《Immortality: My cultivation Has No Bottleneck》 Chapter 1 1 chapter 1: just a good-for-nothing born with a silver spoon in their mouth! translator: 549690339 night. dayan dynasty. jinzhou city, liang familys backyard. at this time, the night was already quiet, but in one room, there was an aura of death that made it seem even more eerie. a little bit of moonlight spilled in from the window, illuminating the room, only to reveal a pale-faced youth lying on the floor, his eyes tightly closed as he was unconscious. who knew how long had passed when the youth finally opened his eyes, a surprised expression on his face. immediately after, a throbbing pain came from his brain. dammit! under the agonizing pain, liang sheng instinctively wanted to wail, but found that he couldnt even make a sound. immediately after, a flood of unfamiliar memories rushed directly into his mind, and it took him a good while to recover. what the hell? he had actually transmigrated, and it was a soul transmigration with the same name and surname? what a lack of creativity! no wonder he couldnt ignite himself! it turned out that liang sheng was originally a failed web novel author in the blue star world. after three years of continuous failure and having more than a dozen books, he finally realized a truth under the guidance of his senior. updating web novels is the king, and one million can become a god. so, late one night, after ten days of updating 30,000 words daily, liang sheng suddenly died and then transmigrated into this world. he became the eldest son of the liang familys patriarch in jinzhou city, a martial arts family. with the memories in his mind, he also knew that this world was a highly martial world, where martial artists could scale walls, smash mountains and rocks with ease. not to mention that there were legends in this world that martial artists could break through their shackles and cultivate immortality, plucking stars and slashing star rivers with their swords. although these legends were unverifiable, and his predecessor had never witnessed them firsthand. however, this was a fact as solid as nails that this high martial world was similar to the ancient huaxia of the blue star. and the liang family was the top martial arts family in jinzhou city, standing tall in jinzhou for hundreds of years, and the liang familys younger generation was considered the cream of the crop in jinzhou city. at this point, liang sheng had completely absorbed all the memories of his original body, and for a short while, he was only excited. after all, he had experience with this kind of thing. although he himself had no experience, which of his failed transmigration tales didnt end up becoming masters, carefree and unfettered? although the final memory of the original body wasnt very good, he didnt worry at all at this moment. after all, which starting point failed transmigration story would not have a golden finger? as expected, after a few experiments controlling his body to move, he immediately found his golden finger. he had an attribute panel. name: liang sheng age: 18 talent: innocent foolishness (top grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (second layer) realm: second level of post-natal realm (70%) under the talent, there was an additional line of explanation C innocent foolishness: born with a sincere heart, cultivation will be unyielding, although cultivation speed will be extremely slow, there will be no bottlenecks to all the techniques in the world. but so what if there was no bottleneck for all the techniques in the world? since the cultivation speed was extremely slow, it was simply a garbage talent. how could this panel be considered a top-grade talent? why did the original owner fall into madness, allowing himself to take over? he was the eldest son of the liang familys patriarch, consuming countless resources, yet his cultivation level was still only at the second level of post-natal realm. how could he not be anxious? martial arts family, strength is supreme! not to mention the rumors of him being unworthy of his position, the family considered letting him take charge of the outer sect tavern and become a businessman. how could he be willing to settle for that? and now, he doesnt seem to be much better off. he seems to have received the golden finger, but his talent is innocent foolishness, which is destined to make his cultivation extremely slow. whats different from his past life? at this moment, liang sheng felt a bit bitter about his fate and studied the attribute panel for a long time before finally giving in to despair. wasnt the panel supposed to have addition signs? why does his own golden finger seem to be just a panel with no extra functions? this golden finger is utterly useless. let alone calling this trash talent of innocent foolishness a top-grade talent, its clearly a product of low quality! after a long while, liang sheng finally calmed down. since there is no hope for cultivation in this life, he might as well enjoy it. after all, he was still the legitimate eldest son of the liang family, and since he was assigned to manage the liang familys business, as long as he didnt mess things up, he would definitely have a much happier life than when he was down and out in his previous life. fortunately, for the past eighteen years, since the original body had failed in his martial arts cultivation, although he was the legitimate eldest son, he had kept an extremely low profile and had not accumulated much cause and effect. at the moment when liang sheng had almost figured out how to live his new life, the sound of someone patrolling came from outside the courtyard. it was already midnight. liang sheng hurriedly washed up and prepared to go to bed. the sudden death in his previous life was a lesson, and since he had decided to live a leisurely and wealthy life, he needed to have a healthy body. after all, with no hope for cultivation in the future, perhaps he could only spend his days idly: listening to music at brothels, and living a repetitive life. liang sheng lay in bed with a bitter smile, then closed his eyes. with such ambitions, perhaps he was the most useless transmigrator in history, a disgrace to those of his kind! well, this world is prosperous in martial arts. even though his own talent is not good, if he practiced some health cultivation methods, he should be able to enjoy a few more years, right? early the next morning, liang sheng got up early, prepared to take a good walk around jinzhou city. although he had inherited the memories of the original body, it was not easy to adjust to this life without taking a closer look. unfortunately, before he could even step out, he was stopped by someone. young master, the patriarch asked for you to see him. liang sheng was startled but quickly recovered his wits, nodding his head slightly without saying a word. the servant didnt mind, as their young master had always been like this. following the servant, liang sheng couldnt help but wonder why the liang familys patriarch was looking for him. in his daily life, his father, the head of their household, seldom saw him after he deemed him a hopeless martial artist. at this moment, the servant led liang sheng past the martial arts training ground, where the liang familys instructors were leading the disciples in practice and none of them paid attention to him. after a while, liang sheng felt something was off, as they had now passed the main residence of the liang familys patriarch. and then, after turning a corner, liang sheng looked at the towering structures in front of him, and his nerves immediately tightened. the liang family ancestral hall! liang sheng instantly realized that the news of him becoming the manager of the outer sect tavern wasnt just a baseless rumor. even though he was the legitimate eldest son, he ultimately lacked strength! at this time, the ancestral halls main gate was tightly shut, but there were already many people in the courtyard, including the younger generation of the liang familys various branches. when they saw liang sheng, their expressions were somewhat strange, and some even couldnt help but burst into laughter. eldest son of the liang family? he was nothing more than a useless person born early. and starting today, he would become the manager of the outer sect tavern, no longer one of their peers. at this moment, liang sheng also felt the strange atmosphere in the courtyard, but he remained expressionless, silently standing in a corner and closing his eyes to rest. his demeanor, whether intentional or not, seemed to irritate some of the liang familys disciples who wanted to see him humiliated. someone suddenly whispered: eldest son? hes nothing but a useless fool born early! Chapter 2 2 chapter 2: health cultivation method, longevity skill translator: 549690339 jinzhou city, liang family ancestral hall. at this moment, the courtyard was silent. after all, liang sheng is still the eldest son of the liang family, and cannot be easily humiliated. the person who had just whispered realized that they had said the wrong thing and did not speak again. for a short while, the courtyard became quiet once more. as for liang sheng himself, there was no expression on his face at the moment, but there was no anger, only a bitter smile in his heart. after all, the other party was not wrong. he was an innocent fool with a slow cultivation speed, a waste in their eyes. he could only hope that he would be able to live a life of leisure and wealth in this world. just then, there was a sudden creaking sound. the doors of the ancestral hall slowly opened. walking at the front was the current patriarch of the liang family, liang ping, liang shengs birth father. liang pings face was expressionless, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. liang sheng was already prepared, but his heart was still somewhat uneasy, as the arrangement of his fate was about to begin. shenger liang sheng immediately stepped forward and bowed, raising his head to look at liang ping, waiting for him to make the final arrangement for him. behind liang ping were the influential figures of the liang family, the managerial clan elders. at this moment, their faces were serious, and there was no indication of what they were thinking from their expressions. just then, liang pings voice rang out again, and liang shengs heartbeat could not help but accelerate. how he would be arranged, the result would be revealed immediately. today is your coming of age. from now on, you will follow your second uncle and learn to take charge of the familys tavern business. as soon as these words were spoken, the eyes of the younger generation of the liang family lit up in an instant. however, they quickly lowered their heads, the flames of desire burning in their eyes. with the eldest son liang sheng being officially removed from the line of inheritance for the position of patriarch, any of them now had the chance to occupy that position. their fists were clenched tightly without them realizing it. shenger obeys fathers arrangement. for some reason, upon hearing his exact arrangement, liang sheng felt a sense of relief in his heart. perhaps this was already the best arrangement for him. taking charge of the liang familys outer sect tavern may not be that impressive for the main heir of the liang family, but it is still a prominent position in jinzhou city, ensuring a life without any worries of food and clothing. liang ping looked at liang shengs calm demeanor and couldnt help but take a deep look at his good-for-nothing son. he didnt expect him to have such a temperament. what a pity as the liang familys patriarch, he had devoted a lot of resources to his son in his early years, but he truly had no talent for cultivation. even an ordinary person would have broken through to the postnatal second realm by now. however, this was also good. letting him manage the outer sect tavern could be considered to fulfill his father-son affection with him. at this moment, liang ping turned to his brother, the current manager of the outer sect, liang qiang, and said, second brother, i will have to trouble you from now on. patriarch, dont worry. i will teach shenger well and ensure a smooth transition of the tavern management. liang ping nodded and said nothing else, making his way towards the exit of the ancestral hall. the various managerial clan elders followed behind him. before leaving, liang qiang specially waved at liang sheng, telling him to come to him when he was free, and that he would hand over the taverns affairs to him. when liang ping left with the managers, the younger generation in the courtyard let out a sigh of relief. they looked at each other, their desires hidden by now. big brother, when i go to the tavern to drink in the future, you have to take care of me, your little brother! this remark was like opening a floodgate, and in an instant, all the young generation from different branches had smiling faces when they looked at liang sheng. after all, having a brother who isnt a competitor and whose father is the current patriarch, they should at least not have conflicts even if they dont build good relationships. of course, their smiles were only on the surface at this moment, but who knows how many of them were genuine? liang sheng also put on a smiling face, adopting a very humble attitude that made the liang familys younger generation somewhat uncomfortable. the liang sheng of the past was difficult to get close to, but it seems that he has truly accepted reality and let go of his obsession now. if it were them, changing from the liang familys legitimate eldest son to a marginal figure, could they really be so calm and composed? he could be considered a character, if only he had talent for cultivation. for a short while, the atmosphere in the courtyard became more harmonious. liang sheng even made several promises, saying that after he officially takes over the tavern, all his brothers will be supportive. that afternoon. liang sheng went to find liang qiang and went to one of the most luxurious taverns in jinzhou city, shengde building, the tavern owned by liang family to show his face. liang qiang was initially surprised, not expecting liang sheng to come looking for him so quickly. but after the handover in the afternoon, his admiration for liang sheng increased. liang shengs methods werent bad; he met the tavern manager first, gave rewards to everyone in the tavern, but also added a few rules, so it was both grace and force applied. after such ups and downs, he was able to adjust his identity so quickly, which made him a character, but it was a pity that he lacked talent for cultivation. how could he cope? liang qiang couldnt help but think of himself and bitter-smiled; he was actually no different. what right did he have to pity liang sheng? at this moment, under the same sentiment, he felt more warmth towards his nephew liang sheng. in this martial world where human relations are indifferent, warmth is all the more precious. liang sheng naturally felt the change in liang qiang. although he didnt know why, it was ultimately a good thing, so how could he refuse? thus, the atmosphere between the uncle and nephew became even more harmonious. night. at this moment, liang sheng was sitting on a cushion, and after a while, he opened his eyes with an expression of helplessness on his face. as expected from an innocent child, the cultivation speed was so slow that it was infuriating. tonight, after practicing the golden dragon technique and completing the grand circulation, there was almost no effect. after confirming through the panel that his cultivation progress was almost zero, he could only accept his fate, even if he was unwilling. no matter what kind of technique is practiced in this world, there is a corresponding number of circulations for each realm. the previous body was desperate and forced to continue circulating the qi under its limit, which led to its death due to deviation. liang sheng, naturally, learned the lesson and dared not force the circulation anymore. however, he couldnt waste the long night either, so he started practicing the health cultivation method, the longevity skill, that he had just obtained. health cultivation methods are as common as hair in this world but are not mainstream, as martial strength is paramount in this world. if a cultivator lacks strength, whats the point of living longer? moreover, health cultivation methods also have limits, and if one doesnt reach the perfect realm, its unknown how many years of life can be added. therefore, health cultivation methods belong to the simplest and easiest to practice techniques, but there are still bottlenecks to overcome for each breakthrough. if someone spends a lot of time practicing health cultivation methods, they may not gain much in this martial world. after all, increasing ones strength is the top priority. and who among the martial cultivators in the early stages of cultivation would choose such a mediocre and unimpressive health cultivation method? perhaps only old monsters with near-end lifespans would practice health cultivation methods when their martial path has already been broken. to live a few more years counts as a few more years Chapter 3 3 chapter 3: unexpected cultivation speed translator: 549690339 longevity skill! after confirming that his technique was correct, liang sheng carefully followed the route of the technique to circulate the qi within his body in the zhou tian cycle. even if it was a seemingly benign health cultivation technique, liang sheng still treated it cautiously, as martial arts cultivation should not be taken lightly. however, things went much smoother than liang sheng had imagined. the circulation of qi within his body was extremely smooth, and after the completion of the grand circulation of zhou tian, the longevity qi was immediately produced. worried that his fluctuating emotions might cause accidents, liang sheng forcefully calmed his excited heart and gradually found tranquility as he circulated the qi throughout his body. after more than an hour, liang sheng, who had been sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, opened them and took a deep breath, his eyes filled with pleasant surprise. first layer of longevity skill! wasnt his cultivation speed supposed to be extremely slow? how could it have such an astonishing effect? even if the health cultivation method was much simpler compared to an offensive technique like the golden dragon technique, it shouldnt be this easy to achieve mastery, should it? however, the attribute panel in front of him proved that all of this was not his imagination, but the truth. name: liang sheng age: 18 talent: innocent foolishness (top-grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (second layer), longevity skill(first layer) realm: martial artist C postnatal second realm (70%) his progress in the martial arts realm had not changed, but the fact that he had successfully entered the first layer after practicing the longevity skill for the first time was truly incredible. at this moment, a flash of inspiration struck his mind: his postnatal second realm qi circulation with the longevity skill should indeed have such an effect! this was like a high school student with poor grades who, regardless of their performance, would still find primary school textbooks extremely easy to study. however, once the longevity skill qi in his body reached parity with his martial arts realm, he probably wouldnt be able to enjoy such treatment anymore. but no matter what, it was a good thing. after all, the longer he lived, the more he could enjoy a luxurious and leisurely life, and his journey through this world would not be in vain. with this in mind, liang sheng calmed himself down, hurriedly washed up, and lay down in bed to sleep. in his previous life, he had died from overwork and staying up all night. in this life, he could not make the same mistake while cultivating! since then, liang shengs life began to settle down. after taking charge of the liang family restaurant affairs, he completely accepted his fate and began to actively participate in the business. gradually, people in the liang family paid less and less attention to him. after all, why would they need to care about a mere manager of the liang family restaurant? more than a month later, liang sheng requested the ancestral hall to move out of the liang family residence and set up his own solitary living quarters. no one had opposed this. in fact, their impression of him only improved. after all, they appreciated such a sensible former eldest son. patriarch liang ping hesitated at first, but upon liang qiangs seemingly unintentional reminder, he also believed that this was indeed the best choice for liang sheng. after all, for someone with mediocre talent like liang sheng, being a wealthy and idle gentleman and living a peaceful life was the best possible outcome. so the matter was settled quickly, and a residence near shengde building belonging to the liang family was cleaned up within a few days, becoming liang shengs mansion. liang sheng later learned that this request had been easily granted because liang qiang had given him a helping hand, allowing him to achieve a satisfactory outcome. therefore, liang sheng chose a time to bring a generous gift and personally visit his second uncle to express his gratitude. with liang shengs ability to know when to advance and retreat, he unknowingly blended well with the liang family and got along well with everyone. he was like another person compared to before. however, his behavior only proved that he was further and further away from the power center of the liang family, becoming a marginal figure. thats why he could achieve universal popularity. time passed quickly. in the blink of an eye, three months had gone by, and liang sheng gradually became an invisible figure outside the struggles of the liang family. only occasionally, during meals and tea breaks, would people mention the former eldest son who had now fallen on hard times. as for the shengde building, with the protection of the liang family, the business naturally thrived. after paying the monthly taxes to the main family, liang shengs days were exceptionally wealthy. if it werent for the certainty of keeping a low profile, with the experience of over a dozen failures in history, the expansion of profits through the refinement and distillation of high-quality wine would have been entirely possible. however, in the uncertain circumstances of the liang familys young master, for him, the former eldest son of the main family, maintaining a low profile and saving his life is the first rule. how could he possibly make a big show of his wealth? anyway, hes now living a wealthy life, so why put himself in the sights of the various branches of the liang family? wouldnt that just be asking for trouble? even in jinzhou citys yichun building, liang shengs figure could be seen, and tales of the former eldest son of the liang family indulging in wanton pleasures and spending his nights amongst the flowers started to spread throughout the city. just as everyone thought that liang sheng had resigned himself to enjoying an ordinary life of wealth and splendor, in these past few months, he had actually not been idle. he had been continuously cultivating the golden dragon technique and the health cultivation methods longevity skill. his decision to establish an independent family was in order not to attract attention and to hide in the shadows to cultivate in privacy. just like that, another six months passed in the blink of an eye. tonight, liang sheng sat cross-legged in his room, taking a deep breath before continuing his cultivation as usual. however, he couldnt help but feel a faint excitement. the progress of the golden dragon technique was still incredibly slow, but after all, it was the liang familys unique skill that had stood the test of centuries in jinzhou city. naturally, its cultivation difficulty was much higher than that of the longevity skill. however, he didnt know whether he was suited for the longevity skill or not, but his cultivation speed didnt seem slow at all. at this moment, liang sheng tried hard to calm his excited emotions. after his heart settled down, he began circulating zhou tian to cultivate the longevity skill. in the meantime, the resources that liang ping had tilted towards liang sheng in the past, using his identity as the family head, had all been hidden deep within liang shengs body, transformed into essence blood, and were now being absorbed by the longevity skill. an hour later, liang shengs eyes suddenly opened, and his aura surged before being withdrawn back into his body. his eyes were filled with surprise and joy. name: liang sheng age: 18 talent: innocent foolishness (top-grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (second layer), longevity skill (third layer) realm: martial artist postnatal threefold (1%) it took liang sheng only a month to break through to the second layer of the longevity skill, which could be attributed to the fact that he had already reached the postnatal second realm. however, to achieve the third layer of the longevity skill in just six months was an unimaginable situation. although the longevity skill was a health cultivation method and simpler than offensive techniques, liang sheng still found it somewhat unbelievable that he could achieve such a cultivation speed with the talent of innocent foolishness. would anyone else have such a smooth journey? after all, every technique would encounter bottlenecks. so, was this the use of the talent of innocent foolishness? or should he also thank liang ping for providing him with so many resources in the past? liang sheng was somewhat surprised. although he had advanced his realm through cultivating a health cultivation method, which was far less powerful than cultivating the golden dragon technique of the same realm, it was still a genuine postnatal threefold realm. so today was a day of great joy and celebration! liang sheng couldnt sleep anymore, but he was the only one living in the backyard. however, that didnt mean he had no servants; they just lived in separate rooms in the front courtyard. the coachman, ma san, had already taken off his clothes and was preparing to rest when he was suddenly called by liang sheng in the middle of the night to hurry up and drive the horse carriage to the yichun building. the nighttime jinzhou city patrol guards saw liang shengs horse carriage and didnt stop it, but they were filled with disdain in their hearts. as expected, he was the liang familys waste. night after night spent indulging in debauchery, he would probably die on a womans belly someday. as for the yichun buildings madame, spring lady, her eyes brightened immediately upon seeing liang shengs horse carriage parked outside the building. a big customer had arrived. ladies, come out and greet the guest! as liang sheng walked to the entrance, he grinned and directly embraced spring lady, fully displaying the true nature of a debauched young master. spring lady, the usual! after all, indulging in wine, women, and song was a means of survival for liang sheng, once the eldest son of a martial arts family! Chapter 4 4 chapter 4: the correct way to open innocent foolishness translator: 549690339 jinzhou city. another night of spring breeze passed. dawn broke, and the sun rose from the east. liang sheng removed the jade lotus that was placed over him, got dressed, and was indifferent to the resentful eyes on the bed. without any reluctance, he turned and left directly. after all, it was just business. there was no room for feelings. after leaving, liang sheng got into the horse carriage, intending to return to the mansion to rest. however, before entering the mansion, he received news from a liang family servant. liang ying of the liang familys second room had, at the age of sixteen, broken through to the postnatal fourfold realm, officially reaching the intermediate level of martial arts. there would be a celebration feast in the second room of the liang family! liang ying was ranked third among the younger generation of the liang family and was two years younger than liang sheng. however, he had now reached the postnatal fourfold realm despite having far fewer resources than liang sheng. this was the genius of the liang family! at this moment, with a smiling face, liang sheng promised to attend the celebration of liang yings breakthrough. there was no sign of dissatisfaction on his face. after the servant who had delivered the news returned, he truthfully reported liang shengs reaction to the second room. after hearing it, including liang ying, everyone couldnt help but smirk. the rightful eldest son of the previous patriarch indeed knew his place and had no undue ambitions. when liang sheng sent a congratulatory gift, he unexpectedly saw liang ping, the liang family patriarch, whom he had not seen for a long time. he hadnt expected him to attend in person. liang ping naturally saw liang sheng as well. however, the father and son exchanged only a brief greeting and did not engage in a deep conversation. after all, even if they wanted to talk, what could they say in such a situation? at the feast, the younger generation of the liang family appeared harmonious on the surface, but liang sheng could see that many people looked at liang ying, who was at the center of attention, with envy, wishing to replace him. it seemed that the competition among the younger generation of the liang family would not stop until the heir was finally determined and might become even more ruthless. of course, some people at the banquet had different thoughts. though their talents were average, they felt superior compared to liang sheng, with a trace of provocation in their eyes. however, noticing liang shengs indifferent expression, they found it boring and decided not to pay him any further attention. the banquet ended successfully amidst the lively atmosphere. as liang sheng had expected, the competition among the younger generation of the liang family intensified after the banquet. however, these were irrelevant to liang sheng, who now just wanted to remain hidden in a corner, away from attention, and quietly grow stronger. time flew by, and seven years passed in the blink of an eye. jinzhou city. liang family ancestral hall. the liang family gathered at their ancestral hall, where they would witness the birth of the new heir. as for liang sheng, who was now standing in the corner, no one paid any attention to him. after all, who would remember a tavern manager stuck in the second level of the postnatal realm after seven years? with the attribute panel, no one could see through liang shengs true strength. no one knew that he had changed drastically since the past. at this moment, liang ping personally hung the jade pendant, symbolizing the identity of the young master, around liang yings waist in front of the family elders and managers. liang ping looked at the spirited liang ying in front of him, patted his shoulder, and sighed in his heart. if only it had been his own son. thinking of this, he couldnt help but glance at the corner. in the end, he could only comfort himself, feeling lucky that he could live a peaceful life. after all, during these seven years, several outstanding descendants of the liang family had experienced accidents. as for the reason, after a fruitless investigation, it was left unresolved. actually, everyone knew what happened. it was just that in the end, liang ying from the second room had the last laugh. however, liang ying indeed deserved the identity of the liang familys young master. at twenty-three years old, he had reached the complete postnatal sixth realm and was the most outstanding descendant of the liang family in a hundred years. even the liang familys ancestor, who had been in closed-door cultivation for many years, was startled and came out to inquire about the situation personally. it was only then that the competition for the position of the young master of the liang family was finally settled. when more than half of the young master ceremony had passed, liang sheng, who was standing in the corner, tensed his body and then relaxed again. immediately afterward, someone came to his side, and it was none other than the liang familys external affairs manager, his second uncle liang qiang. shenger, is everything ready for the banquet? you must not make any mistakes. upon hearing this, liang sheng quickly nodded, dont worry, second uncle, everything is arranged and foolproof. liang qiang felt reassured seeing liang shengs confidence, after all, he had been watching his performance for the past seven years. although liang sheng had no martial arts talent, he was indeed adept at managing the tavern, its business thriving and generating income that made the various branches of the liang family envious. it was precisely because todays banquet was so important that he couldnt help but ask about it personally; otherwise, he wouldnt have worried at all. as for the banquet arrangements, there were no issues. the disciples of the liang familys various branches clinked their glasses and talked happily together, creating a harmonious atmosphere. the focus of the banquet was, of course, liang ying. by now, all competitions had come to an end, and he had firmly secured the position of the liang familys young master. no matter whether others had other intentions or not, at least on the surface, everyone was extremely respectful to him. however, liang sheng, who had arranged the banquet, was now sitting in a corner, watching liang ying bask in the limelight, his heart as calm as an old dog. no one knew how astonishing liang shengs progress had been in these seven years. if anyone could see through his realm, they would probably be shocked on the spot. postnatal fivefold! thats right. after seven years of hibernation, liang shengs attribute panel has completely changed compared to seven years ago. name: liang sheng age: 25 talent: innocent foolishness (top-grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (fourth layer), longevity skill (ninth layer) realm: martial artist postnatal fifth layer (25%) although the lifespan cultivation technique is simple, reaching the highest ninth layer of longevity skill would only reach the postnatal fifth realm. however, when he broke through to the ninth layer, liang sheng felt a mysterious sense that his lifespan had increased by a full ten years. this is still the result of the longevity skills early layers filling the lifespan he had reduced due to previous forced cultivation. otherwise, the increased lifespan would be even more. his previous thoughts were also confirmed, cultivating the golden dragon technique with a higher realm would indeed yield twice the result with half the effort. even liang sheng himself hadnt expected this result, that there would be no cultivation bottleneck for innocent foolishness, and cultivating longevity skill would go so smoothly. now, even if compared with the ordinary disciples of the liang family, liang sheng would be considered on par with them. after all, many of the younger liang family members hadnt yet reached the postnatal fivefold realm. however, longevity skill didnt have much battle strength. with the same golden dragon technique at the fourth layer, liang shengs battle strength wasnt much different despite having more internal energy. when the banquet ended, liang sheng, as the manager of the tavern, took care of the final details. by the time he returned to his mansion, the moon was already high up in the night sky. from now on, liang ying would be the young master of the liang family, and liang sheng had no resentment regarding this. when he returned to his room, he still followed his habit of the past seven years, sitting cross-legged and cultivating the golden dragon technique. after completing the grand circulation of the golden dragon technique, he subconsciously continued to cultivate the longevity skill. although he had already reached the highest realm, it had become a habit. but at the next moment, liang shengs face suddenly changed. boom! in an instant, there was a roaring sound within liang shengs body. if it werent for the attribute panels concealment feature, he would have caused a commotion by now. when everything calmed down, liang shengs face was full of shock, followed by elation in his heart. could this be the correct way to activate the talent of innocent foolishness? because at this moment, his attribute panel clearly showed longevity skill (10th layer)! in this mysterious moment, liang shengs lifespan increased by another twenty years! Chapter 5 5 chapter 5: my own perspective is too narrow! translator: 549690339 name: liang sheng age: 25 talent: innocent foolishness (top grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (fourth layer), longevity skill (tenth layer) realm: martial artist postnatal fifth layer (40%) originally, the highest realm of longevity skill was the ninth layer, but now liang sheng has forcibly cultivated it to the tenth layer, increasing his lifespan by another twenty years! so this is the meaning of all laws in the world have no bottleneck! its not just that there will be no bottlenecks during cultivation, but also the ability to break the limits of the techniques and continue cultivating! in these seven years of self-cultivation, from the postnatal threefold realm to the postnatal fivefold realm, his lifespan has increased by a total of thirty years, which is a great profit no matter how you look at it. even if he continues to cultivate slowly with these weak health cultivation methods, his lifespan will continue to increase, and it will still be profitable. not to mention that he can also use a higher martial arts realm to cultivate the golden dragon technique, and the results are doubled with half the effort. the more liang sheng thought about it, the more excited he got, with his heart beating faster. at that moment, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and his whole person froze on the spot. then he unexpectedly raised his hand and slapped himself, which was especially loud in the silent night. in the end, his vision was still too shallow! there are so many health cultivation methods, why can he only cultivate one longevity skill? he is not an ordinary person! because his cultivation speed is slow due to his talent of innocent foolishness, but there is no bottleneck in all the laws of the world. why not cultivate multiple health cultivation methods at the same time? moreover, with his tenth layer longevity skill advancing to the martial artists postnatal fifth layer, wouldnt it be a piece of cake to start from the beginning and cultivate other health cultivation methods? the more he thought about it, the more he felt that this was the most correct cultivation method. if his lifespan could keep increasing, then wouldnt immortality be within reach? of course, this is only the most ideal plan. there will definitely be many twists and turns, but the way forward is clear, and all he needs to do is take one step at a time! its just a pity that now the cultivation of the golden dragon technique and longevity skill already takes up almost one hour at night, and if he cultivates several more health cultivation methods, hell likely have less free time to spend at brothels listening to music. however, if his plan were to come true, then time would be nothing more than a series of numbers in front of him, and he could sing and dance every night without any issues! early the next morning, liang sheng sent someone to collect all the health cultivation methods in jinzhou city, including techniques such as evergreen art and turtle breath technique. in the end, he acquired a total of nine widespread health cultivation methods. although this attracted the attention of many people, they didnt take it to heart, because after all, they were just trivial health cultivation techniques. to put it bluntly, could they kill someone? in the eyes of martial arts cultivators, these are just inferior techniques used by elderly people with limited lifespan to prolong their lives. some even speculated maliciously whether liang sheng had frequented yichun building too often in recent years, leading to a significant loss of vitality and forcing him to make up for his losses. liang sheng didnt care about the gossip that spread in the outside world, and in fact, he couldnt ask for a better situation. in the following days, liang shengs routine remained the same as before, visiting yichun building every once in a while, and gradually no one paid attention to his previous actions. during the daytime, he would find time to check on the business at shengde building, greet familiar guests, and even accompany them for a drink. which of the old customers who frequent shengde building could be considered simple? not to mention, during the day they drink at the tavern and at night they drink in the pleasure quarters. even if they were just drinking buddies, their friendship would be anything but ordinary after a long time. after all, they are men having dealt with the regular customers in the tavern, liang sheng ordered the excess food from the kitchen to be given to the beggars outside the tavern, leaving amidst the beggars kowtowing. liang sheng didnt care much about this, it was just a small effort on his part and he would even sometimes reward the beggars with the leftovers from the customers. following this routine for a few more days, he finally managed to master the first layer of the nine newly found health cultivation methods. moreover, due to the accumulation of these techniques, it seemed as if liang sheng could sense the increase in his lifespan, making him even more determined and ambitious. however, during this time, his second uncle, liang qiang, would occasionally invite liang sheng for drinks in the pleasure quarters, forcing him to reduce his cultivation practice to accompany him. as far as martial arts families were concerned, they didnt care much about whether someone like liang qiang or him, who were considered waste in martial arts, got married and had children. after all, only those who succeed in martial arts become the essential pillars of the family lineage. they were merely their minions, and liang qiangs failure to marry and have children was even a welcome situation for the other branches of the family. after all, when they died, the resources under their control would be more easily distributed, and even liang ping never bothered about liang shengs marriage. although he was liang shengs biological father, he was first and foremost the patriarch of the liang family, a martial arts clan, and had long ceased to be a mere father to one person. this was what it meant to come from a martial arts family! however, it could not be said that they had no father-son feelings, otherwise liang ping would not have provided him with so many resources in the early years. it was just that at his position, perhaps martial arts were the criterion for evaluating emotions. liang sheng didnt complain about this, but rather felt fortunate C because without any feelings of debt, it would probably be the best outcome. days went by in this manner, and one day as liang sheng was performing his routine check of the tavern, he suddenly saw a familiar guest who greeted him. after a brief moment of surprise, he sat down with the guest. zhang rongjun, eldest son of the wealthy merchant zhang family in jinzhou city, a regular at shengde building, and someone who liang sheng often encountered at yichun building as well. now, zhang rongjun seemed to be somewhat intoxicated, making him more open in his speech than before, brother liang, im afraid i wont be able to visit shengde building for a long time. i consider myself lucky to have become friends with you these past few years. although liang sheng was considered a martial arts waste in the liang family, outside of the family he was still the son of the liang family, a status that could not be matched by the merchant families. over the years, liang sheng had always been approachable and humble, which was why zhang rongjun felt the need to speak up. hearing this, liang sheng knew that something must have happened. as expected, zhang rongjun continued, my father is seriously ill, and im afraid he wont live much longer. as the eldest son of the zhang family, its up to me to take care of our familys business. our zhang family is primarily in the business of trading, and this next journey may take three or four years. i dont know when ill be able to visit again. brother liang, ill drink a toast to you today in honor of your friendship. when i return next time, i will definitely invite brother liang to yichun building for a night of revelry. zhang rongjun downed his drink in one gulp, and liang sheng also gulped down his drink without affectation, in that case, i wont be hypocritical. i wish brother zhang a smooth journey and a wealth of fortune! it didnt take long for zhang rongjun to get thoroughly drunk and be carried on to a horse carriage by his servants. liang sheng followed him to the entrance and watched the carriage leave in the distance. zhang rongjuns father was also considered a legend in jinzhou city, having built a vast fortune from scratch. but now, what was it all worth? could he still escape the fate of turning into dust and becoming one with the clouds? even after zhang rongjun spent the rest of his life working hard, his fate would still be the same in the end. at this moment, liang sheng was resolved more than ever not to waste the opportunity he had been given and would strive to explore the secrets of longevity. Chapter 6 6 chapter 6: dual 9 weight in one discipline translator: 549690339 in the blink of an eye, it was already autumn. zhang rongjun had left jinzhou city to do business, liang sheng could hardly remember his appearance. his days remained monotonous: cultivation, inspecting the taverns, and listening to music in brothels. however, liang sheng enjoyed these activities. a life without change was the best kind of life. at this moment, liang sheng was cultivating the ten methods of health cultivation simultaneously. although cultivation progress was extremely slow, there were no bottlenecks, and he could sense his lifespan gradually increasing. why not be happy? as for the golden dragon technique, it progressed at an absurdly slow pace, but also steadily and without any bottlenecks. if he could break through to the postnatal sixth realm in his martial arts, the golden dragon technique would likely reach the sixth level very soon. time passed calmly, and on this day, second uncle liang qiang suddenly came to see him in the evening. shenger, dont go out at night during this period. i cant explain the reasons clearly, but you shouldnt go to yichun building. when its safe to go again, ill let you know. liang qiangs relationship with liang sheng had become warmer over the years, and liang sheng could sense the seriousness in his tone, not daring to be careless. was there some kind of change in jinzhou city? otherwise, why would liang qiang be so cautious? after all, he was the liang familys external affairs manager in jinzhou city! although his cultivation level was merely at the postnatal fivefold realm, and he had a hard time breaking through, hardly anyone in jinzhou city dared to trouble liang qiang. upon hastily leaving, liang sheng couldnt help but be more alert. alas, he was in a low position, unable to gain any insider information, so he could only be more careful on his own. for this period of time, it would be best to avoid going to yichun building! safety first! liang qi, the eldest son of the third family, was in the postnatal fivefold realm. in this generation, his cultivation ranked only behind a few younger members of the liang family, such as liang ying. since liang ying had been confirmed as the young master of the liang family, liang qi frequented shengde building more and more. because liang sheng was always accommodating, the once-resentful liang qi now had a sympathetic friendship with this former eldest legitimate son. at this time, liang qi saw liang sheng and laughed, brother sheng, you are really talented, it only took you a few years to make the business of this tavern thrive. brother qi, youre joking. this is all trivial stuff. i just focus all my energy here. besides, even if it wasnt me, anyone with a little more effort could achieve this. upon hearing this, liang qi shook his head with a smile and didnt continue the conversation. if it was that simple, why had the family never objected to liang sheng, a martial arts level two person, managing shengde building for so long? at this time, he glanced around and then gave liang sheng a meaningful look before laughing and directly entering the previously occupied private room. naturally, liang sheng personally accompanied him. at this moment, liang qis face was gloomy, as if there was something on his mind. after a few glasses of wine, liang qi gradually relaxed and began to pour out his heart. only then did liang sheng understand what was going on. liang qis face was not looking good. perhaps due to being drunk and loosening up, he put his arm around liang shengs shoulders. these past few days, the family has decided to form a marriage alliance with the wu family. our young master, liang ying, is about to marry the second daughter of the head of the wu family. this doesnt concern us, but the elders proposed that since the wu family head only has two daughters, why not have a double marriage? so, after weighing the options, the family has made arrangements, and i am to be betrothed to the eldest daughter of the wu family. upon hearing this, liang sheng didnt expect such a situation to occur, but it was a standard practice for martial arts families. however, he wondered why liang qi was so upset about it? fortunately, liang qi didnt keep them in suspense. after a short pause, he gritted his teeth and continued: and the family decided to have me marry into the wu family! upon hearing this, liang sheng was completely dumbfounded. marry into another family? wouldnt that mean liang qi would become a son-in-law of the wu family? what kind of freedom would he have left? no wonder liang qi was so depressed. any man facing this situation would be frustrated. at this moment, liang qi seemed to be looking for someone to vent to. having already revealed the truth and under the influence of alcohol, he simply let all his inner thoughts out. and i cant even resist. i competed too intensely with liang ying for the position of the young master, and i can imagine ending up like this. i can only obey the arrangements of the family. do you know why the liang and wu families decided to join together at this time? its because the head of the gao family, gao he, has broken through to the postnatal nine realms. one family with two people at the nine realms C unique in jinzhou city! our patriarch and the wu family patriarch are both still stuck in the post-natal eighth level, and only our ancestor has broken through to the nine realms. if the two families dont cooperate at this time, the gao family might eventually dominate jinzhou city. and ive become a pawn. now, thinking about it, im actually envious of you, getting away from the family vortex early. even if theres no hope for martial arts, at least you have a rich and honorable life, unlike me liang qi drank another cup of wine after saying this, tasting nothing but bitterness. at this time, liang sheng thought more deeply about what liang qi had said. was it because the head of the gao family had broken through that his second uncle liang qiang warned him not to go out at night? after all, if the situation in jinzhou city hadnt changed, why would the liang and wu families have to act so quickly to form an alliance through marriage? under the cover of night, who knows how much has happened in jinzhou city during this time? how could the gao family be willing to maintain the status quo? seeing that liang sheng seemed to understand the situation, liang qi couldnt help but feel envious. if he had been in liang shengs position, would he be the one marrying into the wu family? shenger, you and i know about this matter. dont say anything about it for the next few days since the family hasnt announced it yet. of course, everyone will probably know it three days later, and by then, who knows if ill be the laughingstock. as a son-in-law i dont know if ill have the chance to go drinking and enjoy the company of women with you again. if it hadnt been so unsettling recently, i would have definitely gone to yichun building with you tonight, not leaving until were drunk. liang sheng remained silent, accompanying liang qi in drinking. at this moment, liang qi didnt need anyone to speak; he just wanted to vent. when a servant from liang qis house knocked on the door of the private room to report that the family was looking for him, liang qi gave liang sheng a wry smile and took his leave. liang sheng helped him to the door, and just before opening it, he whispered, brother qi, it seems i wont be able to drink with you anymore. in just two days, ive lost two drinking buddies. the young master of the rich merchant chen family has become a monk due to the death of his beloved prostitute, overwhelmed by grief. this infuriated his grandfather, who expelled him from the family and had to apologize to the guo family, with whom they had arranged a marriage. i havent seen him in a long time. at this moment, liang qi hesitated. just as the servant outside held the door for him, he got into the horse carriage and took a deep last look at liang sheng. after liang qi left, liang sheng looked around. with two of the gao family members at the nine realms, jinzhou city might be in chaos for some time. he needed to be more cautious during this time. he would probably have to come to shengde building less frequently, prioritizing safety. he didnt know when jinzhou city would return to calm. he would have to endure it for a while longer. Chapter 7 7 chapter 7: leaving home and chaos ensues translator: 549690339 jinzhou city. yichun building. at this moment, the entire building is filled with white curtains, somber music, and scattered yellow paper. under the guidance of the old madame, spring lady, a group of beautiful women are weeping and wailing. such a scene, not to mention within jinzhou city, is probably unprecedented in the dayan dynasty for hundreds of years. after all, who has ever seen a funeral for a prostitute in a brothel? but at this moment, the people gathered around are more concerned not about the women, but the man in white linen clothes, looking sad. and he is liang qis servant, hou er. miss qinger, my master has gone to jinshan temple outside the city to become a monk. he said he will be accompanied by the green lanterns for the rest of his life to pray for your blessings and hope that you can be born into a good family in your next life. after saying this, hou er takes off his shoes, walks barefoot, and heads straight towards the citys outskirts. it was as if the bystanders only reacted at this moment, with disbelief on their faces. they could not believe that the young master of the liang family would actually choose to become a monk for a prostitute, forever accompanied by green lanterns and ancient buddhas? upon hearing this, the old madame spring lady and her girls could not help but exchange glances. liang qi had indeed visited a few times, but was he entertained by qinger? these little things the old madame had long forgotten. however, when liang qis servant brought a lot of silver last night and asked them to send qinger off, she naturally could not refuse for this was the liang family of jinzhou city! last night, she thought liang qi was a loyal and righteous patron, but now hearing hou ers words, she couldnt help but be shocked. would this young master of the liang family really be so infatuated, to such an extent? spring lady was also a little flustered at the moment, but her girls eyes were filled with tenderness after hearing hou ers words. some of them had also spent a night with liang qi but never thought he would be so infatuated with qinger, even willing to become a monk for her sake. sister qinger, it was worth it in this life. hou er was actually a little nervous. when liang qi asked him to inquire about whether qinger of yichun building had really passed away, he never expected such a situation. if he had known this earlier, he would not have told the truth at all. but now he could only do what liang qi asked of him because he was liang qis sworn servant, and not following orders would mean death. and the spectators who followed hou er, watching him walk barefoot step by step towards the city gate, began to believe that liang qi might have really gone to jinshan temple outside the city to become a monk. a young master of the liang family, who had enjoyed endless wealth and honor, was now willing to become a buddhist monk for a prostitute. if thats not foolish, what is? its likely that when the liang family finds out, they will be ashamed of him and even expel him from the family, and he will no longer be a member of the liang family. no matter what the passersby think, at this moment, liang qi has already taken the tonsure and was kneeling in front of the buddha in the daxiong treasure hall of jinshan temple, with an expressionless face, hands clasped together. master, my disciples worldly ties have been severed. i only wish to be accompanied by the buddha for the rest of my life. may the buddha have mercy. the monks around jinshan temple looked at each other, unsure what to do, and could only rush to the inner hall to report to the abbot. on the other hand, the liang family was not at peace either. in the ancestral hall, the liang family elders were somewhat angry and frustrated. a few days ago, they had decided to let liang qi marry into the wu family after various considerations. today, they had pretty much discussed the details with the wu family and were just about to announce it to the outside world. given the current situation in jinzhou city, it was necessary for the liang and wu families to form an alliance in order to counteract the threat from the gao family. but now that liang qi had become a monk, even if they brought him back, the wu family would probably be unhappy. was the legitimate daughter of the wu family really so insignificant, not even comparable to a prostitute? patriarch, we must make a decision now, otherwise we will not be able to explain it to the wu family, and the marriage alliance between the two families may be affected. now the best solution is to pick another descendant of the liang family to marry into the wu family, and the liang family elders can only be glad that the news of liang qis marriage into the wu family had not been released yet. as for liang qi, now is not the time to discuss how to deal with him. faced with the gao familys current pressure, the liang family must unite with the wu family. then some elders began to propose which liang familys younger generation should replace liang qi to marry into the wu family. at this time, no one would be foolish enough to propose liang sheng. liang sheng, because of the existence of the attribute panel, is still superficially a useless person at the second level of post-natal realm. but no one would let liang sheng marry into the wu family. no matter how useless he is, he is still the legitimate son of the liang familys patriarch liang ping. if he were to marry into the wu family, where would patriarch liangs face be? soon, the liang family elders discussed and decided on a substitute candidate and, in order to prevent further complications, they directly controlled the person and urged the wu family to marry as soon as possible! seeing the liang family make a decision so quickly, the wu family also saw their sincerity, and with the gao family looming like a knife over their heads, they naturally wouldnt make more trouble. after two days, the liang and wu families held a grand marriage ceremony, and this matter settled. liang sheng had no sense of pride; he just wanted to cultivate for longevity and did not want to be involved in too many liang family affairs. as for liang qi avoiding this marriage by becoming a monk, it was his own strong comprehension ability, as he himself didnt say anything about it. however, faced with the current situation in jinzhou city, he has made some preparations while practicing martial arts techniques and even secretly converted most of his wealth into conveniently carried silver notes. if the situation in jinzhou city goes wrong, he will leave lightly, and he will definitely not share his destiny with the liang family. at this moment, jinzhou citys situation is much more tense than before, with more people carrying weapons on the streets. now, liang sheng tries to stay home as much as possible. young master. at this moment, ma san rushed into the room with a somewhat panicked expression. liang sheng couldnt help but feel a little nervous and asked: did something happen? ma san had been carrying out his orders these days, observing the citys movements, and nodded heavily. young master, as you expected, dozens of people died in goulan street today, all of them from the three major families. by the time the fighting ended, the county government office sent people to clean up. liang sheng looked up at the sky, and it was still daytime, such a big event had happened, it seemed that the conflict between the three major families had really intensified. in these few days, tell the people in the mansion not to go out. if they go out without permission, they will bear the consequences, and dont come back afterward. yes, young master. after ma san left, liang shengs face darkened. fortunately, he was well-prepared, and the food stored in his house was enough for his mansion to eat for half a year. he just hopes that the fire of the three major families would not burn to his own mansion. in theory, this was the inner city, and they probably wouldnt do anything too excessive. after all, as long as the ancestors of the three families are still there, it wont reach the point of life and death between them. their families have stood proudly in jinzhou city for so many years, and its not the first time that similar situations have occurred. however, the initial chaos would definitely happen, but its unclear how long it will last and how big the turmoil will be. but the three major families should not dare to go all out. just because the county government office seems somewhat useless, does not mean that the dayan dynasty is useless. when the three major families really start to fight till death, the government will step in to resolve it. the power of the court and government offices is always the strongest. however, it is also happy to see the martial arts families fighting and weakening each other. if the families under heaven were really united, the court and government would have drawn their knives long ago. after all, the establishment of the dayan dynasty was based on the extermination of the seven greatest martial arts sects at that time, creating a unified dynasty. lets hope nothing happens, because since this sudden conflict between the three families, he hasnt gone to the yichun building to listen to music at brothels for a long time. these dog days of families! Chapter 8 8 chapter 8: murder! translator: 549690339 night. at this moment, liang sheng was unusually not cultivating as the night sky to the southeast of jinzhou city was ablaze. thick smoke filled the air and the clashes of battle could be heard. under such circumstances, there was no way liang sheng could settle down to cultivate. he even felt an inexplicable sense of anxiety. for some reason, he had an intuition that tonight would not be peaceful. at the root of this unease was his insufficient strength. if his strength was powerful enough to face any emergencies with equanimity, would he be feeling like this? nevertheless, liang sheng was not overly anxious, after all, time was on his side. he was confident that even a postnatal nine-layer master would not live as long as he would. as long as he was careful and prudent, there would come a day when he could face any situation fearlessly. despite the slow progress of his cultivation, the reversal of longevity skills tenth layer to cultivate other health cultivation methods had doubled his efforts. whats more, it was not difficult to cultivate the health cultivation methods. ordinary people could do it casually, only encountering a bottleneck in their cultivation. but this was a non-issue for liang sheng. under the talent of innocent foolishness, there was no bottleneck to all the techniques in the world, and he only needed to cultivate in an orderly manner. at this moment, liang shengs attribute panel had changed compared to before: name: liang sheng age: 26 talent: innocent foolishness (top-grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (fifth layer), longevity skill (tenth layer), other lifespan cultivation techniques (fourth layer) [ps: too many techniques, omitted] realm: martial artist postnatal fifth layer (60%) the most surprising development was not the satisfactory progress of his health cultivation methods, but that liang sheng had finally cultivated the fifth layer of the liang familys unique golden dragon technique. this meant that he now possessed the real strength of the postnatal fivefold, not just the average strength of the health techniques making up the postnatal fivefold. in the courtyard, the servants and guards like ma san were also staying awake. under liang shengs arrangement, they rotated to patrol, ensuring safety. after more than an hour, the sound of the battle in the southeast finally began to die down. liang sheng breathed a sigh of relief. it seemed that the situation could still be controlled. but considering the grand scale of tonights events, the county government office would probably convene the three families for a conference. by now, the three families must have determined a victor, otherwise, the fighting in the southeast would not have ceased. at this thought, liang sheng couldnt help but breathe a sigh of relief, but he still ordered ma san to be extra careful tonight and not let down their guard. after all, there were far too many stories about those who fell before dawn. he wouldnt relax his guard and make mistakes before the unrest subsided. since the closer the finish line, the more cautious one should be. after liang sheng relaxed, he noticed that it was already late, so he simply went to bed. after all, maintaining a high level of tension for a long time was indeed tiring. however, as liang sheng lay down to rest, two bloodied men holding steel knives carefully walked through an alleyway not far away. big brother, i think weve taken a wrong turn. this is liang familys territory. damn! the older brother cursed, all because of the liang and wu families bastards were chasing too closely. in the rush, we actually ended up here. the brothers initially wanted to leave. but after stealthily walking some distance, the older one recognized what place this was. the shengde building. he had been here before with people from the gao family. for some reason, he had a sudden thought. this was the property of the eldest son of liang familys waste. and the eldest son of liang familys waste lived not far from here! at this thought, his heart thumped uncontrollably. both he and his brother were at the postnatal threefold realm, plus with the gao familys failure tonight, if he could bring back the head of the despised heir of the liang family, it would indeed merit a great accomplishment. then, the gao family would certainly lavish rewards upon him. with these merits, his breakthrough into the fourth layer and achievement of intermediate-level martial arts would not just be a dream. as for the liang familys retaliation? right now, the conflict between the gao and wu families had reached a tipping point. plus, with the gao family now possessing two elders at the ninth level, what was there to fear from the liang family? with this in mind, his heart was inflamed with determination. he directly grabbed his younger brother and laid out his plans. after listening, his brother couldnt resist the temptation brought by the prospects of advancing in martial arts either. after all, which martial artist could resist it? moreover, they were dealing with the despised and neglected liang trash. how could he possibly escape their surprise attack? now that they had made up their minds, the two wasted no time, and under the moonlight, they set their course towards liang shengs mansion. although they were only on the postnatal threefold realm, their combat experience was rich it was the only way they could have managed to reach this point. when they were nearing liang sheng mansion, they couldnt help but frown. ma san and others, following liang shengs orders, were still patrolling constantly. at first, the brothers were somewhat hesitant, but after observing for a while, they couldnt help but to lick their lips with anticipation. as expected of the liang familys disregarded trash; there was only one postnatal threefold guard, and the rest of them were just second level post-natal realm trash. having worked together, the two had impeccable understanding of each other. at this moment, they exchanged a glance, the elder one made a hand gesture and the two of them carefully infiltrated the mansion. they didnt plan on making a forceful entry, even though they were confident of dealing with the guards. why create trouble when they can avoid alerting them? like shadows, the two slid along the corners of the walls, swiftly reaching the backyard, and with cautious probing, they gradually closed in on liang sheng. at this moment, liang sheng, who had been deep asleep, was abruptly jolted awake. a murderous aura! every martial artist had their sense of perception. the higher their realm, the stronger their perception. however, at this moment, liang sheng forced himself to remain calm, making no significant movements. his hands, however, carefully reached for the knife by his bed. the enemy hadnt appeared yet so without knowing the enemys capabilities, how could he rashly act and potentially alert the enemy? the two hitmen from the gao family had already ascertained liang shengs room and gently entered from the window without making any noise. truly the trash of the liang family! using the moonlight that was filtering through the window, they saw liang sheng immersed in sleep, not moving at all, thus they relaxed. their analysis revealed that liang sheng was only at the postnatal second realm and posed no threat to them. while relaxing, they also felt somewhat annoyed. if not for his prestigious birth, this trash wouldnt even have reached the postnatal second realm. if it was them, they would have probably already broken through to the intermediate level of martial arts, high-level martial arts werent impossible either. with these thoughts, they approached liang sheng cautiously. knowing the great accomplishment was about to be in their grasp, the excitement of the brothers grew. they were now at the edge of the bed. the elder brother gave a signal with his eyes. without hesitating, the younger one raised the knife and prepared to behead liang sheng. but, the next moment, a flash of blade light shot across, chilling to the bone! since when did the younger brothers knife skills become so sharp? the elder brother was slightly taken aback upon seeing this. but immediately, he realized something was wrong, just in time to see his younger brothers head separate from his body and crumble to the ground. danger! but by the time he realized this, it was too late for him to escape. all he saw was a flash of a blade light, coming towards him in an instant. looking at the two corpses laying on the ground, liang sheng, standing by the bed, could not help but turn a little pale. after all, this was his first time taking a life in both his lives. for eight years, no one knew of my cultivation, but today when i stepped out, blood was shed! Chapter 9 9 chapter 9: destroying the corpse and eliminating traces translator: 549690339 in a matter of life and death, one must kill! the killing was all but instantaneous, and not only did the two assassins fail to react in time, but even the guards patrolling outside the room were not alerted. when liang sheng managed to snap back from the shock of killing for the first time, he chose not to call the guards in, but simply furrowed his brows instead. he had been far too nervous earlier! after all, they were just trivial underlings at the martial arts postnatal third realm, and they posed no threat to him. he could have easily kept one of them alive first. now, with the two of them dead, there was no way to question them on why they wanted to kill him? was there someone else behind their actions? although its a bit of a shame, liang sheng didnt feel too regretful about it. after calming down, he pieced together the two decapitated bodies, and then began to search their belongings. after a while, liang sheng had inspected everything that he could find and made sense of their identity. they were nothing more than servants and guards from the gao family! moreover, judging by the bloodstains on them, it was likely that they had encountered a fight before arriving here. from this viewpoint, they must have been the ones who escaped from the southeastern battlefield earlier on. but considering that they could make it all the way here, did that mean the gao family won? even if the gao family did win, their people tracking down all the way here wouldnt go unnoticed by the liang family. so, what exactly went down was still unclear. but why did these two appear here, wanting to kill him? liang sheng found it hard to figure out. after all, he has been laying low all these years, never stirring up trouble or offending anyone. why would this happen? just at this moment, he perked up his ears when he heard a knocking sound from the front gate. although the knocks were hurried, there was no forceful attempt at breaking in, so it was likely not malevolent. at this moment, an idea flashed through his mind. he walked over to the bed, opened a hidden door, and dug out a jade jar. thankfully, he was the cautious type, and hence was prepared. he carefully opened the medicine jar, and lightly sprinkled a layer of medicine powder on the injuries of the two bodies on the ground. a faint wisp of smoke rose up instantly. the bodies quickly turned into a puddle and disappeared without a trace in a matter of a few breaths, leaving only a slight strange scent. corpse dissolving powder! this was something liang sheng had specifically collected in preparation for such a circumstance. he didnt expect it to be of use today. indeed, success always favors those who are prepared. after putting the corpse dissolving powder back with caution, liang sheng walked over to the incense box, took out a small plate of incense powder, put it in the censer and lit it up. in a short while, a fresh fragrance filled the room, with no traces of unusual smells. after getting rid of all traces and ensuring that everything was safe beyond a shadow of a doubt, liang sheng went back to bed. in a little while, there was a knock on the door from ma san. young master, are you asleep? what is it? someone from the mansion came to report that the gao family was defeated today. our guards from the liang family chased two thieves down but accidentally let them break into our area. the mansion is afraid that they might have barged in here and told us to be cautious. we are to inform them immediately if theres any news. i understand. you guys keep patrolling. yes. there was a hint of excitement in ma sans voice. given that the liang family emerged victorious, their safety was guaranteed as well. at this moment, liang sheng let out a sigh of relief. it appeared that the two were not being manipulated by the gao family behind the scenes. he had a rough idea about the situation: the two servants of the gao family probably acted on their own to make a name for themselves by killing himthe useless individualto claim rewards. unfortunately, he was not the real waste they had thought him to be. once liang sheng figured out the cause and effect of everything, he finally relaxed and fell asleep till morning. the chaos in jinzhou city had been quelled, but liang sheng still chose not to go out the next day. its never a wrong decision to be extra cautious. however, ma san was sent out by him to gather information and hadnt returned till noon. but people were slowly starting to walk in and out of his mansion and shengde building once more. the situation seemed to have completely come under control. in the afternoon, ma san returned with a gloomy expression. one look, and anyone would know that he was in a bad mood. liang sheng remained unmoved, taking a sip of his tea before asking what news he had gathered. young master, at the crack of dawn, our patriarch, along with the heads of the gao and wu families, has been summoned to the county government office. theyve been talking all morning. i rushed back to report as soon as i heard the outcome, skipping meals as well. seeing no reaction from liang sheng, ma san could only continue his report. last night, in the great battle on southeast street, our three families sent nearly all their elite forces. the gao family boasts two individuals at the ninth realm, yet last night our liang family ancestor and the ancestor of the wu family personally went to the gao mansion to have tea, effectively denying the elders and patriarch of the gao family an opportunity to assist in the battlefield. my liang family and the wu family have achieved a significant victory last night. today, the county government moved to mediate peace, to which all three families agreed not to engage in disputes again. the gao family is tasked with repairing the damages on southeast street. at this point, ma san did not seem pleased. however, our liang and wu families must compensate the gao family. young master, can you make sense of this? we clearly won. snap! liang sheng abruptly placed his teacup on the table, his gaze slanting towards ma san. startled, ma san immediately fell to his knees. ma san, since i took office, youve followed me. you should be well aware of my temperament. do not utter such words from this day forth, or there will no longer be space for you in this humble temple. im aware of my mistake, i accept my punishment. please overlook it, young master. i absolutely wont repeat such a mistake. ordinarily, liang sheng was quite amiable to his underlings, which is why ma san had forgotten his manners in his excitement. seeing liang sheng get angry for the first time, he was so scared that he immediately knelt down. seeing ma san admit his mistake, liang sheng took another sip of tea, his expression indifferent. alright, you may leave. as ma san left the room, he looked up at the sun, his back soaked in cold sweat. the young master is truly terrifying! perhaps few young masters inside the mansion are up to par. still, why would our young master, who is not proficient in martial arts, act this way? but really, i should keep my mouth shut. daring to speak ill of the main family; if it was any other mansion, i wouldve lost my life by now. i must never do that again! inside the room, liang sheng didnt bother much about ma sans actions, but he couldnt help but sneer in his heart. what skillful tactics, jinzhou county government. perhaps the reason for their initial indifference was to fuel the animosity among the three families, to make a move once their strength was depleted, and then regain control of the situation. moreover, theyve planted a thorn in the relationships between the three families by having the liang and wu families compensate the gao family. this is to ensure continuous collaboration between the two families against the gao family with the two ninth realm individuals. these tactics are indeed clever. liang sheng thought he had seen through the current situation in jinzhou city. but after liang qiang visited, he realized he was too naive. liang qiang came to remind liang sheng to carry on as usual and not be as cautious as before. since liang sheng had a good relationship with liang qiang, he casually complained about the unjust measures of the county government. his expression was almost the same as ma san, who was discontented earlier. but liang qiang patted liang shengs shoulder, unable to hold back. shenger, dont be displeased. this is an action our three families have tacitly agreed upon. the court and government dont wish for harmony between our families. we must let them believe everything is under control. huh? otherwise, why do you think our ancestor and the gao family elder only had tea at the entrance of the gaos mansion, instead of fighting? havent you noticed that the brawl on southeast street seemed fierce, yet none of the descendants of the side branches from our three families were injured or killed? so you mean liang qiang signaled liang sheng to stop talking with his eyes, only allowing a cryptic smile to play on the corners of his mouth. liang sheng cursed himself internally, realizing his own naivety. the three major martial families of jinzhou city had stood tall and unyielding for centuries; there was a reason for their longevity. the lot of them are all crafty old foxes! Chapter 10 10 chapter 10 another 5 years, 6 weights the day after tomorrow translator: 549690339 liang shengs mansion. after reminding liang sheng, liang qiang directly took him to yichun building. this man was also quite stubborn, and had been stifled at home during this period of time. as a result, the uncle and nephew spent another night of spring breeze together. when liang sheng returned to his mansion the next day, his tired face instantly refreshed. all of them were old foxes, each with more tricks up their sleeves than the others! who could have thought that the three major martial arts families of jinzhou city, who had been shouting and killing, causing countless casualties, would in the end, only be performing a play for the county government office? no wonder liang qiang only reminded him not to go out before, without worrying about the safety of this waste himself, it turned out that he knew that the war would not reach the settlements of the three major families. however, after carefully thinking about it, liang shengs heart suddenly felt a little terrified. if the three families had staged a play, did the county government office really know what tricks they were playing? perhaps not! otherwise, why would the county government office let the liang and wu families compensate the gao family after the incident, and yet let the gao family be responsible for compensating the losses in southeast street? perhaps their intentions were well known to each other, but they just wanted to maintain surface peace and did not want to expose them. their idea was simple: they would never make a fatal move unless they were absolutely sure of themselves. sure enough, they were all millennia-old foxes. this time, he had also learned his lesson from them and would have to be more cautious in his future actions. however, although the liang, wu, and gao families appeared to be cooperating and tacitly coordinating in the face of the county government office, they were also guarding against each other; this was human nature, and it was the same everywhere. but no matter what they did, all he needed to do was watch the flowers bloom and fall in the quiet courtyard because time was on his side. why bother with unnecessary worries? the most important thing was to focus on cultivation. on that night, the battle in southeast street was fierce, and many people died. however, as time went by, the people of jinzhou city gradually forgot about it. at most, they would talk about it during their meals. jinzhou city also returned to its bustling atmosphere. after that, liang sheng returned to his normal life. he would go to yichun building in his spare time and enjoy his life. the girls in the building seemed to become even more enthusiastic. it was said that liang qis infatuation for the fireworks girl qinger led her to become a nun, which happened right before their eyes. quite a few girls seemed to believe in love once again. the girl serving liang sheng had eyes that seemed to be dripping with water. liang sheng would play along at night, but all the feelings of that night would be completely gone when the dawn broke. only leaving behind the girls resentful expressions, why are the people of liang family so heartless? they thought. time passed gradually in these peaceful and relaxing days, and in the blink of an eye, five years had passed. on this day, the younger generation of the liang family was gathered together for a clan meeting. because liang ying had broken through to the postnatal seven-realm, officially stepping into the high-level martial arts realm, this was definitely a great event for the liang family. a 30-year-old martial artist with the talent of the seven-realm was truly gifted! even the liang family ancestor had not stepped into the postnatal seven-realm at this age back then. this brought relief to everyone in the liang family. over the past five years, although jinzhou city was still a three-legged stand between the liang, wu, and gao families, the liang family was still somewhat powerless in the face of the gao family with its two postnatal nine-layered martial artists. however, liang yings breakthrough was like a shot of adrenaline for the liang family. they now had someone to succeed the family, which was truly a great relief. the liang family ancestor immediately decided to let liang ying take the position of family head. as for liang ping, who had reached the post-natal eighth level, he naturally followed the ancestor to fully focus on closed-door cultivation. the pressure was also great for the liang family ancestor. of course, he also hoped to have more help, so he would no longer have to look at the gao familys face. with liang yings breakthrough, liang ping, who had reached the post-natal eighth level, could finally be freed from family affairs and concentrate on breaking through to the postnatal nine realms. at this moment, all the younger generation of the liang family was standing neatly in the ancestral hall. liang sheng hid quietly in a corner, watching the succession ceremony of the family head. at this moment, liang ying knelt before the ancestral tablet. liang ping formally placed the ring which represented the position of the family head on liang yings hand. in an instant, more than a dozen strong men immediately struck the large drum, with its powerful and passionate sound. liang ying then stood up, turned around to face all the liang familys younger generation, raised his right hand, letting the family heads ring shine brilliantly under the sunlight. in an instant, all of the liang familys younger generation knelt on one knee, greetings to the family head! seeing this scene, even though liang ying tried his best to suppress his emotions, he couldnt help but feel a surge of pride at this moment. from now on, he would be in control of the liang family! starting today, i will do my best to bring the liang family to its peak! family head, mighty! liang sheng cheered along with the crowd. he watched liang ying in the sunlight without much emotion, thinking to himself that no matter how glorious liang ying was in this moment, he would ultimately end up just like everyone else C buried beneath the earth. even a postnatal nine-layered martial artist would have a maximum lifespan of only 110 years. liang sheng could now easily outlive two postnatal nine-layered martial artists. if liang sheng were to reveal his true cultivation level at this moment, most people would undoubtedly be shocked. name: liang sheng age: 32 talent: innocent foolishness (extreme) techniques: golden dragon technique (sixth layer), longevity skill (eleventh layer), other lifespan cultivation techniques (ninth layer) [note: there are too many techniques to list] realm: postnatal sixth realm (50%) no one would have thought that the once useless man had now cultivated to the postnatal sixth realm. if he could progress one more step, he would achieve the martial arts superior state. nevertheless, this was not what pleased liang sheng the most. it was his breakthrough to the unprecedented eleventh layer in longevity skill. all his other lifespan cultivation techniques had also entered the ninth layer. as a result, liang shengs lifespan had increased by a staggering 180 years. just by breaking through the eleventh layer of longevity skill, he added 40 years to his lifespan. who in the world could compare to him!? after the family head ceremony came the banquet for the entire clan. the shengde building, managed by liang sheng, was naturally one of the main forces of this event. however, he still sat in the most secluded corner. while liang sheng enjoyed the feast, liang qiang quietly approached him and gestured for liang sheng to follow him. their departure did not attract the attention of anyone else. how long had it been since liang sheng last visited the backyard of the liang family residence? liang sheng felt a bit disoriented as he followed liang qiang, making seven or eight turns before they finally stopped in front of a room. liang qiang signaled for liang sheng to enter on his own. liang sheng didnt hesitate, but took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and walked in. liang qiang gently closed the door, then stood nearby to keep watch. liang sheng dared to enter directly because he had been here when he was young. this was the study of the family head, liang ping. at this moment, liang ping was writing at his desk. hearing liang sheng enter, he didnt even raise his head. liang sheng greeted him first. liang ping was still focused on writing, but he spoke up, youve arrived? just sit down and wait for a while. liang sheng sat down obediently, but had a trace of doubt in his heart. why would liang ping, who hadnt been involved in his life for so many years, suddenly summon him on this very day? although he was puzzled, liang sheng was not impatient. for a time, the study was quiet, save for the sound of liang pings brush against the paper. time passed peacefully. Chapter 11 11 chapter 11: wide ocean, leaping fish, conflict translator: 549690339 liang pings study room. after a while, liang ping finally put down his pen, glanced at liang sheng sitting on the chair, and nodded slightly. not bad, just like your second uncle said, you can keep your composure. as soon as liang sheng heard this, he was about to speak but was interrupted by liang ping: youve done very well these past few years outside, i am very satisfied. upon hearing this, liang sheng couldnt help but feel puzzled. seeing his expression, liang ping suddenly chuckled, finally showing some emotion, at least its normal. otherwise, i would have thought you were an old man. alright, lets get straight to the point. you are my son, liang ping, but you lack martial arts talent. to be honest, i often curse the heavens for giving me such a useless son like you. luckily, you have the sense not to come to me. i asked your second uncle to watch over you and keep you out of trouble. now that i have stepped down as the patriarch and follow our ancestor in closed-door cultivation, i have no more worries. from now on, you must continue to maintain your current habits and live a stable life like your second uncle. remember, never entertain any other inappropriate thoughts. in case you cause trouble in the future, i wont be able to intervene, and the outcome will be up to you. alright, thats all i have to say, you can go now. with that, liang ping turned around, took out another sheet of paper, and began to grind ink again, not caring about liang shengs reaction. liang sheng didnt say anything either, still expressionless. liang qiang, who was waiting outside, saw liang sheng come out and didnt ask him what they had talked about, simply leading him away from the backyard and back to the banquet. this time, while liang sheng was enjoying the delicious dishes, his mood was not affected at all. the old man was just being oversensitive! jinzhou city. the change in leadership in the liang family did not cause much of a stir. the gao and wu families even sent gifts as a gesture of goodwill, and everything seemed normal. after liang pings closed-door cultivation, liang shengs life was not affected but, on the contrary, he felt more relaxed, as if a shackle had been removed. in the end, he was still an emotional person. now that the other party had made things clear, it wasnt his concern anymore. the phrase emotional made sense, but the girls at yichun building didnt believe it. after becoming the patriarch, liang ying naturally had his own plans, and liang sheng was somewhat involved. fortunately, the impact was minimal. perhaps it was due to the previous patriarch liang ping or maybe liang sheng was insignificant, but the tasks he received were not unacceptable. it was just that the share paid to the main family had been increased to 70%. for liang sheng, who had already amassed a fortune, money was just an external possession. to the young people, it meant taking bold steps. this was the advantage of being young, as if everything in the world could be mastered. however, jinzhou city was not dominated by one family, and resources had long been tacitly divided. if one wished to grow and expand, it would easily lead to conflict. fortunately, liang ying was not incompetent and did not take drastic actions right from the start. he took a slow and steady approach, but others were not fools either. it was clear that this was just a preliminary probing stage. one early morning, liang sheng was having breakfast at his tavern, watching the lively streets, feeling like a secluded hermit in a busy world. at that moment, a group of ruffians rushed in with clubs, directly charging at the vendors by the riverside and beating them indiscriminately. in an instant, the street was in chaos. the vendors, clutching their bleeding heads and crying out in pain, were surprisingly viciously attacked. had it not been for their instinct to crouch down and protect themselves from the start, they might have been beaten even more viciously. naturally, the customers in the tavern saw the situation. no righteous person stood up to uphold justice, but some were smiling and looking at liang sheng. this area was the liang familys main camp, and it was obvious that the ruffians were from another district. this was like a direct slap in the face of the liang family. however, seeing liang sheng calmly eating his breakfast, they lost interest. as expected, he was a waste from liang family! otherwise, how could liang ying have possibly taken the position of the liang familys patriarch? although liang ying is indeed a talented prodigy, how could he have cultivated to the postnatal seventh realm without resources all these years? and these resources belonged to liang sheng many years ago! people at the tavern started to whisper in small groups, guessing that its because liang ying has recently extended his claws into other areas of jinzhou city. expanding power would bring about conflicts. maybe liang ying didnt expect that his slight probing would provoke such a big reaction from the other party. at this time, the local thugs began to collect protection fees from the merchants, but the merchants would rather be beaten than pay them a single cent. after all, they had already paid the money, just to the liang family instead! they didnt have to wait too long, as shortly after, sounds of numerous footsteps rang out around the street corner. this was the liang familys main camp. at first, they only heard footsteps, but the next moment, a group of muscular men in tight black clothes appeared. the leader didnt waste words, just giving a big wave of his hand. in an instant, the black-clothed men charged forward, but the thugs didnt show any fear, daring to fight back with their mourning sticks. both parties tacitly refrained from using edged weapons and opted for clubs and the like instead. liang sheng just took one look and already guessed the outcome. the liang familys guards were bound to win! it could be seen that these thugs were merely a warning from a certain family in jinzhou city, and the enmity hadnt escalated to life-and-death struggles yet. who knows if liang ying would restrain himself later? but what does it matter? as long as it doesnt affect him, let the floodwaters rage on. the fight came quickly and ended just as fast, with all the thugs being knocked down. then the county government offices constables arrived on the scene instantly after the fight was over. the thugs cooperated very well, obediently following the constables away. after the situation was under control, the liang familys black-clothed guards dispersed like retreating waters. having been sitting and eating breakfast, liang sheng now stood up with a smile on his face as catcher zheng wanchun from the county government office walked over. sheriff zheng, have you eaten yet? zheng wanchun waved his hand, and the taverns waiter, who had been well-trained by liang sheng, quickly brought steamed buns and a bowl of soy milk from the kitchen. zheng wanchun didnt stand on ceremony, sitting beside liang sheng directly. after so many years, zheng wanchun had long become familiar with liang sheng. he was also a regular at shengde building, and coupled with the relationship from yichun building, mens feelings can rise very quickly once their eyes meet. ah, its been so chaotic this month, busier than the entire past year. when will it ever end? zheng wanchun grumbled his complaints while liang sheng didnt pick up on the conversation, just pushing the steamed buns towards zheng wanchun and smiling, telling him to eat. your personality is really zheng wanchun was somewhat torn between laughter and tears, as liang sheng was an old slickster, impervious to both flattery and threats. zheng himself had just been probing to know the liang familys attitude. but liang sheng just wouldnt join in on the conversation. however, zheng didnt care too much about it. if it werent for such a personality, could the eldest son of the former patriarch like liang sheng be so carefree? after several mouthfuls, zheng wanchun finished the steamed buns and gulped down the soy milk, not caring about his image as he wiped his mouth and prepared to leave. ill go now, ill drink flower wine with you again sometime. having said that, zheng wanchun turned around and left. as for the cost of the steamed buns, would liang sheng care about such money? watching zheng wanchuns retreating figure, only one sentence remained in liang shengs mind. theres bound to be trouble in jinzhou city. Chapter 12 12 chapter 12: jinshan temple translator: 549690339 a month later. boss the face of the tavern master at shengde building was a bit gloomy. business at the tavern had been poor recently, resulting in a significant drop in income. luckily, liang sheng did not take it to heart. he simply waved his hand and did not complain, if there are no customers, lets just close early. you all can go home and rest earlier. upon hearing liang shengs words, the tavern master and the apprentices breathed a sigh of relief. business had been extremely bad recently. by this time, the place should have been full of guests. but in the face of this situation, they had no choice. chaos! however, they were not too worried. after all, they were affiliated with the liang family of jinzhou city. even if there was chaos, it would only be temporary chaos. by the way, old duan, remember to bring out this months account book before you leave. i want to check the accounts. upon hearing these words, the tavern master nodded, handed the key to liang sheng, and then he and his apprentices said goodbye and left. before leaving, they closed the main gate of the tavern, leaving a small door for liang sheng to leave. in all these years, liang sheng seemed to be hands-off, but if they dared to cheat, it would be courting death. the previous chen, who was the tavern master, has already disappeared in jinzhou city. liang shengs way of treating his subordinates was not only with kindness but also with a thunderous hand. regardless of the situation, he was a member of the liang family. in addition, liang shengs fair and strict leadership had prevented major chaos at the shengde building. at this moment, liang sheng was quietly looking through the accounts for this period. although the performance of the tavern had been declining, twenty days ago, after a steep decline, it lost more than half. it seems that zheng wanchun also disappeared after that day, and he hasnt even been seen drinking flower wine at the yichun building. liang sheng tapped his fingers lightly on the table, slowly sorted out all the recent information, and began to analyze the situation in jinzhou city. liang ying was ultimately too eager to show himself, which touched everyones interests, but he was not so desperate before. liang ying is not a fool. he had his reasons for acting this way, but as a result, the chaos in jinzhou city may be even worse than last time. this doesnt work. i need to lay low for a while. this is not like the previous conflict between the liang and wu families and the gao family. this touches their fundamental interests. thinking of this, liang sheng hurried home and the next morning he had ma san take him out of the city. the official reason was to go out for a while. as for the shengde building, it had already entered the right track. old duan and his team could handle these small matters, so there was no need to worry. jinshan temple. looking at the houses that stretched continuously on the hillside, liang sheng couldnt help but sigh. no matter which world, these temples were always bustling with activity. whether people feared ghosts and gods, or had boundless desires, leading them to pray to gods and buddha, liang sheng didnt delve deeply into it. he shrugged and continued up the mountain. back then, in order to avoid marrying into the wu family, liang qi chose to become a monk. at first, he and liang sheng still corresponded and invited liang sheng to visit the temple when he had time. however, at that time, liang sheng was unsure of the liang familys attitude towards liang qi. to avoid suspicion and not to involve himself in this matter, he did not actually take action. but now, nothing happened, and the liang family probably had already forgotten about liang qi. but the casual move made back then has finally paid off today. under the guidance of the leading monk, liang sheng went straight to the daxiong treasure hall. as for ma san, he was carrying a small box behind him with some difficulty. it was the money for incense and offerings that liang sheng had prepared. if he was going to stay in jinshan temple for an extended time, how could he not make offerings to lord buddha? above the daxiong treasure hall, xuan nan, the chief of the reception hall, had already received news from liang qi and so was ready to personally welcome liang sheng. one reason was due to the powerful liang family behind liang sheng, and the other was because the monks had seen liang shengs plentiful money for incense and offerings. upon arriving inside the daxiong treasure hall, liang sheng kneeled before the buddha and closed his eyes in prayer. he then stood up and clasped his hands in respect towards xuan kong. master, i have recently been feeling somewhat unsettled and wish to spend some time in the sacred grounds of jinshan temple until i can regain my inner peace. i wonder if this would be permissible? at this moment, ma san had already given the box to a nearby monk, while xuan kongs face was full of smiles. the donor is indeed a person of destiny. our buddha is merciful and is willing to help those in distress. shortly, i will ask the monks in the temple to clean up and prepare guest rooms. hereafter, the donor is free to meditate within our temple. i hope that the donor will soon resolve his inner conflicts. both parties had intentions of befriending each other, so naturally, a pleasant situation followed. however, at this time, liang sheng did not request a meeting with liang qi. the real purpose was to evade the chaos in jinzhou city; this was simply incidental. xuan nan had other business to attend to, so he excused himself and left first. not long after, the monks had prepared a guest room. liang sheng and his servant immediately put their hands together in gratitude. having prepared the guest room, the monk put up ma san in a room next to liang sheng. when it was only liang sheng left in the guest room, his face turned somewhat solemn. he had not expected jinshan temple to be so complex. no wonder the temple could occupy such a large area outside the city for so many years without anyone causing trouble. their strength was truly extraordinary. liang shengs previous caution had kept him inside the city, so he had limited knowledge of the circumstances outside. but today, when he saw xuan nan, he remained outwardly calm, but there was a sense of astonishment in his heart because he could not see through xuan nan. that is to say, xuan nan was likely in the postnatal seventh realm, a high-level martial artist. otherwise, how could liang sheng fail to see through him? there are more than one high monks of the xuan generation in jinshan temple. it is unknown whether the other high monks of the xuan generation are also experts in cultivation. but this might not necessarily be a bad thing. he did not have any other ill intentions, and there was this master present in jinshan temple, ensuring his safety much more. after pondering for a moment, liang sheng roughly hammered out a plan. it seemed that today, he should arrange a time to meet with liang qi. he had been waiting at jinshan temple for so many years; he must have deep knowledge about the temple. therefore, if he wanted to understand the power of jinshan temple, it would be best to find him. of course, at this time, liang qi also had his dharma name. as mentioned in previous correspondences, liang qi had taken the vow under the abbot of the discipline hall, xuan ji, and was given the dharma name hongzhi. liang sheng set off immediately without taking ma san with him. he asked his way towards the discipline hall and finally found liang qi. however, it wasnt suitable to disturb liang qi at this moment. he was training in martial arts techniques with a group of warrior monks on the martial arts training ground. it is taboo to spy on a schools martial arts techniques, and liang sheng naturally wouldnt make such a mistake. he honestly followed the lead of a monk from the discipline hall to the guest room to wait while drinking tea. liang sheng was in no rush. a short while later, someone came out to meet him, but it wasnt liang qi, it was the abbot of the discipline hall, xuan ji. liang jushi, my name is xuan ji. hongzhi has yet to finish his morning lessons and will meet with you afterwards. we ask for your patience and understanding. upon hearing this, liang sheng immediately thanked him. though his face showed no signs of surprise, his heart was shocked because he indeed could not see through him. it implied that the abbot was also a high-level martial artist, at least in the postnatal seventh realm. jinshan temple, indeed, it conceals a dragon and a tiger! Chapter 13 13 chapter 13: crouching tiger, hidden dragon translator: 549690339 jinshan temple. discipline hall. xuan ji didnt stay with liang sheng for long before excusing himself to leave. as the abbot of discipline hall, there were many matters to attend to. it was already a great expression of sincerity for him to personally receive liang sheng. this was not because of liang shengs generous offerings, but because of the liang family behind him. jinshan temple had some understanding of the changes in jinzhou city, so xuan ji was a little worried about liang shengs purpose in staying for a few days. however, he didnt show any emotion on his face, and after exchanging pleasantries, he said goodbye, leaving liang sheng to wait for more than an hour before finally meeting liang qi, whom he had not seen in years. no, it should be said that he was now master hongzhi, a second-generation disciple of jinshan temple. at this time, hongzhi was clad in plain monks robes, his eyes as calm as water. although his head was bald, his presence was striking at first sight. what a transcendent figure, with the demeanor of a high monk. he was indeed remarkable, worthy of being the once-renowned young hero, second only to liang ying. liang sheng couldnt help but admire him inwardly. he really hadnt expected liang qi to end up with such a demeanor. even more surprising was that liang qi had entered the postnatal sixth realm, earning him the title of a young prodigy. liang jushi, its been a long time since weve seen each other. liang qi held his hands together in a polite but firm greeting, and when he saw liang sheng, although there was some emotional turbulence, he remained calm with just a hint of ripples in his demeanor. brother qi, i didnt expect to see you today and find you as elegant as ever, not losing any bit of your former demeanor. liang sheng responded with a smile, but liang qi shook his head and said, liang jushi, liang qi is but a thing of the past, now only hongzhi remains, who seeks detachment and freedom in this world. seeing the clear and bright eyes of liang qi, no, hongzhi, liang sheng didnt dwell on the issue. why argue over this? master hongzhi, it seems that you have managed to break free from the earthly desires and become a transcendental person. it is truly a cause for joy and congratulations. actually, i came here seeking something. i have been feeling uneasy lately, and i heard that copying buddhist scriptures at jinshan temple can bring peace of mind, so i came here specifically to do so. hongzhi listened and glanced at liang shengs expression, which didnt seem to be deceptive. he naturally smiled and said, layman, there is no need to worry. as long as you have buddha in your heart, peace will come naturally. after a few more sentences, the atmosphere became quiet, and for a short while, both did not know what to say. after all, hongzhi had been a monk for a long time, and the two had not been in touch for many years. in the end, it was hongzhi who broke the awkward silence: since the layman wants to enter the scripture repository to copy the buddhist scriptures, i dont think there should be any problem. i will talk to elder xuan nian about this a little later. i think elder xuan nian would not object to a laymans sincere heart for buddhism. liang sheng immediately expressed his gratitude and said that he would wait here for the good news. hongzhi nodded in agreement and then took his leave. when only liang sheng was left in the guest room, he couldnt help but marvel. he hadnt expected that he would make such an accidental discovery while hiding from possible unrest in jinzhou city. this jinshan temple was probably not simple. he had only met two xuan generation high monks in the temple so far, and both were high-level martial arts creatures. with such strength, there was no rumor about jinshan temple in jinzhou city, which showed how low-key jinshan temple was. now that hongzhi could be so at ease as a monk, it seemed that his previous judgment had been somewhat presumptuous. in the past, when liang qi became a monk, there was not much of a stir. he thought it was because, at the beginning, the liang family could not take care of him. afterward, no serious consequences happened, so the liang family simply let it be. now it seemed that the truth might not be so. instead, the liang family was somewhat afraid of jinshan temple, and it would not really be worthwhile to provoke them for just one of their juniors. however, whatever hidden matters were going on in jinshan temple, they had nothing to do with him. he just needed to ignore it and pretend that he knew nothing. he was just a refugee, so how could he have the energy to concern himself with the affairs of others? just as liang sheng decided not to pry into the secrets of jinshan temple, in the abbots meditation room in jinshan temple, xuan nan was reporting to abbot xuankong about todays events. abbot elder brother, hongzhi has already met liang sheng. liang sheng has come here just to seek peace of mind and copy buddhist scriptures from the temple. ive also had someone inquire about him, and there should be no problems. xuankong did not look up, only turning the prayer beads in his hand as he said indifferently, is this liang sheng really as useless as rumored? indeed, i have met him personally, and he is still at the second level of the post-natal realm now. he is like rotten wood that cannot be carved. xuan nan shook his head directly, and his eyes were filled with contempt as he uttered the last word. he didnt know why liang sheng was so useless, while hongzhi, who also had liang family blood, had such a different talent. as for hongzhi, xuan nan was extremely satisfied. hongzhi had already reached the sixth realm in his martial arts cultivation at the age of thirty. if he could break through the bottleneck and enter the postnatal sevenfold realm, he would achieve high-level martial arts and become the number one person among the younger disciples of jinshan temple. of course, this bottleneck might only take one year for him to break through, but there was also a chance that he could get stuck in the sixth realm for ten years no one could be sure. the path of martial arts cultivation is full of obstacles, and many gifted children have made rapid progress in their youth but spent years stuck in the bottleneck and unable to advance. no wonder when liang ying reached the postnatal seventh realm at the age of thirty, the liang family ancestor personally decided to let him inherit the position of the patriarch. indeed, liang ying was incredibly talented and gifted. unexpectedly, in ten or twenty years, the liang family might have another postnatal nine-realm martial artist, or even- hope for the innate level! upon hearing this, abbot xuankong still showed no emotions on his face, in that case, let elder xuan nian pay more attention to him. as long as he doesnt go to the second floor of the scripture repository, he can browse through the scriptures on the first floor as he pleases. as for whether he really came to our temple to copy buddhist scriptures for peace of mind or if he had other motives, those are of no importance given his strength. yes, abbot elder brother, i understand. by nightfall, not long after liang sheng and ma san ate a vegetarian meal in the dining hall of jinshan temple, hongzhi brought good news. liang jushi, elder xuan nian has agreed to let you go to the scripture repository to copy buddhist scriptures. you can go there tomorrow, but just dont go to the second floor of the scripture repository. im grateful for master hongzhis efforts on my behalf, otherwise, i may not have been able to enter the scripture repository so smoothly. layman, you joke. today, i found out that you are a true believer in the buddhas. our buddha is meant to help the predestined, so if elder xuan nian has agreed, theres no need to thank me. its because of your deep buddhist affinity. after that, the two chatted briefly, and as it was getting late, hongzhi left in accordance with temple rules. liang sheng lay in bed, looking at the moonlight outside the window, and he couldnt help but smile slightly. todays mission was completed. as long as jinzhou city wasnt peaceful, he would stay in jinshan temple and not return for a day. not to mention, the vegetarian meal at the temple tasted very good, which made liang sheng even more carefree about the future. but who knew how many people would die in this chaos of jinzhou city? amitabha. Chapter 14 14 chapter 14: unmoving ming king tathagata sutra translator: 549690339 jinzhou city. after liang sheng left, the atmosphere in the city became increasingly tense. however, for some unknown reason, the liang family still stubbornly expanded their influence into the territories of both the gao and wu families, even after facing strong resistance from them. it was well-known that the wu family had been an ally of the liang family, and they had even formed marital alliances in the past to jointly resist the pressure from the gao family, which had two postnatal nine realms experts. so, the recent actions of the liang family were somewhat puzzling to outsiders, making them wonder what the liang familys true intentions were. why go to such lengths? although liang ying was considered a prodigy in martial arts and might even have innate potential, there would still be bottlenecks for every realm promotion after reaching the high level of martial arts. otherwise, why would the patriarchs of the wu family and the former patriarch of the liang family, liang ping, be stuck at the post-natal eighth level for so long without any progress? however, no matter what, the liang familys current expansion of influence was indeed making the situation in jinzhou city increasingly tense. not to mention the gao familys two postnatal nine realms experts, even the strength of the wu family was on par with the liang family. what benefits could the liang family gain from their actions? this was the thought of most of the common people in jinzhou city, as the three prominent families had been standing in jinzhou for hundreds of years and each had their own foundations. even the gao family shared this view. after some probing, they actively retreated and sat on the sidelines, watching the liang and wu families fight each other, hoping for both families to suffer losses. however, reality was somewhat embarrassing as the wu family was continuously defeated by the liang family, making them appear to be no match for the liang family at all. gao family. at this moment, the head of the gao family, gao yuqiang, couldnt help but roar loudly: how can the wu family be so useless? theyre so weak! at this moment, the people underneath didnt dare to say a word, and gao yuqiangs postnatal nine realms pressure also made it difficult for them to speak. second brother, go to the wu family today and subtly tell them that our gao family will help them a little. these useless people are of no use to us, so well have to give them a hand in secret, or else our previous retreat would have been a joke. gao yuqiangs plan at this moment was actually quite obvious. he couldnt let the wu family fall so easily, and it would be most advantageous for the gao family if the liang and wu families continued to exhaust each other. by that time, jinzhou city would belong to the gao family! jinshan temple. liang sheng was not concerned about the increasingly tense situation in jinzhou city; instead, he was rather enjoying his time at jinshan temple. whoever dared to say that plain tea and rice were bitter days would upset him. at least the vegetarian meals at jinshan temple were exceptionally delicious. however, during his time at jinshan temple, he also walked around the surrounding area and asked the neighboring farmers about their farmland, only to find out that all these lands were actually private property of jinshan temple. jinshan temple was incredibly wealthy, and if not for seeing it with his own eyes, liang sheng would never have known that apart from the three great families in jinzhou city, there was such a low-key yet powerful force. and apart from the abbot and a few other xuan generation high monks he had never met, including abbot xuan nian of the scripture repository, all of the xuan generation high monks were high-level martial arts practitioners, and liang sheng could not see through their realms. even if they hadnt reached the postnatal nine realms, they were most likely more numerous in their high-level martial arts practitioners than the combined total of the liang, wu, and gao families. this situation was terrifying to think about. after all, with such strength but little fame, jinshan temple must have big plans, according to the saying from his previous life in china. but what did this have to do with him? early greetings, layman. outside the scripture repository, the novice monk guarding the entrance saw liang sheng approach with paper and pen and quickly greeted him with palms pressed together. liang sheng smiled and returned the gesture, then walked straight to the first floor of the scripture repository, found the desired buddhist scripture on a familiar bookshelf, and began copying the scripture at a nearby table. since he had already claimed to have come to jinshan temple to copy scriptures for peace of mind, he had to put on a full act. especially after discovering the complexity of jinshan temple, he had to be even more cautious; otherwise, he might arouse the other partys suspicion, which would be a bad situation. inside the temple, liang sheng wasnt actually free to roam around. for example, at this moment, he could vaguely sense a gaze watching him intermittently. if it werent for him being only a second level of post-natal realm wastrel under his disguise, the other party would be even more cautious, and he wouldnt be able to detect them at all. thats why he speculated that the person monitoring him was likely abbot xuan nian of the scripture repository. in the beginning, the other party kept a watch from all directions. however, after a few days, they seemed to gradually dismiss their doubts and no longer kept an eye on him all the time. at this moment, on the second floor above, just as liang sheng thought, xuan nian was looking at him. however, he wasnt alone C xuan ji, the abbot of discipline hall, was also by his side. it appears that liang sheng truly came here for peace of mind. we dont have to worry about any ulterior motives anymore. at most, hes a bit cunning, seeking fortune and avoiding evil. xuan nian heard xuan jis words and nodded, he shouldnt have any problems. after observing over the past few days, its clear he hasnt even thought about going to the second floor. hes an intelligent person. yet, even if he made it to the second floor, with his martial arts talent, what can he do even after seeing our jinshan temple techniques? xuan ji initially seemed bemused before shaking his head and chuckling. after all these years, he had become too careful; it had become a habit. regardless, its better that he has no hidden intentions. anyway, were still in hibernation now. once abbot elder brother breaks through the innate level, we wont have to bear this much frustration. its about time the dayan dog emperor repays his debts. if our sects technique was still intact, with the abbots talent, would he suffer until now? junior brother, mind your words. youre violating the temperance precept. dont speak wildly. xuan ji reprimanded softly, and xuan nian sobered up, quickly reciting, amitabha buddha. however, just in case, have hongzhi spend more time chatting with him, his secular relative. i always feel that the situation in jinzhou city recently is a bit strange. getting closer to him would be a harmless move. yes, senior brother, dont worry. i will handle this. xuan nian then excused himself and left without drawing attention from the scripture-copying liang sheng downstairs. xuan nian glanced at liang sheng on the first floor, unsure why something felt wrong. sigh, perhaps its just because abbot elder brothers breakthrough is imminent, and his heart was feeling restless. with that thought in mind, he, like liang sheng downstairs, began copying buddhist scriptures. in this sea of human suffering, how many can find peace of mind? just then, liang sheng stood up, having finished copying the buddhist scripture in his hand. so, he prepared to find another scripture to copy. at first, his copying of the scriptures was just a cover, but now he had genuinely started to immerse himself in the process. he didnt know if it was just his imagination, but copying the scriptures indeed made his heart more peaceful, so much so that he even felt the grand circulation running faster during his night practice. since the copying had some effects, liang sheng naturally wouldnt refuse. he put the buddhist scripture back on the shelf and noticed an old yellowed book beside it, titled unmoving ming king tathagata sutra. without thinking twice, he picked it up. when it came to copying scriptures, it was all about fate. however, after half an hour into copying the scripture, his body suddenly tensed up. huh? theres something wrong with this scripture! Chapter 15 15 chapter 15: unmoving ming king seal translator: 549690339 somethings not right. at this moment, liang sheng was trying to suppress the turbulence of his internal energy secretly. just now, while he was copying the buddhist scripture, his internal energy started circulating within his body along a never-before-experienced trajectory. such a situation was unprecedented, and with liang shengs cautious character, how could he allow it to continue? fortunately, he had the attribute panel to hide his inner breath; otherwise, the anomaly in his body just now might have alerted xuan nian upstairs. now, he was staring intently at the ordinary-looking, yellowed buddhist scripture on the table, unsure whether the situation just now was an accident or not. he stood there thinking for a while, feeling no problems within his body, and then decided to try again. this time, liang sheng was focusing his mind and writing skillfully as the number of buddhist scriptures he copied increased, and his internal energy circulated through the grand circulation once more on its own. it had a completely different operation route than the health cultivation method and the golden dragon technique! this was not his illusion! at this moment, liang sheng had lost his previous relaxed attitude, his face full of solemnity, and his mind racing. the scripture was definitely extraordinary, but since it had been placed on the first floor for so long and jinshan temple had not taken notice, it could only mean that it was either very special or that no one cared about it at all. however, to test whether jinshan temple truly disregarded this scripture, there was a straightforward method. after all, hongzhi had said that as long as he did not go to the second floor, the scriptures on the first floor were free for him to copy and even take back to his guest room. in that case thinking of this, liang sheng suppressed his excitement, finished copying the true vajra akshobhya tathagata sutra, and then put the scripture back in place. next, he casually picked up another buddhist scripture, brought the copied scripture, and the pen and ink to the novice monk in the scripture repository. master, may i take this posha sutra back to my room for copying? the novice monk glanced at the ordinary posha sutra in liang shengs hand, and seeing no issue, he smiled and said, the chief has already instructed us that laypeople are free to borrow and copy the scriptures on the first floor, as long as they are returned before leaving the temple. liang sheng promptly expressed his gratitude and then took the scripture to his guest room, while xuan nian on the second floor of the scripture repository merely glanced at liang sheng and paid him no further attention. the next day, liang sheng returned the posha sutra and spent another day copying buddhist scriptures in the scripture repository. before leaving, he exchanged it for another scripture to take with him. after repeating this process for seven days, liang sheng finally accidentally took the unmoving ming king tathagata sutra out for copying. although he tried to maintain his composure, the novice monk did not stop him as usual, and xuan nian on the second floor did not appear. as expected, no one at jinshan temple knew how special this scripture was; it was treated like any ordinary scripture. this relieved liang sheng, who carefully examined the scripture that night but found nothing out of the ordinary. it seemed to be just an ordinary scripture. early the next morning, liang sheng pretended to return the scripture and went back to copying buddhist scriptures as usual. when he left, he took another buddhist scripture with him, and the little novice monk didnt even look at it. indeed, his borrowing of scriptures had become a trivial matter; they already assumed that he would return them, and no one paid any attention. in the following days, everything went as usual, and liang sheng finally let go of his worries. the unmoving ming king tathagata sutra was just an ordinary, neglected scripture. in the eyes of jinshan temple, it was no different from the other buddhist scriptures on the first floor of the scripture repository. he had memorized the entire content of the unmoving ming king tathagata sutra and found that his internal energy would automatically circulate the grand circulation every time he copied the scripture, whether or not the original scripture was nearby. given this, liang sheng found an opportunity to quietly return the original scripture without attracting attention. not even xuan nian, a high-level martial artist, knew that a scripture had been missing from the first floor of the scripture repository. from then on, liang sheng copied the unmoving ming king tathagata sutra daily, but he didnt feel any change in himself. after some fruitless research, he decided to let it go. unknowingly, a month had passed. halfway through, liang sheng had sent ma san back to jinzhou city for a trip. the situation in jinzhou city had not only not eased but had become even more tense. it was said that quite a few intermediate experts in martial arts had successively encountered accidents, causing many injuries and casualties. seeing this situation, liang sheng dared not show his face even more and continued to hide quietly in jinshan temple, ignoring the turmoil in jinzhou city. today, liang sheng was continuing to copy the unmoving ming king tathagata sutra in his guest room, as usual. after completing a full rotation of the grand circulation this time, a special internal energy was produced inside his body, causing all of his other internal energies to circulate. the golden dragon technique, longevity skill, and the other nine health cultivation methods began to accelerate their circulation under the influence of this special internal energy. if liang shengs previous speed for cultivation and circulation through the grand circulation was 1, now it had become 1.5, fifty percent faster. driven by the other techniques, this special internal energy, like a magnificent sun, grew stronger and circulated faster. fortunately, he had the attribute panel to conceal his internal energy, so he didnt attract the attention of jinshan temple, and no one noticed his abnormality. when all his techniques finished a complete rotation of the grand circulation, liang sheng felt much lighter. eagerly, he opened the attribute panel, and his face was filled with extreme astonishment and joy. name: liang sheng age: 32 talent: innocent foolishness (top grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (sixth layer), longevity skill (eleventh layer), other health cultivation methods (ninth layer), unmoving ming king seal (first layer) realm: postnatal sixth level (80%) the progress of his postnatal sixth level had reached 80%. he had originally thought it would take more than a year to achieve this progress, but it was unexpectedly accomplished today. most importantly, his technique column now included the unmoving ming king seal, which should be the reason for these changes. unmoving ming king seal? liang sheng murmured softly, having a vague feeling of familiarity, but he couldnt remember where he had seen it before. no, he must have seen these five characters somewhere before; otherwise, he wouldnt have such a familiar feeling. although he couldnt remember, he knew that the unmoving ming king seal must be related to the unmoving ming king tathagata sutra. he never expected to have such a serendipitous encounter. in high spirits, liang sheng wished he could go to yichun building to celebrate, but now was not the time; he still needed to hide in jinshan temple. however, having suddenly completed all of his cultivation tasks, he had nothing else to do but pick up a storybook collection as entertainment. to prepare for his long stay at jinshan temple, he had packed plenty of things that could help pass the time, including several storybooks. just as liang sheng picked up a storybook and prepared to recline and kill time, he suddenly sat up. he finally remembered where he had seen the five characters of the unmoving ming king seal before. at this moment, liang shengs eyes were shining brightly! Chapter 16 16 chapter 16: closing the net translator: 549690339 dayan wild history! when liang sheng first crossed over, he inherited all the memories of his previous life. to be on the safe side and better understand this world, he read a lot of history and wild records. just now, he finally remembered where he had seen the unmoving ming king seal before. it was in the dayan dynastys wild history that he had read. at the beginning of the dayan dynasty, they forcibly suppressed the seven great sects, causing them to collapse and lay the foundation of the dayan dynasty. the unmoving ming king seal was the faction-defining technique of dharma sect, one of the seven great sects and could be cultivated by their direct disciples. the successive dharma sect masters were all practitioners of the unmoving ming king seal, with almost no exceptions. as rumors have it, it was extremely difficult to enter the realm of cultivating the unmoving ming king seal. all direct disciples of dharma sect were talented martial artists, yet only one in a hundred could succeed in entering the realm. but once the technique was successfully cultivated, one would undoubtedly enter the high-grade martial arts realm and stand a chance in the innate realms. this was the foundation of the dharma sect being one of the seven great sects. as the dayan dynasty was established, the seven great sects completely collapsed, and the talking of sects almost disappeared, leaving only the noble families of the dayan dynasty. could it be that the inheritance of jinshan temple originated from the dharma sect back then? if so, it would be fully understandable for the high monk of jinshan temple to have this kind of strength. so, the unmoving ming king tathagata sutra was actually the dharma sects unmoving tathagata seal, but due to an incomplete inheritance, it was unknown to the jinshan temple till now? liang sheng felt it was somewhat incredible, but he guessed that perhaps at the beginning, some people in jinshan temple knew about it. unfortunately, it was extremely difficult to enter the realm of the unmoving ming king seal. under the pressure of the dayan dynasty, the inheritance was cut off, and gradually, no one knew about it. as he inherited the talent of innocent foolishness, his cultivation speed was extremely slow. however, there was no bottleneck in all the worlds laws. thus, he was able to enter the realm so easily under accidental circumstances. thinking of this, liang sheng couldnt help feeling the urge to laugh out loud, as everything was destined, and these adventures were meant for him. the special inner energy produced in his body should be the power of buddhism. no wonder it felt like a great sun, the ultimate yang. just now, the circulation speed of his other techniques had also increased, which should be attributed to the unmoving ming king seal. no wonder the legends said that those who cultivated the unmoving ming king seal of the dharma sect could achieve high-grade martial arts and hope for innate realms. it turned out that the unmoving ming king seal could also improve the speed of zhou tians circulation. it was indeed the dharma sects faction-defining technique, so terrifying! one could only wonder what kind of effects the other faction-defining techniques of the seven great sects had back then, and whether they still existed in the world? after understanding the causes and consequences, liang shengs last trace of worry vanished completely. he then got up and looked at the night sky outside the window. as jinshan temple inherited from the dharma sect, there might be some entanglements with the dayan dynasty later, but he would have long left by then, and there would be no connection between him and jinshan temple. furthermore, with the attribute panel, no one could find out that he had cultivated the unmoving ming king seal. even if something happened to jinshan temple, it would have nothing to do with him. after letting go of all his concerns, liang sheng returned to his usual habits in jinshan temple, leisurely witnessing the blooming and withering flowers, feeling quite at ease. jinzhou city. liang family conference hall. at