court and deal with the Buddhist sect together.

This was not a simple matter.

Lan Lan Mingqian talked for a long time, and the meaning between the lines was only one—

If Li Fei could take a step further in his relationship with the Lan family, then the Lan family would naturally be willing to help with all their strength!

This hint was already very obvious, and Lan Ruoyun on the side lowered her head to drink tea.

She originally thought she would be shy and angry.

But it seemed... not repulsive.

(End of this chapter) ===== CHAPTER 526 =====