this moment, liang ying was sitting at the head of the table, with liang family elders and managers on both sides below him. liang ying gently played with the teacup in his left hand, while an elder below was reporting the losses of the liang family with great regret. patriarch, captain feng of the guards was seriously injured and died yesterday. two other teams were ambushed and no one survived. adding up these losses, our liang familys casualties in the past month alone are more than the total of the previous ten years. we cant afford to continue like this. upon hearing this, all the elders could not help whispering to each other. they were already dissatisfied with liang yings previous decisions in their hearts. if it werent for the ancestors full support of liang ying, someone might have already given up and directly criticized the young family master. they should know that the liang and wu families were originally married. liang yings legitimate wife was the patriarch of the wu familys di daughter. they couldnt understand why they had to harm each other. the liang and wu families should have joined forces to resist the gao family, but now they were killing each other, which was helping the abusive family. if liang ying werent the patriarch, these elders might even think that he was a mole of the gao family; otherwise, why would things be like this? at this point, liang ying calmly took a sip of tea before speaking, fourth uncle, how are the losses of the wu family? has the gao family stopped hiding behind the scenes and started taking actions themselves? the elder called fourth uncle by liang ying was the one who had just reported the situation. his face had turned completely black, and if it werent for the ancestors sake, he would have stormed away by now. he took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and said in a low voice, the gao family has indeed made their move. if they join forces with the wu family, im afraid he didnt continue, but everyone could guess what he was thinking. however, liang ying remained unfazed. all of you present here are my elders, and your experiences are greater than mine. but this plan is not my idea but the ancestors. i didnt want to say this today, but my uncles and aunts are worried about me being impulsive. since i am the patriarch, and the ancestor supports me, i hope you can give me some more time. as liang ying finished speaking, the room became silent. seeing liang ying so stubborn and remembering the ancestors great support for liang ying before, they couldnt help but sigh in helplessness. after everyone left, liang ying sat for a while before getting up and leaving. he then went to another secluded courtyard. when he entered, two people were already waiting in the courtyard. the three of them greeted each other immediately upon meeting. if there were outsiders present at this moment, they would be extremely shocked because one of them was wu chang, the head of the wu family who was at odds with the liang family, and the other was zheng wanchun, the catcher of the county government office. father-in-law, sheriff zheng, i think its time to close the net. wu chang nodded, but zheng wanchun hesitated for a moment. isnt it too early? wu chang shook his head immediately, gao yuqiang has already subtly indicated to me that he will support me wholeheartedly and will take action personally when necessary. hearing this, zheng wanchun also let go of his concerns and nodded, in that case, it is indeed time to close the net. its not good for jinzhou city if the gao family has two nine realms for too long. rest assured, sheriff zheng, this plan will be foolproof. just let the county lord sit back and wait for our good news. liang family master is indeed a young talent. i believe that this cooperation will not disappoint any of our three parties today, and jinzhou city will be much more peaceful from now on. with these words exchanged, the three looked at each other and then laughed out loud. liang ying and wu chang had a flash of fierceness in their eyes. jinzhou city will not allow a family with two nine realms to exist! Chapter 17 17 chapter 17: destruction translator: 549690339 jinshan temple. ma san originally intended to go to the city to gather information but was stopped by liang sheng. after listening to ma sans report yesterday, the more he thought about it, the more something felt off. the situation in jinzhou city became increasingly tense recently, and it might completely erupt any day. anyway, the situation in these two days had been a bit unusual. adopting a cautious principle along with liang shengs uneasy intuition, he asked ma san to stay in the temple and not to go to jinzhou city to gather information for the time being. when night fell, liang sheng looked at the bright moon in the sky. amidst the mottled shadows of the trees, he became more and more restless. he feared that something would happen tonight, but he didnt know what the outcome would be. he hoped that the news he would receive tomorrow would be good. jinzhou city. at this moment, the streets were silent, and the usual patrol guards were not on duty tonight. even the yichun building was not open for business. the lower-class people of the three teachers and nine streams were the most observant. whenever there was a slight disturbance, they would seek fortune and avoid evil. at this time, the night breeze was gentle, and the bright moon was high in the sky. yet, for some reason, there was an aura of solemnity and killing intent on the streets. just then, footsteps suddenly appeared on the street. as time went on, the footsteps grew more and more dense. afterward, a large number of men and horses appeared on both sides of the street, all armed with weapons. as soon as the two sides met, they fought without saying a word. cold steel showed no mercy. amidst the flashes of their blades, flesh and blood flew, and screams of pain and cries for battle mixed together, creating an unparalleled chaos. however, this was just a fight between ordinary martial artists. not far from the battlefield, more than a dozen figures stood facing each other. father-in-law, im afraid ive offended you today. it turned out that the leaders of both sides were liang ying and wu chang. upon hearing liang yings words, wu chang couldnt help but sneer. my good son-in-law, you are merely at the postnatal seventh realm. how can you compete with me without liang pings presence, forcing me to bully a weaker opponent? really? liang ying did not get angry upon hearing this, but instead chuckled lightly. then, a burst of hearty laughter came from behind him. lord of wu family, i think with me here, theres no need for liang ping to show up, right? the next moment, zheng wanchun appeared before both sides. wu chang looked at him, and his brow furrowed, but then he burst into laughter. zheng wanchun, youre just a minor constable, merely at the postnatal seventh realm. how dare you act wildly in front of me? wu changs words had just fallen when a burst of qi emanated from zheng wanchun, and wu changs laughter abruptly stopped. hmm? you broke through? zheng wanchun simply smiled without speaking. wu changs face turned extremely ugly as he looked at liang ying standing calmly to the side, appearing to have suddenly understood something. so, you colluded with the county government, which is why you dared to act like this. he couldnt help but turn his gaze to the other side of the battlefield, his expression even more unsightly. for there was now a third force there, the constables from the county government. in an instant, the previously evenly matched wu family guards were retreating in defeat. alright, lets spare the meaningless words. father-in-law, its all just a matter of winners and losers. as long as you submit to my liang family, i guarantee that your wu family will suffer no losses. you really are my good son-in-law, but, dream on! the next moment, wu chang instantly charged from a distance of ten meters, and a powerful palm wind directly appeared in front of liang ying. liang ying remained motionless at this time, as if he hadnt reacted. but in the next moment, a figure stood in front of wu chang. lord of the wu family, youre a bit too anxious. your opponent is me! the two immediately tangled with each other, unleashing fierce winds with their punches. the bluestone beneath their feet broke one after another. in just a few breaths, all the stones within ten meters had been shattered. the terror of the post-natal eighth level realm. after battling for a few more rounds, wu chang retreated several steps, his face extremely pale. it turns out you didnt just break through to the eighth level. youve been pretending to be at the postnatal seventh realm all along. master wu, it indeed shows you have great judgment. at this moment, zheng wanchun, with a triumphant expression, didnt chase after them but instead said with a smile, master wu, theres no use waiting for your ancestor to come to your aid. the liang family ancestor has already gone to visit the wu family. upon hearing this, wu changs face turned bright red with anger, and he couldnt help but scold, despicable! at this point, liang ying stepped forward and said, father-in-law, you should just admit defeat. even if you dont care about yourself, you should think about the wu family. if we keep going like this, im afraid i wont be able to protect you any longer. wu chang stared at liang ying in a daze, as if his eyes were about to catch fire, but there was nothing he could say at this moment. after all, the other party had the advantage, so what could he do? at this moment, a sudden burst of laughter came from behind wu chang and a figure appeared right in the middle of them. it was none other than gao yuqiang, the head of the gao family. then, several experts from the gao family and guards from the wu family joined together, and the situation changed instantly. so, what can you do if i help brother wu? seeing gao yuqiang suddenly appear, zheng wanchun and liang yings expressions changed in unison. their brows furrowed and gao yuqiangs smile on his face became even more apparent. gao yuqiang! wu chang seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at this time. brother gao, i didnt expect to make a fool of myself this time. no matter, our families have always been close, so why bother with such trifles? after saying this, gao yuqiang looked at zheng wanchun and liang ying with a smile, his tone full of amazement, i never expected that young master liang would have such boldness, daring to defy the world and work with the county government office. it really is a great strategy. it has been several hundred years since jinzhou citys liang, gao, and wu families have had conflicts, but they have never let the county government interfere. one could say that liang yings current actions were something that gao yuqiang had never expected before, and it also dispelled his doubts about why the wu family had lost to the liang family earlier. how could the wu family win when they had the county governments secret support? brother gao, lets resolve the matter at hand first. i want to have a good, candlelit talk with my son-in-law. as for other matters, i will personally visit the gao family to express my gratitude tomorrow. wu chang did not say how he would thank the gao family, but gao yuqiang naturally understood his meaning at this moment. brother wu, you and your son-in-law can talk freely. i dont think sheriff zheng will interfere in your private affairs. at this moment, gao yuqiang looked at zheng wanchun with a calm expression. how could the other party dare to take action with him present? sure enough, zheng wanchun only carefully watched him without daring to make any moves. wu chang then angrily glared at liang ying and slowly walked towards him. my good son-in-law at this point, wu chang had just walked behind gao yuqiang and suddenly burst out. he yelled, why dont you make a move? in an instant, wu chang had a green, luminescent dagger in his hand, which he wrapped in his internal energy and directly stabbed into gao yuqiangs back, drenching his entire back in blood. at the same time, zheng wanchun made his move, striking directly at gao yuqiang. the fist wind hit first, making gao yuqiangs face ache from the blow. previously, gao yuqiangs attention had been entirely on zheng wanchun, and he had not been prepared for wu changs attack. who could have thought that the trio who had been fighting for their lives had actually been working together all along? moreover, wu changs dagger was made of meteorite iron. when he wrapped it in his internal energy, it was able to pierce gao yuqiangs back so easily. in fact, the dagger alone wouldnt have been a big deal, but the fact that it was coated with a deadly poison made it an even greater threat. at this moment, as gao yuqiang tried to force the poison out with his internal energy, the poison spread even faster. of course, wu chang and zheng wanchun wouldnt hesitate at this moment. they relentlessly attacked gao yuqiang, never giving him a chance to counter. with his internal energy in chaos, gao yuqiang could only hold out against the onslaught of the two eighth level masters for a few moves before his vision went black and he collapsed to the ground. at that moment, liang ying walked over with a knife in his hand and cleanly cut gao yuqiangs neck. there was no muddling about at all. at this time, gao yuqiangs eyes widened in shock, and he lay still on the ground, his spirit not resting in peace. at this moment, liang ying and the others exchanged glances and smiled, everything unspoken. as for the elder of gao family the ancestor of the wu family couldnt come to this place, but right now, he was actually joining forces with the liang family ancestor and heading to the gao family together. at this moment, all of gao yuqiangs experts had been wiped out. the moment wu chang stabbed gao yuqiang, the wu familys experts had all moved simultaneously. in an instant, blood flowed like a river Chapter 18 18 chapter 18: postnatal seventh level, high-level martial arts translator: 549690339 jinshan temple. the gao family has been destroyed! when liang sheng heard this news, he couldnt quite believe it C the gao family were a family with two nine-realm martial artists. previously, master hongzhi had left to become a monk because the alliance between the liang and wu families was barely enough to resist the gao family. however, after listening to ma sans complete report, liang sheng only remained silent for a moment and then shook his head helplessly. the gao familys loss wasnt unjustified. after all, the liang and wu families had collaborated with the county government office, while the gao family had been kept in the dark. how could they not lose? but zheng wanchun is also a ruthless person. fortunately, liang sheng had always been non-contentious towards others, treating them politely and deliberately making friends with them. however, liang sheng never expected that zheng wanchun, who was rumored to be in the postnatal seventh realm, was actually a big shot in the postnatal eighth realm! moreover, looking at the cooperation between the liang and wu families and the county government office, liang sheng feared that there was an even greater trump card besides zheng wanchun. at this moment, liang sheng couldnt help but admire the subtleties of this three-way cooperation and became even more cautious, taking it as a warning. even if ones strength is high, caution is needed unless one is invincible. one must not be overly conspicuous and be careful not to make oneself a target. the gao family was too ostentatious, which led to such an outcome. now, in jinzhou city, the county government office and the liang and wu families are dividing up the property left by the gao family, so the city will be in chaos for a while. since thats the case, liang sheng simply decided to stay at jinshan temple for a few more days until everything had completely settled down before considering going back. in fact, no matter the outcome of the turmoil in jinzhou city, liang sheng had long made plans and was fully prepared for anything. if the liang family were eventually defeated, liang sheng would leave without hesitation, since he already had enough silver notes on him to live a carefree life for several generations. however, the current outcome was even better for liang sheng, since the stronger the liang family became, the more comfortable his life would be. days went by, and ma san brought good news: jinzhou city was now completely calm, with the situation completely stabilized. even so, liang sheng forced himself to stay an extra day before bidding farewell and preparing to return to jinzhou city. jinshan temple didnt try to stop him, masters hongzhi remained his old acquaintance and personally sent him off. master hongzhi, when you have time to visit the city, you must come to find me. of course, if i am troubled in the future, i might have to disturb your temple again. hongzhi clasped his hands together in response, laughing and saying, layman, feel free to come whenever you wish. the doors of jinshan temple will always be open for you. then, liang sheng got into the horse carriage, while ma san drove the horses away. liang sheng looked back at jinshan temple from inside the carriage. in the future, unless it was absolutely necessary, he would not come here again. after all, jinshan temple was not exactly a benevolent place, so it was best to be careful. jinzhou city. in the past few days, shengde buildings business had been even better than before the chaos, and the owner, old duan, was all smiles. this years dividends might be even more generous than in previous years. with the gao familys destruction, the liang and wu families and the county government office became rich and prosperous. consequently, business at shengde building faced less competition, and their turnover doubled from before. this was the benefit of having powerful forces. as long as they did not cause trouble, they could make money just by lying down, without the need to struggle. today, liang sheng finally showed up at the tavern. he had headed straight to yichun building to enjoy music and entertainment at the brothel as soon as he entered the city that evening. madame spring ladys smile never left her face these past days. liang sheng had been holding back for quite a while, even calling for two girls to relieve himself on the first night. in the following days, liang sheng spent several nights at yichun building while ensuring that he completed his cultivation. finally, after a night of passion last night, liang sheng yawned and appeared in the tavern in the morning, taking a short rest at the counter. at this moment, he heard the waiters voice, hurriedly opened his eyes and saw zheng wanchun entering the door. sheriff zheng, long time no see, how have you been recently? as liang sheng greeted him with a jug of good wine and some side dishes carried by another waiter, zheng wanchun sat down without any hypocrisy and patted liang shengs shoulder. you kid, why dont you have any martial arts talent? zheng no longer pretended, as a master in the post-natal eighth level, he was considered a local big shot in jinzhou city. the news of the battle that night had spread among the people, although there were some absurd details, it was mostly accurate. but even so, liang sheng still treated himself as warmly as before, without any flattery. liang sheng laughed casually at this moment: you are my guest in the tavern, and naturally, i should treat you well. as for the path of martial arts, i have already let it go. since i have no desires, naturally i can see things more clearly and be less hypocritical. well said, no desires, no lies. at this moment, liang sheng had already poured wine for zheng wanchun, who was even more impressed with liang sheng and raised his glass. afterward, zheng wanchun and liang sheng became more and more engaged in conversation, and if it werent for a constable coming to report that the county lord was looking for him, he would probably continue talking with liang sheng. lets call it a day, and next time well go out drinking and not return until were drunk. after bidding farewell to zheng wanchun, liang sheng stayed in the tavern until evening, returned home, and did not plan to go to yichun building today. after practicing all the techniques, he had a faint feeling that the other nine health cultivation methods were on the verge of a breakthrough. naturally, he was somewhat looking forward to it. when these nine techniques break through the unprecedented 10th layer, who knows how much lifespan will be added to him. for this reason, liang sheng did not go out for the next few days. on this night, he took a bath and changed clothes, waiting for his mood to gradually calm down before starting his cultivation. today is the breakthrough day. when liang sheng opened his eyes, there was laughter in them, and he didnt expect that the gain this time would be much greater than he had imagined. not only did he break through the remaining nine levels of the health cultivation methods to the unprecedented tenth level, but the drastic increase in his lifespan directly added 180 years. if liang sheng did nothing in the future, he alone could outlive nearly four postnatal nine-layered martial artists. if he was willing to live, one person could establish a noble family! however, liang sheng wouldnt think about it too much. he was extremely excited, not only because of the skyrocketing lifespan but also because the qualitative change in his internal energy caused by these health cultivation methods allowed him to successfully break through to the postnatal seventh realm. at this moment, liang shengs attribute panel had completely changed- name: liang sheng age: 33 talent: innocent foolishness (top grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (6th layer), longevity skill (11th layer), other health cultivation methods (10th layer), unmoving ming king seal (1st layer) realm: martial artist postnatal seventh layer (1%) in other words, liang sheng, the so-called trash of the liang family, had entered the high-level martial arts realm overnight! Chapter 19 19 chapter 19: the grand ceremony of the clan, all are movie emperors translator: 549690339 jinzhou city. it has been three years since the fall of the gao family, and the lives of the people in jinzhou city havent changed much. occasionally, some elderly people would recall the once high and mighty gao family in jinzhou city when they felt nostalgic. liang sheng walked out of the courtyard and saw the peach talismans hung on both sides of the street, the sounds of firecrackers being set off by children from time to time, and their laughter. liang sheng couldnt help feeling a little dazed, realizing that it was time for another spring festival family gathering. master. at this moment, ma san had prepared the horse carriage and stood respectfully, helping liang sheng to board. unconsciously, ma sans back had hunched quite a bit more. in just three short years, ma san had changed so much that it seemed as if old age had come to him in just an instant. meanwhile, liang sheng had unknowingly reached the age of 36 and had gone from being a young master to the master referred to by ma san. in these three years, jinzhou city had been extremely peaceful. the county government and the two families of liang and wu coexisted harmoniously, even more so than during the time of the gao family. three years ago, liang sheng reached the high-level martial arts realm in one night, and in the past three years, he had still been working hard on his cultivation. although his realm had not improved, his techniques had progressed. name: liang sheng age: 36 talent: innocent foolishness (top grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (seventh layer), longevity skill (eleventh layer), other health cultivation methods (eleventh layer), unmoving ming king seal (second layer) [ps: later, the health cultivation methods will be merged into one and saved from repeating words] realm: martial artist postnatal seventh layer (25%) three years later, the unmoving ming king seal finally broke through to the second layer, even slower than the cultivation speed of the golden dragon technique by several times. as expected, it was the dharma sects mastery back in the day, requiring greater difficulty in cultivation. however, the benefits were also obvious. the golden dragon technique was able to break through to the seventh layer within three years, completely exceeding liang shengs expectations. although the longevity skill has not yet broken through to the eleventh layer, under the guidance of other high-level health cultivation methods, the newcomers have surpassed it and all have broken through to the eleventh layer together, progressing at the same pace as the longevity skill, greatly increasing liang shengs lifespan. now, with his current lifespan reaching 800 years, it seemed that his next breakthrough would probably surpass that of the proverbial turtle. moreover, according to his current cultivation progress, it was likely that he would break through the post-natal eighth level within ten years and become a top figure in jinzhou city. of course, liang sheng would never reveal his true strength. only a fool would give up living such a rich and carefree life unnoticed. lets go. liang sheng calmed his thoughts, sat in the carriage and pulled down the curtain. ma san immediately called out, driving the carriage toward the liang familys main mansion. today was the liang familys grand ancestral worship ceremony. whether it was the liang family members working in other places or the managerial clan elders busy with their responsibilities, everyone had arrived on time. however, this years person in charge of the liang familys ancestor worship ceremony was not liang shengs second uncle liang qiang, but fourth uncle liang chuan. at this time, liang qiang was already 61 years old, his martial arts realm was only at the postnatal fifth level, and his body had suddenly collapsed last year due to indulgence in wine, women, and gambling all these years. since liang qiang had never married and lived alone, he had handed over the responsibilities of managing the outer branch to liang chuan, and the transition had been very smooth, with no opposition. upon arriving at the ancestral hall, liang sheng unconsciously walked toward the corner, but then suddenly turned and went behind liang qiang. at this moment, liang qiang had lost his once-strong physique, his face was pale, wrinkles covered his forehead, and his body was extremely weak. now, he was huddled in his chair, looking as if he was about to die, while the younger generation around him unconsciously kept their distance. second uncle. liang qiang initially had his eyes closed, but upon hearing the voice, he opened his eyes and saw liang sheng leaning over. a flash of surprise and joy crossed his eyes. with some effort, he raised his hand, trying to pat liang shengs shoulder. liang sheng quickly lowered his body, otherwise, he wouldnt be able to reach it. its you, young man, who is smart, knowing to practice the health cultivation method, appearing so young, unlike an old man like me, regretting it too late. the speaker was unintentional, but the listener was moved. at this moment, liang sheng was suddenly shocked. he glanced at his peers with the corner of his eyes, and even though they had surpassed the martial arts level two, they seemed older than him. because of his long lifespan, he hadnt paid attention to his appearance for a while. under liang qiangs teasing, he suddenly realized it. fortunately, he had been living a low-key life for so many years, being kind-hearted, so not many people noticed him. as a result, nobody paid attention to his appearance. however, this time he had to make himself look older when he went back. it was nothing more than controlling the flesh. anyone who practices the health cultivation method to the top level can do it. after all, the health cultivation method is to adjust the body and increase the lifespan. with his mastery of the method, controlling the flesh is effortless. previously, liang sheng had ignored this point because it was just in a blind spot. fortunately, it wasnt too late to notice this issue now. even if someone thought he was too young, he had an excuse to push it away. he hadnt expected that collecting health cultivation methods in the past would come in handy, which was a pleasant surprise. second uncle, what are you talking about? back then, you spent the night with seven women, and it is still a good story at yichun building. your vitality has always been strong; im sure that with proper care for a while, youll be vigorous again. you have a sweet mouth, young man, but theres no need to flatter a useless old man like me. im content with my life, living safely into my sixties, what more can i ask for? look at fifth brother. he perished in the war three years ago. he was in the postnatal sixth realm, but still, he left before me. at this moment, liang qiang was surprisingly open-minded. just as he was about to make fun of liang qiang a few more times, he saw the situation and shut his mouth. of course, liang qiang wouldnt mess around either. he whispered a command and stopped talking, wait until the grand ceremony is over, then send me home. liang sheng nodded his head but didnt answer; then he looked towards the gate of the ancestral hall. there stood the liang family elders manager. the head of the grand family ceremony was naturally patriarch liang ying. as for the liang family ancestor and liang ping, they hadnt appeared yet. liang ying was standing on the high platform, looking quite imposing. these years, the liang family has prospered even more, and the young patriarchs prestige is rising! after presenting sacrifices and offerings to the ancestors, it was time for the grand family banquet. it was liang chuans first time in charge of the event, and the new outer disciple managerial official made his official debut. at this time, liang qiang glanced at liang sheng and found he was extremely calm, as if there were no ripples. he couldnt help but nod his head slightly. this young man has a clear understanding and lives his life openly. amid the clinking of glasses, suddenly everyones eyes turned towards liang shengs table. liang ying walked straight over with a glass of wine in his hand. second uncle, youve gone through so much over the years! at this moment, liang ying lowered his posture greatly. liang qiangs eyes became red instantly, and his face was filled with excitement. he repeatedly said he didnt dare and drank the wine in the glass in one gulp. in an instant, the call for the patriarchs benevolence echoed through the whole banquet, and the atmosphere became even more intense. as for liang sheng, liang ying wouldnt notice him at all. he was just a waste, and what qualification did he have to attract his attention? after the banquet was over, liang sheng helped liang qiang into the horse carriage and headed to liang qiangs mansion. inside the carriage, liang qiangs face was extremely calm, with no trace of excitement. liang sheng couldnt help but secretly grumble in his heart: theyre truly great actors! Chapter 20 20 chapter 20: remember, one must not be kind-hearted when dealing with people translator: 549690339 liang qiangs residence. for so many years, although liang sheng had accumulated a lot of wealth, his dwelling had never changed. compared to ordinary people, his mansion was indeed luxurious, but compared to liang qiangs residence, it felt a bit inadequate. second uncle never got married in his whole life, lived alone in such a huge mansion, didnt he ever feel increasingly lonely? its hard to understand. liang sheng muttered to himself in his heart, and then helped liang qiang walk behind his steward. they walked through four courtyards before finally reaching the backyard. when liang qiang entered the room and sat down, he took a breath before looking at liang sheng with a smile on his face: just now, it seemed like you liked my mansion quite a lot. why dont you have it after im gone? hearing this, liang sheng naturally knew that his look of surprise was noticed by the other party, but he wasnt embarrassed. instead, he laughed and said: second uncle, your mansion is too big. im not as lucky as you to be able to hold down the feng shui here, so i have to decline your kindness. you kid, you havent changed at all, still so cautious! upon hearing this, liang qiang couldnt help but laugh and scold. he naturally knew why liang sheng refused so directly. he wasnt angry, but couldnt help but sigh again. if liang sheng had martial arts talent, it really wouldnt be certain who would be the liang familys patriarch today. but such thoughts were just wishful thinking, as they were born into the liang family, and yet were martial arts wastes. alright, you little slippery one, i wont go around in circles with you. i dont know how much longer i have, and when the time comes, ill probably just leave behind this pile of urine and excrement. if youre interested, ill leave everything to you. upon hearing this, liang sheng didnt agree but calmly replied, second uncle, if i accept your things, what are the conditions? hearing this, liang qiang couldnt help but nod in his heart. he indeed hadnt misread liang sheng, and the more cautious liang sheng is at this moment, the more at ease he felt. since thats the case, then ill be straightforward. although ive never married in my life and have remained attached to the mundane world, when my time comes, i will still owe a debt. it turned out that a few years ago, when liang qiangs health was not yet completely ruined, and he could still be considered strong for his age, he met a widow who moved him. this widow was extremely considerate to liang qiang, but he had seen too much in his life, was wary of the liang familys dyeing vat, and eventually did not marry the widow. he always kept the widow in his outside room, and a few years ago, they had a daughter. this matter was kept secret very well, and no one knew about it until now. second uncle, do you mean that if i accept your property, the condition is that i help take care of this mother and daughter? liang qiang shook his head upon hearing this, no, i wouldnt be so muddled as your second uncle. you would definitely not agree if so. after all, you and i are the same, how could we leave such a big trouble for ourselves? but precisely because of this, i feel even more at ease entrusting this matter to you. ive already left enough money for the mother and daughter to live a comfortable life. my condition is very simple: i hope that if they encounter any problems in the future, and if it doesnt put you in a difficult position, you can lend a hand. of course, if you think its dangerous or uncertain, theres no need to take a risk. as long as you agree to this, ill leave all my possessions to you. of course, by that time, ill have everything exchanged into silver notes and leave no trace behind. so, do you want to do this deal? liang sheng only thought for a while, sighed, then shook his head. seeing this, liang qiangs eyes dimmed. when he was feeling somewhat disappointed, he heard liang sheng say, second uncle, i wont take any of your things, but if its within my capabilities, i will help. hearing this, liang qiang raised his head abruptly, his face full of astonishment, before he finally showed a relieved expression: then, second uncle will thank you on behalf of the mother and daughter. afterward, liang qiang told liang sheng the entire situation involving the mother and daughter, with no further requests. so, liang sheng stayed for a while before saying goodbye and leaving. liang qiang stared at his departing figure, expressionless, uncertain about what he was thinking at the moment. finally, he heard liang qiang mutter to himself, were truly the same kind of people, but youre even crueler than me. its probably for the best. otherwise, how could we, the wastes of the liang family, have survived for so long? a month later, liang qiang passed away. his death did not cause any ripples. after his old steward reported it to the liang family, the liang family took care of his funeral. the liang family was extremely enthusiastic about it, as they not only arranged the funeral for the liang familys branch but also settled liang qiangs inheritance. liang sheng didnt pay much attention to this, but at the funeral, he was curious to see that the funeral rites were being conducted by monks from jinshan temple. however, he didnt dwell on it and watched as liang qiang was prepared for burial, looking as if he were just sleeping peacefully. his heart couldnt help but feel bitter. after all, in the past sixteen years, the only one in the entire liang family who cared about him might have been second uncle. that night, liang sheng didnt go to the yichun building to listen to music in the brothel. when the night was quiet, he secretly jumped out of his room. after all, he had promised his second uncle to at least meet his never-seen-before aunt and her daughter to console second uncles spirit in heaven. with his postnatal seven-realm high-grade martial arts, no city patrol would notice him at night. however, he was still cautious along the way and arrived at the southern city in no time. after finding the direction, he jumped onto the roof towards his destination. at this moment, inside an ordinary residential house, there was a woman in her twenties burning paper money in the hall. her face was stained with tears, and a little girl was soundly asleep in the inner room. liang sheng watched for a while, making sure there were no issues, unable to stop himself from admiring second uncles lingering affections in this life. however, second uncles taste for young women left a mixed feeling in him. the two were somewhat conscientious, so in the future, as long as it only required a helping hand, he would lend one. he thought about liang qiangs seemingly rich and honorable life but in the end, it was rather tragic, making his heart even more determined to cultivate for longevity. just as he was about to quietly return, his ears suddenly twitched, and he immediately lay low against the roof. the next moment, someone dressed in night-walking clothes sneaked into the womans room. liang sheng became tense instantly on the roof. was second uncles secret about maintaining a mistress exposed? however, the next moment, liang sheng was dumbfounded by the situation in the room and almost wanted to slap himself in the face. it was a man, moreover a bald one, whom liang sheng found familiar. upon thinking carefully, he recalled when he had seen him. wasnt this one of the jinshan temple monks who had held second uncles funeral ceremony today? and his cheap second aunt suddenly knelt in front of the monk, her eyes full of admiration, addressing him respectfully, while her eyes seemed as tender as spring water. second uncle, it seems like youve been cuckolded! what enraged liang sheng even more was himself, why did he have a soft heart and meddle in others affairs? if it werent for this coincidence, what would he do if his involvement was exposed later? remember, never be kind-hearted ever again! Chapter 21 21 chapter 21: early admission to paradise, dead man translator: 549690339 jinzhou city, southern city. liang sheng looked at the man and woman in the room, feeling somewhat ashamed and angry. he almost became a scapegoat, but luckily, nothing happened that catered to his dirty thoughts. flower mother, you have suffered all these years. the monks voice was full of magnetism, and the woman called flower mother shook her head, master, i am not suffering at all. it is an honor to serve the church. even if i die, i have no regrets. flower mother then took out a large pile of silver notes from her close-fitting underwear and handed them to the monk, master, the old man only gave me this much money when he died. it was a waste for me to serve him all these years. the monk took the silver notes, flipped through them casually, and estimated that there were about twenty thousand silvers. but for ordinary people, this was already a huge sum. flower mother, there is no need to blame yourself. this is not your fault. you have already done a great job. its just that liang qiang was too cunning and didnt leave the inheritance to you. moreover, these twenty thousand silvers are already a large sum of money, which will greatly help the development of the church. your efforts over the years have not been wasted. listening to this, flower mothers face was filled with excitement, i swear to dedicate my life to the virgin mary until my death. by the way, did liang qiang tell you anything else before he died other than giving you money? liang sheng, who was hiding on the roof outside the house, thought to himself, did second uncle reveal anything to this woman? at the next moment, liang sheng breathed a sigh of relief because flower mother shook her head directly, he didnt say anything. he even hid his identity from me, saying that he was an ordinary businessman, but he didnt know that i already knew about his background. upon hearing this, the monk couldnt help but feel disappointed, but he soon adjusted his mood, if thats the case, then you dont need to stay in jinzhou city anymore. the church has other tasks for you. alright, where should i go next, and what should i do? i will definitely carry out the churchs trust in me. at this moment, the monk suddenly looked towards the inner room. flower mother immediately understood his meaning, master, now that liang qiang is dead, this little beggar girl is useless. to prevent the leakage of information, she can only ascend to paradise early. flower mother then entered the room, and with a direct palm strike on the little girls temple, the little girl died instantly. next, the monk took out a jade bottle and sprinkled its contents onto the body. liang sheng knew what it was at a glance. corpse dissolving powder. as expected, within a short while, the little girls body completely vanished. after the two checked that no traces were left behind, they went their separate ways. flower mother headed out of the city, while the monk walked towards liang qiangs mansion, as he still had to continue performing the funeral rites for liang qiang the next day. it took a long while before there was no movement in the area, and liang sheng finally, with a frown, looked at the room where the little girls body had vanished before sneaking away. he had already remembered the monks name, but his secret actions made him suspect that jinshan temple might indeed have a big secret. also, words such as early ascension to paradise and church mentioned by flower mother made liang sheng secretly vigilant. what exactly were they plotting? spring went, and autumn came, another ten years passed. jinzhou city had been extremely peaceful these ten years. after that night, there had been no movement from jinshan temple. liang sheng seemed to have just had a dream, and flower mother had never appeared again. at this time, liang sheng was already showing some signs of aging. he was 47 years old and, for a commoner in this era, that meant being surrounded by children and grandchildren. after liang qiang had inadvertently spoken about his youthful appearance, he managed to gradually control his facial appearance in the span of ten years. during these ten years, since both the golden dragon technique and health cultivation method had reached the same level as his own realm, his cultivation progress was extremely slow despite having the unmoving ming king seal. therefore, he didnt break through to the post-natal eighth level. night. yichun building. a gorgeous lady nestled in liang shengs arms, her face filled with affection, master, why dont you take me back to serve you? youve made me worry. oh? liang sheng looked at the girl in his arms, then turned his head and shouted at the door, spring lady the girls eyes flickered with delight upon hearing this. as soon as madame spring lady approached, liang sheng pushed the girl out of his arms. bring me another one huh? the girl didnt have time to react before two burly men roughly dragged her out of the room, following spring lady. immediately, another little girl was sent in, and liang shengs hand naturally reached out to touch her. spring lady carefully retreated from the room and closed the door. train this girl well in the next few days, so shell know better in the future having said that, spring lady didnt give another look to the already collapsed girl on the floor, whose mouth was gagged by a sour cloth. she couldnt help but sneer in her heart C did they really think liang familys trash was a truly devoted lover? the next day, when liang sheng emerged from yichun building in high spirits, some onlookers couldnt help but snicker. this liang familys trash, without a strong cultivation on his body and engaging in such debauchery, was likely walking in liang qiangs footsteps. however, no one dared to mock openly. after all, regardless of how useless liang sheng was, he was still of the liang surname. at this time in jinzhou city, apart from the county government office, the two wealthy families, liang and wu, dominated everything else. as for the government, it was too far removed from ordinary people; the influence of the liang and wu families was much more palpable than that of the distant officials. my lord! ma sans body had become more hunched than before, but he was still supporting liang sheng into the horse carriage, leisurely heading to the tavern. when they arrived at the tavern, the regular patrons had become familiar with liang sheng. they greeted him one after another, some even joking with him. boss sheng, you still go to yichun building with that physique of yours? as these words came out, the whole room burst into laughter. liang sheng didnt mind, my body is quite robust, you dont need to worry about me. but you old drunkards, you should take it easy. the atmosphere in the tavern grew even more lively, and liang sheng didnt hold back. he sat right down at an empty table. im just going to have a drink. no one has any objections, right? no one cared, and the patrons welcomed him delightedly. everyone knew that boss sheng never let his customers lose out; theyd probably be getting free drinks today. liang sheng was happy to be part of their merriment. just as they were enjoying themselves, a clamor from outside disturbed the scene, attracting plenty of onlookers from the street. seems like someones dead again. who knows whos bold enough to stir up trouble in jinzhou city? dont they fear death? the patrons were indignant. anyone who could regularly come to shengde building for a drink must have a small fortune, after all. they enjoyed their wealth and naturally didnt want any variables in their lives, which made them even more resentful. at that moment, zheng wanchun strode in, and liang sheng hurriedly got up to greet him, wearing a smile. sheriff zheng, is it business as usual? zheng wanchun shook his head, i wont be drinking today. with that, he walked to the center of the tavern, glanced at the patrons, and the guests upstairs all turned their attention to him. gentlemen, in the past few days, a series of murders have been committed outside the city. the victims were all from wealthy families. everyone should be more careful in the future and try not to leave the city. last night, there was a massacre of fifty individuals from bai family village outside the city. the murderer is extremely ruthless. if any of you hear something or get any leads, please inform the county government office as soon as possible. as soon as these words fell, the entire tavern started whispering amongst themselves. zheng wanchun paid them no mind and walked over to liang sheng. boss sheng, last night, a constable was also killed in the city. but the county lord ordered me to maintain order in the city, so youd better not go out at night. liang sheng nodded quickly, not inquiring about the specifics, but merely indicating that he would be careful and cautious. even zheng wanchun was concerned, it seemed that something really serious had happened Chapter 22 22 chapter 22 the monk of jinshan temple translator: 549690339 shengde building. after zheng wanchun left, liang sheng felt tired, dozing off while sitting at the taverns counter. however, his ears remained sharp, and he clearly heard the conversations of the patrons. he did not need to ask zheng wanchun for details since shengde building was the fastest place for gossip to spread. however, after hearing these rumors, liang shengs heart began to race. it seemed that the situation was indeed quite serious this time. after all, before bai family village, chen family village had also experienced a tragedy. dozens of people were killed, and no one managed to escape. earlier, zheng wanchun told liang sheng about the dianshis murder last night, he decided not to go out at night for the time being. the killer probably wouldnt dare to enter the liang family area directly, unless they wanted to stick their hands into a hornets nest and court death. soon, the sun set, and when business should have been booming, patrons began to settle their bills, one after another, and head home. after all, one could never be too careful when it came to their life. seeing this, liang sheng had old duan close up business early and rest, urging them not to go out at night. then he quickly returned home in his horse carriage. the night passed peacefully during liang shengs cultivation, but early the next morning, he was awakened by the sound of knocking on his door. outside the door were the county yas constables and liang family guards. upon seeing this, liang sheng immediately knew that something serious had happened. mr. sheng, did you hear anything last night? liang sheng shook his head. seeing this, the constables took their leave and approached the next resident. liang sheng stopped a liang family guard and found out that someone had died the previous night. the person who died held a not-so-ordinary identity; he was not only the county government offices secretary, fang wenlei, but also the father of patriarch liang yings favorite concubine. no wonder their deaths alarmed the liang family guards, and liang shengs face turned solemn. it seemed that jinzhou city was going to be in turmoil again! subsequently, in the following days, the people in the city were in panic. after the death of the county clerk, several more people died at night. these people held extraordinary identities, and due to this, the common people living in the city felt even more terrified. after all, compared to dianshi and the clerk, they felt even less secure. liang sheng received news that the murdered dianshi held an intriguing identity, as he was the relative of wu familys head wu chang. after the destruction of the gao family, in order to strengthen the relationship between the county office and the liang and wu families, marriage became the best choice. however, the more liang sheng understood the situation, the more he felt that it was unique. after all, the killer directly provoked the three giants of jinzhou city, and was extremely cruel. no, he must seize the opportunity to flee, otherwise, he might be caught up in the disaster. unfortunately, liang sheng was one step too late. jinzhou city had already closed its city gates, allowing entry but not exit! with the support of both the liang and wu families for the county government office, even as a high-level martial artist of the postnatal seventh layer, he didnt dare to risk breaking through the city gate. not only that, jinzhou city also imposed a curfew. once night fell, no idlers were allowed to roam outside. those who violated the order would be beheaded! these conditions were personally explained to liang sheng by the catcher, zheng wanchun. although liang sheng was only at the postnatal second realm, zheng wanchun regarded him as a close friend. who wouldnt, when liang sheng often helped zheng wanchun relax and consider him a confidante? seeing zheng wanchun explain everything so seriously, liang sheng naturally promised to be more careful and not go outside, so as not to cause trouble for his friend. however, despite this, more and more people died in jinzhou city, making the atmosphere increasingly tense. on the contrary, the ordinary people felt more relaxed. according to them, the deceased were mostly important figures unrelated to the common people. some even whispered if there was a green forest hero carrying out chivalrous acts? after all, the deceased were all vampires that sucked the blood and wealth of the common people. nevertheless, the people hoped that the county office would solve the case and arrest the murderer soon. after all, during the period of the citys closure, they were having a hard time as well. but as more and more people died, the county office and liang and wu families felt that their authority was being seriously challenged, and they couldnt just give up. if the real culprit was not caught, the city would remain closed! however, liang sheng became more and more like a shrinking bird, hiding at home and occasionally going out during the day to check the situation. this was because he had seen the monk he had met with flower mother on the night of the funeral at the dian shis ceremony previously. at first, he was only slightly vigilant, but when he noticed that the monks the head monk brought with him to perform the ceremonies were different each time, he immediately became nervous. where had the previous monks gone? he now knew that jinzhou city only allowed entry but not exit, so how could this monk change his monks each time for the ceremony? this discovery made liang sheng more and more certain that jinzhou citys current incident was absolutely related to jinshan temple. when he thought of the high monks of the xuan generation he had seen at jinshan temple, each with an astonishing cultivation level, he couldnt help but feel a little nervous. he was afraid that the liang and wu families and the county government office were not prepared. otherwise, if jinshan temple were to make a full effort, they would be caught off guard. just yesterday, liang sheng stayed in his room and didnt even let ma san and others go out. anyway, there was always half a years food stored in the house. why should he seek his own death? because he had actually seen the chief of the discipline court, xuan ji, appear in the city yesterday, and he even saw the familiar master hongzhi! now, he could be sure that xuan ji was definitely a master above the post-natal eighth level, because he still couldnt see through him! if xuan ji had come, would the other high monks have also arrived in the city? the more liang sheng thought about it, the more excited he became. he couldnt help but feel his heart pounding. were jinshan temple going to showdown? how dared they? this was jinzhou city! the seven great sects were destroyed by the dayan dynasty back in the day, but jinshan temple, presumably a legacy of the dharma sect, where does their confidence come from? was it the mysterious sect mentioned by flower mother that gave them such courage? the more liang sheng thought about it, the more he felt that jinzhou city was engulfed in a huge net, as if a monster was lurking in the night, coveting jinzhou city. he couldnt just sit and wait for death! who knew if these people would target the children of the liang and wu families? previously, flower mother had schemed against his second uncle for money, so he had no choice but to prepare. it was better to be safe than sorry. in the end, his own strength was insufficient, otherwise, why would it come to this? at this time, he looked at the attribute panel and silently calculated that he was not far from breaking through to the postnatal eighth realm. he would avoid this disaster first. his current attribute panel was nearly the same as before name: liang sheng age: 47 talent: innocent foolishness (top grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (seventh layer), ten methods of health cultivation (eleventh layer), unmoving ming king seal (second layer) realm: martial artist postnatal seventh layer (98%) at this time, liang sheng disguised his bed to look like someone was sleeping in it and then sneaked into the backyard by himself. the guards in the mansion were patrolling the entire mansion attentively and conscientiously, but how could they possibly detect liang sheng, a high-level martial artist? liang sheng went to the backyard where there was a rockery, found a protruding rock, pressed it lightly, and a hole appeared that could only accommodate one person. without any hesitation, liang sheng crawled in, and then the rockery returned to its original appearance, with no abnormalities visible from the outside. this was the secret room liang sheng had secretly prepared by himself, unknown to anyone. the interior was also a hidden dimension, small but complete. in the past few days, liang sheng had slept here every night and returned to his room secretly before dawn. he could not be blamed for being so cautious, as the situation outside was too dangerous. he hoped that he wouldnt be involved in this whirlpool. but he thought too much about it. liang sheng calmed his mood and immersed himself in cultivation again. what he didnt know was that at this moment, outside his house, there were two people dressed in night-walking clothes, hiding in a corner, their eyes flickering! Chapter 23 23 chapter 23: lifeless sect translator: 549690339 outside liang shengs mansion! eventually, the two people hiding in the corner still did not choose to take action. one of them sighed and then spoke. forget it, the master of this house has been kind to me, and i always pay my debts. besides, his poor strength is of no importance to us. lets just let him go. the man who spoke had a determined look in his eyes. seeing his determination, and thinking about the rumors in the city, the other person decided to do him a favor. alright! we are in the city this time because of your favor, but you surely wont let go of the other people in the liang family, will you? the mans eyes flashed with cruelty. i have long since left the liang family, and i, hongzhi, have already joined buddhas teachings. turns out, the man was liang qi from the liang family, who went by the name hongzhi after converting to buddhism at jinshan temple. unbeknownst to everyone, he had secretly come to jinzhou city. afterwards, he quickly drew an obscure emblem at the bottom corner of the mansions main gate. once the others saw it, they would not enter the mansion. then, the two men hurriedly disappeared into the night, just around the corner. liang sheng was completely unaware of their presence. at the same time when liang sheng was carefully hiding, jinzhou citys county government office was also facing troubled times. at this moment, county lord xia zhiqiu was sitting in the main seat, with liang ying and wu chang on either side. liang yings face was rosy, and he looked full of pride, while wu chang looked somewhat aged. after all, wu chang was already seventy years old. he looked at the youthful liang ying and couldnt help feeling helpless, wondering why the wu family did not have such outstanding descendants. of course, the wu family also had many younger generations at the postnatal sixth realm, but they were trapped by bottlenecks and could not break through to the high-level martial arts superior state. the road to cultivation is so difficult! liang ying did not know what wu chang was thinking. at this moment, he looked at xia zhiqiu and wu chang, who were both silent. of the three people present, he was the youngest, and he finally couldnt help himself. county lord, father-in-law, we have mobilized a large number of people to search for the murderer in the past few days. we have almost turned jinzhou city upside down, but still have not found the murderer. from this, we can see that there is only one reason: the murderers strength is extremely strong, at least a high-level martial artist or the results wouldnt be like this. xia zhiqiu and wu chang listened without speaking, just looking at liang ying and gesturing for him to continue. they could, of course, think of these things, but the problem was what to do next. liang ying was blunt, suddenly standing up and taking out a few teacups on the tea table. i remember that after the massacre outside the city, the first person who died in the city was a dianshi, the second day it was the secretary, and the third day as liang ying listed the victims one by one, the expressions on xia zhiqiu and wu changs faces became more and more serious. but the day before yesterday and yesterday, the deceased were managers of both the liang family area C liang chuan, and the wu family area C wu lei, which means there is a pattern. xia zhiqiu had a vague idea of what liang ying was thinking, and he couldnt help standing up and walking over to liang ying, with wu chang doing the same. looking at the trajectory of the crimes, the first target was the dianshi in charge of the county government warehouse, then the secretary responsible for dispatching documents, and finally the managers of the outer areas of both the liang and wu families. and, these all have to do with money and goods. as the dianshi was in charge of the county government warehouse, and the secretary was responsible for the accounts, both the liang and wu family managers had control over a large amount of wealth. at this moment, liang ying spoke with great conviction, furthermore, the bai chen and chen families, the biggest grain merchants in our city, were wiped out outside the city. these people have a clear goal; its not just about obtaining wealth. have you noticed that the prices of food and grain have soared dramatically in the city in the past few days? upon hearing this, xia zhiqiu was shaken and suddenly slapped on the table, these thieves have a huge appetite! if liang yings speculation was correct, the culprits goals were definitely more than just robbery and murder. it might be a premeditated action. at this moment, they finally had a direction. a sharp flash passed through the eyes of the three of them. however, xia zhiqiu felt that something was amiss. if they first planned to supply the city, they have completed this task now. if i were the thief, then next xia zhiqiu lowered his head to think. at this time, liang ying and wu chang were also thinking about what they would do if they were the other party. however, there were too many possibilities. just then, zheng wanchun suddenly rushed in without knocking, his face slightly anxious, and glanced at liang ying. master, the city is on fire. huh? when xia zhiqiu and the other two heard this, they immediately left the room and saw that the eastern part of the city was as bright as day, with flames reaching the sky, thick smoke rolling, and faint cries audible. liang yings face couldnt help but change since the east of the city was where the liang familys camp was located. not having time to greet them, he directly left and headed east. at first, wu chang was shocked, then relieved that it wasnt the wu familys area. but at this moment, xia zhiqius voice came with a hint of gloom. the liang family ancestor should be at the liang familys main residence in the east of the city. if the thief sets fire to the city, the liang family ancestor shouldnt let them escape, right? with that, xia zhiqiu looked at zheng wanchun, and the jinzhou city head with a cultivation level of the post-natal eighth level had a difficult expression on his face. reporting to the county lord, we didnt catch anyone. by the time the liang family ancestor appeared, the thieves had long disappeared! then why didnt you say anything earlier? xia zhiqius face couldnt help but change upon hearing this. the reason the liang family could stand firm in jinzhou city was because of the stabilizer provided by the liang family ancestor. but now that the liang family ancestor didnt catch the thieves, they had to reassess the thiefs strength! at this moment, zheng wanchun glanced at wu chang, hesitating in his expression. when wu chang saw this, he immediately excused himself and left. after all, he was also worried in his heart. since the thief could set fire to the liang family area, why couldnt they do the same to the wu family? when wu chang left, and only two people remained in the room, zheng wanchun cautiously said, actually, during my patrol in the east, i encountered a few black-clothed men. they fled at the first opportunity, and i couldnt catch up. however, i managed to grab one of them by the sleeve and saw a white lotus mark on his left arm. as he spoke, zheng wanchun took out a torn black sleeve. xia zhiqiu took only one look, and his face turned extremely ugly. the lifeless sect! zheng wanchun nodded, as he had the same thought. xia zhiqiu took a deep breath, patted zheng wanchun on the shoulder, and said it was indeed not appropriate to speak up just now. they couldnt let the liang and wu families know that the lifeless sect was the hidden hand behind this; otherwise, they might flee overnight. after all, the dayan dynasty had been hunting the lifeless sect for hundreds of years, but they still existed, and countless families had been destroyed by them. no wonder the liang family ancestor couldnt catch the thieves; if its the lifeless sect, it makes sense. with an increasingly worried expression on his face, zheng wanchun looked at xia zhiqiu and hesitated but didnt speak. xia zhiqiu thought for a moment and said: you dont have to worry too much. dealing with the lifeless sect cannot be done conventionally. send a trusted confidant to the provincial capital immediately and report that the lifeless sect is causing chaos in jinzhou city! upon hearing this, zheng wanchuns eyes flashed with surprise and joy. xia zhiqiu smiled without speaking! Chapter 24 24 chapter 24: there must be a demon when things are abnormal translator: 549690339 liang shengs mansion. on the night of the fire near the liang family main mansion, the sounds of gongs and drums, and shouts of rescue efforts, were unceasing due to the fire. liang sheng didnt sleep well that night. he came out of the secret room to check the situation and, after some deliberation, quietly returned to his room. with such a commotion going on, it was only expected that ma san would come to look for him. if he wasnt in his room, there might be trouble. of course, he could have just stayed in the secret chamber, but he needed ma san to disappear from this world. though even raising a dog could bring some attachment, let alone a loyal servant who had followed him for decades. though liang sheng was not a good person, he had his own bottom line. as expected, after he hadnt laid down for long, there came a knock on the door, and ma sans words made liang sheng somewhat grateful for his decision to return to the room. master, the main family has sent someone to take you to the ancestral hall. they say that the ancestor has left his seclusion and is summoning everyone in the family! liang sheng immediately responded, hastily put on his clothes, and opened the door to find ma san and a guard from the main family standing there. master sheng. the guard was not too respectful, but liang sheng didnt mind, following them without any hesitation. liang shengs promptness had a simple reason: the guards strength was only at the second level of the post-natal realm, and if there was any problem with them, he could easily kill them halfway and then flee. if there was no problem with them, but he didnt dare go to the liang family ancestral hall, things might get dangerous. thankfully, there were no problems with the guard, and they rushed with liang sheng to the liang family ancestral hall at the fastest speed possible. on the way, not only liang sheng but also other younger generation members of the liang family were hurrying towards the main mansion. however, during the journey, liang sheng saw countless people still carrying water to put out the fire and couldnt help but feel shocked: the liang family appeared to have suffered severe losses this time. when they arrived at the ancestral hall, the atmosphere inside was extremely solemn. he found a remote corner and stood there motionless. in front of the ancestor tablets, not only was liang ying present, but also the liang family ancestor and another person who hadnt appeared for a long time: liang ping. however, when liang sheng saw him, his emotions remained calm. when all the younger generations had gathered, the liang family ancestor, who had his eyes closed, suddenly opened them. at the same time, the gate of the ancestral hall slammed shut with a clang. last night, someone provoked our liang family, burned down countless of our shops, and brutally slapped our faces in front of the people of jinzhou. what should we do next? the liang family ancestors voice was calm, but everyone could feel the anger contained within it. at this moment, the patriarch liang ying stood up abruptly. of course, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth! those who violate the liang family shall die! at these words, liang sheng stood in the corner, surrounded by the young disciples of the liang family who were instantly stirred up by liang yings words. an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth! those who violate the liang family shall die! the liang family ancestor looked at the scene with satisfaction, knowing that the valiant spirit of the men in their family was still present: the arsonist last night must die! then, liang ying began to assign tasks according to the strengths of the familys younger generation. as for liang sheng, he had long been disregarded by everyone. if it wasnt for him already being an old man of the liang family, they probably wouldnt have bothered to call him there today. after all, what use could a waste, who had stayed in the second level of the post-natal realm for decades, have? liang sheng was happy to be carefree, not interacting with anyone. when the gathering ended, he immediately returned to his mansion. upon returning home, liang sheng immediately had ma san close the doors and turn away any visitors. the situation in jinzhou city was much worse than he had previously thought. initially, the liang and wu families joined forces with the county government office to eradicate the gao family, and the liang family ancestor did not reveal himself openly. now, however, he has decided to appear in person to instill confidence in the liang familys younger generation. why would that be? theres only one explanation for this situation: the hidden enemies possess an incredible amount of strength, so much so that even the liang family is uncertain of their chances. the events that transpired over the next two months confirmed liang shengs speculation. not only the liang family, but the wu family also dispatched nearly all of their forces to coordinate with the county government office in capturing the mastermind behind the scenes. despite their efforts, however, jinzhou city was still plagued by problems everywhere and even shengde building was under attack. fortunately, old duan and his men were already dispersed by those sent by liang sheng, allowing shengde building to escape damages and casualties by temporarily ceasing operations. not only shengde building, but almost no businesses within jinzhou city were able to survive during this period. it was only when things had reached this point that the county government office realized that the lifeless sect was planning to cut off the livelihood of jinzhou city C an exceptionally sinister plot. additionally, due to the policy of only allowing entry and not exit from jinzhou city, it became increasingly difficult for outside food and living supplies to enter. and compared to jinzhou citys vast population, these supplies were a drop in the ocean. at a time when jinzhou city was thrown into complete chaos, the lifeless sect struck again, and both the liang and wu families were repeatedly attacked, with casualties on both sides. even the county lord died within his own mansion. this time, a fifth-grade lotus mark was deliberately left by the lifeless sect at the scene of the murder. with their profound background, the liang and wu families naturally understood the clear implication behind the mark: the mastermind behind the scenes could no longer hide itself C it had to be the lifeless sect. at that time, both liang ying and wu chang angrily sought out county lord xia zhiqiu. however, after lord xia spoke to them, the two families unexpectedly continued to cooperate with the county government office. they did, however, retract a significant portion of their forces and became less intimately coordinated with the county government office, unlike before. but chaos had already begun within jinzhou city. after all, nearly all grain shops suffered losses, and the people of the city were unable to make ends meet. under these circumstances, countless citizens took to the streets, kneeling in front of the county government office, begging the officials to lift the city closure order. because if they were not allowed to leave the city, they would starve to death. however, under these circumstances, the county government office still did not respond. if any citizens were to become violent, they would be met with the strong suppression from the county government office. for a short while, the entire jinzhou city was like a powder keg, on the verge of exploding at any moment. in such an environment, liang sheng was even more afraid to leave his house. his stockpile could last half a year, and he had been paying close attention to the citys movements as well as sending ma san and others back home. he didnt have time to worry about them anymore, and under these circumstances, the children of the great families were more likely to be attacked whereas ordinary people were safer C letting them leave was actually a better way to protect them. he even felt a bit relieved that the mastermind had not come to bother him; little did he know that it was because of his past kindness to hongzhi that he survived the ordeal. however, during this time, without the burden of ma san and others, he hid in the secret room behind the artificial hill C finding him would be difficult. he thought that under the pressure of jinzhou citys citizens, the city gates would be opened, and then he could take advantage of the chaos to leave the city as soon as possible. as for how the liang family would react to this, he didnt care, since they were already struggling to survive. how could they care about him now? but the reality turned out to be completely the opposite C the stubborn attitude of jinzhou county government office, combined with the previous losses suffered by the liang and wu families, who were still willing to cooperate with the government office, left him puzzled. why would the county government office act so recklessly? by doing so, arent they tilting the scale of victory in favor of the mastermind? if something is out of the ordinary, there must be a demon at work! liang sheng suspected that the county government office must have a backup plan. after much deliberation, he eventually decided it was best to remain calm and observe the situation for a while longer. ????ew days later, jinzhou city descended into chaos! Chapter 25 25 chapter 25: chaos translator: 549690339 what will people do when they are hungry and see no hope? the people of jinzhou city are now providing an answer! at this moment, ordinarily obedient citizens are blocking the county government office, leaving no escape. not only here, but also at the city gate, people are aimlessly charging forward. if liang sheng were here, he would recognize that many of the most agitated people in the crowd, wearing headscarves, are the monks that previously came to the city with jinshan temple for a funeral ceremony. they intermittently incite the people and immediately relocate after speaking, never revealing themselves. for a short while, outside the county government office, the crowd was abuzz, but the main gate remains tightly shut, with a group of constables blocking all people. outside the county government office in a secluded corner, master hongzhi and a few others are watching the situation without any expression. when zheng wanchun appears, well be ready to act, the speaker is the leader of this riot, yang laifa, the protector of the no-life sect. as he spoke, he glanced at hongzhi in a gentle tone, master hongzhi, when will your master, saint monk xuan ji, arrive? upon hearing these words, hongzhi couldnt help but frown slightly, his tone a bit harsh, jinshan temple is only cooperating with you, not serving under you. there is no need to report my masters whereabouts to you. at hongzhis words, yang laifa just furrowed his brows slightly, but the other peoples eyes seemed to spit fire, restrained by yang lafias stern gaze. he then raised his hand to soothe them, urging them to stay calm. master hongzhi, i offer you an apology. my words were harsh just now. our holy sect is also greatly grateful to you for smuggling our fellow followers into the city. upon hearing this, hongzhis disposition improved slightly. he gained control over his emotions before speaking: my master says that the situation in the city is not quite right recently, he is feeling restless, so he has decided to wait and watch. huh? your master doesnt plan to take action with us? yang laifa was a bit puzzled before nodding, if thats what your master says, then our plan will be postponed. after all, jinshan temple has been deeply rooted in jinzhou city for years and understands the situation here better than us. having said that, he turned to another subordinate, inform our people not to act hastily, wait and watch for now. protector the follower of the no-life sect was clearly anxious upon hearing this, but at a glance from yang laifa, he could only comply with reluctance. he quickly rushed to the scene of the disturbance, lowered his head to infiltrate the crowd, then located his scout to whisper some instructions before retreating swiftly with his men. due to the overcrowded citizens, the constables did not notice them. after all, these country folks were acting a bit crazy. hongzhi did not expect yang laifa to make such a decision. his estimation of them rose slightly. he also thought of how they had saved face in front of liang sheng last time and his expression softened. protector yang, now that our two parties are in cooperation, we must of course work together sincerely. this is a major matter, and we can only take action when we are a hundred percent sure. seeing hongzhi like this, yang laifa smiled, master hongzhi, there is no need to worry that i will have grudges. our holy sect has been planning for hundreds of years, and we will naturally not be impatient. upon hearing this, hongzhi said nothing more, he glanced at the direction of the disturbance and couldnt help but sneer. with the common people unable to eat, he wondered how those gentries would handle it? finally, yang laifa and hongzhi retreated along a narrow alley with their men. however, on a tall building outside the county office, a few people were calmly watching the disturbing scene below. these were xia zhiqiu, liang ying, and wu chang. county lord, its been so long and the no-life sect has not made a move. it seems the citizens are acting of their own accord. should we open the warehouse and distribute grain? wu chang couldnt help but suggest. despite many grain stores in the city being burned down, the granaries of the local gentry families and the county office still have a large amount of grain. this is a noble family, after all, they have been able to stand tall for hundreds of years, how could they not have corresponding preventative measures? at this moment, xia zhiqiu shook his head, its not yet time, no-life sect has not appeared, anything we do now will be in vain. upon hearing this, liang ying and wu chang did not say more. after all, the other party was the parental official of jinzhou city. since he had spoken thus, why should they meddle further? they briefly discussed the situations they were each responsible for, then liang ying and wu chang excused themselves to leave. they did not dare to leave their family for too long, especially since jinzhou city had been in total chaos recently. not long after they left, zheng wanchun came upstairs. xia zhiqiu did not turn around but directly asked, has there been a letter from the state government yet? sir, zheng wanchun was obviously excited at this point, the dragon suppression guard has arrived twenty miles outside of jinzhou city, hiding in miaoshan mountain. good, let them be ready at all times. the no-life sect should make their move soon, after all, we have given them a large gift, causing them to expose themselves early. i guess these pariahs cannot endure for too long. yes, sir! zheng wanchun was extremely enthused, seeing that his superior was a man destined for great success. perhaps no one would have guessed that the death of the county magistrate was not the work of the no-life sect at all. at this moment, xia zhiqiu, looking down over the entire jinzhou city, had a small smirk on his face, i want to see just how long they can endure! during the unrest in jinzhou city, liang sheng hid within his mansion, not daring to make a single move. however, watching from the outside, he also saw many things that those inside the struggle could not see. the liang family had been mobilizing frequently, their internal strife was incessant, and the number of white banners raised in the liang family area, as well as the mournful wailing, had increased an unknown amount compared to usual. showever he at the wu familys area, he discovered that the wu familys circumstances were the same. on the whole, during this chaos, it was the county governments losses that were minimal. although the county government had lost its magistrate, liang sheng found many suspicious points about the magistrates death. why did the no-life sect not declare their identity after the deaths of the previous secretaries and clerks? why did they specifically choose to expose themselves at such a crucial moment? when liang sheng connected all the events, he found a blind spot in the situation. over these three months, the liang and wu families had suffered heavy losses, and countless members of the no-life sect had died or been injured. only the county government, apart from losing a few bigwigs, did not lose much of its armed force. it was almost as if everything was under control of the county government. the shengde building had previously been attacked and suffered significant losses, but fortunately, there had been no casualties. at the time, zheng wanchun had come to visit liang sheng and felt relieved when he saw that liang sheng was unharmed. however, whenever liang sheng thought about the deep meaning behind zheng wanchuns eyes at the time, he became more convinced that the unrest in jinzhou city was definitely not as simple as it appeared on the surface. however, liang sheng felt more at ease because of this; since this was the case, it meant that all the parties were jockeying for power and they were certainly not eyeing him, the waste. after all, during the previous unrest in jinzhou city when the no-life sect did not bother him, why would they care about him now, when it was almost time for the final decisive battle? moreover, liang sheng himself now had some confidence that, even in the event of an accident, he now possessed a bit of the power to protect himself and he wouldnt be like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered. after several months of hard cultivation, unmoving ming king seal had finally advanced to the third layer. it took him full ten years to go from the second layer to the third layer. the talent of innocent foolishness, without the advantage of a high realm to cultivate from the beginning, was extremely slow to practice. however, the benefits brought by the breakthrough of the unmoving ming king seal were also astonishing. this is because his golden dragon technique was about to break through the eighth layer. that is to say, liang sheng was about to break through to the post-natal eighth level. at that time, his strength would rival wu chang and zheng wanchun. who else in the city could match him?! Chapter 26 26 chapter 26: post-natal eighth level translator: 549690339 outside the county government office. without the incitement and seduction of the no-life sect followers, the angry commoners, who had gathered together in the burning rage, were soon driven away after persuasion and deterrence by the constables and clerks. however, the situation at the gate was much bloodier in comparison, as the city guards directly drew their knives and killed people when they saw the commoners rushing towards them. under the bloody scene, those commoners who had been trying to break through the gate were frightened and collapsed to the ground. without the ringleaders of no-life sect hidden among the commoners, they were like scattered sand; they were only brought together by their immediate anger. therefore, under the forceful suppression of the county government office, the scattered commoners gathered resistance ended hastily. however, when such a violent uprising happens again, it may not be so easily suppressed by the county government. after all, when the commoners rise up again at that time, it means that they have no fear of death and think they have no chance of survival; otherwise, why would they gather again to make trouble? at this moment, in an ordinary residential house within jinzhou city, no one could imagine that it was a stronghold of the lifeless sect in the city. right now, yang laifa was discussing with several core members of the lifeless sect on how they should proceed next, but during their talk, someone finally couldnt endure it any longer. protector, with such a good opportunity this time, why did we suddenly withdraw halfway? we had the advantage, and it is a pity to give up so easily. wu youde was extremely frustrated. he had been responsible for most of the work to incite the commoners. it took a lot of effort to stir up their resentment, but he didnt expect yang laifa to give up so easily. youde, sit down first. jinzhou city is not our main area for spreading the teachings, so this time, our branch is making an all-out effort. now that our identities have been exposed, we must be extremely careful. jinshan temple is the local snakehead, and since xuan ji hasnt appeared, it means he might have really encountered unexpected situations. you dont need to worry. jinzhou city is a must-win for us, and as you said, we have the advantage, so waiting one more day wont delay our plans. of course, the efforts of you and the other brothers must not be ignored. tonight, i will go to find xuanji and ask him about the situation. if todays absence was due to just a hunch, then we will find another opportunity and directly break into the county government office. i can guarantee this together with my brothers. since yang laifa had already said this, it was not appropriate for wu youde to say anything more. after seeing that he had managed to appease them, yang laifa finally let out a sigh of relief. after all, he was under enormous pressure. their operation in jinzhou city was like a vanguard, with the big plans of the no-life sect at stake, which must be ensured to be foolproof. fortunately, their actions had been smooth recently, and the whole situation in jinzhou city was almost under their control. even the liang and wu families were retreating under the calculations of the holy sect. however, todays unexpected situation had indeed hurt morale; wu youde and the others were no exception as they harbored growing dissatisfaction. he had to take action to lift their spirits. so after appeasing these leaders, yang laifa cautiously went out alone to find xuan ji and ask for the reason behind his absence. if the other party couldnt give a satisfactory answer, he could only follow the wishes of the church members and take over jinzhou city as soon as possible; after all, he was also afraid that delays would lead to trouble. after yang laifa left, wu youde felt increasingly resentful, so he went out alone to find some brothers he trusted and took action directly. he couldnt let go of this breath, so he felt uncomfortable in his heart! night. outside liang shengs mansion. at this moment, several figures were hiding in the darkness, with their night-walking clothes almost blending into the night. boss, should we go back and think about it? after all, jinshan temple is the local snakehead, and the protector has many connections with them. shouldnt we wait a while? one of the men looked at wu youde and cautiously spoke up. today they had acted independently without the protectors knowledge, and for some reason, they felt uneasy in their hearts. no, the bald monks of jinshan temple are too arrogant. they think they can press us down by helping us a bit. what gives them the right? wu youde felt rather displeased when he thought about todays events. today was their prime opportunity to take over jinzhou city by inciting the people to forcefully break into the county government office. however, due to hongzhis interference, yang laifa was forced to halt the operation. wu youde had gone to great lengths to stir up the people. now, all his efforts were almost in vain. after yang laifa left, the more he thought about it, the more upset he became. but he didnt dare to defy the protectors orders and start conflicts with the monks of jinshan temple. otherwise, according to the rules of the church, he would certainly meet a terrible end. he was not afraid of death, and if it wasnt for the holy sect, he would have already become a pile of dried bones. however, he was afraid of being disgraced and expelled from the holy sect. he had long dedicated everything to the no-life holy mother, and for the cause of the holy sect, he was willing to do anything. so, since he couldnt openly oppose jinshan temple, he had to take some interest on his own, otherwise his heart would be unbalanced. he wanted to make hongzhi pay the price for stopping todays events. its alright. since that bald monk hongzhi is so protective of this useless person, lets kill him and let hongzhi taste what anguish is like. when we act later, move quickly and clean up the scene. dont leave any traces. with that said, he surveyed the surroundings and saw that there was no danger at all. he couldnt help but mock, this waste is indeed useless. the liang familys patrol team is not even coming here. otherwise, we wouldnt have been able to easily sneak in like this. the other three, hearing wu youdes firm statement, no longer hesitated. after all, as their boss said, it was just killing a useless personwho could trace it back to them? for a short while, the murderous intent in their eyes was unveiled. dont blame them for the death of this waste of the liang family. blame the bald monk hongzhi for spoiling the great event of the holy sect today. liang shengs residence. previously, liang sheng had sent away the servants for safety reasons. at this moment, he was hiding in a secret room in the artificial mountain, sitting cross-legged on the ground. he took a deep breath, slowly regained his composure, and began to practice the grand circulation, cultivating the golden dragon technique. time passed bit by bit during cultivation, and the internal energy in liang shengs body circulated faster and faster. finally, his body seemed to make a bang sound, but upon closer inspection, there was no sound. if someone could see through it, they would see that the internal energy in liang shengs body had grown more than a little. then, liang sheng suddenly opened his eyes, unable to hide the surprise in them. cultivating for ten years, today he finally broke through to the post-natal eighth level! his attribute panel also finally changed: name: liang sheng age: 47 talent: innocent foolishness (top-grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (eighth level), ten methods of health cultivation (eleventh level), unmoving ming king seal (third level) realm: martial artist postnatal eighth layer (1%) liang sheng felt the surging power within his body, and a wave of happiness rose in his heart. from today onwards, he finally had a bit of self-protection in jinzhou city. after all, how many people in jinzhou city were at the postnatal nine realms? only the liang family ancestor and the ancestor of wu family were openly known. however, he only allowed himself a brief moment of excitement before cooling down again, reminding himself not to become arrogant. he didnt have invincible strength yet and still needed to remain cautious and low-key. not to mention the future breakthrough in the health cultivation method that would greatly increase his lifespan, just right now, he still had eight hundred years of wealth and enjoyment ahead of him. just as liang sheng calmed his excitement, his ears twitched. after the breakthrough, his senses became even sharper. huh? why were there visitors at home? Chapter 27 27 chapter 27: courting death! translator: 549690339 liang shengs mansion. at this moment, wu youde led the way, and the others behind him hesitated no more. with a leap, they followed him into liang shengs mansion. however, there was not a single light on in the entire mansion at this time, causing wu youde to frown. he thought that even if liang familys trash was the target, the mansion shouldnt be so pitch-black, right? after all, he had heard that liang familys trash used to indulge in debauchery every night, so how could he go to sleep so early? but the doubts in wu youdes heart only flashed by for a moment. after all, it was just a matter of killing a useless person, so why think too much about it? brothers, lets kill the guards here first. remember, dont make a sound, otherwise, it wont be good to explain to the protector, said wu youde. yes, big brother, dont worry, the others replied. although wu youde and his group were full of confidence, they were still cautious, as this was their habit from years of fighting together. like a lion fighting a rabbit, they still needed to give it their all. when the time came to act, they would not make the mistake of underestimating their enemy. they reached the backyard and realized something was wrong. they didnt encounter a single person along the way. at this point, wu youde seemed to understand what was going on and couldnt help cursing softly, damn, this useless trash must really be looked down upon. even the guards in his house dare to slack off. brothers, lets settle this quickly. wu youde pointed at the surrounding rooms, and his men quickly split up. killing ordinary guards would be easy for them. however, as they sneakily entered the rooms, they found that there was not a single person inside. when they came out of the rooms, wu youde was dumbfounded. could it be true that this useless trash was so pitiful that he didnt have any guards in his house? wu youde couldnt help feeling puzzled. would the liang family really treat someone so harshly? but at this point, he had no choice but to continue with his plan regardless of why there were no guards. when wu youde stealthily entered the largest room, he could not hear anyone breathing, which made him tense. he could clearly see someone lying on the bed. feeling strange and wary, wu youde stabbed toward the person on the bed with his knife, but there was only a soft swish sound as the blade sunk into the bedding. what? there was no one there? wu youde couldnt help but lift the blanket and found that there was only a pillow under it! where had the person gone? while wu youde was still puzzled, he suddenly felt something was wrong. why was it so quiet outside? second son wu youde couldnt help calling out softly, but still, no one responded. in an instant, the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. at this moment, in the moonlight, the room gave him an eerie feeling. it was just the residence of a trash, so why would it be like this? at this point, he couldnt help but think that bald monk hongzhi had tried to stop him from coming here in the first place. had he known that something was amiss here? just as he was wavering in doubt, a faint voice suddenly sounded behind him, are you looking for them? who is it? wu youde suddenly turned around, but he only saw several of his men lying on the ground, their eyes full of horror, staring at the area behind him. what? behind him? in the blink of an eye, wu youde moved a step and spun his body around before he could even stand steady. a cold glint emitted from his hand as he struck out. wu youde acted so decisively that liang sheng almost couldnt react in time, but in the face of such strength, everything was in vain. before wu youde could react, he felt a huge force coming from the opponents palm wind, and then he flew out, spitting blood and filled with horror in his eyes. post-natal eighth level! who are you? at this moment, wu youde was only left with full of doubts in his heart. the lifeless sect had been plotting for jinzhou city for a long time, and naturally, they had collected comprehensive information about the local masters. however, he had no impression of the man in front of him. liang sheng didnt answer, but with a quick step, he came to wu youdes side, sealed his dumb acupoint, and instantly dislocated his bones and tendons while the internal energy pierced through wu youdes dantian. only then did liang sheng let go of his worries, sneering, you came to my house, and you still ask who i am? upon hearing this, wu youde couldnt help but widen his eyes, making a whooing sound in his mouth, his eyes full of disbelief. he couldnt believe that the rumored liang familys trash was actually a top-grade martial artist in the postnatal eighth-level realm. if this were to get out, the entire jinzhou city would probably be shocked. why did he want to provoke him? at this time, liang sheng put away his smile, his face cold. he asked, we have no vengeance, why did you come to kill me? liang sheng was indeed puzzled. after hearing the movement in the secret room, he cautiously investigated and confirmed that there was no danger before deciding to show himself. after all, wu youde was only in the postnatal seventh realm, and even if the others beside him were martial artists in the post-natal fivefold realm, they would pose no threat to him. in the path of martial arts, a single realm difference is like a gulf between heaven and earth! if it were before, he would never have dared to show himself, but now that he was in the post-natal eighth level, killing them would be as easy as killing a chicken. of course, he also had to interrogate if there was any mastermind behind them. however, liang sheng didnt directly ask wu youde but instead went to one of the no-life sect followers and helped him reconnect his bones. these peoples dantians had already been pierced by liang sheng, losing all their cultivation, and their hands and feet were dislocated as well. he couldnt understand why liang sheng was helping him reconnect his bones again. but the next moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, his body convulsing, and tears involuntarily flowing down. if it werent for the sealed dumb acupoint, he would have cried out. after that, liang sheng helped him reconnect his bones again, then dislocated them once more. after repeating this three times, the man was in so much pain that his excrement was involuntarily flowing. however, liang shengs eyes didnt change at all, and only when the man couldnt bear it any longer did he drag him to another room to inquire about the reason they came to kill him. the lifeless sect follower looked at liang shengs demonic face, and under such torture, how could he dare to conceal anything? after listening to the other sides story, liang shengs expression remained unchanged, but he hesitated inwardly. the opponent was actually from the lifeless sect. he could only hope that they hadnt lied, if they had, he would have no choice but to hide his name and escape from jinzhou city. although liang sheng was worried, he didnt show it on his face. after throwing that man back, he looked at another follower, who was terrified and nodding frantically. however, liang sheng didnt care about this at all. instead, he repeated the process of reconnecting the bones and dislocating them again, then dragged the other person into the other room for questioning. after doing the same to all the lifeless sect followers and questioning them one by one, he finally looked at wu youde, at this moment, wu youde was heartbroken, having lost all his cultivation and become a waste, what face did he have to live? but wu youde was wrong, he hadnt thought he had such backbone. it turned out that he was afraid of pain too. after his bones were forcibly dislocated nine times, wu youde finally couldnt take it anymore and told the whole story of why he wanted to kill liang sheng. after listening, liang sheng sighed with relief. it turned out that it wasnt because he had been exposed, but because of wu youdes personal actions. moreover, it was a solo action on the part of wu youde, and the other members of the lifeless sect didnt know about their action at all. he had questioned each of them several times, and now he could confirm that they were not lying, so he finally breathed a sigh of relief. since that was the case, there was no need to keep these people anymore. then wu youde and the others were killed by liang sheng with a single palm strike. however, at the time of their death, they all had a relieved expression on their faces. finally, they didnt have to suffer the torments of this demon anymore! Chapter 28 28 chapter 28: take action translator: 549690339 liang shengs mansion. looking at the corpses on the ground, liang sheng used the old routine of corpse dissolving powder to completely erase the traces of wu youde and the others. after confirming that there were no mistakes, he hid back in the secret room. it seemed that he needed to improve his combat experience in the future. if his strength wasnt stronger, he would have almost capsized in the gutter. thinking of wu youdes previous rapid reaction, he couldnt help but reflect in his heart that he couldnt achieve that level of reaction under crisis, which was formed by years of fighting. every technique in this world comes with its own method of attack and defense, and the golden dragon technique comes with the descending dragon palm. wu youde was defeated by his own palm strike. as for the unmoving ming king seal, he hadnt yet comprehended its method of attack and defense; and as for the health cultivation method, since it was for maintaining health, where would there be fighting and killing? liang sheng silently calculated his gains and losses this time, and he really hadnt expected that his previous safety was actually due to hongzhi secretly helping him. although jinshan temple indeed had its problems, this time they were just assisting in causing chaos, and the main troublemakers were the lifeless sect. fortunately, this time it was only wu youdes personal action, and the lifeless sect had no energy to deal with him, a waste. it was really good to be a waste, as no one paid attention to him, but people could pretend to be wastes, not really be wastes. just like tonight, if it werent for liang shengs breakthrough to the post-natal eighth level, he could only watch wu youde search for him with his eyes wide open, and not dare to show his face. if so, he would have brought countless troubles because of his disappearance, of course, he still needed to be cautious in the future, and see the situation in the next two days before discussing other matters. however, if there was a chance and he wouldnt be in danger, he would also take revenge, after all, wu youde was a member of the lifeless sect, and with a life and death enmity, how could he not take revenge? ah, he just wanted to have a peaceful life and live until the end of time, why do people always seek their own death? liang shengs way of dealing with people was simple: if he couldnt beat the opponent, he would submit; if he could beat them, he would fight back like slaughtering chickens and ducks, and dispute every penny! on the other side. at this moment, yang laifa was also somewhat angry, thinking that xuan ji did not show up today just because he didnt want to be too deeply involved. jinshan temple only took the responsibility of guiding the way and did not participate in any subsequent actions, so xuan ji had hongzhi make up an excuse to excuse himself today. how ridiculous that he believed it at the time. the more yang laifa thought about it, the angrier he became, thinking about his retreat from the battle this time, he felt that he couldnt live up to the efforts of his brothers in the sect, and couldnt help but feel even more guilty. however, when he returned to the base, he didnt see wu youde. at first, he didnt care, thinking that wu youde had just gone out to relax. but when wu youde still didnt show up the next morning, he had a vague feeling that something was wrong. after all, the rules of the lifeless sect were strict, and he couldnt possibly be away overnight. there was a problem! this was yang laifas first thought, could it be that wu youde was acting on his own and leaked his whereabouts and was arrested by jinzhou city? but last night was extremely quiet, and if wu youde caused trouble, there would be no movement. he immediately sent someone to look for him, but there was still no news of wu youde. whats worse was that wu youdes men had also disappeared, which made yang laifa feel even more regretful. when plotting against jinzhou city, the situation he feared most was an uncontrollable situation. he didnt know why, but he became increasingly dissatisfied with xuan ji. if it werent for him, the trouble would have been carried out smoothly yesterday, so where would there be todays problems? yang laifa did not know the specific situation at the moment, so he could only remain silent. however, just in case, he quickly moved with the core members of the lifeless sect, but left a spy nearby. he still had a glimmer of hope that wu youde could return safely, but the probability was already almost impossible. afterwards, the followers of the lifeless sect secretly investigated, but there was still no news of wu youde, and thus, another two days passed. over the past few days, yang laifa could no longer suppress the emotions of his brethren in the sect. after all, the armies were fighting, and he could not wait any longer. regardless of wu youdes situation, yang laifa had to make a decision now, otherwise, untoward changes might happen if its too late. yang laifa was filled with regret in his heart, but he didnt show any emotion on his face. as the leader of the lifeless sect in jinzhou city, he couldnt be affected by such feelings. fortunately, there had been some good news over the past two days C the common people in the city had become like a ticking bomb, just waiting for a fuse to ignite them. in the past, it was wu youde who was responsible for instigating the people. but now, yang laifa had to let someone else take over. when the sect members heard that yang laifa had finally decided to take action, they couldnt help but feel invigorated. at this time, a core member of the sect stood up and asked, protector, should we inform the xuan ji saint monk to join us? hearing this, yang laifas face turned sour. no need. they were only guides. we are responsible for everything else. hearing this, the others let out a sigh of relief. they were finally free of the hindrances that impeded their progress. in fact, not only wu youde was dissatisfied with the previous operations failure. soon after yang laifa gave the order, hundreds of lifeless sect followers dispersed and gathered the common people again in no time. this time around, the common people had completely lost hope and acted even more brutally than before. they carried weapons C knives and even rolling pins. yang laifa observed from a hidden position and couldnt help but feel a bit delighted inside. the peoples will could be harnessed, and this slightly alleviated his depression from the past few days. now, the common people didnt split into two groups C they directly rushed towards the city gate. after all, their demand was simple: they wanted to leave the city to look for food so as not to starve to death. yang laifa was not worried that the jinzhou county government office would sit idly by. they had most likely already received the news and reinforcements were heading to the city gate. the alliance between the liang and wu families and the government could not ignore this crisis. they must act C after all, the holy sect wanted their lives, and they had no other choice but to join forces. however, amidst the joy, yang laifa was still somewhat uneasy. previously, they had indeed killed the county chief, but their identities had not been exposed. he didnt know who was plotting in the dark. furthermore, with wu youdes disappearance, yang laifa was naturally uneasy. but he still forcefully suppressed these emotions because now was not the time to think about such things. as yang laifa expected, constables and clerks from the county ya catcher and members of the gentry families were already on guard at the city gate. the confrontation between the people and the guards caused some unrest. but this time, it was different C members of the lifeless sect had infiltrated the crowd, and the common people were already linked together. at that moment, a man emerged from the city gate, and it was jinzhous catcher, zheng wan chun, who stepped forward. ill give you one last chance C go home now, and the county office will let bygones be bygones. otherwise, youll be killed without mercy! there was some commotion among the crowd, but at this moment, a man charged out with a vegetable knife in his hand. i just want to live! what have i done wrong? the knife was swung, but before the man reached zheng wan chun, he was met with a cold, sharp blade, and then his head fell to the ground. the blood spurted half a meter away, but instead of scaring the common people, it aroused their fighting spirit. we would die if we dont leave. charge, everyone! in an instant, the people swarmed towards the constables and clerks, looking crazed. zheng wan chun wore a serious expression and didnt hesitate to wave his hand. kill! in a matter of moments, the entire area around the city gate fell into chaos. yang laifa, watching from a distance, couldnt help but feel a sense of determination. success! Chapter 29 - Chapter 29: Chapter 29: Ancestor’s Demise chapter 29: chapter 29: ancestors demise city gate. at this moment, it had become a slaughterhouse. what was originally the government s role of protecting the people had now turned into a role of executioner, turning their butcher knives towards the people. on the city tower, xia zhiqius face showed no expression while liang ying and wu chang stood behind him. at this time, xia zhiqiu spoke without looking back. the two of you, the next act is about to begin. liang ying and wu chang nodded in response. over the years, the no-life sect had massacred countless families, leaving no possibility for negotiation between them. below the city tower, corpses were already strewn all over the place, and the people had no resistance against the powerful forces. on the other side. the no-life sect followers saw the advantageous situation unfolding in front of them and became eager to make a move, protector, shall we make our move now? not yet. lets wait and see. yang laifa wasnt in a hurry. he wanted to use this peoples rebellion to observe the situation in jinzhou city at this moment and make a decision later. when the family juniors of the liang and wu households joined in the slaughter of rhe people, the scene below the city rower became even more bloody. yang laifa saw the miserable situation of rhe people and finally revealed a smile, alright, its time for our warriors to take action. yes, protector! the core members of the no-life sect had been eager and became excited when they finally heard yang laifas order. they quickly summoned the church members and headed towards the city gate. no-life holy mother, rhe hometown of emptiness, the descent of rhe white lotus, and rhe enlightenment of the paradise. at some point, the no-life sect followers rushed out from all directions, shouting slogans and charged towards the city gate. their target was clear, instantly attacking the constables and the others from the county government office. soon, everyone was blinded by their murderous rage, even the people had hatred on their faces and followed the no-life sect followers in action. these damn constables killed their own friends and family right before their eyes. if they didnt let them live, then let them die! at this moment, zheng wanchuns face changed once again, but he secretly let out a sigh of relief. the no-life sect had finally made their move, and he wasnt fearful in the slightest, leading the constables and the family juniors of the liang and wu households to fight head-on. however, zheng wanchun quickly met his match, and his opponents showed no mercy when gaining power. several high-level martial arts masters attacked him together. for a short while, there were sword lights everywhere, and the killing never stopped. above the city gate, xia zhiqiu couldnt help but slightly smile. the two patriarchs, its up to you now. liang ying and wu chang looked at each other and nodded. the next moment, the three of them rushed down from the city tower. the person who had not shown up for a long time was liang fing. as the former patriarch of the liang family, a post-natal eighth level practitioner, he was the main force in this battle. moreover, the ancestor had instructed him to ensure liang yings safety. sheriff zheng, dont panic, were here to help you.11 at this point, zheng wanchun was in imminent danger. he hadnt expected the no-life sect to invest so heavily in this battle, with two post-natal eighth level practitioners attacking him together. if it werent for the fact that they were afraid of being severely injured in a desperate counterattack before he died, he would have already been killed. fortunately, the arrival of wu chang and liang ping allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief. after all, he wasnt afraid of facing any of them in a one-on-one match. with this thought, he used all his strength to repel the opponents and then retreated to join wu chang and liang ping. they looked at each other, and although they didnt speak, their understanding of each other was perfect. in an instant, they began fighting against the enemies. as for liang ying, he stayed to the side to fight. wu chang did not say anything. although liang ying was a gifted child, he was still at the seventh level. but at this moment, the faces of the three people, zheng wanchun, suddenly changed, and in the next moment, a great pressure, like mount tai, instantly bore down on them. it happened so fast that the three of them retreated simultaneously. the no-life sects post-natal eighth level masters, however, were reinvigorated. the protectors divine power! it turned out that it was yang laifa who made the move himself. as soon as he appeared, zheng wanchun and the others felt a tightness in their hearts. liang yings color changed, and he immediately shouted. please, ancestor, make a move! the next moment, the entire battlefield suddenly fell silent. everyone felt a tightness in their hearts. then they saw two white-haired old men, as if strolling leisurely in a courtyard, appearing on the battlefield. zheng wanchun and the others saw this and a flash of joy appeared on their faces. with the two ancestors making a move, it would be difficult for this protector of the lifeless sect to hold on by himself. however, in the next moment, they suddenly opened their eyes wide, as yang laifa did not retreat but advanced, taking the initiative to attack the two ancestors. old fools with one foot in the grave, how dare you boast in front of me. in an instant, yang laifa began to fight with the two ancestors, and the result was unexpected. facing both of them, he actually responded with ease and even seemed to have the upper hand. at this moment, zheng wanchun and the others could only retreat, as the aftermath of rhe battle between yang laifa and the two ancestors caused their internal energy to waver. if they got any closer, they were afraid that their lungs would burst. the nine levels of the postnatal realm, so terrifying. the next moment, zheng wanchun and the others couldnt afford to care about the ancestors of the liang and wu families anymore, as the followers of the lifeless sect stormed in once again. at the top of the city gate, xia zhiqiu narrowed his eyes, not knowing what he was thinking about. however, he only watched the situation calmly, unmoved. five miles away, another person was also sighing at the extreme danger of jifizhou city. it was none other than liang sheng. these two peaceful days had put his mind at ease until todays commotion in the city. worried, he hid in a safe place to observe the situation. seeing the might of the lifeless sect, especially yang laifa holding off both the elders of the liang and wu families, he could not help but sigh that even within the nine levels of the postnatal realm, there were differences. the strength of the lifeless sect was indeed astonishing, with as many as five people at the post-natal eighth level, making one sigh in wonder. seeing that the ancestors of the liang and wu families were entangled and were even showing signs of defeat, liang sheng couldnt understand why. however, he felt that things couldnt be that simple. with the nature of the government and noble families, how could they dare to tangle with the lifeless sect in this situation? these people were among those who cherished their lives the most. just then, the liang family ancestor suddenly forced back yang laifa with all his strength, and then yelled, lord xia, is it not time to send the signal? yang laifa was obviously taken aback, and then pulled back some strength. however, nothing happened next, and the expressions of the two elders from the liang and wu families changed immediately. although yang laifa didnt know what had happened, he wouldnt miss a good opportunity, you two old immortals, go to hell! the next moment, an overwhelming power burst from yang laifas body, and the ancestors of the liang and wu families were completely pale, their faces flushed red, as if they had used all their strength. however, at this moment, yang laifa had already gone all-in. he seized the mistake of the two ancestors relaxation and mercilessly pressed on. in an instant, the surroundings within dozens of meters of the three were filled with flying sand and stones. whether it was the followers of the lifeless sect or the constables, clerks, and family juniors, they were all instantly killed upon contact. xia zhiqiu, i won t let you go even when 1 become a ghost! suddenly, a miserable cry uttered from the mouth of the liang family ancestor. it turned out that yang laifa had taken the blow from the liang family ancestor on his right arm and forcefully slapped him in the chest. the liang family ancestors chest collapsed instantly, his internal energy surged, and he died on the spot! immediately after, yang laifa suffered another blow from the ancestor of wu family, unable to stop himself from spitting blood. however, he didnt retreat but advanced, punching the ancestor of wu family in the temple, causing his skull to shatter on the spot! at the next moment, yang laifa couldnt help but howl to the sky, today, the noble families and government of jinzhou city will all die! it seemed like a long time had passed, but in reality, it was just a dozen breaths. the life-and-death battle of rhe nine levels of the postnatal realm was incredibly fierce. liang ping, liang ying, and wu chang had not yet reacted to what had just happened, but at this moment they couldnt help but be dumbfounded, and then filled with rage. their ancestor had actually fallen here, and county lord xia zhiqiu had deceived everyone!? at the next moment, a signal flare flew high into the sky from the city gate tower, and then the sound of horseshoes reverberated throughout the battlefield. they saw the gates of jinzhou city open wide, and countless golden-armored knights appeared before their eyes. seeing the emblem on their chest plates, the previously triumphant yang laifas face changed involuntarily. dragon suppression guard!1 Chapter 30 - Chapter 30: Chapter 30: A Hundred-Year-Old Noble Family? Just Servants! chapter 30: chapter 30: a hundred-year-old noble family? just servants! translator: 549690339 five miles away from the city gate battlefield. at this moment, liang sheng sees the unexpected deaths of the liang and wu families ancestors and cannot help but be dumbfounded, because he never imagined such a dramatic outcome. these were the postnatal nine realms ancestors of the liang and wu families, the unshakable foundation of the two families, and they died so cleanly and neatly now. moreover, judging from the furious roar of the liang family ancestor before his death, it seems that both the liang and wu families were deceived by the authorities. otherwise, with the temperaments of these two ancestors, how could they not escape when facing defeat and be killed by yang laifa? later, when the governors dragon suppression guard appeared, liang sheng could only shake his head with a bitter smile, making up his mind not to provoke the officials without absolute strength. heart too dark! he now understands the meaning of the liang family ancestors words to xia zhiqiu to send a signal before, so this was the back-up plan agreed upon by the county government office and them. the dragon suppression guard, the foremost elite army in the governors mansion, is only allowed to join if they have reached the postnatal eighth level or above, making them the elite of the elite. no wonder the liang and wu families cooperated so well with the county government office before, as they had the dragon suppression guard as their backup, how could they not have confidence? rumor has it that a regular dragon suppression guard army of fifty soldiers can take on high-level martial arts, and there are far more than fifty of them at the city gate battlefield at this moment. if they form a battle formation, given their numbers at this moment, even the notable experts at the nine realms might perish here. as liang sheng can think of these things, so can yang laifa, whose joy of killing the liang and wu families ancestors earlier has long since vanished. although he seemed to effortlessly kill the two postnatal ninth layer experts, he had also suffered internal injuries, losing 70% of his battle strength. retreat! yang laifa instantly judged that the situation was unfavorable for them and ordered a retreat directly, causing the no-life sect followers to immediately disperse and flee in all directions. but with the meticulous planning of the authorities, how could they just watch them escape? immediately afterwards, the no-life sect followers did not run far before numerous city guards emerged from all directions, blocking them in place. at this moment, liang ping, wu chang, and the third person were enraged, but just then, zheng wanchun suddenly whispered: you two patriarchs, you wouldnt want to go against our county government office, would you? the three were taken aback, and then they saw that they were surrounded by the dragon suppression guard in the middle. for a short while, they did not know how to speak. at this moment, xia zhiqiu had already come down from the city tower and directly walked in front of the three. gentlemen, 1 apologize, i was a little shaky earlier due to the tense situation, and thats why i was slow, otherwise the two ancestors wouldnt have died. but at the end of the day, this all happened because the lifeless sect committed wrongs. if they hadnt attacked my jinzhou city, there wouldnt have been such a tragedy, would there? shaky hands? slow speed? probably not even a three-year-old would believe it! but at this moment, the dragon suppression guard was present, and they believed that as long as their next words were wrong, they would face their endless attacks. wu chang and liang ping smiled helplessly, and although liang ying had red eyes, he was the first to speak up at this time. county lord, after capturing the no-life sect followers, i would like to take action personally to avenge our ancestor. xia zhiqiu immediately nodded: of course, this can be done, dragon suppression guards, listen to the command, immediately form a formation to strangle the lifeless sect leaders. yes! the next moment, all the dragon suppression guards formed battle formations in groups of three and cooperated with the external city guards to encircle the no-life sect followers unyieldingly. yang laifa knew it was bad, but facing such a situation, there was only one way to make a life-and-death struggle. earlier, our holy sect had the upper hand, but how could the situation have shifted so dramatically in such a short while? at this moment, the no-life sects core members who were in the martial arts superior state were gathered around yang laifa, watching the dragon suppression guard press in closer and closer, unconsciously clenching their fists. at this moment, the dragon suppression guard displayed no flaws, and after forming their army, the strength of each person was connected, gradually devouring the no-life sect followers. yang laifa tried to break through the encirclement but found that he could barely withstand the attack of several hundred dragon suppression guards. dragon suppression guard, true to their name, dayans dogs proved to be skilled; with their attack this time, countless lifeless sect followers laid motionless on the ground. seeing the battle going so smoothly, zheng wanchun couldnt control his excitement and waved his hand, county lord, the mission is accomplished. hearing this, the corners of xia zhiqius mouth slightly curved upwards, but he didnt utter a word. on the other side, wu chang and liang ping communicated with their eyes. with the dragon suppression guard gone, leaving only zheng wanchun, now seemed the best opportunity to exact their revenge. they wondered whether they should seize xia zhiqiu. while they hesitated, liang ying seemed to have thought of something and suddenly went in front of liang ping, county lord, please avenge my ancestor; from then on, the liang family will follow your lead. taken aback, liang ping hadnt yet reacted when xia zhiqiu unexpectedly smiled, liang familys genius, your reputation is well-deserved; youve reached the post-natal eighth level C why hide it? liang yings face changed, and before liang ping and wu chang could react, xia zhiqius aura suddenly erupted, and he dashed toward yang laifa. unable to help themselves, liang ping and wu chang slumped to the ground, their eyes filled with shock and fear as they looked at xia zhiqiu, with only relief remaining in their hearts. postnatal nine realms! county lord xia zhiqiu, unexpectedly, was in the postnatal nine-realm! only now did they understand why liang ying had acted as such. at this moment, zheng wanchun, who stood nearby, suddenly used his internal energy to speak loudly, and the entire battlefield could hear him clearly. the lifeless sect has harmed our jinzhou people; the county government offices dianshi, secretary, and other officials have fallen in their line of duty. today, the liang and wu family ancestors have died heroically while fighting for jinzhou city. the county lord wont let the meritorious peoples blood be shed in vain; from now on, wu chang will take over as county government offices dianshi, liang ping will be the secretary, and liang ying will be the countys chief. gentlemen, your chance to distinguish yourselves is right now. follow the county lord with me to eliminate the rebels C kill! the first to react from the astonishment of having his realm exposed earlier was liang ying, my subordinate will always follow the county lord C kill the treacherous lifeless sect! with bitter expressions, liang ping and wu chang could only wonder why they were in this predicament; from now on, the liang and wu families would be reduced to mere slaves of the county government office C how did it come to this? however, a glimmer of hope emerged in liang pings heart. with liang ying having broken through to the postnatal eighth level, it seemed that their familys prodigy still stood a chance! not far away, xia zhiqiu stared intently at the cornered yang laifa, with only one thought in his mind C it was time to end this farce. not far away. liang shengs heart couldnt help pounding; xia zhiqiu was actually a postnatal ninth layer expert. the situation in jinzhou city these past few months played out in his mind, and he couldnt help but marvel at how things had turned out. so, the ultimate fisherman turned out to be xia zhiqiu; the liang and wu families and the lifeless sect were like clams fighting while the fisherman reaped the benefits. at this moment, he no longer needed to see how the final outcome would unfold, knowing the lifeless sect was doomed. from this day on, the jinzhou city county government office would reign supreme. it even occurred to him that perhaps the reason xia zhiqiu had left the liang and wu families intact was because jinzhou city needed their help in handling situations the city government couldnt tackle alone, allowing them to bear the burden. moreover, beneath the county lord as county officials were liang ping as dianshi, liang ying as secretary, and wu chang, who could all vie for power against each other. this game of mutual restraint was played disgustingly well, leaving the liang and wu families no choice but to swallow the bitter pill. from that day on, jinzhou city would fall under the jurisdiction of the county government office; the towering families that had stood in the city for centuries would be reduced to mere slaves. on the surface, however, the liang family could still prosper and grow, and liang sheng found solace in the fact that he could continue to live out his days in mediocrity. with that thought, liang sheng lost interest in the battlefield outcome. a cunning strategist like xia zhiqiu would hardly leave any loose ends for the lifeless sect to escape with their lives. thereafter, liang sheng sneaked back to his mansion, completely undetected due to the concealment of his attribute panel. as he left, he glanced towards the left direction with a mysterious smile playing on his lips. in that direction, abbot xuanji of the discipline hall in jinshan temple was pale and overwhelmed with relief, thankful for his cautiousness in not taking action alongside the lifeless sect; otherwise, he would have faced an early death. he had to advise the abbot to be all the more cautious in their future operations.. xia zhiqiu, the jinzhou city county master, was utterly terrifying! Chapter 31 - Chapter 31: Chapter 31: When Should One Die”? chapter 31: chapter 31: when should one die? translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. by this time, it has been eight years since the lifeless sects rebellion, and the people in the city seem to have forgotten that terrible uprising. after the county government office cracked down on the rebellion, the people received compensation from the office, and those who had participated in the rebellion were pardoned. the county master even apologized deeply to the people, handing out compensation one by one, and the people continuously praised the green sky lord for his kindness. it seemed as if everything had been instigated by the no-life evil cult, which was the main cause of the misery in jinzhou city. fortunately, the county government office officials were discerning and purged the no-life evil cult, giving the people a peaceful world. on the night the rebellion was suppressed, the heads of yang laifa and other core members of the lifeless sect were hung high at the entrance of the market. death to the rebellious evil cult! thus, the biggest crisis in jinzhou city in recent decades came to an end, and none of the common people knew that the situation in jinzhou city had fundamentally changed since then. although the liang and wu families still seemed to be in a high position, they were actually helpless, and without the deterrence of the ancestor, they had become servants of the government office. the generous compensation promised by the county government office to the common people was actually borne by their two families, with xia zhiqiu merely giving orders, while they had to bite the bullet and drain their family assets. since then, liang ping, the former patriarch of the liang family who had followed the ancestor in closed-door cultivation to breakthrough to the post-natal ninth level, began to handle official duties at the government office and had no free time. liang and wu families knew that this was actually a temporary solution, but what could they do when the executioners knife was in xia zhiqius hands? after all, it was better to linger on than to be exterminated, and the only one to blame was their own insatiable greed, which was seduced by xia zhiqiu. if the gao family was still there, it wouldnt have come to this. after all, they were a family with two post-natal ninth level masters, and even xia zhiqiu wouldnt dare to mess with them. when they wiped out the gao family, it was not only the ancestors of the liang and wu families who took action, xia zhiqiu also participated, killing the two post-natal ninth level masters of the gao family. it was precisely because of this that the ancestors of the liang and wu families chose to cooperate with the county government office in the face of the rebellion of the lifeless sect, full of confidence. after all, if a mighty family like the gao family with two post-natal ninth level masters could be destroyed, how could a mere branch of the lifeless sect cause any major turmoil? as it turned out, the liang and wu families also declined from this point on, and both their ancestors perished, becoming servants of the county government office. however, all this had nothing to do with liang sheng, whose life has become more leisurely than before, probably because sheriff zheng sees him as an old friend. the liang family had fallen, and because of zheng wanchuns influence, their attitudes towards liang sheng also changed, but luckily, liang sheng still treated people as warmly as before, with no changes to his behavior. sometimes, liang sheng couldnt help but mock himself, wondering if this was considered riding on someone elses coattails, as having zheng wanchun around made his later years much smoother than he had imagined. now, looking at the energetic zheng wanchun, who would think that he had already passed the age of sixty, while liang sheng, only 55 years old, already appeared to be in the twilight of his life. sheriff zheng, 1 truly envy you martial artists who achieve success and have a long lifespan. unlike me, who is like a decayed piece of wood, i dont even know if i can make it past the age of sixty. over the past few years, zheng wanchun had often visited shengde building, and perhaps because liang sheng was a waste, their interaction had become less utilitarian. as liang sheng watched himself grow older step by step, he couldnt help but feel a sense of melancholy. after all, they had been friends for decades, so how could there be no feelings between them? however, he wasnt coy, brother sheng, who said that achieving martial arts success means having a long life? zheng wanchun still used his old address for liang sheng, who was taken aback, as the words he had just spoken were not meant to flatter zheng wanchun. after all, those who reach the post-natal ninth level had a lifespan of up to 120 years, which was recorded by the liang and wu families. seeing liang sheng so confused, zheng wanchun could easily figure out what he was thinking. it seems you really dont know that breaking through the post-natal realm in martial arts does not increase ones lifespan. it simply allows you to maintain a decent appearance before you die a natural death. as for why the lifespan of a top-level martial artist in the postnatal ninth realm can reach 120 years, its because they have no hope of breaking through, and they practice the health cultivation method afterwards. however, before reaching the end of their lifespan and losing hope for the future, who would be willing to practice such a useless health cultivation method? the path of martial arts is extremely difficult, its just that your martial arts talent, brother sheng, is really zheng wanchun didnt finish his sentence, but liang sheng naturally understood the implicit meaning. in the past, he had collected health cultivation techniques, but now he still looked like this, which could only mean his talent was extremely mediocre. he couldnt even master the health cultivation methods, otherwise, why would he be in this situation? zheng wanchuns words also cleared up liang shengs confusion since his lifespan hadnt increased when he broke through the postnatal eighth level. so that was the reason. at this time, zheng wanchun seemed to be in the mood for talking, partly because liang sheng was his close friend, and partly because liang sheng seemed to have little time left, so there wasnt much need for restraint in his words. however, if one can break through to the innate realm, achieve the status of a martial arts grandmaster, their lifespan can break through the limit of 120 years, even more. in addition to practicing health cultivation techniques, they can live at least 150 years. its because of the existence of innate realm protectors that the dayan dynasty has been able to endure to this day and remain prosperous. if it wasnt for the slippery no-life evil cult, they would have been destroyed long ago. innate! liang sheng narrowed his eyes when he heard this; this was the first time he had heard specific information about martial arts innate realm from someone other than in a storybook collection. he laughed at this moment, then i wish sheriff zheng good luck in reaching the innate realm. if that really happens, you have to come to my grave to tell me, so 1 can brag in the underworld. hearing liang shengs amusing words, zheng wanchun laughed out loud first, but then shook his head, i have no hope for the innate realm. im not yet sixty years old, and 1 havent reached the postnatal ninth level. theres no hope for the innate realm! on the contrary, the liang family master has hope for breaking through to the innate realm. i didnt expect that despite his busy official duties, he could still break through the postnatal eighth level. he truly deserves to be a martial arts prodigy. zheng wanchun was talking about liang ying, who broke through the postnatal eighth level at the age of forty. if it werent for xia zhiqiu pointing it out, no one might have noticed. therefore, liang yings talent makes breaking through the postnatal ninth level before the age of sixty not entirely impossible. zheng wanchun and liang sheng chatted and laughed for a while, then said goodbye and left. however, there was some uncertainty in liang shengs eyes. just now, zheng wanchuns words seemed to praise liang ying highly, but the county government office probably already considered him a major hidden threat. with xia zhiqius character, liang yings attempt to break through to the postnatal ninth level might lead to his downfall. but what does all this have to do with liang sheng? in a few years, he would find an opportunity to die of natural causes and be free from the constraints of jinzhou city. what did jinzhou city have to do with him? in recent years, liang sheng has become increasingly wary of xia zhiqiu. with his intelligence and cultivation, how could he be content with just being the jinzhou city county master? however, he has stayed in jinzhou city all these years, and the reason must be extraordinary. liang sheng didnt dare to investigate it carefully. master. just as liang sheng got up and left shengde building, a clever young man appeared in front of him, looking somewhat similar to ma san. ma san had passed away a few years ago, and liang sheng, in memory of his many years of loyalty, took ma sans son ma xiaoliu under his wing. xiaoliu, lets go home. yes. the horse carriage moved leisurely towards liang shengs mansion. in recent years, liang sheng had gradually reduced his visits to yichun building, fearing that he would draw attention from others. of course, it was also possible that no one would pay attention to him, as he was just a wastrel. nonetheless, being cautious wouldnt do any harm. however, he should start thinking about when the time to die should come.. Chapter 32 - Chapter 32: Chapter 32: Old Friends Reunite chapter 32: chapter 32: old friends reunite translator: 549690339 considering how one should die might be a fools idea to others, but for liang sheng, it was indeed a real problem. after all, his lifespan was extremely long, and even an innate grandmaster of martial arts merely had 150 years. his lifespan, on the other hand, was many times that. in the past eight years, although liang sheng had not made any breakthroughs in his realm, his health cultivation method had finally broken through to the twelfth layer. name: liang sheng age: 55 talent: innocent foolishness (top grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (eighth layer), ten methods of health cultivation (twelfth layer), unmoving ming king seal (third layer) realm: martial artist postnatal eighth layer (33%) each breakthrough in the health cultivation method granted him an additional sixty years to his lifespan, adding up to a total of 600 years. so by now, his lifespan had already exceeded that of a king in a thousand years. if he remained careful and prudent, he could live up to 1,400 years, and genuinely be considered an antique. however, at his advanced age of fifty-five, it was time for him to think about his own future. he couldnt wait longer than seventy years at the latest. after all, even his second uncle liang qiang only lived until sixty-seven. he was indulgent in wine and lust, and if he lived too long, there might be some trouble. so it was better for him to die earlier. in this way, nobody would care about him anymore. whether his feigned death would be discovered by others was not even a concern for him. among the health cultivation methods he practiced, one was called the turtle breath technique, which was best at controlling breath and internal energy in order to prolong life. with his current unprecedented twelfth layer of the turtle breath technique, feigning death and stopping his breath and internal energy for a few days was easier than ever. so he was just troubled by when he should choose to die, and there were no other difficulties. and according to his estimation, if there were no accidents, he would need more than ten years to make a breakthrough to the postnatal nine-realm. anyway, even if he could make a breakthrough to the postnatal nine-realm, by then he would have exceeded the age at which he had estimated he should fake his death. this was why he hesitated about when to die. liang sheng was quietly calculating in his heart, while the horse carriage he was riding gradually entered the liang family main mansion area. from time to time, some of the liang familys younger generation saw his carriage and actively gave way to let him pass first. ma xiaoliu had long been used to this situation. if his father, ma san, were still alive, he would probably be shocked by it. after all, when had their young master ever held such a position in the liang family? times had changed, the liang family was no longer the tycoon of jinzhou as it once was. liang sheng had a relationship with zheng wanchun, so even if the liang familys younger generation didnt respect him, they didnt dare to say a word at this time. after returning home, liang sheng drank a bowl of porridge with some pickles and stopped eating. he went back to his room, as the older one gets, the worse their appetite becomes. then, as usual, he began practicing the zhou tian cultivation technique. he didnt know when the unmoving ming king seal technique would break through to the fourth layer. if that happened, the time it would take for him to break through to the postnatal nine-realm would be greatly reduced. however, he didnt think too much about it and let nature take its course, gradually entering deep meditation during his cultivation. there was nothing to say about the following night. early the next day, liang sheng set out for the shengde building. as an elder, he required less sleep, unlike young people who never seemed to get enough. however, just as he stepped into the shengde building, a surprised voice suddenly rang out from behind him, brother sheng! upon hearing this, liang sheng was slightly startled. he turned around and looked outside the tavern, only to see a young man supporting an old man with white hair and beard, looking at him with surprise in their eyes. just by giving it a little thought, liang sheng matched the other party with someone from his memory, and a flash of surprise passed through his eyes. brother rong! when did you return to jinzhou? it turned out that the person who arrived was none other than zhang rongjun, who had left home to take over the family business many years ago. unexpectedly, after so many years, they could still meet again. at this moment, zhang rongjun pushed away the young man who was helping him, quickened his pace, and walked to liang sheng with excitement. sheng, its been a long time. you look even older than me. you were no match for me when we were young, he said. after saying that, he seemed to remember something and quickly turned to the young man next to him and said, you little brat, hurry up and pay your respects to your uncle liang! then, he introduced the young man to liang sheng, this is my useless son, yuntai. from now on, i will retire in jinzhou city, and the family business will be handed over to him. zhang yuntai solemnly saluted liang sheng at this moment, his bow almost reaching 90 degrees. liang sheng took a look and couldnt help but joke, brother rong, your son is much more handsome than you. of course, how could my seed be bad? at this point, the two men had calmed down a bit. liang sheng took zhang rongjun and his son to sit down in a private room, as there were not many people he could talk to like this after so many years. zhang yuntai carefully accompanied them on the side, feeling very unfamiliar with everything after returning to jinzhou city with his father. after all, zhang rongjun had been traveling for business outside for many years, getting married and having children all in other places, and never had the time to come back. now that zhang rongjun had returned to his hometown, zhang yuntai was able to visit the zhang familys ancestral home for the first time, but it was still somewhat dilapidated despite having servants to take care of it. this situation made zhang rongjun somewhat sentimental, but today he was full of excitement, which was also the first time zhang yuntai had seen his father so emotional. at this moment, zhang rongjun seemed to return to his youth, and even began to talk about their past embarrassing moments, such as when he was in yichun building, got drunk, and fell into the pool, looking utterly awkward. liang sheng and zhang rongjun became more and more excited as they talked, and then burst into laughter. when the laughter stopped, zhang rongjun looked at the aged liang sheng and couldnt help feeling a bit sentimental. sheng, how did you become so old-looking? werent you always practicing the lifespan cultivation technique? liang sheng didnt care, stay calm. were all old now. my old servant ma san has been dead for six years. we need to be content with what we have. life and death is a topic no one can avoid. zhang rongjun nodded, thats true; life is short. why did 1 struggle so hard initially? sheng, i dont plan to leave this time, and i dont want yun tai to travel for business anymore. its too bitter and rootless. whats the use of earning so much money? its better to be contented and happy, so this time 1 plan to take over a teahouse, and yun tai can make a living from it in the future. upon hearing this, liang sheng agreed, thats a good thing. after all, you can now live a stable life in jinzhou city and wont starve to death. of course not, after all, this is your nephew. i just need you to take care of this young man more in the future. with that, zhang rongjun kicked zhang yuntai, who quickly followed suit without any hesitation, kowtowing to liang sheng once more. at first, liang sheng was surprised, but then pretended not to care and didnt avoid it, get up, my nephew. your father and i are old friends, so its no wonder hes been so cooperative today. when your teahouse opens, i will bring all the regular customers from the tavern to support your business, and you will establish yourself in jinzhou city. arent you going to toast to thank your uncle liang? although liang sheng was considered a waste in the liang family, he was still a member of the family. zhang rongjun only wanted to peacefully run his business, and with liang shengs help, there would be a lot less trouble. liang sheng naturally understood zhang rongjuns intentions but didnt care. this was human nature, and all he had to do was help. just then, there was a knock on the door of the private room, and zhang rongjuns servant rushed in, boss, theres trouble at the teahouse. what? Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33: Burning Incense and Worshiping Buddha chapter 33: chapter 33: burning incense and worshiping buddha translator: 549690339 shengde building. zhang rongjun and his father hastily said their goodbyes. zhang rongjun glanced at liang sheng and saw that he had no intention of following them, so he left directly. so many years have passed, and liang sheng hasnt changed a bit. the reason liang sheng hasnt followed is simple enough: if the other party cant solve the problem, they will naturally come looking for him. as for whether he would help or not, that would depend on the situation. liang sheng has always been clear-headed these years. he could talk about emotions but not let himself fall into danger. later, liang sheng returned to the private room, fetched a pot of wine, and asked the kitchen to cook a few more dishes. then he drank alone. just then, the manager old duan hurriedly arrived, boss, the liang family has requested that we prepare some vegetarian food. the patriarch plans to go to jinshan temple to worship and pray for blessings. huh? why go to worship again? didnt he go there half a month ago? forget it, do as the family instructs. yes, boss, well go prepare now. once old duan left, liang shengs eyes flashed with a sharp light. ever since two months ago, liang ying has been frequently visiting jinshan temple to offer incense. he didnt think much about it the first time since the liang family had many businesses, and occasionally burning incense and praying to buddha was nothing unusual. nothing to be surprised about. but this is already the second time this month that liang ying has gone to jinshan temple to burn incense and pray. such frequency is somewhat abnormal. although liang ying has become a puppet of the county government office, he is still an official of the county government on the surface. how could he be so free to visit jinshan temple frequently? moreover, liang sheng has lived in jinshan temple for a while in the past and knows some details about the temple, not to mention their connection with the no-life evil cult in jinzhou city eight years ago. jinshan temple is full of skilled masters. the more so, the more liang sheng respects and keeps his distance from them. he is also somewhat relieved that when he took refuge at jinshan temple years ago, he didnt have too much entanglement with the temple. but now liang ying is actively approaching jinshan temple, and there must be some schemes behind it. thinking about it, liang sheng cant help but feel uneasy in his heart. he just hopes that liang ying wont make any big commotion, or else he may have to find a coffin for himself and then fake his death to escape. after all, in liang shengs view, jinshan temple is much more terrifying than the no-life evil cult and yang laifa before. just as liang sheng had made up his mind to avoid provoking trouble, he saw zheng wanchun actually accompanying liang ying walking past the shengde building, heading towards jinshan temple together. this made him somewhat puzzled. he didnt expect that liang ying would be acting together with zheng wanchun, which meant that the outcome might be different from what he had thought. however, in the next moment, liang sheng put away all his curiosity. too much curiosity could be dangerous. jinshan temple. at this moment, master xuan nan, the chief of the reception hall, was standing at the entrance of the temple, gazing at the mountain road halfway up the mountain gate, as if waiting for someone. it wasnt long before a group of people appeared before his eyes. the leaders were liang ying and zheng wanchun. seeing this, xuan nan couldnt help but feel a chill in his heart. however, he still went up to greet them immediately, his hands clasped together, amitabha, how have you been lately, liang jushi? i dont know who this other jushi is? feigning ignorance of zheng wanchun, liang ying introduced him with a smile, this is my friend, surnamed zheng, who has come to accompany me in offering incense today. so, its zheng jushi. master xuan nan chanted a buddhist mantra with a smile and then led the way. liang ying signaled the liang familys servant to carry the vegetarian food, offerings, and incense money behind them. soon, they arrived at the daxiong treasure hall, and the liang familys servant quickly placed the vegetarian food and offerings on the altar, then threw the incense money into the merit incense burner. then, liang ying knelt on the cushion, closing his eyes in silent prayer, while xuan nan read the buddhist scriptures beside her. the smoke from the incense in front of the buddha statue swirled, accompanied by the chanting, making people feel inexplicably calm. although xuan nan had been reciting the scriptures, he was watching zheng wanchun out of the corner of his eye, as her behavior was a bit strange at this moment. after praying to the buddha, zheng wanchun seemed to be casually looking at the murals in the room, but he was actually staring intently at the little novice monk next to him. wondering what he intended to do, xuan nan, who was already feeling guilty, could not help but become even more cautious, especially since jinshan temple had its secrets and he was most afraid of people like zheng wanchun coming. however, under normal circumstances, there should be no major problems, as the general monks in jinshan temple did not know the internal situation. at this time, zheng wanchun finally stopped looking at the little novice monk beside him. his face was a bit ugly, and disappointment was evident in his eyes, but it was still noticed by xuan nan. what was going on? just then, a sramanera bhikkhu monk entered with his hands clasped, chief, the vegetarian meal in the dining hall is ready, brother hongshan asked when the guests will have their meal? upon hearing this, zheng wanchuns eyes lit up, little master, i wonder if all the monks in the temple will be having vegetarian meals in the dining hall? the bhikkhu monk hesitated, but seeing that xuan nan did not stop him from answering, he nodded. yes, benefactor, every once in a while, some monks in the temple share a vegetarian meal together. wed like to try the temples vegetarian meals now. ive heard from lord liang that the taste is unique. at this moment, xuan nan glanced at liang ying, who was just getting up from the cushion. he smiled and said, then let me, an old monk, lead the way. both of you laymen, please follow me! after they arrived at the dining hall, zheng wanchun sat down and quickly finished the vegetarian meal in his bowl, praising it for its deliciousness. he then said that he wanted to take a walk outside to digest the food. zheng wanchun left without waiting for xuan nans response, pacing back and forth in the courtyard outside the dining hall as if he was indeed digesting his meal. however, xuan nan had been watching him from the corner of his eye and noticed his unusual behavior. every time a novice monk or bhikkhu monk left the dining hall after their meal, zheng wanchun instantly became attentive and observed the monks. hmm? was he looking for someone? xuan nan found this a bit strange, but he couldnt help feeling relieved, as there should be no major problems with these little novice monks. at this time, liang ying occasionally conversed with xuan nan. xuan nan had already let his guard down and actually enjoyed talking with liang ying for a short while. as they continued to chat, xuan nan eventually brought up the topic of liang sheng, as he had left a deep impression on xuan nan years ago. huh? so brother sheng had copied buddhist scriptures in the temple for peace of mind. unfortunately, 1 didnt know; otherwise, i wouldve come earlier. xuan nan smiled and didnt say anything, but liang yings next words caught him off guard. in that case, master xuan nan, may 1 stay in the temple for some time? ive been having trouble sleeping recently. xuan nan hesitated before regaining his composure, liang jushi is the secretary of the county government office, and his public duties are heavy. the county office can hardly do without liang jushi. at this moment, zheng wanchun entered and immediately spoke, there is nothing important in the county government office recently; there shouldnt be any major problems. besides, the county lord is very considerate of his subordinates, so its good for him to let lord liang rest. hearing this, xuan nan couldnt refuse. he immediately asked a novice monk to prepare a guest room, and personally took liang ying to the room to rest. as for zheng wanchun, he gave liang ying a deep look before excusing himself and leading liang familys servants down the mountain. only after zheng wanchun had disappeared completely from sight did xuan nan leave and go straight to meet abbot xuankong. todays events were highly suspicious.. Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34: Will There be a Day When I Can Rely on My Own Mountain? chapter 34: chapter 34: will there be a day when i can rely on my own mountain? translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. after the liang familys servants returned, they returned the vegetarian meal utensils to shengde building, and the content of their casual chat was heard clearly by liang sheng. hmm? on this trip, zheng wanchun went down the mountain alone, but liang ying stayed behind at jinshan temple, involving himself and even claiming that he wanted to transcribe buddhist scriptures for peace of mind? who would believe such words? is he trying to deceive a ghost? the people of jinshan temple must be full of suspicions by now, and the strange attitude of the county government office towards jinshan temple made liang sheng feel a bit uncertain. will there be another major incident? is it because his fate does not match with jinzhou city that he has encountered so many major events in the short time since his arrival? whats infuriating is that every time he tries to stay away, someone still wants to mess with him, an honest person. its infuriating to think about it! thinking of this, liang sheng became increasingly depressed and wanted to go to yichun building to listen to music at the brothels to dispel his melancholy. still, he turned back home as soon as he stepped outside the door. he is now an old immortal, and there is no point in going to yichun building. county government office. after returning to the county government office, zheng wanchun went straight to the inner hall to find xia zhiqiu and report the results of his trip to jinshan temple. county lord, today my subordinate briefly inspected the novice monks and bhikkhu monks in the temple, but did not find anyone who might be that person. however, liang ying has already found an excuse to stay at jinshan temple for a long time. shall we send someone to take care of his daily life? after hearing zheng wanchuns account, xia zhiqiu shook his hand and said, no need, liang ying is a smart man; he knows what he should do. unless he thinks that he already has the ability to escape my control, he might have ulterior motives. there is no need to worry about this now. however, at this time, xia zhiqiu could tell that there was something wrong with zheng wanchuns expression, which seemed a bit strange, what, do you have any other questions? zheng wanchun nodded directly, county lord, i didnt notice it before, but during this visit to jinshan temple, i found that they are not simple. though master xuan nan tried his best to hide it, he couldnt conceal it from my perception; he is already a high-level martial artist at the post-natal eighth level. oh? such a master has never been heard of in jinzhou city. im afraid there might be some issues here. moreover, since there might be someone related to that person who has taken refuge in jinshan temple, im afraid something unexpected might happen. when xia zhiqiu heard this, he finally became serious, as it was related to that person, indeed, we should look into this carefully. i heard that there are several xuan generation high monks in jinshan temple. wanchun, find an opportunity to go to jinshan temple and test the other xuan generation high monks to see if they are high-level martial arts masters as well. yes, sir. when zheng wanchun obeyed the order and left, xia zhiqiu laid out a sheet of paper on the desk, dipped his brush in ink and wrote down the character for stillness. after that, he finally let out a long breath. in the end, he was still restless. originally, after dealing with the gao family, xia zhiqiu could have already left jinzhou city. his performance was already an impeccable report card. however, xia zhiqiu ended up staying in jinzhou city again for more than twenty years, which was actually a last resort. since he was destined to stay in jinzhou city for many years, xia zhiqiu was no longer satisfied with the balance of power between the three forces within jinzhou city. his original plan was to gradually weaken both the liang and wu families. however, the unexpected involvement of the no-life evil cult turned into a chess piece in his hand in the middle of the game. xia zhiqius move could be described as turning his hand for clouds and covering his hand for rain, making people marvel at the wisdom of lord xia. but now, there is finally a clue about leaving jinzhou city, as they have finally found a lead on that person. as long as they find that person, they can return to the capital and report to the nobleman. at that time, he will truly have achieved fame and status, and there will be a place for him in the capital. with the support of the nobleman, it is not impossible for him to step into the realm of innate talent. at this thought, xia zhiqius eyes became scorching hot. no matter if jinshan temple was hiding dragons and crouching tigers, as long as the news was confirmed, he would have only one path to choose. jinshan temple would either bow down to him, or leave behind a legend of its existence. xia zhiqiu wouldnt have the thought that there were people he could not kill. thinking of this, xia zhiqiu took a deep breath and glanced outside the window. the setting sun cast a golden hue upon jinzhou city, living up to its name, sparkling with golden light. yet, this place was not his ultimate destination. dayan capital was where a real man could achieve great ambitions. how could he be content with playing in the shallow waters of jinzhou city? it was getting close. he finally saw the hope of leaving this place. liang shengs mansion. at dusk, zhang rongjun and his son suddenly appeared with generous gifts to visit liang sheng, who naturally welcomed them with open doors. however, liang sheng wondered if they were really in big trouble and depending on the situation, he would decide how to handle it. if the trouble was too great, he might be unable to help and could only apologize. he could not compromise his own principles for zhang rongjun. it was best to stay out of trouble and stay alive C that was the ultimate truth in life. but after zhang rongjun and his son sat down and continuously thanked him, liang sheng felt confused. he didnt know what had happened and why they suddenly thanked him. however, after listening to zhang rongjuns description, liang sheng could only smile bitterly. he never expected that the lifelong useless person he had been would one day become someones support. the matter was quite simple. zhang rongjun had been in business for many years and chose the teahouse location with great vision. it was bound to be a lucrative business due to its prime location. however, such a good place would naturally attract attention. as soon as the news of the teahouse being up for sale spread, people in jinzhou city had their eyes set on it. being cautious, the other party investigated zhang rongjuns background and discovered that they were ordinary merchants who had returned to jinzhou to enjoy their remaining years. this detail encouraged the other party to try to force the sale of the teahouse from zhang rongjun. therefore, todays situation arose with the zhang familys steward hurriedly calling zhang rongjun back to take control of the situation. from the very beginning, the other party had been aggressive. zhang rongjun and his son were infuriated, but they had been wandering outside jinzhou city for many years. faced with this unreasonable situation, zhang rongjun decided to swallow his anger and was willing to pay some money to resolve the issue. however, the other party was relentless, insisting on having the teahouse which zhang rongjun could not accept. zhangs family had decided to permanently settle in jinzhou and the teahouse was to be the foundation of their future. how could they just give it up? the other party sneered and outright refused to reason, while a group of local ruffians appeared behind them. upon seeing this, zhang rongjun and his son instantly turned pale. the other party had come prepared, and never intended to reason with them. at this moment, two constables happened to pass by. zhang rongjun and his son regarded them as their last straw, but they were even more devastated when the constables ignored them and went straight past. seeing this, how could zhang rongjun not understand the situation? heartbroken, he couldnt help but sigh to the heavens. heaven is not on our side! it seems we have no hope of settling in jinzhou! the man on the other side sneered at this, and zhang rongjun, disheartened, turned to the manager and said, old zhang, prepare some generous gifts. tomorrow, we will bid farewell to brother sheng and give up on our previous hopes of enjoying our remaining years with him. at this moment, the two constables who had been ready to leave and were nearby heard zhang rongjuns words and suddenly stopped. brother sheng? driven by an inexplicable force, one of the constables turned back and asked, are you talking about liang jiasheng from shengde building? zhang rongjun was stunned but then nodded repeatedly, yes, the two constables, liang jiasheng and i are old friends. we just had a reunion at shengde building earlier. as soon as his words fell, the two constables suddenly smiled and turned back. zhang rongjun was both surprised and thankful. could there still be a chance for a turnaround? Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Cause and Effect chapter 35: chapter 35: cause and effect translator: 549690339 jinzhou city, in front of the teahouse. two constables suddenly turned back and walked directly to the arrogant merchant theyd interacted with earlier, niu ben, were you trying to forcefully seize someone elses teahouse just now? niu bens expression changed instantly, well aware that something had gone amiss. he hastily replied in a low voice, official, i had notified sheriff zhao from the county government office beforehand. 1 didnt resort to illicit means. i was merely repossessing what was originally but before niu ben could finish speaking, one of the constables drew his knife and used the blunt end to hit niu bens hand. i caution you to be careful with your words. master liang jiasheng is a close friend of sheriff zheng. would a friend of master jiasheng forcibly seize someone elses property? upon hearing zheng wanchuns name from the constable, niu bens face turned pale instantly. zheng wanchun? he was an untouchable figure! niu ben was quite influential in jinzhou city and was well aware of who the real power brokers were. the liang and wu families might still hold considerable sway, but they were essentially servants of the government office. this was why he had been so deferential and respectful to the two constables, careful not to offend them in the least, and even more so to the chief constable of the county government office, zheng wanchun. immediately, they bowed and apologized to zhang rongjun and his son, offering several silver notes, then quickly turned and left without a word, not daring to linger. zhang rongjun didnt have the audacity to accept the silver notes. just as he was about to chase after them, the two constables stopped him and gave zhang rongjun and his son a meaningful glance. both of you can rest assured. jinzhou city is a place of complete social order. no illegal activities will occur here. when your business opens, we brothers will definitely come for a cup of tea. we have patrol duties to attend to, so well take our leave now. with that, they prepared to leave but zhang rongjun reacted and quickly followed them, offering the silver notes again, but the two constables adamantly refused to accept them. zhang rongjun had no choice but to express his gratitude, may i know your honorable names? underlying gratitude will surely be shown in the future. the two constables responded with radiant smiles at his words. this was exactly the acknowledgement they had been waiting for. wang chao. ma han. liang shengs mansion. zhang rongjun looked at liang sheng with admiration in his eyes. liang sheng couldnt help but find it amusing that his reputation had proven useful. he could only attribute this to his years of being kind and approachable to others, which had finally paid off. however, he was genuinely a good person. therefore, liang sheng didnt refuse zhang rongjuns gratitude, nor did he probe deeper into the matter. with a laugh, he said: solving problems is always a good thing. i wish brother rong prosperity and will visit the teahouse for a cup of tea when time permits. of course. today 1 am indebted to brother sheng. otherwise, my wish to settle back home would have been wishful thinking. as he spoke, the atmosphere turned sentimental. the desire to return home signified the limited time left, and the many regrets in life. liang sheng didnt want to indulge in sorrow, so he quickly broke the gloomy mood and had the servants prepare food and drinks to enjoy with zhang rongjun and his son. perhaps due to the days ups and downs, zhang rongjun and his son drank liberally. in no time at all, both were somewhat intoxicated. in my life, the best decision i made was to befriend you, brother sheng. everything else is but fleeting clouds on the wind. brother rong, youve had too much to drink. someone, bring brother rongs servants in to take him home. once the inebriated father and son of the zhang family were sent away, liang sheng returned to his room. his eyes were clear, showing no signs of intoxication. todays events felt rather fresh to him, somewhat out of the ordinary, but they also served as a reminder to himthat no matter how discreet he attempted to remain, he was inevitably drawn into the disputes of human relations. only if he ceased to exist, could he possibly break free from the cause and effect linked to the name, liang sheng. with such thoughts in mind, his gaze grew distant. it seems he still has much to plan for. j inshan temple. at the same time as liang sheng was reflecting upon himself, liang ying had settled into a guest room at jinshan temple. perhaps it was due to chanting the buddhist scripture, but he genuinely felt like his mind had quietened down. in the eight consecutive years, he had been treading on thin ice, every day feeling like a year had passed. the closer he got to xia zhiqiu, the more fear he felt. he couldnt comprehend how a person of such stature could simply stay put in jinzhou city as a mere county magistrate? years had passed and in many occasions, he reflected on that years circumstances, but the conclusion he came to made him wryly smile. their ancestor deserved his fate, and it was destined that the liang and wu families would face defeat. after all, what is there to do if one becomes a pawn without knowing? the more truths he realized, the more fear he felt. but being in jinshan temple today, he felt as if he was finally free of shackles, allowing him to experience a moment of tranquility. however, he still had to carry out the task given to him earnestly by zheng wanchun. even though he only knew some basic details, he was still prepared to give his all. liang ying took a moment to ponder on his plans for the next day, confirmed there were no mistakes, before going to bed hoping for a good outcome. early the next morning, liang ying got up, hearing a faint sound of chanting scriptures, he couldnt help but stretch his arms. last night had been the soundest sleep he had in a while. as if aimlessly wandering around, he left his room, greeted by sramanera bhikkhu monks praising him as a layman from time to time. before long he heard the distant sounds of people practicing martial arts, stirring his curiosity, he decided to follow the sounds. unconsciously he had arrived at the discipline hall, but before he could go in to investigate, someone called out to him. excuse me, layman, please stop. this location is a crucial buddhist site. outsiders are not permitted to enter. please understand, a voice insisted. liang ying, of course, did not force his way in and followed the other persons wishes. but upon turning his head, he felt that the voice was strangely familiar. surprised, he uttered lightly, brother qi!? the person was none other than liang qi. when the liang and wu families had their marital alliance, liang ying got married to the prime daughter of the wu family, while liang qi was also chosen to marry into the wu family. later on, due to a dalliance with a prostitute, liang qi renounced worldly life. after the incident of annihilating the gao family occurred, liang qi was gradually forgotten by the liang family. he never anticipated a reunion here, which reminded liang ying about liang qi, who had sadly lost to him and in turn, lost the chance to become the patriarch. what delighted liang ying was that liang qi had made a breakthrough to the postnatal sevenfold realm, successfully stepping into the high-level martial arts. if he could get him to rejoin the liang family, it will undoubtedly increase the strength of the family. thinking of this, he couldnt help but feel even more delighted. yet, the next words out of liang qis mouth felt equivalent to a bucket of cold water dousing him. the liang family was the one that had wronged liang qi; how could he easily let go of his grudges? layman, there is no liang qi in this world anymore, just a faithful monk named hongzhi, who respectfully greets you. this place is an important part of the discipline hall, please do not intrude without permission, he said. upon finishing, hongzhi walked straight past liang ying, directly entering the discipline hall without affording liang ying a chance to speak. liang ying opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing. was this retribution for the liang family? to have such a master but not be able to make use of him. thinking of this, all liang ying could do was wryly smile. they were all unfortunate predestinations! Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36: Nobleman chapter 36: chapter 36: nobleman translator: 549690339 j jinshan temple. liang ying didnt have to sulk for long, as zheng wanchun had returned to the temple and appeared before him again. sheriff zheng. liang ying greeted him proactively. zheng wanchun took a look at him, let out a light sigh, and laughed, it seems that lord liang slept extremely well last night. you look much more spirited than before. before liang ying could even answer, zheng wanchun leaned in and whispered, have you found anything after a day here?1 liang ying shook his head slightly. zheng wanchun didnt seem disappointed, because if they could find people that easily, they wouldnt have spent so much time finding the clues up to this point. it doesnt matter; we were always prepared for a long battle. lord liang, you dont have to be too anxious. the county lord still has great trust in you. however, yesterday we only met the chief of reception xuan nan and none of the other high monks. it is a bit of a pity. i wonder if there is any particular monk that lord liang wants to meet; today we can visit them and hope to be as refreshed as lord liang? just as liang ying wanted to shake his head to say that he had no one in mind, he thought of liang qi he saw today and nodded his head. sheriff zheng, today as i was passing by discipline hall, 1 heard sounds of martial arts practice. we are all martial artists; how about going to the discipline hall first? since zheng wanchun had come to jinshan temple to investigate the strengths of the monks, he agreed to this suggestion without hesitation. the abbot of discipline hall should be responsible for martial matters, so his cultivation level shouldnt be lower than master xuan nan. both agreed without further ado. they first visited master xuan nan at reception hall, because liang ying had been turned away before, and they were worried they wouldnt meet the abbot of discipline hall if they went straight there. xuan nan, who had just finished his morning class, hurried out upon learning of the arrival of liang ying and zheng wanchun from his novice monk. after listening to liang yings intentions, he thought of abbot xuankongs instructions from yesterday and agreed readily. if you two gentlemen are interested in the disciples of discipline hall, please follow me. this time, thanks to xuan nan leading the way, the martial monks in front of the discipline hall didnt block their entrance, and liang ying met the abbot xuanji of the discipline hall. at this moment, zheng wanchun was secretly awed. jinshan temple indeed possessed formidable monks, as xuan ji had actually reached the post-natal eighth level. but just as liang ying looked around and couldnt help but ask, venerable monk xuan ji, where is master hongzhi? xuan ji looked up at liang ying, and with a meaningful tone, he said, hongzhi went down the mountain to visit friends in jinzhou city today; he will only be back in the evening. oh? how unfortunate! master hongzhi went to jinzhou city? hearing this, liang ying couldnt help but frown. seeing his expression, xuan ji asked him what he needed from hongzhi. liang ying could only shake his head, stating that he was only asking because hongzhi wasnt there. then they followed xuan ji and watched the practice of martial arts by the monks of the discipline hall. jinshan temple was generous in showing them everything without concealing anything. after that, the two of them took leave and went back to their guest room. only then did zheng wanchun inquire about who master hongzhi was. liang ying naturally didnt hide anything. after finding out it was liang qi from the liang family, his eyes flashed with excitement. however, zheng wanchun didnt say much and prepared to leave. its a bother for lord liang to stay at the temple for a few more days. once the county lord has other orders, i will inform lord liang. then zheng wanchun left the mountain, realizing that jinshan temple was indeed extraordinary, filled with many masters. he feared the county lord should be prepared in advance. but where was rhe person they were looking for? jinzhou city. at this moment, liang sheng wasnt at the shengde building but had been dragged to zhang rongjuns not-yet-open teahouse. brother sheng, 1 invited you here today for two reasons: first, to show you the location of my teahouse, and second, to borrow your name to boost its reputation. zhang rongjun didnt hide his intentions at all. people cant be too cunning, especially between old friends. sincerity is key, as it moves people the most. liang sheng wasnt angry when he heard this, as he would probably do the same if he were in zhang rongjuns shoes. it wasnt too much to ask. brother rong, in that case, when the teahouse opens, i must be served the best tea. hahaha, yuntai, did you hear that? remember to save the best tea leaves for my uncle liang separately. you rascal! at this moment, liang sheng couldnt help but pat zhang rongjuns shoulder. t o this day, the only one left who could still tease and argue with him like the old days was zhang rongjun. at this moment, some people around were dodging their eyes, but liang sheng didnt care, knowing that they were niu bens subordinates who wanted to take over the teahouse. however, after today, their opponent probably wont ever think about taking over the teahouse again. no matter how much a waste he is, hes still a liang. moreover, he could rely on sheriff zheng wanchuns deterrence to keep the troublemakers in jinzhou city at bay. seeing that his goal was accomplished, zhang rongjun didnt waste any more time and invited liang sheng to go drink wine together. but they had barely walked a few steps when they were stopped by someone. liang sheng was somewhat surprised when he saw who it was. however, zhang rongjun was the first to speak, showing first a hint of confusion before realizing something and blurting out. liang qi? the person who had stopped them was master hongzhi, who had come down the mountain and entered the city. naturally, he also knew zhang rongjun and immediately brought his hands together in a gesture of respect. liang jushi, he said to zhang rongjun before continuing, zhang jushi, its been a long time./ you, you, you because of his great surprise, zhang rongjun stammered a bit before liang sheng whispered, master hongzhi has entered the buddhist path. 111 explain the details to you later. after saying this, liang sheng laughed and said, master hongzhi, this morning magpies were chirping, and 1 thought some good fortune is coming my way. it turns out it is bumping into you. hongzhi just smiled without saying anything, but zhang rongjun was still somewhat taken aback. however, they were old acquaintances, and they had once had a relationship at yichun building. since they met here by chance, it was fate. zhang rongjun immediately said, brother sheng, as we bumped into each other today, why not have a meal together? liang sheng naturally wouldnt refuse such an offer, but it ultimately depended on hongzhis intention. to his surprise, hongzhi agreed without hesitation. well, then what are they waiting for? when everyone returned to shengde building, because of hongzhi s presence, they didnt drink wine, and most of the dishes served were vegetarian. fortunately, rhe chefs at shengde building were experienced in preparing vegetarian meals, so they handled it skillfully. zhang yuntai acted as the waiter, pouring tea and water for everyone. at this moment, a remark by hongzhi caught liang shengs attention. liang ying had not descended the mountain yesterday but planned to stay longer. according to hongzhis description, the one accompanying liang ying to jinshan temple should be zheng wanchun. this made liang sheng wonder a bit. however, liang sheng was always cautious and had already noticed during the conversation that hongzhi was also probing for information from him. but the subject of hongzhis inquiry was the recent situation in jinzhou city and the liang family. this confirmed to liang sheng that encountering hongzhi was no coincidence, but on purpose. however, liang sheng did not reveal any of his thoughts. instead, he related the recent situation in jinzhou city, and in return, hongzhi unknowingly revealed quite a bit of information about jinshan temple. when the meal was over, hongzhi excused himself to leave and return to jinshan temple. as soon as he left, zhang rongjun immediately asked about hongzhi becoming a monk. liang sheng simply said a few words before dismissing him. sitting alone in the room, he analyzed and summarized all the information he had gathered. it seemed that the county government office and jinshan temple had suddenly become entwined for some reason. both sides were probing each others situations, making the situation even more complex. could something be about to happen? afterward, he heard the news that county lord xia zhiqiu had hurried to the city gate as if to receive a distinguished guest. people only saw xia zhiqiu dismounting his horse and personally leading the horse carriage into the county government office. most frightening was the large number of dragon suppression guards from the provincial government escorting them. t his news immediately made liang sheng think of the entanglement between the county government office and jinshan temple, making him feel that something was wrong with rhe situation. meeting liang qi today was also uncertain whether it was good or bad. in his heart, he silently recited a few words as a lesson. dont meddle in others affairs, focus on cultivation! Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Surrounding Jinshan Temple chapter 37: chapter 37: surrounding jinshan temple translator: 549690339 jinzhou city, county government office. just before liang sheng acted cautiously, xia zhiqiu in the county government office received a secret letter that greatly changed his expression. he then hurriedly gathered everyone and headed straight out of the city. soon after, news of a noble coming to jinzhou city spread, and the situation in the county government office was even more magical than the common people had imagined. if liang ying were here, he would probably be in shock, as xia zhiqiu was kneeling on the ground, like a mere servant. on the upper seat, the curtain had already been drawn, and the guards on both sides seemed to be hiding their breaths, like ferocious beasts waiting quietly for their prey. behind the curtain, one could only vaguely see the figure of a graceful woman lying leisurely on a couch with her maidservant gently fanning her. xia zhiqiu knelt on the ground, not even daring to glance sideways. his whole being, even his breathing, seemed cautious. finally, a languid voice came from above, full of enchantment. xia zhiqiu, i remember you have been under the royal palace for fifty years, havent you? the princess is right; i didnt expect you to remember such a trivial matter. zhiqiu has been grateful for the palaces grace for fifty years. i knew of your talent, so i sent you to jinzhou. it was actually my idea. his lordship originally wanted to send you to the imperial counselor platform. 1 wonder if you hold a grudge in your heart? zhiqiu has never had such thoughts. if not for his lordship, zhiqiu would probably have become a pile of bones in the sky prison by now. his lordship has done a great favor to zhiqiu, and zhiqiu is unable to repay him, but can only serve him like a loyal dog. as he said this, xia zhiqius voice seemed to choke, and the princess behind the curtain appeared somewhat moved. after a while, she spoke again. youve suffered over the years, but now youve finally delivered what 1 entrusted to you. only you could have found these clues. however, why did you hide it from me? had it not been for some loyal servants, i might not have known about your progress. at this point, the princesss voice was deep and soft. hearing this, xia zhiqiu did not argue, only bowing his head. this made the princess lose her interest in pursuing the matter further. alright, i know youve been working hard, but as a mother, how could i sit in the royal palace waiting for news? 1 promise that if this matter is resolved, ill make it up to you. you wont have to endure on the imperial counselor platform any longer. ill have his lordship pull strings to get you directly into the secretary platform! xia zhiqiu, now i can only rely on you. you wont disappoint me, will you? 1 hope you can understand the concerns of a mother; otherwise, i wouldnt have blocked your official career and let you wallow in jinzhou city for decades. i dont know how my son is faring, whether hes had to suffer hardships. i blame that damn bitch. why was i blind back then? at the last sentence, the princess suddenly gritted her teeth in rage. xia zhiqiu could only pretend not to hear. when the princesss breathing finally calmed down above, he began to report. princess, rest assured, 1 have already found clues. i will deal with this matter slowly and meticulously, and 1 wont disappoint you. at this time, the princess suddenly interrupted him, i am out of patience. its just a temple; can they still have objections if you find someone directly? upon hearing this, xia zhiqiu suddenly looked up, wanting to persuade her, but in the end, he bowed his head again, 1 will abide by the princesss command, and i will arrange it now. zhang da, give the dragon suppression guard command token to xia zhiqiu. at this moment, a solemn guard beside the curtain approached and handed the token to xia zhiqiu personally. xia zhiqiu, dont disappoint me again. ive been waiting for this day for too long. upon hearing this, xia zhiqiu could only accept his orders. as he left the room and saw the evening glow in the sky, he then took on a resolute expression, stepping firmly out of the backyard. summon everyone from the county government office, and be sure to invite wu xiancheng and liang dianshi as well. jinshan temple. as soon as master hongzhi returned from jinzhou city, he was immediately summoned by xuan ji. hongzhis trip down the mountain today was arranged by him. xuan ji glanced at hongzhi, who directly shook his head, the liang family has not made any moves, and the county government office cant find any news. i observed and tried to probe from liang sheng, but i did not obtain any clues. master, are we overthinking? after all, the liang and wu families havent been living comfortably these past few years. as the patriarch, its inevitable for him to be depressed. are we making a mountain out of a molehill? however, xuan ji shook his head, if it were only liang ying, it wouldnt matter much. but that zheng jushi is a county ya catcher. the fact that he came up the mountain while concealing his identity is intriguing. as for the methods used by the honorable county lord, we have already experienced them. he is not ordinary and should not be underestimated. now is the most critical moment; we must be careful and not allow any accidents to happen. since you couldnt find any information going down the mountain, you might as well try to get some news from liang ying by creating an opportunity. i noticed that liang ying seems to care about you a lot today. after all, your cultivation level is indeed an unexpected surprise for the liang familys current situation. hongzhi couldnt help but frown at these words. he truly had no good feelings about the liang family people. however, for the sake of jinshan temple at this moment, he didnt consider long before agreeing with a nod. just then, a flustered novice monk rushed in, chief, something terrible has happened. by now, jinshan temple was already surrounded by the county constables, and the disciples of the liang and wu families could be seen everywhere. the dragon suppression guard was also lurking in the outer perimeter. xia zhiqiu stood outside jinshan temple, with zheng wanchun beside him. as he came down the mountain, he happened to encounter xia zhiqiu. sir, the situation is not clear yet. are we being too hasty? xia zhiqiu did not explain, wanchun, have someone relay the message. today, not even a fly can leave jinshan temple. zheng wanchun immediately straightened up, yes! inside jinshan temple, there was already chaos. the several chiefs who witnessed this were caught off guard. how could it have come to this? jinzhou city. liang shengs mansion. with the sudden turn of events in jinshan temple and the wide-spread disturbances, liang sheng naturally learned about the situation through shengde building, which was known for its well-informed news. moreover, this time, the dragon suppression guard from the mansion showed up in jinzhou city again after eight years, brazenly surrounding jinshan temple. how could this news possibly be kept hidden? liang sheng never expected such a situation to happen. even though he had anticipated something big was about to happen, he didnt think the situation would take such a drastic turn so quickly. without a doubt, it must be related to the distinguished person xia zhiqiu welcomed today. however, liang sheng didnt have much curiosity at this time. the dragon suppression guard from the mansion is an elite force that can suppress high-level martial artists with just fifty members. in the past, the no-life evil cult had suffered a significant loss at their hands. without any hesitation, liang sheng immediately returned to his own mansion and had ma xiaoliu close the door and refuse guests. he decided not to go out again until the situation settled, and there must be something wrong with jinzhou citys feng shui. how could there be so many frequent incidents in one place? he wasnt that unlucky student from his previous life, possessed by a calamity. so he couldnt hesitate any longer. he had to find an appropriate time to die a natural death.. otherwise, when would this kind of life come to an end? Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38: The Reappearance of the Lifeless Sect chapter 38: chapter 38: the reappearance of the lifeless sect translator: 549690339 jinshan temple. at this moment in the daxiong treasure hall, apart from abbot xuankong who had not appeared, all the xuan generation high monks were gathered together. even monk xuan nian, who hadnt left the scripture repository for decades, appeared here, looking grief-stricken. jinshan temple might not be at peace after this. senior brother, what exactly happened? have we already been exposed? but we have kept ourselves in line, except for that incident eight years ago, we havent done anything outrageous since. as the head of the discipline hall, xuan ji has a more fiery temper, and his face looks somewhat ugly at this moment. after hearing this, xuan nan shook his head. the situation is still unclear, and our random guessing is of no use at this point. however, since things have come to this, we can only prepare for the worst. as the chief of reception, xuan nan is in charge of external affairs and is most familiar with the situation in jinzhou city. he is also somewhat puzzled as to why the county government office is doing this. however, we cant all go out. elder brother xuan ku, im afraid im going to have to ask you to guard abbot elder brother. no matter what happens, dont let anyone disturb our elder brother. well try to buy as much time as possible, but we dont know when our elder brother will make a breakthrough to the innate realm. if he does, everything will no longer be a problem. an innate master can stabilize a country all by himself. even if our true identities are revealed, not to mention jinzhou city, im afraid the entire state capital will be reluctant to act. for martial artists in the world, breaking through the postnatal nine-realm is already difficult, let alone becoming an innate grandmaster, where only one in a thousand succeeds. the gap between the postnatal nine-realm and the innate may seem like only a step apart, but they are as different as the sky and the earth, not to be mentioned in the same breath. no matter how talented a martial artist is in the world, reaching the postnatal nine-realm before the age of sixty can only mean that they have a chance to reach the innate level. however, how many people have tried all their lives without success? take the dayan dynasty, for example, there are only seven innate grandmasters on the surface, each of whom has a prestigious reputation and suppresses the martial world of the present age. of course, the dayan dynasty would not be able to maintain its rule over the nine provinces if it only relied on its openly displayed powers. now, facing the sudden siege of jinshan temple by jinzhou city, their foremost priority is ensuring xuankongs safety. as long as he survives, the line of inheritance at jinshan temple will not be extinguished. the other high monks affirm their determination upon hearing this. at this moment, only one thought remains in their hearts: at any cost, even if it means all of them dying, they must protect abbot elder brother from harm. of course, their greatest hope is still that nothing will happen. the monks from the discipline hall are already gathered, and xuan ji holds his hands together in a prayer, amitabha. although the other monks and novice monks look frightened, they all sit in silence, as the buddha once said that all the suffering in the world is a calamity, and only by overcoming the calamity can one achieve great freedom. the xuan generation high monks are prepared to die generously, and at this moment liang ying is sitting somewhat stiffly in the guest room, as hongzhi is guarding the door with a face full of hatred. with hongzhi only at the postnatal seven-realm, it would be effortless for liang ying to leave, but he doesnt want to cause further misunderstanding. if this were ten years earlier, liang ying might have kicked hongzhi away if he dared to be so rude. but now, every member of the liang family with a high-level martial arts bloodline is someone liang ying needs to protect, as things are different now. with the current situation, as long as xia zhiqiu is in jinzhou city, the liang family may have to cling to life for one more day. and the duty of liang ying and the others is to protect the future. their generation has no chance against xia zhiqiu, but they must withstand the pressure, and give the next generation time to grow. therefore, liang qi, with the liang family bloodline, is the person he wants to win over. hongzhi stared at the grief-stricken look on liang yings face, feeling that the other party was hypocritical, and said coldly, todays disaster is all because of you. i left the liang family for your sake many years ago, and i never thought id still cause the temple to suffer because of you today. brother qi, oh, no, master hongzhi, you really misunderstood. this time, there wont be any danger to jinshan temple. county lord xia is just here to look for someone. of course, 1 dont know why he suddenly changed his mind and went on a high-profile search for someone. im afraid something must have happened, but ive been on the mountain all the time and dont know the reason. but 1 can guarantee that the county lord has absolutely no intention of targeting jinshan temple. otherwise, why would 1 stay here? really? seeing that liang yings expression didnt seem to be fake, liang qi thought of the decisive expressions he had seen on the faces of the xuan generation high monks just before and couldnt help but change his face. not good! if their masters and uncles misunderstood the reason for the other partys visit and chose to go all-in, something disastrous might really happen. after all, jinshan temple itself has a great secret that cannot be known by others. its normal for uncles to think in this way if they might suspect something. thinking of this, he didnt have time to care about liang ying. he exerted all his effort to run towards the temple gate. i hope its not too late! at this moment, xuan ji and others had just reached an agreement, so when they arrived at the gate, they saw the layers of encirclement outside and felt a chill in their hearts. there were even dragon suppression guards! was jinshan temple really exposed? the xuan generation high monks couldnt help but show a look of sorrow on their faces. just as they were about to speak, they heard a loud shout. master, dont be impulsive! they are just here to find someone, and they have no other intentions! then hongzhi appeared, panting heavily. considering that even he, who was in the postnatal seven-realm, was breathing so heavily, one could imagine how fast he had been running. fortunately, he made it in time! jinzhou city. when jinshan temple was making such a big commotion, gossip was flying all over jinzhou city. some people said jinshan temple was harboring a criminal, some said it wasnt a criminal, but rather someone important in the temple to pray for blessings. thats why there was a heavy guard. anyway, there were all kinds of rumors. meanwhile, in a residential house in jinzhou city, a few people were sitting together with smiles on their faces. when talking about jinshan temple, a flash of fierceness appeared in their eyes. elder, today the imperial hounds and the bald donkeys of jinshan temple are biting each other. our help for protector yang has finally paid off. yes, if it wasnt for jinshan temple going too far and offering a little help in a rescue operation, how could yang protector possibly have failed to escape? they are just useless people, otherwise with the foundation of the seven great sects, jinshan temple wouldnt have declined so much. if they were like this all the time, we wouldnt mind, but at the last moment, they still didnt save yang protector, letting him die with open eyes. in that case, we cant be blamed. since jinshan temple is so useless, they might as well contribute to our great cause. at this time, one of them flattered the elder of the no-life sect, but it is still the deep foresight of the elder. if it wasnt for your planning years ago to have us sneak prince of pingan out, there wouldnt be such a commotion now. perhaps jinshan temple will never know the real reason for all this, but they dont know that we secretly sent prince pingans heir to the temple more than ten years ago. although the person called elder was wearing a mask and his expression was not visible, his smugness was obvious. that was just something 1 did on a whim back then. its just a pity that i originally wanted to use prince pingans heir as a bargaining chip, waiting for the big event to come before making plans. now i can only expose it early, but its also good to let jinshan temple know right from wrong, consider it a lesson. elder has a devilish wisdom. im afraid today jinshan temple will have a river of blood. by then, those bald donkeys will have no choice but to join our holy sect. only we can save them. this move is indeed a stroke of genius, killing two birds with one stone. it turned out that all of this was a conspiracy by the no-life sect. xia zhiqiu might never know that the hard-won clue was deliberately leaked to them by the sect leader of the no-life sect. alright, no more flattery. recently, the holy sect has been chased hard by the hounds of the dayan dynasty, and the funding of many branches is tight. this time we came to jinzhou city not only for revenge but also to raise funds for the holy sect. eider, dont worry. we already have a plan. back then, flower mother didnt get liang qiangs wealth. now there is an opportunity to get a huge amount of money. oh? you mean that useless man from the liang family? but he seems to be on the verge of death now, which indeed is a good opportunity. at this time, liang sheng, who was hiding at home, sneezed several times in succession. perhaps he didnt know that although he had never provoked anyone, someone was actively targeting him, and misfortune was coming from the heavens. if he had known the situation, he would have made up his mind to enjoy an early death and the ensuing freedom, so why be so miserable in jinzhou city? Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39: Compromise chapter 39: chapter 39: compromise translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. at this moment, the lifeless sect was plotting how to seize liang shengs assets when a silvery and bell-like laughter rang out, followed by a plump figure entering the scene. her sultry eyes and voluptuous figure were as though they could squeeze out water, fully displaying the charm of a young married woman. if liang sheng were here, he would have surely recognized her. it was none other than second uncles second aunt who had not yet married into the family, flower mother. however, at this moment, compared to the past, she exuded a more mature beauty, like a delicate and dripping peach. flower mother then smiled slightly, elder, rest assured, dealing with an old and useless man like him whos about to die soon is what i do best. when i find an opportunity to check out this waste, if their wealth can indeed benefit the holy sect, then let them enjoy some good days. haha, we will naturally be at ease when flower mother takes action. but princess pingan has already arrived in jinzhou city, so be careful in everything. yes, flower mother understands. elder, you can rest assured. if second uncle fell into my hands, how can he be any exception? at this moment, a glint flashed in flower mothers eyes, and her gaze was filled with a playful expression as if she were hunting prey. she did not expect to return to jinzhou city and her prey would once again be a member of the liang family. however, this time, she would not fail again. jinshan temple. hongzhi suddenly rushed out, his voice arriving before his figure did. upon hearing this, xuan nans heart filled with joy. at this moment of surprise and joy, he couldnt help but directly ask xia zhiqiu outside, county lord, are you really just here to search for someone at jinshan temple today? xia zhiqiu, on the other hand, looked at the xuan generation high monks with astonishment in his heart. thinking back to zheng wanchuns words, he no longer had any doubts. jinshan temple indeed held hidden dragons and crouching tigers. the xuan generation high monks all turned out to have reached the post-natal eighth level! seeing xia zhiqius astonished expression, zheng wanchun hurriedly whispered into his ear, my lord, i wanted to report it earlier, but xia zhiqiu shook his hand to interrupt him, indicating that he didnt mind. after hearing xuan nans words, he quickly suppressed the amazement in his heart. after all, there are priorities. it is indeed not advisable to create more problems right now. being able to search jinshan temple without bloodshed would be the best outcome. so, xia zhiqiu pushed away the constables in front of him and walked to the entrance of jinshan temple, laughing, there is no need for the masters to be nervous. this is indeed our countys fault. we should have informed you in advance, but the matter was urgent, and i had no other choice. however, as this high monk said, i am here today just to search for someone. in order not to cause any accidents, thats why i ordered my men to surround jinshan temple. i hope the masters can understand my recklessness. upon hearing this, xuan nan and the others exchanged glances, also unsure whether this was really just a delaying tactic by the other party. however, in the current situation, they could only choose to believe the other side. otherwise, were they going to continue confronting each other? looking at the large force lurking behind the other side and thinking about their abbot elder brother who was still in closed-door cultivation, xuan nan gritted his teeth. county lord, please do as you wish. jinshan temple is under jinzhou city jurisdiction, and theres no inconvenience. just tell us how we can cooperate with you, and we will follow your instructions completely. elder brother xuan nan just as xuan ji was about to speak, he was pulled back by xuan nian beside him, who shook his head at him. reluctantly, he let go of his doubts. upon hearing xuan nans cooperation, xia zhiqiu immediately shouted, thank you, master, for your understanding. county constables, listen up! after entering the temple, you must not damage anything, understood? we obey your orders! xia zhiqiu had his own considerations for saying this. with so many high monks present, if a conflict broke out, although the advantage lay with them, injuring that person in the chaos would be an unforgivable sin. thus, being able to conduct a peaceful search now was already fortunate. subsequently, both sides restrained themselves and cooperated, and the situation was quickly resolved. the reception hall was originally responsible for managing temple affairs, and hongzhi immediately cooperated with the xuan generation high monks to convey xuan nans order to each of the other halls. before long, all the sramanera bhikkhu monks were gathered in the courtyard in front of the daxiong treasure hall. at this time, the county ya catcher and others had confirmed that no one was hiding, and even liang ying had returned to xia zhiqius side. xia zhiqiu respectfully took out an old woman from the horse carriage behind the guards at this time. she was the old wet nurse to wang fei. the old nurse nodded slightly, and then she walked to the sramanera bhikkhu and began to check them one by one. xia zhiqiu couldnt help but hold his breath, praying in his heart that they would find her so that he wouldnt have to stay in jinzhou city forever. this was not his world. the place where he could truly demonstrate his ambitions was in the capital, at the dayan imperial court! jinzhou city. outside liang shengs mansion. liang sheng didnt know that someone was targeting him and decided to stay home until he heard some good news. after all, safety comes first! outside the mansion, flower mother was watching for a long time and couldnt help but feel angry. how could she have a chance encounter with this useless man if he didnt leave the house, let alone embrace him! because liang sheng was worried about the uncontrollable situation in jinzhou city, he hid at home as soon as he got the news. flower mother couldnt help but grind her teeth in hatred, thinking that the men of the liang family were all spineless. she had deliberately captured a baby, claiming it was liang qiangs child. in the end, all liang qiang left her was twenty thousand liangs worth of silver notes, and nothing else. if liang qiang had only been a little braver and welcomed her and the girl into his mansion, wouldnt all his property have belonged to her? if that were the case, there would be no need for the holy sect to be so tight on funds now. flower mother became more and more angry, but now was not the time to complain. the most important thing now was to figure out how to meet liang shing, the waste. but before she could come up with a good idea, she was suddenly called back by the no-life sect followers. as soon as she entered the base, she saw that everyones faces were ugly. whats wrong? what happened? as soon as she spoke, it finally broke the oppressive atmosphere at that moment. one person couldnt help but slap the table, instantly shattering it. sit down. if you lose your temper over a little problem, how can you achieve great things? the elders voice showed no emotion, and the person who slapped the table just now quickly knelt down. elder, 1 was too excited. but he still couldnt help the anger in his heart. but the monks of jinshan temple are really infuriating. the elders perfect plan was ruined by them. no one expected them to completely abandon the glory of the seven great sects and submit to the court hounds. its really hateful. with that, flower mother understood from their narration what had happened, and no wonder they were so agitated. the monks of jinshan temple had their doors wide open without any resistance, allowing the government hounds to enter the temple and search. as a result, the elder of the lifeless sects one-stone two-bird plan completely failed. how could they accept this outcome? the monks of jinshan temple were truly hateful! if the court hounds really found the prince of pingan, wouldnt that be like lifting a rock only to drop it on ones own foot? just then, there was a knock on the door. after checking the secret signal, a church member of the no-life sect entered and knelt on the ground. elder, something has happened! Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Meeting Flower Mother Again chapter 40: chapter 40: meeting flower mother again translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. liang shengs mansion. liang sheng thought he was in for big trouble this time but it turned out to be a false alarm; one could say that jinshan temple had mastered the art of muddling through, managing to escape unscathed despite the county government offices grand preparations. at this point, liang sheng had already learned the whole story, as everyone in jinzhou city already knew about it. he had never expected such a bizarre tale to unfold in jinzhou city. however, he quickly decided that the story, though melodramatic, was logical. if it werent for such circumstances, there would be no reason for xia zhiqiu, a cunning and wicked character with a cultivation level of nine realms in the postnatal realm, to linger in small jinzhou city for decades. but who could have imagined such a melodramatic twist, like the legitimate heir to the royal palace disappearing for more than 20 years without a trace after being taken away by a wet nurse? who could believe it? who would dare to believe it? even with the most outrageous, fantastical narratives of the past, it would be difficult to come up with such a plot. otherwise, would it not discount the intelligence of the readers? it can only be said that reality is always stranger than fiction. but now jinzhou city wont have any conflicts, and he no longer has to worry about any unexpected trouble coming their way. however, liang sheng never expected that he had already become a sought-after person by the lifeless sect, and that a woman was already acting on their behalf. at this moment, there was a knock on the door of the mansion. ma xiaoliu hurriedly went to open the door, ready to declare that they were not receiving guests. soon after, ma xiaoliu came back to report that zhang rongjun had arrived. with the crisis averted, liang sheng decided to meet his old friend. as soon as zhang rongjun appeared in front of liang sheng, he exclaimed, sheng, how can you be so calm? princess pingan has personally come to jinzhou city. arent you going to see the excitement? ive lived so many years and never seen a royal princess before. i think its worth it to see her in person even if i die afterward. zhang rongjun was extremely excited, but liang sheng just shook his head. excluding the fact that there would definitely be masters guarding princess pingan at this time, he didnt want to get involved with jinshan temple at all. he could even imagine how anxious xuannan and the others must have been when they were surrounded by the county government office before. after all, their sect is an offshoot of the dharma sect and wouldnt withstand investigation. if the truth got out, it wouldnt be just jinzhou city besieging them, but the entire government launching an attack on them. the mere thought was thrilling. zhang rongjun, seeing that he could not persuade liang sheng, could only go to see the excitement on his own. after all, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to see princess pingan. after zhang rongjuns departure, liang shengs eyes were somewhat mysterious. he naturally had some understanding of why princess pingan would make such a grand fuss about going to jinshan temple. this was nothing more than her way of declaring on a broad scale the return of the son of prince pingan. she must want to make up for her sense of guilt and give him the greatest honor. surely, the return to the capitals royal palace would be even more spectacular. of course, there must have been some unrest in the royal palace lately which led princess pingan to make such a grand self-exposure. but what did any of this have to do with him? the real matter at hand was to live a life of leisure and wealth and find a suitable time to die peacefully in his sleep! although liang sheng had no interest in joining the excitement, he was relieved now that the crisis had passed. he decided to go to shengde building to have a few drinks in celebration. however, the horse carriage suddenly stopped midway. surprised, liang sheng asked, what happened, xiaoliu? master, it seems that we accidentally bumped into someone. hearing this, liang sheng did not leave the carriage but slightly lifted the curtain, catching a glimpse of a plump young woman on the ground, holding her foot and frowning in pain. but when liang sheng saw her face, his heart tightened, because he recognized her as his own step-aunt, flower mother. at this moment, flower mother watched the carriage stop out of the corner of her eye and secretly rejoiced, thinking that her beauty had captured liang shengs attention. but in the next moment, liang sheng had ma xiaoliu throw a silver note at her and told him rather impatiently, xiaoliu, lets go. ma xiaoliu was also taken aback but had long formed a reflexive response. upon hearing liang shengs command, he immediately drove the carriage away, passing right by flower mother. by the time flower mother realized what had happened, she couldnt help but glance at her own exquisite figure. she had spent years cultivating the hehuan skill, and her appearance was comparable to that of a young girl. why did liang sheng react like that? could it be that she had become so ugly without realizing it? why else would he run at the sight of her? but in the next moment, flower mother regained her confidence, because the men around were staring at her with lust in their eyes. however, some people were staring at her maliciously, no, they were staring at the silver notes dumped on her by liang sheng. damn it! flower mother could only hastily get up and then duck into an alley. two thugs glanced at each other without hesitation and followed her with a cold smirk. the others who saw this changed their expressions but eventually sighed; the two were not good people, how could they dare to offend them? the onlookers on the street sighed secretly and then went about their own business, feeling sympathetically for the beautiful young woman, who had been a victim of the allure of wealth. in the alley, the two thugs hurried in, fearing that flower mother would get away, but as soon as they turned the corner, they saw her standing there, beaming with a big smile on her face. the two couldnt help but feel their hearts skip a beat; what a beautiful woman! am i beautiful? less than a quarter of an hour later, flower mother came out the other side refreshed, her confidence that had been shattered by liang sheng was fully restored. as for that useless old man, she would have to think of another way to deal with him. by the time the sun set, a passerby went through the alley on his way home and discovered two withered corpses, seemingly drained of all their essence blood. murder! soon after, constables arrived on the scene, leaving a gruesome unsolved murder case that fueled superstitious rumors. few people dared to pass by this alley at night afterward. jinshan temple. at this moment, jinshan temple was completely surrounded. a young novice monk in his twenties was panicking, as he was being escorted by the dragon suppression guards in the center of the temple. xuan ji and the others had also completely let down their guard at this point. it seemed that jinshan temple had not been exposed, and xia zhiqiu and the others were indeed here to find the person they were looking for. however, what was so special about this little novice monk? how could he attract such a big reaction from xia zhiqiu? as the chief of reception, xuan nan quickly recalled the origin of the little novice monk, who had been found as an abandoned child on a winter night over twenty years ago. until now, he had only been a little novice monk in charge of guiding pilgrims to their lodgings in the reception hall. at this thought, xuan nan couldnt help but sigh at the impermanence of the world. who could have imagined that a little novice monk would cause such a commotion? xia zhiqiu was extremely cautious, only after repeatedly confirming with an old palace maid from the royal palace did he finally breathe a sigh of relief. once the guards from the royal palace had found the little novice monk, they left in a rush to return to the city to report the news. how to proceed now depended on the orders of wang fei [princess pingan]. however, although the county government offices constables were still surrounding jinshan temple at this moment, the tense atmosphere from before had dissipated. xia zhiqiu even went to chat jovially among the xuan generation high monks. i didnt expect to have such a splendid place like jinshan temple within my jurisdiction. today, i finally got the chance to visit you esteemed monks. it is my dereliction of duty not to have visited earlier. i wonder which esteemed monk is the abbot of the temple? in the future, i would like to visit the temple to taste your tea and discuss buddhism. at this time, xuan nan hurriedly clasped his hands together, county lord, you are too kind. we are just humble monks living away from the world. our abbot elder brother is currently in closed-door cultivation to understand buddhism, so he could not come to meet you in person. 1 hope you wont take offense. at this point, xia zhiqiu naturally would not bear any resentment. the discovery of the one they were looking for today can be considered a perfect ending. if everything goes smoothly, he will finally be able to escape the quagmire of jinzhou city and go to the capital for a brighter future. just then, a rider on a fast horse came in a hurry, and the knight directly shouted: princess pingan is coming to jinshan temple, kneel down and receive her! xia zhiqius complexion changed. huh? the princess was coming to jinshan temple in person? Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Bizarre chapter 41: chapter 41: bizarre translator: 549690339 jinshan temple. startled by the knights shout, xia zhiqiu quickly gathered himself, apologized to xuan nan and his party, and then returned to the side of the eldest son and knelt on the ground in deference to the arrival of wang fei. xia zhiqiu was somewhat frustrated. it seemed that wang fei intended to make up for the past decades of absence with a grand show of the heirs return to prince of pingans mansion. she didnt even wait to verify if the boy was really her prince. yes, a mother might do anything to compensate for a child she has wronged. however, this level of fuss seemed a bit too hastened. had some misfortune occurred in the palace that warranted the rush? xia zhiqius thoughts spun wildly. the actions of princess pingan at this moment were indeed hard to justify, but all he could do was bury his doubts for now. the next moment, the princesss horse carriage appeared within everyones line of sight, followed by a flurry of people adding to a buzzing scene. hmm? observing the situation, xia zhiqiu understood more than he had initially thought. wang feis actions were drawing quite the grand assembly. was she making sure that everyone in jinzhou city knew of the return of the heir of pingan wangs mansion today? when the carriage came to a halt and the curtain was pulled back, an elegant woman appeared, still beautiful in her age. all those present cast their eyes downward, not daring to look directly at her. lady rong, where is my son? the old woman hurried over to wang fei and whispered in her ear, your highness, dont be upset, the prince is over there. upon hearing this, wang fei immediately looked where lady rong pointed and saw a young novice monk being surrounded by guards. her eyes turned red instantly, and she rushed towards him. my poor son. the novice monk didnt have time to counter-react, he was abruptly pulled to her side, where she roughly rolled up his sleeve and saw a birthmark on his arm resembling a flying sparrow. she started crying uncontrollably. my son, youve suffered so much these years. wang fei sobbed as she held the novice monk, causing uncertainty among the people of jinshan temple and the local folks. xuan nan and others were relieved. they now understood why xia zhiqiu had made such a fuss C it all made sense. something stirred in xuan nans heart at this moment, but he quickly dismissed the thought. this was not a time for him to act impulsively. meanwhile, seeing wang fei lose control, xia zhiqiu quickly ordered his men to bring in a veil to cover wang fei, keeping the spectacle hidden from the on-looking crowd. the novice monk finally reacted, trying gently to break away from wang fei, careful not to hurt her, and cautiously said, my woman, are you sure you havent mistaken me for someone else? im just a novice monk in the temple. i cant be mistaken. i remember every detail of this birthmark, you are my son. then, xuan nan outside seemed to realize something and hurriedly left. worried about wang feis safety at this moment, xia zhiqiu was too preoccupied to notice. it wasnt long until xuan nan returned with a parcel. he handed it to xia zhiqiu. this is the jade pendant that was on wuhai when i found him. upon hearing this, xia zhiqiu immediately understood xuan nans intention. without any concern for overstepping his bounds, he immediately opened the parcel, revealing a serpent-shaped jade pendant with the character an in the middle! a match! xia zhiqiu hurriedly took a few steps forward, handed the jade pendant to lady rong, who was even more excited after seeing it, and she walked into the veil. your highness, the temple elder has brought the jade pendant that the prince carried with him. after seeing the jade pendant, princess pingan became even more emotional, child, look, this is your jade pendant that the emperor bestowed upon you when you were born. you are my child, prince ye an of pingan mansion. the novice monk, no, ye an, was completely stunned. this was his mother? was he the prince of pingan mansion? he was somewhat incredulous, then awkwardly patted wang feis back, his heart beginning to believe. benefactor, could you please calm down? may i check with the chief monk? the princess had no objections, and ye ans answer from xuan nan was extremely affirmative, wu hai, you still have worldly entanglements. you may go with the princess. hearing this, the princess cast an appreciative glance at xuan nan, and her impression of jinshan temple improved slightly. then ye an, who was still dazed, was practically dragged into the horse carriage by princess pingan and escorted down the mountain by the dragon suppression guards. to all the holy monks, it was inconsiderate of me to have disturbed you like this. due to current circumstances, i cant stay. i will personally come up the mountain and apologize next time. xia zhiqiu gave a hurried goodbye and left. at this moment, the common people were extremely satisfied. after all, the gossip involving such big figures was exceedingly sweet. jinzhou city. lifeless sect headquarters. elder, the prince of pingans mansion has found the child, but jinshan temple remains undamaged. if i had known this, i would have killed this child long ago. the elder, unknown to the situation, responded in an inscrutable manner, the church has its own plan concerning this matter. todays result is indeed a bit regrettable as jinshan temple has managed to avoid calamity, but the situation is still under control. since we already have a result, lets put this aside for now. dont you dare take any reckless actions. by the way, where is flower mother? did she meet that piece of trash from the liang family today? did she catch him? on hearing this, flower mother looked rather embarrassed, respected elder, i indeed met liang sheng, but the elder, hearing her tone, sensed that something was wrong. even though flower mother wasnt strong in terms of cultivation, her contributions to the holy sect over the years were numerous. could she have encountered trouble when dealing with that insignificant trash? after flower mother recounted the events, the elder was left puzzled and had no idea what had happened. indeed, this matter is strange. we will have to wait for another opportunity tomorrow to find out exactly what strategies this useless thing is deploying. yes! shengde building. sitting in the private room, liang sheng frowned. the appearance of flower mother gave him a bad premonition. had he been targeted by the lifeless sect? in the past, liang sheng was entrusted with liang qiangs dying requests. however, he soon discovered that liang qiang had been manipulated and that flower mother was a member of the lifeless sect. since then, there had been no further involvements. but he hadnt expected to encounter her today. he absolutely refused to believe that this was just a coincidence. given the lifeless sects character, they were likely planning to revisit old matters. the only thing that could attract the attention of the lifeless sect was his wealth. despite their tactics not changing over the years, their audacity was still irksome. but in this scenario, he would need to plot carefully. the lifeless sect definitely wont stop at one attempt; they would definitely have follow-up plans. however, now that princess pingan had arrived at jinzhou city, the city was heavily guarded. presumably, the lifeless sect wouldnt dare to act out in the open. given this, he still had room to maneuvre, but he also needed to prepare for the consequent affairs. after all, once targeted by the lifeless sect, escape wouldnt be easy. thinking of this, a plan began forming in liang shengs mind. this time, not only would he make the lifeless sect pay, but he would also seize the opportunity to break free from his shackles. flower mother, youre walking into your own grave! Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42:1 Want to Be a Good Person chapter 42: chapter 42:1 want to be a good person translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. princess pingan had already returned to the capital overnight with ye an, escorted all the way by the dragon suppression guard. the haste of her return made xia zhiqiu more certain that something must have happened at the prince of pingans mansion in capital. however, xia zhiqiu didnt make any other moves. all he needed to do now was wait for the order from the capital, and then he could leave jinzhou city and return to the capital. at this critical moment, it was natural not to do anything so as not to cause unnecessary trouble. as zheng wanchun was already following xia zhiqiu, he also made preparations to leave jinzhou city. it was unclear whether it was because the words of princess pingan were left behind or because xia zhiqiu was full of reverence for the high monks of jinshan temple. in any case, they were all pleased with the hosts and guests. during this period, compared to before, zheng wanchuns meetings with liang sheng became even more frequent. after all, he could see that liang shengs condition was deteriorating and that he might not have much time left. if he went to the capital, it would be difficult for them to meet again in this lifetime. as for flower mother, just as liang sheng had anticipated, she had once again created the opportunity for a chance encounter, only this time her methods were much more sophisticated. she was like a gentlewoman who stopped after a brief taste, liang sheng couldnt help but feel a bit more favorable toward her compared to the last time he had seen her and ignored her. for some reason, she would always inadvertently encounter liang sheng, and gradually, they would chat and get along better and better. liang sheng couldnt help but admire flower mother for achieving this. in order to maintain her image, she had specifically rented a mansion not far from shengde building, but he didnt know if she had bought or rented it. however, flower mother still had to return to the lifeless sect headquarters regularly to report on her progress. she didnt know that her whereabouts had long been clearly known to liang sheng, who was almost aware of the location of the lifeless sect headquarters. with the help of the attribute panel concealment, as long as liang sheng does not mess up, flower mother, who is in the postnatal sixth realm, will never be able to discover that she is being followed by him. in the blink of an eye, another half month had passed, and zheng wanchun was more relaxed. he inadvertently revealed that in a months time, he would be leaving jinzhou city with xia zhiqiu. liang sheng calculated the time secretly, preparing to implement his plan. after that, he would solve the problem and be free as a bird in the sky and a fish in the vast sea. zheng wanchun was about to leave jinzhou city, and he couldnt wait any longer. shengde building. at this moment, it was sunset. zhang rongjun had finished his work at the teahouse and finally had time to find liang sheng. before he knew it, they started talking about the scene of princess pingan going to jinshan temple to pickup the prince. brother sheng, its such a pity that you didnt go to jinshan temple. who would have thought that the prince of pingan would be stranded among the common people and at the jinshan temple of all places? zhang rongjun marveled at the story. after all, in this world, merchants and businessmen can only strive for wealth but not for high culture. if they achieved success in martial arts, wealth would come easily to them, just like why liang sheng, as the tavern owner, had no more wealth than zhang rongjun but had a much higher status than him. thats because he was a disciple of the martial arts family, the liang familys younger generation. reality was that cruel. liang sheng didnt care about this. after waiting for zhang rongjun to stop talking about it, he smiled and said, alright, its really boring to listen to you talk about this. how about 1 take you to visit sheriff zheng today? county government office sheriff zheng? zhang rongjun naturally knew who the other party was, so he was more than willing to hear liang shengs invitation. at the beginning, it was said that niu ben, the local ruffian, was afraid of liang sheng, but it would be more accurate to say that he was afraid of zheng wanchun. where are we going? what do i need to prepare? dont be so nervous, its just old friends getting together. too formal would be no good. 1 already arranged to have drinks with him before you came looking for me today, and it will be at your favorite place. zhang rongjun tacitly smiled and naturally knew where liang sheng was talking about, ill pay for everything tonight, and you better not try to steal. liang sheng naturally wouldnt oppose, and the two immediately got in a horse carriage. the carriage swayed and went to a place, and as for the direction, it was naturally towards yichun building. however, when they passed by the mansion that flower mother had invested heavily in, liang sheng couldnt help but smile when he noticed the sedan at the door. after observing and summarizing the patterns for so many days, today was supposed to be the day when flower mother wouldnt leave the mansion. seeing the sedan proved that there were no surprises. right, tonight the two of us will just drink and not overwork ourselves. after all, our bodies cant handle those enchantresses anymore. at this moment, zhang rongjun changed the subject and said that he was considering liang shengs well-being. although zhang rongjuns hair and beard were white, he seemed to be in better shape than liang sheng. as just drinking was the reason for his visit today, liang sheng did not insist on it. when they arrived at yichun building, the madame was no longer spring lady, but the former top courtesan, lady liu. upon seeing liang sheng, lady lius mouth turned up at the corners. an important customer had arrived! master sheng, its been a long time since youve been here. lady liu leaned in, but liang sheng took a step back, i cant handle you myself. my old friend here can, though. just make sure hes taken care of. all the expenses tonight are on him, so manage it. lady liu leaned into zhang rongjuns embrace, and he, being an old hand in this business, didnt mind. bring out the best wine and the prettiest girls tonight, money is no concern. with that, he stuffed a stack of silver notes into lady lius bosom, and her eyes lit up. ladies, come out to entertain our guests. liang sheng and zhang rongjun laughed as they were ushered inside by a group of ladies. once seated, however, the banquet didnt commence. lady liu, prepare some tea and snacks for now. we need to wait for our esteemed guest, sheriff zheng. once he arrives, well start the banquet. upon hearing that zheng wanchun was coming, lady liu perked up, her enthusiasm rising even higher than before. in their line of work, having the protection of someone like zheng wanchun meant nobody would dare to cause trouble. unfortunately, zheng wanchun couldnt make it that night. just as he was about to leave, a beggar blocked his way and handed him a note. at first, zheng wanchun was suspicious, but after reading the note, his expression changed drastically. he sent a message to yichun building to apologize for not being able to keep his appointment, and then hurried to the county government office with the little beggar. yichun building. zheng wanchuns absence disappointed zhang rongjun and lady liu, but liang sheng took the initiative to lighten the mood. bring out the good food, good wine, and good ladies all at once! soon, the party fell into a drunken haze. liang sheng quickly became intoxicated and unconscious, carried off to an upstairs room to rest. zhang rongjun fared no better, and after finding a girl, he went straight to sleep. just past midnight, with the building bustling outside, the unconscious liang sheng opened his eyes. his drunkenness seemingly vanished. he quietly opened the window and slipped out, using the attribute panel concealment function and his post-natal eighth level without anyone noticing. in no time, liang sheng arrived at flower mothers temporary residence, skillfully bypassing the guards on patrol. the sedan chair outside was still there. without wasting any more time, liang sheng scaled the wall of the mansion without disturbing anyone. he had already learned where flower mothers room was. when he entered flower mothers room, she didnt notice anything until liang shengs murderous intent was revealed, and she suddenly woke up. liang sheng! these were her last thoughts as liang sheng didnt hesitate, striking her temple with a single palm. in her final moments, she couldnt believe that a martial arts waste from the liang family could so easily take her out. holy sect her consciousness plunged into limitless darkness as liang sheng pulled out the corpse dissolving powder and sprinkled it without hesitation on flower mothers body. in a short while, flower mother disappeared from the world without a trace. second uncle, even though it took me decades to send second aunt to you, you shouldnt be lonely anymore. after making sure no traces were left behind, liang sheng completely melded into the night, leaving without a sound. by the time liang sheng returned to his room in yichun building, the area outside was still lively, and no one knew he had left. at that moment, a fire suddenly erupted in the southern city. the county ya catcher and his men surrounded a mansion, with not just zheng wanchun present but even xia zhiqiu personally arrived. the liang and wu families elite forces were already on standby. as expected, its the remnants of the lifeless sect. kill them! at that moment, liang sheng looked out his window at the faint glow of fire from the southern city, a small smile playing on the corners of his mouth. this was part of his plan. if he couldnt resolve the problem that had plagued him for so long, then why not just eliminate the people causing the trouble? i really just want to be a good person, so why do they always force me? Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Chaos chapter 43: chapter 43: chaos translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. lifeless sect stronghold. elder, flower mother cant come today. she said that her progress with the liang familys useless person is going very fast. after all, that waste has been in and out of flower mothers mansion a few times in the previous days. so, for the sake of better completing the mission and preventing the waste from going to her at any time, she said she wont come for the time being. in that case, its also fine. if it werent for xia zhiqius hound, we wouldnt have to be so careful. it is still better to be cautious now. however, for some reason, the elder of the no-life sect always felt uneasy in his heart, but there had been no abnormalities recently. could there be a problem with the head church? but in the next moment, the elder of the no-life sect suddenly stood up, looking at a certain direction outside the window, his eyes full of killing intent, visitors are here. the other people were suddenly startled by his words. before they could react, they saw numerous rockets shot in, with fire oil on them. in a short time, the whole mansion caught fire. the elder of the no-life sect and others had already rushed out of the room, but the outside of the mansion had already been heavily surrounded by the government office. county lord xia zhiqiu was even watching from a hundred meters away, not moving at all. and those leading the charge were zheng wanchun, liang ying, liang ping, and wu chang. at this moment, they were directing the operation from all sides to ensure it was foolproof. damn! at this time, how could the elder not know that he and others had already been exposed? but apart from a few core members of the church, even ordinary members of the lifeless sect did not know about this place. the elder couldnt help but look at the people beside him. at the moment, their nerves were tense and their faces full of urgency, which didnt seem like a pretense. it meant that they didnt leak the information. so, there was only one person left flower mother! certainly, it must be flower mother who leaked the information. otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that the courts hounds came to kill us right on the day she is not here? at this time, the constables of the county government office and the elite disciples of the liang and wu families were fighting fiercely with the guards of the lifeless sect. however, with the constables being more determined in their actions, they killed their enemies like breaking branches. at this time, several leaders of the halls wanted to fight desperately but were stopped by the elder of the no-life sect. he had encountered worse situations before. its no use rushing, as long as there are green mountains, theres no need to worry about having firewood to burn. break through, dont linger. the several people from the lifeless sect moved quickly, their fighting experience was extremely rich, and they soon found the weakest part of the besieging army. the no-life evil cult is indeed hard to deal with, xia zhiqiu had also noticed that the situation was not right. the other party simply didnt want to fight at all, only to break through and escape. in that case everyone, close the net! xia zhiqiu pointed far away in the direction where the elder was breaking through. zheng wanchun, liang ying, and the other two did not hesitate and rushed over. liang ping was eager to achieve merit, so he was the closest to the front, but the next moment, his face changed dramatically. postnatal ninth layer! uncle! the change happened too fast for anyone to react. who could have thought there would be a postnatal ninth layer expert disguised as an ordinary high-level martial artist in the lifeless sect? it was so similar to xia zhiqius disguise back then. fortunately, the elder of the no-life sect didnt want to fight. liang ping barely managed to avoid taking the brunt of the palm wind, and his life was spared. liang ying let out a roar, but zheng wanchun and the others stopped immediately, retreating instead of advancing. xia zhiqiu had already come to his senses and was finally taking action, rushing towards this place quickly. remnants of the no-life sect, die! seeing xia zhiqiu finally take action, zheng wanchun and the others followed suit. however, xia zhiqiu also felt some regret in his heart. he was ultimately too impatient, and if he had arranged things more appropriately, this oversight would not have happened. but he didnt have much time in jinzhou, so he had no choice. if he could add todays merit of eradicating the rebels to his record, there would be no one in the court who could find fault with him once he entered the capital in the future. however, what was the origin of the young man who let the little beggar report the news? they would have to investigate after this. the man might not be as simple as he seemed. the no-life sect elder dared not underestimate xia zhiqiu, and for a short while, their battle was fierce with sand and stone flying around, making it impossible for anyone to approach them. however, xia zhiqiu caught sight of liang ying and the others predicament from the corner of his eye and became anxious. these remnants of the no-life sect were truly sly as foxes. liang ping was severely injured, and although zheng wanchun and the others temporarily had no life-threatening danger, they were still at a disadvantage. if things continued like this, these no-life sect remnants might really escape, and he would fail miserably, leaving a stain on his record as the county lord. thinking of this, xia zhiqiu no longer hesitated, masters xuan ji and xuan nan, i request your assistance immediately. xuan ji and xuan nan!? monks from jinshan temple? at this moment, the no-life sect elder was suddenly shocked upon hearing this. he feared that todays disaster wasnt caused by flower mother but the monks of jinshan temple. could it be that they wanted to use this opportunity to ally with the prince of pingans mansion to successfully clear their name? damn it! xuan ji and xuan nan, hidden in the shadows, wore bitter smiles on their faces. if they had known this would happen, why would they have bothered to leave the mountain today? they could only say that jinshan temple had indeed been careless recently, never expecting to be caught in xia zhiqius open scheme. so, their relationship with xia zhiqiu was merely a stepping stone to this point? xuan ji and xuan nan exchanged glances at this moment. they knew all too well that xia zhiqiu was not merely as gentle and elegant as he appeared; he was ruthless too when taking action. this time, they were probably expected to prove their loyalty. xuan nan and xuan ji quickly made a decision. given the no-life sects character, even if they didnt take any action today, the sect would likely already have its sights set on jinshan temple. moreover, if the dayan dynasty truly focused its attention on jinshan temple, they would have no other choice but destruction. temporarily cooperating with the court was a better option. compared to their previous relationship with the prince of pingans mansion, the no-life sect was a relatively minor issue. with that thought, the two no longer hesitated. the next moment, they saw the two venerable monks instantly appear on the battlefield, and the no-life sect elder was furious at the sight. damn baldies! immediately, the situation at zheng wanchuns side reversed. the no-life sect elder saw that there was no way to win. he mustered all his strength for one palm strike, hoping to repel xia zhiqiu even if it meant he would suffer internal injuries. the next moment, he turned around and fled without any hesitation, not caring about the other church members any longer. there was nothing xia zhiqiu could do at this sight. a postnatal ninth layer expert with virtually undamaged battle strength wanted to escape; he simply couldnt stop it. back then, yang laifa was heavily wounded and weakened by more than half of his strength by the combined efforts of the ancestors of the liang and wu families before being killed by xia zhiqiu. however, this time, it was not entirely fruitless. looking at the surrounded no-life sect members, xia zhiqiu was cold and unemotional. kill! but just then, an unexpected event occurred. as the no-life sect elder was about to escape the encirclement, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him. xuan ji! yichun building. liang sheng stood by the window, looking at the distant fire that resembled brilliant fireworks, sighing in his heart. this time, he had become the final chess player. under various coincidental circumstances, he had set up a seemingly unrelated yet closely connected chess game involving xia zhiqiu, jinshan temple, and the no-life sect as his chess pieces. to be safe, he should also stage his own death and sever ties with this whirlpool. as a result, only a few members of the no-life sect would likely escape, jinshan temple would be blamed, and no one would know about his killing of flower mother. no one would suspect him. after all, what does a worn-out, useless old man like him have to do with a youthful informer? although the method was simple, it was extremely effective! flower mother, after this, he would leave the world as a love-stricken person, which should be a fitting tribute to your efforts, right? Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Faking Death To Escape chapter 44: chapter 44 faking death to escape translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. yichun building. early the next morning, liang sheng was refreshed, while zhang rongjun rubbed his old waist with a bitter smile on his face, thinking that he was really getting old. liang sheng glanced at him, and zhang rongjun gave him a look that men understood. then, they both greeted each other and went their separate ways back home. when liang sheng returned home, he planned to spend the whole morning waiting and observing the situation in jinzhou city. however, not long after, someone knocked at his door. ma xiaoliu rushed in and said, master, grandfather has passed away. the family is asking you to go to the ancestral hall now. hmm? liang sheng was momentarily lost for words at this unexpected news. then, a guard from the liang family stepped forward and explained, there was a disturbance last night. the elder was seriously injured in battle. despite calling for a doctor in time, he still passed away. liang sheng understood. after all, liang ping was at the post-natal eighth level realm but had previously suffered injuries. his age had caught up with him, and if an accident occurred, it would be understandable. liang sheng sat silently in the horse carriage, feeling partially responsible for the accident that led to liang pings death. for a time, his heart was filled with mixed emotions. when he arrived at the ancestral hall, he could no longer stay low-profile, as all eyes were on him. after all, he was the only flesh and blood of liang ping left in this world. at this moment, liang yings face was haggard, filled with grief over the loss of liang ping. he was now the only one left to carry on the liang familys legacy. after inheriting the position of patriarch and after the death of the ancestor, liang ping had been his most powerful supporter. at this moment, he greeted liang sheng who had just entered. brother sheng is here. i pay my respects to the patriarch. liang sheng followed liang ying into the ancestral hall, and saw liang ping lying in his coffin, wearing his burial clothes, his face rosy, as if he were asleep. although liang ping had never treated him as a son in all these years, liang sheng couldnt help but feel suffocated at this moment. no matter what, due to being liang pings son, he had been able to live a comfortable life, even as a martial arts waste. at this moment, liang ying patted liang shengs shoulder without saying anything. liang sheng could only mechanically follow all the arrangements made by the liang family. guarding the spirit, giving thanks for the condolences, carrying the banner into the burial, seven days passed in the blink of an eye. by then, liang sheng finally understood what had happened that night and began to reflect on himself. from now on, he must not be so reckless. he should not get involved in power struggles without overwhelming strength. no matter how carefully planned, accidents could still happen. he became more determined than ever to break away from this situation as soon as possible; otherwise, as a small boat caught in a whirlpool, he was very likely to capsize. as it turned out, on that night, everything was going according to liang shengs script. the elder of the no-life sect was on the verge of escaping the encirclement but suddenly, someone blocked his way. that person was none other than abbot xuanji of the discipline hall of jinshan temple. xia zhiqius eyes brightened, and he couldnt help but exclaim that he had misjudged the situation. abbot xuanji of the discipline hall of jinshan temple was not a post-natal eighth level practitioner, but a top expert at the nine levels of the postnatal realm. at this moment, the elder of the no-life sect was filled with anger and fear. jinshan temple was indeed a hidden den of fierce dragons as the heritage of the dharma sect. but at the same time, xuan jis heart was full of bitterness, his cultivation level, hidden for a long time, now exposed to everyones eyes. he had no choice but to do this. on the night when xia zhiqius open conspiracy took place, they had to make sure that all members of the no-life sect died in jinzhou city. because the events of this night could not be leaked out, xia zhiqiu, as ruthless as he was, had boundaries. however, the no-life sect was different C if they offended them, they would have to sever all roots to avoid disaster. since the elder of the no-life sect was stopped by xuan ji, any hope of escape had turned into a delusion, especially given that xia zhiqiu would not let this opportunity slip away. in the end, the results were clear: xia zhiqiu and xuan ji joined forces and killed the elder of the no-life sect, only at the cost of xuan jis slight injury. the cause and effect of this matter were sealed at xuan jis insistence. considering the connection between prince pingans mansion and jinshan temple, xia zhiqiu naturally ordered everyone present to keep it a secret. although the news of the destruction of the lifeless sect was still spreading, there was no mention of jinshan temple involved in the rumors. if it wasnt for liang shengs high cultivation level and overhearing the whispers of the liang familys younger generation, he probably wouldnt have known about such a story. after the seven-day mourning period was over, liang sheng returned home, but by then, the entire mansion was already draped in white mourning cloth. though liang ping no longer had any father-and-son affection for him, it was after all a repercussion of his actions. as long as it didnt affect his own safety in the future, he could lend a hand to the liang family at least once. as for revenge? the elder of the lifeless sect had already been killed, so how could one speak of revenge? it could only be blamed on liang pings eagerness to achieve merit that led to such an outcome. as soon as he returned home, zhang rongjun visited him. the liang family was a prominent clan. although zhang rongjun and liang sheng were best friends, he was not qualified to pay homage at the liang residence. sheng, my brother, you must accept the change with resignation. the dead cannot be brought back to life. we who are alive must move on. dont worry about me. even though he said that, liang shengs haggard appearance still made zhang rongjun uneasy. my brother, our teahouse has been renovated and is ready to open. would you mind coming over to take a look for me? seeing that zhang rongjun was insistent, liang sheng agreed, knowing letting everyone in jinzhou city see him in such a sorry state would help lay the groundwork for his plan. at the teahouse, zhang yuntai had been waiting for a long time, the place was decorated in a classic style, and liang sheng could not find any faults. however, after keeping vigil for seven days, he was inevitably overwhelmed. after spending some time at the teahouse, liang sheng decided to leave, looking slightly better than before. zhang rongjun breathed a sigh of relief when he saw this. but with the teahouses opening approaching, he was busy as well and did not accompany liang sheng on his way. on his way back, liang sheng specially let ma xiaoliu take a detour to the mansion where flower mother, disguised as lady ru, used to live. this time, he naturally couldnt see her. the old servant of the mansion was not in a good mood, for he hadnt received his promised wages and the lady had left without saying anything C how could he not be angry? my mistress? she left a long time ago and is no longer in the mansion. i didnt even get my wages. how would i know where she is? didnt she leave a message for me? how could a liar like her leave a message for you? with that, the old servant slammed the door shut. liang sheng looked like hed been struck by lightning and suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face as pale as gold. he then fainted on the spot. ma xiaoliu was so frightened that he hastily carried liang sheng onto the horse carriage and rushed to the doctor. anger has led to a heart attack; his mood is depressed. if it had been any other time, it wouldnt have been a problem. but he has just experienced great grief and great joy, plus his body is already severely depleted. even divine intervention cant save him now. let him go home and rest. whether he wakes up or not depends on fate. ma xiaoliu couldnt hide this news. soon, zhang rongjun, the liang family, and zheng wanchun were informed, and they rushed over right away. seeing that liang sheng was barely breathing, they all wore worried expressions, fearing that liang sheng might not have much time left. they didnt know when he would pass away or if he could wake up. zhang rongjun felt particularly guilty, knowing all this. if he had known, he would not have allowed liang sheng to return home alone. brother sheng is, after all, a devoted lover. they already knew that it was because of a woman that liang sheng had ended up like this, so they could only sigh in response. at this moment, liang ying felt even more miserable. she had just lost liang ping, and now it was his sons turn. how could she face him in the afterlife? three days later, liang sheng suddenly regained consciousness, but before ma xiaoliu could rejoice and call for others, liang sheng yelled out lady ru, and then breathed his last breath! as liang sheng had never married, the liang family arranged his funeral. however, with zheng wanchun involved, his funeral was still rather grand. seven days later, liang sheng was buried next to liang pings tomb, and yichun building was closed for the day to commemorate this devoted patron. prostitutes are heartless, actors are unfaithful, yet this moment was so ironic. however, no one in jinzhou city knew that it was only achieved by zhang rongjtins generous spending. three days later, late at night. at liang shengs grave, a hand suddenly reached out from the soil, and soon, liang sheng, dressed in burial clothes, crawled out completely from the grave. with the unprecedented eleventh level of the turtle breath technique that pushed the limits, who could have discovered his fake death?under the moonlight, liang sheng had already regained his youthful appearance, his face full of smiles. today, he had settled all cause and effect in jinzhou city, and from now on, he would be free of shackles and regain his freedom! Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Old Friend, Long Time No See chapter 45: chapter 45: old friend, long time no see translator: 549690339 night. liang family cemetery. after climbing out of the grave, liang sheng took a deep breath, made a few turns, walked some distance, and after confirming his own mark, he took out an iron shovel. without any hesitation, he immediately began digging at the marked spot. in no time, a small wooden box and a corpse wearing a shroud appeared. this corpse had been soaked in a special potion, so its body had not decayed much. however, its face was almost rotten. nevertheless, liang sheng showed no fear. he first changed into the clothes in the wooden box and destroyed the shroud he had taken off. then, he put the items from the wooden box in a bag and carried it on his back, finally dragging the corpse to his own grave. next, he put the corpse into his coffin and refilled the grave. since it had already been dug recently, he did not need to worry about anyone noticing it had been tampered with. afterward, he stared at his name on the tombstone for quite a while, reading tomb of the late mr. liang respectfully known as sheng. he didnt know how to feel about it. but he had finally left his past identity behind and could say goodbye to the past, a scene that would become almost normal in the future. after all, all things in the world turn into dust in the face of time. only he, standing on the river of time, could look down upon life and remain undying and eternal. with that thought, liang shengs face returned to calmness, and without any attachment, he turned around and walked away. at this moment, he had restored his youthful appearance, and using breakthrough lifespan cultivation techniques to tweak his appearance, nobody could connect his current look to liang sheng. having endured for nearly forty years, he finally gained freedom in a single day! time flew by. ten years passed in the blink of an eye. jinzhou city seemed to have changed little. however, occasionally people still recalled the scenes from ten years ago when county lord xia zhiqiu left his post, and the whole city sent him off joyously. back then, the patriarchs of liang and wu families were so emotional that they shed tears, which made people sigh. the harmony between the official and the people demonstrated how much they approved of xia zhiqius achievements during his tenure. however, ordinary people couldnt imagine that the tears shed by the patriarchs of liang and wu families were not because of sadness, but excitement. xia zhiqiu had put too much pressure on them over the years. wu chang had lost his previous spirited demeanor. he was over eighty years old and still couldnt break through the postnatal nine-realm. he probably didnt have much time left. unfortunately, the highest cultivation level among the younger generation of wu family was only at the postnatal seven-realm. this made him feel helpless since xia zhiqius methods could never allow the prominent families to thrive again. luckily, the huge obstacle xia zhiqiu finally left, and they could breathe a sigh of relief. however, they didnt expect that their life after ten years wouldnt be any easier. the successive county lord firmly continued xia zhiqius policies. while the prominent families suffered, the lives of ordinary people had improved a lot compared to before. liang and wu families had tried to test the waters, but the new county lord was also resolute and decided, leaving them no chance to make a move. as for the young man who had asked the young beggar to send a message years ago, there had been no news from him, so they could only leave it be. still, the matter was kept in the minds of those who cared. both liang and wu families finally realized the reality and stopped trying to act. they hid themselves away and cooperated with the county government office on the surface, seemingly having no complaints about the situation. that was the endurance of martial arts families. without it, how could they stand unyielding for hundreds of years? in these ten years, they also increased their investment in the younger generation. as for zhang rongjuns teahouse, it eventually became popular, especially after zheng wanchun personally attended its opening day celebration. no one knew the relationship between them, but after zheng wanchun left, the new executor from the county government office was still willing to support zhang rongjun. however, zhang rongjun and his son did not become arrogant and domineering because of this; on the contrary, they became more cautious in their actions and treated everyone with humility and respect. father, everything is ready. zhang yuntai carefully woke up zhang rongjun, who had already dozed off a little. ten years later, zhang rongjun had aged a lot, after all, he failed in martial arts. zhang yuntai didnt dare not to wake him up at this time; otherwise, his own father would definitely get angry at him, today was an important day. all? oh, everythings ready? then lets go. zhang yuntai carefully helped zhang rongjun onto the horse carriage, and it creaked away towards the citys outskirts, eventually stopping in front of a hill. this was the liang family cemetery. the liang family graveyard keeper glanced at them and did not pay any more attention, as every year during the qingming festival and today, zhang rongjun and his son would come here. zhang yuntai supported zhang rongjun as they walked slowly in front, while the servant followed behind silently, carrying incense, candies, paper money, and other sacrificial offerings. then they arrived at a grave, where zhang rongjun didnt speak, but instead, silently picked up a small hoe and personally cleaned the weeds around the tombstone. he didnt want zhang yuntai to help either. brother sheng, ive come to see you again. you never got married or had a child, and when im gone, i dont know if this damn kid of mine will remember to offer incense to you. but youre also to blame. you were carefree and unrestrained your whole life, and in the end, you fell for a woman. you never even drank my teahouses tea zhang rongjun chattered, talking about this and that, and then almost recounted the entire situation of jinzhou city in bits and pieces. but thanks to you, my teahouse business is booming, this year yuntai had another child, so rosy and tender, our zhang family is getting more and more prosperous. dont blame me for not bringing them here though; after all, theyre still young and shouldnt be coming to this kind of place. besides, it would just make you envious, wouldnt it? as he spoke, zhang rongjun began to cry. zhang yuntai, who was watching anxiously from the side, couldnt say anything for fear of upsetting his father with his volatile emotions. zhang rongjun, trembling, finished preparing the incense, candles, and paper money, then arranged the sacrificial offerings before taking out a pot of wine and pouring it on the grave. he didnt care about the dirt on the ground, simply sitting down on his buttocks, holding his wine cup and toasting through the air, as if his old friend was right in front of him. it wasnt until the setting sun that zhang yuntai managed to persuade zhang rongjun to leave. on their way back, zhang rongjun seemed visibly lost in thought. suddenly, he jolted up and leaned out of the carriage to look, which surprised zhang yuntai, who also looked back only to see a young mans back. zhang yuntai couldnt help but feel puzzled. at this time, zhang rongjun sat back down, shaking his head with a bitter smile on his lips, so similar! i must be getting old C sigh. father? zhang rongjun waved his hand indicating zhang yuntai not to worry, its fine, dont worry about me, 1 just thought of some past events. by the way, remember to go to the county government office these few days, make sure to take care of all levels, and you should be mindful of the relationship with brother sheng from before. if i dont frequently build connections, those feelings will fade. father, rest assured, 1 have already prepared everything properly; there will be no glitches. zhang rongjun nodded upon hearing this but continued mumbling to himself, appearing a bit dazed, so alike! what he didnt know was that the young man who had intrigued him just then was also looking back at zhang rongjuns retreating carriage, smiling faintly, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. this young man had a face very similar to liang shengs. old friend, long time no see! Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Nine Levels of the Postnatal Realm chapter 46: chapter 46 nine levels of the postnatal realm translator: 549690339 name: liang sheng age: 65 talent: innocent foolishness (top grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (ninth layer), ten methods of health cultivation (twelfth layer), unmoving ming king seal (fourth layer) realm: martial artist C postnatal nine realms (1%) over the past ten years, liang shengs martial arts realm has finally improved, breaking through to the postnatal nine realms, much faster than he had previously estimated. however, this was not liang shengs greatest achievement. his greatest achievement was actually that the unmoving ming king seal had finally advanced to the fourth level. and the unmoving ming king seal, true to its name as the dharma sects town sealing technique, made liang shengs cultivation speed much faster. in just a short decade, he stepped into the postnatal nine-realm, and if he wanted to establish a martial arts family, he could also become an ancestor. its just that the golden dragon technique has already broken through to the ninth layer, but the health cultivation method has not yet broken through. however, he has a faint feeling that his health cultivation method, under the unmoving ming king seals enhancement, will soon enter the next level, and even tomorrow, he might make a breakthrough inadvertently. however, liang sheng did not force himself, and in these ten years, he actually never left the territory of jinzhou city. he was just worried about the lifeless sects return, so he had been living cautiously in small towns outside the city. he originally wanted to return to jinzhou city earlier to enjoy the bustling life, but the breakthrough of the unmoving ming king seal disrupted his original plan. but ten years have passed, and he finally has the strength to protect himself. as long as he doesnt court death, there is no danger under the innate realm; thus, liang sheng decided to return to jinzhou city. it is unknown whether the lifeless sect still has a lingering fear of their previous consecutive failures, or if they have other plans, but jinzhou city has been the most peaceful in these ten years. and liang sheng was like an outsider in the chess game, everything was under his eyes, and no changes could escape his observation. today, he didnt come to liang family cemetery on a whim but to see his old friend zhang rongjun, who would come to visit himself. however, he probably doesnt have many years left to live either. in the face of time, everything in the world will eventually decay. when zhang rongjun and others disappear from this world, im afraid no one will remember that there was once a liang familys trash. liang sheng has now been promoted to the postnatal nine realms. as long as he doesnt court death, there will be no danger beneath the innate realm. he finds that jinzhou city hasnt changed much since his last visit; the only difference is that the vendors on both sides of the street are more energetic than before. the liang and wu families have long lost their former prestige, as they no longer have the postnatal nine realms ancestor to support them, and they are no longer considered martial arts families. unconsciously, it was getting dark while he was leisurely strolling around. surprisingly, there were still street stalls doing business on the roadside, which indicates that the citys public security has improved in recent years. at this time, liang sheng touched his stomach, feeling a little hungry after wandering around for so long. he headed towards the noodle stall, and after turning a corner, he naturally entered the adjacent building. sir, you have arrived? ladies, why dont you come out and greet our distinguished guest? yichun building! the enthusiastic old madam at the door was still lady liu, but she could no longer recognize liang sheng. liang sheng, on the other hand, didnt show any stage fright and directly hugged lady lius plump waist. how about letting mom serve me? lady lius movements paused for a moment, then became normal. she thought he was a greenhorn but turned out to be a master in the flower field, and her usual tactics had been seen through. if the sir really wants me to accompany him, how could i refuse? lady lius charming eyes seemed to overflow with water, but liang sheng just smiled and did not start a conversation. when he saw the girls inside, he naturally moved his hand away from lady liu and picked up a girl with each hand, heading straight upstairs. lady liu didnt show any dissatisfaction at this time because her chest had already been stuffed full of silver notes, causing her voice to involuntarily raise a few notches. little bottle, little green, take good care of the gentleman. make sure not to disappoint him. then, lady liu stuffed the silver notes into her sleeve with a grin, not having encountered such a generous guest for several years. he was very much like the old master of the liang family back then. not to mention, this young man bore a slight resemblance to him. wealthy and generous; if it were not for her own aging body upon thinking about this, lady lius legs tightened. after a while, she blushed on both cheeks and continued to attract customers outside the door. as liang sheng was enjoying himself, liang ying returned home. in recent years, he had become more and more accustomed to serving as the secretary in the county government office. however, his face now showed wrinkles, and his youthful vitality had long gone. he had just entered the mansion and had not yet taken off his official uniform when the steward whispered in his ear, master, someone has come from the mountain. liang yings face paused before handing his clothes to the steward and changing back into his casual attire. 1 understand. have someone guard the door to my study and do not let anyone disturb me. afterward, a few inaudible footsteps echoed around and liang ying leisurely made his way to his study. as soon as he opened the door, liang ying saw someone already sitting under the main seat. he first closed the door before walking up to the main seat. brother qi, why didnt you let me know you were coming? 1 would have had my servants prepare some food, now its a bit rushed. hongzhis expression darkened. layman liang, ive told you many times that in this world, there is no longer a liang qi, only a man seeking buddha named hongzhi. 1 hope you wont make the same mistake again. upon hearing this, liang ying didnt care. my apologies, it was my fault. however, no matter whether you admit it or not, you still have the blood of the liang family running through your veins. hmph, if it werent for that, 1 wouldnt have been so softhearted and deceived by you, causing the whole jinshan temple to be dragged down with me. brother qi, thats not quite how the story goes, it was simply a win-win situation. otherwise, if jinshan temple didnt cooperate, do you think 1 could have threatened them with just my post-natal eighth level cultivation? hearing this, hongzhi didnt refute and didnt want to dwell on the issue. alright, lets discuss the main matter. among the liang family disciples you brought last time, someone has already broken through the postnatal fourfold realm. really? your esteemed temple is truly worthy of being a major sects inheritance. you indeed have a knack for training disciples. 1 knew 1 had chosen the right temple but before he could finish, hongzhi interrupted him. layman liang, 1 advise you not to speak nonsense, otherwise, if something goes wrong, your liang family wont be able to bear it. instead of becoming angry, liang ying smiled. youre right, ive gotten a bit too excited. 1 promise i wont make such a mistake again. dont be mad. this time, ive prepared something good for you as well. the merchants of jinzhou city have brought a lot of medicinal materials. ive intercepted some of them and put them in the usual place. you can have someone pick them up when you have time. hearing this, hongzhis expression finally softened a bit. brother qi, just as hongzhi was about to get angry, liang ying quickly blurted out his next sentence. wait, dont get mad. ive said before that our cooperation with your esteemed temple is a win-win. many rare medicinal materials are controlled by the court, and only 1 can get some of them. besides, were all in the same boat. 1 wont cut off my own path. i just want to see the liang family return to its peak. no matter what, you are still a part of the liang family, and i hope you can help us. if something were to happen to me, 1 hope you could lend a hand to the liang family. upon hearing this, hongzhi suddenly paused and looked at the white-haired liang ying standing in front of him. he couldnt help but feel slightly softhearted. if it werent for the liang family, would liang ying, at the post-natal eightfold realm, have aged so much? for a moment, the study fell silent. it took a while before hongzhis voice emerged. what do you want to do? Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Life Threatened by an Evil Star!? chapter 47: chapter 47: life threatened by an evil star!? translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. liang residence. just as dawn was breaking, hongzhi carefully left through the side door. since he couldnt leave the city at night, staying at the liang residence for one night was safer. however, before he left, he looked back at the liang residence. for some reason, he felt that the mansion seemed to carry a sense of decline. at this moment, he suddenly understood liang ying. he indeed couldnt compare to him. if he were to put himself in liang yings position, he would never be able to reach the same level. hongzhi couldnt help but shake his head, clearing the emotions from his mind. then, he clasped his hands together and softly chanted a mantra. amitabha. after composing himself, he left quickly. today, he had to report to his master about the information liang ying had shared. the primary task was to retrieve the rare medicinal materials liang ying had secretly intercepted. as for the second matter, liang yings personal ambition, he wasnt sure how the monastery would react. nevertheless, it was his duty to report, and the other decisions were up to the monastery. hongzhi hurried away, not noticing the playful smile and surprise in the heart of a man at the street corner who was watching him. he didnt expect to encounter hongzhi here. the man was none other than liang sheng, who had just come out of yichun building early in the morning. at this moment, he felt refreshed and satisfied, a feeling he hadnt experienced for ten years. liang sheng glanced at hongzhis departing figure, then looked towards the direction he had come from, wondering what hongzhi was doing at the liang residence, as their relationship was not good. however, in the next moment, liang sheng dismissed the thought, since whatever hongzhi was doing had nothing to do with him. why should he bother? as liang sheng walked along the streets, he felt extremely relaxed, no longer the timid and insecure person he once was. having already made a breakthrough in the nine levels of the postnatal realm, he could walk through jinzhou city without any worries as long as he didnt court disaster. he then came to a street he used to frequent. back then, he would always eat a bowl of wontons at the street-side stall every time he came out of yichun building. he wondered if the stall was still there. when he arrived at the location where the wonton stall used to be, he couldnt help feeling pleasantly surprised, as he saw the words zhous wonton written on a banner waving gently in the wind. however, the wonton stall had turned into a shop, and the owners appearance had changed. it was now a middle-aged man, showing signs of wear, instead of the old zhou he remembered. liang sheng sat down at the enthusiastic invitation of the shop owner. apart from him, there was only one woman, most likely the owners wife, busying herself. sir, what would you like to order? at this moment, liang sheng felt somewhat dazed because he saw two memorial tablets in the middle of the shop with incense burning in front of them, emitting wisps of smoke. the middle-aged shopkeeper noticed this and laughed, those are the tablets of my parents. old customers of the shop know about it, but if it bothers you, i can take you to the inner hall. liang sheng shook his head, looking at the empty table beneath the tablets, surrounded by a barrier, and curiously asked, whats the reason for this? oh, thats where our benefactor, surnamed liang, used to sit. however, i dont know who he is. my late father used to say that without the benefactor, i might not be alive today. my father told me to keep the seat empty, and now it has become a habit. as liang sheng listened, he seemed to see the scene from more than thirty years ago when he would come out of yichun building early in the morning and eat wontons here as usual. however, the stall owner looked panicked, holding his unconscious child in his arms, unable to focus on makingwontons. at that time, liang sheng didnt give it much thought either, and casually threw a handful of broken silver, even asking ma san to take them to the doctor using his horse carriage. afterward, he didnt know the details, but every time he came to the wonton stall, they would add an extra portion of lamb offal, making the wontons more delicious. in the past, liang sheng would say that the stall owner knew how to do business, and after all, liang sheng was not the kind of person to take advantage of others, so he would always give a little more broken silver because of this. thinking of this, liang sheng couldnt help but feel a little dazed, and then he came to his senses, boss, give me a bowl of wontons, a handful of chopped green onions, three pinches of chili salt, and a plate of lamb offal. upon hearing this, the shop owner couldnt help but be stunned. this was a way of eating that only the old customers knew, but he was sure he had never seen the other party before. however, although he was puzzled, the shop owner quickly served the wontons. as soon as the wontons entered his mouth, liang sheng couldnt help but nod his head. it was still the taste from the past, but no longer the same people. just as more guests entered the shop, the shopkeeper hurriedly greeted them. when he came out, liang sheng was already gone, but there was a handful of broken silver left on the table. he quickly picked it up, grateful that no one noticed. today, a fortune had been made. this handful of broken silver was worth half a months income. overjoyed, he didnt notice that in front of the shop plaque, two more incense sticks had been added. walking on the street, liang sheng couldnt help but feel a little sentimental, but he quickly put these emotions behind him, because such situations would happen more often in the future. as time passed, everyone became just a passerby in ones life, with only oneself being immortal. liang sheng, who had tidied up his emotions, no longer felt sadness, and headed straight to zhang rongjuns teahouse. since he was in jinzhou city, he had to drink a cup of zhang rongjuns tea. although he didnt know that he had been here before, he could still have peace of mind. when he arrived at the teahouse, there were not many vacant seats left. even at this point of time, it was evident how booming the tea business was for zhang rongjun and his son. as soon as liang sheng entered, a waiter immediately came forward and greeted him with a warm smile, customer, please come in. after sitting down, liang sheng ordered a pot of iron goddess tea and some food and listened leisurely to the stories told by the teahouses storyteller. the tea was aromatic as it went down. good tea! from the corner of his eye, he could see zhang yuntai behind the counter, holding an account book, seemingly doing the accounts. this young man was becoming more and more steady. if nothing went wrong, the zhang family would have nothing to worry about for three generations. at that moment, liang shengs ears twitched, and he heard a barely audible scream. everyone around him had no reaction at this time, and liang sheng couldnt help but frown. if there was a murder in the teahouse, it might be a bit troublesome. young man, let your uncle help you out for once. consider it as repaying you for calling me uncle for so many years. liang sheng turned to look at the private room next to him, but just as he was about to stand up and then sit down again, he frowned. the situation was not what he thought it was. however, he was somewhat helpless. how come as soon as he left the mountain, the tranquil jinzhou city of ten years suddenly stirred up waves? is it because he was born with an ill-fated star? at this moment, liang sheng no longer had the mood to drink tea. why did the liang family do this? did they want to engage in a desperate struggle with the wu family? however, what benefits would the liang family gain from this? as long as both sides started fighting, no matter what the outcome, the winner would definitely suffer heavy losses as well. unless thinking of the sight of hongzhi leaving the liang residence in the morning, liang shengs heart moved. just then, the door of the private room in the teahouse, which had just emitted a barely audible scream, opened. two people walked out of it, one of whom was pale-faced. before leaving, however, he nodded to the other person and left without looking back. seeing this, liang sheng couldnt help but shake his head.. how unlucky was he that as soon as he left the mountain, chaos broke out in jinzhou city? Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Assassination Attempt chapter 48: chapter 48: assassination attempt translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. liang residence. liang ying tapped the table with his left hand, looking at the liang family steward, are you sure that the other party has agreed to our terms and will not go back on their word? being a trusted aide of the liang family, the steward replied with certainty, nodding his head. my lord, they dare not mess with us since we hold their weakness in our hands. if the wu family were to know about it, it would be a crime worthy of annihilating their entire family. moreover, to put his mind at ease, 1 have brought his most talented grandson to the city outskirts. i think he will put in great effort. liang ying did not comment on this but did not continue the conversation either. glancing at the sky outside, it was getting late. alright, 111 go first. if anyone comes to the mountain, no matter what time, find me in the county government office immediately. yes, my lord. liang ying got up, adjusted his attire, and rode the sedan chair to the county government office. as a secretary, he naturally had to sit in a sedan chair, which was also due to the fact that the new county lord preferred sedan chairs since he was a civil official. although the new county lord, li maolin, was a civil official, liang ying dared not be too presumptuous in front of him. after all, the new constable chen shiqiang who accompanied him was an expert of the post-natal eighth level. to have such cultivation level among the constables in a small jinzhou city, nobody would believe that there were no hidden intrigues. on his way to the office, several clerks greeted him and liang ying responded with a smile. when he reached his office, he prepared tea as usual. but today, his mind seemed to be constantly distracted. he couldnt help but smile bitterly. in the end, he lacked patience. the county magistrates office next door was empty. wu chang had been unwell for a year, and the county lord allowed him to recuperate at home, understanding his condition. however, li maolin did not allow him to resign from his position as deputy, as if he wanted to tie wu chang and himself together, unable to leave his sight. this couldnt go on any longer! as the years passed, liang ying could no longer keep up with the needs of his age. he felt that if he didnt strive for more, the liang family would never rise again, and in the long run, would fade away, leaving no trace of their once-prominent family in jinzhou city. liang yings mind went into overdrive, gradually clarifying his plans and ensuring there were almost no flaws. now, he had to see when should jinshan temple make its move. as for whether jinshan temple would take action, he was not worried, as he knew their biggest secret. furthermore, he had already prepared for this. the day he met with an unexpected death would be the day jinshan temples secret would be exposed. just then, constable chen shiqiang suddenly assembled all the constables, causing a commotion in the county office. liang ying looked surprised, was jinshan temple moving so quickly? at this moment, a clerk reported that the liang family steward was looking for him. liang ying immediately suppressed his excitement and calmly walked out of the office. today marked the day when the liang family would rise again. the wu family. once a prestigious martial arts family that had stood in jinzhou city for hundreds of years. now, however, the family appeared desolate and withered. their current situation was even more chaotic. the aaartial familys head, wu chang, had been assassinated! the most terrifying thing was not wu changs sudden death, but the identity of the murderer the no-life evil cult! that white lotus flower seemed to be announcing their return. the bloody chaos from ten years ago began to resurface in everyones minds. whats even more frightening was that wu chang made no sound from the beginning to the end of his murder. it was a quiet death, which showed just how powerful the murderer was. when chen shiqiang arrived, the wu family was still in chaos. he couldnt help but frown, unexpectedly, the once-mighty martial arts family had become such a sorry sight. now that wu chang was gone, it was feared that the wu family would never be able to regain its former glory. this could only be blamed on the cruelty of their predecessors, who had directly cut off the roots of the martial arts family. chen shiqiang and his subordinates carefully surveyed the crime scene and checked everything. afterwards, his face turned extremely grim. the various branches of the wu family ignored him and began to fight over the familys property. they all looked vicious and sinister. chen shiqiang did not stop them. he was only concerned about whether the no-life sect was behind the crime. by now, he was almost certain that it was undoubtedly the work of the no-life evil cult. the no-life evil cult was just like a group of street rats, never ending. they always resurfaced from time to time but could never live in the sunlight. damn it! after confirming all, chen shiqiang hurried back to the county office, not bothering about the chaotic wu family. after all, with wu changs death, the wu family was scattered and in disarray. after the county lord li maolin listened to the report from chen shiqiang, he couldnt help but feel some helplessness. he was just a civil official, and his purpose in jinzhou city was merely to gain experience. thus, in these ten years, he completely abided by xia zhiqius orders without any deviation. originally, his term of office was about to end soon, but he didnt expect such a major incident to occur at this critical moment. captain chen, how should we deal with this? chen shiqiangs thoughts were simple. even if wu changs physical condition was not as good as before, he was still at the post-natal eighth level, and the killers strength was definitely not low C there was even the possibility that the killer was a nine levels of the postnatal realm expert. county lord, lets just go to the provincial mansion and request the dragon suppression guard. im afraid that the assassination by the lifeless sect this time might be an individual act, just for revenge. therefore, the next target could be the liang family or maybe chen shiqiang didnt finish his sentence, but li maolin had already understood his meaning. for the sake of his own safety, asking the dragon suppression guard to come to jinzhou city was indeed the best solution. after all, he was not xia zhiqiu. he was just a civil official with a martial arts cultivation level of only three stages of postnatal realm, so safety came first! someone, bring my token and hurry to the provincial mansion for help. li maolin wasnt worried that the dragon suppression guard wouldnt come, not because he had a big face, but because the face of prince of pingans mansion, which was behind him, was big. from now on, my safety depends on you, shiqiang! county lord, rest assured, i will guard outside your door tonight. unless i die, no one will be able to disturb the county lord! upon hearing this, li maolin finally felt a bit more at ease. after all, the means of the no-life evil cult were insidious and cunning, so one could never be too careful. shengde building. at this time, shengde building was still one of the busiest taverns in jinzhou city, just a bit less lively than when liang sheng was in charge. after all, it was just a liang family business now and didnt have the protection of the county government offices chief constable, so naturally, there were fewer interested visitors. jinshan temple was sitting in the corner, enjoying the food and drinks that tasted almost the same. this also made his mood a bit better since it was a pleasant memory after all. however, the idle chatter of the guests around him also made him learn about wu changs assassination today, thinking of the scene he previously saw at the tea house. his first thought was that the liang family and jinshan temple made the move and then framed the lifeless sect. after all, if the lifeless sect had really descended on jinzhou city again, how could the cautious liang sheng bring trouble to himself by entering the city? only when he had triple-confirmed that jinzhou city had returned to its peaceful state without any danger did he enter the city, so this was definitely a blind eye by the killer. when he heard the coarse laughter of guests discussing the chaos of the wu family, the jockeying for the family property, and their evil looks, he knew that the wu family was finished. he also roughly understood the liang familys plan, but why was jinshan temple so cooperative? it seemed that the relationship between the liang family and jinshan temple in these ten years was also somewhat intriguing. however, these things had nothing to do with him. people struggle in the world, fighting for a chance to survive; he was just sampling the worlds worldly pleasures. what did these great families have to do with him? after discussing their own gossip, the lewd laughter of the guests rose, and they naturally understood the topic at hand C men. seeing as he could no longer discern any useful information, liang sheng settled his bill and left. he still left a handful of broken silver on the table and left without looking back. however, someone outside was intently watching him, big brother, look quickly, this fat sheep threw a big handful of silver without even looking. are you guys sure hes a foreigner who came to the city alone? i can guarantee that he is a foreigner who just entered the city a few days ago, extremely extravagant, and a big fat sheep. alright, follow him. at this moment, liang sheng seemed unaware, with a few hoodlums and beggars stealthily following behind him. the next moment, their eyes lit up. since liang sheng had turned into a small alley, and it was a dead-end where no one usually went in. good opportunity! the few people were extremely excited, as if seeing a fortune, they couldnt help but speed up their pace and sneak into the alley. kid, blame your bad luck. dont be so ostentatious in your next life. with sinister faces, the men went silent in an instant. immediately after, they saw liang sheng walking out of the alley with a smile on his face, then disappearing into the crowd on the street. why do people always come to find death? Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Chapter 49: The Fall of the Wu Family chapter 49: chapter 49: the fall of the wu family translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. liang residence. after returning home from the county government office, liang ying did not stop, and went straight to his study. hongzhi was already waiting for him inside, and when he saw him come in, he spoke coldly. liang jushi, we have done what you asked us to do. from now on, it depends on you. no matter what happens next, it has nothing to do with our jinshan temple. master hongzhi, rest assured, this matter is all due to the remnants of the lifeless sect. we just need to be loyal and do a good job in guarding. as for the rest, well leave it to fate. after all, no one knows what the remnants of the lifeless sect will do next. hearing this, hongzhi looked deeply at liang ying. with such a thick skin, he was indeed worthy of being the master of a prominent family. he might not be incapable of achieving great things and revitalizing the liang family. at this time, hongzhi didnt want to stay any longer, and seeing that liang ying knew the score, he directly said goodbye and left. after his departure, liang ying also retracted his smile. sitting alone in front of the desk, liang ying tapped the table with his fingers, going over all the details in his mind. after ensuring that everything was correct, he let out a long sigh of relief. next, they had to see the reaction from the county government office. as for the resources of the wu family, there was no need to worry about them now. after all, no one could steal them in jinzhou city. but the situation that followed was somewhat unexpected to liang ying. after a decade, the dragon suppression guards from the city mansion came to jinzhou city again. he didnt expect li maolin to be so timid. however, it was fine this way; no one would suspect that wu changs death had anything to do with him now. moreover, as long as they held on for a while, the dragon suppression guards would naturally leave. they couldnt possibly stay in jinzhou city for too long. for the next seven days, the entire jinzhou city was under heavy martial law, and the city gate was heavily guarded. however, even by the time of wu changs funeral, the county government office still had not found any clues. during this time, the county government office, in cooperation with the dragon suppression guards, had practically turned jinzhou city upside down, but they could not find the slightest clue. in this regard, they came to only one conclusion: it seemed that the remnants of the lifeless sect had struck and fled, and they never intended to sit and die in jinzhou city. this situation left chen shiqiang helpless. what he feared the most was this kind of situation because they would never know when the next accident would happen. on this premise, after the dragon suppression guards confirmed the departure of the lifeless sect, they immediately left jinzhou city, and li maolin had no choice but to accept it. who would have thought that he was only from the background of a doorman of prince pingans mansion. although he had the face to invite the dragon suppression guards, he couldnt possibly let them stay in jinzhou city forever. while the county government office found nothing, the wu family was bustling at this moment, because wu changs sudden death did not leave any arrangements for the next family head. there were hardly any descendants of the wu family who could take on the responsibility. so wu chang had given up on them completely and had been cultivating the third generation of the wu family with all his strength for many years. unfortunately, heaven did not give him enough time. at this moment, various branches of the wu family were in a heated debate, with nobody yielding to anyone else. finally, they rushed directly to the wu family treasury, ready to split the family assets. but when the treasury was opened, everyone was stunned to find it empty, not even a mouse was inside. damn you, did you guys from the big family secretly swallow the treasury? in an instant, the scene was chaotic, and no one noticed that the wu family manager had already disappeared quietly, not showing up for several days. finally, chen shiqiang came with a gloomy face accompanied by the county ya catcher to suppress the scene. however, by this time, lives had already been lost. in his anger, chen shiqiang took all the important people of the wu family back to the county government office prison. without teaching these people a lesson, they would never stop. shengde building. at this moment, liang sheng was leisurely drinking wine, listening to the guests discussing the wu familys affairs, and couldnt help but shake his head. back then, when he first arrived, the three major families of jinzhou city held high positions, but now, the gao family has been destroyed, and the wu family has completely declined, no longer possessing their former power. only the liang family is barely hanging on, but once liang ying is gone, who knows what the future holds for the liang family? the ordinary people are somewhat gloating over their misfortune. after all, the liang and wu families were too distant from them, and seeing their decline brings a twisted pleasure to everyone. who would have thought that they would end up like this! but this is at the shengde building, which is the liang familys territory, so no one dared to talk loudly about it; they exchanged glances and experienced it silently. at this moment, liang sheng couldnt help but sigh. he must not underestimate people under heaven. in terms of wisdom, strategy, and planning, he was far from their equal. this served as a wake-up call for him C even with his strength, he should avoid conflict with those major forces. in case he encountered such a situation inadvertently, he should either kill with a single hit, cutting off future trouble, or immediately admit his defeat and flee far away. actually, after wu changs death, he was somewhat curious about what liang ying would do next, as the situation was a bit complicated with the dragon suppression guard arriving in jinzhou city. however, he did not keep an eye on the liang family, as he was afraid of being noticed by those who intended to. instead, he focused on the wu family manager he had met that time at the shengde building. what happened next was an eye-opener for him. he never expected liang ying to make a dark under the light move, taking almost everything from the wu familys treasury and leaving not a single bit of cultivation resources behind. at that time, the wu family was busy burying wu chang, and the county government office was trying to find traces of the lifeless sect, so liang yings actions were utterly unnoticed. as for the wu family manager, just like the liang family steward promised before, the whole family reunited C but it was a reunion in the netherworld. as an outsider, liang sheng watched the whole process clearly and could only say that when it came to large families, their ruthlessness left nothing to be said. however, liang ying did not monopolize the huge amount of cultivation resources and wealth but instead shared a part of it with jinshan temple, indicating that they had some deep-level cooperation between them. liang sheng had no intention of going to jinshan temple to inquire about the specific situation C there were too many masters and the waters were too deep, wouldnt it be asking for trouble if he went? liang sheng continued to drink his wine, listening to the whispers around him, implying that the liang family would also decline, and he couldnt help but shake his head. perhaps jinzhou city would only be left with one martial arts family in the future! when he couldnt hear any more useful news, liang sheng paid the bill and left, humming a little tune as he headed towards yichun building. but halfway there, as he passed by zhang rongjuns teahouse, his face changed. at this moment, zhang yuntai was not in the teahouse. there was still a sign at the entrance of the teahouse offering half-price tea, and some tea guests were discussing that old master zhang probably wouldnt make it, so the teahouse was offering half-price tea to pray for his blessing. upon hearing this, liang sheng hesitated not and turned around to leave. since his old friend was going to leave, he naturally wanted to see him off. zhang family. at this moment, zhang rongjun was lying in bed, his face pale and lifeless, even his breathing was weak, and the room was filled with the pungent smell of medicine. zhang yuntai was kneeling by the bed, looking at the short of breath and lifeless zhang rongjun, her eyes red. although they had already used ginseng to sustain his life, the old master might not last much longer, and she could not help but feel sadder as she thought about it. just then, zhang rongjun lying in bed, suddenly seemed dazed, slightly delirious, and even began to experience hallucinations, hearing impossible sounds. then, he abruptly opened his eyes because he indeed heard a voice very clearly, his face full of disbelief. brother sheng!? Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Old Friends Meet Again chapter 50: chapter 50: old friends meet again translator: 549690339 jinzhou city. zhang rongjun suddenly opened his eyes, startling zhang yuntai. he was about to call the doctor, but zhang rongjun, with great effort, slowly raised his hand to stop him. yuntai, everyone out. dont let anyone in! all? dad out, close the door! seeing zhang yuntais confusion and hesitation, zhang rongjun suddenly raised his voice and then took a deep breath, like a broken gong. seeing this situation, zhang yuntai dared not say more and quickly led his children and wives out of the room. as the door closed, he couldnt help but feel a little helpless, wondering what his father was about to do. at this moment, a young man appeared in front of zhang rongjun in the room, his hand gently resting on zhang rongjuns left hand. immediately, a pure and nourishing true qi entered zhang rongjuns body, rejuvenating him. zhang rongjun seemed to have regained some energy and vigor, his eyes filled with surprise as he looked at the young man and spoke softly. brother sheng! zhang rongjun felt a long-lost sense of relief at this time, but what made him even happier was the young man in front of him who looked exactly like the one in his memories. brother rong, long time no see. you didnt die? at this time, zhang rongjun tried to get out of bed but found that he couldnt. liang sheng couldnt help but sigh upon seeing this. brother rong, you dont have to be polite. my true qi can only support you for a while, just so you wont leave in pain. hearing this, zhang rongjun understood what was going on. he was already exhausted and only regained some energy because of liang shengs true qi. he had a thousand words to say but didnt know where to start. instead, liang sheng picked up an orange from the side, peeled it, and fed it to zhang rongjun. every year for the past ten years, youve visited my grave and drank wine with me. im afraid i wont be able to do the same after you die, as 1 dont know if ill still be in jinzhou city. looking at you now, are you wondering why im not dead and why 1 didnt come see you? its a long story, just think of it as me being away for ten years. as he spoke, another extremely pure true qi entered zhang rongjuns body. although zhang rongjuns martial arts were not successful, he could still feel the power of this energy. brother sheng, even if you dont say anything, i wont ask. im content to see you before i die. seeing you like this, im reminded of the past. back then, at yichun building, you were the only one who never looked down on me as he chattered on, zhang rongjun gradually calmed down, looking at the young brother sheng as if he had returned to several decades ago. brother sheng, its a shame that im like this now and cant have a drink with you before zhang rongjun could finish speaking, liang sheng took out a flask of wine and two cups from behind. zhang rongjun couldnt help but smile. brother sheng, you truly understand me. brother rong, this is your last drink in life. being able to have a drink with brother sheng before 1 die, i have no regrets. soon, the wine was finished. at this time, liang shengs face showed a bit of sadness as his true qi could only give zhang rongjun a brief resurgence, not prolonging his life for a few more years. alright, theres not much time left for you to settle your affairs. ill leave first. if theres a chance, ill visit your grave and pour wine for you. hearing this, zhang rongjuns eyes turned red. he opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but said nothing. he had already guessed something. then liang sheng smiled slightly and disappeared from view, making it feel as if everything had just been a dream. but the wine cup in his hand told him that brother sheng was indeed still alive. yuntai, you guys can come in now. zhang yuntai was a little anxious outside, but he didnt want to go against his fathers wishes at this time. hearing zhang rongjuns shout, he hurriedly opened the door and ran in. as soon as he entered, he saw zhang rongjuns face rosy and couldnt help but be joyful. father, you its just a momentary resurgence. im already running out of time. dont think too beautifully. 1 called you here to tell you a few things. first, after im gone, keep my funeral simple and dont make it a grand event. remember to bury me in the graveyard 1 bought before, as it is closer to your uncle liang. as for you, i am very relieved about your dealings with others. as long as you adhere to the principle of not competing with others, our zhang family can last for a long time. the last thing is, when you come to see me during the festivals, remember to go to your uncle liang, and make sure to include this in the family instructions. no matter what happens in the future, as long as the zhang familys lineage continues, they must commemorate your uncle liang. have you written it down? i have written it down, father! seeing that zhang yuntai had listened to his last wishes, zhang rongjun breathed a sigh of relief, then looked at the ceiling, his voice getting weaker and weaker, and then zhang yuntais hand holding his dropped down. in an instant, cries echoed throughout the mansion. before his consciousness plunged into darkness, zhang rongjun saw the corners of his mouth curl up at the door. brother sheng liang sheng walked down the street. he actually waited until zhang rongjun passed away before leaving, and now there was one less old friend in the world. moreover, zhang rongjun might have guessed something, so he asked the zhang family descendants to always pay homage to him. his thoughts were not wrong. if fate allowed, there would be no harm in a chance encounter in the future, as long as it didnt involve his own safety. at this moment, liang sheng felt a little low. such situations would happen one after another as time passed, and old friends would die one by one, while only he would be eternal and undying. just then, liang sheng suddenly squinted his eyes, not expecting to meet another old acquaintance today. although they only had a brief encounter before, it just happened that he was in a bad mood now, which could be seen as bad luck. of course, before venting his emotions, he had to make sure it was safe. with that in mind, he quietly followed. even without the attribute panel concealment, nobody would know that liang sheng, who was now in the postnatal nine realms, was following them. the person in front of him would never discover him. the man ahead was very cautious and took several detours habitually to ensure safety before returning to his residence. when he entered the room, there was a big bald head. it was the lifeless sect follower who had conspired with flower mother for liang qiangs inheritance back then. this time, he came to jinzhou city alone to investigate wu changs death, whether it was actually the doing of someone from the lifeless sect. after the lifeless sects plan in jinzhou city was destroyed ten years ago, they temporarily suspended their activities. later, for some reason, the lifeless sect specifically ordered all church members not to enter jinzhou city area. this time the rumor of wu changs death being caused by the lifeless sect came up. if this were true, he would be responsible for finding the person and delivering them to the internal punishment. however, after days of investigation, baldy concluded that it wasnt the work of the sect at all, but rather someone framing them. although he couldnt find the real culprit, confirming it wasnt the work of the sect members was enough to satisfy him and be able to report to his superiors. he carefully wrote the secret letter and then put it into a small bamboo stick. he caught a carrier pigeon from the pigeon house, ready to send the message. but at that moment, he suddenly felt a sharp pain and lost consciousness. naturally, it was liang sheng who had made a move. after reading the secret letter, liang sheng couldnt help but think the other partys luck was indeed bad. since there were no other lifeless sect followers in the city, death was his only option. who could blame him for running into a moody liang sheng? then he tied the bamboo stick back to the leg of the pigeon and let it fly. it was best to let the lifeless sect know there was no incident in the city and not to send anyone there. as for the baldy lying on the ground, liang sheng dealt with it cleanly and sent him directly to the paradise of the west. second uncle, i didnt expect that so many years after your death, i would send away the man who might have cuckolded you. this is also a way to resolve your past grievances. that year, baldy and flower mother killed a little beggar and disappeared from jinzhou city. now, dying in liang shengs hands, it can be said that it was baldys bad luck to have met a depressed liang sheng. then liang sheng took out corpse dissolving powder, and soon the lifeless sects baldy completely disappeared from the world. with this, liang shengs melancholy from bidding farewell to his old friend dissipated, and his thoughts became clear! Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Prince Ye An of Prince Ping’an chapter 51: chapter 51: prince ye an of prince pingan j inzhou city. since the death of wu chang, jinzhou city seemed to have returned to its previous tranquility. li maolin breathed a sigh of relief, as his time to leave this place was getting closer, and it was best for jinzhou city to have no troubles during his tenure. during this time, liang ying became even more low-key. because of wu changs death, rhe balance between the liang and wu families supported by the county government office was broken. li maolin even found several reasons to find fault with liang ying, but he could only swallow his anger. seeing this, li maolin had no choice but to let it go. in fact, li maolin also understood that people like liang ying were the most dangerous, as they could endure great humiliation and eventually achieve great things. but when he thought that his departure from the city and his promotion to the capital was not far away, and he would probably never see liang ying again, li maolin decided to make peace with him for the time being. seeing this, liang ying naturally welcomed the situation. all he was doing now was to create a favorable environment for the liang familys younger generation, so they could have more time to grow. for a time, the whole jinzhou city became completely peaceful. liang sheng was extremely satisfied with this situation as no one would disturb his life of wealth and luxury. at this moment in yichun building, he lay in rhe arms of a beautiful woman, while another beauty picked grapes and put them into his mouth, malting him feel extremely comfortable. in the next room, there were young masters calling friends and having fun, making the situation very lively. they are all young people, ah, its great to be young.* this sentence made the beautiful woman beside him chuckle secretly, as she coquet tishly said, my lord, you are younger and stronger than them.11 as she spoke, her hand was already drawing circles on liang sheng s chest. liang sheng could not stand it any longer and enjoyed a night of passion. this kind of life was truly worthwhile. these peaceful days lasted for three years. on this day, liang sheng did not go to yichun building again. it was not because he was tired of it, but because he felt that his breakthrough in the health cultivation method was imminent. this was the foundation of liang shengs life, and he could not neglect it. in order to break through to the nine levels of the postnatal realm, he could retreat to a small town for ten years, let alone now? however, liang sheng faintly felt that this breakthrough would not be ordinary. of course, he did not doubt his intuition. after thinking about it, he decided to purchase some dry food and ingredients, and directly entered the forest outside the city. for the next ten days, liang sheng closed himself off in the forest for cultivation. unexpectedly, during this time, there was suddenly a great commotion in jinzhou city. early this morning, before liang ying had even left to attend his duties, he was urgently summoned to the county government office by li maolins men. county lord. as liang ying looked at the officials who had gathered in the county government office, he noticed that chen shiqiang and his men were almost fully armed, and his heart could not help but feel shocked. now that lord liang is here, everyone is present. everyone, please follow me to the city gate to welcome the prince. i hope you will not disappoint him with your etiquette. after saying this, li maolin did not wait for an explanation and took the lead in leaving the county government office, with the others naturally following him. liang ying was slightly surprised in his heart. a prince? which prince? why had he not received any previous information about this? sitting in the carriage, he looked at the curtain in front of him with blank eyes. however, a moment later, a flash of light appeared in his eyes. as long as it did not involve the liang family, it did not matter who the prince was. in the past six months, with the help of the cultivation resources accumulated by the wu family for hundreds of years, liang ying had spared no expense to use them on the younger generation of the liang family. this had already started to show remarkable results. a sixteen-year-old member of the liang family had already advanced to the postnatal fourfold realm, which was on par with liang yings own achievements at that age, if not even better. of course, if it had not been for xia zhiqius schemes and rhe entanglements of the secular world, liang ying would not have been trapped in the post-natal eighth level for such a long time. he would have progressed much further in his martial arts cultivation. however, it was undeniable that breaking through a martial arts bottleneck was extremely difficult. even if liang ying had wholeheartedly devoted himself to cultivation, he would have had only a 60% or 70% chance of achieving a breakthrough. and now heh. since the liang family already had successors with great potential, liang ying decided that he would do everything in his power to protect them, even if it cost him his life. he hoped that the liang family would produce another strong practitioner at the nine levels of the postnatal realm] thinking of this, liang ying could not help but look forward to the future. by then, the entire jinzhou city would only have the liang family as its martial arts family, and the liang family would have complete control over the underground order. liang ying struggled to calm his excited emotions, and at this time, they had already arrived at the city gate. after li maolin got out of the sedan, he stood at the entrance, his expression excited as he looked into the distance, as if the prince would appear in the next moment. they didnt have to wait long before the sound of horse hooves rang out, and a cloud of dust rose on the distant horizon. before long, they saw the full picture. dragon suppression guard! at this moment, liang yings heart tightened. it was indeed the dragon suppression guard clearing the way and escorting a huge horse carriage that appeared before his eyes. he could see the four words written beside the carriage: prince of pingans mansion! no wonder li maolin was so excited. by then, li maolin had already put on a flattering face to welcome the guests. as the carriage stopped, a handsome young man with a graceful manner stepped down. dressed in white silk brocade clothes, with a jade pendant at his waist, his gestures and demeanor revealed the style of a noble family; a faint smile at the corner of his mouth made people feel a warm spring breeze. its him! prince ye an, the son of the prince of pingan! liang ying immediately remembered rhe little novice monk who had been taken away by princess pingan thirteen years ago. these two figures gradually merged together, but now the demeanor of this prince showed no hint of his previous identity as a novice monk. county lord li maolin of jinzhou city pays his respects to his highness, the prince. li maolin fell to his knees like a jade pillar, and liang ying and the others hurriedly knelr down, touching their heads to the ground. after that, they heard the princes voice. everyone, please stand up. this time 1 am returning to my hometown without any official business. there is no need for such formality. ye an then helped everyone up one by one, some of the civil and military officials flushed with excitement, their faces turning red, as if they were willing to die for him. li maolin had already prepared a banquet, but now the security arrangements had been taken over by the dragon suppression guard, and a group of people ceremoniously made their way to the county government office. people on both sides of the street watched the procession, exclaiming from time to time. those who were well-informed had already begun to loudly proclaim the origin of the prince of pingans son. the son of the prince of pingan returned to his hometown. for a time, the entire jinzhou city was boiling with excitement. even the local ruffians and hooligans, who were becoming increasingly rare under the crackdown of the county government, did not dare to cause any disturbance. how could they dare to do so under rhe oppression of the dragon suppression guard? however, the attention of the people shifted to jinshan temple, as they were curious about when the prince, who was raised in the temple, would visit the mountain. jinshan temple. at this moment, all senior monks of the xuan generation gathered, and among them were also some showing signs of aging. birth, aging, sickness, and death were the natural ways of the world. although they had reached the high level of martial arts, their lifespan was still limited. however, abbot xuankong of jinshan temple still didnt show up. xuan nan, the chief of reception, had a clear understanding of the outside world. tomorrow, the prince will visit the temple. i have already instructed the novice monks to clean the guest rooms. everything within the temple should carry on as usual. saying that, he glanced at xuan ji of the discipline hall. in recent years, the relationship between the temple and the liang family had grown closer, and they had accepted many members of rhe liang family as lay disciples. he had no objection to this, as it was a fair exchange. senior brother, rest assured. the discipline hall has already sent the lay disciples down the mountain. the situation will be discussed after the prince leaves. thats good. after confirming that there were no problems, the monks finally let out a sigh of relief, but doubts still lingered in their hearts. is the princes visit a good thing or a bad thing after all? both jinzhou city and jinshan temple were lively, but this excitement had nothing to do with liang sheng. ar this time, liang sheng was at a critical moment in his cultivation. the breakthrough of the life span cultivation technique would probably happen today! Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52: Half-step Innate! chapter 52: chapter 52: half-step innate! translator: 549690339 outside jinzhou city, in the nameless forest. liang sheng sar cross-legged in a cave, his clothes already somewhat dirty, indicating that he had been in secluded cultivation for quite some time. at this moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, and his aura erupted in an instant around his body, causing the wind to rise without any source. an extremely powerful energy burst out. before liang sheng could rejoice in his heart, he instantly got up and took a stride forward. he still lacked experience, otherwise, he would have controlled his inner breath and not let it leak out of his body as it did just now. as liang sheng flew out of the cave in an instant, the place where he had been sitting in the cave shook violently, with the cave walls cracking and stones rumbling down. if liang sheng had left a little later, he might have been buried alive in the cave, but at this moment he didnt feel any lingering fear, instead, his face was full of smiles. because he had finally broken through! at this moment, his attribute panel had finally changed again. name: liang sheng age: 68 talent: innocent foolishness (top grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (ninth layer), ten methods of health cultivation (thirteenth layer), unmoving ming king seal (fourth layer) realm: half-step innate with the help of the unmoving ming king seal, the health cultivation method finally broke through to the thirteenth layer, an unprecedented feat. this time, each of the ten methods of health cultivation increased his lifespan by so years, which meant an increase of 800 years in total, making his lifespan a staggering 2200 years! perhaps for the world1 s changing dynasties, he could watch the clouds roll in and out, not to mention that he could continue to break through, increasing his lifespan even more in the future. even if the legend of immortality in this world was true, with his talent of innocent foolishness, he could outlast even the most powerful immortal cultivators, making the world eternal for him. but the surprises brought by the breakthrough of the health cultivation method were far more than that. because the thirteenth layer of health cultivation method broke through the limit, it was unprecedented. the ten methods of health cultivations genuine qi nourished his body, producing a unique inner qi to nourish his entire body. this allowed liang sheng to break through the postnatal nine realms in one fell swoop and reach the half-step innate realm. moreover, there was no progress in this realm, which meant that when the golden dragon technique broke through its limit and reached the tenth layer, he would likely step into the innate realm. it should be known that the seven great sects that led to the downfall of the dayan dynasty were deemed sacred in martial arts because they had innate masters in their sects. now that liang sheng was in the half-step innate realm, he had gained an extra layer of self-protection. thinking of this, he couldnt help but want to test his current strength. the next moment, he circulated the golden dragon technique within his body, and with a palm strike, under the augmentation of the half-step innate realms true qi, the palm seemed like a golden dragon. the huge rock in front of him, following a loud noise, collapsed into pieces, and even more so, the surrounding forest was affected by the aftermath of his palm strike, crushing a pit with a radius of ten meters. seeing this, even liang sheng himself couldnt believe it. he hadnt expected that his experiment would create such a commotion, like a small landslide. the next moment, his ears twitched, and he smiled bitterly in his heart. as expected, his actions had attracted the attention of jinshan temple, and he must not be so reckless next time. t hinking of this, liang sheng lightly tapped his toes, and his entire body was already tens of meters away, disappearing in the blink of an eye. liang sheng s experiment with his own power had indeed caused trouble for jinshan temple, as at this rime, they were still receiving the prince s arrival. after ye an attended li maolins banquet in jinzhou city, he did not stay in the mansion prepared by li maolin, but insisted on going to jinshan temple. li maolin had no choice but to personally accompany him and, together with the dragon suppression guard, escort ye an up the mountain. when xuan nan and the other high monks received the news, they were also somewhat surprised. they hadnt expected ye an to be so eager to climb the mountain, and they didnt know why he was doing so. however, they quickly gathered at the temple gate to await his arrival. this time, almost all of the high monks from the xuan generation were assembled, making it a rare occurrence in many years. their feelings were also somewhat complicated since thirteen years had passed, and the little novice monk from back then had now become the prince. they couldnt help but wonder what he looked like now. at this moment, several high monks suddenly felt their spirits rise, as being high-level martial arts practitioners, they had sharp senses. immediately following, a fast horse appeared before them, and then a scene like a mighty army arrived, with the dragon suppression guard making a full appearance. surrounded by the dragon suppression guard in the middle was a luxurious horse carriage, behind it were the local county ya constables. seated in the carriage was prince ye an. soon, the horse carriage stopped at the entrance of jinshan temple, and county lord li maolin and others were following nearby. as the carriage door opened, prince ye an finally appeared in front of the high monks like xuannan. what a privileged young master! xuannan couldnt help but praise in his heart. prince ye an also seemed a bit excited, as he immediately shook hands with xuannan as soon as he got off the carriage. the old monk xuannan, pays respects to the prince. master chief, its been a long time since we met. because ye an held his hand, xuannan could only bow slightly, but he was stopped by the prince, master chief, there is no need for this, 1 am however, at this point, xuannan and the others were all taken aback, their faces changing dramatically. the draogn suppression guard captain wu gangs face also changed. dragon suppression guard, form a line and protect prince ye an! in an instant, the dragon suppression guard surrounded ye an. the other people did not know what had happened, and after a while, chen shiqiang and liang yingcai finally reacted. a loud bang came from the northwest, followed by an extremely powerful qi. no wonder wu gang and the high monks of jinshan temple were so panicked just now. at this moment, wu gang was naturally a bit nervous, because unlike others, he knew some of the inside stories about ye ans visit to jinzhou city. it was not only to recall old friendships, but also to seek refuge. chen team, hurry to the northwest and search within a five-mile radius area. if there is any situation, send a signal immediately. yes. then, a small team of four dragon suppression guards set off, and without any hesitation, turned their horses heads and went straight to the northwest. at this moment, everyone was a little uneasy, especially those with higher martial arts cultivation, they found it even more unbelievable in their hearts. they never thought that such a small city like jinzhou city would have such a master. it was indeed incredible. wu gang looked at xuannan and other high monks standing beside ye an, and breathed a sigh of relief, as they too were at the same level of postnatal nine realms. but what he didnt know was that xuannan and the high monks were somewhat doubtful in their hearts. xuannan glanced at xuannian, who shook his head slightly. this made xuannan increasingly puzzled. if it were not for the presence of ye an and others, he would have probably gone to the back mountain of jinshan temple to investigate. because the only one in jinzhou city who possesses this strength is probably abbot xuankong. yet xuannians headshake just now indicated that the abbot hadnt come down the mountain. then, who else in jinzhou city had such power? just as they were puzzled, footsteps suddenly came from behind them. xuannian turned back, only to see abbot xuankong, to his astonishment! in all these years, it was the first time xuankong had appeared in front of outsiders. what puzzled him even more was the seriousness and pressure on xuankongs face. xuankong1 s appearance also made wu gang involuntarily grip the hilt of the knife at his waist, and without realizing it, his palms were already sweaty. although xuankong did not look at him, the pressure in his heart was growing rapidly. the same was true for chen shiqiang and liang ying. at this moment, the two of them were even more unbearable, sweating profusely. just a slight exposure of the others qi was enough to exert such a power. it seemed the person must have already broken through the postnatal nine realms but had not yet broken through the innate realm. otherwise, he would have probably reacted like chen shiqiang and lost the will to resist, directly submitting to the others qi. that is an innate master, unbearable by thousands! wu gang stared at the other party, secretly complaining in his heart. although the dragon suppression guard was by his side, he didnt feel safe. he unconsciously blocked ye an due to tension. seeing this, ye an frowned, but he did nor get angry bur spoke softly. captain wu. upon hearing ye ans voice, wu gang realized his actions might be crossing a line, but he didnt back down, and instead, carefully explained. your highness, please dont be offended. it is for your safety. 1 cannot see through rhe cultivation of this great master. hearing this, ye an was first shocked, then overjoyed. it seemed that his visit to jinzhou city this time was not in vain. the next moment, xuankong suddenly tapped rhe ground with his toes, and wu gang was shocked! not good! Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Return Without Success chapter 53: chapter 53: return without success translator: 549690339 jinshan temple. at this moment, abbot xuankong suddenly made a move, startling wu gang who instinctively drew the long knife from his waist and stood in front of ye an. senior brother! xuan nan was also clueless, but he breathed a sigh of relief the next moment, as xuankong didnt even glance at ye an and went directly towards the northwest direction. seeing xuankong leaving, wu gang finally took a deep breath, realizing that his back was covered in cold sweat. if xuankong really intended to attack the prince, he wouldnt be able to block it. even if the dragon suppression guard was nearby, it would be of no use. ye ans cultivation level was not high, so he did not realize the danger they were in just now. he was actually immersed in the joy of xuankongs unfathomable cultivation. lets follow! all? your highness, this is not quite appropriate just as wu gang wanted to stop ye an from entering the perilous situation, the sound of horseshoes rang out. wu gang looked back and couldnt help but feel relieved. it seemed that it was not the worst-case scenario he had imagined, as the chen team had safely returned, indicating that they had not encountered danger on the way. wu gang breathed a little easier when someone from the chen team dismounted, knelt on one knee, and bowed with clenched fists. reporting to the captain, there is a huge pit to the northwest, with broken rocks and trees. apart from this, there is no sign of anything unusual. hearing this, ye an couldnt stay put any longer as there was no danger. captain wu, by my order, follow up. yes! at this time, wu gang no longer tried to persuade ye an. however, he gave xuan nan and the other high monks a meaningful glance and xuan nan immediately understood wu gangs intention. your highness, how about all of us go and take a look together? what do you think? ye an would naturally not refuse xuan nans kindness. his goal in coming to jinzhou city was the high monks of jinshan temple. besides, there was now the unexpected surprise of the abbot? chief, if you want to go, its certainly fine. ye an didnt hesitate and turned to wu gang, captain wu, please lead the dragon suppression guard to clear the path. yes then, they surrounded ye an and followed the dragon suppression guard towards the northwest direction in a grand manner. at this moment, liang ying, who was following behind, had a flickering gaze. now, he couldnt help but feel some regret. jinshan temple was even stronger than he had imagined. who could have known that the never-before-seen abbot of jinshan temple would have such terrifying cultivation? however, its not too late to know now. in addition, jinshan temple has been quite responsive to his requests over the years, so its not impossible to further deepen their cooperation. thinking of this, his heart grew hotter. the thought of several xuan generation high monks in jinshan temple being at the postnatal nine-realm, and with the help of an expert like the abbot, would he also have the opportunity to advance further? no one paid attention to what liang ying was thinking at this moment, while the dragon suppression guard was extremely vigilant and cautious along the way. in no time, they arrived at the huge pit that the chen team had mentioned. at this moment, seeing the mess in front of them and the twisted trees, even ye an with his low cultivation was deeply shocked. wu gang and the others, who had profound cultivation, were even more shocked. they never thought that there would be such powerful experts hidden in small jinzhou city. two of them! wu gang couldnt help but sigh in his heart. these nameless and jinshan temple masters, even in the capital, were not to be easily offended, as they were considered heroes. after all, that was half-step innate! innate nation protectors have never been a joke. so, a half-step innate is also considered a half-step nation protector existence. who would dare to offend them easily? he couldnt help but glance at ye an from the corner of his eye and sigh. the prince was indeed well-prepared when he came from the capital. after this, the prince of pingans mansion would probably face another upheaval. however, all of this depended on whether the prince could win over jinshan temple first. at this moment, ye an was indeed thinking as wu gang had guessed, so although he was shocked by the destruction here, he still focused on finding xuankong. xuankong was not far from the huge pit, in front of a collapsed mountain stone, his expression extremely serious at this moment. it seemed that this nameless expert was in closed-door cultivation here, and had just broken through not long ago, which meant that the traces of his breakthrough still remained on his body. thinking of this, xuankong didnt hesitate at all, once again tapping his toes, determined a direction, and leaped away from this place in one bound. ye an wanted to shout a greeting but saw this and hurriedly urged wu gang to catch up. however, they could only give up their pursuit after not much time. thats because they simply couldnt catch up with xuankong, and they could only watch as xuankong disappeared from their sight. seeing this, ye an naturally felt unwilling in his heart and wanted to continue pursuing, after all, his coming to jinzhou city was a helpless move, and at this moment, he felt like he was grasping at the last straw, how could he not hold on tightly? wu gang didnt dare to say much at this time, so he could only quietly give another signal to xuannan, who didnt want to continue pursuing at this time either. firstly, they definitely couldnt catch up no matter what; secondly, their abbot elder brother must have his reasons, so its better not to disturb him and avoid messing up his plan. so, after receiving wu gangs eye signal, he immediately stepped forward, put his hands together, and recited a buddhist chant. son of the crown prince, its already late now, lets go back to the temple first, i think the abbot elder brother will naturally come back when he finishes his business. hearing this, ye an could only sigh in his heart. after the look of disappointment on his face receded, he smiled and said, since the chief master said so, then i will listen to the chief, captain wu, lets go back. yes! dragon suppression guard, heed my command, return to base! wu gang was overjoyed, for now, he didnt have to waste his efforts, and then the group headed back to jinshan temple in a mighty manner once again. in the forest. liang sheng was in high spirits, as he had broken through the half-step innate realm, not just in jinzhou city, but even throughout the whole dayan dynasty, as long as he didnt court death, he was free to roam the world. at this moment, postnatal nine-realm experts no longer posed any threat to him, but this also made him feel great awe for innate experts. if he was already so powerful in the half-step innate realm, what about the existence of innate national protectors? moreover, he wondered how strong the founding emperor of the dayan dynasty was to be able to eradicate the seven great sects, as they were martial saint lands with innate masters, and there were seven of them! because of this, he was also wary of the dayan dynasty, fearing that it had its trump card by now, but he didnt need to belittle himself either. with his current strength, as long as he didnt meddle in affairs, he could be carefree. so after leaving the retreat, he was quite leisurely when descending the mountain, even encountering a group of hunters. the hunters saw him and took the initiative to ask which village he was from and whether he had encountered a fierce beast, which was why he had returned empty-handed. liang sheng was momentarily stunned, then realizing the reason, looking at his dirty clothes. didnt his appearance resemble that of a hunter who hadnt returned from the forest for several days? he was about to answer when a figure raced past him from behind, and liang shengs face changed involuntarily. half-step innate. if it wasnt xuankong, who else could it be? however, xuankong only glanced at liang sheng and the others, without any pause, continuing to head down the mountain, moving towards the officials road at the foot of the mountain, and he never noticed any suspicious people. xuankongs face couldnt help turning ugly, but he had no choice but to return since searching any further would be in vain. however, the anonymous expert that made him uneasy was too close to the jinshan temple for his liking. if the expert had hostile intentions towards the temple, it could be a big problem. but how could xuankong imagine that the person he was looking for was actually among the hunters he had just seen, and he wouldnt think that liang sheng, thanks to the existence of the attribute panel, had no trace of qi left within. xuankong eventually returned empty-handed, only to find that the lights in the great hall of jinshan temple were brightly lit, and ye an had been waiting for him all the time. seeing xuankong, ye ans expression was extremely surprised and delighted, and his attitude was extremely humble. i am prince ye an, greetings to the master! Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Barrier Breaking Pill! chapter 54: chapter 54: barrier breaking pill! translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. liang sheng politely declined the hunters invitation to visit his home in the mountain, and went straight back to jinzhou city. although when he returned the city gates were already closed, for him, sneaking into the city was not a problem at all. it was just that liang shengs passions had surged after his breakthrough to half-step innate, but now they had returned to their calmness once again. master xuan kongs appearance at the jinshan temple had sounded the alarm bell in his heart once more. a small temple like jinshan could harbor impressive talents, but there were even more powerful figures hidden throughout the world. he must not become arrogant and lose sight of himself. however, liang sheng would not think less of himself either. it was just that from now on, he would have to be more careful in his actions. afterward, he organized his emotions and went to yichun building. having broken through the half-step innate today, his lifespan had surged to 800 more years, and that was worth celebrating! it was that night when he went to yichun building and listened to the boasts of the young men there that he learned that jinshan temples crown prince had actually left the capital and arrived in jinzhou city. only then did liang sheng realize why the security at the city gate of jinzhou city had been so tight. so, that was the reason. considering the crown princes visit to jinzhou city, there must have been some ulterior motives. but what did that have to do with him? only someone with a brain problem would provoke such trouble. moreover, prince pingan was named ye, from the same lineage as the dayan imperial family. the waters there might be as deep as the ocean, and getting involved would only bring trouble. only these young lordlings still wished to climb into the nobility, to become the fish that leapt over the dragons gate and fulfill their ambitions. however, they didnt consider the piles of white bones beneath the gates of the nobility. nevertheless, the peaceful days did not come as liang sheng had hoped C after all, wherever there were people, there was jianghu. moreover, the sudden arrival of a prince of the royal palace in a small city was bound to have some purpose. teahouse. zhang yuntai had become even more steady in demeanor, and the teahouses business was booming. liang sheng nodded in admiration at zhang yuntais success. as expected, the zhang familys wealth and prominence would likely endure for at least three generations. brother rong truly had a good son. however, the situation in jinzhou city became tense. during this period, there were sporadic arrivals of martial artists from the outside, and their numbers increased. the inns in the city were almost entirely occupied by these foreign martial artists, and as more and more martial artists entered the city, public order naturally became somewhat unstable. for a short while, jinzhou city was rather bleak even during the day, not as bustling as it used to be. liang sheng was naturally dissatisfied with this. and all of this was rooted in prince of pingans mansions son, ye an. as time passed, more and more powerful figures entered jinzhou city, and their strength only grew stronger. originally, jinzhou city was left with a martial arts family, the liang family, which had almost lost its reputation. however, during this period, the younger generation of the liang family had been restrained by their family and were trying their best not to conflict with these foreign martial artists. but martial artists were inherently competitive, seeking to prove their strength and fierceness. the county jail had already detained no fewer than twenty foreign martial artists, and several had even died. at this moment, liang sheng was squinting his eyes while pondering in his heart. it seemed that rumors might not be groundless after all. if the rumors were true, he could observe from a distance. if there was no danger thinking of this, liang sheng made up his mind. he would wait and see how the situation unfolded before making a decision! jinshan temple. damn it! at this moment, ye an was so angry that he slammed the tea bowl in his hand onto the ground. who leaked the news? who is spreading rumors in the city? captain wu, are the dragon suppression guards, as the states weapon, really becoming so unreliable? cant you even keep a lid on things? wu gang immediately knelt on one knee, filled with both awe and fear. your highness, please calm your anger. its all due to my inefficiency in handling matters. however, this rumor has spread throughout the entire southwest state, and im afraid that more and more martial artists will gather in jinzhou city in the future. your highness, at this moment, its best for you to set out for the capital as soon as possible. 1 believe these martial artists would not dare to make a move recklessly. return to the capital? ye an looked deeply at wu gang upon hearing this, his anger immediately dissipated, and he relaxed his tone, 1 have my own plans for this matter. captain wu, it would be better for you to investigate who leaked the information and spread the rumor. yes. after wu gang left, ye an sat down and began to ponder, while a shadow appeared in the corner of the room. ye an seemed unconcerned. yin san, have you found the mole? your highness, i havent found the mole yet. this person is hiding extremely well, leaving no trace at all. what a great skill, i didnt expect that my aunt, even far away in the capital, could still cause me trouble. quite impressive. however, when did she manage to plant a mole among the personal guards handpicked by my mother? the thought of this makes me shiver in fear and lose sleep. saying this, ye ans fingers clenched until they turned white. how else could he have come all the way to jinzhou city to win over jinshan temple if it wasnt for this reason? yin san, although my mother can still hold on for a while, we must hurry nonetheless, otherwise, things will change. now that the rumors in the city have already spread, theres no need for us to hide anymore. i will meet master immediately, initially planning to establish a relationship with them first, and then discuss other matters. time is running out, and im afraid theres no more room for delay. this time, yin san didnt say anything, and ye an didnt care about him either. he got up and headed straight to the door. yin san immediately followed, appearing inconspicuous. in recent days, xuan nan had gradually gotten used to ye ans presence in jinshan temple. so, when he heard the report of ye an coming to pay his respects, he hurried out. theres no need for your highness to personally visit me. you just need to give the order, and this old monk will come. why bother coming yourself? ye an laughed heartily upon hearing this, and after greeting and sitting down, he cut straight to the chase this time. chief master, 1 am originally a novice monk from this temple. later, by a fortunate coincidence, i entered the capital, and it has been thirteen years since 1 parted ways with you last. but my admiration for you has never changed. xuan nan didnt say anything upon hearing this. seeing that he was unmoved, ye an didnt get angry and decided to be straightforward. chief master, 1 wont beat around the bush any longer. actually, 1 left the capital this time to avoid misfortune and seek your protection. your highness must be joking. the world is so vast under heaven, who could oppress you? at this moment, ye an became somewhat agitated, some problems have arisen within my mothers family, and my aunt will certainly not let this opportunity slip away. she has long considered me a thorn in her side, and this time, she wants to put me in mortal danger and make my younger brother the sole heir to the mansion. upon hearing this, xuan nans face turned bitter. he had previously noticed that ye an was no longer a simple-minded little novice monk, but rather a deep-minded prince from a royal family. however, he did not expect that this time ye an would reveal such significant secrets to him, and there was no benefit in knowing them. how could he meddle in the affairs of the royal family? not to mention the royal familys struggle for inheritance? that can only be described as a bloody storm! however, the moment he heard those three words from ye ans mouth, xuan nans heart started pounding wildly, and his face was filled with disbelief, while his heart was overwhelmed with excitement. barrier breaking pill!? Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55: The Grand Show Begins (Request for Follow Up) chapter 55: chapter 55: the grand show begins (request for follow up) translator: 549690339 jinshan temple. xuan nan remained silent, not caring about ye ans indifference, because he had his own confidence, who can resist the temptation to own the thing in his hand? chief, you must have heard the rumors in the city that i possess the much-coveted breaking barrier pill in the martial arts world, but actually this is not a rumor. xuan nan never expected ye an to really have the breaking barrier pill. he had previously thought it was just a groundless rumor in the city. after all, even during the period of the seven great sects, the breaking barrier pill was extremely precious. but who would have thought that this seemingly impossible happenstance would turn out not to be a rumor? when xuan nan heard this, his greed flashed through his heart, but he quickly calmed down and forcefully suppressed his emotions. since ye an was bold enough to tell him about these things, he had his own confidence, because xuan nan was certain that jinshan temple would not do anything to harm him, for he shared the bloodline of the dayan royal family. with this in mind, he stared intently at ye an, wanting to know exactly why he was doing this. chief, as long as jinshan temple is willing to lend me support, ill present the breaking barrier pill to you. master xuan kong is a half-step innate master, which is nothing short of a pleasant surprise for me. with this breaking barrier pill, master will surely break through to innate. by then, that wretched woman, the side concubine of the prince, wont stand a chance of forcing me to my death! upon saying this, ye ans face was full of malice. how dare this vile woman behave like this, for he is the rightful heir to the first inheritor of the royal palace! if it were not for the misfortunes that befell his royal mother, his position as the prince would have otherwise remained unshakable. however, due to the interference of his mothers family, he now had to turn to jinshan temple for help. but he could not blame his mothers family, for they had provided the breaking barrier pill. the only one to blame was that wretched woman, whose scheming had truly been unparalleled. initially, ye an had taken an interest in jinshan temple because it had several nine-tiered experts. when princess pingan brought him back to the capital, she had not pursued jinshan temples past faults, wishing to keep them as a backup plan. little did he know that today, he would actually be using this connection. this time, ye an had originally intended to avoid disaster and use the breaking barrier pill to gain another half-step innate master to protect himself. when consumed by a postnatal nine-realm master, the breaking barrier pill had a 30% chance of breaking through to innate, and would definitely break through to half-step innate. however, the appearance of master xuan kong made ye an realize just how lucky he was, giving him an excellent opportunity to turn the tables. he had initially thought that he was merely offering a half-step innate to obtain jinshan temples support, but instead, he now found himself gaining the favor of a true innate nation protector grandmaster. a half-step innate master, upon consuming the breaking barrier pill, would surely become an innate expert! at this point, xuan nan could no longer remain seated, standing up. the breaking barrier pillshould his senior brother consume it, then at the thought of this, he suppressed the excitement in his heart, son of the crown prince, could you permit this old monk some time? 1 need to report this matter in detail to abbot elder brother. chief, please feel free to do so, 111 be waiting for your good news. ye an was not in a hurry, knowing no martial artist could refuse the barrier breaking pill. xuan nan didnt stand on ceremony and hurriedly left. this time, he not only sought xuan kong but also gathered all the high-ranking monks of the xuan generation. breaking barrier pill!? upon hearing xuan nan utter these three words, the others reacted in disbelief, just as xuan nan had earlier. xuan nan nodded affirmatively, and at this point, the monks of the xuan generation felt as if they were in a dream, thinking how their senior brother, master xuan kong, had failed to break through the bottleneck and become an innate grandmaster all these years. who would have thought that now, the opportunity would suddenly appear before their eyes? with this in mind, everyone turned to xuan kong, curious about his decision. naturally, xuan kong was also somewhat moved. he even thought to himself if only ye an wasnt the prince of the palace of pingan, then he could have killed him and seized his treasure without consequence. but this was merely wishful thinking, for if he killed ye an, the dayan dynastys response would be to make jinshan temple disappear from the face of the world. by then, even if xuan kong were to become an innate grandmaster, the inheritance of jinshan temple would still prevail as the most important matter. after pondering the pros and cons, xuan kong made his final decisiononly by breaking through to innate could jinshan temple truly rise to prominence. moreover, with their connection to the prince of pingans mansion, jinshan temples progress would not be hindered by the dayan dynasty, instead allowing it to flourish and prosper. once the decision was made, xuan kong didnt hesitate, standing up and proclaimed, junior brothers, 1 have decided to cooperate with the prince of pingans mansion this time, and everything is for the sake of jinshan temple. amitabha. the xuan generation high monks naturally understood xuan kongs meaning, and it was time for jinshan temple to have an innate master. it was a morale-boosting belief that jinshan temple would surely rise because it had been too long since an innate master had appeared in jinshan temple. time can make people despair. that night, xuan kong met with ye an alone, no one knew what they talked about, but that night xuan kong announced that he would enter a life-closing retreat. just like that, xuan nan and the others were resolute and completely sealed off jinshan temple, no longer allowing pilgrims to burn incense and worship buddha. thus, jinshan temple was closed off. as for the dragon suppression guard, they were even more arranged by ye an to rotate patrols every two hours, not letting any information about jinshan temple leak out. j inzhou city. during this time, an increasing number of martial artists from outside jinzhou city came, and the pressure on the county government office greatly increased. every day there would be street fights, creating extreme chaos. in an ordinary house in the city, someone was secretly plotting at this moment. the news has been out for so long, and quite a few famous experts from the martial arts world have come. can we take action now? one of them had a knife scar on his face, crossing his entire face, making him look extremely ferocious. if people from the martial arts world saw him, they would exclaim in surprise, this person was actually blood-hand qin xing. the other person had white eyebrows and black hair, looking somewhat eerie, he was also a famous expert in the martial arts world, chu xiong. the side concubine of the prince has sent a letter saying that she cant wait any longer, the longer the time, the more variables. who could have thought that there really is a barrier breaking pill in the chu family? side concubine of the prince has said this time, as long as ye an is killed, no matter who gets the barrier breaking pill, she wont mind. as soon as this sentence came out, both of their breathing became more rapid. i had contacted the lifeless sect earlier and asked them to send some people over to muddy the waters, ensuring that the plan goes smoothly. but unexpectedly, they refused our invitation this time, they really are unreliable. at this point, chu xiong couldnt help but slap the table in anger, showing his inner fury, while qin xing didnt care. it doesnt matter, they are just jumping clowns. otherwise, after making so much trouble over the years, they would have done more than just small skirmishes. the key now is that we must take action. the closure of jinshan temple makes me uneasy. fine, if thats the case, ill have the duan familys five tigers stir up the martial artists in the city tomorrow. when we get to jinshan temple, well act according to the situation. if theres a chance, well kill ye an directly. as for the barrier breaking pill, it depends on whos luckier. alright. deep in both of their eyes was greed. barrier breaking pill! as chu xiong and qin xing were conspiring to kill ye an, in another mansion, people were also discussing what to do next. these were the very disciples of the lifeless sect mentioned by qin xing and chu xiong. however, their conversation was much more peaceful. protector, do you think ye an really has a barrier breaking pill? if so, is it a pity that our sect decided not to snatch it? dont think too much, the sect has its own plans for this, you just need to execute your tasks. you must remember that our mission is to ensure ye ans safety. as long as he is safe, we dont need to be involved in this incident. if anyone acts without respecting the sects decision, dont blame me for enforcing the family rules. at this point, he looked at everyone in the room, and they all immediately straightened up, not daring to even breathe. seeing them sitting on pins and needles, the protector was slightly satisfied, although he didnt quite understand the sects arrangement. he glanced out of the window, and under the night sky, there was no moonlight. the moon was completely blocked by clouds, and it was densely covered with dark clouds. something was bound to happen! Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Innate Grandmaster (Please follow) chapter 56: chapter 56: innate grandmaster (please follow) translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. while everyone was coveting the barrier breaking pill, liang sheng merely watched with cold eyes, which allowed him to see the situation more clearly. at this moment, jinzhou city was like a barrel of explosives, just missing a fuse. one spark would trigger an instantaneous explosion. as for the rumors about the barrier breaking pill, he didnt know if they were true or not, but the fact that a grand drama was about to begin was undeniable. after all, the barrier breaking pill was a treasure in the martial arts world. before reaching the innate realm, if one encountered a cultivation bottleneck, a single barrier breaking pill could help them break through the bottleneck smoothly and advance to a higher level. but no one would use the barrier breaking pill to break through the post-natal realm. only those who reached the ninth level of the post-natal realm would consider using such a precious pill. however, the barrier breaking pill was not easily found, as it was not commonly seen in reality. only the top big families might come across it occasionally. it was said that this pill was a spoil of war from the dayan dynastys defeat of the seven great sects and was rewarded to the founding emperor for his merit. only the dayan dynastys royal family knew the method to refine the barrier breaking pill, but the success rate was pathetically low. up until now, the barrier breaking pill had become almost a legend. it was unexpected that it appeared in the hands of prince ye an of pingan in jinzhou city. however, liang sheng was not interested in the barrier breaking pill at all. after all, what was a cultivation bottleneck to him? because of the talent of innocent foolishness, his cultivation was slow, but there were no bottlenecks in all the methods in the world. for him, the barrier breaking pill was practically useless. thats why he could remain calm, acting as a quiet spectator, watching as the volatile jinzhou city was on the verge of a complete explosion. tonight, he had planned to go to yichun building, but in the end, he chose to head outside the city under the cover of darkness because the grand show had finally begun. how could he not watch such a grand spectacle? it seemed that these martial artists didnt yet know that abbot xuankong of jinshan temple was a half-step innate expert, did they? if they knew about this, would they still dare to go to jinshan temple? outside jinzhou city. at this moment, there were martial artists dressed in night-walking clothes and their faces concealed, hurriedly heading forward, diving into the forest and aiming for jinshan temple. they had received news that the duan familys five tigers had obtained accurate clues. the barrier breaking pill was in the hands of prince ye an of pingan, and they were already on their way to jinshan temple. since the news had been confirmed, as martial artists who had fought on the edge of a knife, they were fearless. their excitement could hardly be contained, as if they were destined to obtain the barrier breaking pill. along the way, they were always wary of other people. after all, they were all competitors, but they did not fight each other. now was not the time for internal strife. temporarily, they were considered an alliance since the dragon suppression guards were not easy to deal with. fortunately, there were quite a few postnatal ninth layer experts who had come this time. with them taking the lead in the charge, the dragon suppression guards wouldnt be able to hold. the barrier breaking pill would certainly be obtained by them. of course, who would finally claim the prize remained unknown, but even average cultivators jostled for position as if they were the chosen ones. as for the postnatal ninth layer experts who had come, they were more determined than ever to obtain the pill. after all, with the barrier breaking pill, they could at least break through to the half-step innate realm. if they looked further ahead, after breaking through to the half-step innate realm, they would consume the barrier breaking pill and make a leap towards the innate realm. thinking of this, their eyes grew hotter. under the present-day heaven, the rumors of the seven great masters suppressing the martial arts world of dayan dynasty were spreading. even the dayan emperor was courteous and polite to the seven great masters and wouldnt offend them easily. the title of innate nation protector wasnt just for show; they could only be dealt with by an innate grandmaster. even postnatal ninth layer experts were no more than mere numbers in front of an innate grandmaster. jinshan temple. at this moment, wu gangs face was gloomy. two squads had lost contact by now, and as for the defensive line formed by chen shiqiang and his constables at the county government office, it had already fallen. prince ye an seemed calm and unruffled, not worried at all. when wu gang came to report, he even asked him to calm down. captain wu, i believe in the dragon suppression guard. these lowly jianghu people are nothing more than clowns. moreover, the high monks of jinshan temple are here; you dont have to worry about my safety. just focus on killing the enemy. indeed, our dayan dynastys founding emperor was far-sighted. these martial artists dont know their place. the demise of the seven great sects is their own fault. now they dare to offend my prince of pingans mansion, captain wu, i hope you wont show any mercy. 1 want them to know that the only path after offending my princes mansion is death! yes! wu gangs blood boiled. he glanced at the shadow in the corner where yin san was secretly standing and thought of the xuan generation high monks nearby, finally putting his mind at ease. since there was no need to worry, these damned, lowly martial artists should experience the might of the dragon suppression guard! dragon suppression guard, assemble, form up, kill without mercy! this time, before the martial artists could respond, they saw the dragon suppression guard gather and quickly form into three-man teams. the three talents formation! the martial artists who previously thought the dragon suppression guard was nothing special paid the price for their carelessness. several intermediate-level martial artists who previously joined the large group in killing a few dragon suppression guards thought they were nothing special. when they saw the dragon suppression guard formation charging at them, they didnt pay attention and failed to dodge in time. the next moment, the unmatched power of their long spears pierced through the protective true qi, instantly killing them! at this point, the martial artists were like scattered sand, being defeated one by one by the dragon suppression guard, causing heavy casualties. wu gang couldnt help but smirk, thinking that the dragon suppression guard wasnt to be underestimated. however, the next moment, his smile froze, his eyes burning with anger. they saw the previously uninvolved postnatal ninth layer experts couldnt help but join the fray to attack the dragon suppression guard as the martial artists continued to lose ground. wu gang didnt have time to change formation, and the dragon suppression guard was instantly crushed under the attacks of several ninth layer experts, blood staining the scene. how dare you?! wu gangs eyes widened with anger. each loss of the dragon suppression guard was a stab to his heart. wu gang couldnt help but join the battlefield himself. it was too late to change formation. the only way to save the lives of his subordinates was to stop these ninth layer experts. however, wu gang was alone. although chen shiqiang and liang ying were both in the postnatal eighth realm, they were already cornered and struggling. seeing this, the martial artists were reinvigorated and believed that once they broke through the dragon suppression guard, they would have half the success in obtaining the barrier breaking pill. a mile away, liang sheng sat on a tree branch, his qi perfectly concealed, undetected by anyone. he didnt think the martial artists had the upper hand at this moment; instead, he believed they had fallen into a trap, and the most straightforward reason was that the high monks of jinshan temple had not yet joined the battle. moreover, these high monks didnt stay in jinshan temple but hid around it. with liang shengs half-step innate realm, he could clearly see their presence. it could only be said that ye an was no longer the novice monk of the past but prince ye an of pingan, using the dragon suppression guard as bait with no hesitation. at this moment, liang shengs expression changed. a powerful aura erupted from jinshan temple, like a scorching sun rising in the dark night. innate grandmaster! Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Chapter 57: The Grand Show Ends (Request for Follow Up) chapter 57: chapter 57: the grand show ends (request for follow up) translator: 549690339 jinshan temple. underneath their night-walking clothes and facemasks, one couldnt see the expressions of chu xiong and qin xing. however, they were quite satisfied beforehand. but in just a short time, xuan kongs aura suddenly erupted, and their eyes were filled with horror, with only four words surfacing in their hearts. innate grandmaster! how is that possible!? not only them, but other postnatal ninth layer experts had also reacted in the first place, their hearts full of trepidation. with an innate grandmaster present, their wild arrogance was nothing more than courting death. retreat, its a trap! but their realization was just too late! you could see xuan kong suspended in mid-air, he hadnt made any other movements yet, but the martial artists were desperate at the sight of him and quickly fled in panic. xuan kong didnt show much reaction to this, and chu xiong and qin xing couldnt help but feel relieved upon seeing this, their steps unconsciously quickened. they certainly wouldnt outrun an innate grandmaster, but the opponent had not moved immediately, so long as they ran faster than the others. however, at this moment, before the smiles under their masks had time to fade, several monks appeared before their eyes. amitabha, benefactor, please turn back, this path is impassable. the next moment, the xuan generation high monks made their move together, and several post-natal eighth level monks acted as support, instantly blocking their retreat. at this point, the previously silent xuan kong finally reacted. he took a step forward with a leisurely stride, and in the blink of an eye, he reached the martial artists. then xuan kong waved his big hand, merely a sleeve of his monks robe, seemed as heavy as a thousand pounds, and instantly caused the few in front of him to retreat like they suffered a heavy blow, blood traces were already oozing from the corners of their mouths. my dear benefactors, our temple has not had the opportunity to entertain you properly. why are you so eager to leave? as soon as xuan nan finished speaking, the main gate of jinshan temple opened wide. rows of martial monks were brandishing their staffs; they were the disciplinary martial monks of jinshan temple. they all stepped forward together in unison, ingeniously herding everyone together, leaving no way out. at this time, wu gang felt bitter inside. up to this point, how could he not realize what was going on? he was just a bait. it was such a pity for his underlings who lost their lives for no reason. however, he dared not say anything, nor could he say anything. after all, the entire dayan dynasty hails the ye family! while wu gang was feeling bitter, the situation on the battlefield was extremely one-sided. the postnatal ninth layer experts internal energy was raging, the air seemed to explode, and trees around them collapsed instantly from the shockwaves caused. however, in front of xuan kong, all of this seemed like mere childs play. he didnt have any special techniques, only a simple hand wave! after several consecutive moves from xuan kong, those postnatal ninth layer experts were knocked to the ground, vomiting blood, severely injured, and had lost their strength to fight. without uttering any unnecessary words in front of the big bosses, chen shiqiang directly ordered the constables to bind these people and detain them on the side. without the support of the postnatal ninth layer experts, the rest of the martial artists were no match for the dragon suppression guard. blood flew everywhere in an instant. the dragon suppression guard, their eyes red, gave the opponents no chance to beg for mercy, and directly slaughtered the martial artists on the spot. they were out to avenge their colleagues death. upon seeing this, the likes of xuan kong could only press their hands together and chant amitabha. on the other side of the corner, liang ying was standing next to chen shiqiang, a gleam in his eyes, his decision to cooperate with jinshan temple was absolutely correct. however, it was time to change the way he interacted with jinshan temple. after all, the circumstances had changed, there was an innate grandmaster now! right then, a hearty laughter came from jinshan temple, and immediately after, prince ye an of pingan walked out of jinshan temple, looking very smug. he didnt look at the martial artists who were lying on the ground at the moment, but walked straight to xuan kong, his attitude extremely humble. master truly is unrivaled under heaven with his strength, justly deserving the title of an innate master. i am truly enlightened at this moment, said the prince. xuan kong gave a faint smile, the prince jests, this was merely an ordinary display of martial arts. he then continued, your highness, ive just made a breakthrough, and my realm is unstable. i must excuse myself now, as i need to consolidate my cultivation level. i hope you understand? ye an naturally didnt mind and quickly nodded. as you wish, master. i will manage the situation here and ensure it does not become a problem for the temple. hearing this, xuan kong immediately took his leave, while the monks and dragon suppression guards of jinshan temple all rose to see him off. after all, he was an innate master, a pillar of the nation! however, nobody noticed as xuan kong glanced southeast out of the corner his eye before leaving. about a mile away in the southeast direction, two people who caught xuan kongs action felt a chill in their hearts. they didnt dare stay any longer and hurriedly left. however, ye an and the others were clueless about this. at that moment, he looked at the postnatal ninth layer experts who had lost their battle strength and collapsed together. he removed the masks from each of them. when he saw qin xing and chu xiong, he couldnt help but smile, nearly revealing his teeth. qin xing, chu xiong, how have you two been? without waiting for their responses, he continued in a serious tone, captain wu, please escort our two honored guests to the backyard. ensure they are properly entertained and not neglected. after speaking, ye an paid no more attention to those lying on the ground. instead, he made his way towards xuan nan and the others with a broad smile plastered on his face. his journey to jinshan temple this time yielded more than he expected. truly, as if heaven was assisting him. outside jinshan temple. liang sheng was still somewhat excited. an innate expert, fearsome indeed. this was akin to a nuclear weapon in the martial world, no wonder it was referred to as an innate nation protector. the destructive power of postnatal ninth layer realm masters was already astonishing, but against an innate expert, they didnt even have a chance to retaliate. liang sheng secretly compared the gap between himself and xuan kong and sighed in his heart. he probably wouldnt last three moves against him. however, liang sheng didnt feel too disappointed. even though he wasnt a match for xuan kong, he could wear him out. an innate masters lifespan is 150 years. despite practicing lifespan cultivation technique and keeping themselves in optimum health, they can only live up to 180 years. by the time xuan kong has grown old, liang sheng would probably still be lively and energetic. at this moment, a few martial artists outside jinshan temple suddenly showed excitement. their bindings were removed by constables. it turned out they were the lucky ones chosen for release by jinshan temple. after several confirmations, they were overjoyed, feeling fortunate to have survived. seeing this, liang sheng couldnt help but sigh. ye an truly had effective means. from this day on, probably no one would dare to stir trouble in jinzhou city for the prince. after all, thats an innate expert! finally, liang sheng managed to calm down. he decided not to concern himself with whether jinshan temple had more secrets. he prepared to leave because after all, it had nothing to do with him. the show was over. even if there were any surprises, they werent worth risking his safety for. why expose himself to danger out of curiosity? with that thought, liang sheng got ready to return to the city, choosing to retreat in the southeast direction this time. earlier, werent there two people from the no-life evil cult over there? why did they come at this time? and why did they just watch from the shadows without acting rashly? could it be that his defeat of baldy had been exposed? he feared jinshan temple because of xuan kong, but he didnt spare a second thought for the two postnatal ninth layer experts from the no-life evil cult. with that, liang sheng no longer hesitated. his figure vanished into the night, undetected by anyone.. Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Are There Immortals in the chapter 58: chapter 58: are there immortals in the world? (looking for more readers) translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. ye an went down the mountain the next day and appeared openly in jinzhou city. however, this time, there were no more people secretly coveting for him. only that this time, there were two more horse carriages in his convoy, one of which was covered by thick cloth, making it impossible to see what was inside. the other carriage was before and after prince ye ans carriage, and this time the dragon suppression guard did not closely guard the carriage but instead opened the way in front. meanwhile, the people along the streets of jinzhou city were blocked by the county government offices bailiffs to prevent them from crowding and bumping into the princes convoy. all the old people in jinzhou city couldnt help but sigh, as they seemed to see the scene of princess pingans arrival more than ten years ago. at this time, li maolin was prepared, having already cleaned up the temporary palace borrowed from one of the liang familys properties. liang ying, of course, had no objections to this and even actively offered the deed to the county government office. upon arriving at the temporary palace, ye an hurriedly got off the carriage and went to the second carriage, respectfully inviting the person inside to come out. the person inside was none other than the abbot of jinshan temple, master xuan kong. master, lets take a short rest in the city for now. well set off for the capital tomorrow, ye an suggested. xuan kong nodded, having no objections. when he passed by liang ying, he even nodded to him, which caught liang ying somewhat off guard. seeing this, ye an couldnt help but glance at li maolin, as in the past few days, liang ying had been extremely low-key, and ye an had not paid much attention to his presence while preoccupied with many concerns. li maolin didnt wait for ye an to ask and proactively introduced: your highness, this is the lord liang, the head of the liang family, and the model for gentry in jinzhou city. hes the left and right arm of jinzhou citys county government office. liang ying? ye an only thought for a moment before he remembered the name. this was because when xia zhiqiu returned to the capital and met with prince pingan, he had mentioned this man in passing. this man could be soft and strong. if used well, he could be a tame wolf. so its him. since the situation in jinzhou city was tense this time, ye an hadnt had the energy to deal with the various people in the city. now that he could relax, it was time for him to win them over. lord liang, ive heard former county lord xia zhiqiu mentioned you before. he always had nothing but praise for you. now, county lord li is able to govern jinzhou city so effectively, and im sure its all thanks to your strong support, lord liang. your highness is too kind. if your highness returns to the capital, please convey my greetings to prince pingan on my behalf. ive always remembered his earnest teachings, liang ying humbly replied. ye an nodded and didnt say anything more. hed only casually mentioned liang ying just now to pull some strings. after all, if xuan kong hadnt greeted him before, how would he have bothered with the likes of the liang familys patriarch? ye an then hurriedly walked a few steps to catch up with xuan kong, while li maolin deeply looked at liang ying. however, liang ying kept his head down and respectfully stood to one side, not moving at all. li maolin couldnt help but feel a sudden surge in his heart, but he didnt say anything and hurriedly followed ye an. at this moment, liang ying, who was lowering his head, had uncertain eyes. last night, he had personally gone to xuan nan to apologize and even revealed all the measures he had taken back then, just in case. after all, once xuan kong advanced to innate level, the secrets he hadnt mastered would become a joke. why not trade his honesty for the other partys forgiveness? after all, with xuan kong around, even if the prince of pingans mansion learned about the secrets of jinshan temples dharma sect lineage, they wouldnt care. on the contrary, because of the deep connection between jinshan temple and ye an, the two families could naturally become allies and support each other. in front of an innate expert, what does the lineage of the dharma sect matter? after all, who could say that all the major forces in the dayan dynasty had no connections with the seven great sects from back then? the merit-based families with the techniques of the seven great sects as their family foundation were not few. so its all a small matter, its just a matter of whether your value is worth it or not. at that time, xuan nan secretly sighed in his heart that liang yings actions were indeed extraordinary. it would be nice to have one more friend like him. after all, who knows if they will need each others help in the future? xuan nan directly indicated that it was no problem and to let bygones be bygones. he thought liang yings purpose for coming was just that but didnt expect that he actually had other ideas. after listening to his request, xuan nan thought for a while, and finally decided to take him to see xuan kong. as for the outcome, he would let his senior brother xuan kong decide for himself. he did this for his own reasons. after all, it was already settled xuan kong would be going to the capital, and liang ying had a point that his senior brother, in fact, needed a capable and trustworthy person in the capital. after xuan kong heard the purpose of xuan nans visit, he looked deeply at liang ying and didnt refuse. it could be seen as a deal being reached between liang ying and xuan kong. after this, the number of liang familys younger generation that would be admitted to jinshan temple as lay disciples for practicing martial arts doubled, and this agreement was reached verbally. as for why only xuan kong was allowed to enter the capital, it was jinshan temples attempt at hedging its bets. it couldnt invest all its hopes into one basket, and the fact remains that some of their inheritance was incomplete, with only fragmentary clues to preserve their secrecy, so being cautious would be better. liang ying collected his thoughts at this time, looked at the temporary palace which had no problems left, and then took his leave from li maolin to return home. he would arrange the selection of the successor to the position of family patriarch tonight. now all the family elders in his home were from his direct bloodline, and with the support of jinshan temple, there shouldnt be any problems after he leaves. that night, the liang family patriarch changed hands, and even stepped in to replace liang ying as the secretary of the county government office, which li maolin, even if surprised, could only agree to. after all, prince ye an previously mentioned this matter, and he even heard rumors that it was abbot xuan kong himself who spoke to ye an personally, asking liang ying to follow at his side. so liang yings handover this time was extremely swift, and all the details were finalized that very night. liang ying, the liang family patriarch, removed himself from his position as patriarch and was no longer the secretary of the county government office. early the next day, liang ying followed the prince ye an of pingans convoy and left jinzhou city for the capital. with this trip to the capital, he must carve out a future for the liang family! jinzhou city. teahouse. zhang yuntai personally brought over the tea, and by now liang sheng had become a regular customer. he was naturally not going to be careless with liang shengs tea. at this moment, liang sheng was drinking morning tea when he heard the conversations among the tea guests. they started with gossip about prince ye an, but then he heard the news about the changing of the liang family patriarch and couldnt help being surprised. his cousin liang ying really did have brilliant methods. after this, it didnt matter who the jinzhou city county lord was, the liang family might be able to stand tall. after all, on one hand, there was the relationship with jinshan temple, and on the other hand, liang ying was entering the capital. as long as there was no accurate information, no one would dare to cause trouble. what a great strategy! liang sheng couldnt help but sigh in his heart, but he wasnt too excited either. after all, no matter how clever the other partys strategy was, time would wash away everything. he just needed to remain firm, the matters of the capital had nothing to do with him, he just needed to stay detached from the secular world and slowly grow in the river of time. he was extremely relaxed in his heart, knowing that with xuan kongs departure, there was no one left in jinzhou city who posed a threat to him. why worry? while he was at peace, liang sheng also had some troubles related to greed. considering the source of his concerns, who in the world wouldnt be tempted? thinking about this, he couldnt help but take another sip of tea to calm his emotions, and carefully recalled the information revealed by the protector of the lifeless sect. could there be immortals in the world of the secular? Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: Chapter 59: Turmoil in the Capital (Please Follow) chapter 59: chapter 59: turmoil in the capital (please follow) translator: 549690339 capital. news of prince ye ans high-profile return to the capital has caused confusion and intrigue among the various aristocratic families residing there. after all, he had left the capital previously in disgrace in order to avoid disaster due to a major scandal involving his mother, the princess pingan. as a result of the scandal, princess pingan was even confined to the royal palace. the entire ordeal was common knowledge among the powerful families, who had witnessed their share of power struggles within their households as well. moreover, the side concubine of prince pingans mothers family was not considered weak and had exceptional methods. utilizing the wrongdoing of princess pingans family to her advantage, she somehow managed to force ye an to leave the capital for a distant land. everyone had initially believed it impossible for ye an to ever return to the capital, but in just half a month, he had reappeared in the city. how could this not cause astonishment and curiosity among the capitals aristocratic families? even the side concubine of prince pingan exhibited some doubt and suspicion. the subsequent events that unfolded became the talk of the town, with ye an displaying a fiery temper that bordered on inconceivable. xiao rang, father of the side concubine of prince pingan and current left assistant minister of the ministry of rites, stood a chance of being promoted to the position of minister of the ministry of rites if all went well. however, on the day of xiao rangs return to his official residence, ye an had sent a gift in the form of a mysterious, black cloth-covered box. it was placed directly in front of xiao rangs horse carriage without any hesitation. lord xiao, prince ye an has returned to the capital today and has specially brought you this unique gift. we hope youll accept it with pleasure. before xiao rang had the chance to respond, the mysterious box was carried over to him. the attendants then left abruptly, showing no regard for propriety. in full view of the public, xiao rang was unable to hide his fury, but he had to maintain his composure. with a stern face, he had the box brought to his residence. upon closer inspection, the box was revealed to be a cage containing two individuals in a horrific stateqin xing and chu xiong. their eyes had been gouged out, leaving behind dried streaks of blood. their kneecaps had been removed, and the tendons in their hands and feet severed, causing them to endure immense pain. yet they could only groan inaudibly, for their tongues had been cut out as well. how could this be possible? in a moment of shock and rage, xiao rang struggled to process the situation before him. after all, these two men were prominent experts in the nine levels of the postnatal realm, who had been his guests for quite some time. he couldnt help but feel a sense of dread at the sight of their current condition. quick, bring them inside, he ordered. xiao rang hurried back to his residence, but word of these events had already spread like wildfire throughout the capital, reaching the ears of the various aristocratic families residing there. and then, even more shocking news reached the masses, leading many to wonder if the power dynamics within prince pingans mansion were on the verge of a dramatic shift. upon ye ans return to the mansion, he had gone straight to the backyard without concern for appearances and had brought princess pingan, who had been under confinement, out with him. when the side concubine of prince pingan learned of this, she refused to back down and attempted to stop him, only to be effortlessly thwarted by ye an himself. undeterred, the side concubine scoffed and continued to harbor ill will towards him, unaware of the ordeal her father had just faced. she secretly contemplated how prince pingan would deal with ye an upon his return to the mansion. not just her, but countless pairs of eyes throughout the capital were fixated on the unfolding events at the royal palace. after all, such an enthralling spectacle within the capital was a rare sight to behold. upon prince pingans return to the palace, his initial anger appeared to subside, as he entered ye ans residence with a calm demeanor. the outcome of this encounter, however, left many dumbfounded. the matter of the princess confinement ends here. should anyone in the palace dare to spread gossip on this matter further, they shall be beaten to death on the spot and their body cast outside the palace. once this verdict had been passed, it became clear that ye an had successfully turned the tides in his favor. it was even possible that his mothers family would escape any further punishment. after all, the scandal involving them had initially escalated only because their actions had upset prince pingan, leading to unforeseen consequences. the inside story of this matter is not good to talk about. the current relationship between his majesty the emperor and prince pingan is delicate, and almost no one in the capital dares to mention it. but now, what everyone is concerned about is why prince pingans attitude has changed after ye ans return to the capital? none of the major families could get specific news, so they could only speculate in secret. it was not until xiao rang carried qin xingchu xiong to find ye an for an explanation that the truth was finally revealed. innate master! ye an unexpectedly had an innate master assisting him, which made the struggle for the position of prince of pingans mansion completely devoid of suspense. and then the events in jinzhou city began to spread throughout the capital, and countless noble families couldnt help but sigh. as the reputed most stable and powerful family, its surprising that the maternal family of princess pingan has not used that precious barrier breaking pill for so many years. however, this kind of action now indeed has its rewards, but most families are more amazed by ye ans long-lasting fortune. if it werent for this, how could he have been kidnapped and taken away from the royal palace and sent to jinzhou city to make a connection with jinshan temple? so the misfortune of losing him back then seems like a great blessing now? if there are no accidents, ye ans position as prince is as steady as mount tai. jinzhou city. there is an immortal in the mundane world. thats the news that liang sheng had heard after he followed the no-life sect followers and investigated post-jinshan temples battle. for the first time since coming to this world, he truly heard the rumors about immortals. theres a secret to becoming an immortal in dayan capital, which is why the no-life sect has been constantly creating incidents within dayan kingdom. everything they do is to search for immortals. but the specifics of this, even those two no-life sect followers, are uncertain, and the secret may even involve the destruction of the seven great sects of dayan dynasty. unfortunately, time has been too long, and such a secret may only remain among the top echelons of powerful forces in dayan dynasty, such as the dayan royal family. it is precisely because of this that liang sheng did not reveal himself to question the two no-life sect followers, as it would be meaningless. however, this made liang sheng ponder for a while, and in the end, he was lost in thought and accidentally got his shoes wet from the splashing water stirred up by a passing wooden boat on the riverside. this couldnt help but make liang sheng stunned in place for a long time before he came to his senses, unable to help but give a bitter smile, as he was ultimately blinded by the immortal. hes now just a half-step innate, and even if capital truly has the secret to becoming an immortal, there are many innate nation protectors in the capital, how could it be his turn? as the saying goes, interest moves the heart. in the end, he was too greedy. as long as he played it safe, his lifespan was limitless, so why rush? he would naturally go to the capital, as it is the only place where he knows there might be a clue to the existence of immortals in the mundane world. but not now. at this time, the old man rowing a wooden boat collecting lotus flowers in the river saw liang shengs shoes soaked in water and couldnt help but feel genuinely panicked, after all, liang shengs clothes were not something he could afford to compensate. liang sheng naturally saw the old mans embarrassment, but because he had wet his shoes, he was able to wake up to reality. so he smiled and nodded at the old man. thank you, old sir. saying that, liang sheng threw a piece of broken silver onto the boat, then turned and left, leaving the old man stunned in the boat. was this person a fool? how unjust was the world for allowing such a rich fool to exist while he himself had to live through poverty despite working so hard? liang sheng was unaware of the old mans grumbling in his heart at that moment. his thoughts were clear, and he felt as if his state of mind had risen to a higher level, so he naturally went to yichun building. hindsight always comes with a refreshed state of mind, and it was only fitting to celebrate it! Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60: Finally Achieving Innate (Seeking chapter 60: chapter 60: finally achieving innate (seeking follow-up reading) translator: 549690339 j inzhou city. in the twinkling of an eye, twenty years had passed. at this moment, liang sheng, with a touch of grey at his temples and increasingly noticeable wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, appeared mature and dignified. as he walked down the street, the young girls couldnt help but throw a second glance his way. just like an ordinary person, he wove through the streets, with a calm and composed air about him. even if he hadnt activated his attribute panel concealment, people would not recognize him as a martial arts expert. the marks of years had made him more gentle and relaxed, and his energy and blood were almost perfectly integrated, giving him a taoist-like sense of simplicity and humble strength. at this point, he was leisurely heading to zhang rongjuns teahouse, though the current owner was not zhang yuntai but his son zhang ruxing. after all, zhang yuntai was old, and for the past two years, he had no longer made public appearances, preferring to spend time at home with his children and grandchildren. moreover, he probably wouldnt live much longer. furthermore, this years winter seemed particularly cold. liang sheng looked up at the overcast sky, suspecting that a heavy snowfall was imminent. he wondered if zhang yuntai could survive it. many things had occurred in the past twenty years, and although he was not in a hurry to go to the capital, he had already collected a lot of information about it. it just took money to solve these issues, after all, he wasnt uncovering any secrets of the large families. collecting ordinary news from the capital was as simple as could be. at this moment, as he just stepped into the teahouse, zhang yuntais son, zhang ruxing, rushed out from behind the counter with a beaming smile to greet him. master liang, youre here. zhang ruxing gestured for him to follow, and ordered the waiter to prepare tea. same old, remember to use the mountain spring water, dont let master liang take a sip and ruin our reputation. liang sheng just chuckled and didnt say a word. over the years, he had become a regular tea patron. most of the teahouse customers knew him as a low-key rural gentry, which was the identity liang sheng had been masquerading as for many years. seeing the teahouse was packed, liang sheng told zhang ruxing to go about his business and not worry about him. only then did zhang ruxing excuse himself and leave. those zhang family kids, theyre all well-behaved. soon, zhang ruxing personally brought over the tea, then went back to serve other customers. after a while, he sat down behind the counter and took a little nap. indeed, his energy had been depleted. his grandfathers condition was not good, and he was worried if his grandfather could survive the winter. however, he himself was helpless. all he could do was his utmost; these past few days, he had even gone so far as to have his younger daughter sleep close to the old man, in a bid to lighten his mood. at this moment, liang sheng was sipping tea, watching people passing by on the street. his face was calm. everyone in the world was busy, all for the sake of survival. liang ying had returned to jinzhou city fifteen years ago, sensing that his days were numbered. unfortunately, he passed away on the road back and had to be transported by coffin. the amount of ice consumed along the way was astronomical, costing a fortune. liang sheng secretly went to the mourning hall to see him and lamented that liang ying had devoted his entire life to the liang family, living up to his role of the liang familys patriarch. what a pity that even after he wormed his way into the royal court in the capital and served at xuan kongs side, he still failed to break through to the postnatal nine-realm. the first reason was the previous depletion of his original resources due to his desperation, and the second was that his mind was polluted by worldly desires, making his martial arts bottleneck even more solid. however, his sacrifice wasnt in vain. at present, there was no one threatening ye ans position in the prince of pingans mansion. once prince pingan passed away, he would be the new prince. as a guest elder of ye an and someone who had served xuan kong closely, liang ying indeed made the liang family flourish once again. although the liang family still didnt have new experts at the postnatal nine-realm, they had two pillars at the postnatal eighth level, and even among the younger generations, there was an expert at the postnatal seven-realm. the liang family was indeed flourishing. the relationship between the jinshan temple and the liang family was naturally becoming closer as they needed each other. jinshan temple needed money for its development, while the liang family needed jinshan temples support in martial arts. it was a perfect match. therefore, although the liang family did not have an expert at the postnatal nine-realm, liang ying really achieved the goal of only remaining as a martial arts family in jinzhou city. of course, it wasnt true that the liang family had no experts at the postnatal nine-realm. although liang ying struggled to break through the eight-level, master hongzhi succeeded in breaking through to the postnatal nine-realm five years ago. the high monks of the xuan-generation from jinshan temple in the past are mostly gone, and those who are currently in power are almost entirely monks of the hong-generation. other high monks of the xuan-generation have almost completely retired to their secluded cultivation; however, as long as xuan kong is still there, jinshan temple has at least fifty more years of prosperity. the memories of the past years flashed through liang shengs mind like passing clouds, and he couldnt help but shake his head. as he himself wasnt aging, why would he feel nostalgic? at that moment, liang sheng stood up. zhang ruxing rushed to greet him, respectfully seeing him off. liang sheng, humming a tune, went straight to yichun building. he still needed to maintain his youth. young girls were the best at keeping a person invigorated, which was a young mans medicine. after a few days, the zhang family suddenly invited the citys renowned doctors into their mansion in a hurry. it seemed that zhang yuntais condition wasnt good. indeed, not long after the zhang familys house was adorned in white mourning banners, and the sounds of weeping filled the air. a trace of sorrow flitted across liang shengs heart. before the march of time, this was simply the norm for human life. after thanking the filial grandsons for their sacrifices, liang sheng personally went to the mourning hall to bid zhang yuntai goodbye. after losing another old friend, liang sheng initially wanted to go for a drink to bid farewell, but a thought flashed through his mind and, on the tips of his toes, he disappeared. he was finally about to break through! excitement thumped in liang shengs heart. after waiting for twenty years, he finally reached the moment of breaking through to the innate stage. without any hesitation, he once again entered seclusion in the deep old forest. a few days passed. the animals in the old forest outside jinzhou city freaked out, because the blasts of thunder from an unknown source echoed repeatedly as an oppressive aura enveloped the old forest. as beasts are most sensitive to danger, they instantly scrambled to escape. not far away in a cave, liang sheng was sitting in meditation. at this moment, his entire bodys qi and blood were churning, his true qi turned into liquid form and rapidly circulated around his body. his internal energy was as dense as a liquid, gradually transforming his body. his appearance was completely ruddy, full of qi and blood, like a dazzling sun. right then, a loud bang resounded. his body felt renewed, and a sign of life appeared, spreading throughout his whole body. his whole being was like a grand martial arts pill, perfectly harmonious. at the moment of liang shengs breakthrough, a hint of his aura leaked out, causing the surrounding mountain stones to shatter dramatically. name: liang sheng age: 88 talent: innocent foolishness (top-grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (10th layer), ten methods of health cultivation (13th layer), unmoving ming king seal (4th layer) realm: innate grandmaster lifespan: 22io[ lets add a lifespan display, the readers have been complaining.] reaching the 10th layer of the golden dragon technique, which is unprecedent, is just the tip of the iceberg for the innate realm. reaching innate increases your life span by 30 years. practicing for twenty years has even added ten years to liang shengs lifespan. this time, liang sheng couldnt help but feel jubilant. when he opened his eyes, rays of light shot out, even radiating a touch of heat. at this moment, he couldnt help but leap into the air, hanging halfway in the air. he then let out a long howl, sounding like a dragon chant. the entire forest trembled, the animals around fled in panic, but there was no trace of liang sheng left in the forest, only the crater he left behind from his breakthrough. seventy years after coming to this world, he finally stepped into the innate today. joyous! Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Capital (Please Follow) chapter 61: chapter 61: capital (please follow) translator: 549690339 capital city. after leaving jinzhou city, liang sheng traveled leisurely, admiring the mountains and rivers along the way. he unknowingly arrived at the capital city in early spring. on the way, there were some bandits who had blocked the road, or the so-called notorious robbers hunted by the three prefectures and five states. would he not be considered as helping to eliminate the evil for the people? looking at the towering city walls that were dozens of feet high, liang sheng felt a surge of excitement at this moment. as expected of the dayan capital, it truly had an extraordinary atmosphere. under the scorching sun, liang sheng could even see the faint glimmers on the city walls. with his keen eyes, he could naturally see what they were. large crossbows. perhaps this was the legendary town martial crossbow recorded in unofficial histories. those below high-level martial arts would have no chance of surviving once targeted by the crossbows. after undergoing the inspection at the city gate, liang sheng finally set foot in the capital city, and was immediately greeted by a huge wave of sound. in front of him, horses and carriages filled the street, with people crowding around as far as the eye could see. the bustling scene of the capital city was just the tip of the iceberg. without any hesitation, liang sheng randomly chose a direction and walked forward. since he had come to the capital, he naturally wanted to explore and visit; he expected to stay in the capital for a long time. where would the clue to the dust immortal be? liang sheng moved toward the city center. in less than half an hour, he had encountered more than a dozen high-level martial artists, and even a master at the peak of the nine levels of the postnatal realm. as expected of the capital, there were countless talented people. as he approached the city center, the number of people gradually decreased. in a short while, he caught sight of the awe-inspiring imperial city. he took a glance at the imperial city and immediately lowered his head. the kings aura here was so strong that even he, an innate grandmaster, felt some inexplicable pressure. of course, this was just a feeling. if he had to engage in actual combat, this would not affect his full strength. he even faintly sensed that there was a breath within the imperial city that was no weaker than his own. it seemed that there was also an innate grandmaster within the royal family. at that moment, liang sheng took a deep look at the imperial city, turned around, and continued in another direction. with his speed, he was able to familiarize himself with the entire capital city before nightfall. the layout of the capital city also conformed to the principles of feng shui and geomancy, and the traditional arrangement of residential areas was no different from that of jinzhou city. they were both rich in the north, noble in the east, poor in the south, and cheap in the west. west city and south city were naturally not considered by liang sheng. he would be a fool to suffer in those two places. east city was mostly inhabited by noble families, so going there would only draw attention to himself, which did not match his low-key and cautious temperament. therefore, only north city remained as an option. this area was a gathering place for wealthy merchants, and some refined scholars who could not afford to live in east city would choose to live here as well. over the years, liang shengs wealth had far exceeded the description of rich and noble. thinking about this, he did not hesitate and headed straight to the north city. the streets of north city were even more bustling. teahouses and wine shops were in abundance, and there were even one or two nine-story brothels. this only made liang sheng more satisfied, as north city was indeed an ideal place to live. liang sheng did not stop. as long as there was money, things could be easily settled. the agencies in dayan were comparable to large companies in his previous life, integrating intermediary services, housekeeping, and real estate transactions. liang sheng wouldnt waste his time on trivial matters of life. as long as there was enough money, the agency would take care of everything for him. after explaining his requirements and paying a deposit, liang sheng no longer worried about the matter. he was not afraid that the agency would cheat him. besides, the agency would not ruin its reputation for petty gains. later, liang sheng went straight to a pleasure quarter and saw the nine-story brothel. he could not help but exclaim, as expected of the capital city!. dusty garden. what a good name. as soon as liang sheng appeared, the madame immediately ran out to greet him. after seeing various kinds of people, she knew liang sheng was no ordinary person at first glance. a big spender! not being modest, liang sheng grabbed the madames waist and without waiting for her to speak, he stuffed a silver note into her bosom. the madame immediately smiled, girls, why dont you come out and greet our guest? and so, they spent the night with wines and women, reveling in the pleasures of life. the next morning, as liang sheng came out to eat breakfast, someone from the agency found him. he wasnt concerned about it, as an agency wouldnt be able to stay in business if it lacked such abilities. at this moment, the agent was brimming with excitement, sir, you have great luck. theres a mansion that perfectly fits your requirements. do you want to have a look? liang sheng wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and said calmly, lets go, have a look. the agency had already prepared a horse carriage. in no time, they arrived at a mansion in north city. as soon as they got out of the carriage, liang shengs eyes lit up. before entering the gate, a fragrance of osmanthus blossoms wafted from the courtyard. the courtyard was neither too large nor too small. small courtyards had not only osmanthus trees, but even a wooden pavilion beneath which flowed a stream of water. the front part of the courtyard housed the servants; the second section contained the bedrooms and study, and the backyard was where the kitchen was located. the three-section mansion was small but complete with all essential facilities. seeing liang shengs expression, the agent knew that the deal was a success. liang sheng was decisive and paid one hundred thousand taels of silver on the spot, and the deed was in his hands. liang sheng even liked the carriage he rode in that day, so he directly bought it as well. the agent smiled even wider, making another deal. since that was the case, liang sheng didnt make a fuss about any secondary issues. he selected a few honest and loyal servants at the agency and brought them back home. all of them had signed a death contract, with their lives and deaths fully in liang shengs hands. after that, aided by silver, the mansion was quickly cleaned up. liang sheng didnt worry about household affairs, and left everything to old wu, who had signed the death contract. there are not many rules in the liang family, but im telling you upfront, obey and understand what is going on, and dont gossip. if anyone is disloyal, they will be executed and thrown to the mass burial mound outside the city. old wu immediately accepted the order, and then liang sheng no longer bothered with these trivial matters. starting today, he considered himself settled in the capital. that being the case, the capital is a mix of all sorts of people, and he needed an identity to stay in the capital quietly and wait for the opportunity to find clues about the dust immortal. he knew that this period would be very long, so liang sheng decided to go to the agency again to see if there was a suitable business for him to take over. he asked the coachman to harness the horse carriage, and sat in the carriage on his way to the agency. but not long after he left the alley, he opened the carriage curtain to casually look at the roadside scenery, when he suddenly stopped. stop the carriage. liang sheng got off the carriage, and after two steps, he was in front of a bookstore at the street corner. there was a wooden sign hanging above it. it was a notice of closure: today, i am approaching sixty, weak and worried, but my child does not inherit the business, so the shop is closed and i will live out my remaining years in peace. with the help of books and readers, i have benefited greatly from more than thirty years. as a common person, being able to rely on books for sustenance and life early on was a great blessing in my life. as the bookstore fades away, the memories will last forever. may dayan prosper and everyone live in harmony. at this time, liang sheng looked at the shop, and there was an old man with white hair, cleaning the bookshelves and sorting books. liang sheng thought about it and walked in. the old man didnt turn around, but when he heard the sound, he said, guest, im sorry, but the bookstore is closed. you can go to the one next door. however, seeing that the guest did not leave but approached instead, he turned his head and saw a handsome young man walking towards him. ii is there something you need, sir? the old man looked puzzled, and liang sheng didnt play coy. old sir, since you are going to close the bookstore, would you be willing to transfer the bookstore to me? the old man looked up and down at liang sheng. as he did so, liang sheng wiped his hands and carefully picked up a book nearby. i didnt expect the old sir to have this ten-year-old illustrated edition of xu kes travels. its truly a pleasant surprise. seeing liang shengs sincere expression and that he recognized the ten-year-old illustrated edition at a glance, the old man knew that the young man was also an avid bookworm. what does the guest need this bookstore for? liang sheng carefully put the book back in its place, and only then replied, old sir, 1 was never successful in martial arts, but i love reading. now that i am alone in the capital and happen to see the notice in front of your shop, i think its a destined opportunity. i would like to take over this bookstore and use it as a comfort. liang sheng was still thinking about how to convince the old man, but he didnt expect the old man to nod his head. sure, its lucky to meet a young friend who loves books. i can leave all these books to you. all? delighted, liang sheng immediately asked the coachman to gallop quickly to invite the people from the agency. the old mans son also hurried over, and the transfer contract was quickly signed, with liang sheng becoming the owner of the bookstore. finally, the old man looked at the bookstore one last time and patted liang shengs shoulder. young friend, its up to you from now on. i am fortunate to be able to leave these books to you before returning to my hometown. with that said, the old man did not wait for liang shengs reply. it was as if he was bidding farewell to an old friend; he turned around and left without looking back, leaving behind a thin silhouette. with his sons support, he boarded the carriage and disappeared into the crowd. liang sheng didnt understand why the old man had so easily transferred the bookstore to him. he looked at the plaque of the bookstore, and the name seemed to announce his future life. he couldnt help but smile slightly before entering the bookstore. the stores name: peaceful mind studio. the next day, the neighboring merchants found out that the bookstore had changed hands, and they all came over to say hello and familiarize themselves with one another. since liang shengs bookstore had no competitive relationship with neighboring shops and his amiable nature, it didnt take long for him to get along well with the surrounding merchants. a few more days passed, and one early morning when liang sheng opened the bookstore, he saw old zhang from the neighboring steamed bun shop walking over with a mysterious look on his face. little liang, theres a good show going on today. what? old zhang didnt answer, but smiled slyly. not long after, a group of jingzhao mansion constables followed the city defense army and barged into a grain store not far away. it was at this moment that old zhang spoke up, old xu is in for a broken family and ruined life. little liang, 1 can tell youre an outsider, so ill tell you this, dont even think about climbing high branches. the water in the capital is too deep, and we should live our lives in peace. after saying that, he didnt wait for liang sheng to say anything. old zhang took a book off the shelf conveniently; his steamed bun shop had run out of paper recently due to good business. if it werent for this, why would he come to sell liang sheng a favor instead of selling steamed buns early in the morning? seeing this, liang sheng didnt say anything, but looked thoughtfully at the grain shop not far away that had now been sealed off. before, old xu seemed to have mentioned that he had a marital relationship with the prince of pingans mansion, right? judging from old zhangs meaning, he was defeated because of this? Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Sky Prison (Seeking Follow-Up Reading) chapter 62: chapter 62: sky prison (seeking follow-up reading) translator: 549690339 capital. peaceful mind studio. it has been two days since old xus grain shop was sealed off, and old zhangs previously gleeful expression has now turned gloomy. damn the prince of pingans mansion old zhang cursed quietly in the steamed bun shop, but there was no way that liang shengs ears wouldnt hear it. as for this, liang sheng could only shake his head and wry smile. he had previously thought it was just a small upheaval, but later more and more wealthy households in the north of the city were implicated, so the streets had become deserted. because of this, old zhang became upset, as his steamed bun shops business had plummeted without the foot traffic. at this time, liang sheng was sitting in a lounge chair with a book in hand, but his thoughts gradually drifted away. the unrest probably wouldnt calm down in a short period of time. during this free time, liang sheng would go to the teahouse on the neighboring street for tea, and then return to the bookstore to read. in this leisurely life, liang sheng seemed not to care about the situation in the capital, but he had already thoroughly understood the overall framework. the former left assistant minister of the ministry of rites, xiao rang, had not successfully been promoted to the position of minister of the ministry of rituals in the past twenty years, which caused him to grow older and retire. however, before the emperors decree was passed to keep him in service and reject his request for retirement, the imperial counselor platform had officials denouncing xiao rang for accepting bribes and forming cliques for personal gain. there were thirteen charges in total, and it was originally thought to be just a quarrel. however, the situation developed rapidly and shocked the entire government and public. that night, xiao rangs family was thrown into the sky prison, and even the prince of pingans mansion personally put the side consort of king pingan under house arrest, not allowing anyone to visit. these things happened in the blink of an eye, and many people couldnt keep up with the sudden turn of events. faced with this situation, how could those crafty old bureaucrats in the capital not understand what was going on? one could only say that prince ye an of pingan had been enduring for twenty years, and he finally drew his killing sword at this moment. one strike to kill, perhaps xiao rang would never be able to walk out of the sky prison in his life. as for why prince pingan was so resolute, perhaps he too had already made his final decision in his heart. after his hundred years, pingans title would probably fall on ye an. and ye ans actions were extremely cautious, clean, and efficient, constantly deploying various methods to prevent xiao rang from having any chance of turning the tables. poor old xu was a collateral victim. his sister was originally a concubine of the xiao family, and ye an even punished the merchants. there seemed to be no chance for xiao rang to make a comeback. with liang shengs innate cultivation level, even the most secret conversations in teahouses and taverns reached his ears, so he knew more clearly than most officials what was going on. at this time, when old zhang was hiding in the steamed bun shop cursing the prince of pingans mansion, he just smiled faintly. he guessed in his heart that once xiao rang drank poison and died, this matter would come to an end. after all, xiao rang had been an official highest at the rank of left assistant minister of the ministry of rites, and ye an would of course leave him that face. after all, this was the unspoken rule of the whole bureaucracy. while it might be possible to eliminate them all for good measure, such high-ranking officials could not be dragged to the vegetable market like commoners and beheaded. liang sheng didnt find it strange that ye an held such an advantage in his heart, because as long as xuan kong was there, the position of prince ye an would be as stable as mount tai. as long as it didnt involve rebellion and plotting against the country, an innate master could make most people hesitate to offend him easily. at this time, it was natural for prince pingan to take down his side consort, since he was looking for a smooth transfer of the princes position. in this way, it would be the greatest protection for her, fulfilling the love between husband and wife. but things always seem to go awry. liang sheng originally didnt pay attention to this matter anymore, but one day he encountered an unexpected person in the dusty garden. prince ye an of pingan. although ye an was disguised, how could liang sheng not recognize him? but what startled liang sheng the most was the person sitting across from ye an. this person had an ordinary appearance and was not eye-catching in the crowd. even liang sheng himself would not have remembered his appearance if it werent for ye ans special attention to him. it is important to note that liang sheng is an innate master, and even he could easily overlook the other party, which shows just how extraordinary they are. what puzzled liang sheng the most was the white lotus mark, which the other party accidentally revealed while drinking wine. this was a sign of someone from the lifeless sect. if word got out that prince ye an of pingan was meeting with someone from the lifeless sect, it would likely create a huge disturbance. seeing this, liang sheng couldnt help but prick up his ears. although the two people spoke very softly, how could they possibly keep it from him? dusty garden. inside a private room on the second floor. at this moment, ye ans face was extremely ugly. do you know how risky it is for you to ask me to meet with you at this time? many people in the capital are watching me right now. what exactly do you want to do? however, chen sheng, the right envoy of the lifeless sect, didnt care about ye ans upset expression, and directly poured him a glass of wine. dont worry, prince. didnt you come out safely? i have already checked that there is no one following you, so its not as serious as you think. seeing chen shengs nonchalant attitude, ye an became even more annoyed, but he didnt dare to leave in anger. after all, the other party held the handle on him, so he had to suppress his anger. at this time, chen sheng seemed to feel like he had done something wrong, so he could only apologize repeatedly. ok, ok, ok. i was too hasty this time. 1 promise it wont happen like this again. however, the matter is indeed urgent this time, so i had no choice but to take a risk and ask you to help me with something. hearing this, ye ans expression improved slightly. he picked up the wine and drank it in one gulp, and then asked concisely, what do you want me to do? one of our elders from the sect was on a secret mission when he was accidentally caught by the hounds from the six fan gate. you put xiao rang in the sky prison, didnt you? if you go to the sky prison to humiliate him, it shouldnt draw other peoples attention before he could finish speaking, ye an interrupted him, thats impossible. the sky prison is heavily guarded. how could 1 possibly get your lifeless sect elder out of there? chen sheng was not angry when he heard this and still maintained his calm. i know its unrealistic for you to bring him out, so i just want you to bring out the thing he has with him. why do you think hes hiding something that the six fan gate cant find? and how can he possibly trust me? you dont need to worry about that. the thing may not be a specific item, but just a sentence. as for how to gain his trust, its very simple. you just need to tell him: lakeside of great minglake, the white lotus blooms. lakeside of great minglake, the white lotus blooms? ye an repeated it, and chen sheng nodded. then, after discussing some more details, ye an didnt want to stay any longer and prepared to leave. next time, dont ask me to meet like this so easily. i dont know how many people are watching me in the capital right now. dont force me to make a desperate move. i understand. were all in the same boat, so why would i hurt you? its just that the matter is urgent, and i had no choice but to act like this. i promise it wont happen again. ye an didnt respond to this, but just kept his face dark and lowered his head as he walked out of the private room. soon, he left dusty garden. not too long after, chen sheng from the lifeless sect also hurriedly left. thinking about the situation just now, liang sheng couldnt help but raise the corners of his mouth, and then also left dusty garden, following after him. prince ye an of pingan, lifeless sect interesting! Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: Chapter 63: Another Ten Methods of Health chapter 63: chapter 63: another ten methods of health cultivation! (please follow) translator: 549690339 jinzhou city, sky prison. now, the head of the prison was leading the way with a flattering expression, son of the crown prince, the criminal official xiao rang is in the codename yi cell up ahead, please follow me. originally, an official like xiao rang who had been demoted to sky prison should have been placed in the a-grade cells, but everyone in the prison was cunning, and they directly placed him in the harsh conditions of the b-grade cells. when ye an saw xiao rang, he found that in just a few days, the other party was unrecognizable, looking like an old beggar, and the stench all over his body. but ye an seemed not to care, squatting in front of the cell door like he was admiring a piece of art, extremely satisfied with xiao rangs painful expression, the prison guard beside him couldnt help but step back a little. at this moment, xiao rang felt the light darken, and when he saw ye an, he was so frightened that he stepped back repeatedly, covering his face with his hands and shouting, dont come over. for some reason, ye an lost his interest in the situation. now, xiao rang was no longer the left assistant minister of the ministry of rites, but just an old beggar waiting for his death. may 1 ask the prison guards surname? the warden had been hiding on the side, afraid of hearing something he shouldnt, but when he saw ye an suddenly turn to ask himself, he was surprised and delighted after a moment of stunned silence. i am surnamed zhou, my lord may call me old zhou. old zhou? i have always heard that there is a prison officer named zhou in the sky prison, known as the blood prison old demon who makes any martial arts master submit. today, 1 finally meet you, and indeed you are extraordinary. i admire martial arts masters the most, and master xuan kong is the existence i look up to the most. do you mind showing me the martial arts masters imprisoned in the sky prison and let me see their true faces? old zhou agreed without any hesitation, nodded, and walked with ye an to the other side, son of the crown prince, it would be their fortune to be seen by you. however, this time the prisons environment was much worse than before, completely dark and only lit by old zhous torch. in an unintentionally complacent tone, old zhou said, your highness, this one is called the giant thief across the three provinces, with an incredible light body skill, but he was still captured by the six fan gate number one constable. ye an saw that the prisoner had lost his knee bone, his body was emaciated, and it seemed that he was waiting for the final judgment and beheading after autumn. this one is zhang san, a powerful bandit who has fought all over jiangnan. he is a postnatal nine-realm master, but unfortunately, he will be beheaded in half a month. introducing several infamous and vicious martial arts masters in a row, ye an casually asked, 1 heard that a remnant of the no-life sect was caught a few days ago, can i go and see him? old zhou, you know that i was framed by the no-life sect and wandered outside for twenty years, the hatred in my heart is indescribable, you see old zhou naturally knew the story of princess pingan personally entering jinzhou city to bring ye an back decades ago, so he immediately led the way. son of the crown prince, please follow me. after a few twists and turns and descending through several layers of the prison in a short time, they finally arrived in front of a sturdy cast-iron cell. ye an had a fierce expression on his face, he unexpectedly pulled out a snake whip, old zhou just pretended not to see and stepped back a few paces. however, before he turned around, he said, son of the crown prince, dali temple will continue interrogating him tomorrow, 1 hope you can spare him some breath. after saying this, old zhou withdrew to the corner, ye an couldnt help but nod, thinking secretly that old zhou was indeed deserving of the title blood prison old demon, with keen eyesight. at this time, the elder of the no-life sect in the cell hadnt even opened his eyes, perhaps because he had just been brought in, he was still relatively clean. ye an did not dare to get too close, even though the other party was shackled with a steel chain, he would not do a foolish thing, and then directly threw out a whip. how dare you remnants of the no-life evil cult plot against this prince! if my fate had not been strong, how could i have survived and returned to the capital? smack, smack, smack! each whip left gory wounds on the elder of the no-life sect, but he didnt even make a single grunt. however, suddenly, his eyes snapped open. when this prince personally goes to the lakeside of the great ming lake, and the white lotus blooms, that will be the day your no-life sect is destroyed. seeing the elders reaction, ye an silently mouthed the eight words once more. then, he turned to old zhou and said, warden zhou, i cant quench the rage in my heart, and i dont want to trouble you. leave for a while, and 1 guarantee he wont die. old zhou smiled and, without much consideration, left the cell, leaving ye an to continue whipping the elder of the no-life sect. however, zhou stayed close to the cell. tell me your message quickly. that old man chen sheng is desperate for it. hearing this, the elder of the no-life sect hesitated for a moment, then softly spoke a sentence. ye an, upon hearing that phrase, paused momentarily, was taken aback but went over it in his mind to ensure it was accurate before he continued whipping and cursing. it was quite a while before ye an finally left. he didnt understand the meaning of the elders words, but the fact that the elder trusted him made ye an wonder about the origin of the secret code within those eight characters. at this moment, old zhou, still waiting outside the door, courteously saw ye an off. afterward, he went back to check on the elder of the no-life sect and, upon finding nothing unusual, finally left. meanwhile, the expressionless no-life sect elder, despite his flesh being torn to ribbons, still revealed a smirk in the corner of his mouth. his mission was finally complete. peaceful mind studio. as for liang sheng, he didnt care how ye an dealt with the no-life sect. that night, after figuring out chen shengs hideout, he didnt take any action. the people in the no-life sect were indeed cunning. after half a turnaround of the capital city, he finally returned to his own hideout. if it werent for his innate realm cultivation, he would have lost track of them. who would have thought that an innate nation protector like him would personally skulk around following talent? liang sheng did this only as a precaution, and he wouldnt take the initiative to involve himself with ye an and the no-life sects plot. once he was aware of their hideout, he left without doing anything. when old zhang opened his steamed bun shop today, the business was still terrible. it had been several days since he had stolen any books from his own bookstore. seeing old zhang cursing in his shop, liang sheng didnt mind. at that moment, a coachman pulled up with a carriage full of books and stopped in front of the peaceful mind studio. manager liang, your books have arrived. thank you, thank you. since he had already arranged for this, the servants at home had been waiting in the bookstore. seeing the books being brought in, they hurriedly started placing them according to their categories. liang sheng was relieved that he hadnt been thrifty and had chosen literate servants, otherwise, today would have been even more laborious. then, liang sheng took the specially prepared parcel from the coachman. at that moment, the man winked at him. manager liang, although youre still young, you should visit the pleasure houses less often. those places are where peoples bones are consumed. with that suggestive look, any man would understand. liang sheng just laughed it off, and after settling up, he lay on a reclining chair. in his hands were several books, notably the health cultivation methods. it was no wonder that the capital allowed liang sheng to find ten more secret health cultivation methods. after entering the innate realm, his cultivation progress had slowed down even more. naturally, liang sheng needed to find other ways, as he couldnt afford to waste time. this trip to the capital, with ten additional health cultivation methods, was worth it! Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: Chapter 64: Mountain Rain Approaching, chapter 64: chapter 64: mountain rain approaching, wind fills the tower (please continue reading) translator: 549690339 capital. three days later. old zhang excitedly walked into the bookstore, with a mysterious expression on his face, and said, little liang, 1 want to tell you some good news. last night, the former left assistant minister of the ministry of rites, xiao rang, hanged himself in sky prison. liang sheng looked up at old zhang, who seemed to have noticed his doubts and said somewhat defensively, what, you dont believe me? my aunts son-in-laws cousins distant relative is a favored concubine of a noble, and the news is absolutely reliable. seeing that liang sheng was still expressionless and hadnt reacted, old zhang was a bit annoyed. you, what is the reason for our place being so deserted these days? the reason is the fear of being implicated with him. now that hes gone, it means the trouble has come to an end, and with my experience, our business will be better in a couple of days. however, liang sheng still was still unmoved. excited old zhangs voice became quieter, only then realizing that little liang probably didnt care about such things. after all, his familys business was rather small, so having more or fewer customers didnt make much of a difference. the tone of his previous remark might have been a bit overboard. thinking about it, old zhang quickly changed the subject, little liang, help me pick a childrens book for my son to go to a private school. liang sheng got up from the recliner, walked to the lower left corner of the bookshelf, took out a thousand character classic, and handed it to old zhang. for the first time, old zhang actually took out a small piece of broken silver. it was an unprecedented event. liang sheng himself was a bit surprised. stingy people are indeed willing to spend money on their children. however, at the next moment, liang sheng took back that thought. old zhang sneakily picked up another book from the counter after paying. it seemed he thought the business was improving, so he wanted to prepare more paper for wrapping steamed buns. liang sheng watched old zhang leave, shaking his head, and laid back down on the recliner. the health cultivation method next to him had already been put away. given his current innate realm, it was very simple for him to start practicing the health cultivation method from the beginning. in just three days, he was already close to breaking through to the second layer of the ten methods of health cultivation. with this progress, his lifespan would subtly increase by one or two years. with such speed, he would probably reach the ninth layer in a few years, and by then, he would gain hundreds of years of life. he wondered what level of cultivator could be on par with his longevity. however, he currently had no clue about the whereabouts of cultivation, so he could only continue waiting for the right opportunity. but he wasnt in a hurry. after all, what he lacked the least was time. unconsciously, another day passed as he read and enriched himself. as the sun set, liang sheng closed the doors and windows, intending to go to the dusty garden to relax. however, after a few steps, he immediately turned back. following that, there was a loud explosion from the east, and then thick smoke billowed. at this moment, old zhang came out and looked at the east with a worried expression. how unfortunate! if it were in any other direction, old zhang might have been excited, but the eastern city was where many honored nobles and families lived, so there was certainly no peace. while saying this, old zhang glanced at liang sheng. little liang, dont go out at night recently and return home early. whats with all this trouble lately? after saying that, he drooped his head and prepared to close up and go home. but while the speaker might have meant nothing, liang sheng couldnt help but touch his nose, feeling like he was a jinx, always causing trouble wherever he went. just like when he passed through a small town on his way to the capital, there happened to be a bandit raid. they were big thieves wanted in three prefectures and five states. he helped to capture all the bandits. liang sheng shook his head, feeling that it was all a coincidence. however, he saw old zhang act swiftly, preparing to go home and couldnt help admiring how perceptive the citizens of the capital were. just by hearing a rustle in the grass, they knew something big was happening. at this moment, liang sheng didnt have the mood and decided to go home directly. at this moment, looking in the direction of the eastern city, he was a little lost in thought. it was not yet night, and he had no intention of going there to join the commotion. however, what exactly happened in the east city? this is the capital, right under the feet of the heavenly son, how could such a commotion occur? east city. suddenly, there was an explosion in the chu royal mansion, and amidst the fiery blaze, several masked men rushed out, followed by the frantic pursuit of the mansions guards. if liang sheng were here, he would have instantly recognized one of them as chen sheng. at this moment, chen sheng had a calm expression, hurry, we have what we came for, dont linger. the group seemed to have an understanding and scattered in different directions as soon as they left the mansion. any palace guards in their way were beheaded with a single stroke. these men were all nine-tiered experts, and the commotion in the mansion naturally attracted the attention of the nine cities army commander from the capital. they were in charge of maintaining the capitals security, and they rushed over like the wind, followed by the reinforcements from the six fan gate. however, where were the traces of chen sheng and the others by this time? at this moment, the number one constable of the six fan gate, yang xu, frowned, but inwardly sighed in relief. other than a few dead guards, his lordship and the princes were all unharmed. at this moment, chu king ye xius face was extremely ugly. his prestigious royal palace had been invaded by remnants of the lifeless sect in broad daylight, which was a grave humiliation. at this time, when the nine cities army commander arrived late, commander fu an had barely dismounted when he was whipped by chu king ye xiu. however, he dared not dodge and took the lash stoically. worthless! youre all worthless! although ye xiu wasnt cursing at the six fan gate, yang xus face was also extremely ugly, as the lifeless sects disturbance in the capital was a direct slap in the face of the six fan gate. your highness, please calm down. give me three days. 1 will definitely capture these remnants of the no-life evil cult and bring them to justice. hearing yang xus assurance, ye xius mood slightly improved. moreover, since yang xu was the number one constable of the six fan gate and a postnatal ninth layer expert, ye xiu didnt want to be too harsh on him. alright, constable yang, in consideration of your reputation, i will expect good news from you. fu bo, show our guests out. fu an and yang xu exchanged bitter smiles. fu an clasped his fists, constable yang, today fu owes you a favor. tell me what to do, and my nine cities army will cooperate fully. that day, the entire capital was on lockdown. the news of the chu royal mansion being attacked spread throughout the capital quickly. it was said that the prefect of jingzhao mansion was summoned to the taihe hall alone, and his face was extremely ugly when he came out. afterward, all the officers from jingzhao mansion were deployed, cooperating with the six fan gate and the nine cities army commander to search, focusing mainly on the west city and south city where the three teachers and nine streams resided. in contrast, there was little commotion in the north and east cities. although they also went door-to-door for inquiries, they were mostly very polite. after all, they didnt know the background of the people living here, so of course, they could only be courteous. fortunately, this case involved the chu king, and nobody in the north city dared to cause trouble. they cooperated fully. however, after a full day of extensive manhunts, they still came up empty-handed, not capturing any remnants of the lifeless sect. on the contrary, they caught quite a few thieves, who were all thrown into the prison cells of the dali temple. however, before the situation in chu kings mansion was clarified, water leaked into king wu ye tais mansion that night, causing chaos all night long. king wu ye tai even entered the palace to complain overnight, and this time, his majesty, the one of supreme authority in the imperial city, was utterly enraged. in the capital, under the feet of the heavenly son, the royal relatives had such experiences, which was a direct slap in the face of the dayan dynasty. everyone in the capital trembled with fear. this time, not only the nine cities army commander and the six fan gate were dispatched, but the five armies commanders mansion also received the imperial edict to thoroughly investigate the capital. storm clouds loomed, and the wind filled the building! Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Chapter 67: Magical Treasure? (Please keep reading) chapter 67: chapter 67: magical treasure? (please keep reading) translator: 549690339 capital. if it is said that under the town martial crossbow of dayan dynasty, there is no way to survive without reaching the martial arts superior state, then as long as one is hit head-on by the god slaying crossbow, even a ninth rank of martial arts master can be killed, and even the innate will be injured. at this moment, master xuan kong and the nameless eunuch master looked at each other, neither daring to take action easily. the sudden appearance of the god slaying crossbow on the taihe hall caused some chaos in the rebel army, but it boosted the spirits of the imperial army. ye an, seeing the situation at this moment, made up his mind. after all, he had anticipated this situation. otherwise, why would he cooperate with the immortal sect, even though they also had a handle on him? now, he must not let the god slaying crossbow affect master xuan kong. the battle between innate masters could be decided by the slightest difference. this time, the lifeless sect was led by right envoy jin feng, not chen sheng. ye an hid in the central army and shouted loudly, right envoy jin, its your turn to take action. prince pingan ye yue heard ye ans words but did not react. at this time, jin feng did not hesitate at all. he let out a long roar, and the followers of the lifeless sect gathered around him instantly. after they had assembled, they rushed towards taihe hall in unison. at this moment, the god slaying crossbow finally let out its furious roar. a lifeless sect incense master was pierced by a spear, and the spear did not lose momentum, piercing through dozens of followers before being embedded in the wall, causing cracks on the city wall. this seemed like a signal. immediately after that, a sky full of spears, with unparalleled power, shot directly at the battlefield from the outside of taihe hall. jin feng led the lifeless sect to block the front of the five armies commanders mansions central army camp. seeing the followers falling in rows, a flash of fierceness appeared in his eyes. warriors, charge and kill! under jin fengs fearless leadership, the lifeless sects followers were also fearless. for a short while, the god slaying crossbow could not pay attention to xuan kong due to the continuous sacrifices of the lifeless sect. as a result, both innate masters did not have time to change the tide of the battlefield. seeing this, ye an couldnt help but feel happy inside. success! at the main gate of the imperial city, the supporting nobles from pingan princes mansion were overjoyed. their morale was boosted at this moment, making them determined to achieve great deeds today. but just at this moment, the gate of taihe hall suddenly opened. before ye an could understand what was happening, he saw that several more god slaying crossbows had been pushed out of the hall. and their spears were already aimed at xuan kong in mid-air. ye an secretly cursed in his heart. there was a hidden move in the palace. this is bad! he didnt expect ye yun to have hidden a move, and his insider didnt have information on it. ye an was even more glad that he took action today. otherwise, if ye yun had been awake, would there still be a chance for prince pingans mansion to make a move? today was his last opportunity. however, the sudden appearance of the additional god slaying crossbows increased the uncertainty. just as ye an was preparing to let the nine cities army commander use human lives to block the god slaying crossbows, suddenly prince pingan ye yue was seen hovering in mid-air. in the next moment, his qi burst out, and the noise of the entire battlefield was momentarily silenced. then, the central army of the five armies commanders mansion and the soldiers of the nine cities army commander cheered and rejoiced, and their morale shook the entire imperial city. innate grandmaster! unexpectedly, prince pingan ye yue was an innate grandmaster. in the next moment, the unprepared god slaying crossbow shooters in taihe hall didnt have time to react and were instantly killed by ye yue. then, ye yue raised his hand and slammed it down hard. with a thunderous crash, the god slaying crossbow at the entrance of the hall instantly disintegrated and turned into a pile of scrap iron. ye mins might, terrifying as such. after all, under the sneak attack of an innate master, even if the god slaying crossbow possesses immense power as a dead object, it would have no effect. for a short while, the situation in the imperial city became ever more precarious; but the morale of the rebel army continued to surge. initially shocked, ye an then felt pleased, but finally his face turned pale. his expression was complex. he was shocked to learn that his father was actually an innate master, happy that todays rebellion might be accomplished in one fell swoop, but dismayed that with an innate lifespan of up to 180 years, wouldnt it mean that he would never have a chance to ascend the throne? however, it was not the time to consider these matters. they had to break through the imperial city first and seize the supreme position in the world before discussing anything else. outside the imperial palace, liang sheng was dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events. who would have thought that prince pingan ye min was actually an innate grandmaster? even he had been deceived. from now on, he must never have a fixed impression of anyone. otherwise, if he had been more cautious and paid more attention to ye min, with his unparalleled qi sensitivity, his opponent would never have been able to deceive him! at this moment, master xuan kong, suspended in mid-air, was also overjoyed. he had not expected to gain another helper. since this was the case, why should he hold back? so xuan kong suddenly made his move, preparing to strike first and kill the eunuch master directly. ye min, though he hadnt conferred with xuan kong, acted in perfect unison, directly joining the battle on this side of the innate battlefield. as long as the innate eunuch grandmaster died, there would be no more variables in the chaos of the imperial city, and the world would henceforth lie in their grasp. from a distance, liang sheng quietly observed the situation, reminding himself again not to underestimate the heroes of the world. even if he had reached the innate realm, he still needed to be cautious. otherwise, these cunning old monsters, each more devious than the last, would plot his doom if he entered their game. the morale of the imperial army soldiers continued to wane, and ye ans fingertips turned white as he tightened his fists. his heart was pounding as it seemed that he was getting closer to the position within the imperial palace. above, the eunuch grandmaster fought against two opponents but showed signs of decline, perhaps at any moment would be killed by xuan kong and prince pingan. if it werent for their fear that the trapped enemy would cause self-inflicted damage in desperation and accidentally hurt themselves, it would be better to proceed cautiously, as time was on their side. outside the imperial city, all those who were secretly observing the situation fell silent, unsure whether to rejoice that they hadnt made their move too early or not. although they hadnt contributed to the dragons successes, they hadnt chosen the wrong side either. the noble families and officials that had backed the current emperor at the city gate were now in agony. its over! but at this moment, liang shengs pupils shrank with shock once more, his eyes filled with terror, as if he desperately wanted to leave immediately. the eunuch grandmaster had suddenly produced a small sword. the sword appeared ordinary, even rusty, but its chilling aura sent shivers down ones spine. at this moment, an eerie smile appeared on his face, and both ye min and xuan kongs movements involuntarily paused. how decisive and ruthless were these two, who, instead of retreating in shock, advanced. they sensed a tremendous crisis in the small sword. fleeing in panic would only lead to certain death, but risking everything still offered a slender chance of survival. great terror! what kind of ghostly thing is this? the next moment, like the roar of a dragon, the small sword soared into the sky! Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Chapter 68: No-Life Sect Leader (Request for chapter 68: chapter 68: no-life sect leader (request for follow) translator: 549690339 capital, imperial city. as soon as the old eunuch took out the small sword in his hand, prince pingan and his companion were immediately terrified. even as a member of the royal family, prince pingan had no knowledge of such a weapon hidden within the imperial city. the innate eunuch grandmaster glared at them with a sinister smile, and then spat out a mouthful of essence blood, his entire being instantly wilted, and his black hair turned into white threads. ye min and xuan kong, who originally came to kill, were now frozen in terror, unable to move. the flying sword then passed straight through the two of them, circled back, and returned to the eunuch grandmasters hand. before anyone could understand what happened, they heard two thuds, and the two dead bodies fell from the sky, crashing heavily into the ground, silencing the entire battlefield. two innate grandmasters dead! upon witnessing this, the morale of the imperial army soared, and the once-loyal families that had originally supported prince pingan quickly retreated from the battlefield, fleeing in panic. today, some families must leave the capital. they thought they had the upper hand in the game of chess, but they underestimated the hidden power within the imperial city. however, the once-fallen families that backed the right side in this gamble rejoiced, as their declining situations reversed in an instant after todays events. after all, for this feat of protecting the dragon, the person within the imperial city would not be stingy, otherwise who would risk their life for him in the future? this is the meaning of buying loyalty with wealth. xie chaoliang, the army commander of the five armies governors mansion, stared at the dead body of prince pingan, the color drained from his eyes. defeat! at this moment, without using the god slaying crossbow, the innate eunuch grandmaster casually landed on the ground, and with a wave of his hand, eliminated countless rebels. upon seeing this, ye an struggled to believe it. he could not accept how the situation, which had been so favorable, suddenly turned out like this. right envoy jin feng of the immortal sect was the first to experience this, having barely managed to escape in time. he ran to ye ans side and urgently said, run! but, could they still escape? this time, the eunuch grandmaster effortlessly broke through multiple barriers and appeared in front of ye an in the central army within a short time. my humble servant greets the son of the crown prince. by his majestys decree, please depart on your journey. was ye yun not unconscious? ye an was full of unwillingness, but before awaiting an answer, his head fell at the very next moment. jin feng, who was planning to escape, was also beheaded by the eunuch grandmaster. next, king pingans rebel army was defeated like a disintegrating mountain, and xie chaoliangs five armies commanders mansion became locked in desperate struggles. with the coordination of the imperial army and the god slaying crossbow, as well as the presence of the innate grandmaster, the only outcome that awaited these rebels was death. as the killing within the imperial city gradually subsided, all the survivors felt as if they had awakened from another life. suddenly, a sharp voice echoed from the taihe hall. congratulating his majesty, kneel! in the next moment, they saw sixteen strong men carry out the golden throne, and who else could be sitting on it but emperor yan jing ye yun? it turned out that emperor yan jings coma was simply a trap, a scheme waiting for prince pingan and his son to fall into. as the eunuchs passed on the message, the imperial army immediately kneeled, and the remaining rebel survivors also dropped their weapons and kneeled down, awaiting their fate. those families who had protected the dragon gate were also filled with excitement and knelt down, listening to the eunuchs passing on the order one after another. my ministers, please rise. from afar, liang sheng saw the situation and realized that the overall plan had been decided. it seemed that all of this was probably a trap, and prince pingan had been led completely by the nose. but who could have imagined that there was such a terrifying weapon hidden within the imperial city, a small sword that even prince pingans innate cultivation level could not protect him from? could this small sword be the legendary cultivation treasure? otherwise, how could it possess such power? thinking of this, liang sheng felt a surge of heat in his heart. with the small swords power, even innate beings were like ants. however, using the small sword likely came with a significant cost, as seen with the eunuch grandmaster. since the suspected treasure was present, liang sheng took another step closer to the cultivation clues. he calmed down and, without any hesitation, turned and walked away. he still had a long, long time ahead of him. there was no need to rush, and safety should come first. currently, his emotions were in turmoil, and it was not appropriate to make any decisions. on the way home, there were still rebels fleeing in the city, many of whom were high-level martial artists, venting their final madness before death. liang sheng dealt with them casually on the encounter, so as not to affect the neighbors, and none of them knew what had happened before they died. north city. early the next morning, old zhang, with dark circles under his eyes, got up early to work listlessly. however, when he saw liang sheng, his eyes were frighteningly bright, and his whole spirit seemed extremely excited. last night, the sounds of fighting rang throughout the entire imperial city, so the news was everywhere early the next morning, and the prince of pingans mansion was completely sealed off. all the people in the prince of pingans mansion, including the servants, were escorted into the sky prison. it was said that only one woman was laughing breathlessly at that time, and she was the side concubine of prince pingan who had been confined before. good to die, deserved to die, hahaha, retribution, all retribution! not only was the prince of pingans mansion in chaos, but the whole capital was also disturbed. anyone related to the prince of pingans mansion were arrested by the imperial army themselves. last night, the families who made mistakes in their moves were not spared either. however, since there were too many people arrested, the prisons in jingzhao mansion and dali temple were full of people. of course, there were people who were happy and those who were worried. the declining aristocratic families who desperately fought to protect the dragon last night instantly welcomed their peak. early in the morning, the family patriarchs were summoned to court, and their spirits were revitalized. this matter was dangerous, but it was also an opportunity, and there was no regret in making their move. little liang, why are you so spirited? did you not sleep last night? old zhang, with dark circles under his eyes, was somewhat strange. liang sheng looked at old zhang in confusion, hmm? why couldnt you sleep? old zhang looked at him as if he had seen a ghost, and then shook his head, little liang, you are a blessed person. if you continue like this in the future, its not extravagant to hope for a peaceful life, let alone wealth and honor. thinking more and more that liang sheng was simple and honest, old zhang found that he was a simple-minded person without any schemes, otherwise, how could he possibly have been able to sleep through last nights chaos? however, it is such a simple-hearted but not stupid person that can live longer in the capital. thinking of this, he suddenly asked, little liang, have you been engaged? liang sheng shook his head when he heard this, old zhang, dont harm me. how could 1 give up the good days of feasting every night and sink into darkness like you? old zhang couldnt help but get angry when he heard this. of course, he knew what liang sheng meant, but how could a man admit defeat in this matter? how am i sinking into darkness? im the boss at home, and if i say to go east, your sister-in-law doesnt dare go west before he could finish, a loud scolding came from the steamed bun shop, you old thing, come over and steam the buns quickly, or do you want to die? old zhang immediately shrank his neck and went back in disgrace, leaving liang sheng shaking his head. that was men, why couldnt they see the light? at this time, a team of imperial army drove hurriedly past, and soon crying came from a house in north city. old zhang glanced at liang sheng in the steamed bun shop and immediately lowered his head. this capital was bound to be in chaos for a while. when the sun went down, liang sheng had no intention of going to dusty garden and returned home, feeling a little restless and unable to sleep for a long time. after all, he was thinking of the small sword in the imperial city, and his heart was always a little restless, because this involved cultivation. it was here in jinzhou city where he heard about the lifeless sect and came to the capital to find immortality. now seeing a glimmer of hope, how could he not care? since he was restless, he might as well go and see chen sheng, anyway there was no danger, and it would also help him calm down. however, on this visit, he made a new discovery. when he arrived at chen shengs base, he found chen sheng was still there. but at this moment, he was kneeling in front of a masked man dressed in night-walking clothes. he couldnt see the mans face clearly, but liang sheng knew who he was. who else could be the innate master who made chen sheng kneel down to greet him but the master of the no-life sect? chen shengs title also justified his thoughts. liang sheng didnt dare to get too close, although there was the attribute panel, even if the master of the no-life sect couldnt find him. after chen sheng finished his report, the master of the no-life sect nodded, not bad, you guys did a good job this time. since this is the case, its time to get our reward. after a few more words, the master of the no-life sect left, and liang sheng thought about it, carefully following him from a distance. but when he followed the master of the no-life sect to his destination, liang sheng was shocked and even a little frightened. two innate masters had just died here, how dare he come again? the place that appeared in front of liang sheng at this moment was the imperial palace! Chapter 69 - Chapter 69: Chapter 69: The No-Life Imperial Family chapter 69: chapter 69: the no-life imperial family members!? (seeking follow-up reads) translator: 549690339 capital, imperial palace. liang sheng followed the no-life sect leader from a distance, feeling hesitant upon seeing the imperial palace before him. however, he hesitated, the no-life sect leader suddenly turned to the left and stopped in a hidden corner at the edge of the imperial city. seeing that the sect leader wasnt entering the palace, liang sheng gritted his teeth and continued to follow quietly, relying on the attribute panel to remain unnoticed. at this moment, the no-life sect leader was wearing night-walking clothes, blending in with the night as his qi was concealed. he was hidden in a corner outside the palace, where even the imperial armys patrols wouldnt notice him. but the no-life sect leader stood still for a long time, seemingly waiting for someone. at the next moment, liang shengs pupils contracted as he saw an unexpected figure approaching. in the corner, the innate master eunuch, who had executed prince pingan and xuan kong, was helping an old man walk slowly. the old man was none other than emperor yan jing, ye yun. the sight of this scene would evoke laughter if it were described. after all, how could it be possible for the no-life sect leader and the current emperor to meet privately? but the truth was so strange. and both sides seemed quite familiar. the eunuch master didnt show any caution, taking out a folding chair and offering it to emperor yan jing to sit on, even thoughtfully covering him with a small blanket. although da ban is with me, 1 still have to avoid attracting attention. thats why i only brought a chair for myself. you dont mind, do you? the no-life sect leader remained silent and expressionless under his mask, but from his tone, one could tell he was disdainful. enough of your pretense. the grandmaster here used a magical weapon for your sake, and im afraid he does not have many years left. but really, havent you grown tired of pretending all your life? whatever, this has nothing to do with my purpose today. im here to collect my reward. i will give you what you want, but knowing my time is running out, we havent had a proper chat in all these years, have we? upon hearing this, the no-life sect leader hesitated but didnt refuse. emperor yan jing knew he had tacitly agreed. thank you for helping this time; otherwise, i dont know how long that old fart ye min would keep hiding. if my end wasnt near, i wouldnt have taken action so quickly, since it would ultimately hurt dayans national strength. and because i acted hastily, 1 left some loose ends. 1 originally wanted da ban to serve my prince, but he wont last for more than a few years now. fortunately, these are just minor details and dont affect the overall situation. in response, the no-life sect leader sneered, youre just as hypocritical as ever. can you stop playing the helpless victim? wasnt it you who had me kidnap ye mins legitimate child thirty years ago? isnt this part of your plan? although unforeseen events occurred, such as princess pingan personally bringing the child back from jinzhou city, didnt you still manipulate the holy sect to push prince pingans mansion into your trap step by step? hearing this, liang sheng was astonished. he had never imagined that the no-life sect and the emperor had been trading for decades. furthermore, since its founding, dayan had been suppressing the no-life sect, which had managed to survive. could it be at this moment, a bold idea crossed liang shengs mind, but he quickly shook his head, bitterly smiling at the thought of how impossible it seemed. yet, deep down, he felt that this was the truth, and emperor yan jings following words confirmed his suspicion. he had never thought that the ruling dynastys royal family and the rebellious no-life sect were in cahoots. nevermind, right and wrong dont matter much anymore. 1 did all this for the sake of ye familys territory and have no regrets. 1 can face our ancestors with a clear conscience. if ye min were still around, it would be extremely difficult for my son to ascend the throne smoothly. and, unrest would be inevitable within dayan, ultimately harming the interests of our ye family. thirteen uncle! you dont need to laugh at me. after all, if it werent for this, why would our founding ancestor of the ye family establish the lifeless sect and secretly make the imperial family members the leaders of the lifeless sect? there is no invincible dynasty in this world. as time goes on, problems will inevitably arise in the dynasty, but its better to let our own people be the biggest rebels than let others rebel against us. in this way, its easy to see who has the heart to rebel and who is truly loyal to dayan, and my ye family can advance and retreat freely. at that point, emperor yan jing was unconsciously emotional as he spoke, suddenly coughing. the innate eunuch grandmaster quickly infused internal energy into emperor yan jings body, helping him gradually recover. the leader of the lifeless sect did not refute but directly said, in any case, i have already done as you asked, and its time for you to give me the compensation you promised. da ban, give the barrier breaking pill to thirteen uncle. at this time, the innate eunuch grandmaster took out a jade bottle and carefully handed it over. the leader of the lifeless sect took it and, although his face could not be seen, the surprise was evident in his eyes. perhaps it was because emperor yan jing was so forthright that, looking at the dying emperor yan jing, a softness filled his heart. now that ye min has been taken care of, you should make arrangements sooner rather than later. dont make the same mistake as my eldest brother, who never had heirs, and let you and ye min struggle for power, wasting the national power. thirteen uncle, rest assured, 1 have already made arrangements for this matter. however, among my sons, the most accomplished one is just an ordinary ruler. once they enter the grand temple, they will naturally understand the situation. if they are incompetent and cannot hold onto dayans territory, thirteen uncle, you will have to bear more responsibilities. you can exercise your duty and change to a new monarch. the leader of the lifeless sect nodded, if your descendants dont work out, 1 will take action. after all, the world should only be ruled by the surname ye, and can only be ruled by the ye family. however, due to the recent years, there are not many barrier breaking pills left, so we have to be even more cautious about what we do. as for the remnants of the dharma sect, i wouldve taken care of them long ago if not for fear that ye mins plans werent fully in place yet. now that ye min and xuan kong are gone, theres no need to worry, and ill help you deal with it. ive already tested prince wu and prince chu in the capital before. theres no issue there. if youre worried that your sons abilities will be insufficient after ascending the throne, you can appoint them as your trusted ministers. of course, this is just my personal advice; its up to you. today should be the last time we meet. when the new monarch ascends the throne, i will naturally come again. after speaking, the leader of the lifeless sect left directly, without delay. emperor yan jing sat for a while after he left before finally sighing. da ban, lets go back. for the last stretch, 1 have to hold on and clear the obstacles for my worthless son. 1 sometimes think, if 1 had put more effort into cultivation back in the day and advanced to the postnatal nine-realm, would i have had more time? the innate master eunuch listened without saying a word, just putting away the folding chair. he then deceived everyones eyes and escorted emperor yan jing back to the palace. not far away, after they left, liang sheng did not dare to breathe and could not calm his heart for a long time. the legitimate dayan and biggest rebellion lifeless sect turned out to be a family, and if anyone contacted the lifeless sect with ulterior motives, they would be walking the road to self-destruction. for example, the prince of pingans mansion. no wonder prince pingan failed so miserably in the battle for the innate, after all, emperor yan jing had planned against him thirty years ago. how could he not lose? to say, the world is full of old silver coins. if it werent for his longevity, he would probably be caught up in these turbid disputes, struggling for a glimmer of survival. in that case, he would have to enter the chess game and risk being played to death by these old silver coins. at this moment, liang sheng was more determined that he would never court trouble without absolute certainty, and he would quietly develop himself. after all, he would eventually have the chance to find the clues to cultivation in front of time. these old silver coins would eventually only become a mound of yellow soil, no longer existing in this world. later, liang sheng left the imperial city to go to dusty garden. after being shocked today, he had to find a place to comfort himself. it was really too frightening.. Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Taking Action (Please Continue Reading) chapter 70: chapter 70: taking action (please continue reading) translator: 549690339 capital. since learning that the lifeless sect also bears the surname ye during his night investigation of the imperial city, liang sheng once again went into hiding, calming his slightly restless heart after becoming an innate master. however, the turmoil of prince pingans mansions rebellion in the capital was still ongoing, with people being dragged to the market execution site every day. the sky prison was constantly receiving new prisoners every moment. after all, every time a rebellion occurs within a dynasty, countless people will be implicated. liang sheng didnt care about this until he accidentally noticed one of the prisoners. with white hair and an aged appearance, the prisoners shoulder bones were pierced by fine steel, and the tip of an iron cone protruded from his tailbone. it was evident how much the court was wary of this person. xia zhiqiu!? liang sheng couldnt help but stare in surprise after seeing the old man. long-lost memories flooded his mind; he didnt expect xia zhiqiu to still be alive, but xia zhiqiu remained at the postnatal nine-realm level. breaking through the martial arts bottleneck is incredibly difficult. many martial arts talents advance no further, and there are only a few people in the world who have attained the innate level. although xia zhiqiu looked ragged at this moment, his white clothes stained with blood, his expression remained calm, as though he had accepted his fate and was prepared to face death with dignity. behind him were dozens of wailing people. some of the men bore a striking resemblance to xia zhiqiu from years ago, most likely being his descendants. but liang sheng wasnt particularly moved. after all, xia zhiqiu was a direct descendant of prince pingans mansion, and his current plight wasnt exactly unexpected. at this moment, however, liang sheng couldnt help but think of someone else in his mind. if that person had also broken through to the postnatal ninth layer, he might not have survived until now. with that thought, liang sheng closed his shop earlier than usual. old zhang even thought something had happened to him. after closing the shop, liang sheng went to a teahouse in the east city. he quietly paid attention, as most of the rebel prisoners were escorted through this area before being taken to the sky prison, jingzhao mansion, or dali temple. perhaps the sky prison had never been so busy, with wave after wave of prisoners being transported. during the scorching heat of the midday sun, liang shengs pupils involuntarily constricted. he was only here to try his luck, not expecting to find that zheng wanchun was still alive and had broken through to the postnatal ninth layer realm. unfortunately, zheng wanchuns current situation was no different from xia zhiqius. liang sheng didnt act impulsively and instead watched as zheng wanchun and his family were escorted forward. indeed, a master like zheng wanchun was imprisoned in the sky prison. this made liang sheng somewhat conflicted. tapping his fingers on the table, he had no intention of rescuing zheng wanchun. taking action now would likely lead to endless troubles following suit. after weighing the pros and cons, liang sheng couldnt help but smirk bitterly. in the end, he couldnt let go of their past friendship. zheng wanchun had treated him with pure friendship back in jinzhou city, without any ulterior motives, especially since liang sheng was considered useless at that time. people do have their own bottom lines. after some thought, liang sheng finally made up his mind: he decided to investigate the situation in the sky prison first. if his safety could be guaranteed, he would then consider whether he could fulfill some of zheng wanchuns reasonable dying wishes. over the next few days, liang sheng thoroughly assessed the sky prison situation. perhaps emperor yan jing had been too busy attending to the aftermath of the rebellion, there were only a few people at the nine-tiered level. thus, liang shengs infiltration went unnoticed. night. sky prison. old zhou, known as the blood prison old demon, spent a long time at the cell of codename yi, the martial arts master. when he came out, he was still beaming with smiles. however, he was somewhat annoyed in his heart that these rebels of prince pingan were so incredibly courageous that none of them were willing to divulge their unique martial arts techniques. old zhou was obsessed with martial arts. because of their zhou familys achievements in martial arts, they managed to pass on their position in the sky prison for generations. their forefathers had a great vision, as they would always try to acquire unique techniques from imprisoned martial artists. thus, the descendants of the zhou family, as long as they had inherited martial arts talent, could have a taste of these techniques at a young age, choosing the most suitable ones for themselves. understandably, the zhou family already had a vast collection of unique techniques, but who would ever complain about having too many martial arts techniques? at this moment, old zhou had just finished torturing xia zhiqiu, who had been a high-ranking official at the ministry of shangshu. however, the latter remained unyielding, forcing old zhou to come away empty-handed. he wanted to continue with zheng wanchun next, but for some unimown reason, he suddenly felt a chill in his heart and stopped moving forward. the zhou family had an innate ability to seek fortune and avoid evil. if not for this, how could they have managed to pass on their position in the sky prison for so many years without any mishaps? old zhou trusted his intuition implicitly. without giving it a second thought, he turned around and left. how many times had he avoided disaster due to such snap decisions? however, at this moment, a thought crossed his mind: could there be more to zheng wanchun than met the eye, given his sudden apprehension? back then, every prisoner who gave him this kind of feeling would miraculously leave the prison unscathed. old zhou even deliberately attempted to curry favor with them ahead of time, reaping many benefits in return. it seems that 1 have to bring a bottle of good wine to visit zheng wanchun tomorrow. although this is just a trivial matter done casually, if zheng wanchun really has any trump cards, i definitely wont lose out. just as old zhou turned around and left without hesitation, liang sheng, who was hiding in the shadow around the corner, couldnt help but raise his eyebrows. at this moment, he was dressed in the uniform of a sky prison guard, and his entire appearance was adjusted back to an old age using the health cultivation method. interesting. zheng wanchun was lying on his side with his eyes closed in the corner of the cell. perhaps out of caution, because they were all postnatal ninth layer experts, even though their cultivation was sealed by the court, they were still handled with care and held in separate cells. at this moment, he heard the footsteps of liang sheng, but didnt look up. however, the next moment, he suddenly opened his eyes as the prison door was opened. but at this moment, the light was dim, and for a short while, he couldnt see the other partys appearance clearly, but the other party was holding a food tray with a pot of wine on it. the last meal before the execution? didnt expect it to come so soon? as the prison guard placed the food tray in front of him, zheng wanchun couldnt help but feel a bit dazed. however, the guard sits directly opposite him. sheriff zheng, long time no see! zheng wanchun suddenly looked up, staring at liang sheng, with long-lost memories flooding his mind and was so excited that he couldnt speak for a moment. dont be agitated. its me. you can speak a little softer, sheriff zheng. at this moment, zheng wanchun quickly lowered his head, as a postnatal ninth layer expert, he soon adjusted his emotions and asked softly, brother sheng, werent you dead? yes, i died once. so now ive specially come to see you off, to fulfill the bond between us. saying this, liang sheng suddenly made a move, injecting his pure innate internal energy into zheng wanchuns body. then, the shackles on his collarbone and tailbone fell off. zheng wanchun couldnt help but open his eyes wide at this sight, his thoughts overwhelmed. innate master!? at this moment, he had a lot to say and didnt know where to start. liang sheng, however, picked up the wine cup, poured the wine, and raised the cup to toast. please. zheng wanchun immediately picked up the wine cup and drained it in one gulp. liang sheng seemed to know what he wanted to ask and directly started speaking. my situation is a bit complicated. if it werent for you being in danger this time, sheriff zheng, im afraid we might not have met in this life. im here to accompany you on your last journey. if you have any unfulfilled wishes, as long as its within my capabilities, 1 can help you achieve them. in his heart, zheng wanchun felt as if he was doused with a bucket of cold water, and he calmed down. both prince pingan and xuan kong, the two grandmasters, are in the imperial city. and yet he still dared to harbor wild fantasies? zheng wanchun was naturally a carefree person. looking at liang shengs cold eyes, he knew that his wild thoughts about escaping were utterly unrealistic. however, it was better than having his whole family wiped out and bloodline severed! brother sheng, ive had an extraordinarily splendid life. although ive ended up here, 1 have no regrets. its just that my young grandson is still in his infancy and has nothing to do with this matter. 1 wonder if you could let him survive and carry on the zheng bloodline? i can. ill find a good family for him to peacefully grow up in. after thinking about it, liang sheng agreed directly. it was no big deal for an innocent child. if he were an adult, it might have been a bit more troublesome. upon hearing this, zheng wanchun couldnt help but raise his cup again. the room fell silent between the two men until liang sheng broke the silence, understanding the situation of zheng wanchuns young grandson, and then stood up to take his leave. sheriff zheng, with my internal energy today, you can regain your peak strength for half an hour. after i save your grandson, if you want to do anything, just do it to your hearts content. 1 just hope you wont leave with any regrets. having said that, liang sheng turned and left the cell. on the other side, old zhou was still drinking his wine while on duty in the room when someone wearing the uniform of a prison guard suddenly appeared in front of him. blood prison old demon? old zhou couldnt help but stiffen, with peanuts in his hand. at this moment, he didnt dare to say a word, feeling an overwhelming pressure all over his body. his mind was now screaming, the hairs on his back standing on end and cold sweat dripping down his forehead. there were only four words lingering in his mind, filled with disbelief. innate grandmaster! Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Chapter 71: The New Emperor Ascends the chapter 71: chapter 71: the new emperor ascends the throne (seeking for more readers) translator: 549690339 capital city, sky prison. upon realizing that the other party was an innate master, old zhou immediately lowered his head and dared not even look at liang shengs face. liang sheng couldnt help but nod when he saw this, and thought to himself that he wasnt the only smart one. this adversary was indeed the wily blood prison old demon who had been able to keep the sky prison impregnable for so long. today, 1 want to take away someone with me. do you know where the baby grandson of zheng wanchun, whos still in swaddling clothes, is locked up? old zhou, hearing this, sighed in relief. it was good that this grandmaster did not come to kill him, and all he wanted was to take away an infant. he got up immediately and led the way without daring to look at liang shengs face, keeping his head low. senior, please follow me. without trying to dodge or explain, he just wanted to quickly send this plague away. after all, what did it have to do with him if sky prison lost a baby? before long, they arrived at prison c. liang sheng stopped in the shadows and didnt move forward. old zhou understood immediately what liang sheng meant by this. without hesitation, he walked straight to a cell door, rudely picked up zheng wanchuns infant grandson from his swaddling clothes beside zheng wanchuns son and carried him away. liang shengs actions just now had already shown that he didnt want to meet anyone from the zheng family. he probably just wanted to take zheng wanchuns baby grandson away without having too much to do with the zheng family. the members of the zheng family wanted to stop older zhou, but they couldnt. when they arrived at the shadows, liang sheng glanced at the baby in old zhous arms and confirmed it was the same baby zheng wanchun had described. in an instant, he disappeared with the child. old zhou waited for a short while. there was no movement, and without any hesitation, he decided to leave sky prison. but before he could get away, a loud noise came from inside the prison, followed by the sound of drums and the cry for help from the prison guards echoing throughout the sky prison. the criminals are escaping. come give support quickly! old zhous face couldnt help but show bitterness. he had no choice but to turn back, as he was a step too late. he didnt need to think much C zheng wanchun must be causing trouble. indeed, when he arrived at the scene of the incident, he saw zheng wanchun full of energy. combining this with his disregard for life, no one dared to get within three meters of him. old zhou naturally wouldnt move forward. zheng wanchun was now purposeful in his actions, and liang sheng had earlier brought him his infant grandson and told him where the zheng family was imprisoned. since they were all doomed to die, its better to die at their own hands, to avoid torture and to cover up the news of the escape of their baby grandson. as for old zhou, seeing the direction that zheng wanchun was heading, he quickly guessed his intention. its best not to provoke someone whos already dying. half an hour later. the sky prison guards suffered heavy casualties, but the criminal zheng wanchun and all the members of the zheng family perished in the sea of fire. all the sky prison guards received a certain penalty from top to bottom. old zhou remained silent, but didnt have much resentment. after all, it was good just to be alive. but still, which grandmaster had come today? three days later. peaceful mind studio. liang sheng finally appeared at the bookstore. old zhang sighed in relief as soon as he saw him. little liang, where have you been these past few days? you didnt even give me a call. ive been on pins and needles, worried that something happened to you! old zhang, thank you for your concern. im fine. 1 just went to visit a distant relative outside the city and just got back. old zhang didnt ask any further questions since little liang was an honest person. was it possible he could have done anything big? he couldnt contain his impatience and approached cautiously. little liang, while you were away from the capital city, did you hear that something happened to the sky prison? let me tell you old zhang recounted the rumors hed heard about the sky prison to liang sheng, who showed no reaction. for the past three days, he had actually been wandering around the outskirts of the capital city. he had already given zheng wanchuns baby grandson to a childless kind-hearted family to raise. although the child would not be rich, he could grow up safely. moreover, he would visit the child from time to time until he grew up, fulfilling his friendship with zheng wanchun. afterwards, the incident at prince pingans mansion finally subsided, and the capital city became increasingly peaceful. however, three months later, capital citys tower suddenly rang out nine times. emperor yan jing had passed away, and a new emperor ascended the throne. his reign was named kaiping. in the capital city of kyoto, during the three solemn months, the whole city was draped in white. after the new emperor ascended the throne, he granted a general amnesty to the people, promised to waive taxes for three years, and intended to benefit the people. however, the policies of the court did not really affect the ordinary people at the bottom, and the lives of many people had not changed much. as kinsmen of the royal family, king wu and king chu were appointed as ministers by the late emperors will. at first, they were dedicated to their duties, but which emperor would like to be dictated by others? nevertheless, with this being the first new year after the new emperors ascension, all the major merchants showed their support for the new emperor by reducing the prices of their goods for a period of time, making kyoto seem more prosperous than ever. but as time went by, hidden undercurrents began to surge in kyoto. the means employed by the new emperor ultimately fell far short of those of his predecessor. king wu was struck on the forehead by an inkstone thrown by the new emperor in front of a large crowd, and king chu, infuriated, shut himself away. the two ministers appointed by the late emperors will completely stopped attending court. with the uprising of prince pingan, new nobles emerged. for a time, old and new factions were in opposition, and the new emperors balance between civilian and military was biased, causing conflict. in just a few months, to seize control of the court, the new emperor made a series of blunders, leading to factions and private interests forming within the court. as a result, the power struggle among court factions intensified, and the new emperor gradually lost control of the court. for a time, there were frequent incidents where orders were changed overnight. under such circumstances, liang sheng often looked eastward toward the imperial city. he felt a faint threat from the innate qi that he had sensed before, but now it seemed to be fading. could it be that the lifespan of the innate eunuch was nearing its end? liang sheng could not help but feel curious. after all, he had heard from the sect leader of the no-life sect that the other party should have at least five years to live. how could they already be so weak in less than half a year? however, liang sheng did not go to the palace to test the situation. as long as the innate eunuch was still alive, he could not risk his life to go there. time was long, so why the rush? moreover, they were all cunning opponents; who knew the real situation? steadily making progress, liang sheng believed, was the right way. before he knew it, he had been in the capital for almost a year. at this time, the atmosphere of the new year enveloped the entire city, and joyfulness was found everywhere. liang shengs mansion. at this moment, liang sheng exhaled lightly. the progress of his newly practiced ten methods of health cultivation was even faster than he had imagined. at this moment, all ten newly added methods had been practiced to the ninth layer, increasing his lifespan by another 150 years. name: liang sheng age: 89 talent: innocent foolishness (top grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (10th layer), ten methods of health cultivation (13th layer), new ten methods of health cultivation (9th layer), unmoving ming king seal (4th layer) realm: innate lifespan: 2349 at this moment, there was a knock on the door. liang sheng walked out of the room, and old wu, the house manager, stood beside the door with a respectful expression. master, the new years eve dinner is ready. in the past few days, peach charms had been hung around liang shengs mansion, and lanterns had been hung up early after days of cleaning and repairing. the mood was festive. just then, the sound of firecrackers and the laughter of children came from outside the courtyard. liang sheng handed the prepared silver coins to old wu to distribute to the servants. however, the sumptuous new years eve dinner was only for him to enjoy alone. as for the servants, they gathered in the back kitchen to have their meals. although their dishes were also very rich, it was impossible for him to allow servants to sit at the same table with him. in this era, doing so would be frightening for the servants. liang sheng had little appetite, and since today was new years day and there was no curfew in kyoto tonight, he figured he might as well go out for a walk. at this time, the imperial city was also brightly lit with lanterns, and occasionally people were even seen throwing copper coins from the city walls. this was the new emperors way of sharing in the joy with the people. the entire city of kyoto glowed with thousands of lights, and both sides of the streets were illuminated as if it were daytime. laughter and joy could be heard everywhere, and the dark clouds of the previous court turmoil had vanished. even beggars could get food and vegetables in front of the tavern, enjoying the atmosphere of the new year. today, the common people could finally relax after a year of hard work. however, just at that moment, the sound of galloping horses came from outside the capital gate. suddenly, a group of mounted soldiers charged into the city at high speed. grand general li hong arrived in the capital on new years eve! Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Fishing in Troubled Waters (Seeking Follow-Up Reading) chapter 72: chapter 72: fishing in troubled waters (seeking follow-up reading) translator: 549690339 capital. general li hongs entrance to the capital did not cause much turmoil. the common people were unaware of it, while the noble families in the capital remained silent about it. however, after li hong entered the capital, he went directly to the sky prison and never came back out. some people looked at the situation with deep meaning, while others just sat back and enjoyed the show. tonight, liang sheng also felt something was amiss and glanced in the direction of the imperial city. the long quiet eunuch master suddenly made a move, but he just expressed surprise and didnt interfere with it anymore. today was the new year, a time for celebration. in a good mood, liang sheng headed straight to the dusty garden in the red light district without thinking. at this moment, the dusty garden was somewhat deserted during the new year, and the madams eyes lit up when she saw liang sheng. girls, arent you going to come out and greet our guest? as she spoke, the old madam personally approached liang sheng with great enthusiasm. this guest was known to be generous, so she must give him the best service. meanwhile, a little earlier, emperor kaiping was hosting a feast for the civil and military officials in the imperial city. in the center of the grand hall, dancers fluttered around to the sound of music, a perfect picture of a monarch and his ministers enjoying themselves. the civil and military officials below no longer had the tension they had before, and they warmly congratulated the dayan empire on its peace and prosperity and the coming of the golden age. at that moment, a eunuch quietly approached and whispered something to emperor kaiping, whose face changed dramatically despite trying to regain composure quickly. those civil and military officials beneath him noticed, though they never showed it on their faces. i am deeply indebted to all of you for your support and assistance, so 1 have ordered the imperial kitchen to prepare some dishes for you to take home and share with your family. thank you, your majesty. emperor kaiping was implying that it was time for the guests to leave, just like placing a teacup cover on a table. the civil and military officials in two rows knelt down to express their gratitude, and the banquet soon ended. when the officials left with food boxes from the golden hall, those from the same faction exchanged subtle glances, unsure of what had happened. emperor kaiping seemed lenient but was verymeticulous in reality. today, someone must have upset him, but they didnt know who it was that had the courage to do so. it was only after they returned home that they heard the news: li hong entered the capital without meeting the new emperor first or returning to his home, instead heading to the sky prison. what did it mean? did he intend to embarrass emperor kaiping? true to his strong character, the grand general did not give emperor kaiping any face and was very forthright in his actions. no wonder emperor kaiping hurriedly ended the banquet. but since the incident had happened already, they were considering what they should do next and whether they could gain any benefits? at the moment, neither the court officials nor the noble families were calm after news reached them. after all, general li hong was an innate master and a war god of dayan who had been guarding the borders diligently for decades, which led to the prosperity of dayan. imperial city. imperial library. at this moment, the imperial library was in chaos, and the eunuchs were trembling in fear, lest emperor kaiping notice them. after smashing another porcelain artifact, emperor kaiping gasped for breath and slumped in his chair, his face flushed with rage. what does li hong want to do? didnt i ask him to come to the capital after the new year? why did he come early? even so, he went to the sky prison instead of seeing me first. does he want the world to say that i treat my meritorious officials harshly? the eunuch supervisor stood aside without saying anything, feeling helpless. wasnt general li hongs early arrival to the capital forced by you? as a personal eunuch, he knew far more than the outside world. emperor kaiping had promised tax reductions for the people for three years upon his ascension, but he lived extravagantly, causing financial difficulties in the private treasury. finally, he felt that breaking his word would harm the kings credibility and decided to target the border armys military supplies. within just a few months, the border armys supplies had been reduced by 30%. li hong had always treated his soldiers like his own children and had made several requests to discuss this matter, but emperor kaiping kept them from going forward. prior to this, he had even written that the new year was approaching, and it wouldnt be long before he left for the capital. therefore, having the grand general arrive in the capital after the new year was merely emperor kaipings wishful thinking. as for li hong not coming to see him today, it was only natural. the temperament of that person was not good at all, even the late emperor had no way to deal with him. but if one were to say that li hong wanted to rebel, probably no one under heaven would believe it. however, li hong did indeed go to sky prison without giving any face to emperor kaiping. after the emperors expression softened, the eunuch supervisor cautiously approached and asked, your majesty, shall this servant go to the sky prison to check on the grand general? upon hearing this, emperor kaiping looked up at the eunuch supervisor. the latter couldnt help but panic, fearing to anger the emperor. fortunately, emperor kaiping didnt get angry again. theres no need. since our grand general wants to stay in sky prison, let him be. on this new years eve, id rather go see your ancestor. hearing this, the eunuch supervisors heart froze, and he hurriedly ordered the young eunuchs to prepare the imperial carriage, before heading towards the imperial palaces backyard. he had a bad premonition in his heart, as the emperors visit to the ancestor at this time seemed to indicate that he was determined to kill. otherwise, why would he bother the ancestor at this time? when emperor kaiping went to see the eunuch master, it was precisely when liang sheng sensed the movement in the imperial palace. however, at that moment, li hong had already entered the sky prison, causing all the guards there to come forward in greeting. because it was new years day, there were not many prison guards on duty. old zhou felt the utmost helplessness at this time, wondering why he had to be on duty on this day. since he was the highest-ranking person in sky prison at the moment, he had no choice but to step forward with a stiff neck, sky prison guard zhou tai pays his respects to the grand general. li hong heard this, glanced at old zhou, and seemed to recall something. he then clapped his hands and said, oh, i remember now, its you, the young man. back then, when 1 wanted you to join the army and follow me, you refused outright. but it seems 1 didnt misjudge you, having achieved the postnatal nine-realm. not bad. its just a pity. if you had followed me, you would have probably established your career by now. a fine young man guarding this tiny place is ultimately a waste of youth. upon hearing this, old zhou pretended not to hear anything, maintaining a cool expression. seeing his reaction, li hong decided not to say anything further, as everyone has their own ambitions. alright, i wont make things difficult for you. just arrange a cell for me, and ill stay here for some time. upon hearing this, even the unflappable old zhou staggered in shock. imprisoning the grand general in the sky prison might lead to a visit from the dali temple the very next day, stripping him of his office and throwing him into a death cell. grand general, youre putting this true person in a difficult position. why must you lower yourself to the level of someone like me? seeing old zhous expression, li hong, realizing he wouldnt get help from him, simply headed straight for the a-grade cells. never mind. its not like ive never been to sky prison before, and i know the rules. people like me should go to the a-grade cells. theres no need for you to worry about me. ill go there myself, and i doubt anyone will make things difficult for you. after finishing his words, he paid no mind to the reactions of others and headed straight for the inside of sky prison, leaving old zhou with a bitter smile. he called an alert guard to relay a warning message, then followed behind with the other guards, his heart full of bitterness. when gods fight, mortals suffer. whats going on? early the next morning, after a night with liang sheng at dusty garden, shu shuang emerged and felt the strong atmosphere of the first day of the new year. on the way back to their shop, greetings and blessings were exchanged incessantly. after old zhang and liang sheng exchanged new year blessings, old zhang whispered mysteriously, little liang, let me tell you some news. last night, the grand general entered the capital and is in the sky prison now. huh? when the lord and the general dont get along, its not a good omen. coupled with the hidden turmoil in the capital over the past six months, liang sheng felt a bit uneasy. its also good for chaos to erupt since its easier to catch fish in muddy waters. although the short time of unrest in dayan was not enough to cause chaos to that extent, it was as if he lacked time himself? Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Chapter 73: Li Hong’s Downfall (Please continue to read) chapter 73: chapter 73: li hongs downfall (please continue to read) translator: 549690339 capital. with the grand general li hong entering the sky prison, the capital city became vaguely turbulent under the festive atmosphere of the new year. however, the common people were not affected; instead, they all became busybodies. indeed, gossiping is the best way to socialize for humans. old zhang seemed like a real-time reporter, even reporting trustworthy information about what li hong ate in the sky prison. unexpectedly, emperor kaiping remained silent, which was surprising to the noble families of the capital. this was not his usual style. however, some were dubious while others sneered. this was merely the calm before the storm since even killing a pig requires a prepared knife. liang sheng was concerned about the cultivation clues in the imperial city, so he kept an eye on the movements inside the imperial city. the qi of the innate master eunuch became weaker and weaker, making liang sheng more cautious, and he did not dare to take any reckless actions. he would never forget the power of that mysterious little sword that night. no matter how many innate masters came forward, none could withstand it! however, the high-ranking officials of the capital might not have as clear a view of the current situation as liang sheng. after all, whether they were truly just observing or participating, they were all part of the chess game. power can move peoples hearts, and greed always blinds peoples minds. if liang shengs lifespan were not long enough to wait for flowers to bloom and bear fruit, he might have become one of those fighting for dominance in the mortal world. he watched the undercurrents surge in the capital; if li hong did not take the initiative to come out of sky prison, his fate would not be good. thinking of this, liang sheng sighed helplessly. nevertheless, with emperor kaipings treatment of li hong, one could only say that he was either foolish or fearless. however, considering that an emperor would rather use military funds and provisions than burden the people and cause damage to maintain the stability of the world, it was difficult to see how he could be foolish. thus, the only explanation left was that he was fearless. liang sheng was still somewhat puzzled about this. the eunuch innate masters lifespan was already limited, so where did emperor kaiping get his confidence? the master of the lifeless sect spoke directly to emperor yan jing during their secret discussion: if the current heavenly sons virtue is not worthy of his position, then they would replace the emperor with someone else, as long as his surname was ye. liang sheng couldnt understand what trump card emperor kaiping held that he dared to treat the national pillar general so recklessly. was he really going to rely solely on that eunuch master for a desperate move? how would he deal with subsequent issues? emperor kaiping must have felt a sense of crisis by now since the number of lifeless sect followers infiltrating the capital had been increasing ever since li hong arrived. if emperor kaiping were unaware of this, liang sheng would be the first not to believe it. however, he was happy about this development. after all, the more chaotic the situation, the murkier the water, the more advantageous it would be for him. all he had to do was sit still on the fishing platform. imperial palace. grand temple. at this moment, emperor kaiping was kneeling on the ground, facing the ancestral tablets of previous emperors of the dayan dynasty. amid the curling smoke, an old eunuch in mourning clothes was coughing and chanting the scriptures on one side. this was the eunuch master who had beheaded ye min and xuan kong with a single sword stroke. foster father, please help me eliminate the traitor li hong. he shows no respect for the king in his eyes. it is now necessary to remove him. otherwise, my ye familys land will eventually be destroyed by him, emperor kaiping pleaded. however, upon hearing this, the eunuch master did not reply. instead, he carefully flipped the paper money in the brazier so that no ashes would fly out. he coughed from time to time, while emperor kaiping forcibly endured his impatience. he stood up and walked to the eunuch masters side, continuing to complain about li hongs great disrespect. at this point, the eunuch master burned the last stack of paper money. he finally spoke, bent over, your majesty, my duty is not to intervene in state affairs. this is the teaching left by the previous emperor. moreover, 1 dont understand the matters of the court. however, my late master once instructed me C if you need my help, you must first meet someone and listen to their opinion before deciding whether you need my assistance. what? the face of emperor kaiping turned ugly when he heard this. in fact, when he ascended the throne, he never imagined that the lifeless sect rebellion would turn out to be a play staged by the royal family for the world to see. who would have thought that they could meet the sect leader of the lifeless sect during the ancestral worship ceremony in the grand temple upon their enthronement? furthermore, they had to address the sect leader as thirteenth uncle. fortunately, he did not give any orders in the past six months. upon seeing the old eunuchs steadfast attitude, emperor kaiping took a deep breath, nodded, and whispered: foster father, 1 will immediately contact thirteenth uncle. ill come back to you with the result. in the following days, the capital remained calm, with li hong still staying in sky prison. the cautious old zhou could only shake his head and smile bitterly as he diligently attended to the national pillar general. on the seventh day of the new year, the festive atmosphere in the capital began to fade. liang sheng looked in the direction of the imperial city with a mysterious smile on his lips. the heavenly son couldnt help but make a move after all. chen shengs stronghold had remained undisturbed all these years, and through him, liang sheng got first-hand information, reuniting with the master of the no-life sect, who had infiltrated the capital. the no-life sects master, who hadnt been to the capital in nearly a year, probably wasnt just here for a simple appearance. sure enough, as liang sheng carefully followed him from a distance, he saw the man enter a familiar hidden corner of the imperial city. but this time, it was emperor kaiping himself who had been waiting there. upon seeing the master of the no-life sect, he addressed him as thirteenth uncle. you called urgently for a meeting. is it about li hong? emperor kaiping nodded. there was no need to hide the matter. after all, his intentions were clear to everyone by now. the no-life sect master couldnt help but shake his head. if li hong dies, there will be turmoil in the borderlands, and the price you will have to pay will be immense. moreover, i can guarantee that li hong has no intention of rebelling. i think you know 1 would not be mistaken. do you still want him dead? as the leader of the worlds foremost rebel sect, if the no-life sect master said li hong had no intention of rebelling, then it was most likely true. but emperor kaipings face was still filled with a ruthless determination. that mere man no longer considers me in his thoughts. its only 30% of the grain provisions, and no one in the army is starving. why has he gone to such lengths to embarrass me? if he cant be used by me, then whats the point of keeping him alive? once hes dead, it will only be a brief period of chaos. there is no one under heaven who can disrupt my ye familys dynasty. instead, this will teach everyone, no matter who they are, that as long as they defy me, even if they are an innate nation protector, they will only have one path: death. emperor kaipings face was filled with malice at this moment. the master of the no-life sect looked at him, still calm. you are the current emperor of dayan. all i hope is that you dont come to regret your decision. as for me, all that matters is that the world remains under the name of ye. everything else is of no consequence. of course, emperor kaiping understood his meaning. but his heart was filled with supreme pride, how could he ever consider the possibility of something going wrong with dayans rule under him? his reign was named kaiping, because he was absolutely confident that as long as he was in power, the nation would be as stable as mount tai. that night, the capital was once again plagued by a rebellion of no-life sect followers. they began by launching a night attack on the sky prison, and their cries to save the no-life sects mother resounded throughout the city. save li hong! cleanse the emperors side of treachery! in response to this sudden turn of events, both the capitals noble families and high-ranking civil and military officials were caught off guard. they never thought that li hong would be involved with the no-life sect. that night, the imperial army launched a powerful counterattack. emperor kaiping was both decisive and deadly. the small sword and eunuch master reappeared before the world. the scene could not help but remind people of the night prince pingan rebelled. li hong did not even leave a last will behind, nor did he fight back. instead, he looked north and stood upright in death. old zhou, the warden of the sky prison, returned to his home in silence. after a long time, he sighed deeply. there was no need for li hong to die, but at this late hour, what good would it do to make a stand? he walked into the darkness after that night, the restless hearts of the capitals noble families settled once again. in the end, the rule of the world would still belong to the ye family. but with li hongs death, what would happen to the uproar among the northern border troops? however, the news they received was that nearly all of li hongs trusted subordinates had perished overnight, allowing emperor kaiping to smoothly take control of the border troops without any trouble. such tactics stabilized the dayan imperial court and restored a sense of peace and prosperity to the world. emperor kaiping, truly ruthless and decisive! most importantly, no one knew how he had accomplished it. so how could the nobility and officials of the imperial court, who were now uncertain about emperor kaipings hidden power, dare to make any rash moves!? a month later, liang sheng sneaked out alone to the outskirts of the imperial city, his eyes flashing with intense focus as he stared into the heart of the city. today would be the day the eunuch master would fall! Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Still Innate? (Please Continue Reading) chapter 74: chapter 74: still innate? (please continue reading) translator: 549690339 capital city. outside the imperial city. liang sheng was carefully hiding in a corner, watching the direction of the imperial palace. at this moment, there was an enormously strong breath within the palace. however, there was a faint sense of decay at its peak, much like the last ray of light before the collapse of the great sun. it seems that it was the resurgence of the innate eunuch grandmaster that caused such a scene. however, liang sheng did not act hastily; he simply watched quietly. not far away, there was another person doing the same, quietly watching the imperial palace. it was none other than the master of the no-life sect. who could have imagined that of the four great masters of the dayan known to the public, only the master of the no-life sect and the innate eunuch grandmaster in the palace remain. one wonders whether the master of the no-life sect was there to pay his respects to the grandmaster of the imperial palace. within the palace, outside the grand temple, the imperial army was standing guard layer upon layer, strictly alert. inside the temple, emperor kaiping was standing quietly, watching intently at the old man who had been by his fathers side since he could remember. at this moment, the old man did not appear to have decayed; on the contrary, he seemed full of vitality, not at all like a decrepit old man. father at this moment, the innate eunuch grandmaster chuckled, your majesty, why be so formal? i should have passed on with the previous emperor. now 1 get to stay by his side, it is my fortune. without waiting for emperor kaiping to say anything, he turned to the eunuch supervisor qin gang, who stood next to the emperor, little gang, dont waste time, come here. eunuch supervisor qin gang quickly stepped forward. who could have guessed that qin gang was actually a martial artist of the postnatal nine realms? the eunuch master was palm-to-back with qin gang, transferring a pure inner strength into qin gangs body. the two shared the same teaching of techniques, and at this moment, qin gangs body was circulating the qi, quickly devouring this power. at this moment, the innate eunuch grandmaster released his hands. qin gang remained sitting with his eyes closed, circulating his qi to digest the power in his body. the innate eunuch grandmaster only had time to give emperor kaiping a smile, then fell silent. the innate eunuch grandmaster, fell today! emperor kaiping bowed slightly, then focused his eyes on qin gang. at this moment, qin gangs breath was rising steadily and then he suddenly opened his eyes, the light sparkled like substance. seeing this, emperor kaiping couldnt help but rejoice. did it succeed? your humble servant did not fail. good, very good! immediately after, emperor kaiping carefully took out a jade bottle from his sleeves and handed it to qin gang, take this pill, cultivate with peace of mind. from now on, you are my right-hand man, an innate nation protector. thank you for your majestys grace. emperor kaiping couldnt help but burst into laughter. qin gang, hand-picked as a martial arts genius from a young age, had entered the palace to become a eunuch and grown up with emperor kaiping. the technique that qin gang and the innate eunuch grandmaster practiced was called the reincarnation cycle technique. it was the signature technique of the reincarnation palace, one of the seven great sects. the greatest advantage of this technique was that it could be passed on to those who also practiced the same technique. after receiving the imparted energy from the innate eunuch grandmaster, qin gang stepped into the half-step innate stage, and the jade bottle held the barrier breaking pill that all martial artists dreamt of. in other words, within a few days, when qin gang emerges from his closed-door cultivation, he would be the new innate grandmaster of the dayan palace. someone! escort my father figure on his journey! outside the imperial palace. the aura of the innate eunuch grandmaster was completely gone, but immediately after, the breakthrough of qin gangs breath spread out, which made liang sheng momentarily stunned. half-step innate! he thought of the barrier breaking pill that emperor yan jing had given to the no-life sect leader as a reward before and couldnt help sighing. the innate grandmasters of the dayan royal palace indeed had an unbroken lineage, no wonder the great dayan nation had always lasted. the no-life sect leader clearly sensed this situation as well. he silently nodded but did not leave at this moment. after some time, emperor kaiping appeared alone at the old place, unable to hide the smile on his face while meeting with the no-life sect leader. uncle thirteen, thank you for guarding this place. 1 also owe your help for the recent matters at the frontier. without your intervention, i wouldnt have been able to deal with li hongs rebellion so smoothly. the leader of the no-life sect showed no emotion upon hearing this. you need not remind me indirectly, both of us know the true circumstances of the so-called rebellion. i will stay in the capital for a few more days, my old friend will pass down the techniques to the person at your side who is on the half-step to the innate realm. once he consumes the barrier breaking pill and successfully ascends to the innate realm, i will leave the capital. upon hearing this, emperor kaiping obviously breathed a sigh of relief. however, he wanted to explain that he didnt mean that, but the leader of the no-life sect cut him off. i didnt want to argue with you, but this year you have indulged too much in pleasures, peoples hearts are fluctuating within the territory of dayan, you better not act like your late father, you dont have his skills. besides, you better find some more people to practice the reincarnation cycle technique so you wont end up like your father. if he hadnt been so suspicious that year, wouldnt there be more than one innate in the palace? also, consider that there are not many barrier breaking pills left. what would you do if something happened? you better prepare early, dont put all your eggs in one basket, otherwise in case of any accident, you cant find someone to pass on the techniques ha! however, seeing the indifferent expression of emperor kaiping, he no longer advised but only reminded: your cousin has breached the innate realm, my lifespan is nearly exhausted, he will probably be the one to meet you. all? emperor kaiping looked at the leader of the no-life sect with glossy black hair, smooth skin, which made him overlook the age of the leader. i will consider it seriously, uncle thirteen. very well, you should go back. i will protect your cultivation here until that innate at your side comes out. emperor kaiping bowed when he heard this and slowly entered the palace from the side door. the leader of the no-life sect then merged into the night, unnoticed by anyone. at this moment, liang shengs heart was pounding. the palace actually possessed such a miraculous technique. no wonder the innate in the palace never ceased to emerge. to know, in the world of martial arts, there were countless postnatal nine-layered martial artists crossing the river like crucian carp, but there were few who could achieve innate, and the bottleneck virtually blocked all martial artists in the world. at this moment, liang sheng couldnt help but be more cautious, not because the leader of the no-life sect said there was no innate master in the palace at this time, and he became impulsive. since there such means within the palace to ensure that even innate practitioners dont die out, who can guarantee that there are no other means in the palace to deal with the onslaught of innate? such as that mysterious small sword of that year. hearing the palaces secret about the innate today is a great harvest. he only needs to be patient, and he will get closer to the clues of cultivation to become an immortal. in everything, haste makes waste, as the leader of the no-life sect said, they will grow old after all, and only 1 can afford to wait. everything is worth waiting for. time passed as liang sheng was waiting cautiously. after a month, the leader of the no-life sect left the capital because qin gang was successfully promoted to innate. the death of li hong seemed to make everything calm. in the beginning, emperor kaiping seemed to listen to the advice of the leader of the no-life sect and worked hard. however, the nobles and powerful families in the court did not dare to resist emperor kaiping because of li hongs incident. emperor kaiping gradually returned to his true self and became extravagant and unrestrained. if you want to indulge in pleasure, you need a lot of money. as emperor kaipings heart becomes more and more inflated, government affairs are in chaos, and the lives of the people have become increasingly difficult. unconsciously, twenty years passed, the people of the dayan dynasty were so oppressed by multiple tax increases that they couldnt make a living. under such circumstances, liang shengs cultivation method, which had been motionless for many years, finally made a breakthrough and advanced further. name: liang sheng age: 109 talent: innocent foolishness (top-grade) techniques: golden dragon technique (nth level), twenty health-cultivating techniques, unmoving ming king seal (5th level) realm: innate lifespan: 4329 the new life-nurturing technique advances the cultivation based on a high realm, and in just a few years, it breaks through to the 14th level, thus increasing the lifespan by 2000 years. liang shengs lifespan is skyrocketing, but how is his martial arts realm still in the innate realm after breaking the limit and cultivating the golden dragon technique to the 11th level!? Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Chapter 75: Getting Married (Asking for More Reads) chapter 75: chapter 75: getting married (asking for more reads) translator: 549690339 capital city. liang shengs martial arts technique: golden dragon art had broken through once again, and his unmoving ming king seal had been cultivated to the fifth level, allowing his cultivation speed to accelerate once more. however, after the golden dragon technique broke through the eleventh level, the result was not as liang sheng imagined. it did not break the limit and surpass the innate realm; his martial arts realm remained in the innate realm. although the strength within his body had increased exponentially, even the no-life sect leader would pose no threat if he appeared in front of him now. simply put, twenty years ago he could now fight against ten of his former self at the innate realm. this is the invincible power brought by the golden dragon technique after it broke through the eleventh level. however, his martial arts realm remained innate, casting a shadow over liang shengs heart. it seems that martial arts techniques can indeed break through infinitely, but they cannot achieve qualitative changes. the power can continue to grow stronger, but the essence cannot change. martial arts techniques are ultimately just martial arts techniques, and he is still just a mortal body. cultivation thinking of this, liang sheng couldnt help but gaze into the distance towards the imperial city. he would probably have to wait for the opportunity to go to the imperial palace and search for the secret of cultivation mentioned by the no-life sect followers back then. even though hes not completely confident yet, he will continue waiting. time is not a problem; what he lacks least is time. more importantly, during these twenty years, the dayan dynasty has been in decay, and the opportunity he has been waiting for will surely come soon. theres no hurry, just patiently waiting for the day the dayan dynasty falls into chaos. liang sheng doesnt believe that the dayan royal family will keep their trump card hidden when that time comes liang sheng shook his head, no longer dwelling on it, calming his excited heart. he will watch the passage of time and see who will ultimately rise and fall. peaceful mind studio. old zhang was still selling steamed buns, but now he had an extra helper. his son had slowly started taking over, after all, old zhang was getting older. as for little liang, he had become old liang. his relationship with old zhang had grown even closer over the past twenty years. they had become like close family friends. old liang, come to my house for a drink at noon. i advised you to get married years ago, but now youre still a widower old zhang was somewhat disappointed, but he just wanted to invite him to have a meal together. however, liang sheng shook his head. i have some family matters to attend to outside the city today. ill look for you to drink when i come back. all? alright. before leaving, old zhang skillfully took a book, his own son needed more practice. next time, he would let him come personally. outside the city. liang sheng walked along a country road with two servants, and soon they arrived at a small village. at this moment, there was a lively atmosphere in front of a familys house, with children running around and joyful laughter. today was the wedding day of zheng wanchuns grandson, who now had the last name guan. in these twenty years, the once little baby had grown up into an adult. as liang sheng entered the village, many people noticed him. after all, his clothes alone were more impressive than those of any local rich man in town. im passing by today, and i wonder if the host would allow me to have a cup of wedding wine? at this moment, a simple old man came out, wiping his hands on his clothes. seeing liang sheng being so polite, he relaxed for some reason. since youre here, youre a guest. if the guest doesnt mind our humble village and would like to have a drink of our wedding wine, it would be our honor. perhaps it was because of liang shengs aura, or maybe it was the hospitable nature of the family. liang sheng was invited to their main table, and he did not act reserved. his two servants sat down at the side tables. the dishes on the main table werent very luxurious, but in this day and age, simply surviving was good enough, let alone having wine to drink. the two words kaiping from dayan dynasty seemed like a joke. at first, the atmosphere at the main table was rather restrained. but after a few glasses of wine, liang sheng let loose. soon enough, the atmosphere became lively. just then, the groom is bringing the bride home. in an instant, everyone looked towards the door. since it was an ordinary rural household, there were not many formalities. the bride was wearing a red silk scarf, and one could see her face. she seemed to be virtuous and prosperous. after the ceremony of bowing before heaven and earth and the parents, the bride was sent to the bridal chamber. naturally, the groom began to toast table by table, with the first being the main table. he saw liang sheng and was taken aback, but then old guan whispered an explanation in his ear. afterward, the groom regained his composure and toasted everyone. liang sheng didnt say much, but in the middle of it all, he took the opportunity to pat the groom. the grooms spirit immediately lifted, and even his tipsiness disappeared. the groom didnt pay it much attention at the time, thinking peoples spirits were just high during happy events. when the feast was over, liang sheng excused himself and left. that night, old guan and his wife, along with the newlywed couple, were sorting through the gifts given by the guests when the old woman suddenly let out a gasp. whats wrong? look at this. it was a silver note worth a hundred liang. in an instant, everyones breathing grew heavier. it was from that old man who came for a drink of celebration. all zheng, you are so lucky. that night, the old couple listened to the creaking noises from next door for an hour, and couldnt help but smile. it seemed they would soon be holding their grandchild, as little zheng had a strong body. guan zheng also found it strange that his body seemed much better, but since he couldnt figure it out, he didnt dwell on it. after all, a moment of spring night is worth a thousand gold. meanwhile, in the north of the capital city, liang sheng had also returned home. instead of heading to the dusty garden, he was drinking alone in the courtyard. sheriff zheng, have a safe journey. he then poured a cup of wine on the ground. the bright moon in the sky remained unchanged, as did liang sheng. however, many people and things in the world had already changed. capital city. at this time, emperor kaiping seemed to be in the prime of his life, but he had failed in martial arts and was infatuated with wine and women. his body had already been hollowed out. at this moment, in the golden hall, he let out a yawn. qin gang immediately stepped forward, if you have matters, report them. if not, withdraw from the court. the officials below looked at each other, but no one came forward, as all the outspoken officials were already in the sky prison. seeing this, emperor kaiping did not hesitate and directly got up and left, while the officials below remained silent, slowly exiting the great hall. the sunlight was dazzling, prime minister zhang zhengju raised a hand to shield his eyes, then turned to the minister of rituals and said, make sure there are no mistakes in the 20th-anniversary ceremony for his majestys reign the day after tomorrow. remember to pick some good people to greet him on the way. dont allow the troublemakers to clash with his majestys carriage. the minister of rituals naturally understood what zhang zhengju meant, prime minister, rest assured, there will be no problems. we have already prepared everything with the good people. zhang zhengju nodded, said nothing more, and strode out of the imperial palace. before leaving, he looked back in the direction of the imperial garden. that person was probably still enjoying themselves to the fullest. peaceful mind studio. liang sheng was originally taking a nap in the afternoon, but old zhang suddenly came up cursing, old liang, we dont have to open for business the day after tomorrow. the officials say all the merchants in our area have to go outside the city to welcome his majesty during the ceremony. we wont have any business that day. these damned days old zhang didnt care about liang shengs silence and continued cursing softly. their livelihood had been declining over the past twenty years, but they could barely maintain their lives. after all, how many people in north city didnt have a stable background? the court had a simple reason for drafting them this time. if they were to let ordinary people come, they would probably be met with complaints and troubles. liang sheng naturally understood what was going on, but he never thought that even with such arrangements, there would still be a big problem on the day of the ceremony. a huge problem! Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: Chapter 76: Assassination of Emperor Kaiping (seeking more to read) chapter 76: chapter 76: assassination of emperor kaiping (seeking more to read) translator: 549690339 capital. at this moment on the officials road, the commoners lined the streets to welcome them, and the civil and military officials followed behind emperor kaipings imperial carriage, walking forward. fortunately, in this world, nobles practice martial arts, but their achievements in martial arts vary, otherwise, after this long journey of worshiping heaven, these noble officials might not be able to endure it. liang sheng and old zhangs family were kneeling on the ground at this moment, but liang sheng was only pretending to kneel, chanting long live! with a flush face, as if extremely excited. they were all good actors. when the imperial carriage passed in front of them, liang sheng and the others quickly stood up. at this moment, emperor kaiping looked at the people cheering long live! and felt a surge of ambition. this was his kingdom. the imperial army was always alert to the surrounding people. although it was unlikely that anything would happen, they were still conscientious in case of any unforeseen circumstances. nowadays, his majesty is not a kind and gentle ruler, and he is very harsh. if he is humiliated today, he may be sent to the sky prison or even executed directly. however, until emperor kaiping ascended the mountain to worship the sky, nothing happened. after descending the mountain, with the city gate in sight, mo longqiang, the commander of the imperial army, finally breathed a sigh of relief. but at this moment, suddenly someone flew out from the crowd, rushing straight towards the imperial carriage. dozens of people were all high ranking martial artists, and their goal was extremely clear. in an instant, the onlooking crowd was thrown into chaos, and some people who were running in panic accidentally bumped into the imperial army and were immediately executed on the spot. old zhangs family hadnt had time to understand what was happening when they were surrounded by the crowd and forced to squeeze out. old zhang sighed in his heart, fearing that they would lose their lives today. just then, he suddenly felt a tremendous force, and he was separated from the crowd. before he could understand what was happening, he heard liang shengs voice, hurry, follow me. in an instant, old zhang had found his backbone and saw that his family was by his side. he quickly followed liang sheng, fleeing away from the panicked crowd and towards the edge of the officials road. disaster! on the other hand, the commander of the imperial army paled in horror and his heart sank. how could there be a slip-up at this moment? who would have thought that someone would dare to assassinate emperor kaiping at this time? at this moment, he could only shout loudly to try to make up for his mistake. there are assassins! protect his majesty! although the imperial army around the imperial carriage was slow to react, they were still the elite of the elite, instinctively stepping in front of the carriage to protect it. for a short while, the scene was filled with sword light and fierce fighting. despite being elite soldiers, most of the imperial army was only at the intermediate-level martial arts, but the assassins were at least at the postnatal seven-realm. caught off guard, the imperial army was forced to retreat step by step. as the imperial army continued to be slaughtered, opening a gap, several postnatal ninth layer experts rushed towards the imperial carriage. emperor kaipings face behind the curtain had already turned black. your majesty, why not let this old slave end this farce? no need for da ban to take action, i want to see if mo longqiang can still be the commander of the imperial army. theres no need to keep useless people around. hearing these words, qin gang stood quietly beside emperor kaiping, not moving at all. with him there, no one could touch his majesty. finally, mo longqiang regained his senses and began to command the imperial army. with a ringleader, the headless dragon-like state of the army was instantly resolved, and they began to advance and retreat in an orderly manner. for a short while, the assassins were unable to make any progress. seeing this scene, emperor kaiping in the imperial carriage finally looked more pleased; after all, his imperial army was not so useless. at this moment, the civil and military officials and nobles were also guarding around the imperial carriage, but their faces looked very strange. they protected zhang zhengju and glared fiercely at the ministry of rituals. the cheering commoners were carefully selected, but now that a slip-up had occurred, how would his majesty see them? in recent years, emperor kaiping had become increasingly violent. a moment of carelessness could result in a trip to the sky prison. the saying to live with a monarch is like living with a tiger could not be more apt. however, as the situation gradually came under control, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. his mind was still racing, thinking about how to placate emperor kaipings anger. not far away, old zhang followed liang sheng to safety, but he couldnt see the specific situation on the officials road, which made him extremely worried. i hope nothing goes wrong, otherwise im afraid therell be a big disaster today. old liang, why are we so unlucky? liang sheng quickly comforted him, and old zhangs emotions gradually calmed down. liang sheng looked at the imperial carriage, heavily surrounded on the officials road, but his expression was somewhat inexplicable, because he sensed the presence of other masters lurking around. innate expert! so the attackers this time are well-prepared. if emperor kaiping feels that the overall situation is settled, and steps out of the imperial carriage thinking of this, he couldnt help but glance at the direction of the innate qi, which was only a few dozen meters away from the imperial carriage. an innate grandmaster could arrive in just a moment. as more and more imperial army surrounded them, the assassins who tried to kill were enclosed in the middle, gradually losing the possibility of escape, and the battle calmed down. seeing this, mo longqiang couldnt help but breathe a sigh of relief, and ran in front of the imperial carriage and knelt down, your servant deserves to die for allowing the rebels to attack your majestys imperial carriage. there was no sound from the imperial carriage. cold sweat covered mo longqiangs forehead, and it was not known how long it took before emperor kaipings voice came out. da ban, accompany me to see who these rebels are who dare to assassinate me? immediately afterwards, the curtain of the imperial carriage opened, and qin gang carefully helped emperor kaiping appear, and the surrounding imperial army and civil and military officials all leaned over. at this moment, the assassins had suffered heavy losses, and even if they were masters of the martial arts, they had no way to deal with the elite imperial army. a thought came to mo longqiangs mind, spare their lives under the knife, remember to keep a living mouth, his majesty wants to interrogate. qin gang glanced at mo longqiang, then nodded slightly. this sentence might make his rebuke smaller since he understood his majestys mind. in a short while, the last few assassins were all surrounded in the middle, almost without the power to fight back, and emperor kaiping also walked over. why assassinate me? the few people did not answer; instead, they smiled strangely, then immediately bit their tongues and committed suicide, their eyes full of hatred. tyrant! mo longqiang felt that something is wrong at once, and qin gang reacted at the first moment, and a sharp sound rang out. protect his majesty. at the same time, a strong qi suddenly erupted nearby, and the innate pressure dominated the whole field. it turned out that the assassins before were just bait, and the real killing move was left here. at the next moment, several bald-headed men appeared in the sight of the imperial army, but the people standing in front of them did not make any blocking movements and were killed on the spot. the few people are all in the postnatal nine-realm; even one of them is an innate grandmaster. the strength of the assassins is terrifying. however, qin gang appeared in front of emperor kaiping at this time, firmly taking a palm from the innate assassin. for a time, everyone present couldnt help but look at qin gang. eunuch supervisor qin gang, is actually an innate grandmaster!? emperor kaiping was also taken aback just now, but at this time he reacted and realized that he had inadvertently stepped back and became angry and ashamed. kill them! mo longqiang immediately issued a command loudly, three talents five elements formation, trap them! the imperial army quickly changed formation, not wanting to kill their opponents, but just restraining them was enough. the most important thing was to ensure emperor kaipings safety. at this time, qin gang felt that there were no other innate experts and couldnt help but breathe a sigh of relief. many military commanders and nobles stood in front of emperor kaiping, guarding his left and right. but liang shengs eyebrows were furrowed because he recognized the bald innate assassin at the moment. although he looked old, he also recognized who he was. this person is none other than jinshan temples hongzhi, a former disciple of the liang family. he never thought that hongzhi would actually reach the innate realm, which was truly unexpected.. Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Chapter 77 – Cultivation Sect? (Please Keep Reading) chapter 77: chapter 77 C cultivation sect? (please keep reading) translator: 549690339 capital, outside the city. at the moment, a large number of soldiers appeared at the city gate. the five armies commanders mansion has already received the news, and sent elite forces to support the imperial carriage speedily. hongzhi saw qin gang standing in front of him and couldnt help but sigh in his heart. he didnt expect there to be an innate master in the palace. could it be that the fate of dayan is not yet finished? for a short while, he was hindered by qin gang, and mo longqiang cooperated with him. he gradually felt that he was deep in the mire and couldnt escape. he looked at emperor kaiping who was getting further and further away from him, and there was regret in his heart. it seemed that the tyrant would escape again this time. he dared to assassinate emperor kaiping because he knew that the eunuch master who contributed to the quelling of prince pingans rebellion had fallen, and he had also made a breakthrough to the innate state, which is why hongzhi made such a plan. after the termination of prince pingans mansions rebellion, jinshan temple and jinzhou city liang family were all implicated. after all, with master xuan kong involved in the rebellion, how could they possibly stay out of it? by the time the news of prince pingans rebellion in the capital reached jinzhou city, it was a bit late because jinshan temple was attacked that night, they did not know whether the no-life sect had lent a hand. hongzhi and others originally wanted to coexist with jinshan temple, but they didnt expect that the xuan generation high monks would drive them into the secret tunnel, thus narrowly escaping a disaster. and that night, jinshan temple and jinzhou city liang family were completely wiped out, and all the people related to the case were beheaded on the spot in jinzhou city. if the story developed normally, hongzhi would have taken a few senior brothers to live in hiding and secretly pass on the inheritance of jinshan temple. but things always have accidents. because the incident happened suddenly, the scriptures in the scripture repository only left important scriptures for hongzhi and others to revive jinshan temple in the future. but one day when hongzhi was sorting out the scriptures, he turned to the unmoving ming king tathagata sutra. the days of living in hiding were definitely hard, and hongzhi would also recite the scriptures in his spare time. he did not know if it was because of his extraordinary talent, but unwittingly, he also understood the unmoving ming king seal like liang sheng back then. afterwards, hongzhi practiced the unmoving ming king seal until three years ago when he successfully broke through the third layer of the unmoving ming king seal, and then his cultivation speed was astonishing. a year ago, hongzhi broke through to the realm of an innate master, and the unmoving ming king seal began to be taught to other fellow brothers. if hongzhi hadnt made a breakthrough to the innate state, he would have continued to live in obscurity and continue the inheritance of jinshan temple, but after breaking through to the innate state, how could he let go of the grudge of his sect being wiped out? especially for those who have taken the tonsure, once they have a fixation, if they do not eliminate it, it will become the demons in their heart. after the unanimous agreement of his fellow brothers, they went to the capital. until the opportunity of emperor kaipings heaven-worshiping ceremony, they created todays situation. everything was originally going according to his plan, but who knew that an innate master, qin gang, would show up halfway? the internal energy of an innate master is endless, but under the cooperation of qin gang and the imperial army, he felt a faint insufficiency in recharging. he must escape! if he died here again, it would be meaningless, but how could he possibly escape with qin gang entangled with him? just then, qin gangs face changed and he retreated swiftly, standing in front of emperor kaiping and shouting: protect his majesty! mo longqiang was not sure of the situation, only to see qin gang on high alert. at this moment, he even saw a small sword appearing in qin gangs hand. although he did not understand the current situation, he immediately commanded the imperial army to surround the imperial carriage cautiously. hongzhi also glanced in a certain direction, then without any hesitation, escaped into the deep mountain and old forest instantly, because the opportunity shouldnt be missed and it wont come again. for a short while, the whole imperial procession was in chaos. it took quite a while for qin gang to regain his composure. the frightening qi had already disappeared. your majesty, please return to the palace immediately. after qin gang was promoted to the innate state, emperor kaiping had never heard him use such a tone. he immediately headed back to the city without reprimanding the imperial army. the citizens around also rushed back to the city like a swarm. todays sudden incident, im afraid, will spread throughout the capital soon. just who was the brave man who dared to assassinate emperor kaiping in public? however, upon returning to the city, old zhang, who is always the source of information, was not in the mood for discussion. after thanking liang sheng, he bid his farewell and returned home. it seemed that he too was quite shocked by the days events. upon returning home, liang sheng sank into contemplation. he hadnt expected to encounter hongzhi in the capital. today, the reason qin gang halted his attack abruptly was because he caught a trace of liang shengs qi that slipped out in an instant and then disappeared. it was impossible for the others to locate him from this fleeting qi. in addition, given the dire situation, there was no way qin gang could have thought it through. as expected, he got scared and ran away, allowing hongzhi to escape. although liang sheng had previously arranged for liang yings lineage, preserving the bloodline of the liang family, after witnessing hongzhis predicament today, he felt compelled to help. by saving hongzhi today, he fulfilled the promise he made during the time when he was not under threat, to help the liang family bloodline. as for what happens to hongzhi in the future, it no longer matters to him. if hongzhi fails to understand the situation and takes action, liang sheng would merely stand by and watch, since their cause and effect have already been severed today. over the next few days, the capital was under scrutiny, day by day. the five armies commanders mansion and jingzhao mansion practically turned the city upside down, but liang sheng was in no danger. for a while, the entire capital was in a state of unrest, with even ordinary people feeling the severe chill of early spring. under such circumstances, the no-life sects old master entered capital, and liang sheng, of course, kept his distance. this time, emperor kaiping was accompanied by qin gang, while another individual was with the master of the no-life sect. the no-life sects leader was now white-haired, indicating his lifespan was coming to an end. from this point on, he will command the no-life sect. it would be your first meeting, although it takes place under circumstances i did not anticipate. emperor kaiping glanced at the new no-life sect leader and nodded slightly, not in the mood for pleasantries, given the horrific event related by qin gang. upon hearing qin gangs experience, the previous no-life sect masters eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. are you saying that this energy is so strong that it makes you tremble, just like the awe you felt when you saw your ancestor wielding the small sword? with a stern face, qin gang nodded. if it werent for that, he wouldnt have advised emperor kaiping to return to the capital immediately as he wasnt confident, even with the small sword in hand. how could it be? unless there is a half-step magical weapon, how can an innate master have such power? could it be i dont know! emperor kaiping replied gravely. the atmosphere grew silent for a moment before the old no-life sect master turned to the new one, ye chen, go back first. regardless of what happens to capital, do not enter it. unless you receive news from the imperial palace in capital stating absolute safety, you should not enter. no matter who asks you to visit, remember this, alright? thirteenth uncle the new leader, ye chen, tried to protest, but was cut short by the old master. i dont have much time left. its better to stay in the palace. if the opponent is really that strong, i may be of some use. perhaps i can last fifteen years to communicate with the other side. emperor kaiping was shocked. the elder actually had such little confidence in him? however, when he heard the elder was staying, he exhaled in relief. after a few more warnings from both parties, the old master returned to the palace with emperor kaiping and qin gang while ye chen left. liang sheng, in a place not far away, looked on in surprise. of course, he was very strong, strong enough that even qin gang holding the small sword was extremely cautious. the second time he encountered that mysterious small sword, he no longer felt threatened. but, were they misunderstanding him? that side? which side were they talking about? the cultivation sects? Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Ordinary man (Please Continue Reading) chapter 78: chapter 78: ordinary man (please continue reading) translator: 549690339 capital city. after the new leader of the no-life sect, ye chen, arranged everything in the capital, he ordered the sects spies to stay quiet and await his signal to wake up. upon the old sect masters suggestion, ye chen then left the capital the next day and vowed not to return until it was confirmed safe again. north city. peaceful mind studio. old zhang looked at the horse carriage full of books in front of liang sheng bookstore with surprise, as it had not been too long since liang shengs previous stock purchase. why had old liang suddenly ordered so many books again? liang sheng just smiled without giving a detailed explanation, ive been bored lately. moreover, no one knows what the future holds. im just preparing early; the bookstore cant always be without new books. upon hearing this, old zhang slapped his forehead in sudden realization, old liang, your mind works quickly indeed. its wise to stock up some supplies in such uncertain times. after all, who knows what troubles are ahead? having said that, old zhang hurried away anxiously, and liang sheng couldnt help but shake his head and smile as he watched him leave. he then continued directing his servants to move the books. this time, liang shengs servants found their work much easier than before, as all the books were about strange tales, miscellaneous records, and unofficial histories. liang sheng offered no explanations for this either. after seeing that everything was going smoothly, he lay down in a lounge chair, casually picked up an unofficial history of the dayan dynasty, and began reading with relish. ever since hearing the conversation between the no-life sect leader and emperor kaiping that night, he had some suspicions. to confirm his thoughts, he decided to search for clues in the unofficial histories. never underestimate the potential truth hidden in unofficial histories. many things often defy reason yet are found within them, perfectly logical in their context. outside the bookstore, old zhang was anxiously pulling his son along to buy flour. for a short while, the scene inside and outside the study was a lively contrast between stillness and motion. ever since grand general hongzhi had escaped the assassination attempt during emperor kaipings heaven-worshipping ceremony, the capital city had been under curfew every night. after all, no one could predict whether the assassins would strike again. how could the capital remain unguarded? however, after so much time had passed, hongzhi still had not surfaced. no one knew where he was hiding or what he was doing. perhaps he felt that the time was not right and decided to hibernate once more. regardless of the reason, the capital city gradually grew serene. however, the dayan dynastys court was no longer peaceful. the impact of the assassination attempt during the heaven-worshipping ceremony was far from simple. it was as if a certain matter had been brought into the open, and once something happens for the first time, there is bound to be a second time. if someone could attempt to assassinate emperor kaiping, then what was holding back the common people, those who could no longer make a living under his oppression, from rebelling? for a short while, the dayan dynasty was suddenly plagued with uprisings. the government troops suppressed one rebellion after another, the speed of the changes in the situation taking everyone by surprise. liang sheng couldnt help but recall an article he had read in his past life, the world has suffered from qin for too long; it is better to die. to die with grand ambitions or to die waiting C which death would benefit the country? perhaps, at this moment, the mindset of the common people in the dayan dynasty was just like that. and so, although the government troops continued to suppress the rebellions, military expenses soared rapidly. however, the dayan dynasty had already been riddled with problems during emperor kaipings twenty years of indulgence, and the national treasury was empty. for a short while, the situation in the dayan dynasty became even more chaotic. rebellions erupted one after another, far beyond emperor kaipings imagination. why was this happening? how dare they do this? in the imperial library, emperor kaiping couldnt help but smash his beloved porcelain, his anger reaching its peak. immediately summon chen ping to return and command him to quell the bandits in the southwest within three months! i want the people of the world to see what fate awaits those who dare to rebel and rise against the throne! chen ping was the successor to grand general li hong after his departure and the sole surviving confidant of li hong. he had even inherited li hongs position. some commoners even referred to him as emperor kaipings loyal dog. over the past twenty years, the borders had been pacified, and every year during festive occasions, chen ping would continuously send exotic treasures from the border regions to the palace. at this moment, qin gang couldnt help but move his lips, hesitated for a moment and decided to speak up, your majesty, perhaps you should first seek the opinion of the individual within the palace who is most knowledgeable about rebellions and uprisings. what qin gang was referring to was naturally the no-life sect old master, after all, who could be more familiar with the rebellion than him? at this moment, emperor kaiping suddenly glanced at qin gang with cold eyes. even though qin gang was an innate master, he couldnt help but shudder at this moment and didnt dare to say more. emperor kaiping took a deep breath and forcibly calmed himself down. da ban, remember this, eunuchs cannot participate in politics, remember that! after saying that, his tone softened. after all, qin gang had been with him since he was young and had been loyal for all these years. this world is ultimately the world of my ye family, and it cannot be thrown into chaos. what i decree is the will of heaven. go, summon the frontier, and tell chen ping to immediately return to the capital. yes! liang sheng didnt know that emperor kaiping had already decided to let chen ping return to the capital to suppress the rebellion in the southwest. at this moment, he had read through many unofficial histories and discovered a common point among them. the grand ancestor of dayan attained his immortal destiny at mount kunwu, wielding a heavenly sword and conquering the seven great sects of the martial arts holy land, establishing the prosperous era of the dayan dynasty. although there were some differences in various unofficial histories, they were mostly the same. so, liang sheng couldnt help but want to go to mount kunwu and see for himself. perhaps it could help clarify some doubts in his heart. moreover, the unofficial histories also strengthened his aspiration to cultivate. even if he had a long lifespan, he had to possess the power of dao protection in order to save himself. in the era of unofficial histories, numerous calamities were recorded, such as fire falling from the sky, earth-shaking upheavals, and seawater pouring inland, all resembling doomsday scenarios. whats even more terrifying is that some even recorded a sword that annihilated a whole country with its cold light, which clearly showed the methods of cultivators. even in official histories, there are a few words that mention such records, making it clear that they are not groundless. this further strengthened liang shengs determination to cultivate and protect the dao. he needed the power to protect himself and survive! with that in mind, liang sheng didnt hesitate to start making arrangements for his departure to mount kunwu, such as managing his mansion and bidding farewell to old zhang. when he told old zhang that he wanted to go and see the mountains and rivers, he thought old zhang would try to persuade him. but to his surprise, old zhang just asked him to be careful. in this life, do whatever you want to do, or otherwise youll miss the opportunity. thats not a mistake, its just a missed chance that wont come again. as he said this, old zhang seemed to be reminiscing about some memories, and for a short while, neither of them spoke. that night, liang sheng and old zhang drank wine while talking late into the night. early the next morning, liang sheng left the capital and headed for mount kunwu. not long after liang sheng set out to track down the clue of dayans grand ancestor, chen ping rushed back to the capital. after receiving emperor kaipings decree, he immediately handed over military power and hurried to the capital. at this time, the banditry in the southwest was growing more and more serious, and the atmosphere in the court was extremely depressed. fortunately, chen pings arrival eased their pressure. after appointing chen ping as the great general to suppress the rebellion, emperor kaiping personally bestowed him a sword, i will be waiting in the capital for your good news. i have already prepared the victory celebration wine for you. dont let me down. your servant will do his best! on the same day, chen ping took a part of the elite frontier soldiers to jiangnan and then took over the military affairs of jiangnan, beginning to suppress the banditry in jiangnan. they originally thought that chen ping would easily suppress the rebellion, but after half a month, the court received news of chen pings betrayal! the world couldnt help but be shocked. chen pings slogan after his betrayal made emperor kaiping feel ashamed and furious. because chen pings slogan was very simple, but it had practically torn off emperor kaipings fig leaf and laid it bare in front of the common people. overthrow the tyrant and clear general lis name! chen ping, an ordinary man, how dare he do this! you all go die!!! Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Nine Provinces Tripod (Seeking More Readers) Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Nine Provinces Tripod (Seeking More Readers) Translator: 549690339 Northwest. Mount Kunwu. Upon reaching the summit, all other mountains seem small. At this moment on the top of Mount Kunwu, Liang Sheng looked at the fairyland-like scenery before him, immediately thought of this poem, and couldnt help but let out a long, passionate cry. In an instant, the forest trembled, and the wild animals in the forest were frightened and fled in panic. For a short while, the entire forest was thrown into chaos. After his cry, Liang Shengs gloom of more than a month was dispelled. He had followed the Kunwu mountain range for a month without finding any abnormalities. It seems that the records in the unofficial history books were really fabricated, and he came here for nothing. However, the beautiful scenery before him did bring him some consolation. After venting his emotions, Liang Sheng was ready to go down the mountain. He didnt know how the situation in Dayan had developed during this time, and whether the rebellion in the Southwest had been suppressed. He had been wandering around the forest on Mount Kunwu, so he was not aware of the situation. However, just as he prepared to descend the mountain, a landslide suddenly occurred on Mount Kunwu. With Liang Shengs cultivation level surpassing that of an Innate Master, he was naturally unharmed. But at this moment, Liang Sheng felt something and followed the path of the mountain fracture, only to find a hidden dimension inside. Were there really secrets hidden in Mount Kunwu? As Liang Sheng was excited, the moment the landslide on Mount Kunwu occurred, the Southwest completely rebelled, declared independence, and officially broke away from the rule of the Dayan Dynasty. That night, Emperor Kaiping knelt down in the Grand Temple without getting up. For a short while, the dynasty had no ruler. The Prime Minister received Qin Gangs oral message and hurriedly led hundreds of officials out of the Golden Hall, each performing their duties. No one knew what the hundreds of civil and military officials were thinking at this moment, but the fluttering of hearts had become a fact. After Chen Pings rebellion, the situation in Dayan had completely changed. The initial rebellion in the Southwest had been small-scale, but with Chen Pings support, the rebellion had become unstoppable. In an instant, the rule of the Dayan Dynasty was on the verge of collapse. Nobody had expected that in just twenty years, the title of Emperor Kaiping would become a joke. Outside the Grand Temple, Qin Gang looked anxious because Emperor Kaiping had been kneeling inside the temple for a day. How could he not be worried? However, he didnt know that at this moment, not only was Emperor Kaiping in the temple, but the Old Sect Master of the Lifeless Sect was also sitting by his side, their eyes closed and silent. Thirteenth Uncle, what should I do now? How dare these ordinary men bully me like this? If 1 personally lead the troops to suppress the rebellion in the Southwest, what do you think? When thinking of Chen Pings rebellion under the banner of clearing Li Hongs name, it felt like he was being undressed in public. If he had known this would happen, why didnt he deal with Chen Ping back then? However, who could have known that Chen Ping was waiting for the opportunity by plotting and biding his time? Twenty years! Chen Ping was really a man who could endure! The Old Sect Master of the Lifeless Sect glanced at Emperor Kaiping and gave him a meaningful look. Then, he suddenly said, Do you know how your father evaluated you before he passed away? Emperor Kaiping hesitated and didnt speak. The Old Sect Master of the Lifeless Sect continued to speak for himself, not avoiding Emperor Kaipings questions. Although your father was ruthless, his governance and strategy were first-rate. Otherwise, how could Prince Pingan, a hero of his generation, have given in so easily? Your father had said long ago that you were high-minded and incompetent. Although you have some means, you are too petty. However, you are the strongest descendant of his line, and he had no choice but to choose you. My father really thought so poorly of me? Emperor Kaiping didnt expect that he was so unbearable in Emperor Yan Jings eyes. But if that were the case, why did he pass the throne to himself? Wasnt it because he felt that he was not virtuous enough for the throne? But its because the Grand Ancestor of Dayan was a great strategist that he prepared for the incompetence of his descendants. You must have heard the legend of the Grand Ancestors encounter with Immortal Destiny on Mount Kunwu, which laid the foundation of the Dayan Dynasty. In fact, this is all true, but the order of events was reversed. It was only after the encounter with Immortal Destiny that the Grand Ancestor went to Mount Kunwu, buried the Nine Ding at the foot of the mountain, formed the Nine Provinces Array to suppress the dragon qi, and extracted the fortune of the Dayan Dynasty for them. It is precisely because of this that resources are transferred to ensure the continuity of the innate talents of my Ye family, with the foundation of the Dayan dynasty remaining solid. However, this is just one of the preventive measures put in place by Taizu, with the Lifeless Sect being the second. So do whatever you want to do now. If you really want to suppress the rebellion, you can bring along Qin Gang and even the holy sword, but you must leave the Nine Provinces Tripod to me. If you fail to restore order, then my Lifeless Sect will take action. With the Nine Provinces Tripod in hand, 1 can guarantee the continuation of the Ye familys legacy. Upon hearing this, Emperor Kaiping is first taken aback but then calms down. If he can suppress the rebellion, then nothing will happen. If he fails to suppress the rebellion, then he would have no face to meet his ancestors, and whats the point of holding on to the Nine Provinces Tripod? Anyway, as the Thirteenth Uncle said, by that time, even in the worst case scenario for him, the Ye family could at least continue its legacy. Thinking about this, he nods slightly and steps out of the Grand Temple. Seeing his state when he comes out, Qin Gang inexplicably rejoices. At this moment, Emperor Kaiping is rejuvenated, showing no sign of decadence, Da Ban, accompany me in my imperial campaign to the southwest. Upon hearing these words, Qin Gang reacts immediately, his heart full of pride and without any doubts. Yes! Mount Kunwu. At this moment, after the landslide, Liang Sheng discovers that inside Mount Kunwu, there is a hidden path, and thousands of meters below it, there is a palace. Liang Sheng confirms that he does not feel any danger, but he still sends beasts into the palace a few times, tying them with ropes, going back and forth to make sure they are safe. After a few more days of testing with birds and beasts, ensuring everything is foolproof, Liang Sheng finally steps in. The interior of the palace is not as splendid as he imagined, but the walls are covered with murals. Liang Sheng glances at them and quickly realizes that these murals depict the story of the Grand Ancestor of Dayan defeating the Seven Great Sects and laying the foundation of the Dayan dynasty. Surprisingly, behind the Seven Great Sects are people, or more accurately, cultivators. Witnessing the various divine abilities and flying swords severing life and death from miles away, Liang Sheng cant help but yearn for them. This is what cultivators are like! Moreover, the Seven Great Sects and the Grand Ancestor of Dayan are actually representatives of two cultivator forces. In the end, Dayan collaborates with one of the cultivator forces to drive away the other, thus establishing the Dayan dynasty. Thinking about his own strength, which is absolutely no match for cultivators, if the mortal world were to undergo another reshuffling of cultivator forces, he might suffer collateral damage. He must cultivate himself! After looking at all the murals and seeing the Nine Provinces Array deep in the hall, with the nine Ding buried underneath, Liang Sheng finally understands the situation. The Ye family is actually the representative of that cultivator force in Dayan. There are indeed immortals in this world, and they are actually in the same place as the secular world, but for some unknown reason, they are separated from each other. They will find a spokesperson in the mortal world, such as the Ye family of Dayan. After looking at the last few murals, Liang Sheng roughly figures out the meaning behind them. Every hundred years, the Ye family will support the luck of the dynasty, and cultivators will use certain methods to show no fear of the cost of the discrepancy between the immortal and mortal worlds, sending resources to the Ye family in Dayan. Some fortunate people will even be taken away by cultivators. It is unknown what role the dynastys luck plays in the cultivator force. At this moment, Liang Sheng naturally will not recklessly destroy the Feng Shui array in this place, so as not to suffer backlash and bear the consequences. But at the very least, he has found a clue to cultivation. There are ways to cultivate in the mortal world, at least there are clues in Dayan! After looking at the murals and getting a general idea, Liang Sheng leaves Mount Kunwu without hesitation. Its time to return to the Capital.. Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Collapse! (Please Continue Reading) Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Collapse! (Please Continue Reading) Translator: 549690339 Capital. Peaceful Mind Studio. Old Zhang got up early to prepare the stuffing, busying himself until the break of dawn, when the streets gradually filled with people. At that moment, Little Zhang was still stacking steaming baskets in the kitchen when he saw the old man suddenly walk out of the shop. He looked outside and understood what was going on. It turned out that Liang Sheng had returned. Old Zhang was quite surprised at this moment. He thought that Liang Sheng wouldnt return to the capital for at least three to five years after taking it so seriously. Unexpectedly, he returned only a few months later, and for a short while, Old Zhang was naturally somewhat pleasantly surprised. Old Liang, when did you get back? Liang Sheng smiled and said, I entered the capital last night, but because it was too late, I didnt tell you guys. Tonight, Ill treat you to a drink. Alright. Instead of going back to his bun shop, Old Zhang simply took out a teapot and tea leaves by the bookshelf, as if he were on familiar ground. Old Zhang, arent you going to go back and look after your shop? Seeing this, Liang Sheng found it a bit strange. At this time, Old Zhang heard this sentence and directly cursed. Look at what? Times are getting harder every day, and you can hardly see a few ghosts coming in all day long. If it wasnt for this being an ancestral business, 1 would have wanted to rest directly. At this point, he whispered: Our Majesty has personally led the troops to battle, but there has been no news so far, it seems to have run into trouble. Otherwise, with his love for achievements, how could the capital be so quiet? And the imperial merchants in the north of our city have been frequently going in and out of the household department lately; you know what that means. Old Zhang gave Liang Sheng a knowing look, and just as Liang Sheng was about to laugh and say a few words, he suddenly stopped talking. Someone came into the bookstore. Boss Liang, Boss Zhang, you are both here. I just happen to have some fruits that I just picked at home, so I specially brought them here for you to taste. The visitor was Manager Yang from the pawnshop next door, holding a basket of fruits in his hand. Liang Sheng and Old Zhang looked at each other as they saw this. After a few awkward chats, Manager Yang seemed to realize the awkward atmosphere and excused himself to leave. Liang Sheng gave Old Zhang a meaningful look: since when did the usually stingy Manager Yang suddenly become so generous? Old Zhang couldnt help but shake his head, not knowing what was going on. But Manager Yang had interrupted their conversation about Emperor Kaipings personal expedition, so Old Zhang got up and went back to his bun shop. For the next few days, Manager Yang would occasionally send over some snacks, gaining the favor of Old Zhang and the nearby merchants. Could it be that this iron rooster had changed his temper as he got older? It was not until Manager Yang personally went door to door delivering wedding invitations that they suddenly realized the reason. They had eaten his treats for the past few days, so naturally, they had to return the favor. They were heartbroken to think that theyd eaten some cheap fruits and now had to spend a lot of money on gifts. After all, according to the customs of the capital, at least ten taels of silver should be given as a gift in order not to lose face. Old Zhang and Liang Sheng could only shake their heads at this. They had been careless! However, Liang Sheng didnt care too much about it. In fact, he had been keeping an eye on the situation in the capital during this time. Old Zhang didnt know much about Emperor Kaipings personal expedition to the southwest, but Liang Sheng did. After all, with his current cultivation level, apart from the Mysterious Little Sword, even the innate experts posed no threat to him. He had already visited every department of the court, and no one had noticed. Emperor Kaipings days were not going well, as he had become trapped in the quagmire of the Southwest and could not extricate himself. Chen Ping, the great general who had kept the borderlands stable for twenty years, was not as skilled as Li Hong, but his military prowess was beyond doubt. If it had not been for the elite Dayan forces led by Emperor Kaiping, they might have already suffered a defeat. However, the situation remained extremely tense, and if it dragged on, things would not bode well. Dayan faced its biggest crisis in the past twenty years, but Liang Sheng was happy to see this situation. Only when the national fortune of Dayan was overturned after Mount Kunwu, could he seize an opportunity from the crisis. As for the suffering of the people and the living hardships of the ordinary folks, it was not Liang Shengs cause and effect but the consequence of Emperor Kaipings twenty years of sins. Thus, from the Southwest rebellion after the summer to the deep autumn, Emperor Kaiping was still entangled with the Southwest rebel forces, and the situation in the Capital became tense. The Capital even began to control the materials, limiting the amount of supplies purchased by the people. At this time, Liang Sheng looked in the direction of the Imperial Palace in the Capital and couldnt help but smile faintly at the corner of his mouth. It was almost time. The national fortune of the Dayan Dynasty had finally begun to waver, revealing signs of impending doom. However, just when everything was developing according to Liang Shengs wishes, there was an unexpected change. The fortune of Dayan was indeed declining, but the grand scheme of feng shui still revolved around the Ye Family. Liang Sheng immediately thought of the reason. It seemed that the Lifeless Sect had finally made its move. This rebellious sect, which was almost born alongside the Dayan Dynasty, had started to openly capture territories of Dayan. Did the enemy plan to completely abandon Emperor Kaiping? With the help of the Lifeless Sect, the Southwest rebels gained more momentum, making the situation that Emperor Kaiping was barely maintaining even worse. Leading the army in the Southwest battlefield, Emperor Kaiping retreated at every turn; even the Capital, which was trying to conceal the news, could no longer suppress it. For a short while, both the court and the secular people became frightened, and the nobles began to prepare with two hands. Liang Sheng, who knew about Ye Familys ancestors arrangement, remained as steady as Mount Tai at this moment. Since the Lifeless Sect had already taken action to solve this troublesome rebellion, he feared that there would be a change in the Southwest battlefield. Sure enough, not long after, the news of victory came from the Southwest battlefield. Rebel Chen Ping was found by Emperor Kaiping, and Qin Gang personally killed him on the spot. Not only did Chen Ping die, but the Bald Master, who had previously tried to assassinate Emperor Kaiping during the Heaven Sacrifice, also died under Qin Gangs sword. It turned out that Hongzhi had gone south to join the rebels in order to take revenge and met up with Chen Ping. Thus, Chen Pings safety was guaranteed for a while, and his whereabouts were unknown to others. However, the failure all started when there were problems within the fortress the result was actually doomed when the Southwest rebel forces cooperated with the Lifeless Sect. But Emperor Kaiping did not win in the end. Twenty years of indulgence had already emptied his body. After receiving the news of Chen Pings death, Emperor Kaiping was overcome by a mix of joy and grief. His breath gave out, and he finally couldnt hold on and collapsed that day. Despite the treatment of famous doctors afterward, Emperor Kaipings illness had reached an incurable point. The Southwest uprising was not yet fully subdued, and with Emperor Kaipings life hanging in the balance, the army had no choice but to return to the court. During the journey back to the Capital, Emperor Kaiping ultimately couldnt hold on and died halfway. Afterward, rebellions broke out one after another across the nation. The Lifeless Sect showed unparalleled strength among the various rebel forces, sweeping across the entire Dayan Dynasty like a wildfire. In this situation, chaos also began to spread in the Capital. Fortunately, the Crown Prince made a decisive move and broke into the Five Armies Commanders Mansion with thunderous momentum, calming the hearts of the people. After gaining control of the Imperial Army and the Five Armies Commanders Mansion, the Capitals Shenji Camp also guarded the Imperial Palace, and the situation was finally under control. The Crown Prince took charge of the government! Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Destined to Succeed (Seeking Support) Chapter 81: Chapter 81: Destined to Succeed (Seeking Support) Translator: 549690339 Capital. Imperial Palace. At this moment, compared with before, the Imperial Armys defense is tighter than ever. With the news of Emperor Kaipings sudden death, the Crown Prince moved into Weiyang Palace overnight. After all, a country cannot be without a ruler for even a day. The Crown Prince must now hold court in the palace to reassure the people and deter villains. Its a pity that during Emperor Kaipings reign, he was domineering and overbearing, holding all power tightly in his hands, never giving Crown Prince Ye Kai a chance to show his face. As a result, the Crown Prince has never been involved in the court, and at first, the Imperial Army didnt have much confidence in him wielding power. Fortunately, the Crown Prince has loyal subjects around him, most of whom are capable. Moreover, during the crisis, he single-handedly broke into the Five Armies Commanders Mansion, showing his kingly aura. It is precisely because of Ye Kais actions, coupled with the military power at hand, that the Dayan Imperial Court has been temporarily stabilized, and the capital has not experienced major problems. However, everyone knows that this is just a temporary solution. If the Crown Prince cant appease the court and suppress the worlds rebellions in the future, there may be a change in the Dayan Imperial Courts name. Under such apprehensive circumstances throughout the capital, both ordinary people and aristocratic families are afraid to leave their homes at night. As a result, a curfew has once again appeared in the capital, and the situation is more severe than any previous time, affecting even the businesses in the Red Light District. Imperial Palace. At this moment, Crown Prince Ye Kais expression is gloomy. If the late Emperor had allowed him to get involved in politics earlier, perhaps the Dayan would not have declined to such an extent. Only after taking charge of the house, does one know the extent of its decay. This is what Ye Kai thinks now. When Emperor Kaiping first ascended the throne, although there had been Prince Pingans rebellion earlier, the National Treasury was full, and all was peaceful under heaven. However, in just twenty years, Emperor Kaiping caused the National Treasury to become empty, and endless factional strife emerged in the court. Although the situation around the capital is still controllable, the further away it is, the worse the situation becomes locally, causing the people severe hardship. After specifically checking the recent reports from the southwest, the Crown Prince couldnt help but sigh in his heart. The rebellion in the southwest was actually an inevitable result. What he felt fortunate about now was that although his father had died, at least the rebellion in the southwest had been scattered for now. Although there are still rebellions all over the country, they are not as serious as the southwest. As long as he ascends the throne and focuses on recovery, Dayan should still be salvageable. Ye Kai quietly reassures himself, unwittingly walking to the Grand Temple, and then staring at it in a daze. Before, he had followed his father in paying homage to their ancestors, praying for the fortune of the Dayan Kingdom. Now, with Emperor Kaipings sudden death and his body soon to be brought back to the capital, he has to truly take charge of the unruly Dayan. With this thought in mind, his expression grows even more somber, as he pushes open the main gate of the Grand Temple. At this moment, among the flickering candlelight in front of the ancestral tablets, a wisp of green smoke lingers. There is an elderly figure with white hair and beard, dutifully replacing extinguished incense with new ones. Ye Kai couldnt help but feel warmth in his heart, You can leave now. 1 want to sit here alone for a while, and no one will hold you accountable. Since he had not yet ascended the throne, Ye Kai could only call himself His Majesty. The old eunuch who was guarding the temple didnt leave upon hearing this, causing Ye Kai to frown. However, before Ye Kai could speak, the white-haired old man took the initiative to speak, You are quite good, but unfortunately, you were born at the wrong time. Originally regarded as a eunuch guarding the temple, the moment he opened his mouth, the Crown Prince realized something was off. Who are you? Who am I? Your father should have been the one to tell you, but since hes dead now, Ill have to tell you myself. As the white-haired old man turned around, who else could he be but the Old Sect Master of the Lifeless Sect? At this moment, Ye Kai does not call for the Imperial Armys help. His composure made the Old Sect Master nod in approval. As the Old Sect Master continued, Ye Kai became increasingly shocked by his story. But when it ended, he decided to believe everything the other party had said. Because everything mentioned matched up with the facts, and the Nine Provinces Tripod was in the hands of the Lifeless Sect at this moment. Emperor Kaiping personally guarded this important artifact, and it could only be touched with his permission by the descendants of the Ye family. Anyone who touched the Nine Provinces Tripod without permission would suffer from the backlash of the dynastys luck and have their lifespan shortened. Ye Kai calmed down and said, So youre saying that my unknown-generation Uncle Ye Chen has decided to go with the popular sentiment and is preparing to overthrow Dayan and establish a new dynasty? Ye Kais complexion darkened. No wonder the Lifeless Sects power was growing; it turned out there was such a secret hidden in the background. Almost all territories south of Dayan were now in their control. We have no choice. Your father has plunged the world into chaos, and its beyond help. We can only go with the flow and establish a new dynasty. Moreover, you are still young, and your Martial Arts skills havent faltered. Once the new dynasty is established, you can form a new sect and become the guardian of the new dynasty. Hearing this, Ye Kais expression became complicated. How could he accept this? After all, he belonged to the legitimate lineage. The Old Sect Master noticed his reluctance and couldnt help but laugh, Do you know why our Lifeless Sect branch of the Ye family has been able to hide in the darkness for so many years? At the mention of this, Ye Kai was taken aback. In the heat of the moment, he hadnt considered this question. Because Dayan is only a small part of the vast world, we are merely the guardians of the cultivation worlds powers. Every hundred years, we gather enough fortune and the Upper Sect sends resources to us for cultivation. Why else do you think our Ye familys innate talents have remained strong? Is it really just because of an abundance of geniuses? Aside from providing resources, the messenger also selects people to enter the cultivating world. Our Lifeless Sect branch is willing to lurk in the darkness because we have priority. Only when our disciples lack merit, will he choose someone from the main imperial family branch of the Ye family to follow the Upper Sect into the cultivation world. Now you understand why our Lifeless Sect branch is willing to live in the shadows, dont you? When the new dynasty is established, your branch will also have priority. This was the wisdom of the Grand Ancestor of Dayan. Only in this way can we ensure the continuous inheritance and everlasting prosperity of the Ye family. If it werent for the fact that Dayan is beyond saving, or perhaps we could still have ten-odd years to support it, I wouldnt be willing to have our branch come out now to control Dayan since the messenger is about to arrive. Unfortunately, the situation is pressing, and for the sake of the Ye familys continuing legacy, our Lifeless Sect branch has no choice but to do so Hearing this, Ye Kai remained silent for a long time. But what if there comes an extreme situation where neither the main imperial family branch nor the Lifeless Sect branch can shoulder the responsibility, and the dynastys fortune is taken by others? What should we do? The Old Sect Master of the Lifeless Sect couldnt help but nod when he heard this. Ye Kai was indeed outstanding as he thought far ahead, and his eyes were filled with appreciation. Your question is excellent. Do you know why I want to keep the Nine Provinces Tripod? Because if that situation occurs, it will tell us how to enter the cultivation world. The Nine Provinces Tripod? Yes, but I cant tell you this secret now. When you become the guardian hiding in the shadows of the new Ye Dynasty, 1 will tell you everything. If I dont live to see that time, someone else will replace me to tell you everything. So have you made your decision now? Alright, I agree with you. However, I want to try and see if the world really collapses, only then will 1 resign myself to the situation and become the Lifeless Sect of the new dynasty. Of course, you can. Ye Kai stared deeply at the Old Sect Master of the Lifeless Sect and decisively left without any hesitation. However, after leaving the Grand Temple, his brows furrowed even more. Is this world truly beyond saving? At the same time, not far away, Liang Sheng looked towards the Imperial Palace with a deep gaze, as the result he was waiting for was getting closer. As long as he waited for the Dayan Dynasty to crumble, that would be the moment he seized the Nine Provinces Tripod, and by then he should know the secrets of the cultivation world. At this moment, Liang Sheng wasnt anxious.. The Nine Provinces Tripod was as good as his! Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Invincible Under Cultivation (Seeking More Reads) Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Invincible Under Cultivation (Seeking More Reads) Translator: 549690339 Capital. Peaceful Mind Studio. At this moment, the steamed bun shop across the street is not open for business, not because Old Zhang is slacking off, but because the Capital is currently under lockdown. How could he find any extra flour or raw meat to make steamed buns? Of course, due to Liang Shengs advice beforehand, Old Zhang had hoarded a few supplies. Although he couldnt do business, he had at least ensured his familys food and clothing needs were met. Old Zhang didnt tell anyone about this. Given the current situation, revealing it would only bring trouble, as peoples intentions were hard to predict. In these turbulent times, everyone needed to just mind their own business and survive, which was already quite a feat. This was the case in the Dayan Capital, let alone other places. Emperor Kaipings body had returned to the Capital, but since the urgent matter at hand was to quell the rebellion, Ye Kai naturally wouldnt be distracted by it. Emperor Kaiping probably never imagined that the situation at his death would be so desolate, with a hasty burial and no grand show befitting a deceased emperor. Under such circumstances, Ye Kai didnt pretend to mourn and instead directly ascended the throne, with the new reign name of Jianyuan. Ye Kai originally thought that his diligent governance would help stabilize the foundation of the Dayan Kingdom, but he never expected that in the short span of twenty years, the Dayan Dynasty had spiraled downward so irreversibly. Even with his great talents and strategies, he had no capable people under him and could only lament his powerlessness. In the spring of the first year of Jianyuan, the southwestern part of Dayan completely fell out of the dynastys control, and the insurgent Lifeless Sect swept into Jiangnan. In the autumn of Jianyuans first year, the whole of Jiangnan fell, the south united, and the Lifeless Sects rebels established a country, named the Great Ming. In the spring of Jianyuans second year, the central plains were lost, and the decline of the Dayan Dynasty was inevitable. Local garrison troops in various places either deserted or surrendered on the spot. The Lifeless Sect attracted ordinary people with the concept of a homeland without birth and death, refraining from massacring the cities they conquered. They even redistributed land, and it was precisely because of this that their momentum became irresistible, engulfing the entire Dayan Kingdom. Whenever the Lifeless Sect rebels arrived at a place, local people eagerly welcomed them, causing the remaining territory of the Dayan Kingdom to be only in the north. Capital Damn! Atop the Golden Hall, Emperor Jianyuan Ye Kai angrily threw the memorial on the ground, his face full of rage, as if he wanted to eat someone. A hundred thousand strong army. Even if it were a hundred thousand pigs, they would have to be slaughtered for days and nights. How on earth does that idiot Wu Chun wage war? At this moment, Emperor Jianyuan Ye Kai vented his anger, causing the entire Golden Hall to be silent. Just then, another piece of bad news arrived from outside the hall. Report! Urgent news from 800 li away. The insurgent Lifeless Sects army has crossed the Yanhe River, and the entire Dayan Beijun has fallen into enemy hands. The next moment, Emperor Jianyuan slumped down in his seat. Dayan was finished! Once the rebels crossed the Yanhe River, they would be able to attack the Dayan Capital directly, leaving the Capital without any barriers to protect it. The various officials in the hall had different expressions, and seeing this, Emperor Jianyuan couldnt help but laugh bitterly in his heart. It seemed that Dayan was utterly beyond saving. Since peoples hearts had already been lost, there was no point in talking about a revival. If that was the case Thinking of this, Emperor Jianyuan didnt wait for the eunuch to announce the end of the court session, instead directly exiting the Golden Hall. It was time for him to talk to that person. After all, he was right. This world was beyond saving. Even though the dynastys name would no longer be Dayan after that, the world would still bear the Ye surname. Moreover, according to what that person had said, if someone from their lineage was lucky enough to be chosen when they arrived thirteen years later, there would be no need to worry about this worldly power and influence. Emperor Jianyuans sudden departure left the Golden Hall silent. However, after a brief moment of surprise, the officials orderly left the hall. It was time for them to think about their families. This world, whoever it belonged to, couldnt do without their powerful families Imperial Palace. Grand Temple. Youve come? Ye Kai had just entered the Grand Temple, and the old sect master of the Lifeless Sect had not even opened his eyes. Ye Kai silently looked at him, nodding slightly. I agree to your conditions, but how should 1 proceed? Seeing Ye Kais performance, the old sect master was not surprised at all, There is no need to worry, when the capital is broken, you can leave. Have you thought of a name for your sect? White Lotus Sect. Good. In the second year of the Jianyuan era in summer, the Lifeless Sect attacked the Dayan capital, causing no harm to the civilians. That night, the nine provinces of Dayan were shaken, the fate of the Dayan Dynasty was shattered, and its allotted time had come to an end. In and out of the palace in the capital, fighting continued incessantly. The Five Armies Commanders Mansion, the Divine Machinist Camp, and the Imperial Army were engaged in a life-or-death struggle inside the palace. The Lifeless Sect rebels were fearless and relentlessly pushed forward. However, Ye Chen, who led the elite forces of the Lifeless Sect, did not pursue at full speed because he needed to give Thirteenth Uncle time to tie up loose ends. Before the Grand Temple, the old sect master of the Lifeless Sect took out the Nine Provinces Tripod in front of Ye Kai and explained a few things. Ye Kai finally understood everything. From now on, this will be the secret of your White Lotus Sect. If the Great Ming Dynasty ever encounters a day like this, you must do as the Lifeless Sect did today and let the world continue to be surnamed Ye. Today, the Dayans fate has run out. The last wisp of the Kings aura within the Nine Provinces Tripod needs to be extracted by your last king. After Ye Kai extracted the last wisp of the Kings aura from the Nine Provinces Tripod according to the old sect masters description, there seemed to be a wailing between heaven and earth. Everyones heart trembled for a moment, and then there was no more sensation, as if it was just an illusion. Outside the royal palace, Ye Chens spirit was lifted, and everything was ready. He raised his arm and shouted, Kill your way into the palace, and today, the Great Ming will become the rightful heir to the world. Kill! Inside the Grand Temple, the old sect master saw that things were going smoothly and could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. After that, his lineage would become the legitimate lineage of the dynasty and establish the Great Ming. But at this moment, Qin Gang outside the door shouted loudly. The old sect masters heart tightened, and before he could react, a white-haired man appeared in front of them, reaching out for the Nine Provinces Tripod with both hands. This man was none other than Liang Sheng, who had changed his appearance. He had been waiting for this opportunity for two years since he returned from Mount Kunwu. As a result of his hard work and patience, he finally caught the moment when the old dynasty of the Nine Provinces Tripod was dead, and the new king had not yet risen, so seizing the tripod would not be contaminated by cause and effect. At this time, the old sect master also realized what was happening and tried to stop Liang Sheng. However, Liang Sheng merely slapped him back effortlessly. The old sect master was struck by the blow, and as if he had been hit by lightning, he could not speak a word, leaving only an angry glare in his eyes before he died. He didnt even have time to tell Ye Kai all the secrets of the Ye Family, including the matter of the Nine Provinces Tripod, and he died with unresolved grievances. Seeing this, Ye Kai was filled with grief and horror. The old sect master was an Innate Master, but he had been killed so easily. Who could the other party be? Thinking of this, Ye Kai hurriedly retreated. Just then, Qin Gang, who had been keeping guard outside the Grand Temple, rushed in with a small sword in his hand. However, by this time, Liang Sheng had already lifted the Nine Provinces Tripod, preparing to leave. Seeing this, Qin Gang, in his haste, spat a mouthful of essence blood onto his small sword, and a horrifying aura enveloped the entire Grand Temple. But this time, Liang Sheng did not dodge the attack. According to the records of Mount Kunwu, this was nothing more than a half artifact that absorbed the essence blood and consumed the lifespan of its owner, thereby doubling its power. Prince Pingan and Xuan Kong had died by this sword. But Liang Sheng, who had broken through the twelfth level of the Golden Dragon Technique, was still in the Innate Realm. He faced the sword without panicking and blocked it with one move. How is this possible!? Upon seeing this, Ye Kai and Qin Gang could not help but be at a loss. However, Liang Sheng did not linger after blocking this sword and directly attacked with full force. Qin Gang, as an Innate Master, could not even react and fell immediately. Below the path of cultivation, I am invincible! Liang Sheng then reached out with his left hand to seize the small sword, and holding the Nine Provinces Tripod, he quickly left the palace. The two sides fighting outside had not yet comprehended what was happening when Liang Sheng completely disappeared into the night. Only Ye Kai was left in the Grand Temple, staring blankly at the two corpses on the ground, shivering all over. These were two Innate Grandmasters, who had died so easily. Who was the other party? The mysterious white-haired old man had the power of a god, Ye Kai and Ye Chen dared not delve too deeply and could only wait for the arrival of someone from the other side thirteen years later to inquire. Afterward, the Dayan Dynasty perished, and the Great Ming was established. However, in the shadows, the White Lotus Sect was born in response to the circumstances, dependent on each other. As for the lost Nine Provinces Tripod, it became an unsolved mystery, and the Great Ming Dynasty could only recast the Mountain River Tripod to suppress the mountains and rivers! Chapter 86 - Chapter 86: Chapter 84: In Life, Safety First (Seeking Chapter 86: Chapter 84: In Life, Safety First (Seeking Subscription, Seeking Monthly Tickets)_2 Translator: 549690339 However, now we only have the Mountain River Tripod forged by the Great Ming Dynasty, and we need to merge this Black Iron Command into it, so that it can act as the last safeguard for our Ye Family.11 Ye Kai heard this, thought of what the Old Sect Master of the Lifeless Sect had said earlier, and after a moment of silence, he gritted his teeth, Add two more Barrier Breaking Pills! Deal! Then Ye Chen readily handed over the two Barrier Breaking Pills to Ye Kai, who at this time gathered rhe children he brought with him, feeling somewhat helpless. He comforted the children and then looked up at Ye Chen, Ye Chen, I hope your lineage can last for a hundred years, and dont make the same mistake as us.* Hearing this, Ye Chen nodded, of course, he would not repeat the same mistake, and then Ye Kai took his people away, fearing that if he stayed longer, he would regret his decision. After all, he was doing this for the Ye Family. After getting the Black Iron Command, Ye Chen immediately summoned the three Innate Grandmasters outside to guard his sides, and then he hurried down the mountain. On the way down, sitting in the imperial carriage, Ye Chen thought of the words of the young cultivator and couldnt help but shake his head and smile bitterly. Cultivation? So difficult? Our ancestor Taizu was so talented, yet even when he got the Immortal Cultivation Technique, he couldnt even enter the entry level. There must be a reason why Taizu decided to put it aside and not let the younger generation get involved. As for expansion? Hmph which country around the Great Ming is easy? Defending what we have can guarantee the unbroken inheritance of the Ye Family. Maybe one day our descendants will enter the Cultivation World and ascend to the heavens, then we can talk about other things. Greed comes at a price. This is the ancestral admonition engraved in the Grand Temple. Even the indulgent Emperor Kaipingonly made grave mistakes domestically. Zhaowu Emperor murmured, then fell silent and cheered up again. At least their Ye Family was still the ruler of the Great Ming Dynasty. At this moment, outside the cave, Liang Sheng took a deep breath. With his Attribute Panel Concealment, even cultivators couldnt discover him hiding not far away. Then, he no longer hesitated and stepped into the thick fog with his left foot, half of his body outside and motionless. He couldnt distinguish the directions within the thick fog, so he directly took out the Black iron Command. Then, he saw the fluorescent light from the command indicating the direction, and Liang Sheng couldnt help but feel pleasantly surprised. If the Black Iron Command he had was invalid, he would have to go back and talk to Ye Chen, who would probably be willing to hand over his Black Iron Command to him. At this point, Liang Sheng focused his mind, and although he didnt know the principle behind the use of the Black Iron Command, it must involve the separation method and rules between the Cultivation World and the Mortal World. Without it, he feared that even with his cultivation level, he would get lost in the thick fog. With that thought in mind, Liang Sheng no longer hesitated and continued walking. He felt a force pressing on him, making him walk on foot. He wondered if cultivators were the same way. He didnt know how long it took before the thick fog in front of him suddenly began to dissipate. He could see that he was almost at the end, but instead of leaving the fog, he turned back. He was unmatched in the mortal world, but he was afraid that he was even worse than an ant in the Cultivation World. With his long Lifespan, why risk going to the Cultivation World now? Wasnt it like sticking ones face in the grass? Moreover, the young cultivator had made it very clear that the Barrier Breaking Pills were just the requirement of the Ye Familys Ancestor. If they could acquire more territories and provide more fortune, they could exchange for techniques and resources without having to wait for a hundred years like the Ye Family did. In that case, why not plan and plot in the secular world until he had the ability to protect himself before ascending to the Cultivation World? As for the Ye Familys Ancestor, Liang Sheng regretted not being able to meet him. They were definitely like-minded. Why would they need to wage war when they could enjoy the luck of a nation in peace? Would it be a tragedy if someone wiped them out? Ye Chen would rather not gamble on the Ye Familys descendants entering the Cultivation World, and instead ensure he had a last resort. It seemed that being cautious in the family tradition had already been etched into the bones of the Ye Family. However, the fact that the Ye Familys Ancestor had acquired the cultivation techniques, as mentioned by the Zhaowu Emperor, still needed to be planned. After confirming his guess, Liang Sheng did nor hesitate anymore and immediately set off in the direction of the Capital. At this moment, Liang Shengs eyes were deep, and he already had a rough plan in his heart. in life, safety comes first! Great Ming, the Capital. The first thing Emperor Zhaowu, Ye Chen, did after returning to the capital was to secretly summon skilled craftsmen from all over the country. The Imperial Army guarded closely, with Innate Grandmasters guarding all around, and outsiders were not allowed to enter. Their mission was to meld the Black Iron Command into the Mountain River Tripod. Once the work was completed, all the craftsmen involved would be executed. However, their families would receive generous compensation, and as long as they were willing to live honestly, they would have a worry-free life. At this time, peace prevailed in the Great Ming Dynasty, and Ye Chen worked even harder to govern the country, developing peoples livelihoods and nurturing resources. Subsequently, various policies to encourage childbirth emerged one after another. After all, without people in the country, where would the fortune of the dynasty come from? However, just when Zhaowu Emperor was striving for prosperity, a rumor suddenly spread in the capital, saying that the current Great Ming Imperial Family was actually rhe bloodline of the Dayan Dynasty, which had lasted for thousands of years. Back then, the Lifeless Sect was actually the dark child of the Dayan Imperial Family. They acred both openly and secretly to ensure that the rulers of the world would always be surnamed Ye. What was even more explosive was that the current White Lotus Sect was actually the dark child of the Great Ming Dynasty, and the White Lotus Sect Leader was none other than Emperor Jianyuan Ye Kai, who had led the Dayan Dynasty to its demise back then.. Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: Chapter 86: First Level of Qi Training (Extra Chapter 93: Chapter 86: First Level of Qi Training (Extra 4600, asking for subscriptions and monthly tickets) 3 Translator: 549690339 Very well, since you have no objections, Ministry of Rituals! All? Im here. At this moment, Ye Chen withdrew his innate aura, and the Minister of Rituals couldnt help but breathe a sigh of relief, quickly stepping forward to wait for orders. You will be in charge of coordinating the donations from the nobles. If the money collected is not enough to reward the army, I fear that our Great Ming is truly at the brink of ruin! Court is dismissed!!! After saying this, Ye Chen immediately left the Golden Hall. The ministers in the hall looked at each other in bewilderment. Then, the nobles swarmed around the Minister of Rituals, all chattering away like a market place. Damn Ye Chen! But at this moment, the Great Ming has six Great Innate Experts. No, Emperor Zhaowu Ye Chen is also an Innate Grandmaster, that makes seven. Who could possibly stand against them?! The rule of the Great Ming is solid, so they have no choice but to accept their fate! The Minister of Rituals wore a wry smile at this time, but he had made up his mind to carry out Ye Chens order. After all, the current situation is clear. The Great Ming is as stable as Mount Tai, blessed with national fortune, the scales of victory have long tipped in favor of the Ye Family. Half a month later. Chen Ting led the Northwestern Rebel Suppressing Army and arrived fifteen miles outside the Capital City. The gate was already decked out with decorations, drums and gongs were loud, and the crowd was huge. Ye Chen was leading the civil and military officials in waiting. He wanted the people of the Great Ming to see that the sky wouldnt fall, and they should be obediently be the subjects of the Great Ming. A while later, Ye Chen finally couldnt help but frown. Half a stick of incense ago, the scouts had reported that Chen Tings army was only five miles away. Why hadnt they appeared yet? He didnt doubt that Chen Ting was basking in his achievements, but he was worried that they had run into some trouble. Just then, a rider could be seen charging towards them from not too far away. Protect His Majesty! The Imperial Army hadnt even reached them when they were scolded away by Ye Chen. He had already recognized that the approaching rider was a scout from Chen Tings army. Reporting! Your Majesty, the Grand General has been assassinated! What? How is the Grand General now? A bad feeling filled Ye Chens heart. The civil and military ministers all had different expressions, they were all staggered and didnt respond for a while. The Innate Grandmaster was assassinated? Who could be so bold to commit such an act? Regardless of the outcome, the assassin could be called a warrior. The Grand General has been killed in the assassination! What! In an instant, Ye Chen went pale. The rebellion had been suppressed very smoothly over the past two months, this had led him to bury that sliver of fear deep within him. At this moment, the drumming had long since stopped, the area at the city gate was deathly silent. Now that Chen Ting had died, Ye Chen was once again reminded of the potential mastermind. Previously, they had killed the Innates as easily as slaughtering dogs. Did you get a clear look at the assassins appearance? It was an old man with white hair. He killed the Grand General with just one finger. He also said What else did he say?! He said, the Great Ming did not rightfully obtain the nation, it must be destroyed. Those virtuous under heaven may all strike at it! Upon hearing this, the atmosphere among the welcoming troops became even more eerie. Ye Chen felt a sweet taste in his mouth and forcibly swallowed the blood back! Da Ban! This servant is here! Quickly go to the Northwestern Rebel Suppressing Armys camp to maintain order, dont let the army become chaotic! Ye Chen handed his jade pendant to the Eunuch Supervisor beside him. At this moment, it was not suitable for the Northwestern Rebel Suppressing Army to enter the Capital City, it was best to station them outside the city. After that, Ye Chen hastily returned to the palace. The entire award ceremony for the army became a joke, and those with ulterior motives started to harbor other ideas again. Who was this mysterious master that killed Chen Ting? The Great Ming was illegitimately established, the virtuous may strike at it? Could it be Meanwhile, the first thing Ye Chen did when he returned to the palace was to send messengers to the other armies to issue a warning. The situation of Chen Ting being assassinated and killed had completely put him on full alert. This person behind the scenes had made a stunning appearance. Now, he just wanted to gather the remaining Innate Grandmasters in one place to prevent them from being picked off individually. After that, they would gather back at the Capital City and make further plans. At this moment, he was sitting in the Grand Temple, looking at the Mountain River Tripod in front of him, feeling an indescribable bitterness. He was probably going to have to make the final preparations now. But the news that followed made it even harder for Ye Chen to accept. The areas that had been subdued in the rebellion were once again in chaos. The Great Ming was illegitimately established, those with virtues may strike at it! This sentence had become the revolutionary declaration of all the rebel armies, and they were fanatically enthusiastic about it. In the short ten days that followed, apart from Chen Ting who fell outside the Capital City, the Innate Grandmasters of the other five rebel suppressing armies were all killed by a single finger of a mysterious old man! After killing each person, the old man would repeat the sentence about the illegitimate establishment of the Great Ming. Everyone in the army heard it loud and clear. This mysterious old man was definitely an enemy of the Great Ming, or perhaps he was an enemy of the Ye Family. Therefore, he didnt care who got the world as long as it didnt belong to the Ye Family. Given this Then lets revolt! (No more) PS: Except for eating, drinking and relieving myself, Ive been writing all day. I thought about it and the new chapter wouldnt be ready until around midnight, so there wouldnt be another chapter today, consider this tomorrows chapter. But Ive written about 20,000 words in four updates today, haha, Ive really been working hard at it. Please try to understand, I have tendonitis, thank you everyone! Also, its time to showcase a newcomer friends work, please see the link (Ive counted, this PS doesnt cost anything, dont worry..) Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Chapter 88: Second Level of Qi Training (Extra Chapter 99: Chapter 88: Second Level of Qi Training (Extra 4400, asking for subscriptions and monthly tickets) 3 Translator: 549690339 The Imperial Palace Temple. At this point, Zhou Kun was already clad in a dragon robe, his image as a Heavenly Son becoming increasingly apparent. However, today, Zhou Xing had him kneel in the temple, saying that he was to meet an elder from their family. Soon, a white-haired old man appeared before them. If it wasnt Liang Sheng, then who could it be? Zhou Xing looked conflicted at this moment, but he soon regained his composure. Kun, from now on, you will succeed as the Emperor of our Great Zhou, you should meet this elder from our family. If it were not for him, how could the world be ours, the Zhou familys? Liang Sheng wasnt speaking at this moment. All he did was watch Zhou Kun. With the innate talent of the Zhou bloodline, Zhou Xing naturally knew what was most beneficial for the Zhou family. After hearing Zhou Xings words, Zhou Kun opened his mouth wide in disbelief. Just how old was this white-haired elder? After all, it was him who had assisted the Crown Prince in seizing the throne. But immediately after, he became overexcited. With an ancestor such as this, the Zhou familys rule would be as stable as a mountain. Zhou Kun was sensible enough to understand this, hence, the atmosphere further improved. Liang Sheng was also pleased with Zhou Kuns performance, his nearly hundred-year-long plan had finally started to bear fruit. The Zhou family, as expected, was the right choice! Under such joy, Liang Sheng presented Zhou Kun a jade bottle that contained the Barrier Breaking Pill that had been seized from Ye Chen. Zhou Kun had taken the Barrier Breaking Pill before his breakthrough to the Innate. Seeing the elixir now, he was extremely excited. The familys ancestor truly was the cornerstone of the state. With this Barrier Breaking Pill, the Great Zhou could increase by another four innates! Zhou Xing only sighed in his heart, seeing Zhou Kuns excited demeanor. He knew his son might have misunderstood the relationship between Liang Sheng and the Zhou family, but he didnt bother to explain. After all, the Zhou family could only follow. The more they knew, the more they feared. Just how strong was the other party? Why would the Zhou family seek roads to their destruction? Especially when the other party showed no interference in the Zhou familys affairs for ninety years, they just let him be. On the seventh year of Emperor Wu, Xuanzong passed away, and everyone in the empire mourned! Meanwhile, Liang Sheng was at a manor on the outskirts of the capital, watching children play in the courtyard. Anyone who passed by Liang Shengs small courtyard in the mansion would tread lightly. After all, this was the family ancestor, and it would not do to disturb the old man. Liang Sheng, although he still looked old and white-haired, had slightly changed his appearance. At this moment, he looked at his Attribute Panel C Name: Liang Sheng Age: 224 Talent: Innocent Foolishness (Top-Grade) Techniques: Upper Pure Immortal Scripture (Second Layer), Twenty Life-Nurturing Techniques (Sixteenth Layer) Realm: Qi Training Second Layer (95%) Lifespan: 9234 [PS: The Golden Dragon Technique no longer affects the protagonist, and 1 wont pad out the word count with it anymore] After ninety-seven years, Liang Sheng had progressed with the Life-Nurturing Techniques to the sixteenth layer. After breaking through the fifteenth and sixteenth layers, his lifespan surged by 5200 years. Once he made another breakthrough with the Life-Nurturing Techniques, his lifespan would exceed ten thousand. Liang Sheng was also close to entering the third layer of Qi Training. This was still due to the talent of Innocent Foolishness having no bottleneck, otherwise it would be even more difficult. The Grand Ancestor of Dayan entered the cultivation market with only twenty years of life remaining, and had reached the third layer of Qi Training. Although the spiritual energy in the cultivation market was denser than in the secular world, one could still see how slow Liang Shengs training speed was. However, Liang Sheng was not in a hurry. After all, the hundred-year period was approaching, and that was when his official plan was to begin. The manor where he was staying was actually of the Zhou bloodline, but after ninety years, they didnt know they shared the same lineage with the Great Zhou Imperial Family. This was also intentional on Liang Shengs part. Now he was the ancestor of both the manor and the Great Zhou Imperial Family. The Imperial Family was responsible for supporting the luck of the Hua Tian Sects dynasty. The Zhou family in the manor were his chess pieces to test the Hua Tian Sect. With the ability of the Zhou bloodline, they could be very useful to him. The two did not interfere with each other; they didnt even know about the existence of the cultivation world. Only Liang Sheng held all the secrets. The Zhou family enjoyed the worlds wealth, and he took advantage of them, making connections with the cultivation world to enhance his path of immortality. This was a win-win situation! At this moment, Liang Shengs eyes were deep. In another three years, the hundred-year period would be near. At that time, he would have to go to Mount Kunwu, strike the Nine Ding, and notify the Hua Tian Sect. The thought of this made him somewhat excited. He had been planning for nearly a hundred years, success was now in sight! (And also.) Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: Chapter 90: Qi Training Pill (Seeking Chapter 104: Chapter 90: Qi Training Pill (Seeking Subscriptions, Seeking Monthly Tickets)_2 Translator: 549690339 What if the Grand Elder suddenly remembered such a small person and was in a good mood? Zhou Yun had always been a cautious and prudent person, and he had become even more at home in the market, getting a good grasp of the situation within a year. This market was actually one of the markets controlled by the Three Sects and Six Orders within the territory adjacent to the secular world. The Three Sects and Six Orders had managers stationed here to operate and exchange resources with the loose cultivators in the market. They mostly sell finished products, while the loose cultivators trade with shops using spirit stones and materials. It can be simply described as a relationship between landlords and tenant farmers. But dont think that the market is peaceful. Behind the scenes, untold numbers of battles take place. After all, cultivation depends on good fortune, which is fought for. Loose cultivators are living every step of the way under pressure, practicing every moment, and constantly going in and out of the market to find cultivation resources in the forests. From time to time, news comes of the deaths of loose cultivators, whether by accident, or by murder But no one in the market cares, as cultivation is ultimately a fight for a chance at life. If they die, it means they lack the necessary fortune. Zhou Yun did not attract much attention in the market, since his aptitude had been determined, his remaining lifespan was limited, and he had no hope of cultivating. Chen Fengchen didnt understand why Zhou Yun entered at such an old age, but the manager of the Hua Tian Sect had a slightly better understanding. They were not like Chen Fengchen, a disciple of the inner sect. They had risen from the dust with each successive battle, only to gain their current status. Zhou Yun was obviously a spy from the secular world, coming to the realm of cultivation to set up a base and explore the situation in the market. Moreover, due to the relationship with the Refining Device Peak Elder, the manager of the Hua Tian Sect did not make things difficult for Zhou Yun this year, and Zhou Yun even secretly used this relationship to sell Vajra Talismans, testing the markets trading rules. The manager turned a blind eye to this, and even sighed that the other party indeed had good fortune. The Vajra Talisman was probably given to him by Chen Fengchen. It was a pity that Zhou Yun had little lifespan left and no hope for cultivation. After another year had passed, by the time he had made the arrangement with Liang Sheng, Zhou Yun asked the manager for leave a month in advance, saying he wanted to return to the secular world for a while. The manager did not object. None of the cultivators wanted to return to the secular world, which was dirty and unbearable. Moreover, loose cultivators did not have the ability to pass through the fog. Additionally, he thought Zhou Yun had already familiarized himself with the market situation and was preparing to return to his family to report and send a younger person over. With the Black Iron Command, Hua Tian Sect would not refuse them. But how could the manager of the Hua Tian Sect know that the previous two Black Iron Commands had already been exchanged for Qi Refining Pills? No matter what, Zhou Yun was now in the secular world and was not being followed. Liang Sheng thought of this and finally opened his bag. Inside were three vials of Qi Refining Pills, a jade slip, a pill formula, a small pill refining furnace, and some unknown herbs, sealed and stored. It seemed that Zhou Yun had done even better than Liang Sheng had imagined. This jade slip was the Qi cultivation technique of Hua Tian Sect. Liang Sheng took the jade slip and placed it on his forehead, then opened his eyes. This was just the simplest Qi cultivation technique, far inferior to the Upper Pure Immortal Scripture, and was extremely useless. Moreover, the techniques were incomplete. However, the pill formula made Liang Sheng somewhat excited. He didnt expect Zhou Yun to actually get the pill formula for the Qi Refining Pill. Although the formula was common in the market, Zhou Yun had done his best. It was just that the pill formula was easy to find, but pill-refining was not easy. As Liang Sheng finished reading the pill formula with a sigh of relief, pill-refining was much more complicated than he thought, but Liang Shengs eyes were hot, looking at these Spiritual Grasses which were materials for the Qi Refining Pill. Of course, according to the pill formula, with Liang Shengs current cultivation level, even if he successfully refined the Qi Refining Pill, it would likely only be a low-grade Qi Refining Pill. He simply lacked the proper cultivation level for it. But Liang Sheng was already satisfied. Fortunately, Zhou Yun had the backing of Hua Tian Sect; otherwise, he would not be so lucky. Ten days later, Zhou Yun said goodbye to Zhou Hua and Liang Sheng. He was going back to the market, with a ten-year agreement this time. If he returned to the secular world early, it would mean that Zhou Yun might have limited time left. The Zhou brothers had tearful eyes, and perhaps this was their last meeting, as they didnt know how many years they had left to live. However, for the sake of his family and ancestor, Zhou Yun had no choice but to turn back and enter the Cultivation Market again. Although he was still alone this time, he was able to arrive at Hua Tian Sects outpost with the help of the Black Iron Command. The manager was somewhat surprised but didnt ask any further questions. This was Zhou Familys affair in the secular world. Perhaps the other party had their own considerations. Regardless, as long as they dont make mistakes, they should be fine. Although he was sent to the market, he still wanted to achieve success in his cultivation, so why bother with such trivial matters? In the blink of an eye, it was the spring of Emperor Wus eleventh year. After a year had passed, only fifteen cities remained in the Western Spring Countrys ninety cities, with the capitals territory. Perhaps in a short time, the Western Spring Country would be completely incorporated into the Great Zhou territory. Great Zhous people were overjoyed, and Emperor Wus reputation reached its peak. If other emperors want to surpass him, they need to continue to expand their territories, otherwise, it is impossible. That year, Great Zhou still experienced a bountiful harvest, and the people believed that the heavens mandate rested with Great Zhou. At this moment, everyone in Great Zhou from top to bottom was united as one. Capital Suburb Zhou Village. Now Liang Sheng, looking at a pile of herbs in front of him, weighed them from time to time and occasionally let a rabbit eat a bit of them. Since Zhou Yun brought these spiritual grasses back and sealed them, it meant that they could also survive in the secular world; otherwise, why would he need to bring them back? Liang Sheng had people draw patterns of the spiritual grasses and secretly search for them. After a year, he had found most of them. Perhaps due to the scarce spiritual power in the secular world, the effectiveness of these spiritual grasses was barely 70% of what Zhou Yun had brought out. Liang Sheng wasnt too anxious about this, as long as the secular world existed, he would be able to find them. While searching for the spiritual grasses, he had also been learning the hand seals and secret techniques for refining pills, and he could barely complete them now. His cultivation level was ultimately a bit low, but Liang Sheng was not impatient. After all, time was still on his side, wasnt it? In the summer of the eleventh year of Emperor Wus reign, Western Spring Country was annihilated! Zhou Biliang personally captured the ruler of Western Spring Country and escorted him to the capital. Emperor Wu, being benevolent, granted him the title of Stay of Execution Marquis and kept him in the capital. Emperor Wu did not treat the people of Western Spring Country differently just because it was a defeated country. He still reduced their taxes and sent capable officials to govern Western Spring Country. He even sent his younger brother, the King of Anyang, to Western Spring Country, with his intention to unify well known to everyone. But there were still remnants of the old dynasty in Western Spring Country. After the King of Anyang stationed himself in his fief, some people attempted to assassinate him, but the result shocked the world. The King of Anyang of Great Zhou was an Innate Nation Protector. For a short while, the remnants of the old Western Spring Country dynasty could only hibernate. Under Emperor Wus command, the officials from Great Zhou earnestly fulfilled their duties after arriving in Western Spring Country. The life in the region began to slowly recover, showing a thriving scene. Conquering lands was not enough; one must also win over the hearts of the people. This was what Emperor Wu of Great Zhou always said, but in fact, it was Liang Shengs suggestion. He wanted the dynasty to prosper, and the more dynasty luck he could get from it, the more he would receive from Hua Tian Sect. So during these ten years, Great Zhou had no intention of expanding rapidly. It was enough to first completely swallow Western Spring Country. In the thirteenth year of Emperor Wus reign, Western Spring Country had completely eliminated the remnants of the old regime, and the people there began to gradually consider themselves as Zhou people. The strength of the Great Zhou Dynasty reached a new peak. However, just as Emperor Wu was full of pride, Liang Sheng had a bitter look on his face because he had failed to refine pills again. Two years ago, Liang Sheng had found all the spiritual grass required for Qi Refining Pills. But as the potency of these ingredients in the secular world was much lower than in the cultivation world, he was still unable to refine any pills successfully after two years, despite his cultivation level. It seemed that his dream of self-sufficiency at this stage was still difficult to achieve. But Liang Sheng wasnt too anxious, as he knew that haste wouldnt help. After all, the current situation was much better than when he had no direction at all. By now, the three bottles of Qi Refining Pills brought by Zhou Yun had long been consumed. Used to cultivating with the efficiency of pills, Liang Sheng was somewhat dissatisfied with his cultivation speed. And now, Liang Shengs attribute panel had changed again- Name: Liang Sheng Age: 224 Talent: Innocent Foolishness (Top grade) Techniques: Upper Pure Immortal Scripture (Third Level), Twenty Health Maintenance Techniques (Sixteenth Level) Realm: Qi Cultivation Third Level (9%) Lifespan: 9228 This was due to the effect of the Qi Refining Pilis. Without them, his progress in the past three years might have only been 6%, nearly making it impossible to quickly increase his cultivation level. Sigh, he should continue refining pills. Perhaps hell succeed next time? (Theres still.) Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 96: Similar Flowers (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets) Chapter 119: Chapter 96: Similar Flowers (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets) Translator: 549690339 Great Zhou, Emperor Jings thirtieth year. Emperor Gaozong stayed alone in the imperial mausoleum, and passed away peacefully in his sleep. In accordance with his last wish, Emperor Jing buried him directly in the mausoleum without holding a large funeral, so as not to burden the people and waste resources. After that, Emperor Jing observed three years of mourning, not resorting to weapons or war, which made neighboring small countries breathe a sigh of relief, with some even feeling fortunate that Gaozong died well. This was not surprising given the attitude of those small countries; this was mainly because Emperor Jing of Great Zhou was a ruthless person, even more so than previous rulers of the dynasty. During the thirty years since Emperor Jing ascended the throne, he extinguished three small countries, including the Later Song. Jing was actually prepared to move on to the fourth country, but had to reluctantly give up halfway due to the death of Emperor Gaozong. When he reached fifty years old, Emperor Jing completed the conquest of four nations and withdrew from his position. Just like his ancestors before him, he passed the throne to the crown prince. At this time, the new emperor ascended the throne and took the title of Emperor Danzong. Fifteen years after Emperor Danzong, Great Zhou swallowed another country, making its national strength unprecedented. Not only neighboring small countries but also nations faraway started sending emissaries to the Great Zhou dynasty to pay tribute. At this point, Great Zhous power was overwhelming! Xigu Pass, a small town at the foot of the mountain. Not many people lived in the small town. As evening approached, women began to call their children home for dinner. The hardworking men only had hearty smiles, pouring a glass of water and wine to relieve a days fatigue. Although Great Zhous national strength was thriving, they still needed to work, but they had enough food and clothing. Even during the New Year, they could afford some fabric to make new clothes for their wives and children. This was already a prosperous era. At this moment, in the forests of Xigu Pass, Liang Sheng was almost one with the forest, hiding outside of the thick fog-shrouded mountain cave, undetectable by anyone. Since Liang Sheng severed his identity as the Zhou familys ancestor by now, sixty-four years had passed. Throughout these years, the Hua Tian Sect had never sent anyone, and Liang Sheng gradually relaxed, but he did not completely let down his guard. However, with so many years gone by and an ample supply of Qi Refining Pills and spirit stones, Liang Shengs cultivation had no bottlenecks under the Talent of Innocent Foolishness, and his cultivation level had once again improved. Even the distance to the Qi Cultivation Ninth Level was finally within reach Name: Liang Sheng Age: 426 Talent: Innocent Foolishness (Top grade) Techniques: Upper Pure Immortal Scripture (Eighth Level), Twenty Life-Nurturing Techniques (Seventeenth Level), Nail-Head Seven Arrows Technique (Curse) Realm: Qi Cultivation Eighth Level (61%) Lifespan: 12,407 From the moment Liang Sheng crossed over, more than four hundred years had passed; this mortal world was no longer the same place, and only he remained constant, immortal among men. Liang Shengs sudden arrival at Xigu Pass this time was not a whim. It was because the Zhou family had finally taken that step. Previously, Liang Sheng had instigated Emperor Gaozongs ancestral teachings, saying that once Great Zhou destroyed five more countries, an immortal destiny could be expected. With Emperor Danzong now achieving this great feat, he finally decided to set off for Mount Kunwu and strike the Nine Ding. Danzongs bloodline ability of seeking fortune and avoiding evil faintly told him that it was auspicious! Considering the circumstances, Liang Sheng naturally didnt hesitate and set off to Xigu Pass before the Great Zhou, suspecting that today might be the day to completely resolve his entanglement with the Hua Tian Sects manager. However, based on previous estimates, it would take Emperor Danzong of Great Zhou about three days to reach Xigu Pass, and the Hua Tian Sect would still need some time to send people to the mortal world. Liang Sheng was silently waiting with his eyes closed, but suddenly opened them at midnight, looking somewhat puzzled towards the thick fog outside the cave. Has the Hua Tian Sects people arrived so soon? At this moment, an acquaintance was already standing there. Liang Sheng hid in the dark, holding his breath, feeling that the person was familiar, and after a long time, he remembered who the other person was. It was Chen Fengchen, the Hua Tian Sects cultivation disciple that Liang Sheng had first met back then. At that time, Liang Sheng was still in the innate realm and couldnt see through Chen Fengchens realm. Now, although he had reached the Qi Cultivation Eighth Level, he still couldnt see through the others realm. Moreover, according to the time, it could be confirmed that the other party had lived for more than two hundred years and should have passed the Qi Cultivation Realm, at least reaching the Foundation Establishment level of cultivation. As for the Golden Core Realm, absolutely impossible. Even within the Hua Tian Sect, cultivators who reach the Golden Core Realm are equivalent to peak masters. How could they be sent to the mortal world to deal with the Great Zhou dynasty? However, even so, the fact that a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator was sent to negotiate with the mortal world showed the importance the Hua Tian Sect placed on the Great Zhou. What Liang Sheng did not know was that the Hua Tian Sects importance to Great Zhou was one of the reasons, but the other reason was the fear of someone shamelessly causing trouble along the way. Thats why the Hua Tian Sect sent Chen Fengchen. Over the past sixty-five years, the friction between the Hua Tian Sect and the Upper Green Sect had grown increasingly intense. It began with only small frictions between the outer sect disciples, but the Hua Tian Sect had lost a manager who had only barely reached Foundation Establishment. Although it involved Great Zhou, a secular dynasty that the Refining Equipment Peak Elder had become increasingly fond of, the Hua Tian Sect had discreetly hinted at the Upper Green Sect, without making any drastic moves since they had no direct evidence and only suspicion. If it proceeded this way, there would be no significant incidents between the two sects for the sake of appearances. However, thirty years ago, the Refining Device Peak Elder successfully refined a spirit tool again, further enhancing the strength of the Hua Tian Sect. At first, the Refining Device Peak Elders power fell short during the process of refining the spirit tool, and it seemed that the attempt would fail. However, the sudden surge of luck from the Great Zhou dynasty brought the spirit tool back to life at the last moment, rejuvenating its spirit and forming a soul for the spirit tool.. Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Chapter 96: Similar Flowers (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)_2 Chapter 120: Chapter 96: Similar Flowers (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)_2 Translator: 549690339 Great Zhou! At that time, the Refining Equipment Peak Elder had already made up his mind that when Great Zhou contacted the Hua Tian Sect again, he would personally give an Inner Sect disciple quota to Great Zhou, which they deserved. Not only that, the Refining Equipment Peak Elder also gave out five ordinary disciple quotas, showing how much he appreciated the Great Zhou Royal Family. This time, no one opposed the proposal of the Grand Elder during the Sect Grand Assembly because his success in refining spirit tools was the greatest contribution to the Hua Tian Sect in recent years. Let alone a single Inner Sect disciple quota, even if there was another one, no one would care. However, the Grand Elder had been refining weapons previously, so he was not aware of the market situation. After hearing the report, he couldnt help but frown and said, Upper Green Sects behavior, are they not putting our Hua Tian Sect in their eyes? Great Zhou is the most important affiliated dynasty of our Hua Tian Sect in the Mortal World, and we must not let the Upper Green Sect destroy the foundation of our Sect. Although the Grand Elder was somewhat unprepared, he knew the priorities and did not intend to directly confront the Upper Green Sect. However, when his words were passed down, how the disciples below thought about it was not something he could control. Cultivation requires good fortune. Even the Qi Refining stage has bottlenecks, and those with weak fortune may not be able to overcome them in their entire lives. Being helped by a distinguished person is undoubtedly one of the best fortunes. So, in order to please the Refining Equipment Peak Elder, in the past ten years, there have been occasional frictions between Hua Tian Sect disciples and Upper Green Sect disciples. By now, the friction has gradually escalated, and some anger has been ignited between the two sides. Of course, it is still far from the point of a sect war. However, in the Three Sects and Six Orders, the disharmony between the Hua Tian Sect and the Upper Green Sect has become the consensus in the local Cultivation World area in recent years. So, when Chen Fengchen came to the Mortal World this time, he wanted to show the importance attached to Great Zhou and his vigilance against the Upper Green Sect. In case a Qi Refining disciple is sent to take the Great Zhou children in for further cultivation and has a conflict with the Upper Green Sect, he was afraid of causing further disturbances, how could he explain it to the Grand Elder? However, Liang Sheng was unaware of all these causes and effects. At this moment, he felt only relief in his heart. He was fortunate that he didnt have a fluke mentality back then, which would have severed the cause and effect with Great Zhou. If Chen Fengchen had come to the Mortal World earlier, Liang Sheng might have sent Gaozong to the afterlife paradise immediately, because his involvement with the Great Zhou Royal Family absolutely could not be known to the Cultivation World. It is not wise to treat cultivators as fools. As long as they know of the existence of such an ancestor in the Great Zhou Royal Family, they might suspect that the managers death had something to do with Great Zhou. In this case, Liang Shengs safety could not be guaranteed. However, fortunately, everything went well, and no major mistakes were made. Liang Sheng tensed his nerves again, reflecting on his previous so-called tightrope walking behavior and determined not to take such risks in the future. While Liang Sheng was reflecting, Chen Fengchen looked around. Now that he was in the Foundation Establishment Realm, he could completely isolate himself from the worldly pollution. Seeing that the Great Zhou Royal Family had not yet arrived, he simply sat on the ground waiting for them to come. When Emperor Jing of Great Zhou arrived at Xigu Pass with the young members of the Zhou Family three days later, the forest of Xigu Pass had already been sealed off by the Imperial Army, and no one was able to enter the mountain anymore. Emperor Jing and the Zhou Estate Master personally led the ten young members of the Zhou Family up the mountain. These children were not very old but had a calm demeanor. However, their eyes couldnt help but reveal some curiosity. Emperor Jing and the Zhou Estate Master walked silently. They didnt know how many turns they had taken and how many mountain roads they had passed through before they finally reached the heavy fog outside the cave. Immortal!? At first glance, they both saw Chen Fengchen. After all, with such a demeanor, standing aloof from the world and unlike ordinary people, they didnt sense any danger due to their bloodline ability. Emperor Jing couldnt help but courageously ask a question. Is it the Immortal Master on High? Great Zhou Royal Family? Chen Fengchen had already sensed them coming up the mountain. At this moment, he had a smile on his face and was extremely friendly, because this was the Great Zhou Royal Family highly praised by the Grand Elder. Dont be nervous. I am here on behalf of the Sect to fulfill the promise. Your Zhou Family has one Inner Sect disciple quota, and also, the Sect appreciates your hard work and has decided to add five ordinary disciple quotas. Though Emperor Jing was the emperor of Great Zhou, he was still somewhat breathless in front of Chen Fengchen. However, hearing this, a flash of surprise and joy passed through his eyes, and he couldnt help but exchange glances with the Zhou Estate Master. An unexpected joy! Emperor Jing and the Zhou Estate Master hurriedly pushed the ten children forward, but they were still thinking about who should get the six quotas. Since these ten children were the best of the younger generation of the Zhou Family, it was understandable that they couldnt decide for a moment. Chen Fengchen naturally understood what was going on when he saw this. He was a resolute man to begin with, or else he wouldnt have seized the opportunity to climb to the position of Refining Equipment Peak Elder two hundred years ago and now achieve Foundation Establishment. Forget it. Ill take all ten children, but four of them might not be within the previous quotas and may only become Outer Sect disciples. Thank you, Immortal Master! At the news, Emperor Jing and the Zhou Estate Master rejoiced greatly. No matter who became an Inner Sect disciple, it would depend on their own fortune. Chen Fengchen then encouraged Emperor Jing and highly praised the achievements of Great Zhou, hoping that they would continue their efforts. After that, he gave them a bottle of Qi Refining Pills, a half magical weapon, and two Black Iron Commands as a reward for the Great Zhou. Since magical weapons cannot be used by mortals, half magical weapons can be barely used by innate cultivators. The half magical weapon Chen Fengchen brought out was not a half magical weapon that needed the consumption of the Grand Ancestor of Dayans essence blood to drive; it could be activated with internal energy. The only difference between it and a slightly more common magical weapon was that it had no array patterns and was a little weaker in power.. Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Chapter 96: Similar Flowers (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)_3 Chapter 121: Chapter 96: Similar Flowers (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)_3 Translator: 549690339 Moreover, this is a semi-artifact personally crafted by disciples of Refining Equipment Peak, as arranged by the Grand Elder, which shows how satisfied he is with the Great Zhou Imperial Family. Upon hearing that people can be sent to the Cultivation World with the Black Iron Command, Emperor Jing and others couldnt help but recall the previous teachings of Gaozong Ancestor and silently accepted the Black Iron Command without speaking. They also felt that sending people to the Cultivation World now may be somewhat ominous and resonates with the teachings, so naturally, they wouldnt rashly let people enter to explore. Chen Fengchen didnt care about this, and after exchanging pleasantries with the Great Zhou Imperial Family, he led the ten children into the mountain cave filled with thick fog, leaving Emperor Jing and Zhou Estate Master standing for a while. Afterwards, the two looked at each other, and in their excitement, couldnt help but clap their hands. The future generations of the Zhou Family were taken into the Cultivation World, and it was not impossible for another Ancestor to emerge from the Zhou Family in the future. In order to promote the development of the Zhou Family young members in the Cultivation World, it seems that their own efforts in territorial expansion cannot be stopped. Its obvious why Chen Fengchen has such a gentle attitude, and they are all too clear about it. Its all about the fortune of the dynasty. Afterwards, Emperor Jing and Zhou Estate Master went down the mountain together and went their separate ways, but their hearts were already warmed with excitement, as they didnt know when another Ancestor would emerge from the Zhou Family. Xigu Pass. A small town at the foot of the mountain. The sky was somewhat gloomy, as if it was about to rain. At this moment, Liang Shengs nerves, which had been tense for sixty-four years, finally relaxed, and he suddenly just wanted to eat a meal like an ordinary person. He ordered a few dishes at the inn in the small town and drank some wine, feeling extremely happy in his heart. Today could be considered the complete end of the cause and effect with the Zhou Family. After all, the Zhou Familys Immortal Destiny was inseparable from his planning. As for the Cultivation World, Chen Fengchens behavior indicated that they hadnt noticed the Mortal World, so he could still be free for a long time. How can the vicissitudes and changes of the world matter, only I am free and at ease with immortality! At this moment, there was a commotion from outside the inn, but a large trading group from other places had arrived, and even the innkeeper himself went out to greet them, helping to tie up the horses and park the carts. After that, a large group of people swarmed in, and naturally there was some noise. However, Liang Sheng didnt care about it and didnt even lift his head, focusing on eating his meal. But at this moment, because the inn wasnt large, the hall was full of the trading groups people. Even with extra tables added and two more people squeezing in at each table, there were still two or three people who could not find seats. The trading group owner was a middle-aged man in his thirties or forties. He let the subordinates who wanted to give up their seats, sit down, and then turned to look at Liang Sheng hesitating for a moment before walking over with his two confidants who hadnt sat down. Young man, Im sorry to bother you for a moment. Because we have so many people, could you please join us at the table? Dont worry, we will pay for your food and drinks later. Liang Sheng looked up at the owners face and was stunned as his thoughts began to wander. How could there be someone so similar in the world? The trading group owner, thinking Liang Sheng was unwilling, didnt say much and apologized. He saluted him for the inconvenience and left. His two confidants seemed somewhat displeased but didnt think of a solution. When doing business, its best not to offend people, especially since the items they were carrying were too precious. Even if they were unhappy, they had to consider their boss and not cause him trouble. But at this moment, Liang Sheng finally came to his senses. With a complex look in his eyes, he calmly said, We are all friends when we are traveling. You dont need to be so polite, just sit down. To the owners surprise, Liang Sheng agreed to share the table, and he repeatedly expressed his thanks before sitting down with his two confidants. At this moment, Liang Sheng watched their every move and saw the image of someone in his memory gradually overlap with them, and couldnt help but sigh. Is this a similar flower, or is there reincarnation in this world? (Theres still more during the day) Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 98: Increased Lifespan (Extra 4400, Chapter 124: Chapter 98: Increased Lifespan (Extra 4400, Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets) Translator: 549690339 J inzhou City. At this moment, a young man was leisurely walking on the officials road. It was none other than Liang Sheng, who had left Xigu Pass. Meeting Chu Chen at Xigu Pass was completely beyond Liang Shengs expectations. After he saw Chu Chen pick up the knife and kill everyone, he left the inn. Chu Chens decisiveness in killing was remarkable, leaving no hidden dangers. With the Barrier Breaking Pill Liang Sheng had given him, there should be no danger for him. After all, how many people in the world could endure and hide their cultivation level like him, with this temperament, this endurance, and the decisive heart at the critical moment? This temperament was somewhat different from Brother Rongs after all. It seemed that even if there was really a cycle of reincarnation in this world, the vicissitudes of the sea, and the ever-changing world, it was just a similar flower. After leaving the inn at Xigu Pass, for some reason, he had a faint idea of wanting to go and see Jinzhou City. He didnt know why, perhaps it was because the encounter with Chu Chen had triggered his memories, or it was an intuition from somewhere. In the end, he decided to go back to Jinzhou City after more than three hundred years. The officials road in Jinzhou city was much wider than before. After all, the territory of the Great Zhou Dynasty had expanded with the conquests, and the officials road in each state of the Great Zhou had been rebuilt, becoming wider and flatter. First, he went to the forest outside the city, but Jinshan Temple was no longer there. Only ruins remained, but they barely showed the prosperity of the old days. It was unknown if it was because Jinshan Temple had been involved in a rebellion, which rendered it a taboo, so such a large place had remained an empty space without any new temples and Taoist temples for several hundred years. It was quite strange. Liang Sheng walked around the ruins and thought of the Unmoving Mountain Ming King Seal he encountered back then. He felt that he was really fortunate. After that, he went down the mountain and walked all the way to the Liang Family Cemetery outside the city. However, it had long since turned into a village, with no trace of the desolation of a graveyard. As for the graveyard of Zhang Rongjun and others not far away, it had also disappeared, becoming the farmland of the village. Liang Sheng just smiled and then entered the city. The city had long changed since, with the Three Major Martial Families of Jinzhou City all buried in dust. Now, the government was in power, how could the great families still dare to be bold? Liang Sheng strolled around the city aimlessly, and found a small high-rise building in the center with few people. He looked up and couldnt help but smile. Yichun Building. Even with the change of dynasties and the passage of time, the demand for such establishments persisted. Human nature remained the same, and life went on without interruption, day after day. At the moment, it was daytime, and there were naturally fewer people here. He walked forward casually and reached the place where he vaguely remembered the Shengde Building was, but a new mansion had been built there. He didnt care, but when he walked to his old mansion, he found that the mansion was still there, but the interior layout had completely changed. He couldnt help but stand still amidst his thoughts. The doorman of the mansion, noticing his distinguished demeanor, hesitated for a moment and then came out, Sir, are you here to see our master? Liang Sheng shook his head and then smiled, saying that it was nothing, he was just tired and wanted to rest for a bit. He then turned and left. This wasnt his mansion after all. He wandered aimlessly through the entire Jinzhou city, and Zhang Rongj tins family and teahouse had long become a thing of the past. Several hundred years had changed everything. Who would have thought that just a few hundred years ago, Jinzhou city was dominated by noble families, and martial arts were used to suppress the city? As he walked around, he had a lot of emotions in his heart, but he still couldnt find the faint reason for coming here. Liang Sheng wasnt in a hurry. At this moment, he was a lone wanderer in the world. Time, for him, was just a number. Lots of people and things were just sudden memories of a certain moment. At this time, he casually found a tavern, and during his meal, he had already got a general idea of the current situation in Jinzhou City. Indeed, taverns were always the best place to gather information. Unconsciously, the sun was setting in the west, and it was getting late. In front of Yichun Building, there was a constant stream of carriages and horses, far from quiet during the day. As Liang Sheng walked in front of Yichun Building, the madames eyes lit up, and she approached him immediately, her plump body pressing against Liang Sheng as if boneless. Ladies, dont come out to greet your guests? Upon hearing this, Liang Sheng seemed to be transported back four hundred years, so he skillfully took out some Silver Notes and stuffed them directly into the madames cleavage. Then, like a flock of birds, the ladies gathered around. Liang Sheng couldnt help but laugh, grabbed the two prettiest girls, and walked into Yichun Building. He suddenly had an epiphany that the innocence of youth was never changed by the passage of time. So he had come here to find peace of mind after all. The next day, early in the morning, Liang Sheng found an agency and bought a mansion right across from his former home. Naturally, the agency would handle the matter of hiring servants for him. The doorman across the street was bewildered that the new owner was the gentleman who had been standing in front of their door pondering the day before. He couldnt help but curse the rich man in his heart, thinking that he had come to look at the mansion originally. As he continued cursing, he couldnt help feeling envious. He would never be able to afford the price of even the hut for this mansion in his lifetime, since this was the most expensive area in Jinzhou City. From then on, life became extremely quiet and peaceful. Liang Sheng had never been so at ease before. After tensing his nerves for hundreds of years, he eventually returned to his starting point. Suddenly, Liang Sheng seemed to have some insights but they were elusive and unreachable. In the end, he simply didnt think about it anymore. In the face of time, everything would eventually take its course.. Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Chapter 98: Increased Lifespan (Extra 4400, Chapter 126: Chapter 98: Increased Lifespan (Extra 4400, Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)_3 Translator: 549690339 The young master of the family was highly esteemed in the Great Zhou royal family C at the age of seventeen, he had already reached the Postnatal Sixth Realm, which greatly pleased his lordship. Even the Heavenly Son praised their young master as the Zhou Familys Qilin Child, publicly announcing before the court that if he could reach the Postnatal Sevenfold Realm before the age of twenty, he would personally bestow the title of Champion Marquis and grant the Emperors Sword upon him. The Emperors Sword was a symbol of the esteemed General in charge of war on the battlefield, like General Zhou Bilian who was the first to receive it; the title of Champion Marquis reflected the Heavenly Sons expectations of him. Since the age of eight, Zhou Qianmings martial arts cultivation had progressed rapidly, but he had been stuck in the Postnatal Sevenfold Realm for three years. It is indeed difficult to break through the high-level martial arts. At this time, Zhou Qianming couldnt help but go towards where his joy lay, regardless of the guards beside him. Soon, he saw the object in front of him with his mouth wide open in amazement. Laid out like a mountain, there were exquisitely carved wood sculptures, so lifelike they seemed to breathe. He couldnt help but pick up one of the wood carvings, his hand moving skillfully over its surface, unconsciously stepping into the role of the master carver. It seemed as if he could feel his own carving knife, cutting with perfect precision and ease. He gradually became enthralled with his experience, and without realizing it, the internal energy within his body began to circulate around his Qi, causing fluctuations in his aura. Though initially astonished, the guards immediately sensed the change in their young masters Qi and raised their vigilance, standing guard around him with an unspoken understanding of their duty. A moment of revelation! In this instant, Zhou Qianming was immersed in the experience of carving, unaware of the tumultuous energy within his body; his mind focused only on the dancing dust beneath his knife. Zhou Qianming stood motionless, not realizing that it had become sunset. It was as though he saw the carving knife in his hand suddenly stop, and at that precise moment, the torrent of energy inside him finally burst forth and flooded out, like a mighty river breaking through a dam. The guards, feeling the change in Zhou Qianmings aura, were overjoyed. Zhou Qianming himself couldnt help but feel a sense of inexpressible delight, never having expected that the breakthrough he had been seeking would come so effortlessly. Today surely was an omen of great fortune! Zhou Qianming couldnt contain his excitement, his eyes brimming with happiness as he looked at the countless wood carvings before him in the ruins of Jinshan Temple. Zhang Da, go down the mountain and tell County Leader Wu of Jinzhou City to bring people here. I want to take these wood carvings back to the capital. Go quickly! Seeing Zhou Qianming raise his voice after the guards hesitated out of concern for his safety, Zhang Da finally obeyed. Yes, Your Highness! In the County Government Office of Jinzhou City, Prefect Wu was feeling regret over the young masters departure when the guards suddenly returned, causing him to worry if something had happened. Prefect Wu, the Son of the Crown Prince has a request Dont worry, Ill bring people there right away! As the sun set over the western mountains, Prefect Wu brought people to the ruins of Jinshan Temple. Seeing the wood carvings piled like a small mountain, he was somewhat puzzled. Prefect Wu, thank you for your trouble. Upon hearing this, Prefect Wu immediately put aside his doubts, Be careful, everyone, if you damage any of these wood carvings, youll have to answer to me! With the County Government Offices cooperation, the wood carvings were loaded up and sent down from the forest before daylight. However, Zhou Qianming didnt leave immediately. He wished to meet the person who made the wood carvings, although it was a luxury. Some carvings had already rotted, indicating that the creator was long gone. Still, he waited for three more days before reluctantly departing. Upon leaving with the wood carvings for the capital, however, he was bursting with excitement. Undoubtedly, His Majesty would be astounded by the miraculous wood carvings; he just didnt know how many people, like himself, would have a moment of revelation. Over the past few days, he had found that no one else seemed to have felt the same connection to the carvings, including his personal guards. Could it be that only those with the Zhou Family Bloodline Ability could experience this?! (The end tying up the final loose ends of the secular world.) Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Chapter 99: Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer!? (Seeking Monthly Tickets) Chapter 127: Chapter 99: Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer!? (Seeking Monthly Tickets) Translator: 549690339 Jinzhou City. At this moment, Liang Sheng died again, a death that is extremely low-key, attracting no ones notice. By this time, Liang Sheng had returned to his youthful appearance. He now stands in front of his own tombstone, feeling exceptionally tranquil. Initially, he came to Jinzhou City by following a subtle intuition. After living there for sixty years, he felt it was a satisfying experience. Even until now he still doesnt know why he had that intuition to return to Jinzhou City, but during the sixty years in Jinzhou City, his cultivation speed was indeed slightly faster than it was in other places before. Maybe its because of his different mindset? Or perhaps the geomancy pattern of Jinzhou City is more in line with his destiny? Liang Sheng didnt know for sure, but since it was a good thing, he naturally didnt pursue it further, believing that time would eventually present the answer. Ever since Zhou Qianming returned to the royal capital, Shenzong fulfilled his promise by bestowing the Emperors Sword and conferring the title of the Champion Marquis. This position does not conflict with the hereditary princely rank, causing a sensation nationwide. But a twenty-year-old martial arts prodigy indeed deserved such glory, filling the citizens with jubilation. Because it signifies the prosperous fortunes of Great Zhou. With such a powerful country, how could the people of Great Zhou not be happy? However, the people of Great Zhou didnt know that Liang Shengs wood carvings indeed had some magical properties for the Zhou family bloodline. Perhaps its their sensitivity towards seeking fortune and avoiding evil that allowed them to better comprehend the essence of the wood carving, somehow leading to several breakthroughs in their cultivation in just over a month thereafter. Though the proportion isnt high considering the total number of the royal family, it still brought considerable joy to the Great Zhou Imperial Family. Meanwhile, people discovered that the most recent among the myriad wood carvings was from just a few months prior. What this meant, many people understood clearly. Hence, Emperor Shendi of Great Zhou issued a special decree, ordering an investigation in Jinzhou City to locate the carving master. In the face of such a situation, Liang Sheng had no choice but to fake his death again. Since the identity of the carver had been seen by quite a few people, and this was after all the Great Zhou Royal Family with whom he already had a karmic connection, why would he want to get involved again? Still, Liang Sheng had no intention of leaving Jinzhou City because there were still spiritual plants planted in the rarely frequented area outside the city, which he couldnt give up. In addition, he had been cultivating at a faster speed in Jinzhou City these years. He might not know the reason, but he certainly wouldnt leave without reason. Furthermore, who would have guessed the craftsmen who seemed so old before would now look like a vibrant young man? Consequently, Liang Shengs life became peaceful once again. The grand-scale search in Jinzhou City had nothing to do with him. Over the following years, Jinzhou City officials never stopped searching. This was a mission given by the emperor himself. Even if it seemed hopeless, who would give up? After all, if successful, they could shoot to fame. But how could they possibly find this mysterious carver? So, all they could do was leave behind the legend of a hidden master, which made the Great Zhou royal family wish they could have met him earlier. However, all of this was now irrelevant to Liang Sheng. He still lived leisurely, cultivating, drawing talismans, refining pills, and practicing the curse imprinting technique. Finally, in Shenzongs forty-ninth year, Liang Sheng, who was already over 500 years old, was exhilarated and hurriedly ran into the deep mountain forest. Because he felt that the breakthrough was going to happen today, he was being so cautious. After all, causing a stir within the city might have drawn unnecessary trouble. Although he wasnt afraid, why flaunt it? Although he regretted not breaking through at the age of 500, he was still excited right now. How things would be after foundation establishment, he would know it today. Liang Sheng sat cross-legged in the deep mountain forest this time. After calming his excited mood, he took out the last mid-grade spiritual stone from the storage bag. In the past few years, he had almost exhausted his spiritual stones, leaving only one mid-grade spiritual stone for this moment. The next moment, a powerful spiritual energy inside the stone was injected into his body along his meridians. The Upper Pure Immortal Scripture revolved at a rapid rate, and when it reached its maximum speed, it felt like a tense thread suddenly broke. In an instant, a tremendous force was born within his body. The spiritual power circulated within his body was more than twice as powerful as before. However, when Liang Sheng opened his eyes, his face was extremely pale. He indeed had a breakthrough! But he hadnt established the foundation yet, he was still in the Qi Condensation stage. Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer! Name: Liang Sheng Age: 510 Talent: Innocent Foolishness (Top grade) Techniques: Upper Pure Immortal Scripture (10th Layer), Twenty Life-Nurturing Techniques (18th Layer), Nail-Head Seven Arrows Technique (Curse) Realm: Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer Lifespan: 16323 At this stage, Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer made no progress, just as when he broke through the innate limit. Liang Sheng composed himself, feeling a bit helpless. He remembered the news that Zhou Hua and others had previously ventured into the Cultivation World market to gather information, even loose cultivators who had reached Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer pledged to serve the sect. All because they wanted a Foundation Establishment Pill. Some loose cultivators did possess the recipe for the Foundation Establishment Pill, but after spending countless hours just to barely reach the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer, those without resources, how much time would they have left to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill? Throughout the ages, countless Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer loose cultivators have failed at this stage. Moreover, even if they had the Foundation Establishment Pill, they only had a chance to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Even sect disciples who took the Foundation Establishment Pill might fail to achieve a breakthrough, and then fall into decline, like the market manager of the Hua Tian Sects market once was.. Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Chapter 99: Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer?! (Request for Monthly Tickets)_2 Chapter 128: Chapter 99: Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer?! (Request for Monthly Tickets)_2 Translator: 549690339 At this moment, Liang Shengs face was gloomy. His plan to practice cultivation in the secular world was completely disrupted. If he couldnt break through to the Foundation Establishment stage, his method of protecting the dao would become a paradox. After all, who could guarantee that there would be no accidents in the secular world? Even for those in the Qi Refining Realm, if they did not withdraw in time in the face of a powerful natural disaster, they might face the risk of death. Only real strength could ensure a long life. Liang Sheng was cautious, but he was also extremely resolute when necessary! It seemed that he would have to go to the Cultivation World. Although his current Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer strength was not an opponent for a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment stage, the Cultivation Market usually only had one Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator present. With his Attribute Panel Concealment, they wouldnt be able to see his true cultivation level, so his safety was guaranteed. Even if something went wrong, as long as he didnt directly confront the Foundation Establishment Expert, the Nail-Head Seven Arrows Technique would show them what a ruthless person was. Liang Sheng considered all the possibilities in his heart and took out the Black Iron Command he had snatched from the Nine Provinces Tripod, his expression indescribable. He didnt expect that he would inevitably have to go to the Cultivation Realm after all, and he also needed a corresponding Dao Protection for his long lifespan. Even with the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer, he might not have any chance of winning against a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator. The result could be deduced from his own breakthrough strength. Foundation Establishment and Qi Training, although only one step apart, were as different as heaven and earth. He should really go to the Cultivation Market! However, before leaving, he still needed to settle some cause and effect. After all, he had his own bottom line. Going to the Cultivation World, he didnt know when he would return. Capital. Grand Temple. Shenzong was about to abdicate, and in the past few years, his visits to the Grand Temple became more frequent. From time to time, he spent a whole night in front of the ancestors memorial tablets, recounting his journey and inner struggles along the way. But that day, he pushed open the main gate of the Grand Temple, and his face changed dramatically. That night, the Imperial Army mobilized, and the Great Zhou Royal Clans innate experts gathered in the Imperial Palace, but in the end, they found nothing. As for the Grand Temple, the few half artifacts inside made the innate experts speechless and unable to describe the shock in their hearts. Whats more, there were dozens of bottles of Barrier Breaking Pills around, which made Shenzong wonder about the purpose of this person. The commotion in the palace that night sparked various speculations. However, the capital remained extremely calm afterward. Shenzong carefully recorded the incident as an imperial secret. It was a pity that even until Shenzong abdicated, the Great Zhou Royal Family never found any clues, and this could only become a mystery. Southwest. At this moment, Chu Chen had already achieved the Innate Realm after taking the Barrier Breaking Pills. The malicious woman who had almost killed him once was now buried alive in a cesspool by him. That day, in his study, he saw another bottle of Barrier Breaking Pills and an additional sword. When the sword was unsheathed, even Chu Chen, as an innate expert, was frightened. Xigu Pass. Outside the cave shrouded in thick fog, Liang Sheng hesitated for a short while before finally setting his face and walking into the fog with his Black Iron Command and backpack. Everything around was silent, with only the dim light from the Black Iron Command flickering, indicating the direction forward. Liang Sheng naturally didnt expose his Storage Bag, and he was still carrying a backpack on the surface as a disguise. Before entering the fog, Liang Sheng seemed hesitant, but once he stepped inside, he strode forward fearlessly. When the fog thinned, Liang Sheng took a deep breath, put the Black Iron Command into his Storage Bag, gently clenched his fist, and then stepped forward. The view suddenly opened up before him. Outside the thick fog was an old, crumbling village, but the spiritual energy was abundant. At this moment, the spiritual power within Liang Sheng seemed to be cheering and jumping with joy. He remembered what Zhou Yun and others had said before and knew that this was the normal periphery of the market in the Cultivation World. After all, the Cultivation World was not only for cultivators but also ordinary people. He just didnt know which sect the current Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator stationed in the market belonged to. At this time, the villagers noticed Liang Sheng, but they didnt dare to look up and take a closer look. They were just the workers in the market, hoping for an Immortal Destiny to become cultivators one day. The Nine Levels of the Postnatal Realm Martial Artists could be seen everywhere, and the innate experts were not unusual. However, Liang Sheng didnt pay attention to them and walked straight through the village. The bluestone street in front of him was spotless, and even the air seemed to be fresher. There were people shouting and selling things on both sides of the street. Most people were carrying backpacks and didnt seem to possess the so-called leisure of cultivators. Not every cultivator had a Storage Bag. Apart from a few lucky ones, at least cultivators with the Qi-Training Seventh Realm cultivation level had the possibility of possessing a Storage Bag. This was a market overseen by the Three Sects and Six Orders. These Loose Cultivators struggled every day for cultivation resources. The suffering of the Loose Cultivators was hard to share. Only Foundation Establishment success would provide the only way to get rid of this predicament. At this moment, Liang Sheng had already concealed his cultivation level and was only at the Qi Cultivation Third Layer, which made him the least noticeable among the cultivators in the market. At this time, a Qi Refining Fifth Layer Cultivator with a naive face hadnt noticed Liang Sheng at first. But after seeing Liang Shengs actions, he thought for a moment, and then approached Liang Sheng. Liang Sheng forcefully suppressed his urge to avoid him. He needed to blend into the market first, and as for the danger, as long as he didnt directly confront the Foundation Establishment Expert, the other cultivators in this market were nothing but small fries. Daoist Friend, have you just left your family and are trying to make it on your own? Liang Sheng was astonished upon hearing this, and his expression made the naive Loose Cultivators eyes flash with satisfaction, thinking that he had guessed correctly. Daoist Friend, dont be surprised. Im not bragging, but i am familiar with almost every Loose Cultivator in this market, and you are a stranger. Moreover, your actions just now were exactly the same as mine back then.. Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Chapter 99: Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer!? (Seeking Monthly Tickets)_3 Chapter 129: Chapter 99: Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer!? (Seeking Monthly Tickets)_3 Translator: 549690339 You too? Liang Sheng was already over 500 years old, and naturally went along with the flow. With a face full of regret, the honest middle-aged cultivator said, Yes, back then, the familys cultivation resources were insufficient, and my luck was shallow. Naturally, I was abandoned by the family and had to come to the market to make a living on my own. As he said this, he seemed to fall into reminiscence, but quickly returned to normal. 1 dont know how to address my fellow Daoist. My name is Chen Mo. If my friends in the market dont mind, they call me Honest Chen. I am merely Zhou Sheng, and 1 have met Daoist Chen. Brother Zhou is truly straightforward. Lets go, 111 take you to register at the market. When I first arrived, 1 didnt understand either. 1 was in a daze for three days and was not allowed to set up a stall. It turns out that only after registering do you become a member of the market built by the Three Sects and Six Factions. Liang Sheng hesitated slightly upon hearing this, then followed Chen Mo forward. He was not afraid of the other partys motives as murderous acts would usually take place in secluded areas, and open fighting was expressly forbidden in the market. Fortunately, Chen Mo did not deceive him and took Liang Sheng to a three-story building, which was already one of the best buildings Liang Sheng had seen in the market. Next to it were nine similar three-story buildings, Chen Mo introduced: Those are the shops of the Three Sects and Six Schools. If you have good items, you can exchange them for spirit stones or equivalent resources there. At this moment, Chen Mo was extremely enthusiastic, and his honest face made people trust him a little more. Liang Sheng still had his guard up, but naturally expressed his gratitude on the surface. He pretended to be a newcomer who had just left his family and asked with an honest face, Can anything be exchanged? Of course, as long as its of equal value, anything can be exchanged. However, the shops of the Three Sects and Six Schools usually offer a lower price-to-quality ratio than the nearby Loose Cultivators stalls, but they are safer in comparison. Upon saying this, Chen Mo did not say more, but Liang Sheng naturally understood his meaning. Although he might get a higher return from the Loose Cultivators, it would also be more dangerous. What about the Foundation Establishment Pill? Chen Mo was startled by the question and then patted Liang Shengs shoulder as if he was reminiscing about the past. Liang Sheng endured the urge to dodge and let the other party pat his shoulder. Brother Zhou, dont think too much. We should be down-to-earth. Look at me, Ive been in the market for over 60 years and only reached the Qi Cultivation Fivefold Level. 1 dont know if Ill have the chance to reach the Qi Cultivation Ninth Level in this lifetime? Every level in the realm of cultivation is harder than the previous one. Only the proud sons of the heavens with great fortune may not have to care about the bottleneck during the Qi Condensation stage. After that, he felt as if his words had dampened the younger generations spirits. He quickly took Liang Sheng to register inside the building. As soon as Liang Sheng entered, his nerves immediately tensed up. On the third floor, there was a faint sense of pressure. If no accident, this should be the Foundation Establishment Expert stationed in the market by the Three Sects and Six Schools. He restrained his thoughts, not daring to look around, and followed Chen Mo to the counter. Step by step, he registered his information. He only needed one jade tag, input his spiritual energy, and the registration would be successful. The cultivator attending to them on the first floor was neither enthusiastic nor perfunctory, simply going through the motions. Once this was done, he threw out a jade slip. These are the rules of the market. You should read them thoroughly. Dont break the rules in the market. Registration fees C three low-grade spirit stones. As for the cave mansions in the market, you can choose them, but youll have to pay with spirit stones. Which cave mansion do you need? Liang Sheng was stunned. Registration required spirit stones? Thinking about it, Liang Sheng couldnt help but smile bitterly. His spirit stones had long been exhausted. Had he known this, he would have saved some for the market. However, without consuming spirit stones, how could he possibly progress so quickly in the secular world? If he hadnt reached the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer and failed to make a breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment stage, why would he be in the market? Seeing his look, the other party naturally noticed, and couldnt help but suppress his anger, Dont you have any spirit stones? Chen Mo was also taken aback at this moment, just what kind of cultivator did this persons family not care about? Not a single spirit stone was given to him when he left to fend for himself? However, in the next moment, Liang Sheng opened his backpack and took out more than a dozen Vajra Talismans, Heart Clearing Talismans, and Body Purification Talismans Zhou Yun had previously mentioned the market price, which, when added together, should be exchangeable for some spirit stones, roughly equivalent to four low-grade spirit stones. Sir, can these be used instead of spirit stones? Both the manager and Chen Mo had strange expressions on their faces, staring at Liang Sheng, who felt a little uneasy. Had he done something wrong? Its more than enough, but are you sure you want to use these to pay for the registration fees? Chen Mo whispered discreetly in Liang Shengs ear, and he couldnt help but feel taken aback upon hearing it. It turned out that the prices in the Cultivation World could rise, too? The value of his talismans had more than doubled since Zhou Yuns time, worth almost ten low-grade spirit stones? Who could have predicted this!? Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Chapter 100: Befriending, Attack and Defense Chapter 131: Chapter 100: Befriending, Attack and Defense Talisman (Additional 5200, Debt Repaid, Asking for Monthly Tickets )_2 Translator: 549690339 For the scattered cultivators, however, this was indeed unimportant, after all, the sects were high above, and there was no need for them to worry about it? There were also female cultivators in the market, very few in number, but it was said that there were female cultivators who specialized in Joyful Zen cultivation, although Liang Sheng had not encountered any. However, such female cultivators were probably not easy to mess with, and perhaps during a night of pleasure, their essence would be damaged, and it would be too late for regret. But these female cultivators were no different from the male ones, all running between cultivation resources, and for cultivation, there was only fate, not gender. As for becoming Daoist partners, only male cultivators above the Qi-Training Seventh Realm had such status. Otherwise, they were all low-level scattered cultivators, with not enough resources. When two people were together, they could nor achieve the effect of 1+1 being greater than 2, which was simply a waste of time. After this, another quiet month passed. Chen Mo stayed in the mansion, and when there was a change in Qi within the cave mansion at this time, it was Chen Mo visiting outside the door, and Liang Sheng quickly cleaned up, got up, and opened the door. Brother Zhou, let me tell you some good news, a team from the east gate is going to kill the hundred-year-old demonic wolf in the Purple Bamboo Forest, which is an excellent material for making wolf hair brushes. Are you interested? Loose cultivators gathering together to carry out missions can provide more guarantees, after all, the more the merrier. This way, they can also deal with stronger demonic beasts and acquire more resources. Liang Sheng, however, was not interested in this at all. He now just wanted to wait quietly in the market without causing any trouble, because in the shop, every once in a while, there would be trading opportunities for Foundation Establishment Pills, only that rhe interval between them would be a bit long. According to the markers saying, Foundation Establishment Pills were chance encounters and not to be sought after. Sometimes, the three sects and six orders of shops would have a chance to release a Foundation Establishment Pill in a hundred years. So, at this rime, if Liang Sheng didnt save up spirit stones, when would he? Moreover, making talismans by himself could actually get him even more spirit stones, so why bother going out and wasting time? Didnt he understand the cost-effectiveness of producing talismans such as Vajra Talismans with a 100% success rate? And if it werent for keeping a low profile, perhaps with his 100% success rate of refining Qi Refining Pills, he could earn even more spirit stones at a faster rate. However, an alchemist is more high-profile than a talisman maker, so the identity of an alchemist is not taken into consideration by Liang Sheng. Seeing Liang Sheng shaking his head, Chen Mo was speechless about this, as it seemed that he really didnt have the slightest bit of competitive spirit, and this was not a good thing for cultivators, especially loose cultivators. After all, without competition, how can one have a chance for survival? A good wolf hair brush can increase the success rate of a talisman maker, and going with him can get to know more partners and even get the wolf hair brush. Isnt this a win win situation? Unfortunately, no matter how Chen Mo tried to persuade him, knowing that he would participate in the mission himself, and there would be no danger on this trip, Liang Sheng remained unmoved in the end. As a result, Chen Mo could only leave alone, and after Chen Mo left, for a period of time, apart from openly selling one or two talismans, Liang Sheng changed his appearance several times and privately sold many talismans. Of course, every time he sold talismans, he wouldnt sell too many. Selling small amounts each time wouldnt attract attention, and under such circumstances, another month went by, and by this time, there were more than 300 low-grade spirit stones in his storage bag. Every time he thought about the dozen or so mid-grade spirit stones left behind after the manager of Hua Tian Sect fell, Liang Sheng couldnt help but feel pained. He actually used them for cultivation, which was really a waste of resources. In the following period, Liang Shengs life was extremely regular, and the market gradually got used to the existence of a Qi Cultivation Third Level talisman maker. Many loose cultivators had bought talismans from Liang Sheng, and in such a situation, Chen Mo finally returned to the market. Brother Zhou, Im telling you, its a pity you didnt go. The east gate team leader, Friend Wu, is a master of the Seventh Level of Qi Refining, and with him there, the killing of the demonic wolf went smoothly. Even a small group of demonic wolves were eliminated, and this time 1 got so many. As Chen Mo spoke, he raised his hand, indicating that he had earned forty low-grade spirit stones on this trip. Liang Sheng just listened quietly without saying much. Seeing Liang Sheng like this, Chen Mo could only feel helpless, and he had an idea in his heart that Brother Zhou might still be young and didnt know the importance of spirit stones. And so, Liang Sheng lived a low-key life in the Cultivation Market, cultivating discreetly, and without realizing it, a year had passed. Liang Sheng had a very enriching year. The curse techniques he had practiced in the secular world, which could be used in the Qi Condensation stage, had made significant progress during this year, and he didnt know if it was because the market was more full of spiritual energy. Early in the morning, Liang Sheng went to the Administration Office to pay the rent for the next years Cave Mansion. Liang Sheng returned to the Cave Mansion and couldnt help but sigh. A year had passed, and he still hadnt received any news about the Foundation Establishment Fill. However, he had some gains this year, at least he had sold all the talismans he had made in the secular world. Apart from food, drink, and daily expenses, after exchanging a large amount of raw material resources, such as spiritual grass, talisman paper, and cinnabar, he now had almost 1000 low-grade spirit stones on him. He had almost collected all the spiritual grasses mentioned in the pill formula he had obtained before, but unfortunately, it was not convenient to refine them in the market. Of course, this was only a year, so his cultivation level hadnt progressed much. Name: Liang Sheng Age; 511 Talent: Innocent Foolishness (Extreme) Technique: Upper Pure Immortal Scripture (10th Layer), Twenty Life-Nurturing Techniques (iSth Layer), Nail-Head Seven Arrows Technique (Curse) Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: Chapter 101: Big Business (Asking for Monthly Tickets) Chapter 133: Chapter 101: Big Business (Asking for Monthly Tickets) Translator: 549690339 Market. Liang Shengs Cave Mansion. High-Quality Fireball Talisman? Seeing the High-Quality Fireball Talisman that Liang Sheng took out, Chen Mo was somewhat surprised. He didnt expect Liang Sheng to have such powerful attack talismans at hand. However, when he saw how Liang Sheng cherished them, he immediately understood that Liang Sheng probably had very few of such talismans. These two Fireball Talismans, compared to the Vajra Talisman and others, were worth several times more because of their high quality and rarity. Their power could even match the full blow of someone at the Sixth Level of Qi Training. Brother Zhou, you Didnt you say you had a big business deal this time? Im naturally timid and dislike going out. Why not let you maximize the profit? After you return, surely you will repay me with Spirit Stones, right? Chen Mo remained silent for a moment after hearing this. He then composed himself, nodded firmly at Liang Sheng, and left the cave mansion to set off to the forest. Riches and honor are sought among dangers! After he left, several individuals also discreetly left the market. But Liang Sheng wasnt Chen Mos parent. He could only help so much. The final outcome depended on Chen Mos choices and had nothing to do with him. Afterwards, Liang Shengs life once again returned to its normal routine. Chen Mo had been gone for more than a month and had not yet returned. Liang Sheng had no idea what situation he was in, or how far he had traveled. Or perhaps, was Chen Mo even alive now? However, all of this did not affect Liang Shengs routine life. When he was not paying attention, his success rate of refining Fireball Talismans had slightly increased. Liang Sheng had also thought about refining pills himself. But the strong fragrance that diffused after making pills made him decide to discard this idea temporarily. Liang Sheng continued to maintain a low profile in his life. Until one day, Chen Mo ran into the market covered in blood, with several red-eyed men chasing after him. The leader of the group was eager. The item would soon be his. But in the next moment, a dreadful intimidation overwhelmed the entire market. Everyone was filled with uneasiness, unable to move a muscle. At this moment, Liang Sheng looked up towards the direction of the Market Administration Office. His eyes were extremely fervent. Foundation Establishment! At this moment, he was so excited that he was trembling all over. Pushing against the pressure, he stepped out of the cave mansion. He then saw a cultivator who looked like a young man in white making his way leisurely to the scene of the incident with each step. This was no other than Ding Yizhen, the Foundation Establishment Disciple of the Xuanmen Sect, which was currently in charge of the market town among the Three Sects and Six Orders. At this moment, everyone silently stood around. The entire market was completely silent, and everyones eyes were on this Foundation Establishment cultivator, Ding Yizhen. However, deep desire was apparent in everyones eyes. Some female cultivators were staring at him as if they wanted to devour him whole. On the other hand, when Chen Mo saw him, he breathed a sigh of relief and then passed out. Before fainting, the only thought in his mind was Safe. At this time, the loose cultivators who had been chasing Chen Mo finally came to their senses. Out of terror, some of them turned to escape, while others knelt down and begged for mercy. In the next moment, a swooshing sound filled the world. A flying sword with a stream of light shot out. The man attempting to escape had his head lobbed off but his body was still running forward. Seeing this, the kneeling persons started to tremble even more. They bowed their heads to the ground, but at this time, Ding Yizhen sighed. After so many years, have you forgotten the rules of the market? Senior Ding, spare our lives! But in the next moment, the Flying Sword dashed out of the sheath again. Another flash of Sword Light passed by, and it was as brilliant as the Milky Way. A single Sword Light chills the Nine Provinces! At this moment, seeing this scene, the only phrase left in Liang Shengs mind was this. In the next moment, all those who had chased Chen Mo were beheaded and died. Someone seemed to recognize the one who was killed first and couldnt help whispering in surprise. Daoist Wu! Wu, the leader of the East Gate Team, was a cultivator at the Seventh Level of Qi Training and was considered a small master in the market. However, he died as easily as a chicken. It was clear, Foundation Establishment Experts were terrifying. At this moment, Ding Yizhen seemed to have a change of heart. His left hand raised and Chen Mos backpack landed in his hands. He glanced at it and his eyes flickered with joy. Take this person to the office, treat his injuries, and then bring him to me. Officials from the administration office had long since arrived. Hearing Ding Yizhens order, they quickly nodded to follow his command. Ding Yizhen then disappeared with the backpack, and Chen Mo was carried away. The remaining cultivators stayed around for a long time, discussing the recent incident. Indeed, whether one was a cultivator or not, the basic instinct of humans was to enjoy watching the spectacle. At this time, Liang Sheng also withdrew his gaze, but was wondering what was in Chen Mos backpack. Otherwise, why would Ding Yizhen become so interested? However, it seemed that Chen Mo was not lying. This venture was indeed a big deal. Its just that he was quite lucky this time to have escaped back to the market. Otherwise, he might have ended up dead. This further reinforced Liang Shengs conviction. Unless there were special circumstances, he would continue to quietly stay in the market and not get involved in any of the markets disputes.. Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: Chapter 101: Big Business (Asking for Monthly Tickets) 2 Chapter 134: Chapter 101: Big Business (Asking for Monthly Tickets) 2 Translator: 549690339 As for Chen Mo, it was unclear when he would awaken and being taken by Ding Yizhen made his fate even more uncertain. However, there should be nothing to worry about. After all, why else would Ding Yizhen take him away? But what Liang Sheng didnt expect was to see Chen Mo again after just three days, who appeared to be in high spirits at that moment. However, upon seeing Liang Sheng, Chen Mo only hastily greeted him before immediately going into closed-door cultivation. Seeing this, Liang Sheng realized that Chen Mo likely struck a huge deal with substantial returns, otherwise why would he do this? But there was nothing Liang Sheng could do about it. After all, what happened to Chen Mo didnt concern him. However, news circulated that Chen Mo seemed to have obtained an extraordinary spiritual grass. Ding Yizhen had given him a lot of resources, which would explain his immediate closed-door cultivation. Liang Sheng didnt really care about it initially, but a rumor caught his attention. It was said that the spiritual grass obtained by Chen Mo was the essential ingredient for refining Foundation Establishment Pillsthe Lingxi Grass. This news made Liang Sheng immediately realize that there must be someone in the market who knew the pill formula of the Foundation Establishment Pills. Otherwise, how would anyone know that Lingxi Grass is the main ingredient? Unfortunately, Liang Sheng had no idea who initially circulated this rumor. He could only secretly probe for the whereabouts of the Foundation Establishment Pill recipe. Following the clues, Liang Sheng discovered a rumor about the existence of a black market amongst the market. The rumor had it that as long as you had enough spirit stones, you could get anything in the black market. Liang Sheng kept this information in mind without showing too much eagerness. He couldnt rush things. With time on his side, safety was the priority. Under such circumstances, accumulating spirit stones was the first task. The word black market indicated it was definitely a place to spend money. But one day, someone suddenly approached him in the market asking, Daoist friend, do you have a few fireball talismans to sell? Upon hearing this, Liang Shengs eyes squinted. He had never sold fireball talismans before, why would someone ask him about it? There was only one reason, Chen Mo! However, in the next moment, Liang Sheng smiled and said, You must be joking, Daoist friend. How would 1 have fireball talismans? Could you have mistaken me for someone else? Liang Sheng knew he could not possibly have the talismans. Many in the market knew he was a talisman maker, but why would he be so foolish? Seeing the resolute expression on Liang Shengs face, the other person had no choice but to leave, only to ask at the next Cave Mansion where he could buy fireball talismans. Apparently, someone was trying to probe where Chen Mo had gotten his fireball talismans from. Otherwise, why would they ask around Chen Mos neighbors? Seeing this, Liang Sheng changed his appearance and discreetly followed. The other party was completely unaware. In the end, they stopped outside a Cave Mansion and went in. The Qi Cultivation Practitioner who asked Liang Sheng was a burly man. Upon entering the Cave Mansion, he said to the cultivator sitting in the center, Big brother, it seems that Chen Mos neighbors dont know anything. On hearing this, Qian Yongjian just nodded. He had only been probing just in case, he wasnt surprised by the result. It was a pity that they didnt follow Chen Mo closely before and were pre-empted by Daoist Wu. But Daoist Wu was blinded by greed and in the end, he met his demise. Lingxi Grass indicated the abundant Qi where it grows, suitable for a spiritual field, but as there was only one Lingxi Grass, the scope of the spiritual field wouldnt be too large. Not many people in the market knew this. It was by coincidental opportunity that Qian Yongjian knew because he was planning to establish a Cultivation Family. Just because Ding Yizhen wasnt interested, didnt mean that they, as Loose Cultivators, werent. Especially since he had established a Cultivation Family, it had become increasingly important to him. He had reached the Qi Cultivation Eighth Level and had previously seen no hope in breaking through to the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer, where Dual Cultivation comes into play, and thus founded the Cultivation Family. He was the Clan Leader of this Cultivation Family, which only consisted of five members. He and his Daoist partner had a child who was still young and at the basic stage, and there were his two sworn brothers. He had already bought this Cave Mansion for two thousand spirit stones, it was his private property. However, if he were to meet an untimely end, he feared that he wouldnt be able to hold onto this family property. After all, who could guarantee to never leave the market? So he had to plan carefully when he was alive, at least ensuring there was someone within the family who had the same protective power as him. So, for them, a spiritual field is a sign of hope, a beacon supporting their familys inheritance. Since there is no news, lets wait for Chen Mo to come out. Keep in mind, do not make any moves in the market, Daoist Wu is a case in point, Three Sects and Six Orders would not allow anyone to cause trouble in the market. After all, a single market could yield countless benefits, how could they allow anyone to mess around? Meanwhile, having discovered the location of the person behind the scenes, Liang Sheng returned to his cave mansion. Trying to eavesdrop on other Cave Mansions under the surveillance of a Foundation Establishment Expert is insane. But since he now knew the whereabouts of the person behind the curtain, there was no more threat. He just needed to be more cautious. As to whether the other party would trouble him, after the silence of over ten days, he was set at ease. Being at only the Qi Cultivation Third Level, he was, after all, not taken seriously by the other party. The rumors about Chen Mo gradually died down. Instead, a Qi Cultivation 8th Layer State Loose Cultivator who refined high-quality Qi Cultivation Pills became the legend of the market. In less than half a day, the Alchemist who produced the high-quality Qi Cultivation Pills became the stationed Alchemist of the Xuanmen Sect, rising to the status of an ordinary disciple of the Xuanmen Sect.. Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Chapter 101: Big Business (Asking for Monthly Tickets) 3 Chapter 135: Chapter 101: Big Business (Asking for Monthly Tickets) 3 Translator: 549690339 If he were to show any more demonic talent, there would be no problem with becoming an Inner Sect Disciple, after all, the Cultivation World is not lacking in alchemists, but rather talented high-level alchemists. It is only because the Xuanmen Sect is guarding the Market at the moment that they can make a move ahead of time, and other shops from Sects cannot compete with them. It can also be considered a perk of guarding the Market. Of course, such situations are rare. Ding Yizhen is also very happy at this moment. Who could have thought that he would be able to accept an alchemist with talent in his service? Lingxi Grass is one of the conditions he uses to impress the alchemist. Otherwise, how could Ding Yizhen be delighted by the Lingxi Grass, given his status as a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator? You can only call it a coincidence, which goes to show the depth of ones own fortune! After that, it was another calm period, and the market had new topics every day. Who killed a hundred-year-old demonic beast and reaped great rewards, and who met with misfortune and perished? Amongst the Market, the lives of Loose Cultivators are not worth anything, but even so, the ordinary people who serve the Market still dream of becoming cultivators, regardless of the cost. Liang Sheng still maintains his habits of cultivation and talisman making, but he dares not do more, especially after seeing Ding Yizhen take action, he is even more reluctant to show his face. Before long, Chen Mo finally came out of closed-door cultivation and went to Liang Shengs Cave Mansion with high spirits. Liang Sheng greeted him and directly started to congratulate him, Congratulations, Daoist Chen, the great Dao is near. Brother Zhou, you jest, this time it was just a stroke of luck. Although he said that, the corners of Chen Mos mouth almost laughed to his ears. This time, it was lucky to be in a life and death situation. But the final result turned out to be the best, and it was also thanks to your Fireball talisman that I was able to kill two Qi Cultivators when they were unprepared and finally escaped to the Market, otherwise Im afraid I would have Daoist Chen, you are being polite. Now that you have reached the Realm of Qi Refining Sixth Layer, there might be some things that I need your help with later. Chen Mo listened with a serious expression and nodded slightly. Brother Zhou, rest assured, I will remember your kindness in my heart. Then, the atmosphere between the two became even more harmonious, and Liang Sheng asked indirectly a few more questions before finally finding out what Chen Mos big deal was. As expected, it was Lingxi Grass. Daoist Chen, I didnt expect you to know the pill formula for Foundation Establishment Pill? All? What do you mean? How else could you say its a big business unless you know Lingxi Grass is the most important spiritual grass for Foundation Establishment Pill? Ha, you mean that, its common knowledge, but I dont know the exact pill formula for Foundation Establishment Pill. Maybe some people in the black market know, but Im afraid very few people ask. Why? How hard is it to cultivate to the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer? By the time they get the pill formula, how many people can gather the ingredients, and how many can succeed in refining the pills? Its better to buy Foundation Establishment Pills directly. Liang Sheng also nodded repeatedly after hearing this. However, to him, the Foundation Establishment Pill recipe was worth a try. According to Chen Mo, the ingredients for the Foundation Establishment Pill are indeed hard to find, but they are not without opportunities. It is not unusual for cases like Chen Mo, who once obtained Lingxi Grass, the main ingredient of Foundation Establishment Pill, to occur in the market. Liang Sheng gradually put these clues into his heart. At this time, Chen Mo was truly high-spirited, and breaking through the realm always made people overjoyed. By the way, Daoist Chen, some time ago when you were in closed-door cultivation, someone asked me if 1 could sell them any Fireball talismans. 1 waved my hand and refused, jokingly, how could I have any Fireball talismans? Upon hearing this, Chen Mo froze for a moment, looked up at Liang Sheng, and his expression turned somewhat unpleasant. Liang Shengs veiled remarks were not lost on him. It seems someone was secretly plotting against him! Daoist Zhou, dont worry, since Im out today, Ill go out more often, and Ill keep my mouth shut about the Fireball talisman. I wont bother you anymore. Liang Sheng stood up to see him off, watching Chen Mos receding figure, then looked in a certain direction behind him, and couldnt help but sigh in his heart. Daoist Chen, I can only help you this far. He himself would never enter this whirlpool voluntarily. Its only because Chen Mo had helped Liang Sheng a lot in the past that he would give him these hints. Even at the Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer, cultivators must be prudent! (PS: A few of you in the group, Ive updated, where are your monthly subscriptions!?) Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Chapter 102: Black Market (Request for Monthly Tickets) Chapter 136: Chapter 102: Black Market (Request for Monthly Tickets) Translator: 549690339 Market. Ever since Liang Sheng learned about the potential clue to the Foundation Establishment Pill recipe in the black market, he paid close attention to related information. After observing the market for many days, he finally got some leads today. It appeared that someone in the eastern part of the market had connections with the black market. That day, Liang Sheng discreetly roamed around several alleys, each time subtly altering his appearance. After a few instances, he became unrecognizable from his original form. Upon reaching the eastern part of the market, Liang Sheng spotted his target immediately. A stall owner with an eye covered by a black piece of cloth was very distinctive. Qi Cultivation Fivefold. The stall owners cultivation level wasnt very high, and his appearance gave off an intimidating aura. As a result, not many people lingered at his stall. At that moment, Liang Sheng didnt keep a close watch at his target. Instead, he set up his stall across from him, not too far away. Liang Sheng displayed a few lower-ranked talismans like the Vajra Talisman and the Heart Clearing Talisman on his stall, and then began to meditate with his eyes closed. The other stall owners glanced at Liang Shengs talismans and then lost interest. After all, he was just a Loose Cultivator at Qi Cultivation Third Layer, hardly worth notice. For his part, Liang Sheng didnt mind. This was the effect he wanted; his attention was actually fixed on the one-eyed cultivator. In the course of the afternoon, a few people bought items from the one-eyed cultivators stall. Throughout their conversations, Liang Sheng didnt hear any hints about the black market. Yet, Liang Sheng wasnt in a rush. In the meantime, he sold a few talismans and earned two low-grade spirit stones. As the sun began to set, Liang Sheng was the first to pack up his stall. Fie then wandered around a few other stalls before leaving without a word, as if he didnt find anything that piqued his interest. The next day, Liang Sheng changed his appearance as before and returned to the same location. However, he seemed to have arrived too early since the One-Eyed cultivator didnt show up. Feeling a bit helpless, Liang Sheng continued to set up his stall. To his surprise, the one-eyed cultivator did not appear for two more days. On the third day, he finally made an appearance. Liang Sheng breathed a sigh of relief, but noticed that his target looked somewhat tired. This made him more vigilant. Ordinary cultivators wouldnt appear so exhausted unless they had expended significant energy within the last three days. Moreover, he noticed that everything on the One-Eyed cultivators stall was completely replaced. There was even a 6o-year-old spiritual grass, although it was just ordinary Nourishing Heart Grass. Its age made it a rarity. Since all the spiritual grass in the nearby forests had been picked, it was no small feat for the One-Eyed cultivator to have a 6o-year-old piece of Nourishing Heart Grass. Upon seeing this, Liang Sheng was reassured that he was heading in the right direction. Perhaps his target really had clues about the black market. If not, where did the Nourishing Heart Grass come from? After a moments thought, Liang Sheng stood up, walked to the One-Eyed cultivators stall, and asked, How much for the Nourishing Heart Grass? The One-Eyed cultivator raised his head slightly, looked at Liang Sheng, and hoarsely replied, Thirty low-grade spirit stones. Liang Sheng was taken aback for a moment in disbelief. Afterward, he whispered slightly, Could there be a discount? The One-Eyed cultivator didnt reply nor look at him, Fixed price. Liang Sheng pretended to be hesitating and somewhat reluctant. After a deep sigh, he eventually said, Regrettably, it seems were not fated. Liang Sheng shook his head and walked away. The One-Eyed cultivator didnt seem to care, and the other cultivators who saw this had no reactions either. After all, who could easily afford thirty spirit stones? There were quite a few Loose Cultivators in the market who could refine pills, but most of them had mediocre skills. The Hundred-Year Nourishing Heart Grass could be used to refine many spiritual pills, but who could guarantee success in alchemy? However, no one saw that when Liang Sheng turned around and left, a piece of talisman paper had already stuck to the One-Eyed cultivators body and then vanished instantly. This was the tracking talisman Liang Sheng had crafted earlier. With his cultivation level, he could attach the talisman to his target instantly. As dusk fell, Liang Sheng closed his shop and headed home. The One-Eyed cultivator would not be able to escape his tracking. Meanwhile Chen Mo had been in a foul mood these past few days. With Liang Shengs warning, he naturally noticed he was being shadowed. Someone was indeed secretly trailing him. Although he maintained his usual demeanor on the surface, inwardly he wondered who was plotting against him. He had already handed the Lingxi Grass to Ding Yizhen. Was someone aiming for the resources he had exchanged with Ding Yizhen? Chen Mo had no idea. However, Liang Sheng had been in closed-door cultivation recently and hadnt shown up for several days. And with his own problems, he didnt feel the need to bother him. He understood Liang Shengs absence. After all, Liang Sheng was just a Loose Cultivator at the Qi Cultivation Third Layer. Plus, it was human nature to veer towards benefits and avoid harm. If he had been in Liang Shengs position, he would have made the same choice. However, for now, Chen Mo didnt need to worry about his safety. Generally speaking, the market wasnt a dangerous place. Ding Yizhen was not just a showpiece. In the matter of maintaining the safety of the market, the Three Sects and Six Orders had a unanimous stance. This was the markets bottom line. If Loose Cultivators had life-or-death grudges, they could leave the market. Whatever they did afterwards would then be none of their concern.. Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Chapter 102: Black Market (Asking for Monthly Tickets) _2 Chapter 137: Chapter 102: Black Market (Asking for Monthly Tickets) _2 Translator: 549690339 Feeling annoyed, Chen Mo decided not to go out, and spent the next few days stabilizing his Sixth Realm of Qi cultivation. However, by staying in the market town without leaving, Chen Mo made his opponent feel uneasy. Qian Yongjian hadnt expected that Chen Mo would not leave the market town after coming out of his seclusion and making a breakthrough, so he became increasingly anxious. He must obtain that small spiritual field if it exists, but after patiently waiting for some time and realizing that Chen Mo had not left, Qian Yongjian finally decided to meet with him. One day, like usual, Liang Sheng was at home making talismans, and he would go to the eastern area of the market town in the afternoon. This time, he successfully made Fireball and Waterball talismans one after another. Liang Sheng naturally felt joyous and thought that, given enough time, he could achieve a 100% success rate in making these two types of talismans. Just as he was getting ready to draw other kinds of talismans, Chen Mo suddenly arrived, holding a jade slip in his hand, which puzzled Liang Sheng. Qian Yongjian sent someone to contact me yesterday, saying he wants to invite me for tea. Qian Yongjian? So straightforward? Of course, Liang Sheng knew who the person was C after all, he had followed him all the way to his Cave Mansion and would naturally try to find out his origins. So, are you planning to meet him? Upon hearing the question, Chen Mo nodded. He wanted to find out why this person was stalking him and what he had that was worthy of the latters concern. After all, Qian Yongjian, who was at the Qi Cultivation Eighth Level, seemed unattainable in Chen Mos eyes, and it was unclear how long it would take for him to break through to the Eighth Level of Qi Cultivation. This is the jade slip to open my Cave Mansion. With it, you can enter and exit my dwelling at will. Brother Zhou, if 1 dont come back Before Chen Mo could finish speaking, Liang Sheng refused saying, Daoist Chen, dont laugh at me. Im not ambitious; otherwise, I wouldnt be a Talisman Maker in the market town. 1 know that 1 dont have enough good fortune, so I just want to cultivate and live in peace. Everything else has nothing to do with me. When it comes to cultivation, it all boils down to fate. Hearing Liang Shengs words, Chen Mo was touched. He didnt expect Liang Sheng to have such a nature, but now he felt even more relieved. Unfortunately, no matter how much he tried to persuade him, Liang Sheng simply refused to accept the jade slip. Daoist Chen, lets be straight. I am just a mere Loose Cultivator at the Third Layer of Qi cultivation. 1 dont want to get involved in trouble, so please dont harm me. Moreover, today 1 see that you have a rosy face and a full celestial dome, so it doesnt look like youre in great danger. Dont overthink things. Seeing this, Chen Mo finally stopped insisting. However, he still sighed, Its a pity that 1 dont have a Hua Tian Sect Black Iron Command; otherwise, I could give it to you. Considering your aspirations, Daoist, you can actually think about going to the secular world where you wouldnt have to worry about your safety. Hearing this, Liang Sheng wondered if Chen Mo had said it unintentionally, and Chen Mo patted himself on the head. Look at me, I forgot that you dont know many things. Its not a secret here in the Market. Outside the dense fog, there is actually a passage that leads to the secular world. Three Sects and Six Orders all have the route to this passage, and only the Hua Tian Sect goes there every once in a while. However, we Loose Cultivators cannot go there because we would get lost in the dense fog, and not many people want to go to the secular world anyway. It is said that a few hundred years ago, people from the secular worlds dynasty brought Black Iron Commands to the Hua Tian Sects store, and it was even rumored that a few decades ago, a person from a secular imperial dynasty was taken in as a disciple by the Hua Tian Sect. However, this seems to be a joke since how could the secular royal family have such luck in cultivation? So, nobody took it seriously. Moreover, the secular world is filthy. Everyone wants to succeed in cultivation, to become immortals, and who would really want to go to the secular world? Chen Mo suddenly became chatty, and Liang Sheng then realized that Chen Mo was feeling nervous because he was going to meet Qian Yongjian. After all, being remembered by a Cultivator at the Qi Cultivation Eighth Level, how many people can remain calm and indifferent like they usually would? Fortunately, Chen Mo eventually regained his composure. Noticing Liang Shengs insistence on refusal, he stopped pressing the matter and put the jade slip back into his Cave Mansion. However, after this incident, Liang Sheng trusted Chen Mo even more. Having such a strong character was worth befriending, and someone who avoids trouble would not cause it. Only, he himself couldnt be so carefree. He still desired to grasp the slightest opportunity and succeed in cultivation. Chen Mo left the Cave Mansion to meet Qian Yongjian, and Liang Sheng did not stay in his Cave Mansion either. He planned to continue to explore the black markets clues. However, after spending so many days observing, he finally figured out the pattern in the One-Eyed Cultivators appearances C every seven days, the One-Eyed Cultivator would disappear for three days, and when he returned, there would be new items at his stall. This seemed like a typical Loose Cultivator going out in search of cultivation resources, but the situation was rather strange. After all, which Loose Cultivator could guarantee that they would find something every time they went out? Leaving a message stating that he was in seclusion outside of his Cave Mansion, Liang Sheng tried to prevent Chen Mo from looking for him later. He then discreetly left the Cave Mansion with the help of his Attribute Panels concealment, so no one noticed his departure.. Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: Chapter 102: Black Market (Request for Monthly Tickets) 3 Chapter 138: Chapter 102: Black Market (Request for Monthly Tickets) 3 Translator: 549690339 Actually, even Ding Yizhen couldnt possibly keep an eye on the entire market all the time, because Liang Sheng had already tested this situation. Outside the market territory. This was the first time Liang Sheng left the market territory, hiding in the forest to the east, which was where the One-eyed cultivator would leave the market each time. With the bright moon high in the sky, the One-eyed cultivator finally appeared in Liang Shengs sight, walking slowly, looking left and right, very cautious. At this time, he took several turns and finally went back to where he started after a full circle. He even used a detection talisman to investigate the surrounding area. Finally, after confirming that there was nothing unusual behind him, he breathed a sigh of relief. Liang Sheng couldnt help but admire the cautiousness of the other party. At this point, the One-eyed Dragon took out a cloak from his backpack that concealed his face and Qi. Then he sped up and even used a Light body talisman, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Because Liang Sheng had the Attribute Panel, unless he appeared blatantly in front of the other party, they couldnt possibly discover him. So, even though the One-eyed cultivator was cautious, how could Liang Sheng, who was at Spirit Qi Tenfold Realm, lose track of him? After more than an hour, the One-eyed cultivator finally stopped, facing a cliff. At the next moment, the One-eyed cultivator didnt hesitate to jump forward, and his entire body merged into the cliff. This was actually an Illusion! Upon seeing this, Liang Sheng couldnt help but be astonished. Could it be that the mastermind behind the black market was also an Array Master? Because he saw the One-eyed cultivator disappear in front of him, he focused his attention on the cliff in front of him and finally found the strange area. If it werent for this situation, Liang Sheng might not really have discovered something unusual here under careless circumstances. However, fortunately, this wasnt the work of a Foundation Establishment Expert. Although the other partys array was clever, the Qi used to set up the array was still from the Qi Refining Realm. Seeing this, Liang Sheng couldnt help but feel relieved, but he still didnt dare to act rashly. Facing the Illusion Array Technique, how could he act recklessly? No wonder the One-eyed cultivator had put on the Cloak of Concealment earlier. If nothing happened unexpectedly, this cloak probably also had an array etched on it. As expected of the black market hidden behind the market. If the mastermind didnt have such methods, the black market probably wouldnt have been able to exist for so long without any major problems. At this time, Liang Sheng still didnt make any rash moves, quietly hiding nearby. Over the next three days, several cloaked people entered the cliff. Liang Sheng carefully counted the number of people entering and waited quietly. Three days later. A ripple appeared at the Illusion Array Technique area of the cliff, and a cultivator with Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer in a cloak appeared. His cloak was completely different. He stood still, and after a while, a cloaked person appeared at regular intervals. The total number of people who came out was more than Liang Sheng had counted before. That is to say, there should have been people who entered the black market before the One-eyed cultivator. This time, Liang Sheng seemingly had a slightly better idea of the situation. As for the newly appeared cultivator with Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer cloak, judging from his behavior, it seemed like he was guarding the exit of the black market. When everyone left, he returned to the black market, and there was no more movement after that. Liang Sheng waited for another hour, until there was no more movement around the cliff, then he glanced at the cliff disguised by the Illusion Array Technique and once again, resisting the curiosity in his heart, quietly returned to the market. This black market seemed even more mysterious than he had imagined, and he didnt know if there would be any danger if he rushed in. Therefore, it seemed like he needed to plan this for the long term. At this moment, Liang Sheng was not in a hurry, because time didnt matter. The most important thing was his own safety. Loose cultivators must fight for a slim chance to survive. He just needed to wait for the right opportunity. There was no need to rush for cultivation. However, a few days later, Liang Sheng received a piece of news. Chen Mo had disappeared.. Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: Chapter 104: Take Action, Have a Safe Trip! (Asking for Monthly Tickets) Chapter 142: Chapter 104: Take Action, Have a Safe Trip! (Asking for Monthly Tickets) Translator: 549690339 Market. In the past few days, Chen Mo had been looking for Liang Sheng quite frequently. However, he hadnt mentioned the spiritual field again, and Liang Sheng pretended like nothing had happened, just like before. However, he noticed that someone was observing him. After realizing that it was Qian Familys Second Child, Liang Sheng didnt care about it anymore. Perhaps the other party was monitoring Chen Mo. After all, the spiritual field was at stake, and it was better to be too careful than not careful enough. A few more days passed, and he went to the Administration Office to pay the rent for his cave mansion for the next year. Unconsciously, he had already spent two years in the market and had completely integrated into the market life. Everything was going smoothly, except that he still hadnt found the Foundation Establishment Pill or its recipe. In fact, he didnt want to go through the trouble of paying the rent every year, but all the other lower-ranking cultivators in the Market paid their rent annually, so he didnt want to stand out. Only high-level Qi cultivators in the loose cultivator category might pay the annual rent all at once, or even buy the cave mansion directly, as they had the strength and confidence to ensure that their investment in the rent wouldnt go to waste. Chen Mo, naturally, followed Liang Sheng to the Administration Office and paid the rent for his cave mansion for a year. At this moment, looking at the jade slip with the renewed lease, he suddenly sighed. Brother Zhou, do you think were just working hard every year to serve the Three Sects and Six Orders? Chen Mo had a bitter look on his face, but Liang Sheng didnt respond. Seeing this, Chen Mo could only continue to speak on his own, but his words still fell on deaf ears as Liang Sheng remained unmoved. Two or three days later, Chen Mo disappeared from Liang Shengs sight, presumably going to the spiritual field to meet up with Qian Yongjian and the others. However, Liang Sheng didnt care about this. As long as Chen Mo didnt mess things up, it would be fine. If, however, he developed some ulterior motives then The scenery in the forest outside the market was quite nice, suitable for eternal rest after death. Without Chen Mos interruption, Liang Sheng settled down to study formations, as obtaining the recipe for the Foundation Establishment Pill in the black market seemed to be the easiest way at the moment without considering the formation aspect. After all, if he didnt take into account the black market formations, he would be invincible in the markets loose cultivation community at the tenth level of Qi cultivation! In the two months that followed, the spiritual energy density in Liang Shengs cave mansion suddenly erupted, but this situation only lasted for a short while, and Liang Shengs expression was one of immense joy. Gathering Spirit Array completed! However, because he didnt want to expose the increase in spiritual energy in his cave mansion, he voluntarily dispersed the Gathering Spirit Array. His next plan was simple: if there was one, there would be two. In front of Liang Sheng, the difficulty of the Gathering Spirit Array was now reduced to merely a matter of proficiency. After all, he himself faced no bottlenecks in every technique in the world, and only needed to be skillful through practice. Thanks to the success of the Gathering Spirit Array, Liang Sheng finally set his sights on the next formation he wanted to learn. Concealment Array. Although the Attribute Panel made Liang Shengs personal concealment unparalleled under heaven, virtually no one could see through him, this situation only applied to himself. If he wanted to hide the movements within his cave mansion, he would still need to work hard on his own. Spending fifty low-grade spirit stones to rent a cave mansion with a Concealment Array would be too conspicuous. After all, he was just a small Qi Cultivation Third Level cultivator. And so, while practicing talisman formation, he started to practice Concealment Array as well. At this time, a big incident occurred in the market, involving a very unfortunate loose cultivator who wanted to cry but had no tears. Today, he just wanted to go to the shops of the Three Sects and Six Schools to buy a bottle of high-quality Qi Cultivation Pills and try to break through to the Fifth Layer of Qi Cultivation. He didnt expect to inadvertently offend two sects in the process. At the time, he merely glanced at the Upper Pure Sects shop, then saw a disciple from Hua Tian Sect coming out. After a brief eye contact, he naturally headed towards Hua Tian Sects store. Little did he know that this small action would cause great trouble. The disciple from Upper Pure Sect actually came out and started cursing at Hua Tian Sects people. Hua Tian Sect, what do you mean? How dare you blatantly steal a customer from our Upper Pure Sects shop? What are you trying to do? The disciple who had just come out from Hua Tian Sect was Zhou Kang, a member of the Zhou family, and he was also a little stunned at the moment. However, since the Zhou Familys bloodline was considered low-key and didnt want to cause trouble, he decided to follow the principle of not wanting to spark conflict. He pretended not to hear anything and returned to the store. But this action thoroughly enraged the disciple from Upper Pure Sect. Was Hua Tian Sect looking down on him? In a fit of rage, he took out the artifact sword from his waist, and the situation immediately changed. Zhou Kang was also helpless when he saw this. He had felt that something was wrong since early morning, and he didnt expect it to manifest here. Other people in the Hua Tian Sect shop also heard the commotion. When the Manager of Hua Tian Sect saw this situation, his face darkened. For more than two hundred years, the conflict between the Upper Pure Sect and the Hua Tian Sect had been intensifying. Right now, since they were bullying the favored Zhou family disciple, how could he back down? This was his cultivation fortune! After all, protecting Zhou Kang was just a matter of course, but this also provided him with an opportunity to connect with influential people. As the manager of Hua Tian Sect took action, the manager of the Upper Pure Sect shop naturally didnt back down. For a short while, the area around the shops in the market was filled with curious onlookers. The loose cultivator who had wanted to buy Qi Cultivation Pills probably never thought that his unintentional actions would cause such a terrible impact, and he was instantly scared to the point of almost crying.. Chapter 146 - Chapter 146: Chapter 105: Spiritual Field Farmer, Sect Chapter 146: Chapter 105: Spiritual Field Farmer, Sect Fighting Spirit (Seeking Monthly Tickets)_2 Translator: 549690339 The atmosphere in the Market at this moment was still as peculiar as before, with the obvious enmity between the Hua Tian Sect and the Upper Green Sect, making many loose cultivators hesitant to visit one sects shop for fear of being noticed and targeted by the other. Under such circumstances, the shops of the remaining seven sects saw a slight increase in their business, but no one discussed this matter openly as they silently made a fortune. Qian Yongjians cave mansion was still in existence at this time, and his Daoist partner with their child still lived there. Liang Sheng took a few looks at them, memorizing the appearances of the mother and child. After two days, Liang Sheng used the items from Qian Yongjians storage bag and tried to probe Qian Yongjians Daoist partner, only to find out that she was unaware of Qian Yongjians specific circumstances. It seemed that Qian Yongjians Daoist partner at the Fourth Level of Qi Cultivation never gained his trust, or perhaps Qian Yongjian didnt tell her too much for fear of putting her and their child at risk. All she knew was that Qian Yongjian was working on something big, and if it succeeded, their childs cultivation path would be much more secure in the future. Given this, Liang Sheng temporarily refrained from silencing them. After all, this was the Market, and it seemed unlikely that Qian Yongjians Daoist partner would want to leave. However, Liang Sheng took a precautionary measure and left a tracking talisman, in case of an emergency. Considering the current circumstances, he wouldnt hesitate to kill if necessary. After completing his investigations in the Market, he left and returned to the spiritual field. From then on, Liang Shengs life returned to its routine of Talisman Drawing, Array Setting, and practicing various spells and curses, but with one difference C he finally resumed refining pills outside the Market. After all, the place he chose had rarely been visited by people, so no one would notice that he was refining pills. This time, the quality of the Qi Cultivation Pills he refined was a pleasant surprise for Liang Sheng. High-Quality Qi Cultivation Pills. Liang Sheng used the spiritual grass from Qian Yongjians storage bag to refine these high-quality pills. Perhaps because the quality of the spiritual grass was better than what he previously had, his pill refining results were also noticeably improved. With his 100% success rate in refining Qi Cultivation Pills, Liang Shengs heart raced a few more beats and, after some time, his excitement finally subsided. As for the Spiritual Rain Technique, it took Liang Sheng one month to master it, and now it was simply a matter of refining his skills until they became second nature. But considering the current situation, he had more than enough ways to irrigate the spiritual grass, albeit with a bit more time spent. Fortunately, Liang Sheng was at the Tenth Layer of Qi Cultivation, or else he wouldnt be able to withstand the task of irrigating the entire field. No wonder Chen Mo had wanted him to come here in the first place C it seemed that Chen Mos intentions had simply exceeded his own abilities. As the spiritual field was still concealed by Qian Yongjians concealment formation, the increasingly dense spiritual energy within the field did not leak out. However, to be on the safe side, Liang Sheng had placed Miasma Pills within a radius of ten miles around the spiritual field, releasing a faint miasma fog. If someone inadvertently entered the area, they would be poisoned and cause a commotion, which would serve as a warning for Liang Sheng. As time went by, another month passed, and the spiritual grass in the field began to sprout, showing a promising growth. One day, after Liang Sheng had cast the Spiritual Rain Technique and fortified his previous defensive measures, he prepared to return to the Market once again. If nothing had happened in the Market, he should make an appearance there, as many people had been curious about his cave mansion since Chen Mos disappearance. Furthermore, since Chen Mo was already dead, Liang Sheng wouldnt want to be implicated. It would be better to show his face at the Market periodically to avoid any suspicion. This time when Liang Sheng returned, he found that the atmosphere in the Market was much better than before, as the Hua Tian Sect and Upper Green Sect seemed to have reconciled after Ding Yizhens persuasion. At least on the surface, they both appeared to be getting along again, much to the relief of the loose cultivators in the Market. After all, the loose cultivators affiliated with the Three Sects and Six Orders would naturally be apprehensive about internal conflicts between sects. Theyd rather stand idly by and watch the situation unfold than get caught in the crossfire themselves. Upon returning to the Market, Liang Sheng didnt attract any attention, as he was just a small character at the Third Level of Qi Cultivation. And since Chen Mo had been missing for more than a month, their neighbors didnt find it strange at all. After all, Chen Mo used to be absent for long periods due to his partnership with Qian Yongjian in the spiritual field. Liang Sheng stayed in the Market for three more days before discovering Qian Yongjians Daoist partner showed no signs of anything unusual, so he decided to leave the Market once again. However, this behavior of his seemed to have reassured his neighbors, who were friendlier and more relaxed. Some even took the initiative to greet him. It turned out that Liang Shengs previous idle life had made them somewhat uncomfortable, as they saw him as an anomaly among cultivators who were constantly traveling and gathering resources. Now that he was also frequenting the Market like them, struggling alongside them, Liang Sheng appeared more sociable and acceptable to them. This situation led Liang Sheng to reevaluate his approach. Now that he had decided to hide in plain sight, avoiding trouble entirely might not be the best method after all. On the contrary, appearing to go with the flow would be more conducive to his safety. With that in mind, Liang Shengs life returned to its usual routine. Under such peaceful days, eight years had passed in the blink of an eye without much change in Liang Shengs cultivation level. Name: Liang Sheng Age: 520 Talent: Innocent Foolishness (Top-grade) Techniques: Upper Pure Immortal Scripture (10th Layer), Twenty Life-Nurturing Techniques (18th Layer), Nail-Head Seven Arrows Technique (Curse) Realm: Qi Cultivation Tenth Layer Lifespan: 16313 At this moment, Liang Sheng once again waited for the harvest season in the spiritual field. However, this time, after collecting the spiritual grass, he didnt prepare to start another round of spiritual grass planting.. Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: Chapter 108: Foundation Establishment Chapter 155: Chapter 108: Foundation Establishment Finally Achieved (Requesting Monthly Tickets) 2 Translator: 549690339 Furthermore, Liang Shengs breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage automatically increased his lifespan by 500, making it a total of 21188 years. Liang Sheng was a true monster in terms of lifespan. While enjoying his success, Liang Sheng discovered that the flowers and plants around the mountain cave he was in had grown at an alarming rate, with even the short vines having grown to over one meter tall. As for the creatures and animals that were within this area, they kept their distance from Liang Sheng, but their eyes were filled with longing. Liang Sheng glanced at them and couldnt help but laugh, Today is a happy day, and it is fate that connects us. Ihe next moment, a bottle of Qi Refining Pills appeared in his hand as his thoughts moved. He melted the pills using his spiritual power, then waved his hand, causing a surge of spiritual energy in an area with a radius of dozens of meters. As Liang Sheng rook a step forward, his body vanished without a trace. The stunned creatures and animals then reacted and quickly rushed into the range of spiritual energy. They didnt understand what this energy was, but they instinctively tried to breathe in as much spiritual energy as they could, their tiny minds filled with the thought of absorbing more and more. When Liang Sheng descended the mountain, his steps were light, and he felt weightless. With each step, he covered a mile, as if he could shrink the earth itself. At this moment, his mood was simple. The joy of breaking through was like returning home clothed in silk. Naturally, he could not let the day pass without celebrating. An hour later, they arrived at the Capital. The Dusty Garden. Since it was his true desire, why constrain it? The Dao is natural! After a wild night. Early the next morning, Liang Sheng restored his appearance and walked on the streets of the capital. At this moment, the people of Great Zhou Capital were brimming with confidence and national pride. During the 35 years since Liang Sheng had left, Great Zhou had annexed two more countries. It had become the most powerful nation within the secular countries in the cultivation world, and it deserved to be the undisputed hegemon in the region. Now that Liang Sheng had broken through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, he no longer felt as tense as he was before. Following his hearts desire, he wanted to explore the secular world, and so he did not rush back to the Immortal Cultivation Market. After all, with Liang Shengs inherent talent and cultivation speed, he had no idea when he would break through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, so why hurry? As he walked down the street, Liang Sheng eventually found himself in the Eastern City Area and stopped in front of a teahouse, lost in thought. He only had a brief two hundred years in the mortal world, and rhe Peaceful Mind Studio he once owned had now become a teahouse. The same name, Peaceful Mind Studio, was a sign of fate. With that thought, Liang Sheng did nor hesitate and walked directly into the teahouse called Peaceful Mind Studio. As soon as he entered, he heard a spirited and passionate voice. It was the storyteller in the center of the hall. The teahouse customers were all attentively listening to the storyteller narrating the story of Great General Zhou Yikaos one-day conquest of ten cities. At the exciting moments, some customers showed their appreciation. When Liang Sheng entered the teahouse, rhe waiter s eyes lit up, What a handsome young man! He must be rhe son of a noble family. As the waiter pondered, he quickly jogged up to Liang Sheng. Young Master, have you reserved a private room? The waiter, without hesitation, thought that the person had reserved a private room since he had never encountered such an elegant-looking person before. No, Ill just have tea in the main hall. Upon hearing this, the waiters expression remained unchanged and continued to be extraordinarily enthusiastic, guiding Liang Sheng to a spot by the window. Liang Sheng ordered a pot of tea and then watched the bustling street in front of him while listening to the passionate voice of the storyteller. For some reason, he felt an odd sense of insight. However, he was unable to grasp this hint of inspiration. Just as he was growing anxious, the waiter coincidentally came to serve the tea. Dear guest, please enjoy your tea. Liang Sheng snapped back to his senses, nodded, and smiled at the waiter. For some reason, the waiter felt extremely honored and was quite excited as he left. Even the waiter himself couldnt figure out why he was so flustered. He had seen his fair share of wealthy customers, so why was he at a loss today? As Liang Sheng watched the bustling streets of the Capital and listened to the discussions in the teahouse, he became even more amazed by the bloodline abilities of the Great Zhou Royal Family. It was now the 34th year of Weizong, and just last month, Great General Zhou Yikao had defeated the Southern Yue Nation and returned victoriously with his troops. The story that the storyteller was telling right now was a byproduct of Zhou Yikaos feats. Who would have thought that Liang Sheng would arrive at such a coincidental time? According to the conversations among the guests, it was likely that Zhou Yikao would lead his troops back to the capital within a few days. Weizong even stated that he would personally welcome them with officials outside the city. However, just at that moment, a fast horse carrying an urgent message rushed through the streets of the capital. Some vendors on both sides of the street didnt have time to dodge, and the messenger knocked them down. Yet, the citizens of Great Zhou didnt blame the messenger but looked worried instead. Ever since the rise of Great Zhou, they had never seen such an urgent messenger before. Judging from the armor pattern on the messengers body, it seemed to bear the totem of the Always Victorious Army of Great General Zhou Yikao. Did something unexpected happen to the march of the Great General? But how could it be possible? Considering the Great General had returned victorious after annihilating the Southern Yue Nation, how could such an urgent matter happen now? Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Chapter 110: The Spiritual Field Servant, Chapter 160: Chapter 110: The Spiritual Field Servant, Alchemist Chen Sheng! (Requesting Monthly Votes) Translator: 549690339 Spiritual Field. Now Liang Sheng effortlessly completed the restoration of the Illusion Array Technique, not caring about the three cultivators who were frantically fleeing in panic within the Illusion Array. After all, they couldnt escape. He directly entered the spiritual field and felt a sense of joy as he saw the lush and mature Spiritual Grass. Then, he began to comb through the spiritual energy within the entire spiritual field. As for the defensive measures around the spiritual field, he added them with the same effort and, as he was now in the Foundation Establishment Stage, naturally strengthening the power of the Illusion Array Technique. As a result, the Loose Cultivators who had just rushed in were completely trapped in the array, losing their sense of direction, and spinning in circles like headless flies. Liang Sheng wasnt bothered by them at this moment. Instead, he let them suffer some hardships first and looked at the lush and mature Spiritual Grass with a faint smile. In the blink of an eye, the Spiritual Grass in the entire field was collected by Liang Sheng into his Storage Bag with a tap of his spiritual power at his fingertips. However, at this moment, he didnt rush to plant new Spiritual Grass because he didnt have the seeds needed for the True Yuan Pill. From now on, the most important pill for his cultivation would be the True Yuan Pill. Moreover, with his Innocent Talent, he would need to take the True Yuan Pill for a very long time. First, set a small goal C reach the Foundation Establishment Perfection Realm in one thousand years. After all, even for other cultivators with average talents, five hundred years of life would be added after Foundation Establishment, and without any opportunities or encounters, it would take at least three hundred years to reach Foundation Establishment Perfection before attacking the Golden Core Realm. By this calculation, it would be considered a success if Liang Sheng took one thousand years to accomplish Foundation Establishment Perfection. At this moment, Liang Sheng strengthened the Gathering Spirit Array within the spiritual fields territory once again, still ignoring the Loose Cultivators trapped in the Illusion Array Technique, and returned to the Spiritual Field Cave Mansion to rest for a short while. The plan of Liang Sheng was straightforward. He would first suppress the vigor of these Loose Cultivators before letting them go. Having reached the Foundation Establishment stage, Liang Sheng now had the ability to protect himself in the market. So, having a few more tenant farmers planting Spiritual Grass in his spiritual field in the future would actually be pretty good. In a flash, three days passed. Huang Yifan and his brothers were now slumped down in the Illusion Array Technique, listless and pale. How did they still look like Qi Training Seventh Realm cultivators? At this moment, their hearts were filled with despair. This was not their good fortune but their doom. How could they have come to find their deaths? Huang Yifan didnt expect his downfall to be so tragic, but just at that moment, the Illusion Array Technique suddenly vanished, revealing a passage. In the beginning, they didnt understand what was happening, but after standing up abruptly, the three of them banded together and rushed towards the passage. Regardless of the current danger, they had no other choice but to break out of the array first. As soon as they broke out of the array, Huang Yifan was filled with tears of gratitude. Then, without any hesitation, he knelt down on the ground with a thud. The two brothers behind him exchanged glances in uncertainty. There was no one else here, so why was their elder brother acting like this? But Huang Yifan didnt care about their reaction. After kowtowing a few times, he started to cry and beg for mercy. Senior, please have mercy on us, just let us go like were nothing. When the two behind him heard him, they finally understood and also instantly knelt down on the ground, banging their heads on the ground in repentance. The next moment, a crane-haired and youthful-looking old man appeared in front of them. They couldnt move at all under the pressure of his imposing aura. Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer! Huang Yifans heart trembled with fear, but at the same time, he breathed a sigh of relief. Since this senior was willing to show himself, their lives should be safe. This Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer elder was, of course, Liang Sheng in disguise, but this time he had changed his appearance once again. You trespassed into my Cave Mansion without permission. I will give you two options: First, become my slaves; second, die and vanish. What will you choose? Upon hearing this, Huang Yifan and his brothers couldnt help but curse in their hearts. They didnt want to die, so how could they choose? Wasnt this removing their pants and letting out a fart, making a redundant move? But on the surface, they dared not say a word and humbly replied that they were willing to be slaves. Liang Sheng, seeing this, couldnt help but be very satisfied. Swear by the Heavenly Dao Oath. Huang Yifan was helpless, and after the three of them took the Heavenly Dao Oath one by one and addressed him as their master, Liang Sheng couldnt help but reveal a smiling expression. With a wave of Liang Shengs hand, the three were already in the Spiritual Field Location. At this moment, the three couldnt help but open their mouths in shock. The spiritual energy was so dense that the spiritual power within them involuntarily became more active. From now on, this spiritual field will be your responsibility. Do you know the Spiritual Rain Technique? Huang Yifan and his brothers shook their heads, and Liang Sheng directly took out a Jade Slip, Ill give you one month to learn the Spiritual Rain Technique. I dont keep useless people. While talking, Liang Shengs expression didnt change, but the faces of Huang Yifan and his brothers turned cold. Not keeping useless people meant that if they couldnt learn, they would die, right? Upon hearing this, Huang Yifan and the others hurriedly took the Jade Slip and were relieved after reading the Spiritual Rain Technique. It wasnt difficult. At this time, in front of Huang Yifan and the others, Liang Sheng once again strengthened the Illusion Array Technique and miasma illusion array. The faces of Huang Yifan and his brothers were both horrified and relieved. Their master had just gone easy on them. Otherwise, the three of them would have definitely been done for. At this moment, Liang Sheng instructed Huang Yifan and the others to stay here obediently, as he would be out for a while. Of course, they could also try to escape. Huang Yifan and the others shook their heads repeatedly. Escape? Wasnt that asking for death? They should honestly practice the Spiritual Rain Technique. Market. At this time, Liang Sheng had taken on another identity. Qi Cultivation Third Level Zhou Sheng had disappeared, and there was an additional Qi Cultivation Fivefold Alchemist Chen Sheng in the market.. Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: Chapter 111: Vest Becomes Famous, Sect Regrets (Seeking Monthly Tickets) Chapter 163: Chapter 111: Vest Becomes Famous, Sect Regrets (Seeking Monthly Tickets) Translator: 549690339 Market. Liang Shengs Cave Mansion. At this moment, Liang Shengs eyes were gloomy. He had already put up the information about his closed-door alchemy outside the cave mansion. When night fell and everyone was asleep, he had already put on the invisibility talisman and wrapped it around his body. With the attribute panel concealment property, no one could detect that he had quietly left the cave mansion. Even without the attribute panel, with his Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation level, under the effect of the concealment talisman, coupled with the change of appearance, there was a high probability that Liang Sheng would not encounter any accidents and could safely leave the market. So under the concealment of the attribute panel, Liang Sheng can now come and go freely in the market, unless encountering irresistible factors. For example, when encountering a Golden Core Stage cultivator who can see through the concealment talisman face to face, they wouldnt be able to detect Liang Shengs qi, but they would be able to see him as a person. But it was almost impossible for a Golden Core cultivator to visit the market. The reason for Liang Sheng sneaking out of the market was simple. He was supposed to go back and arrange for the planting of spiritual grass. This time, he had made some miscalculations, as he had only managed to gather the True Yuan spiritual grass seeds after more than two months. However, because of the long communication time, he also had a good relationship with the loose cultivation alchemists in the market, so the overall losses were not too great. If it werent for getting along well with these alchemists and exchanging spiritual grasses with them, he might not have been able to collect all the spiritual plant seeds needed to refine True Yuan Pills by now. The reason behind this was, that during this time, Liang Sheng was too cautious. As long as there was a small movement, he would prefer to miss the seeds rather than talcing the risk of exposing himself. As for finding the formula of the Golden Yuan Pill, Liang Sheng was not in a hurry at the moment, and he had no intention of going to the black market to buy spiritual grass. Because Pei Shiping had already made a breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment Stage. A while ago, the most shocking news in the market was that Pei Shiping, the Patriarch of the Pei family, who was at the ninth level of Qi Condensation, had broken through to the Foundation Establishment Stage. Because of his successful breakthrough, even if the Three Sects and Six Orders are curious, no one actually investigates the source of Pei Shipings Foundation Establishment Pills Wouldnt it be asking for trouble to antagonize a loose cultivator who has a deep blessing to be able to break through the Foundation Establishment Stage? The Three Sects and Six Orders wouldnt be so ill-tempered because even though the Foundation Establishment realm is rare, it only has a prestigious title in the market. Even Wang Lin, the Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator of the Sky Solar Sect who was stationed in the market, met with Pei Shiping personally. For a short while, Pei Shiping was unparalleled, and the Pei Family naturally thrived. If nothing went wrong, the Pei family would be in their prime for at least another 500 years, and Pei Shiping knew how to act appropriately, striking just the right attitude with the Three Sects and Six Orders. As for the other two, Fu Liantao and Ban Zhihe, they failed in their breakthroughs. They had been staying in the black market, anxiously waiting for Liang Sheng to come again. Of course, they were unwilling to accept their fate. If Pei Shiping could break through, why couldnt they? And Liang Sheng was their only hope for breaking through. Given this situation, and since Pei Shiping had already broken through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, how could Liang Sheng possibly go to the black market? Although the black market was no longer dangerous, the value in the black market was now so low that it was a pity. Naturally, Liang Sheng focused most of his energy on the marketplace alchemists. Back to today, as Liang Sheng left the market, it didnt take long for him to reach the spiritual field with his speed. He took a look at the defensive measures he had arranged and found that there were no issues. He then entered the Illusion Array Technique with one foot and reached the spiritual field. Not revealing himself directly, he saw Huang Yifan and his two brothers chatting. Big Brother, its been more than two months already. Has our cheap master forgotten about us? Huang Yifans face didnt look very good at this time, but hearing Second Brother say this, he immediately scolded him, Dont talk nonsense. How are you guys doing with your Spiritual Rain Technique? Upon hearing this, Second Brother and Third Brother immediately perked up. They saw their hand seals overlapping and their spiritual power pouring out as they released a shower of Spiritual Rain within a certain range. Huang Yifan felt relieved at the sight, but he also had some doubts in his heart. After all, their master was a peculiar person who could disappear for a period of time that caused the spiritual field defensive array to almost fail. Would he really forget about the three brothers? However, these two months, Huang Yifan and his brothers had been staying in the spiritual field without any danger or concerns, and they had unconsciously gained a little weight. When had they ever been so comfortable? With the protection of the spiritual field range, it would take a cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Condensation some effort to break through. But there had been no movement in the past two months, which showed how safe it was here. What kind of luck did Huang Yifan have to encounter the leak of the spiritual fields qi in the first place? Huang Yifan couldnt quite wrap his head around it. Just as he was pondering, he heard something and immediately motioned for his brothers to sit down and pretend to cultivate. The next moment, Liang Sheng, with the appearance of a youth with white hair, appeared in front of the three of them. They put on an expression of surprise, Master. Liang Sheng didnt say anything, he just nodded, and then handed over the spiritual plant seeds to them, instructing them to continue working without any small talk. Huang Yifan and his brothers didnt take it to heart; shouldnt a cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Condensation be like this? In the Cultivation World, strength was supreme. Why the need for politeness? After all, they were now his servants under the Heavenly Dao oath. Seeing their understanding, Liang Sheng nodded slightly. If it werent for their disposition, he wouldnt have left the three of them behind. This time, Liang Sheng didnt step in, quietly watching them work. For cultivators in the Qi Condensation stage, doing these tasks was extremely easy. In no time, various spiritual plant seeds had already been planted.. Chapter 179 - Chapter 179: Chapter 116: Kidnapping Chen Sheng, Mantis Chapter 179: Chapter 116: Kidnapping Chen Sheng, Mantis Catches the Cicada (Seeking Monthly Tickets) ! Translator: 549690339 Zhou Family disciples have special status. Zhou Kang was not too surprised in his heart. Although it was only a little over a month, Liang Sheng had convinced the alchemist in the shop, which showed that the other party indeed had alchemy skills and was worthy of his desire to get close to. At this time, Liang Sheng looked at Zhou Kang apologetically, his eyes indicating that he wanted to go over and take a look. Zhou Kang immediately let him go, not caring about himself, and feeling free to do so. Watching Liang Sheng leave with the Alchemist, Zhou Kangs eyes were full of brilliance, wondering when the other party would be able to help him. Just then, Yang Zhaoyus voice came from behind him, Chen Sheng becoming an Alchemist Guest Elder in the shop is really a great deal. Speaking of which, we have to thank Fu Liantao and his partner Ban Zhihe. If it werent for them, how could Chen Sheng have achieved this? Upon hearing this, Zhou Kang nodded without speaking, and Yang Zhaoyu continued. However, in this month, we can see that the other party is indeed a Pill Maniac. Otherwise, why would he have exchanged all his Guest Elder shares for the spiritual grass needed to refine True Yuan Pills? Its just a pity that he finally failed in the refining process. But 1 asked the Sects alchemists in our shop, and they all said that it wasnt a problem with Chen Shengs alchemy skills, but rather that the other partys cultivation level was not enough. Otherwise, Chen Sheng might have succeeded in refining True Yuan Pills. Oh? Zhou Kang was not aware of this matter. Yang Zhaoyu could not help but laugh: Dont doubt that you heard it wrong. If Chen Sheng can reach the Qi Cultivation Eighth Layer, he may be able to refine True Yuan Pills. If he reaches the Qi Cultivation Ninth Layer, its not impossible for him to refine medium-quality True Yuan Pills. This is actually what our chief alchemist, Junior Brother Wang, said. He also admires and respects Chen Shengs alchemy skills. What a pity. Yes, its a pity! This persons fate is simply not enough. However, on the path of cultivation, how many gifted people have missed the view of the cultivation journey because of the word fate? At this time, Zhou Kang looked at Liang Sheng, who had already entered the room of another alchemist, always feeling that the other party might still have other special features, as his intuition would not deceive him. While Liang Shengs plan successfully infiltrated the Hua Tian Sects store, on the other side, something went wrong in the black market outside the Market. For many years now, the black market has been running steadily, especially since Pei Shiping established his Foundation and the black market became more stable. However, Pei Shiping also began to pay attention to his image, and from time to time, he only went to the black market once in a while, as Fu Liantao and his partner were in charge, and no problems occurred in the black market. But this time, by the time the black market opened, all the invited guests brought their own treasured collections to the black market, only to be tragically robbed by Fu Liantao and his partner in the end. Fortunately, Fu Liantao did not kill anyone, otherwise, many people would have died inexplicably. However, this robbery left everyone somewhat dumbfounded. They didnt know the true identity of the Black Market Controller and lost all their treasured resources. Though their anger went through the roof, they didnt know where to vent it. This was the black market after all; they couldnt ask the Three Sects and Six Orders for justice. In this situation, they suddenly realized that they couldnt do anything. While the situation in the black market was reported to Pei Shiliang that night, his face turned bad at the time, and without any hesitation, he directly reported the situation to Pei Shiping. Fu Liantao and Ban Zhihe have great courage. Pei Shipings face was not very good either. He had thought that the black market might have an accident, but he just didnt expect Fu Liantao and his partner to start so early, after all, they still had a few good years to live. Immediately send someone to keep an eye on the loose cultivators whereabouts in the Market. As soon as Fu Liantao and his partner appear, come and find me. Yes, Ancestor. At this moment, Liang Sheng was unaware of what had happened in the black market and was proceeding with his plan according to his own rhythm. With his reputation as a Pill Maniac, he had completely won over the Hua Tian Sects alchemists in the shop over the past month. After all, they were just Alchemists dispatched outside; their alchemy skills might be a bit stronger than those of the loose cultivators, but how much stronger could they be? Otherwise, why would they be sent to the shop in the Market? Yang Zhaoyu was very satisfied with Liang Shengs performance during this period, as the Qi Refining Pills he refined were very profitable. Without a single failure in alchemy, he couldnt help but feel more pity that Liang Shengs cultivation aptitude was too poor. Over the past month, he had watched the other party consume Qi Refining Pills like candy, but unfortunately, the cultivation speed was extremely slow. With the other partys ability to reach the Qi Cultivation Fifth Realm, it was already a great feat for an alchemist. If it werent for his alchemy skills, he would probably struggle to reach the Third Layer of Qi Cultivation at this moment. If only his aptitude was better, he would have made a greater effort to turn him into an official disciple of the Hua Tian Sect. Of course, with his status, he could only make Liang Sheng become an Outer Sect Disciple, but the result was ultimately a pity. At this moment, Liang Sheng was preparing to leave the shop. After saying goodbye to Yang Zhaoyu, he headed in the direction of the Cave Mansion. However, as soon as he stepped out of the shop, he noticed something strange. Hmm? Is someone following me? It seemed that the other party had ill intentions; otherwise, why would they disguise themselves? If it werent for Liang Shengs Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation level, he might have been fooled by the other partys concealment. Concealment Talisman! Fu Liantao, Ban Zhihe! Liang Sheng immediately figured out the other partys identity and what methods they used, but he was not sure how they would launch their attack. After all, he was in the Market. However, the next moment he understood what the other party wanted to do, because the two had already approached him.. How could he, a Qi Cultivation Fifth Realm, possibly escape them? Chapter 197 - Chapter 197: Chapter 119: Sect Turmoil, Invited to Chapter 197: Chapter 119: Sect Turmoil, Invited to Adventure (8k Joint Chapter for Monthly Pass)_5 Translator: 549690339 By that time, they could also try pill alchemy and talisman drawing, having an additional means of making a living without working so hard. However, auxiliary cultivation techniques like alchemy and talisman drawing actually require talent; no one, like Liang Sheng, has a long lifespan, allowing them to practice these techniques without any reservations during the lower levels. In such situations, it is difficult for lower-level loose cultivators to stand out, but its better than not seeing any hope at all. As for Liang Sheng, seeing the market calm down at this moment, he couldnt help but breathe a sigh of relief. Because he didnt want Dan Ding Market to become chaotic either, otherwise his plan might fail halfway, and he temporarily had no better way to obtain the Golden Yuan Pill Formula. As Liang Shengs life gradually became peaceful again, another year passed in the blink of an eye, and his weapon refining and array level had once again improved. As for his cultivation level There wasnt much change; under the Talent of Innocent Foolishness, one couldnt ask for too much. It could be said that there were gains and losses during this period, and he wasnt too anxious himself. Name: Liang Sheng Age: 599 Talent: Innocent Foolishness (Extreme) Techniques: Upper Pure Immortal Scripture (10th layer), Twenty Life-Nurturing Techniques (19th layer), Nail-Head Seven Arrows Technique (Curse) Realm: Early Foundation Establishment Stage Lifespan: 21132 I dont know if I can get a surprise when I turn 600, but 1 also wanted to establish my foundation at the age of 500, and then delayed it for a long time. He must not rush; otherwise, he would drown in water. At this moment, Liang Sheng secretly reminded himself that there was still plenty of time On this day, as usual, Liang Sheng nodded to the familiar alchemists and then prepared to pack up and leave the market. At this time, one alchemist suddenly called out to him. Fellow Daoist Yang, do you have time today? I have a bottle of fine fruit wine with an entwining taste. If Daoist friend does not mind, why not have a drink together tonight? Liang Sheng looked up at the speaker; it turned out to be Feng Sanyou, a Qi Cultivation 8th Layer State alchemist who had a good relationship with him. Feng Sanyou saw Liang Sheng hesitating and hurriedly said: Dont worry. Fellow Daoist Chu and Fellow Daoist Chen will also come. We will just chat tonight. As soon as Feng Sanyou finished speaking, two other alchemists beside him nodded simultaneously, one of them being a female alchemist. Seeing this, Liang Sheng thought about it and couldnt refuse any longer. After all, he still needed to stay in the market for a long time, and his original intention was to get to know alchemists and find a way to get the Golden Yuan Pill Formula. Refusing at this time wouldnt be a good idea. Thinking of this, he nodded directly, Thank you three fellow daoists for valuing Yang, I am truly honored. Where is Yang Daoist going with this? You should know that for the past two years, we have been receiving nothing but your care. Seeing Liang Sheng agree, Feng Sanyou and the other two also started packing up together and then led Liang Sheng to Feng Sanyous Cave Mansion. The other alchemists on the stall saw the situation and couldnt help but curiously watch them leave. Should they also get close to Fellow Daoist Yang? His ability was just too strong, and it wouldnt hurt to know him. No matter what they thought, Liang Sheng had already arrived at Feng Sanyous Cave Mansion. He and the other two guests sat down under Feng Sanyous enthusiastic invitation. However, Feng Sanyou did not directly take out the fruit wine, but chatted casually for a while. Not much later, two more guests arrived at the Cave Mansion. Liang Sheng couldnt help but be on his guard when he saw this, as he also had some impression of the two of them, who were loose cultivators fleeing from the Hua Tian Sects market. Since they were both invited, he didnt know what Feng Sanyou meant by this. At this moment, he was secretly displeased in his heart. Fellow Daoists, let me introduce everyone to each other. This is Fellow Daoist Chu Xun and Fellow Daoist Mu Yunhai. Like me, they are alchemists. At this time, Feng Sanyou began to introduce Liang Sheng, Daoist Yang Sheng is a master of both arrays and refining weapons, while Daoist Duan Lei is an accomplished talisman master, and Daoist Ye Shuo is a rare sword cultivator. Sword cultivator? Not only was Liang Sheng somewhat startled, but the other people couldnt help but look up at Ye Shuo, as sword cultivators were rare among loose cultivators. Sword cultivators of the same realm have amazing battle strength and are virtually invincible, but it takes a massive amount of resources to cultivate a sword cultivator. Ordinary loose cultivators simply cannot afford it. Sword cultivators need to be nurtured from a young age to be obsessed with the sword, in order to have the possibility to become sword cultivators. The expenditure of massive resources is no joke, as at the very least, it requires a three-stripe magic sword for a cultivator to be considered a sword cultivator. Thinking of this, aside from Liang Sheng, the other people couldnt help but look at the long sword at Zhang Chens waist. It is likely that when the sword is drawn, blood will be seen. This is also the pride of sword cultivators, as there must be a gain when the sword is drawn. At this moment, Liang Sheng collected his thoughts, greeted the others with a nod, and then looked at Feng Sanyou, wanting to know why the other party suddenly brought him and several others together, and what his purpose was. However, Feng Sanyou didnt say much at this time, but first asked everyone to drink a cup of wine together. At this moment, Liang Sheng naturally wanted to remain steady in the face of changes, and secretly used a Detoxification Pill to test the wine. After finding no problems, he drank the fruit wine in the cup. Huh? Wait! Somethings not right. The next moment, Liang Sheng felt warmth in his body, as if he had taken a True Yuan Pill, and the spiritual power within his body began to become active, circulating on its own. What a good thing this is. He was in the Foundation Establishment realm, and even he had such an effect; one could only imagine how much more amazing the effect would be on a Qi Refining cultivator. As expected, the faces of the others flushed at this time, and they couldnt help but start to use their techniques while sitting on the spot. Liang Sheng would naturally not stand out, but pretended to be like them. After they finished circulating their spiritual power and woke up, he opened his eyes with a look of surprise. The others also had bright eyes at this moment, and Feng Sanyou then said somewhat confidently, Fellow Daoists, by now you should know how powerful my fruit wine is, right? If I say I know of a place with at least a thousand pounds of this fruit wine, would you be willing to join me in retrieving it? When the others heard this, they were somewhat tempted. Just a sip of the fruit wine had given them the effect of taking a Qi Refining Pill; if there were a thousand pounds Thinking of this, their eyes brightened. Liang Sheng naturally understood Feng Sanyous intention at this time. It seemed that the latter wanted to form a team to search for treasure, and he was one of the chosen ones. Although Liang Sheng was somewhat interested in the fruit wine, he would absolutely not follow them. After all, pies dont fall from the sky, let alone such fruit wine? This matter, there is definitely something fishy about it! Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: Chapter 120: Annihilation of Feng Sanyou, Chapter 201: Chapter 120: Annihilation of Feng Sanyou, Sect Shocking Change (9k merged chapter seeking monthly votes)_4 Translator: 549690339 At this moment, only one person in the world knew what he had done before, and all the others who accompanied him had perished. He had underestimated the Guardian Demon Ape King and the number of spirit stones underground. It was not just a few hundred mid-grade spirit stones, but nearly a thousand. At that time, Chu Xun and Mu Yunhai, being the weakest alchemists, underestimated the Ape King and perished first. This battle was extremely difficult. After more than an hour of hard fighting, Ye Shuo finally displayed his divine power and used his life-taking sword technique to behead the Ape King. However, no one expected that the Ape King could self-destruct at the moment of its fall, and in an instant, all the others died on the spot except for Feng Sanyou, the Array Master controlling the formation, and Ye Shuo who lost his battle strength after the final blow. The Array Masters face turned pale as gold paper because of the Ape Kings final blow and the backlash of the formation. He lay on one side, barely conscious and hardly able to move. In the end, the only one left intact was Feng Sanyou, who was not good at fighting, because he had been hiding in the back the whole time. Daoist friend, how are you? Im fine, I wont die. Lets see what weve gained from this trip. At this moment, Feng Sanyou and the others didnt feel too sad about the deaths of their companions because they saw the pit next to the karst cave filled with Fruit Wine, the same as they drank before. We hit the jackpot! With joyful expressions, Ye Shuo and the Array Master struggled to sit up and recover their strength by circulating their energy while Feng Sanyou went down to collect the spirit stones. They werent worried about Feng Sanyou doing something untoward because they all took the Heavenly Dao oath before setting off that they wouldnt attack each other before splitting the gains. So they completely relaxed and immersed themselves in recovery during their meditation. After Feng Sanyou returned from the underground, his expression was a bit strange. He glanced at Ye Shuo and the Array Master who had closed their eyes and hesitated. In the end, he steeled his heart and made a decision. He collected the storage bags from the bodies of Chu Xun and the others and divided the Fruit Wine into three equal portions using three storage bags. As for the spirit stones he obtained below, he took a deep breath and also divided them into three portions. However, these were not the few hundred mid-grade spirit stones he had estimated earlier but a thousand of them. After dividing everything evenly, he took out a Fireball talisman and placed the Storage Bags in front of Ye Shuo and the Array Master. I have fulfilled my promise by dividing the spoils of this trip, witnessed by Heaven and Earth. The next moment, he formed a seal in his hand, and the Fireball Technique burst forth, instantly killing the Array Master and Ye Shuo, who were unconscious during their cultivation, without any notice. They trusted the Heavenly Dao oath too much and never thought that Feng Sanyou would take advantage of the loophole in the oath and kill them all. Now, Feng Sanyou calmed his excited emotions, collected all the belongings from everyones bodies, and threw their corpses into the cave, including the Ape Kings body. He collected its blood and inspected it to make sure there were no traces left before leaving. At this moment, Feng Sanyous only concern was Liang Sheng because he alone knew what he had done before. He wasnt in such a hurry, but yesterday he accidentally met Liang Sheng at other stalls, and he was too nervous to know if Liang Sheng had seen him.sell Chu Xuns pill refining furnace. He didnt dare to gamble on Liang Sheng not seeing it, so todays events happened. Liang Sheng seemed unaware at the moment, continuing to walk ahead, and the path became more and more remote. The trees in the forest became denser, and the light dimmer. Just as Feng Sanyou was about to make his move, suddenly, Liang Sheng disappeared from his sight. Where is he? The next moment, Feng Sanyous vision went dark, and he died instantly without even having time to react. As he fell, the figure of Liang Sheng appeared behind him. Without hesitation, he quickly rummaged through Feng Sanyous corpse and cleaned all his belongings in a short time. Then, a fireball appeared at Liang Shengs fingertips. With the fireball shooting out, Feng Sanyou disappeared from the world. Liang Sheng then left the scene casually. Why did Feng Sanyou intend to kill him? He didnt hold any grudges against him, and his counterattack was just self-defense. Sigh, people Do not harbor ill intentions towards others. Inside Dan Ding Sect Market. Now Liang Sheng was in his cave mansion, looking at the six storage bags in front of him, and couldnt help feeling astonished. No wonder Feng Sanyou wanted to kill him, Feng Sanyou turned out to be ruthless too. He killed Ye Shuo and the others; otherwise, why would their storage bags be in his possession? If he had agreed to go with Feng Sanyou at that time, wouldnt Feng Sanyou have died in his hands that day? Liang Sheng shook his head to cast this thought aside, and at this time, Ye Shuos three-patterned Artifact Sword appeared in his hand.. Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Chapter 120: Annihilation of Feng Sanyou, Chapter 202: Chapter 120: Annihilation of Feng Sanyou, Sect Shocking Change (9k merged chapter seeking monthly votes)_5 Translator: 549690339 Good sword! At this moment, Liang Shengs weapon refining skill was already considered top-notch among loose cultivators. However, he had never refined a three-patterned magical weapon before. It wasnt that his refining skills were insufficient, but rather that he lacked the corresponding materials. For a loose cultivator to obtain such materials, it would be extremely difficult. Moreover, even if a loose cultivator possessed such materials, they would likely trade them with a sect in exchange for resources. Thinking of this, Liang Sheng recalled the spirit stones in his possession. If he had the chance, he would need to hurry to refine a storage ring. However, he didnt have much confidence in refining a storage ring yet. His refining skills needed further honing. After all, spirit stones were rare, and he didnt want to ruin them with his own hands. As for the more than a thousand jin of fruit wine in the storage bag, Liang Sheng could only smile helplessly. It was an unintentional benefit. Who would have thought that under such circumstances, he could still satisfy his own appetites? This fruit wine had an effect comparable to high-quality Qi cultivation pills, but for Liang Sheng, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm with countless True Yuan Pills, this fruit wine was merely for leisure. However, when he saw more than a thousand mid-grade spirit stones inside the storage bag that were stained with both fire element and fruit wine aura, Liang Sheng finally understood why Feng Sanyou was so eager to make a move on him. It could only be said that wealth moved peoples hearts. No wonder Feng Sanyou would take such a risk. He not only injured Ye Shuo and the others but also didnt want to leak any information, hence the attempt to make a move on Liang Sheng. Unfortunately, in the end, fate was playing tricks, and everything ended up being a bargain for Liang Sheng. Could this be considered having virtue? Looking at these things, Liang Sheng thought for a moment and decided to recycle and remake everything he didnt need, including the three-patterned magical sword. With his refining skills, refining a three-pattern magical weapon was no longer a challenge. The recycled and remade items would no longer have the previous aura. When they were taken out again, no one would associate them with Ye Shuo. As for the storage bags Liang Sheng had more than a dozen in his hands. It would be better to return some of them for refining and obtain void spirit powder. The powder could then be researched and combined to experiment with refining storage rings, preparing to increase his own success rate in the future. As for the other pills, talismans, array techniques, and array flags in the storage bags, Liang Sheng set them aside for the time being. He would deal with them later when he had the chance to visit other markets. For a short while, Liang Sheng estimated his own possessions, and even he couldnt help being somewhat startled. With these things, even if he were to establish a cultivation family, he would have more than enough resources for ten of them. He was simply too wealthy! But all these were external possessions. If he could use them to exchange for the Golden Yuan Pill formula, he would be willing to trade all these resources for ingredients to refine Golden Yuan Pills. At this time, Liang Sheng looked at the ceiling, took out a cup, filled it with fruit wine, and drank it in one gulp. It was refreshing and invigorating. Ultimately, cultivation was a difficult path. The next day, Liang Sheng went to the market as usual to set up his stall, without any changes. As for Feng Sanyous disappearance, no one knew about it for the time being. He rarely appeared in the market stalls before, so no one paid attention at this time. It was originally thought that such life would continue peacefully, but not even a month later, the Dan Ding Sect Market suddenly announced its closure. No one was allowed to leave and all outsiders were prohibited from entering. For a short time, those loose cultivators who were cultivating their spiritual fields outside were locked out and unable to return. Meanwhile, the cultivators inside the market were not allowed to leave. This sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard. Huang Yifan was even more anxious at this time. The day before, he had a whim and came to the market to find Liang Sheng for a drink and discussion. As a result, his two brothers were still in the spiritual fields outside the market. With the Dan Ding Sect acting like this, it was clear that something had happened. He naturally worried about his brothers outside. However, this time, no matter how the loose cultivators inquired, no one knew what had happened. Even the shops of the Three Sects and Six Orders had closed and stopped trading. On the third day, the Dan Ding Sect suddenly sent peoplethree Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, to be exactto announce that all secondary professional cultivators in the market, such as artifact refiners, talisman masters, and array masters, had the opportunity to become outer disciples or guest elders of the Dan Ding Sect. Something big happened! After hearing this news, everyone knew that something major had indeed occurred; it was just that they didnt know what it was. Only this reason could prompt the Dan Ding Sect to urgently recruit cultivators with supplementary skills other than alchemists. That day, early in the morning, Liang Sheng was invited to the Administration Office by someone from the Dan Ding Sects shop. When he arrived at the office, there were already quite a few people inside. Liang Sheng recognized many of their faces, as they all made a name for themselves in the market with professions other than alchemy. At this moment, the Administration Office was eerily quiet, and everyones eyes showed unease. They did not understand why the Dan Ding Sect Market would arrange things this way. Liang Shengs face didnt look good either, as he didnt know what had happened. If it involved his own safety, he would not care if he exposed himself, but he would try to escape the market first. Fortunately, it didnt take long for more and more people to be recruited to arrive. After a while, when no one else entered, with a bang, the door of the Administration Office closed tightly. At this moment, the loose cultivation alchemists in the market were also very anxious. They all gathered not far away, pointing at the situation of the Administration Office and whispering. No one could calm down now, and many people had stopped trading because no one knew what would happen next. Even the shops of the Three Sects and Six Schools were no longer open, which meant that there might be no official sources for high-quality items, so they had to cherish what they had. As for the Administration Office, at this moment, the people of Dan Ding Sect finally appeared. However, they did not explain what had happened, but directly announced that they had arranged various tests such as refining, talisman, and array techniques on the first and second floors. Those who passed them could join the Outer Sect of Dan Ding Sect. They also said that if they wanted to know what had happened, once they became an outer disciple of Dan Ding Sect, they would naturally know what had happened. Upon hearing this, although the loose cultivators were puzzled, they were also somewhat excited, after all, this was joining a sect. Liang Sheng naturally couldnt stand out at this moment and pretended to be excited as well. He secretly observed that, including the original stationed Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator, there were only three Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators in the Administration Office now. He could escape! Liang Sheng was slightly relieved. At this moment, the disciples of the Dan Ding Sect saw that everyone had calmed down and even had expressions of surprise, and they couldnt help but feel a bit satisfied. This was the power of the sect. If it werent for the accident, would these loose cultivators have such a chance to join the Dan Ding Sect? However, the actions of the Dan Ding Sect were also forced. Perhaps even the leader of the Dan Ding Sect, or the leaders of the other Three Sects and Six Orders, had never expected that the Hua Tian Sect would be so crazy. No, it should be said that both the Hua Tian Sect and the Upper Green Sect were mad. They had unknowingly done so many big things, pushing the situation to a point of no return. Previously, all their actions were just endurance. Who knows if the other Three Sects and Six Orders would regret it at this time? If it werent for their fear of the Hua Tian Sect, secretly supporting the Upper Green Sect behind the scenes, perhaps the Hua Tian Sect would not have acted like this. But the cultivators of the Dan Ding Sect asked themselves, if it werent for the Dan Ding Sects neutrality, they might have acted like the other sects, resorting to underhanded tactics just for survival. However, this conflict was arguably the tensest event in tens of thousands of years among the Three Sects and Six Orders. Even the neutral Dan Ding Sect had to make some preparations at this time, hoping that the situation would not deteriorate further. Otherwise, they didnt know what the outcome would be. The three Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators no longer had any thoughts. They looked at the loose cultivators, who were taking the test one by one in the Administration Office, only to find that one person was standing motionless in the middle. Huh? The two Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators who had just been sent over couldnt help but feel puzzled. However, upon seeing who it was, Sun Qingrui, the Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator stationed in the market, understood the situation. Let him go to the refiner side first. Sun Qingrui transmitted the message to the disciple of the Dan Ding Sect, and then explained Liang Shengs situation to the other two Foundation Establishment Cultivators. This loose cultivator is called Yang Sheng, a refiner and formation master extraordinaire. He was probably hesitating about which test to choose just now. I see. Under normal circumstances, as high and mighty Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators, they wouldnt spare a loose cultivator a second glance. But now it was different. This was the time to use people! Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Chapter 122: Puppet Plan, Young Yang Cheng, Chapter 213: Chapter 122: Puppet Plan, Young Yang Cheng, Top-notch Talent (9k combined chapters seeking monthly tickets)_5 Translator: 549690339 Liang Sheng didnt want to become an inner sect disciple, considering his slow cultivation speed, there might be unnecessary troubles if he advanced. Being an ordinary disciple was just right. When his lifespan of 200 years is reduced, he would have merely broken through to the Foundation Establishment Stage. By then, his true cultivation level would also approximately be at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment. He could then spend another two hundred years ostensibly advancing to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, which would not be so prominent. Of course, this timeline could be adjusted depending on the environment. In short, Liang Sheng would take things step by step for the sake of prudence, although this might waste quite a bit of time. But does he lack time? He now had a vague feeling that his Health Cultivation Method would breakthrough again after a few decades, then there would be a few thousand years lifespan added. For him, time was nothing more than a number. Liang Sheng had gotten to where he was today by being cautious and relying on his own efforts. Looks like he would have to play the part of a natural but slightly better than ordinary cultivator for the next forty years, before Yang Cheng reaches sixty. Who would have thought that one day, he, Liang Sheng, the innocent fool, could also pretend to be a genius. At this moment, he raised his wine cup and toasted to the moon in the sky. Farewell, my useless past. The outside world was not peaceful these thirty years. Nowadays, the areas within the Three Sects and Six Orders start to become stable gradually. The Upper Green Sect, under the pressure from Hua Tian Sect, finally began to yield. The other sects didnt want to sour their relations with Hua Tian Sect, naturally, they would not blatantly help the Upper Green Sect anymore. Under these circumstances, the Upper Green Sect persisted for thirty years and eventually chose to yield. All the captives from the Great Zhou Family that the Upper Green Sect had kidnapped were sent to the Hua Tian Sect. It was also said that the Upper Green Sect had compensated the Hua Tian Sect with a Spirit Stone Mine. But this matter supposedly came to an end with this. After all, the other sects would not allow Hua Tian Sect to obtain too many resources. There was even a rumor that in fact, there were a considerable number of disciples from the Zhou Family in the other sects, but this was merely a rumor, and Hua Tian Sect didnt look too deeply into it. After all, Hua Tian Sect was not strong enough to confront all the other sects. Hence, it would do well to turn a blind eye to such rumors. Under these circumstances, the Great Zhou Bloodline became the talk of the town amongst the loose cultivators. The Great Zhou Bloodline, its extremely blessed. Could they also become disciples of the sect if they were a part of the Great Zhou Family? However, this situation was irrelevant to Liang Sheng. As a matter of fact, he even heaved a sigh of relief when he heard the news. The more stable the situation, the better it was for him. However, this also proved that there was not much difference between the Cultivation World and the secular world. Forming alliances, every single one of them did so, and in the end, it all came down to two words. Interest. Strength! Outer Sect. At this moment, a fragrance of pills spread in an area several meters around. Everyone could not help but turn their eyes towards a cave mansion, filled with envy. Qi Cultivation Third Level, twenty-one years old, he even managed to refine a Qi Pill. He was remarkably talented. Yang Sheng got quite a promising junior. Its a pity he didnt have the blessing of fate and died prematurely, otherwise, if not for that Thinking of this, the eyes of a few disciples in the outer sect were filled with inexplicable emotions. A year later, the outer sect disciples nearby all had their Daoist partners and had given birth to their offspring. They dont know if they were stimulated by Liang Sheng. Not long after, Liang Shengs reputation as a pill refining prodigy began to spread, and he had already become slightly famous in a small area. This situation was within Liang Shengs calculation. After all, if he wanted to become an ordinary disciple smoothly, he would need to become famous as early as possible. Furthermore, he would also control his progress, to not appear too dazzling, yet not too mediocre or low-key. Initially, everything was going according to plan, but plans could never keep up with changes. At this moment, Liang Sheng, who was refining pills in his cave mansion, heard some commotion outside. Liang Sheng was puzzled, upon opening the cave mansion door, he realized it was a disciple from the Foreign Affairs Hall. He was taken aback for a moment, but then it quickly dawned on him. Senior brother, why have you come over? Please come in quickly. The disciple from the Foreign Affairs Hall looked at Liang Sheng with a complex expression. The two words blessed by fate are indeed indescribable. Yang Cheng seemed ordinary, but wasnt he too successful in refining pills at this age and then became a disciple of the Foreign Affairs Hall in the outer sect? He couldnt help but feel a little dazed and somewhat envious. With a similar aptitude, only the timing was different, and so the outcomes were different. However, he quickly adjusted his mindset, Junior Apprentice Brother Yang Cheng, first, bring your Pill Refining Furnace and follow me to the External Affairs Department. You will naturally know whats going on. Upon hearing these words, Liang Sheng couldnt help but feel surprised. The disciple from the Foreign Affairs Hall seemed to be unusually courteous to him today. What had happened? However, Liang Sheng did not hesitate. He extinguished the Pill Furnace, hastily tidied up, and then carrying his Pill Furnace, he followed the disciple from the Foreign Affairs Hall and left. Many people naturally saw this situation. They may have puzzled in their hearts, but they didnt think much about it. Perhaps the Foreign Affairs Hall has some task? Its better to concentrate on earning more Spirit Stones instead of worrying about these things. When he arrived at the Foreign Affairs Hall, Liang Sheng was taken aback. Besides Chen Xiang, the manager of the outer sect, there were actually two Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators in the room. It was obvious from their attires that they were inner sect disciples of the Dan Ding Sect. At this time, he could see that Chen Xiang and the two others were having a friendly chat. After all, Chen Xiang was also an inner sect disciple, he just took up the position of the manager of the Foreign Affairs Hall. Liang Sheng got a feeling that something was off. Thankfully, he had not lowered his guard for several years. Thinking of the over one thousand Top-Quality Earth Talismans and Vajra Talismans overlaid on his body, he felt a bit relieved.. Chapter 232 - Chapter 232: Chapter 126: The Destiny Worker (Combined 8k Chapter for Monthly Votes) Chapter 232: Chapter 126: The Destiny Worker (Combined 8k Chapter for Monthly Votes) Translator: 549690339 Green Cloud Peak. Liang Shengs Cave. At this moment, Liang Shengs cave dwelling is like a luxurious mansion compared to the previous one at Danyang Outer Peak. In addition to the cultivation room, there is also an alchemy room, a resting room in a word, all the rooms are available. What is even more amazing is that there is even a spiritual field in the backyard of the cave dwelling. This is truly extravagant. Is this the treatment of an Inner Sect Foundation Establishment Disciple in the Dan Ding Sect? No wonder everyone wants to succeed in Foundation Establishment and become an Inner Sect Disciple of the Dan Ding Sect. It can be said that the treatment of Inner Sect Foundation Establishment Disciples is the best among the disciples. Last night, they were all drunk. Not only him, but other Foundation Establishment Disciples also had the same reaction on purpose. Jin Quanxius character likes Green Cloud Peak to be united, so how could anyone cause chaos at this time? Although everyone appears young, which of the others is not an old monster over two hundred years old? They naturally have this kind of little thought. As for whether Jin Quanxiu saw through their thoughts, it doesnt matter. At the very least, it shows that these disciples are firmly abiding by Jin Quanxius rules, and that is enough. Liang Sheng originally planned to go to the Main Peak Danyang Peak Scripture Repository today to see the situation, and by the way, go to the Internal Affairs Office and Miscellaneous Affairs Hall to see if there are any suitable tasks for him. After all, his identity in the Dan Ding Sect from now on is a fate worker, and at the very least, he must wait until he gets the Golden Yuan Pill Formula before he can lie flat. However, early in the morning, Xiang Chen appeared before him. Yesterday was first apprenticeship and then banquet, which was a bit hasty. Today, Xiang Chen had the time to take Liang Sheng to get familiar with the entire Green Cloud Peak. If Jin Quanxius personal disciple didnt know the situation of Green Cloud Peak, it would not only be a laughingstock, but it would also be absolutely speechless. Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother. Liang Sheng greeted them first, and after Xiang Chen explained his intentions, Liang Sheng didnt expect Shen Wuque to come along at this time, which made Liang Sheng a little surprised. However, in just a moment he didnt care. He had already got a preliminary understanding of Shen Wuques character yesterday, which was quite straightforward. Today, Shen Wuque came along, perhaps to show his elder brothers demeanor. Xiang Chen was a little helpless at this moment. Shen Wuque was his junior brother, and he had always been complaining that he didnt know the taste of being an elder brother. In the past, he thought it was just nagging, but he didnt expect Shen Wuque to be waiting at the entrance of his cave dwelling early in the morning today. So, Shen Wuque really had this idea, and he repeatedly assured that he would take good care of his younger brother. How could Xiang Chen refuse when he heard this? So thats how the current situation came about. Xiang Chen cast aside his various thoughts at this moment and smiled, Lets go, junior brother, let me take you to see our Green Cloud Peak Alchemy Pavilion. The Green Cloud Peak Alchemy Pavilion is located not far below Jin Quanxius cave dwelling. It covers a vast area, and at a glance, there are hundreds of alchemy chambers inside. As for the dozen or so alchemy chambers in the innermost part, except for Jin Quanxius name, all the remaining names are those of Foundation Establishment Disciples like Xiang Chen. At this moment, Liang Sheng saw his own Yang Cheng name, and could not help but be surprised. It seems that there was some arrangement here yesterday. Junior brother, if you want to refine pills later, you can come here. This place has been arranged by our Master personally. The spiritual energy is stable, and the effect of pill refining is very good for alchemists. Now, the management disciple of the Alchemy Pavilion is a Foundation Establishment Disciple he met last night at the feast. After Xiang Chen finished speaking, he began to supplement the explanation. This is where the Green Cloud Peak disciples refine pills. However, besides the Foundation Establishment Disciples who can use it for free, ordinary disciples need to pay spirit stones if they want to use it. Of course, the spirit stone fee is not high and is paid on a daily basis. Most disciples can afford it. The closer the alchemy room is to the center, the more sufficient and stable the spiritual energy is. Thats why the alchemy chambers of Xiang Chen and other Foundation Establishment Disciples are in the middle, which is the best location in the Alchemy Pavilion. After visiting the Alchemy Pavilion, their next destination was the very important spiritual field of Green Cloud Peak. When they reached the Spirit Field Location, the Spirit Field Steward had been waiting early. He was also a Foundation Establishment Disciple they had met last night. After a simple mutual greeting, they did not waste time. The steward walked in front, leading Xiang Chen and the other two towards the Spirit Grass Area and occasionally introducing the different areas of spirit grass cultivation. They first went to the high-grade Elixir Grass Area at the hillside, where the spiritual fields were arranged at intervals of more than ten meters, which seemed to be a huge waste of space. However, the seemingly unreasonable layout always has its reason, These are all extremely precious spiritual grasses, and they are arranged in this way to consider their medicinal properties. Otherwise, if the medicinal properties are contaminated with each other, it will not be worth the loss. Liang Sheng nodded when he heard this, and at a glance, he could see many precious spiritual grasses in the spiritual field. Most of them had been introduced on Pill Formula True Understanding, and this was the first time he had seen them in reality. In the corners of the spiritual field, there were also some sporadic Lingxi Grasses planted. Among these large areas of precious spirit grasses, they seemed extremely shabby. This is the Lingxi Grass used to refine Foundation Establishment Pills. All 1 can say is that this is truly Green Cloud Peak, and Lingxi Grass is just an unremarkable precious spiritual grass. Seeing the expression in Liang Shengs eyes, the steward seemed to know what he was thinking and smiled, Junior brother, Lingxi Grass is actually just a catalyst for other spiritual grasses. If the Moon Dew Grass next to it is planted together with Lingxi Grass, their growth will be better.. Chapter 233 - Chapter 233: Chapter 126: The Destiny Worker (Combined 8k Chapter for Monthly Votes)_2 Chapter 233: Chapter 126: The Destiny Worker (Combined 8k Chapter for Monthly Votes)_2 Translator: 549690339 Moon Dew Grass? Liang Sheng soon remembered what this spiritual grass was, that it would flower and bear fruit only in the middle of the month, after three years had passed. Moreover, it must be harvested within a time frame of three quarter hours; otherwise, the fruits would naturally wither. As for what elixirs Moon Dew Grass was used to refine, Liang Sheng did not know. However, this did not affect his admiration for the sects profound foundation. Not to mention the Loose Cultivators in the Market, even ordinary disciples from the secular world would probably not know about Lingxi Grass function as a catalyst if they did not have a family inheritance. Besides Lingxi Grass, there were other similar spiritual grasses being cultivated, presumably, for their catalytic roles as well. Seeing Liang Shengs curiosity about a particular area sealed off by an array in the middle of the spiritual field, the manager who knew Liang Shengs background and that he lacked understanding in many areas took the opportunity to provide detailed explanations, starting from the most valuable spiritual grasses. The manager and Xiang Chen noticed Liang Shengs interest; they briefly mentioned that the sealed area was the private field of the Peak Master before continuing to lead the way. Naturally, Liang Sheng wouldnt let his curiosity get the better of him and press further. They walked down to the second-best spiritual fields, where they finally saw a large swath of Lingxi Grass. Lingxi Grass was not that precious after all. At that moment, a disciple lost focus while looking at Liang Shengs group, causing his Spiritual Rain Technique to fail halfway. The managers face darkened upon seeing this. It might have been a minor incident on any other day, but today, he was embarrassed in front of Xiang Chen and the others, which naturally frustrated him. After all, according to their status, Xiang Chen was like the direct descendant of a noble secular family, whereas they were merely collateral branch disciples. Now that a disciple working in the spiritual fields had made a mistake, it reflected badly on him. What happened? The managers face darkened, and Chen Mings expression immediately turned fearful. Head lowered, Chen Ming had no idea what to say, and the other ordinary disciples working nearby looked distressed, afraid that they would be implicated. Chen Ming never thought that he would see Yang Cheng at this time. Yang Cheng looked like a graceful young master of the world, while he himself was just a mere Ordinary disciple. The difference between their statuses was like night and day. Xiang Chen and Liang Sheng glanced at each other, already recognizing Chen Ming. How could Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators forget Chen Ming? So, before the manager could scold him, Liang Sheng interjected, Senior Brother Wang, what kind of spiritual grass is that? Can you take me to have a look? Liang Sheng didnt plead for Chen Ming, but Wang Daquan, the manager, was shrewd enough to remember Chen Mings background and connect the dots. As such, he acted as if nothing had happened and led Liang Sheng and the others away. Chen Ming, who had been kneeling on the ground, was now pale as a sheet. The other party had just tried to extricate him from the situation, but they hadnt even mentioned his name. Now, they were no longer from the same world. Chen Ming shook his head and got up to continue casting the Spiritual Rain Technique. However, for some reason, his spirit seemed to have wilted a bit. The other Ordinary disciples around him were whispering and praising Chen Mings good luck. They were grateful that Chen Ming was the only Alchemy Child in this area. If the other Alchemy Children in other areas had seen the situation just now, they might have understood Chen Ming. At first, he had looked down on someone who was just an Outer Sect Disciple, but now that person had become a high-ranking Inner Sect Disciple, while he himself had become a laughingstock, working as a mere Ordinary Disciple. It was truly a joke. After touring the entire spiritual fields with Xiang Chen and the others, Wang Daquan saw them off and decided not to trouble Chen Ming after giving it some thought. It was a small matter today, and since Yang Cheng didnt seem to care, why should he go out of his way to play the villain? Shen Wuque still wanted to take Liang Sheng to the Back Mountain C his favorite place to wander around and hunt Demonic Beasts. However, Xiang Chen stopped him, figuring that his Junior brother would probably not leave for several days if he were to enter the wilderness now. Now that their new little Junior Brother had just joined Green Cloud Peak and was so innocent, Xiang Chen had no idea how their Master would arrange his life. It was better to not let Second Junior Brother Shen Wuque go wild with him. Hes afraid their little Junior Brother would be led astray by their Second Junior Brother! With Xiang Chens squinted eyes restraining Shen Wuque, Shen Wuque watched helplessly as Liang Sheng bid his farewell and left, feeling a little helpless. The eldest Senior Brother was really like a wooden block, so dull. Now that they finally had a little Junior brother, Shen Wuque hadnt had the chance to show him the authority of a Senior Brother. He must make more efforts and break through to the Foundation Establishment Late Stage as soon as possible. That way, he wouldnt be controlled by his Eldest Senior Brother in everything. It wasnt easy for their Master to accept a new Junior brother. Shen Wuque needed to guide him himself. He couldnt let Eldest Senior Brother turn him into a dull person. If that happened. Chapter 234 - Chapter 234: Chapter 126: The Destiny Worker (Combined 8k Chapter for Monthly Votes)_3 Chapter 234: Chapter 126: The Destiny Worker (Combined 8k Chapter for Monthly Votes)_3 Translator: 549690339 Thinking about the cold centuries that awaited him, facing two wooden stakes, Shen Wuque almost shivered in fear. He couldnt provoke his master, and his happy life was reliant on his junior brother. With this in mind, Shen Wuque couldnt help taking a glance at Xiang Chen. At that moment, Xiang Chen suddenly shivered, but after some sleuthing found nothing out of the ordinary; he looked over at Shen Wuque who had lifted his gaze to the sky, pretending as if nothing had transpired. Liang Sheng of course didnt know about Shen Wuques thoughts at that moment, for if he had, he would have promptly distanced himself. There was no issue with Shen Wuque, but Liang Sheng simply wanted to safely acquire the Golden Yuan Pill Formula. After Liang Sheng returned to his cave mansion, he began organizing the information he had gathered today. He wasnt concerned about bumping into Chen Ming in the spiritual field; instead, he pondered his next course of action. The foundation of the Dan Ding Sect was still pill refining! When it comes to auxiliary professions like array refining and weapon refining, the Dan Ding Sect is not outstanding but still superior compared to Loose Cultivators. Previous incidents involving Golden Core Elders were due to their relative lack of expertise in these areas. The word Immortal City that Liang Sheng heard earlier stirred his heart, but in the end, he shook his head and decided not to dwell on it. Regardless, these were not situations he could confront at the moment. Right now, he would have to use the Dan Ding Sect as his most crucial stepping stone. As the personal disciple of the Green Cloud Peaks master, he naturally had monthly tasks. The tasks were simple: to refine four furnaces of True Yuan Pills or fifteen furnaces of Qi Refining Pills. This was the monthly portion of elixirs that Liang Sheng, as a Foundation Establishment Disciple of Green Cloud Peak, needed to hand over to Jin Quanxiu. Otherwise, how could the sect support them every month for free? If there are rights to be enjoyed, there are also responsibilities to be fulfilled. Naturally, after completing their tasks, they can spend their remaining time as they see fit. Otherwise, people like Shen Wuque wouldnt be able to be as unrestrained as they were. They could also take on tasks from the Internal Affairs Office and the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall during this time. Otherwise, how would they obtain points to exchange for Cultivation Law Essentials or resources from the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall? It was like joining a large company in a past life, with the principle being the more you work, the more you get. However, along with job security, Liang Sheng now longed for it. This is because he was different from others. Others need to avail every moment for cultivation. The existence of each realms bottleneck is like shackles obstructing a cultivators progress. Some people might take years to break through the bottleneck of the next realm after their current realm is fulfilled, and some might not be able to break through the bottleneck even after decades. However, there are also lucky ones who unknowingly, directly break through the bottleneck and advance successfully. This is why cultivators often mention fortune and destiny. Liang Sheng did not worry about his monthly elixir portion task, but he couldnt just finish the task casually. He took the risk before to become an Inner Sect Disciple as soon as possible. Now, he doesnt need to stand out too much, and of course, he doesnt need to be mediocre, just being average would suffice. Although Liang Sheng wanted to go to Danyang Peak as soon as possible, he decided to stay at Green Cloud Peak for a few days to observe the situation. For the next few days, Liang Sheng went directly to the Green Cloud Peak Alchemy Pavilion and went into his private alchemy chamber. The spiritual energy here was stable, which was much better than outside for his alchemy practice. He took ten days to refine four furnaces of True Yuan Pill, then he went to find Xiang Chen, handed in his monthly portion, which left Xiang Chen somewhat dumbfounded. Junior brother, 1 forgot to tell you. The Foundation Establishment Pill you refined in front of our master can replace your portion for the next two months. You dont need to work so hard. Xiang Chen was somewhat embarrassed at this moment because he forgot to tell Liang Sheng that the Foundation Establishment Pill he refined during the initiation ceremony had already counted for his tasks for the next two months. Thinking of this, he hurriedly explained the situation in detail, Besides, junior brother, you dont have to hand in the portion once a month. As long as you can make up the portion at the end of each year, its fine. Having said that, Xiang Chen winked, and Liang Sheng immediately understood. Liang Sheng felt that Green Cloud Peak, under the leadership of Jin Quanxiu, was indeed full of human touch. Liang Sheng immediately expressed his thanks, Xiang Chen couldnt help praising, However, seeing how diligent you are, junior brother, Im very comforted. If Shen Wuque was as diligent as you, I wouldnt have to worry about him. If theres anything you dont understand in the future, feel free to ask me. Liang Sheng nodded. He didnt refuse Xiang Chens kindness. Xiang Chen, watching Liang Sheng leaving, was extremely satisfied. He, too, was such a diligent character. Although Jin Quanxiu seemed sloppy, he was actually extremely diligent. Only Shen Wuque seemed a bit laid back. No, second brother is too casual. If his alchemy skills are surpassed by the junior brother in the future, Im afraid our master will be angry. Moreover, if so, wouldnt second brother be greatly disgraced? It seems I need to urge the second junior brother more during this period. 1 cant let him continue in his laziness. Thinking about this, Xiang Chen felt more and more that he needed to restrain Shen Wuque, so he immediately set off to Shen Wuques cave mansion. Shen Wuque could not have expected that while he was sitting at home, trouble would fall from the sky. Danyang Peak. Scripture Repository. At this time, Liang Sheng appeared calm on the outside, but was careful on the inside. Just stepping into the Scripture Repository gave him the impression of being seen through. Of course, this was just his own feeling.. After all, who could truly see through himself, the owner of the Attribute Panel? Chapter 235 - Chapter 235: Chapter 126: The Destiny Worker (Combined 8k Chapter for Monthly Votes)_4 Chapter 235: Chapter 126: The Destiny Worker (Combined 8k Chapter for Monthly Votes)_4 Translator: 549690339 However, its evident that the cultivation level of those hidden in the Scripture Repository must be very high. This is, after all, the Scripture Repository of the Dan Ding Sect, the core of its foundations. Liang Sheng, putting on a guise of obliviousness, just behind the Repositorys entrance counter, were two Foundation Establishment Disciples organizing materials. Upon hearing the noise, they just glanced at Liang Sheng, then ignored him. As he was a Foundation Establishment Disciple who had passed verification, there was no need for concern. Liang Sheng already had a general idea about the information in the Scripture Repository through Xiang Chen, so he didnt hesitate and started looking around on the First Floor. The first reason for his visit was naturally the location of the elixir bookshelves. Once Liang Sheng found it, he immediately employed his Divine Sense, quickly learning what pill formulas were available on the bookshelf. Of course, the only details he could access were the introductions. To know the specific contents of the pill formulas, he needed to exchange points. After flipping through for quite some time, Liang Shengs eyes suddenly brightened. He found a pill formula for the Golden Yuan Pill, but when he saw the points required for exchange, he couldnt help but shake his head. Its damn expensive. At this moment, Liang Sheng didnt have any points. But now that he had discovered the existence of the Golden Yuan Pill formula, his goal was accomplished. It seemed that the situation in the Dan Ding Sect was just as he expected. Any elixir that could be refined by a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator was available here. The upper echelons of Dan Ding Sect would love to see disciples succeed in refining the Golden Yuan Pill. That would be a sign of burgeoning talent. Liang Sheng felt relieved after he found the Golden Yuan Pill formula. From now on, he would have to prioritize earning points whilst ensuring his safety. Regarding earning points through completing tasks, he would take it slowly. After all, he had plenty of time and points would accumulate eventually. Why not whittle away all unfavorable factors with time? Even after finding the Golden Yuan Pill formula, Liang Sheng did not leave. Instead, he continued to wander through the Scripture Repository. Having finally managed to visit the Repository, it was filled with various Technique volumes. Even if he didnt need them now, he Familiarizing himself with their general contents. When the need arose, he would know where to look, avoiding unnecessary panic. After spending a whole hour, Liang Sheng left the Scripture Repository with reluctance. However, he couldnt help but think of Pei Shiping, whom he had killed Previously. It was fortunate that Pei wasnt a sect disciple. Given what he had seen in the Scripture Repository, he couldnt help but worry about the multitude of means available to the sects disciples. Liang Sheng reminded himself in his mind to kill instantly in the face of danger and never hesitate. After Liang Sheng left the Scripture Repository, a pair of hidden eyes was retracted as well, forming an initial impression of Liang Sheng. Such a calm and composed child. No wonder little gold (slang term) was willing to take him as a disciple. However, its unknown how far this child could go. Liang Sheng had no idea that someone had taken a notice of him. He directly entered the Internal Affairs Office and the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall and, after weighing the options, he chose a few relatively ordinary pill-refining tasks. Materials for these tasks were already prepared. If the task is completed, theres no need to pay for the materials. The points would be credited, but if the tasks werent completed, compensation for the materials was required proportionally. Greedy capitalists! Liang Sheng sighed silently. Regardless, he accepted the tasks obediently and then went directly back to the Green Cloud Peak and headed straight for the Alchemy Room. At this moment, he communicated directly to Xiang Chen, reporting that he would be undergoing closed-door cultivation to refine pills. Afterwards, he activated the Array to isolate the outside noise from his Alchemy Chamber, focusing solely on refining pills. Upon receiving the message, Xiang Chen was rather pleased. His Junior Brother was indeed diligent. But with this comparison, he realized that Shen Wuque was too lackadaisical. After being blocked by Xiang Chen in his Cave Mansion, Shen Wuque didnt know what to do after seeing Liang Shengs diligence. He began contemplating if he had been too lenient with Shen Wuque. It was rumored that the Second Junior Brother frequented the Back Mountain recently. As Masters disciple, he was always only battling and killing, failing to live up to Masters teachings. With these thoughts, Xiang Chen stopped hesitating and took a trip to the Internal Affairs Office. Shen Wuque didnt know what was happening and was blocked in his Cave Mansion. When he discovered that Xiang Chen had helped him accept a pile of pill-refining tasks, his face turned somewhat pale. With so many pill refining tasks, it would probably take one or two months to complete them all. Senior Brother, youre not joking with me, are you? Xiang Chen didnt laugh and, instead, looked serious. After Shen Wuque gave a few dry laughs, his face slumped, looking spent and listless. Junior Brother, this time Ive reported the situation to Master. He already knows that Ive accepted tasks for you. I hope you wont disappoint him. With Xiang Chens hint, Shen Wuques thoughts of escaping diminished completely. He then obediently stayed in his Cave Mansion to refine pills. Although the Master seemed easy to talk to, he could be intense when angry. Seeing this, Xiang Chen was pleased. Shen Wuques talent was stronger than his. Unfortunately, he was lazy. If it werent for his exceptional talent, he would not have been able to reach Foundation Establishment with his lazy personality. One month later. Liang Sheng ended his closed-door cultivation. After reporting to Xiang Chen, he went straight to Danyang Peak. After completing the tasks, ten points were credited into his account directly. Seeing this, Liang Sheng couldnt help but feel a little helpless. These points were ultimately too few. Actually, the Internal Affairs Office did have tasks that award higher points, but they were not suitable for him. After all, he had just reached the Foundation Establishment Stage. There was no way he could handle unachievable tasks.. Chapter 236 - Chapter 236: Chapter 126: The Destiny Worker (Combined 8k Chapter for Monthly Votes)_5 Chapter 236: Chapter 126: The Destiny Worker (Combined 8k Chapter for Monthly Votes)_5 Translator: 549690339 Thinking of this, Liang Sheng didnt think too much about it. After calming his mood, he went to the Internal Affairs Office again to find suitable tasks. Time passed quickly, and a year had gone by. Jin Quanxiu naturally saw all of these developments and grew more satisfied with this new disciple. Especially since even a thick-skinned person like Shen Wuque was forced to work hard under this pressure, Jin Quanxiu felt more gratified in his heart. Ills attitude naturally affected the mentality of all the Green Cloud Peak disciples, and unknowingly, the pill refining speed of all the Inner Sect Disciples of Green Cloud Peak increased greatly. Some tasks from the Internal Affairs Office were even monopolized by Green Cloud Peak, which had never happened before. The upper echelons of Danyang Peak were both surprised and overjoyed to see this. Truth be told, alchemists all had their own quirks, and very few of them were diligent enough to complete Sect tasks. Otherwise, why would there be a hidden rule of Foundation Establishment Disciples completing their tasks within a year? Thus, after the annual meeting of the Peak Masters, Jin Quanxiu always returned with a smile on his face. Green Cloud Peaks task completion in that year had directly doubled, with the Sect Master giving them special praise. No one would have thought that the huge change in Green Cloud Peak would be the result of just one new disciple. However, the thought of the astonished expressions of everyone, including the Sect Master, made Jin Quanxiu unable to hold back his laughter. My Green Cloud Peak disciples are just that outstanding, envy cant do anything about it! But Liang Sheng was completely unaware of this. All he wanted now was to accumulate enough points to exchange for the Golden Yuan Pill Formula. If it were an ordinary pill formula, he would have already saved up enough points by now. Without exposing his true strength and in the most diligent manner, Liang Sheng spent more than a year with hardly any leisure activities. He had hardly shown his face around Green Cloud Peak, no, even in the entire Dan Ding Sect, had there ever been such a king of competition? Nevertheless, after being slightly surprised, others accepted this reality. If it wasnt for this, how could a mere Outer Disciple reach such an achievement? Subsequently, Green Cloud Peaks pill refining continued to grow against the trend for three consecutive years, shamelessly surpassing the other Peaks. It wasnt that which broke the final straw for the other Peaks Foundation Establishment Disciples. It was the Sect Master who, upon seeing Green Cloud Peaks achievements, promptly made the Spiritual Energy Arrays lean towards Green Cloud Peak. As a result, the Peak Masters of the other Peaks were completely stimulated. After they returned, they occasionally remarked how hardworking the disciples of Green Cloud Peak were, causing the Spiritual Energy Density of Green Cloud Peak to rise. As this involved Spiritual Energy Density, Foundation Establishment Disciples from all the Peaks were concerned. Subsequently, and unsurprisingly, the other Main Peaks also began to roll up their sleeves and work hard. In the fifth year of Liang Shengs crazed task-taking, he stood at the entrance of the Inner Affairs Hall, dumbfounded, because the pill refining tasks had all been taken. Seeing this situation, he couldnt help but feel confused. Previously, he could easily pick tasks from the Internal Affairs Office, but now, if he arrived a little later, he couldnt even get a task? Liang Sheng thought that the number of tasks might have decreased in the Sect recently. However, after hearing from the Disciples of the Internal Affairs Office that the number of tasks remained the same, he couldnt help but feel completely baffled. It turned out that in these years, the Inner Sect Disciples were extremely enthusiastic about taking tasks, causing Liang Shengs plan to save up points to be affected. Damn it! Whats wrong with these Inner Sect Disciples? They used to be so lazy, but now, why have they all become workaholics? Liang Sheng didnt realize that he was the instigator of all these changes. After waiting for a while and seeing that there were no new pill refining tasks available, he could only leave helplessly. For the next half a year, Liang Sheng couldnt find many tasks to take, causing his plan to save up points to hit a rough patch. He originally thought that he could accumulate enough points in about ten years, but now, he didnt know how much longer he had to wait. No, 1 have to find a way myself. Liang Sheng couldnt help but feel a little depressed. In recent years, Xiang Chen was delighted that the arrival of Liang Sheng in Green Cloud Peak had made it full of vitality. The Foundation Establishment Disciples were no longer as detached, and even Shen Wuque had become more reliable under Jin Quanxius intentional or unintentional guidance. Naturally, Xiang Chen cared a lot about Liang Sheng, the initiator of these changes. One day, seeing Liang Shengs listless appearance, Xiang Chen thought something had happened and asked him with concern. Liang Sheng mentioned the situation casually, and Xiang Chen realized his junior brother was worried because of the fewer tasks and unable to get enough points. He couldnt help but feel heartache. Such a hard-working junior brother, as long as he maintains his current state, it is not impossible to reach the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage within a hundred years. However, at this stage, the mindset is crucial. Otherwise, why would he have nurtured him for so long in the past for fear of affecting his second junior brothers mindset? But during these years, Shen Wuque had not had any psychological problems, and his cultivation was progressing steadily. Xiang Chen felt even more confident that his decision to supervise him before was correct. So, after learning that Liang Sheng was troubled by points, Xiang Chen couldnt help laughing. Junior brother, you want to accumulate points, huh? Well, thats not the best way, after all, these tasks are just small fries. Hmm? Liang Sheng raised his head sharply at these words, not doubting Xiang Chens words, but not being able to think of any other methods to obtain points. Senior Brother, what do you mean? If there is any method, please teach me. Junior brother, dont worry. You should recall the matter of our master summoning you Alchemy Children decades ago. At that time, he was fulfilling the alchemy requests for other sects, and the points 1 got then were massive compared to the usual tasks. Upon hearing this, Liang Sheng couldnt help but frown, But there is no such situation now, and its not like I can simply succeed as easily as Master. With my alchemy skills, there is no way 1 could complete that many pill refining tasks, and besides, the other sects dont need our pill refining services anymore. Xiang Chen couldnt help but laugh, Junior brother, youre still quite naive. Do you remember how our Master praised you before? Your alchemy skills are unparalleled, but only due to your cultivation limits. So, if you have such skills, there is indeed a very suitable task for you now. The points you can obtain will be much more than in recent years, and it will only take three years to complete. Upon hearing this, Liang Sheng couldnt help but raise his head. Xiang Chen didnt try to sell the suspense, and directly gave an explanation about the situation he knew. After hearing it, Liang Sheng hesitated for a moment then nodded. It turned out that seven years ago, the Three Sects and the Six Orders once again sent Alchemists to the Dan Ding Sect, but at that time he was in Danyang Outer Peak and did not know about it. As for Dan Ding Sect, they were quite generous, even sending the skilled Inner Sect Disciples to guide the alchemists from the Three Sects and Six Orders. After all, the alchemy skills of the Dan Ding Sect were unparalleled, and it was more than enough to guide them. Furthermore, Liang Sheng had experienced such a situation before C the Pill Maniac Chen Sheng was once treated as a master by many Loose Cultivation Alchemists. The task recommended by Xiang Chen was quite simple C it was to become an Alchemy Tutor for the alchemists dispatched by the Three Sects and Six Orders. Of course, there was an assessment required to take on this task, but as Xiang Chen had said, it wouldnt pose a challenge to Liang Sheng at all. Thinking of this, Liang Sheng no longer hesitated. Alright! Senior Brother, please help me sign up.. Chapter 238 - Chapter 238: Chapter 127: Pill Refining Lecturer, Golden Chapter 238: Chapter 127: Pill Refining Lecturer, Golden Yuan Pill Formula (9k Merged Chapter for Monthly Ticket)_2 Translator: 549690339 Upon closer thought, Liang Shengs response caused less damage and was more straightforward than the answers theyd come up with themselves. Unable to hide his admiration, one of the Golden Core Daoists at the side finally sighed, his gaze complicated. Brilliant, he murmured. His praise disrupted the previous calm, and they all started discussing directly in front of him, even arguing over if it could be done better. This made Liang Sheng somewhat uncomfortable. Why werent they questioning him further? Why were they discussing this among themselves? Where was their professional conduct? It was no wonder that Liang Sheng was agitated; the way Peak Master Jin Jun was looking at him was becoming increasingly odd, as if he were the old mans grandson. This strange feeling made Liang Sheng increasingly restless. After a while, the Golden Core Daoists finally stopped their discussion, realizing that their conduct seemed inappropriate. After all, it was unbecoming for Golden Core Daoists to act this way in front of a Foundation Establishment Disciple. One of them could not help but lightly scold the person who had asked the question earlier. If not for this, how would they have lost their decorum in front of a disciple? Their debate resumed as they sought to shift blame onto one another. Liang Sheng never expected this scenario. He was utterly dumbstruck. Im still sitting here, he thought, why are you suddenly arguing? Fortunately, one of them, who had been watching Liang Sheng all along, hadnt participated in their quarrel C Peak Master Jin Jun. Alright, he said, Lets continue questioning. His words immediately made the Golden Core Daoists realize that the lecture test was still ongoing. Why were they arguing with each other again? Hence, they quickly composed themselves, but there was a moment of shared silence where they just looked at each other. They felt somewhat embarrassed by their behavior, but it was the Golden Core Daoist who had asked the question earlier who reacted the quickest. No more questions, he said. Lets see how he practices his craft. One look at his alchemy skills and well know if hes competent. With that, he directly instructed the disciples outside, Today has been a little exhausting. The other disciples can come for their exams tomorrow. Upon hearing this, Liang Sheng was thoroughly dumbfounded. Are all these Golden Core Daoists this capricious? Despite his confusion, he didnt have the time to contemplate, as one of the Golden Core Daoists had already taken out a pile of Spiritual Grass. Once he saw the Spiritual Grass, Liang Sheng understood what they wanted him to refine. Dust Removal Pills. The Dust Removal Pills didnt take long to make, but they could reveal a persons alchemy skills, especially their stability in alchemy. At this moment, Liang Sheng wasnt afraid. This matter was related to his points; he could not afford to back off. After all, there werent many tasks remaining in the Internal Affairs Office, so he could take a different path and not compete with those exam kingpins. The Golden Core Daoists didnt say anything. If Liang Sheng couldnt even tell what pill he was supposed to refine, what was the point of this exam? With a calm demeanor, Liang Sheng returned to refining the Spiritual Grass according to his rhythm. His confidence and precision were apparent in each step he took. As the saying goes, an experts actions reveal their skill level. Watching the way Liang Sheng handled the Spiritual Grass, the Golden Core Daoists couldnt help but nod approvingly. The more they watched Liang Sheng, the better they thought of him. This talented young disciple had really fallen into the hands of Madman Jin. It seemed that there were talented individuals in the Outer Disciples as well. They should send their disciples to take a look. If they found promising talents, they could bring them closer for observation. Doing so wouldnt cost them anything, but Liang Sheng was oblivious of the extra opportunities his existence brought for the Outer Disciples. Soon, Liang Sheng methodically completed the preparation of the Spiritual Grass, picked up the Four Patterns Pill Furnace given by Jin Quanxiu, and directly raised the alchemy flame, placing the Spiritual Grass into the furnace one by one, and started refining the Dust Removal Pills. Soon, two hours later, a fragrant smell filled the air. So fast? The Golden Core Daoists now looked at Liang Sheng with a trace of admirative affection. At Liang Shengs level, if they were at the same cultivation level, they might only be slightly better. Youth can indeed be fearsome. Alright, I have made my decision. Do any of you have any objections? The other Golden Core Daoists shook their heads, signifying their non-objection. With this skill level, dealing with alchemists from the other Three Sects and Six Orders would be completely sufficient. Yang Cheng, your exam today has passed. Tomorrow, you can go directly to the Reception Hall, where someone will arrange your next task. Upon hearing this, a sense of joy filled Liang Shengs heart. He quickly bent in gratitude. As he prepared to take his leave, suddenly, someone called out to him. Yang Cheng, if you have time in the future, you may come to the Purple Sky Peak. Hm? Oh! The other Golden Core Daoists were first stunned at this. Then, they understood and gave Peak Master Jin Jun a playful look. But at that moment, Peak Master Jin Jun suddenly furrowed his brows. They hurriedly looked at the ceiling as if something there had grabbed their attention. At this point, all Liang Sheng could do was accept the invitation with a stiff upper lip, and then he left under the benevolent gaze of Peak Master Jin Jun. At this moment, he was ninety percent sure that there was definitely a connection between Peak Master Jin Jun and his Master. However, when he returned to the Green Cloud Peak, he didnt plan to question this. This was an issue between their elders. How could he intervene? As soon as Liang Sheng returned to Green Cloud Peak, Xiang Chen appeared immediately. Upon hearing that he had passed the examination, he couldnt help but keep praising him. In fact, Xiang Chen was not surprised at all.. With his junior brothers ability, wouldnt the position of a lecturer be instantly within his grasp? Chapter 276 - Chapter 276: Chapter 134: A Hundred Years of Great War, Chapter 276: Chapter 134: A Hundred Years of Great War, Late Foundation Establishment Stage (8k combined chapters asking for subscriptions)_4 Translator: 549690339 Now he could only wait for an opportunity to go to that address again. Zhou Mo must have had a reason for entrusting him so seriously. After that, Liang Sheng and the other Inner Sect Disciples started to frequent the spiritual fields. Using their Spiritual Rain Technique, they were naturally much stronger and better than Qi Refining Disciples. The region under Liang Shengs care boasted even better growth, with higher quality spiritual grass. Others were amazed by this sight. But even Liang Sheng himself couldnt explain it. In his heart, he could only guess whether it was because he had transformed the ancient techniques within his body. He never expected that the spiritual power quality of the ancient techniques would be so high. Not only could it enhance his battle strength, but it even improved the quality of the spells he cast as well. Of course, when faced with jokes from his fellow Senior and Junior Brothers, Liang Sheng naturally just laughed it off. I must have been born to be a farmer. Upon hearing this, everyone laughed heartily. The atmosphere on Green Cloud Peak was harmonious, and the endless spiritual fields were lush and full of vitality, leaving everyone extremely satisfied. Cultivating peacefully sometimes is a type of blessing. ? ? In the Dan Ding Sect, a hundred years of peace passed by in the blink of an eye. However, outside the sect, there was turmoil. !!.. In these hundred years, the atmosphere in the Three Sects and Six Orders was somewhat oppressive, with continuous disputes. The Hua Tian Sect and the Upper Green Sect started a full-scale war just one year after the Dan Ding Sect closed its mountain for seclusion. Originally, the two sects had conflicts before, and after they both suffered the loss of elite disciples in the Beast Tide Battlefield, no one from the other sects doubted that they had played tricks on each other. No one listened or cared about the explanations given by the two conflicting sects. With the atmosphere as tense as it was, how could they not fight? The Hua Tian Sect was prospering, and the Upper Green Sect could not be easily bullied, could they? When they started fighting, it immediately escalated. Golden Core Daoists directly entered the battlefield. Amidst the chaos, not to mention Qi Refining Disciples, even Foundation Establishment Inner Sect Disciples were like cannon fodder. The Hua Tian Sect indeed deserved to be the number one sect among the Three Sects and Six Orders. Within these hundred years, they already had no less than ten Spirit Tools. How terrifying! The Hua Tian Sect seemed even stronger than imagined! At the beginning of the war, the Upper Green Sect could barely hold on by relying on a large number of cultivators. But by the middle stage, they began to fall back. Of course, even if the Upper Green Sect was at a disadvantage, the Hua Tian Sect was also suffering heavy losses. After all, which cultivator didnt have some skills? Cultivation is itself a struggle against the heavens, and without some means, there would be no advancing bravely. According to rumors, in these hundred years, the number of Foundation Establishment Cultivators that perished from the Hua Tian Sect and Upper Green Sect already reached over 700, almost losing more than half of their inner sect disciples. As for the Golden Core Daoists who perished, their losses exceeded thirty as well. But in proportion to the losses between the two sects, it reached a terrifying four-to-six ratio, or even a horrifying three-to-seven ratio. The strength of the Hua Tian Sect was completely revealed in front of the other sects around the 50-year middle stage. It was only a matter of time before the Upper Green Sect was destroyed. Yet, 50 years after the war began, the Upper Green Sect actually began to regain its footing, going back and forth with the Hua Tian Sect. Without a doubt, the other Three Sects and Six Orders had already taken sides. Of course, there was no evidence, but it wasnt necessary. Everyone had a rough understanding of what was happening between the sects, and it was just that some speculations differed a little. But by the time the war had lasted 50 years, the Hua Tian Sect could not halt its conquest. Without conquering the Upper Green Sect, they could not make up for their losses during those 50 years. As for the intentions of those other sects secretly supporting the Upper Green Sect, the Hua Tian Sect knew all too well. They simply did not want to see the Hua Tian Sect become the sole dominant force. In many peoples minds, it would be better for the Three Sects and Six Orders to remain as they were. With the Dan Ding Sect being permanently neutral, the remaining conflict between the eight sects could achieve balance. If there were only seven sects remaining, the final outcome would not be a balance. For this reason, the Upper Green Sects resistance was especially tenacious. As for which sects had secretly taken action, it was no longer important. The Hua Tian Sect wanted to annihilate the Upper Green Sect, while the Upper Green Sect wanted to drain the Hua Tian Sects foundation under secret support, then lick their wounds alone and let time restore their strength. During the next 50 years, the battles between the two sects continued, but the Hua Tian Sect still firmly maintained the upper hand in the conflict. Some of the Upper Green Sects spirit stone mines, markets, and spiritual field regions had already been occupied by the Hua Tian Sect, making them look quite miserable. Through this war, other sects got to know how many successful Foundation Establishment disciples the Hua Tian Sect actually had. Their number was much greater than any other sect. The number of Golden Core Daoists was also higher than the other sects. If the Hua Tian Sect had revealed their strength earlier, the previous Beast Tide War might have never taken place. In other words, the Hua Tian Sect had actually not gone all out initially, which was why the various sects had suffered such great losses in the early stages of the Beast Tide Battle. With this revelation, the resentment of the other sects naturally surfaced. Only the Dan Ding Sect remained silent. In that case, the Hua Tian Sect had hidden their strength, indirectly reaping the benefits. Why did they still want to destroy the Upper Green Sects elite squadron? What was the purpose of this? Did they really want to stand alone and be the only one on top? It was a bit too domineering! As more and more of the Hua Tian Sects strength was exposed, the other sects no longer hid their intentions. They openly and brazenly began to provide resources to support the Upper Green Sect.. Chapter 305 - Chapter 305: Chapter 140: Demon Saint’s Demise, Chapter 305: Chapter 140: Demon Saints Demise, Inventory of Gains, Breaking through the Golden Core (8k combined chapter for monthly votes) _2 Translator: 549690339 Heaven, why are you being so unfair to my demon clan? I only have one year left to live; do we have no place in this world? But I wont accept my fate; even if I only have one year left, Ill eliminate all the human sects in this desolate region. This land will ultimately belong to my demon clan. Just as the demon saint was roaring against the injustice of fate, Liang Shengs eyes lit up at this revelation of the demon saints remaining lifespan. So the ratio of his curse on the demon saint was 500 years to one year. Since he had already used up 4.500 years of his lifespan, why should he be afraid of gambling with another 500 years!? Lets do it! Thus, in the next moment, Liang Sheng consumed another 500 years of his lifespan, causing the demon saint, who had been lamenting to the sky, to suddenly stop. He then fell to the ground. Bang! With its lifespan exhausted, the demon saint turned into a gigantic body of dozens of meters, stirring up dust as it fell to the ground, lifeless. The original form of the demon saint was a white tiger! At this time, Liang Sheng didnt immediately stand up. Instead, he cautiously spent another year of his lifespan to curse the demon saint again, but this time, he did not consume any more lifespan. This could only be explained by the fact that the target of his curse was no longer existing in this world, so his lifespan was not further consumed. The demon saint was finally dead. However, he had lost 5000 years of his lifespan. With only two major realms apart in strength, the ratio was already 500 to 1? It was lucky that his lifespan was long; otherwise, who could curse someone with such a significant difference in realms to death? But Liang Sheng still felt like wailing. Gazing at his attribute panel, he couldnt help but feel heartache. He couldnt be so reckless next time! If a situation where the difference in realms is too significant were to occur again, he definitely wouldnt act blindly! His attribute panel had now changed to the following: Name: Liang Sheng Age: 841 Talent: Innocent Foolishness (Top-Grade) Techniques: Primordial Mysterious Technique (Second Layer), Upper Pure Immortal Scripture (Twelfth Layer), Pure Yang Pill Scripture (Twelfth Layer), Twenty Health Maintenance Techniques (Twenty-First Layer), Nail-Head Seven Arrows Technique (Curse) Realm: Refining Qi (False Golden Core) Lifespan: 25885 At this moment, Liang Sheng couldnt help but grieve. However, he could now collect some interest and see if he could make up for some of the losses. Without hesitation, he entered the battlefield where there were no more conscious demonic beasts or sect cultivators at this time, feeling very relieved. His top priority was to move the demon saints dozens-of-meters-long corpse into his storage ring. Fortunately, he possessed a storage ring; otherwise, an ordinary storage bag wouldnt have been able to hold the corpse. With the strength of the demon saints flesh, cutting it would have taken a lot of time. Next, Liang Sheng set his sights on the spots where the seven great Nascent Soul True Monarchs had fallen C specifically, their storage rings and spirit tools. Aside from the spirit tool that Yu Zhenzi had used for self-destruction, the other ones were undamaged. Feeling excited, Liang Sheng quickly took all their spirit tools and storage rings. However, he had no time to examine the contents of their storage rings in detail, as there were still unconscious demon kings on the battlefield who had barely survived. While they were still in a stupor, Liang Sheng quickly eliminated them one by one. In the blink of an eye, they all perished, their souls dispersing. As for the demon kings corpses, they were, of course, placed into Liang Shengs storage ring, along with the Third Realm demon beasts. This wasnt just blood and flesh essence; it was golden yuan pills! As for the storage bags of the deceased Golden Core cultivators and ordinary cultivators who had miraculously remained intact, Liang Sheng didnt spare them either. After about half an hour of scavenging, all the possessions of the demon kings and Golden Core cultivators on the battlefield had been taken by Liang Sheng. Then, looking at his fully-loaded storage ring, Liang Sheng couldnt help but burst out laughing. The twelve spirit tools alone were worth it. Its only 5000 years of lifespan. Ill do it again next time! At this moment, Liang Sheng, who had previously been full of regret and vowed never to do it again, seemed to have forgotten his own words. However, Liang Sheng didnt stay excited for too long, as he immediately lay down on the ground, closed his eyes, and pretended to be unconscious. Thats because Xiang Chen had awoken. He had only fainted due to the pressure of the demon saints aura earlier. It was just a minor injury, and so he quickly regained consciousness. However, when Xiang Chen woke up, he was still a bit dazed. Subconsciously looking up at the spot where the demon saint had been standing, he found the young demon saint to be gone. It took a while for him to come back to his senses, glancing at his own hands and then the direction where the demon saint had been standing, feeling somewhat incredulous. Had he not died after all? At this moment, an eerie silence enveloped the battlefield of the great battle between the demons and the human clans. The sobbing wind brought a touch of chill to the air. After a while, Xiang Chen finally accepted the reality and stood up, walking around the battlefield to inspect the area. They were all gone! All the unconscious demon kings were gone! Among the unconscious demonic beasts, only those below the demon king level remained. Meanwhile, Golden Core cultivators were still present among the unconscious cultivators. What the hell was going on? Xiang Chen was already a bit confused, but thankfully, it didnt take too long for the unconscious Golden Core cultivators to gradually awaken. Groaning, they instinctively rubbed their aching heads, their consciousness not yet fully awakened. Once their consciousness returned to their bodies, they quickly assumed a defensive stance.. Chapter 358 - Chapter 358: Chapter 150: Unexpected Surprise – Middle Chapter 358: Chapter 150: Unexpected Surprise C Middle Nascent Soul Stage, 41,000 Lifespan Entering Immortal City (8k Monthly Tickets Wanted )_5 Translator: 549690339 Over these past ten years, Bright Moon had not been idle. He had planted spies in nearly all the Desolate Regions under the jurisdiction of Longevity Immortal City. If you, Qingfeng, can do it, why cant I? Thinking of this, Bright Moon slowly closed his eyes. He refused to appear weak in front of others and wanted to prove that he was the most capable assistant to the City Lord. At this point, Liang Sheng knew nothing about Bright Moons plans. After reporting to Qingfeng, he handed over the Town Desolation Stele. Qingfeng had no surprises about this, as he had not believed that a Desolate Aura would appear in the Marginal Domain marked with letter Yi from the beginning. What era are we in now? Countless eras had passed since the ancient cultivation times, and the Desolate Aura should have long been purified. If it werent for their City Lord saying there was suspicion of Desolate Aura, he would not have sent someone to investigate. According to his usual practice, dealing with this kind of thing, there was indeed a simple method. As long as there were suspicions of Desolation, there was no need for investigation; just carry out indiscriminate attacks and carry out a big annihilation. There were countless Desolate Regions beneath the Immortal City, and they wouldnt miss this Codename Yi domain, but this time the Desolate Region wasnt important; what mattered was giving the City Lord an account. Since this was a misunderstanding, it was no longer urgent. At this moment, the City Lord had already gone back into closed-door cultivation, and he would have to be stupid to disturb the City Lord. As for Chen Quans completion of the task in the Desolate Region, Qingfeng simply made an oral promise and let the other party go. At this moment, thinking of Chen Quan, Qingfeng couldnt help but reveal a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. He indeed was a loyal dog; clever and understanding, he didnt need to worry about him too much. Thats why over the years, he actually hadnt cared about what others said about Chen Quan being arrogant and domineering when he was outside. As long as it wasnt a matter of principle, he had to protect his dog. Otherwise, if he didnt care about his own dog, how could he tame other people to become his dogs? Under the City Lord, there are Left and Right Envoys after all. He was not only one person below, with tens of thousands of people above, but there was also one person who was on equal footing with him. Chen Quan was now walking in the Immortal City. The streets were bustling with activity, and it seemed like a secular city. The only differences were that the roads were more spacious, and both sides of the street were cultivators. The spiritual energy density was even more concentrated here than in the Desolate Regions by countless times. At this moment, the scene from Chen Quans memory was slowly merging with the scene before his eyes. In this place, there was little difference between ordinary cultivators and mortals. With great concealment in plain sight, as long as one doesnt cause trouble, they can grow safely. However, many people who saw Liang Sheng would voluntarily avoid him! The class here could be said to be far apart; lower cultivators had no rights in front of higher ones. With no expression on his face, Liang Sheng moved through the secular city. It didnt take long before he stopped in front of a mansion. Chen Mansion! The Immortal City closely resembled a secular city, with the City Lord Mansion resembling the Imperial Palace. The cave mansions of Nascent Soul Masters like them were like grand residences. In the families of these great cultivators, they also signed Heavenly Dao oaths for servant contracts, as their servants had far better conditions than ordinary loose cultivators. At this moment, the gatekeepers at the door were all at the Foundation Establishment Stage. Their faces were full of energy, and even in the Desolate Domain Sect, Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators were considered superior. But now, Chen Mansion had Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators as gatekeepers, and upon seeing Liang Sheng, their expressions immediately changed to surprise and joy. Patriarch, youre back? Chen Quan nodded but didnt speak, and instead walked straight into the mansion. As the main gate opened, it seemed like another world. There was a flowing stream in the courtyard, surrounded by towering mountains and exquisite craftsmanship. Winding to the west, there were spiritual plants and immortal trees everywhere, standing tall and verdant, with intertwining roots and branches, looking like coiled dragons. Although he had seen this scene in Chen Quans memory, Liang Sheng was still stunned by it when he saw it with his own eyes. This was the kind of residence that a great cultivator should have. Perhaps it was to show off ones status, or maybe it was for their own cultivation. After all, at this time, Liang Sheng felt that the spiritual energy in the air was much richer than outside the mansion, and it was at least twice as strong. This was not just a mansion, but clearly a hidden dimension disguised as a mansion. At this moment, the servants had already begun to inform everyone in the mansion. The Patriarch has returned. Soon, they saw the servants lining up on both sides, bowing their heads in salute, while the cave gates within the mansion opened one by one, revealing Chen Quans relatives. Big brother! Uncle! Patriarch! Various titles were called out continuously! Liang Sheng surprisingly discovered that there was even an Early Nascent Soul Stage cultivator among them, more than thirty Golden Core cultivators, and several hundred Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators. As for the younger generation of Qi Refining Realm, there were simply too many to count. This was only because they were the descendants of the Chen family. Otherwise, they would have no qualifications to enter Sky City at all. The rules of the Immortal City were simple C in Sky City, ordinary cultivators must be at least at the Foundation Establishment Stage to enter. This was a true cultivation family! Seeing the crowded Family juniors, Liang Sheng felt somewhat troubled. Moreover, there were quite a few ladies mixed in with them. After all, such a large cultivation family would naturally need Daoist partners to reproduce and continue the lineage. Fortunately, only those family juniors who felt that their own path to immortality had been cut off would consider having children. So at this moment, Chen Quan was still in a stage of vigorous progress and didnt have a Daoist partner. Otherwise, there would be one more person beside his pillow, and he would have to consider how to silently get rid of his partner. Although this was a bit cold-blooded, safety comes first. At this moment, Liang Sheng only slightly nodded his head, still maintaining a cold expression, and the others didnt mind. It was just the Patriarchs nature. What was so strange about it? Next up was naturally the welcoming feast for Chen Quan to cleanse the dust from his journey. After all, once Chen Quan returned, the backbone of the family would be back. It is necessary to know that all members of the Chen family were a bit sullen during the past ten years. After all, they had learned Chen Quans temper very well, and they were arrogant and domineering toward those below them. But thankfully, they knew their own limits. Since Chen Quan was not around, if they continued their behavior, they would have been probably beaten up unknowingly and not even find the perpetrator. But now that the Patriarch is back, what do they have to fear? They can return to their previous state, carefree and at case. After all, their own Patriarch was a trusted subordinate of Left Envoy Qingfeng. After his return, who would dare not give them some face? At this moment, a few reckless and arrogant young disciples had already thought about how to regain the lost face of the past ten years, but they didnt notice that Liang Shengs peripheral vision had already swept over everyone. Those troublemaking juniors had no idea that their Patriarch had already made up his mind to find an excuse to quietly deal with them. It would be best if none of the troublemakers were left behind. In the Immortal City, Liang Sheng just wanted to develop quietly because safety comes first. Since you like stirring up trouble, then shut your mouths forever and dont appear in the Immortal City to cause problems. Just think about it. After all these years, Liang Sheng had almost always acted cautiously, but he was still involved in cause and effect, to the point where he had to flee to the Immortal City now. So, these reckless and arrogant young disciples, although they knew how to bully the weak and fear the strong, in case they annoyed someone like a useless young man who had been renounced from a marriage or an illegitimate child who had suffered family injustice, wouldnt he become a scapegoat? Chen Quan still had nearly two thousand years of lifespan left. Naturally, he hoped to spend these years safely and ideally break through to the Divinity Transformation Realm without any worries. In the Immortal City, one should be careful and cautious, and when its time to act, dont hesitate! For example, get rid of these troublemaking juniors! Chapter 372 - Chapter 372: Chapter 153’- Chen Quan’s Mad Dog, Is This Chapter 372: Chapter 153- Chen Quans Mad Dog, Is This Courting Death? (8k Combined Chapter for Monthly Ticket )_4 Translator: 549690339 But not admitting his mistake, seeing Chen Quans crazed appearance, he was afraid he would also suffer. Damnit! He had previously planned to send that report to his subordinate, but now the other party had been sentenced to death; he really couldnt understand it. Feng Xiangs mind raced, and in the end, he made the final decision, which was to endure, because now it was not the problem of their Inspectors Office but Right Envoy Mingyues face issue. Commander Chen, the remnants of the Church of All Beings are so cunning that if our Inspectors Office could control their every move, why havent we eliminated them by now? It was also very helpless for the Chen family to suffer such a heavy blow this time, but this is not the reason for you to come to the Internal Affairs Office and run wild on my Inspectors Office. I understand that your emotions are very unstable today. As long as you rein in now, I am willing to forgive and forget. Otherwise, do you really think my Inspectors Office has no one? As soon as these words came out, Feng Xiangs words, like thunder and lightning, resonated powerfully, and the horror of the late Nascent Soul Realm was revealed at this moment. The complexions of the cultivators around them changed drastically, looking at Feng Xiang with astonished faces. This was the might of a Nascent Soul Master; when a True Monarch was angry, blood would splatter for thousands of miles! But at this moment, although Chen Quans face was pale, he stood opposite Feng Xiang, almost completely accepting Feng Xiangs oppressive aura. However, he slowly straightened his chest, the corner of his mouth even carrying a touch of madness. I am Chen Quan, Deputy Commander of the Cleaning Department. I know that the Church of All Beings regards me as a thorn in their side, but why have I never compromised? Commander Feng, do you still remember the guarantee your Inspectors Office made to us external staff in front of the Left and Right Envoys? So why werent any of your Inspectors Office personnel present when my Chen family was destroyed? What about the promised covert protection? Or are you saying that your Inspectors Office is actually just paying lip service, and treating Right Envoy Mingyues words as nonsense? Right Envoy Mingyue did say that as long as the Cleaning Department under the command of the Left Envoy carried out external tasks, the Internal Affairs Office would definitely ensure our rear support, and nothing would threaten our rear. But now that my Chen family has nearly been destroyed, that was the work of two Nascent Soul Masters, with such a huge oversight, how could Right Envoy Mingyues previous words be considered nonsense? You tell me! The last three words, Chen Quan suddenly raised his voice, and Feng Xiangs pupils couldnt help but shrink. At this time, he looked deeply at Chen Quan, and his heart sank. How malicious is Chen Quan! This was definitely not the scheming of a single person. Feng Xiang knew all too well what kind of character Chen Quan was. This kind of turning passivity into aggression must have been guided by someone behind the scenes. He didnt expect Chen Quan to come here not for his familys destruction, but use it as an excuse to challenge the Right Envoy. This cant go on like this, or else no matter what the outcome, he will have lost the face of the Right Envoy, and he doesnt dare to think about what will happen to him in the end. Commander Chen, I can explain this matter, but it concerns secrets. Can you come to my Inspectors Office and let me explain it to you in detail? Fine! Huh? Chen Quan agreed so readily. Feng Xiang hadnt expected that, but it would be best if they could resolve the matter privately. But just as the smile appeared at the comer of his mouth, he saw Chen Quan suddenly surge in strength, and his clothes burst open. Commander Feng, before we talk privately, why dont you take a look at the scars on my body first? At the moment, the densely covered injuries on Chen Quans body should have been healed since he had already become a Nascent Soul Master with an impeccable body. Even if he had injuries, they would have healed. But Chen Quan had retained them. Previously, Chen Quan had pretended to do so in front of Left Envoy Qingfeng to curry favor, but he did not expect to be used by Liang Sheng. Chen Quan then said calmly, pointing at the injuries on his body, Do you know why I kept them? Because these are the souvenirs left from my battles with the remnants of the Church of All Beings. I have been loyal to the City of Longevity; Heaven and Earth can attest to it. Since you want to explain in detail, lets go over each one of them. A thousand and three hundred years ago, outside of Immortal City, the Church of All Beings held a Curse Array. I and the Cleaning Department were the first to arrive. Where were you, Inspectors Office? At that time, I was desperately blocked by an Elder of the Church of All Beings. If I hadnt been lucky, this knife would have broken my Dantian and directly hit my Nascent Soul. And look at these burn scars, which were caused by a mistake in your Inspectors Office intelligence 900 years ago, leading our Cleaning Department brothers into a trap set by the Church of All Beings. If we werent lucky, and we had the support of our Cleaning Department brothers, I would have been dead long ago. And here, it happened 500 years ago At this moment, Huang Qiang had already led his men here. Hearing Chen Quans words, their eyes gradually turned red. Although Huang Qiang was not a subordinate of Chen Quan before, they had participated in many battles together. Unconsciously, they had become united against a common enemy. Liang Shengs voice continued, I have been a mortal enemy with the Church of All Beings, why didnt your Inspectors Office station someone around my Chen Mansion to guard it? Didnt the Right Envoy say that when we are fighting abroad, we are meritorious officials, and that the Internal Affairs Office will guarantee our rear safety? So is the destruction of my Chen family the so-called protection and safety you promised? Do you want to explain it to me? Is it the same as 300 years ago when you asked us to let everything go for the sake of the Right Envoys face? Feng Xiangs face turned completely black. Chen Quan was truly going all out, daring to bring up the matter from 300 years ago? Previously, he thought that Chen Quan was the Left Envoys dog, but the other party would also consider his retreat. Now that Chen Quan was being so direct, did he want to die? Wait, with only one out of ten of the younger generation of the Chen family remaining, what retreat does he even consider? At this moment, seeing that Chen Quan was still talking, Feng Xiang could no longer endure.. Chapter 400 - Chapter 400: Chapter 159: Three Thousand Natural Chapter 400: Chapter 159: Three Thousand Natural Disasters in Life and Earths Fate, Re-entering the Desolate Regions and Cause and Effect (8k Merged Chapter for Monthly Tickets )_2 Translator: 549690339 | After sitting down, the Left and Right Envoys, along with their subordinates, performed a ritual. Then, they began to report the recent affairs in Immortal City to City Master Zhen Yuan. Suddenly, Liang Sheng perked up his ears as Left Envoy Qingfeng mentioned the Marginal Domain marked with letter Yi, causing him to tense up a bit. After Deputy Commander Chen Quan of the Cleaning Department under my supervision investigated the Marginal Domain marked with letter Yi, no Desolate Aura was found. The domain can be confirmed to be stable and without any issues. For Immortal City, the turmoil caused by the sects in the Desolate Regions had no meaning. As long as the Dan Ding Sect in the Desolate Regions still existed or even if it were destroyed, there would be no issue for Immortal City. Acceptance would be granted as long as there was no Desolate Aura. Some people couldnt help but glance at Liang Sheng when they heard this. It turned out that Chen Quan had disappeared for over a decade and had actually gone to the Desolate Regions to carry out a mission. Truly worthy of being the confidant of the Left Envoy. Then, the Left Envoy went on to report other important matters. Generally, therehadnt been any significant upheavals. However, while the Left and Right Envoys successively reported, City Master Zhen Yuan remained composed and didnt show any reaction. Until Two years ago, a mysterious Great Power in Immortal City failed to condense the Visualization Technique of the Grand Solar Golden Crow Phenomenon. So far, we still havent found the person responsible or know whether they are alive or dead. Grand Solar Golden Crow Phenomenon? The previously unresponsive City Lord suddenly reacted to this news, which inevitably made manager Old Xu and the Left and Right Envoys feel a little strange. Although the City Lord had been in closed-door cultivation at the time, he was known to partially open his Divine Sense to monitor the outside world. After all, for the City Lord, doing so was just a matter of course. This was done in order to respond to emergencies, so that City Master Zhen Yuan could appear in time to resolve any crisis. Therefore, it stood to reason that although the City Lord could not have known the specifics of the incident at the time, as long as it threatened the City Lord Mansion, the City Lord would surely wake up in the first instance and suppress the situation. During the previous appearance of the Grand Solar Golden Crow Phenomenon, the Left and Right Envoys and others hadnt been too worried, as there was no movement from the City Lord Mansion. This indicated that the City Lord hadnt been concerned about the matter, and that everything was under control. However, it now seemed that the situation might not be as simple as it appeared. Now, the only one who knew the real situation was Liang Sheng, for he knew that the City Lord had not been in Immortal City before but had just arrived from outer space. At this thought, Liang Sheng couldnt help but feel somewhat relieved. It appeared that he still had deep blessings, and it was evident that the City Lord was very interested in matters related to the Grand Solar Golden Crow. If the City Lord had been in Immortal City at that time, Liang Sheng might have had to put a lot more effort into escaping, or perhaps he might not have been able to escape at all. However, he had made that decision under the desperate attempt to seek fortune and avoid evil. If the City Lord had been in Immortal City at the time, Liang Sheng most likely wouldnt have taken the risk. City Master Zhen Yuans lapse was just momentary, and he quickly regained his earlier composure. Although the Left and Right Envoys were puzzled, they continued their report. Just recently, my Foreign Affairs Bureau Cleaning Department wiped out countless church members of the Church of All Beings in the Lower City, once again thwarting the churchs plot. Upon hearing this, Right Envoy Mingyue couldnt help but turn to look at Qingfeng with disdain in his heart. How dare this man with thick eyebrows and big eyes stir up such a big incident without a whisper of news! Seeing this, Liang Sheng couldnt help but feel a little uneasy, as if the City Lord was scheming something at the moment. Either way, he could sense an inexplicable Divine Sense power slowly expanding, enveloping and observing the entire Immortal City. As for the means the City Lord was using now, Liang Sheng didnt know. However, he had already decided to be even more careful and cautious, suppressing his own aura to the extreme. Finally, when Mingyue and Qingfeng had finished reporting the entire situation, City Master Zhen Yuan praised the Left and Right Envoys for their achievements during this period in just a few words. After that, he said nothing more and directly dismissed everyone. This left Old Xu and the Left and Right Envoys somewhat bewildered. Ever since City Lord came out of seclusion, this had never happened before. Could it be that there was some special situation this time? They were quite puzzled. However, despite their confusion, they didnt dare ask. Mingyue and Qingfeng left the City Lord Mansion with their subordinates in a hurry. As soon as they stepped out of the City Lord Mansion, Mingyue couldnt help but laugh mockingly. Looking at Qingfeng with a smile, he said: Friend Qingfeng indeed has great ability to find the traces of the Church of All Beings in the Lower City so quickly. Its truly admirable. In the past, as soon as my Internal Affairs Office received any news, the Inspectors Office would notify the Cleaning Department. This time, why didnt your Foreign Affairs Mansion inform my Factory Department and cooperate with you in joint action? Friend Mingyue, you jest. How can the investigations of my Foreign Affairs Mansion be as professional as those of the Internal Affairs Bureau Investigation Department? This time, it was merely a case of a blind cat finding a dead mouse. Next time, if we have definite news, I will definitely notify the Internal Affairs Office. After all, we are one in the same, theres no need for such a distinction. Qingfeng didnt take the bait, leaving Mingyue frustrated and unable to suppress his anger. Yes, Friend Qingfeng is right. We are all working for the City Lord, as one body. I just hope that good fortune will also smile upon the Internal Affairs Office next time. With that, Mingyue took his leave of Qingfeng, and both sides went their separate ways. However, as Mingyue left, he cast another glance at Liang Sheng, leaving Liang Sheng speechless. It seemed that Mingyue was once again trying to pin the blame on him, considering he had already learned about Liang Shengs past in the Lower City.. Chapter 443 - Chapter 443: Chapter 167: Living is Courage, Liang Chapter 443: Chapter 167: Living is Courage, Liang Shengs Ingenious Method to Repair the Teleportation Array! (8k Joint Chapter Seeking Subscription)-? Translator: 549690339 I You are really an honest person. Liang Sheng nodded at the words. In the Upper City, every industry had its own experts and geniuses, and making a name for oneself was extremely difficult. However, Xiao Fan, daring to take a gamble in his prime and move to the Lower City, proved his resoluteness. Moreover, he was wise and didnt beat around the bush since he couldnt possibly hide anything from him anyway. Since he was smart and able to satisfy Liang Shengs appetite, Liang Sheng, who enjoyed a carefree long life, naturally preferred being able to taste delicious food whenever he wanted. So, Liang Sheng didnt think much. After getting up, he left without saying a word. The female cultivator in the house couldnt help but feel disappointed upon seeing this. However, the next moment, her eyes lit up, as there were now ten Mid-Grade Spirit Stones gleaming brightly on the table. Its worth noting that a Red Blood Bull was just a Third Realm Demon Beast, and its overall value was only a few dozen Spirit Stones at most. At this moment, she wanted to rush out and collect the Spirit Stones, but seeing Xiao Fans sudden gesture, she secretly suppressed her excitement and held her sons hand as they waited in the shop. Xiao Fan stood at the entrance of the shop, and the owner of the other shops didnt dare to make eye contact with him. After all, the big man was a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator, and they were no match for him. Although they were envious that he had easily obtained ten Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, they still greeted him with a smile when they saw the big man coming over. In Immortal City, after all, strength is supreme. Only then did Xiao Fan pick up the ten Spirit Stones and hand them to his Daoist partner. Patting his son s head, he couldnt help but laugh out loudly. He was right to come to the Lower City! What he said to Liang Sheng was simple. If he were able to stay in the Upper City, why would he come to the Lower City? He must have been unable to stay there anymore. Before coming here, he had heard about Chen Quans habits in the Upper City. As long as he liked the taste, he would visit the place multiple times. Just like the old Yang, the wonton shop owner who had disappointed Chen Quan before, hadnt encountered any difficulties. In fact, he often patronized the shop, providing a stable family business for his son, Little Yang. Upper City, I will return, and it wont be too long! After calming down, Xiao Fan took out another demonic beast, quickly skinned and prepared it, and continued to grill it. Apart from Chen Quan, he would also serve others. As expected, those cultivators who were surprised that Chen Quan had given ten Mid-Grade Spirit Stones at once could no longer control their curiosity and sat down. The female cultivator led her son back and forth, busy with the work. The childs cheerful laughter filled the entire barbecue shop in an instant, making people unconsciously relax. Yaoxiang Pavilion. As soon as Liang Sheng appeared in Yaoxiang Pavilion, everyone, from Old Turtle Public to Giving Bodhisattva Top Girl, came over to greet him. In the Lower City nowadays, where could one find a more precious guest than Chen Quan? The answer, of course, was nowhere. In the ninety years since, more than a dozen Giving Bodhisattvas have successfully achieved Foundation Establishment and headed to the much- coveted Upper City. This made Chen Quan almost a legend, and no one dared to treat him lightly, because perhaps the next lucky one would be themselves. At this time, Liang Sheng didnt talk much. He directly pulled several familiar Giving Bodhisattvas and went straight to the VIP building prepared for him. Yaoxiang Pavilion already had a tower exclusively for Chen Quans use. Even if Chen Quan didnt come, they would still reserve it for him. As for the Lower City cultivators, where could they dare offend Chen Quan? They could only look on enviously and not say anything. If they achieved success in cultivation one day, they too would live a carefree life in the world like him. A real man should be like that! Ninety years had passed, and the events that had taken place in the Church of All Beings had long been forgotten. No one knew that there were people who had once fought for their future. In fact, they were just ordinary cultivators who only wanted to become higher beings. Only with successful cultivation could they enjoy greater privileges. After a night of debauchery, the bright moon shone high above. At this moment, Liang Sheng pushed away several hands on his chest. Under his silent and unperceivable means, those Giving Bodhisattvas had already lost consciousness. It was time to continue his work. In these ninety years, Liang Sheng hadnt been doing nothing. In fact, he had been working on one thing C repairing the teleportation array left behind in the Mass Burial Mound. Previously, when the Church of All Beings practitioners self-destructed, the teleportation array was completely scrapped, but its basic core structure was preserved. Others might not be able to repair it, but it did not mean Liang Sheng couldnt. With the disguise of Chen Quan and cultivation resources equivalent to several sects, plus his Talent of Innocent Foolishness, rebuilding the teleportation array had become possible. No one could have imagined that the discarded core frame of the teleportation array would be collected by Liang Sheng and placed under the Yaoxiang Pavilion. If it werent for this reason, why would Liang Sheng care so much about a tower that only he could enter and no one could enter during normal times? All of this was just to conceal the truth. Liang Sheng closed the protective barrier he had prepared himself and looked down at the basement. Even the Madame of Yaoxiang Pavilion didnt know about the secret beneath the tower. In ninety years, Liang Shengs skill in refining array formations for teleportation had long been completed. Today was the final step in repairing the teleportation array. If all went well, he would have his own teleportation array. In this way, Liang Sheng would have an additional means of escape. In case an irresistible accident occurred in Longevity Immortal City, he could flee at the first opportunity. What Liang Sheng cared most about was naturally his own safety, and being cautious had already been etched into his bones. With a long lifespan, wouldnt it be a pity if he died halfway through? That s why Liang Sheng was in such a good mood today. If not for that reason, even though the Red Blood Bull was delicious, would it be worth ten Mid-Grade Spirit Stones from him? It was all just because he was happy today. If he couldnt share the joy openly with others, why not vent his emotions secretly? At this moment, Liang Sheng tried to calm his excited emotions. Repairing the teleportation array would be done today! Chapter 471 - Chapter 471: Chapter 176: Spy vs. Spy, Liang Sheng Chapter 471: Chapter 176: Spy vs. Spy, Liang Sheng Watches, A Great Show Begins (Seeking Monthly Tickets )_3 Sigh- Can the Church of All Beings really make the tough decision to amputate the arm to save the body? He is hesitant to act now, not because he himself cannot control the situation in Longevity Immortal City, but because he fears the turmoil in the East Victory Immortal Dynasty as shown in the obscured Heavenly Secrets picture. He is not truly invincible, but if the worst-case scenario were to happen, Liang Sheng would have no choice but to resort to a killing spree, breaking the measures set up by Xu Jintian. By that time, he would simply use the teleportation array of Yaoxiang Pavilion to leave Longevity Immortal City directly, who could stop him? But then, he would have to find a new place to live, understand the situation once again, avoid the pursuit of the East Victory Immortal Dynasty, and live extremely cautiously. So, he still hopes to stay in Longevity Immortal City, carefree and free-spirited, being a mortal immortal, living forever, and not bothering about anything else in front of this goal. At this moment, Liang Sheng looks in a certain direction in the immortal city, and his eyes brighten involuntarily. There are still such great selfless fools in the world after all. He couldnt be that selfless, admiring in his heart. With that thought, he closely watches the development of the situation, hoping for the best outcome. Huang Qiangs Mansion. As he returned, other family decision-makers who had previously gathered also arrived one after another, Brother Huang, how is the situation? Huang Qiang cant help but shake his head, recounting todays events. After listening, the others cant help but look at each other. The Church of All Beings actually allows people to appear so openly and legitimately. Thankfully, they are on their side, so it serves as a wake-up call for them. It seems that the Church of All Beings is more decisive than they imagined, otherwise they would not let someone appear in the open. They just dont know what they will do next and hope the cloaked mysterious man will send the intelligence soon. However, this also shows that the rebels of the Church of All Beings are now trying to eliminate unstable factors. Since that is the case, we cant give them more time to prepare. Indeed, its time for us to take action. If we let the rebels of the Church of All Beings recover and suppress this unrest, it would be hard to find such an opportunity in the future. Thats right. Since we have no way back, lets make an all-out effort. Brother Huang, report the situation to the higher-ups and see how they decide. They are actually somewhat afraid of the Church of All Beings, after all, the upheaval of more than a hundred years ago is still fresh in their minds. At that time, who could have imagined that the Church of All Beings could destroy the City Lord Mansion overnight? If it were not for the Churchs failure to evolve, whether they could have survived until now would still be a question. But now, taking advantage of the cultivators selfishness, the Church of All Beings has completed its infiltration, and they cant get off the ship anymore. Everyone, rest assured, wait for the news from that person first, I will inform everyone once there is a result. But looking at the results of everyone lobbying the Daoist friends, the scales will eventually tip to our side. After all, how many selfless fools can there be in the world? Just as he said this, Huang Qiangs mouth slightly lifted, and he had received a reply to his earlier communication report. Everyone, the higher-ups have sent news, and its finally time for our counterattack. The Church of All Beings. As Huang Qiang and the others gathered, the cloaked mysterious man was also reporting the situation to the Church of All Beings upper echelons. All the people here were Nascent Soul Realm masters, the core members of the Church of All Beings. They had also been in contact with high-level cultivators who had no affiliations with the City Lord Mansion these past days. However, most peoples attitudes were ambiguous, as they seemed to want to wait for the outcome before deciding how to act, so the situation was not favorable for them. If the chaos in the immortal city continues, it will definitely cause irreparable damage to the peaceful environment that the Church of All Beings had created before. At this moment, a voice comes from the shadows. If thats the case, we must not make the same mistakes again. The idea of relying on human nature to voluntarily restrain themselves has completely failed. If we successfully get through this crisis, we must learn from this experience and implement corresponding measures. In the future, the important cultivation resources in Longevity Immortal City must be controlled by us and then distributed uniformly. Although it may be troublesome at first, the results of laissez-faire have been made clear now. If we dont do this, we would be handing knives to the hounds of the City Lord Mansion and personally ending the future of our Church of All Beings. Humans cant be relied upon, and ideological transformation is necessary. After all, in the past hundred years, even some of our brothers in the Church have wavered in their determination and have changed their thinking. If we dont set the rules next time, this immortal city will end up just like when Zhen Yuan, the dog thief, ruled. At that time, there will only be a new batch of higher beings, and the general cultivators will once again become indifferent and consider only their own interests. I absolutely will not allow this situation to occur. The blood of our many ancestors must not be shed in vain. Even if we die, we must guard the bottom line of the immortal city and ensure there are no more higher beings in the world. The core members of the Church of All Beings who heard this had flushed faces, their blood boiling. They cant be merciful again this time and leave the City Lord Mansions dangers behind. Just as this was happening, the cloaked mysterious man who had met with Huang Qiang suddenly sensed something in his heart. Huang Qiangs communication had arrived. Liang Sheng, who was far away, showed a smile. Surprisingly, the situation was developing in the best possible way, which was somewhat unexpected for him. In that case The great show is about to begin! Chapter 472 - Chapter 472: Chapter 177: The Final Battle, Unexpected Chapter 472: Chapter 177: The Final Battle, Unexpected Turn of Events (4k requests for monthly tickets) Immortal City. The Church of All Beings has actually taken action. The remaining forces of the City Lord Mansion could never have imagined that the Church would take the initiative to send people, colluding with rogue cultivators to assault innocent cultivation families, and snatch cultivation resources. And, during their offensive, the people of the Church acted as brave front runners, not fearing death, and even shared the spoils very fairly after the act. Hence in just three short days, they gained some prestige among the rogue cultivators and soon became leaders of some rogue cultivation groups. The remnants of the City Lord Mansion still had the same issues, they had been high above for too long, they did not even grasp the changes taking place at the grassroots level. They only saw the vigorous actions of the rogue cultivators in the Immortal City, thrilled to the core, they had no idea that the essence of the matter had changed. Meanwhile, Liang Sheng, who was silently monitoring everything, heaved a sigh of relief as the decision made by the Church of All Beings had taken him by surprise. However, at this rate, Liang Sheng couldnt figure out C what had these top echelons of the Church been doing for over a hundred and twenty years previously? If they had demonstrated the ability to adapt and make swift decisions back then, they wouldnt have allowed the remnants of the City Lord Mansion to find loopholes, resulting in the current deadlock. But it isnt too late to change now, after all, it appears that the situation in the Immortal City is developing in a positive direction. Liang Sheng naturally rejoiced at this change, because a stable Immortal City was the most favorable situation for him. With the Talent of Innocent Foolishness, he only needed to cultivate in peace. Someday, he could stand on the apex and no longer act cautiously; he could truly be free and immortal. At this moment, no one dared to disturb him at the estate. As long as his true depth remained unknown, neither the Church of All Beings nor the remaining forces of the City Lord Mansion would rashly act against him. Of course, once the dust settles regardless of who emerges victorious, they will likely probe Liang Sheng. Under the surveillance of Liang Shengs Divine Sense, Huang Qiang, who was currently hiding in the dark, began to grow excited, as the Cloaked Mysterious Man that they were collaborating with finally sent some news. The man did not disappoint them, the action was impressively fast and yielded big results. In return, he could not let down the information that the man had risked his life to smuggle out. Next, Huang Qiang planned to act according to plan, exposing the names of the core members of the Church that the mysterious people had divulged and apprehending them all at once. Lets just add a bit more chaos to Immortal City. Immediately after reporting to the upper echelons, Huang Qiang led his people, alongside the rogue cultivators, to target the crowd listed in the name list. And those of the Church who had infiltrated among the rogue cultivators surprisingly coordinated perfectly with Huang Qiangs action, leading their influenced groups to charge at the cultivation families that were secretly part of the Church. Such a move of letting the wolf devour the tiger, the top echelons of the Church of All Beings sure play wonderfully well. Liang Sheng couldnt help but sigh inwardly. The remnants of the City Lord Mansion were probably still reveling, ignorant of the fact that they had indirectly become the accomplice and had aided the Churchs purging process. Brecause the truth is, these Church cultivation families targeted for assault in reality, their hearts have long since changed due to the decadence over a hundred years. They were no longer the passionate warriors who would risk their lives for a world where Everyone is like a dragon. Now, they have become just like the people they once despised. The Cloaked mans scheme of shifting objects and scenes managed to solidify his standing in the remaining forces of City Lord Mansion, eliminating all suspicions. Because this time he betrayed the Church of All Beings in a very real way, the list provided was without any issues. Perhaps the remaining forces of the City Lord Mansion were still complacent, believing that their overtly plotted move must have the Church being somewhat at a loss, Because the rogue cultivators in the Immortal City were in chaos and continuous incidents occurred to the people of their Church, yet they could not trace any signs of being plotted against. They were probably still wondering whats happening C why are their church attendees so unlucky to be continuously targeted by rogue cultivators? At this moment, Huang Qiang was feeling nothing but sheer delight. Next, they naturally spared no effort to continue using the names provided by the mysterious man to weaken the strength of the Church. As the time is pressing next, although they currently have an upper hand, if it continues like this, the Church will surely respond. By no means should they consider the Church as fools, its just that they have been caught off guard only temporarily. Once they regain their composure, they wont get such an opportunity again. At present, the remaining forces of the City Lord Mansion believed they had the upper hand, ramping up their efforts continuously was nothing but expanding their victory. But what they didnt know was that their every move was already within the calculations of the Church. They would rather wish that the remnants of City Lord Mansion eliminate the cancer clergy sooner. After that, there would be one voice within the Church. It would then be the time to eradicate the forces of the City Lord Mansion. This time they have learned their lesson, there could be no mercy. Though they knew there was a Divinity Transformation Spiritualist within the forces of the City Lord Mansion, the upper echelons didnt show any signs of shrinking back, they are prepared for martyrdom. If they could exchange it for a thoroughly peaceful life, for a world without higher beings, that would be their lifelong pursuit. But this time, they definitely wont make the same mistake. After suppressing the remaining forces of the City Lord Mansion, they must have their own inspection team. Chapter 475 - Chapter 475: Chapter 178: Collapse, Variables, Kaiyuan Chapter 475: Chapter 178: Collapse, Variables, Kaiyuan Child Arrives (4k seeking monthly votes) Immortal City. At this time, Liang Sheng, who was originally sitting firmly on the Fishing Platform in his mansion, had an uneasy expression on his face because uncertainty, was something he was most reluctant to deal with. Perhaps it was because Kaiyuan Child was a Soul Emergence power, the realm difference was too great, so much so that the vague scene under Liang Shengs Heavens Secret Calculation could not be seen at all, knowing only that due to Kaiyuan Child, the situation in Immortal City had changed. The scenes of the Heavenly Secrets Calculation were already blurred, but now they looked even more like mosaics. However, under Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Evil, Liang Shengs heart had no sign of great disaster. Nevertheless, he was certainly feeling uneasy in his heart now. He felt like he had jinxed himself, as he was feeling good about himself just a moment ago, thinking that this time the results would be smooth, but unexpectedly, an accident occurred. But now, Liang Sheng could not do anything about it, because as soon as he had the intention to make a move, his intuition told him that things would become worse because of him. All he could do now was to wait and see, and not be anxious. Huang Yifan was still standing by, serving a meal for Liang Sheng, when he saw his master, who had been eating well, suddenly put down his chopsticks and became serious. What happened? Huang Yifan couldnt help but secretly prepare himself, making sure he was ready to take action at the first opportunity if something went wrong. Original City Lords Mansion Ruins. At this moment, the remaining forces of the City Lord Mansion have completely surrounded the secret base of the Church of All Beings. Thanks to the traitor Lingkun who led the way, the situation couldnt have gone more smoothly. At this time, the people of the Church of All Beings also reacted and wanted to break through, but they retreated hurriedly when they reached the main gate, their faces changed drastically. Not good, retreat, theres an array! At this moment, it was very clear that the City Lord Mansion no longer had any intentions to hold back. They were determined to defeat the Church of All Beings in todays battle. A fierce and oppressive aura spread around the ruins, and the entire space felt as if it was being burnt and shattered. The people of the Church of All Beings felt a tremendous pressure bearing down on them. Trapping Immortals Array! The higher-ups of the Church of All Beings couldnt help but grind their teeth when they saw this, while the people of the City Lord Mansion had relaxed expressions mixed with some satisfaction. When you sieged the City Lord Mansion in the past, you had already set up the Trapping Immortals Array in advance. Today, we are merely returning the favor. As soon as the words fell, the people of the City Lord Mansion did not wait any longer and immediately launched their attack, all their pent-up frustration from over a hundred years exploding at this moment. With these attacks, their emotions were fully vented, their faces distorted with cruelty, and their hearts filled only with the desire for the Church of All Beings to perish. Block! Dismantle! Break! However, it was clear that the Church of All Beings had already recovered from their initial panic and had not been thrown into chaos. Under the command of the leader of the Church of All Beings, they advanced and retreated in an orderly fashion, managing to withstand this round of attacks. What a Church of All Beings. Seeing this, the remnants of the City Lord Mansion couldnt help but be amazed that they could still remain calm in this situation. Compared to their panic-stricken state all those years ago, they were now many times stronger. But no matter how disciplined they were, they would all face death now. Please make a move, Sir! Please make a move, Sir! Soon, these words gathered into a huge wave of sound that could be heard for hundreds of miles. The remnants of the City Lord Mansion were no longer hiding their presence. As soon as the words fell, three Divinity Transformation Cultivators appeared in mid-air, and their formidable pressure enveloped the entire Immortal City in an instant. The rogue cultivators who were still looting during the chaos in the Immortal City were instantly scared silly by the pressure. They had no idea what had happened and directly fled with the seized cultivation resources in their arms. Most of these people were actually just blind followers who had followed the tide to seize cultivation resources. As soon as a crisis erupted, they would become like frightened birds and disappear in an instant. However, there were still many cultivators who maintained formation, excitement flashing in their eyes, and then headed towards the ruins of the City Lord Mansion. They were all members of the remnants of the City Lord Mansion who had been arranged to create chaos previously. Now that the final battle had begun, they immediately followed the plan and rushed towards the battlefield. Brothers, our chance to establish our merits is today, lets charge together! The City Lord will never forget our contributions. Everyone was heading towards the ruins of the City Lord Mansion, their eyes filled with fanaticism. They had three Divinity Transformation Spiritualists on their side, who could possibly stop them? However, they did not notice that the number of people who were charging with them was far larger than their original number. The eyes of these people were filled with resentment towards the City Lord Mansion. They were the ones who had been arranged by the Church of All Beings to infiltrate and corrupt the city earlier. Today is the final battle! In the center of the secret base, as the three Divinity Transformation Spiritualists of the City Lord Mansion appeared, the morale of the remnants of the City Lord Mansion grew even higher. Even the techniques and spells they wielded became a bit stronger, while the practitioners of the Church of All Beings trapped in the Trapping Immortals Array could only barely maintain their defense. just as the three Divinity Transformation experts of the City Lord Mansion appeared, the leader of the Church of All Beings in the shadows finally revealed his true face. Its you?! The three Divinity Transformation Spiritualists of the City Lord Mansion could hardly believe their eyes, for they recognized the person before them, who had held a distinguished status in Zhen Yuan City when the City Master was still there. Before the great chaos, when the three of them were still at the Nascent Soul late-stage True Monarch, this person was already a bona fide Divinity Transformation Expert. The leader of the Church of All Beings was none other than Feng Liang, the Number One Person under the Left and Right Envoys and the Personal Guards! I didnt expect the three of you to have the opportunity to break through to Divinity Transformation stage. It seems that after the merger of the Upper and Lower City, you have reaped the greatest benefits. Chapter 486 - Chapter 486: Chapter 181: The Iron-fisted Means of Chapter 486: Chapter 181: The Iron-fisted Means of Church of All Beings, the Great Sun Golden Crow Pressures Lingkun, and the End of Cause and Effect! (5k Votes for Monthly Ticket)_3 Liang Sheng couldnt help but sigh at the adaptability of the Church of All Beings. However, today, he ordered Huang Yifan to close the doors and refuse the entry of any visitor. The Church of All Beings originally planned to visit Liang Sheng. Seeing this, they could only put their plans on hold. After all, this hidden big shot had been secretly investigated by Lingkun, leaving only six words behind C Do not provoke without reason. Liang Sheng watched these events in silence. Nonetheless, a few days later, he was inevitably involved in them, as the Church of All Beings finally approached the Zhou Family. To be more precise, they found Jin Quanxiu. How could they possibly ignore a Nascent Soul Master? He was their main target to recruit. Besides, how many Divinity Transformation Experts were there in Immortal City? The key was to appease these Nascent Soul Masters. Jin Quanxiu was also helpless about the arrival of the Church of All Beings and did not directly respond. However, in the face of Liang Sheng and others, the Church of All Beings did not dare to offend them. They still hoped that Jin Quanxiu would consider their proposal carefully. In the end, he even revealed their trump card for persuading, Senior Jin, we can tell you that our Sect of All Living Beings has the well-being of all beings under heaven in mind. We are not unprepared for whats happening in Immortal City. We can swear by the Heavenly Dao that we have a way to solve the problem of Immortal City. However, this requires time, so we hope that Senior Jin can agree to our request. After that, they did not force Jin Quanxiu, only asking him to consider carefully. However, how could Jin Quanxiu not understand the hidden meaning of the Church of All Beings? If they could not be friends, they would have to accept the means of the Church of All Beings. This is understandable since the Church of All Beings also faces great pressure. Jin Quanxiu secretly met with Liang Sheng, who only told him to watch the changes and not get involved with the Church of All Beings affairs. Hearing Liang Shengs indifferent tone, although there was no guarantee, Jin Quanxiu felt completely at ease. Since the senior said so, he would do as he was told. Getting involved with the Church of All Beings, Liang Sheng sought fortune and avoided evil under the calculation of heavenly secrets, sensing the great cause and effect that was far beyond what Jin Quanxiu could bear. So it was better to cut the entanglement quickly, make a temporary sacrifice, and avoid catastrophe. The next day. The Church of All Beings once again came to meet Jin Quanxiu, but this time he refused directly without any reservation. Members of the Church of All Beings looked deeply at Jin Quanxiu and left without saying much. Zhou Family Master, who accompanied Jin Quanxiu, did not show much uneasiness. Under seeking fortune and avoiding evil, there were no ominous signs. Naturally, he stood by Jin Quanxius side, who was the pillar of the Zhou Familys stable development. Although he did not know why Jin Quanxiu was so confident, he had only one thought C to trust him. And then another month passed. With its good reputation, the Church of All Beings explained that they had the means to solve the problems of Immortal City and formed an alliance with most of the neutral cultivators. They swore by the Heavenly Dao and provided part of the cultivation resources. Among them was a Divinity Transformation Expert, which made Lingkun feel relieved. As for those neutral cultivators who had previously refused, Lingkun also had a plan for them. Since they would not cooperate, they would naturally have to pay more to enjoy the results. How could these Nascent Soul Masters not have stored cultivation resources? If they refused to cooperate, they had to exchange all their resources for peace. Now they wanted to back down, but it was no longer accepted. Lingkun knew that this method was somewhat overbearing, but extraordinary times called for extraordinary measures. This was also considered the second plan for him to collect resources and speed up the completion of the project. As a result, under the joint suppression of the Church of All Beings, the cultivators, who had rejected kindness like Jin Quanxiu, were forced to exchange resources for peace. Regret was too late! Sure enough, in this chaotic world, the Church of All Beings was not as naive as when they had just suppressed Immortal City. The merciful Bodhisattva also had Vajra Means! However, when they arrived at the Zhou Family Mansion, they hadnt had a chance to meet Jin Quanxiu when suddenly a sound of footsteps sounded. Each step seemed to be stepping on their heartbeat, making them extremely uncomfortable, and their faces changed involuntarily. This was none other than Huang Yifan. Daoist Friends, my master said its best for you not to disturb this place. He also asked me to give something to your leader. When he sees it, he will naturally understand whats going on. It can be considered a settlement of cause and effect, and we wont owe each other anything. The members of the Church of All Beings looked at each other, but their leader, a mere Middle Nascent Soul Stage True Monarch, thought that dealing with Jin Quanxiu would be easy. Now, facing Huang Yifan, they were powerless and couldnt help but feel fearful in their hearts. Retreat! After some thought, the leader of the Church of All Beings ultimately chose to be cautious. He took a scroll from Huang Yifans hand and left the Zhou Family Mansion. Huang Yifan watched them leave without meeting Jin Quanxiu, then turned and left. Zhou Family Master inside the mansion finally breathed a sigh of relief, but he was still somewhat puzzled. However, when he turned his head and saw Jin Quanxius indifferent expression, he couldnt help but feel relieved. Senior Jin was indeed the pillar of my Zhou Family, so he was already prepared. On the other side. At this moment, Lingkun was sitting with a hidden Divinity Transformation Expert of the alliance, discussing how to stabilize Immortal City so they could complete their next plan. At that moment, his brows furrowed, and he saw the Nascent Soul Master who had gone to meet Jin Quanxiu today walk in with a scroll in hand. Youre saying that his servant asked you to bring this scroll and settle the cause and effect from now on, so we wouldnt bother Jin Quanxiu again? Yes, sir. Lingkun couldnt help but ponder. He didnt remember having any cause and effect with Liang Sheng. He was wary of Liang Sheng in his heart, so for the time being, they had nothing to do with each other. However, the other party said that there was some cause and effect between them. What was going on? Thinking about it, he couldnt help but exchange a look with the Divinity Transformation Spiritualist next to him. The latter also realized that Lingkun seemed worried, so he got up to say goodbye. The Nascent Soul Master who had brought the scroll also left, leaving only Lingkun. Lingkun couldnt figure it out, so he stopped thinking about it and opened the scroll. The next moment, his face turned pale with fright, and he was involuntarily forced to display his Drought Visualization Divine Technique. Thousand Miles of Barren Land! However, all his mind was filled with something that left him only with terror and no other emotions. He saw a Grand Solar Golden Crow staring down from the sky above his sea of consciousness. The drought demon was prostrated on the ground, as if being suppressed by a bloodline. So, this was the so-called cause and effect! Chapter 511 - Chapter 511: Chapter 190: Liang Sheng Firmly Sits on Chapter 511: Chapter 190: Liang Sheng Firmly Sits on Fishing Platform, Chunyang Zis Secret Treasure Unites Immortal City (Request for Monthly Tickets at Month C end!) Above the Longevity Immortal City in outer space. Kaiyuan Childs face was gloomy at this moment. He did not expect that Su Wu would bring good news while discovering the traitors of the Church of All Beings. If it wasnt for the fact that Longevity Immortal City did not allow high-level cultivators to enter at this time, he might have already descended directly to the city and killed the traitors of the Church of All Beings. Furthermore, he couldnt let the traitors die so easily, death would be the lightest punishment for them. Kaiyuan Child intended to make the traitors of the Church of All Beings wish for death. He had lost a junior brother who had been with him for ten thousand years, how could he let go of this hatred so easily? However, the plan of the East Victory Immortal Dynasty was very clear at this time. If they just dealt with the problem of Longevity Immortal City rashly, it would affect the dynastys fortune. The previous eruption of Spirit Tide in the spiritual veins was to prepare for the upcoming Immortal Dynasty Competition, so they had spared no expense to cause the eruption. There were countless great powers in the upper echelons of the Immortal City, and conflicts between them and other immortal cities were not to be resolved directly by them. Only a world-ending war that would sever the inheritance of the immortal city would force them to take action regardless of the consequences. Furthermore, the Holy Land would not allow such a brutal war between the immortal cities. The operation of heaven and earth should prioritize stability. However, where there were people, there were conflicts, let alone amongst cultivators with long lifespans. How could there be no friction between the immortal cities after such a long accumulation of time? However, under the moderation of the Holy Lands great powers, there was one opportunity every ten thousand years to resolve the disputes between the immortal cities. That was the Immortal Dynasty Competition. Competition among the younger generation would not result in the destruction of the immortal cities like the actions of top powers and could also resolve the cause and effect accumulated over ten thousand years through victory and defeat. Thus, one to two thousand years before each Immortal Dynasty Competition, each immortal city would make their utmost effort to ensure the strength of their competition participants. For example, the eruption of the Spirit Tide in the previous spiritual veins was to increase the strength of the younger generation in the immortal city. Hence, Ling Xiaozi presented the issue of Longevity Immortal City to the Immortal City, leading them to choose the current peaceful solution. They had to ensure the stability of the dynastys fortune. If the situation in Longevity Immortal City happened after the grand competition, they would have swiftly cut the Gordian Knot instead of dragging it out. City Master Zhenyuan was somewhat familiar with these secret matters, but only had a rough understanding. This allowed Liang Sheng to make a general judgment and carry out his current plan. Liang Shengs plan was simple. He built upon the plans of the Immortal City, making subtle adjustments to achieve his goals. As expected, even after knowing the existence of the remnants of AU Living Beings Sect, Kaiyuan couldnt bring himself to take violent action. The fortune of the Immortal Dynasty was of the utmost importance. At this time, for the sake of the Immortal Dynasty Competition, the Earth Veins of East Victory Immortal Dynasty could not have any problems. After a while, Kaiyuan Child gradually calmed down. As Nascent Soul Masters, they both had deep feelings for each other. In his heart, he couldnt help but admire the survival abUities of the Church of All Beings. Even after Fengyuan had entered Longevity Immortal City, and his junior brother had fallen, several Nascent Soul cultivators still managed to survive. According to Su Wus communication, the Green Mountain Sect was the remnant force under his junior brother Zhenyuan. At this moment, they didn t hold an advantage against the hibernating Church of AU Beings, which was why the Green Mountain Sect was so cautious. Kaiyuan Child understood this. After all, golden core realm cultivators were just ants in front of Nascent Soul Masters. Junior Brother Zhenyuan still had some intentions. Otherwise, the Green Mountain Sect that had survived under his control to this day, how could they face Su Wu and tell the truth? There must have been some preparations left by Junior Brother Zhenyuan that allowed them to discover the difference in Su Wu. Moreover, the spiritual veins side entrances mountain stone had also been passed down, providing further confirmation to this idea, which was almost certain. Therefore, he must not fail Junior Brother Zhenyuans painstaking efforts. Now, he had to make Su Wu rise quickly, so Su Wu could later have the strength to deal with the remnants of the Church of All Beings. But he must not be impatient at this time, or the plan of the Immortal Dynasty would be disturbed, and even a great power like his master would be implicated. At this moment, the only thing facing the immortal city was the final darkness before dawn. As long as he was not anxious, progress would be gradual, and dawn would eventually come. So, after calming down, he began to consider how to provide logistical support for Su Wu so he could quickly improve his strength and eliminate the remnants of the Church of All Beings. After all, it was just a few True Monarchs in the Nascent Soul Realm. Kaiyuan Child didnt even take them seriously. However, he still needed some time to come up with the perfect response. It seems that I will have to trouble Master once again. With this thought, Kaiyuan Child didnt hesitate and immediately communicated with Ling Xiaozi. As for the other forces in the immortal city, he didnt even care about them. As Su Wu had clearly stated, the Ancestor of Green Mountain Sect was a Nascent Soul Master who could not deal with the Church of All Beings but could handle the other forces. It was probably because they were wary of the Church of All Beings that the Green Mountain Sect did not dare to reveal themselves, for fear of being discovered by the enemy and losing the opportunity to turn the tables. Lets wait a little longer. The time to avenge Junior Brother wont be too long. Kaiyuan Childs eyes were firm at this moment. Capital City Lingge of the East Victory Immortal Dynasty. After receiving Kaiyuan Childs communication, Ling Xiaozi couldnt help but laugh out loud, feeling extremely elated. He had previously agreed to the Immortal Dynastys plan for the overall situation, as Ling Xiaozis lineage was deeply connected with the East Victory Immortal Dynasty. That was why he had agreed to the Immortal Dynastys proposal of letting the younger generation of various lineages compete fairly. But deep down, he was still a bit indignant, and he couldnt express it outwardly. Although Longevity Immortal City originally belonged to City Master Zhenyuan and was part of Ling Xiaozis lineage inheritance, on the surface, the city still belonged to the Immortal Dynasty. Chapter 517 - Chapter 517: Chapter 192: Struggle of Destiny, Another Chapter 517: Chapter 192: Struggle of Destiny, Another Breakthrough in Lifespan Cultivation Technique (End of the month, asking for monthly votes!!) _2 He was puzzled that when his divine consciousness just swept over the Longevity Immortal City, he felt a peculiar energy. The energy was faintly connected to Heaven and Earth, but slightly different from this area. However, when he carefully investigated, he found nothing. He felt that this strange occurrence was like the escape of Heaven and Earth from before, which had never happened before in his memory. A variable. Could this be the breakthrough variable he had been pursuing for so many years? At this moment, Master Heavenly Fate forced himself to calm down, although doubtful, it was not a reason for him to take action directly. The experiments of the two paths of destiny were still ongoing. As long as it wasnt a complete crisis, he would not intervene, allowing the two paths to naturally proceed. However, the path of fate is more difficult than the path of fortune, and judging by the results of the experiments over the years, he decided to wait for now. Just then, a flash of inspiration suddenly came to his mind, and without hesitation, he directly asked, Is the Immortal Dynasty Competition about to begin again? Master Heavenly Luck on the other side did not open his eyes but answered straightforwardly with a steady voice. It should be within a thousand years. When the fortune of the Ten Thousand Year Immortal Dynasty converges, the competition between the various Immortal Dynasties will begin. You used to not care about such things, do you think your Seeking Truth lineage can take advantage of this situation again? I can tell you clearly that they have no chance. The innate destiny fruit of this time will definitely belong to my path of fortune. Is that so? Despite the provocation of Heavenly Fate Child, he remained somewhat teasing, Who can be sure before the outcome? What if there is a change? Lets wait and see. As they argued, the chessboard disappeared, and their figures vanished. Only in the depths of the clouds, a galaxy was hanging upside down, its breath mysterious and deep, and no one knew where it extended. But surprisingly, the end extended into the Cultivation World, and the connection below was actually the spiritual veins of the Immortal Dynasty, which divided and emerged with a colorful radiance. Longevity Immortal City. At this moment, Su Wu was reconstructing the City Lord Mansion. After eradicating the dark path of the Church of All Beings, he began to establish a new City Lord Mansion with high spirits. Kaiyuan Child had also sent his congratulations from the outside of the Immortal City with the help of divine treasure, as long as Su Wu is still in power, the Longevity Immortal City would respect him regardless of his cultivation level. This was the result of the competition between the various lineages of the Immortal Dynasty. Regardless of whether others were convinced or not, this was the outcome. In other words, if Su Wu couldnt take advantage of Longevity Immortal Citys destiny to break through the realm and advance his cultivation further, the city would still be controlled by Ling Xiaozis lineage. As for Su Wu, only after his fall would Ling Xiaozis lineage choose someone suitable to inherit Longevity Immortal City, but by then, it would have nothing to do with Su Wu. Once a person dies, their lamp goes out. Who could care about the matters left behind? But as long as Su Wu did not die, no matter his cultivation level, he would remain as the Lord of Longevity Immortal City, and no one could take it away from him. After consolidating the City Lord Mansion, Su Wu immediately placed the Sealed Feng Yuan mountain stone in the new City Lord Mansion, and then reconnected the spiritual veins of the Immortal Dynasty. This was relying on the divine treasure sent by Kaiyuan Child, only allowing Su Wu to connect to the spiritual vein and activate the Mustard Seed Technique. Otherwise, it would be impossible for a Golden Core True Person like Su Wu to enter the mountain stone. After all, he was just an ordinary Golden Core True Person, how could he master such mustard seed mastery? After connecting to the spiritual veins of the Immortal Dynasty, Su Wu saw the sealed Feng Yuan, with his six senses blocked and unable to perceive any external energy. After reconnecting the spiritual veins of the Immortal Dynasty, the destiny of the Immortal Dynasty fluctuated, and the East Victory Immortal Dynasty knew the outcome of Longevity Immortal City at the first instance. Ling Xiaozi just laughed without saying anything, and Chunyangzi had the same expression. For them, this was a double victory. Ling Xiaozis lineage controlled the Immortal City, and Chunyangzis disciple Feng Yuan was just looking for an opportunity for life tribulation. Chunyangzi hoped that Feng Yuan would appear after the Immortal Dynasty Competition, otherwise, if the life tribulation and the competition happened together, it would be more difficult to overcome the tribulation. Moreover, according to Su Wus report on Feng Yuans condition, Feng Yuan should still be in the life tribulation seal during the Immortal Dynasty Competition. This, however, was good news. Not long after, Kaiyuan Child also left the Immortal City Outer Space, as the Immortal Dynasty has now explicitly stated that the city has a owner, and others cannot disturb the restoration of Longevity Immortal City. So, the next Longevity Immortal City entered a peaceful period and, after the Immortal Dynastys spiritual veins were connected, the citys branches were slowly repaired. After all, Liang Sheng had been too ruthless back then, almost completely draining the Longevity Immortal Citys spiritual vein branches, and it would take a long time to recover. In fact, according to Liang Shengs earlier plans, after the connection of the Immortal Dynastys spiritual veins at this time, he would enter the Mountain Stone Sumi Space, hiding deep in the spiritual vein branches, slowly absorbing Heaven and Earth Spine. However, when Su Wu succeeded, by relying on the Law of Cause and Effect, he seemed to see a chess game outside the sky. Although it was fleeting, it still made him not dare to act recklessly. Everything needed to be cautious, and there was no hurry with his long lifespan. As for Su Wus every move, it was now under the complete monitoring of the puppet, which was the Nascent Soul Ancestor of the Green Mountain Sect. Although Su Wu was somewhat guarded against it, as time passed, he gradually let go of his concerns. This was indeed the guardian left behind by the former Immortal City Lord Zhen Yuan, but now it was guarding him instead. It was precisely because of this guarantee that Su Wu began to practice in peace. Now that he was the supreme City Lord and the citys fortune was concentrated on him, if not for the hard work of cultivation and breakthrough, when would be the time? Under such circumstances, Longevity Immortal City developed steadily. With the suppression of the Nascent Soul Ancestor, a hundred years passed in a flash. During this period, Su Wu only took one Nascent Soul Pill and successfully broke through the Nascent Soul Realm. With this breakthrough, he was even more at ease with the Nascent Soul Ancestor, not only because he now had his own strength to suppress the Immortal City, and did not have to rely on the Nascent Soul Ancestor for everything, but also because, in these hundred years, under the protection of the Nascent Soul Ancestor, everyone in the City Lord Mansion still recognized Su Wu as the City Lord. The City Lord Mansion was united, making their rule more solid. After the extinction of the Church of All Beings in Longevity Immortal City, everything operated strictly according to the rules of the City Lord Mansion. After Su Wus breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Realm, he temporarily stopped closed-door cultivation and practiced outside to lay a solid foundation in preparation for the breakthrough to Divinity Transformation. However, Su Wu didnt know how many thousands of years he would need to have an opportunity to break through to the Divinity Transformation Realm, and, even with the city fortune on his side, he could not say for certain he would succeed. The difficulty of cultivation, after all, cannot be rushed. In these hundred years, not only Su Wu had changes, but Liang Sheng also achieved progress, as his Lifespan Cultivation Technique finally broke through once again, and his lifespan soared. Name: Liang Sheng Age: 1837 Talent: Innocent Foolishness (Top-Grade) Techniques: Primordial Mysterious Technique (Fourth Layer), Ascending Immortality Scripture (Twenty-First Layer), Twenty Health Maintenance Techniques (Twenty- Seventh Layer), Nail-Head Seven Arrows Technique (Curse), Grand Solar Golden Crow Contemplation Method (Divine Ability) Realm: Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation (Initial stage of Soul Emergence) Lifespan: 98489 Because of the previously seen illusory chess game, Liang Sheng hadnt made any strange moves in these hundred years, completely in hiding. No matter what, he couldnt figure out what was going on with this chess game, only occasional scenes, which made him even more confused. This couldnt help but make him wonder if he was also in the chess game? Fortunately, no accidents happened during these hundred years, which gave him a sigh of relief, but his actions became even more cautious and careful. While the breakthrough of the Lifespan Cultivation Technique and the increase in lifespan would normally be a big joy, Liang Sheng felt somewhat helpless in his heart. It seemed that every time his cultivation or lifespan made a breakthrough, some uncontrollable situations would happen. And most of them were related to him. This time, the unexpected situation was one of the least he wanted to see. Even if Longevity Immortal Citys spiritual energy was restored, Jin Quanxiu and the others from the Wilderness would still find it difficult to cultivate and break through. And this time, the person in trouble was not someone else but his Second Elder Brother, Shen Wuque. By then, more than 150 years had passed since the death of their Eldest Senior Brother, Xiang Chen. At this moment, Shen Wuques lifespan was also approaching its end. Even though he was prepared, after all, under his long life, it was destined that many people around him would be passers-by in his life. But when it was time to say goodbye, his heart still surged with emotions, as he was not a ruthless person after all. Second Elder Brother, what will your choice be this time? Will you cling to life? Or will you, like Eldest Senior Brother, face death calmly? Chapter 620 - Chapter 620: Chapter 227: Oasis Traces, Frightened Birds (Seeking Monthly Tickets!!!) Chapter 620: Chapter 227: Oasis Traces, Frightened Birds (Seeking Monthly Tickets!!!) Outer Heaven Beast Swamp. At this moment, amidst the vast yellow sand, a group of people was slowly moving forward. From time to time, someone casually killed demonic beasts hidden in the sand and then threw their bodies aside. The leader of this group was none other than the Soul Emergence power Feng Qingzi of the Seeking-Truth Lineage. After arriving at the Beast Swamp, they did not separate. After all, their purpose in coming to the Beast Swamp was very clear: to find the Ancient Desolate Springs. They didnt care much about anything else. Even if people from the City Lord Mansion came, they would not have to worry too much about it with Feng Qingzi present. However, up to now, they had not seen any traces of the Ancient Desolate Springs. But Feng Qingzi was not anxious at all. After all, according to ancient texts, the Ancient Desolate Springs appeared randomly within the Beast Swamp. They already had an advantage, as it was even more difficult for ordinary cultivators to find the Ancient Desolate Springs. It was because their cultivation methods of the Seeking Truth Lineage were closer to the ancient techniques than the modern cultivation methods practiced by other cultivators, so they had a stronger perception of the Ancient Desolate Springs. The Outer Heaven Beast Swamp was vast. Although they didnt encounter many demonic beasts on their way, this was only relative to the whole area. If one were only to count the number of demonic beasts, there were actually quite a few. Feng Qingzi was fully spreading his divine sense; anyone in the Beast Swamp would have their perception suppressed. He was now relying on his perception to move forward, but in reality, he had almost no plan. Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and they didnt encounter any trouble. This situation was quite reasonable, since the lowest cultivation level among them was the Nascent Soul Realm; naturally, there wouldnt be many other unexpected situations. Except for making a commotion by killing demon beasts, they were silent during the whole journey, but their eyes were full of determination. Once they found the Ancient Desolate Springs and used a method to pour the spring water into the Longevity Immortal City, it would completely change the situation of the Immortal City. By then, the cultivators of the Seeking-Truth Lineage would be able to return to the East Victory Immortal Dynasty and no longer have to hide in other immortal dynasties and struggle to survive. This was the reason why the Seeking-Truth Lineage was so persistent in coming to the Outer Heaven Beast Swamp. Even knowing that it might be a conspiracy of the Immortal City, they were still willing to take the risk. The group of Seeking-Truth Lineage cultivators continued to move forward in silence, but even Feng Qingzi did not notice that someone was hiding nearby. It was none other than Liang Sheng. Of course, even Liang Sheng was surprised that he had landed so close to the Seeking-Truth Lineage after entering the Outer Heaven Beast Swamp. In fact, in his plan, he should have started looking for the traces of the Seeking-Truth Lineage as soon as he landed. He didnt expect his plan to go so smoothly. His luck seemed to be a little too extraordinary Although the Seeking-Truth Lineage didnt know that their whereabouts had been exposed, luckily, Liang Sheng temporarily had no intention of informing the Immortal City Lineage about their tracks. Ultimately, Liang Sheng would bring both parties face to face. He didnt take any action at the moment because he wanted to know if the Ancient Desolate Springs were just as he had guessed. Back in the Desolate Regions, Liang Sheng had accidentally entered the Beast Swamp once, and fell into the Oasis Spring Water, which made his cultivation level soar rapidly. The properties of the Oasis Spring Water were similar to the Heaven and Earth Spine, but there were some slight differences. So, if the Oasis Spring Water was the Ancient Desolate Springs they mentioned, Liang Sheng would naturally not give it up. With that in mind, Liang Sheng completely concealed his Qi and followed the Seeking-Truth Lineage, hoping that they could find the Ancient Desolate Springs sooner. In the Beast Swamp, the sky was always dark and there was no sunlight, so there was no concept of day and night. However, there were no vision problems for cultivators. Just then, Feng Qingzi and his group suddenly stopped, and in front of them were flickering fluorescent lights. After a closer look, they realized they had encountered a herd of beasts. Feng Qingzi had no intention of fighting the beasts directly and flashed through them, leaving them to the Seeking-Truth Lineage cultivators behind him. They didnt know how long they would be staying in the Beast Swamp, so Feng Qingzi couldnt personally deal with everything. This was also an opportunity to train the soldiers. After he passed through the beast herd, he landed and did not move. Several Nascent Soul cultivators voluntarily stepped forward with magical weapons in hand, ready to handle the beast herd. Seeing Feng Qingzi pass through the beast herd, the other people began to set up camp. In a short time, a perfect campsite appeared. Those Nascent Soul cultivators who took action seemed excited. In the monotonous environment of the Outer Heaven Beast Swamp, they were actually grateful for the attacks of the demonic beasts along the way. After all, long-term silence was even more torturous. So, even for cultivators, they should not be too nervous and should combine work with leisure. As soon as the camp was built, Feng Qingzi entered a tent without even looking at the situation of the cultivators fighting the demon beasts. He sat down and began to meditate. At the same time, as the Seeking-Truth Lineage cultivators fought openly, the casualties of the beast herd outside increased. In fear and panic, the beast herd eventually retreated and fled. The cultivators of the Seeking-Truth Lineage did not pursue them but found a few Third Realm or higher demonic beasts on the ground and slaughtered them, soon placing them on a grill. With their cultivation level, they could naturally abstain from food, but given a chance, they would not refuse to satisfy their appetites. At this moment, one couldnt help but admire the discipline among the cultivators of the Seeking-Truth Lineage. Those without a task began hiding inside the camp tents, practicing meditation. After all, the spiritual energy in the Beast Swamp was different from that of the East Victory Immortal Dynasty, so it was more suitable for cultivating body techniques. They wouldnt waste a moment to practice in their spare time. Chapter 621 - Chapter 621: Chapter 227: Oasis Trace, Startled Bird (Seeking Monthly Tickets!!!) _2 Chapter 621: Chapter 227: Oasis Trace, Startled Bird (Seeking Monthly Tickets!!!) _2 By the time their roasted demonic beasts were almost ready, the other cultivators woke up from their cultivation. Feng Qingzi was still in his tent, drinking by himself, while outside, people were feasting. For them, it was all too easy to store fine wine in their storage bags. Seeing this in secret, Liang Sheng was somewhat tempted, but fortunately, Huang Yifan had prepared plenty of fine food beforehand, allowing him to enjoy fine wine and the night view by himself. As Liang Sheng gazed at the vast night sky, his heart was actually quite calm. He wondered if Feng Yuan and the others had reached the Outer Heaven Beast Swamp and met up with Chunyangzi by now. He didnt know if they would be in a hurry to take revenge on him. But even if they met him, they probably wouldnt be able to detect his presence. He wondered if they would spit blood in anger when they realized he had been hiding nearby and suddenly appeared to snatch opportunities. It seemed amusing to him. If Feng Yuan knew what Liang Sheng was thinking at this moment, he would probably curse him for being inhuman! At this time, on the other side of the Beast Swamp, Feng Yuan and Kaiyuan Child, who had already entered the swamp, still had anger written all over their faces. Although they knew chances of bumping into others in the swamp were slim, upon not seeing any trace of Liang Sheng, they felt somewhat disappointed. However, they quickly discarded this emotion and used the jade slip to reestablish contact with Chunyangzi. Once they each knew their respective locations, Feng Yuan immediately led his party towards where Chunyangzi was. Of course, due to the swamps natural suppression of divine sense perception, it took a while for Feng Yuans party to catch up to Chunyangzi. When Chunyangzi saw the state of Feng Yuan and Kaiyuan Child, he couldnt help but frown and promptly asked what had happened in the Immortal City. Feng Yuan didnt hold back and told the entire story. Upon hearing it, Chunyangzi was both surprised and furious. The person behind the Immortal City was indeed aiming for something big, having so easily seized control of the city. However, thinking that the other partys cultivation level should be higher than his own, and possibly even being a Unification Realm Great Power, made it all the more frustrating. As angsty as he was, he had no choice but to endure it. After all, his skills were not as good as the other partys. But as powerful as the other party was, why would they bother to compete with him for such trivial gains? Looking at Feng Yuan and Kaiyuan Child now stripped of their Immortal City destiny, Chunyangzi had only one thought in his heart: they must go all out in pursuit of the Seeking Truth Lineage to make up for their losses. However, as vast as the Beast Swamp was, the chances of them encountering the Seeking Truth Lineage were slim, making it extremely difficult. Nevertheless, Chunyangzi had no intention of giving up. Feng Yuan and Kaiyuan Child still needed to obtain the opportunity of the Era of Great Contention and make a breakthrough to the Refinement Void Dao Monarch realm. Their opportunities naturally lay within the Seeking Truth Lineage. Luckily, it wasnt too late, as they still had a way to find the Seeking Truth Lineages whereabouts. As simple as the method was, they just needed to follow the areas with the densest spiritual energy in the Beast Swamp. Dense spiritual energy was where Ancient Desolate Springs could appear, which the other party definitely wouldnt miss since they had come to the Outer Heaven Beast Swamp for this very reason. At this moment, Chunyangzi comforted Feng Yuan and the others before continuing their journey. In fact, he was even more anxious than they were. After all, the mysterious person behind the Immortal City had managed to seal off the Outer Heaven Beast Swamp with a spell. He had secretly tested it and got a conclusion. At this point, it was almost impossible for them to return, so they had to find the Seeking Truth Lineage as soon as possible. Any further delay, and the situation would only get worse. Once they found the Seeking Truth Lineage, they would go all out in their attack. Even if the other party had a Refinement Void Dao Monarch, Chunyangzi didnt feel any danger. After all, he had his trump card as a Refinement Void Dao Monarch. After figuring out their next move in secret, Chunyangzi led his party to speed up towards the area with dense spiritual energy. They moved quickly to prevent any unexpected occurrences. Once they encountered the Seeking Truth Lineage, not only could they complete their mission, but they could also search for the Ancient Desolate Springs. By that time, it wouldnt be impossible to find another passage. After all, there was more than one entrance to the Beast Swamp from Longevity Immortal City. Lets hurry and go! Feng Yuan encouraged from time to time, and Chunyangzi occasionally checked the compass in his hand, adjusting their direction and setting off again. Feng Yuan and Kaiyuan Child gradually became calmer and more quiet, following at the end of the City Lord Mansions party. By now, they had begun to feel quite disheartened. After all, they seemingly hadnt done anything wrong previously, yet things had ended up in such a mess. If they could find Liang Sheng, they would definitely shatter his body into pieces. If not for him, they wouldnt have been in such a miserable state as City Lords. As the City Lord Mansions party ventured deeper into the Beast Swamp, they encountered more and more demonic beasts. Luckily, their cultivation levels were profound, and the beasts they met were easily taken care of like chopping vegetables. After all, the environment of the Beast Swamp made it extremely difficult for a Demon Saint to be born. Halfway through their journey, they met other cultivators from the Immortal City who entered the Beast Swamp. These cultivators had followed Liang Sheng into the swamp due to their excessive greed. No one knew if they regretted their decision now. After all, just walking around would put them at great risk of encountering demonic beasts. Encountering one would be fine, but if they met a horde of them, with the cultivation levels of ordinary Immortal City cultivators, they probably wouldnt even leave their bodies behind. Chapter 803 - Chapter 803: Chapter 1000: Immortality! (Grand Finale) Chapter 803: Chapter 1000: Immortality! (Grand Finale) Stone Coffin Space. Zhou Shens narration continued. My second awakening happened in the previous previous era. By then, I had realized that destroying the Human Clans cultivation system was actually useless. As long as the heavenly fate was still drawn to the Human Clan, with their resilience, they would eventually stand up again. Therefore, after this awakening, I learned my lesson and no longer tried to undermine the Human Clan, but instead, I took another path. I tried to make the Human Clan challenge the heavens and earth themselves, making their own actions invite the disdain of the heavens and the earth, leading to their abandonment by them. After all, the Human Clans resilience was strong. Since their rise in the ancient times, they have been continuously strengthening, which was their advantage in their rise, but it could also be a weakness that could be exploited. After I awakened that time, I began to influence those around me while I practiced in concealment and soon found the so-called cultivators of the Master Heavenly Fate lineage. My destiny is my own, not controlled by the heavens. How deceiving this phrase was for those who never gave up in their efforts. I went along with it wholeheartedly and sincerely, trying to influence one Human Clan cultivator after another. As I subtly showed my unwavering support for their cause, the so-called Seeking Truth Sect was the result of my collaboration with the mighty ones of the Human Clan. After that, thanks to my careful planning, more and more humans were deceived by me, but that alone was not enough to make the heavens and earth abandon them. Only death could truly make an impact. In the end, I fearlessly questioned the heavens and earth, though I perished once again, but it did make the blood of those in the Seeking Truth Sect boil. Later on, more and more disciples of the Seeking Truth Sect followed suit, pursuing the so-called way of self-control and seeking their true selves. At first, it was just small-scale actions, but with the increasing frequency of incidents, the heavens and earth finally abandoned the Seeking Truth Sect of the Human Clan. Although this was only a deed of a part of the Human Clan and it seemed as if it would not shake the Human Clans fate, it had in fact already planted a seed, providing me with an opportunity to undermine the Human Clans fortune. I knew that with the Human Clans resilience, as long as the Seeking Truth Lineage continued to exist, they would keep persevering and never give up. As it turned out, the younger generation of the Seeking Truth Lineage did an even better job than me, such as the so-called Sky Covering Sect, who are my most trusted colleagues. After that, the Sky Covering Sect had a problem, and in the dark, they were even connected with the Beast Swamp Demon Clan, creating the existence of the Beast Marsh Underground World that resembles the Human Clans pattern. Now that I have awakened again as Zhou Shen, I originally thought about joining forces with the Seeking Truth Lineage to overthrow the Human Clans fate once again. I thought that as long as I persevered, I would eventually succeed, but I didnt expect the current situation to be much stronger than I had anticipated. Therefore, I realized that I dont need to go through all this trouble now, as long as I plot in another way, there will be a new development. I wanted to steal the Great Competition Fruits in the identity of the gifted child, but as I walked on the Path of the Heavens Chosen, I realized that the heavens and earth had already changed their attitude. Who would have thought that the heavens and earth had already started to abandon the Human Clan and support the Demon Clan, so in the end, my Path of the Heavens Chosen led me to the final card set by the Demon Ancestor. At this point, Zhou Shen paused and glanced at the Stone Coffin Space, seeing the increasingly stable blood-colored silk lines, which satisfied him immensely. So, even if the so-called Holy Land is the Human Clans legacy left behind by their predecessors, in the face of the heavens and earths great power, you can only accept your fate. The current situation shows that the Human Clans opportunity is exhausted, and my Demon Clan will once again rule the world. But this time, my Demon Clan will not make the same mistakes as before. Of course, I will let the Human Clan continue to exist. After all, the Human Clan is extremely resilient and prolific, so I will let their blood flow into the Demon Clan. By that time Zhou Shen smiled again, his smile making Master Heavenly Fates hearts grow cold, and at this moment, Zhou Shens final words reached their ears. After all, the Demon Clan will become the Human Clan by then, but you wont be able to see it anymore, haha. The meaning of Zhou Shens words left the two Master Heavenly Fate somewhat incredulous. Who would have thought that the battle between the destinies they had been holding on to for several eras was actually the Demon Clans conspiracy in the dark. So, the Seeking Truth Lineage and the pursuit of the Path of Destiny to witness their true selves were nothing more than the Demon Clans plot, and they were unaware of it. Below, the gifted child of the Seeking Truth Lineage, Kun Chengzi, had not yet died and could naturally hear Zhou Shens words. When he finally came to his senses, his tears flowed freely. Now, he finally understood why the elders had decided to help the Demon Clan during the crisis in the Beast Swamp. It seemed that back then, the Human Clans Heaven-covering Sect already had some interaction with the Demon Clan. Although the specific situation was unknown, it did not change the fact that the Seeking Truth Lineage was the criminals of the Human Clan. So thats how it was. So, the Seeking Truth Sects disciples were just pawns of the Demon Clan from beginning to end? They helped the Demon Clan gain the heavenly fate? Kun Chengzi couldnt help feeling incredulous deep down. However, the results must be as such because the expressions on the two Master Heavenly Fates faces had already explained the truth of the matter. Under such despair, the Demon Clan warrior who had been suppressed by Kun Chengzi saw his moment of weakness and launched a counterattack. The opponent originally wanted to seize the opportunity, but he didnt expect the situation to turn around so easily. With him unleashing his full strength, Kun Chengzi could not be deader. Who would have thought it would come to this? Chapter 804 - Chapter 804: Chapter 1000: Immortality! (Grand Finale) _2 Chapter 804: Chapter 1000: Immortality! (Grand Finale) _2 Even now, Zi Zai independent cultivator is a bit baffled by the situation. Although the Demon Ancestors actions seem powerful, the situation for the Human Clans Heaven and Earth protagonists hasnt changed. How could the outcome suddenly change like this? However, Liang Sheng already has an answer in his heart. Now he finally has resolved many doubts. Thinking about those damaged murals in the underground world of the Beast Marshland, its likely that the Demon Clan has done it intentionally. Thats because the Human Clans Seeking the Truth lineage must have appeared on it. To be on the safe side, the Demon Clan must not let the records be discovered by the Human Clan. However, Liang Sheng still wants to confirm the last thing. Although he feels that his guess is already very close to the truth, it doesnt hurt to ask one more question. How have you managed to survive until now? Even the Human Clans predecessors have fallen due to the passage of time. How can you be resurrected after death? This is actually Liang Shengs biggest question. At this time, Master Heavenly Fate and Zhou Shen cant help but look at Zhou Shen when they hear this question, as they also have this question in their hearts. Zhou Shen couldnt help but laugh at this question. He had talked about the secret of resurrection, but he didnt answer this question. Zhou Shen didnt want to tell Liang Sheng and the others the reason behind it, and let them guess, but at this time, when Zhou Shen no longer answered, Liang Sheng did not want to force him. It seemed that Zhou Shens so-called resurrection of the Demon Ancestor did not actually survive. Perhaps what was inherited in the end was nothing more than consciousness. Just like Huang Yifans Puppet body, which is driven by consciousness, Zhou Shen had other methods to preserve the Demon Ancestors consciousness revival. The situation in this is definitely more complicated, but it doesnt mean that they cant know the reason if the other party doesnt answer. So, after confirming that Zhou Shen refused to answer, Liang Sheng suddenly took his shot. This action scared Master Heavenly Fate and Zhou Shen. This fight-on-first-disagreement behavior was the style of Free Gate, which could only be described as a disciple who truly resembled his master. Zi Zai independent cultivator noticed Master Heavenly Fates attention but didnt express anything. Master Heavenly Fate also quietly watched and didnt try to stop Liang Sheng. At this time, Liang Sheng saw that Master Heavenly Fate had no actions, and there was no worry in his heart. At this time, Zhou Shens strength in front of them was actually average, and it would not cause any accidental results. Moreover, when Liang Sheng just questioned Zhou Shen, he actually had another purpose C to let Zhou Shen relax his guard so that he could be caught off guard. Liang Sheng didnt have many questions that needed answers, so he didnt need Zhou Shen to tell them explicitly. Under the genius talent of ignorance, the Soul Control Technique, which had broken through the bottleneck long ago, could make it impossible for anyone in the world to have any secrets. As a result, Liang Shengs sudden move had an effect, catching Zhou Shen off guard. Coupled with Liang Shengs Unification Realm-like strength at this time, Zhou Shen naturally let Liang Sheng grab his hand, giving him the chance to use the Soul Control Technique. It was a one-shot victory, capturing Zhou Shen! Seeing this, Master Heavenly Fate was impressed with Liang Shengs strength but wasnt too excited. Because as the battle between both sides is nearing its end, catching Zhou Shen no longer has much significance. Even if Zhou Shen dies, the result of the Stone Coffins bloodline connecting the Human Clan and the Demon Clan has already been decided, and outsiders simply cannot prevent it. All they could say was that the destiny of the Human Clan had changed, and Liang Shengs actions, in their eyes, were nothing more than futile efforts. But Liang Sheng had no hesitation in his heart. After subduing Zhou Shen with a move, he immediately used the Soul Control Technique, which made Zhou Shen feel a strong sense of unease. However, even if he wanted to explode now, it was already too late. He had been calculated by Liang Sheng and could no longer act. Master Heavenly Fate recognized the Soul Control Technique and said nothing, then thought better of it and didnt say anything. After all, this was a Heaven Talent Struggle. The Heaven and Earth wouldnt interfere, unlike their own actions, which would have angered the Heaven and Earth rules. Zi Zai independent cultivator sighed in relief. He had been secretly preparing in case Master Heavenly Fate had any dissatisfaction with Liang Sheng subduing Zhou Shen. Seeing that they had no other actions, he finally felt at ease. However, after calming down, Zi Zai independent cultivator felt a little frightened. Liang Sheng really should have informed his master about this sudden move, as it gave him quite the fright. After a few breaths, Liang Sheng released Zhou Shen carelessly, and he fell to the ground without a sign of life. Then Zhou Shens corpse was instantly absorbed by the Stone Coffin, and the blood essence was extracted. Master Heavenly Fate and the others were puzzled. Zi Zai independent cultivator straightforwardly asked the question. Disciple, what do you mean by this? At this time, Liang Sheng did not answer, but looked at the Stone Coffins bloodline. No wonder Zhou Shen was not worried about their plan being stopped before. It seemed that there was no way to stop it now. But Liang Sheng is different! With that thought, he looked back at Zi Zai independent cultivator, Master, I have a method that may be able to prevent this calamity for the Human Clan. However, I dont know how long it will take. I need you and these two seniors to seal this space until the Stone Coffin is destroyed. Ah? Zi Zai independent cultivator hesitated, as the Free Gate had a single transmission lineage. If something happened to Liang Sheng, how could he face the ancestors of Free Gate? Chapter 805 - Chapter 805: Chapter 1000: Immortality! (Grand Finale) _3 Chapter 805: Chapter 1000: Immortality! (Grand Finale) _3 But upon hearing this, Master Heavenly Fates eyes brightened. After all, even if they were attempting to treat a dead horse as if it were still alive, it was still better than doing nothing at all. Zi Zai, if humanity perishes, will the Free Gate still be able to enjoy its leisure? Nows not the time for hesitations. Zi Zai independent cultivator was just worried about his disciples safety, but the reality was as Master Heavenly Fate said. He could no longer afford to be sentimental. Then you go, but be careful and prudent! Upon receiving the order, Liang Sheng wasted no time. He directed Master Heavenly Fate to immediately start evacuating all the surviving human prodigies. When only the three of them were left in the room, Zi Zai independent cultivator moved his lips as if he wanted to say something, but nothing came out. At this, Liang Sheng simply smiled. Master, dont worry, everything will be fine. Wait for my return. The two Master Heavenly Fates exchanged a profound glance, then, along with Zi Zai independent cultivator, left the space. Immediately after, they sealed off the entire Stone Coffin Space with their immense powers. The universe didnt react to their actions, which gave the three of them a little more confidence. What happens next depends on Liang Sheng! Feeling that the Stone Coffin Space was sealed, Liang Sheng couldnt help but laugh out loud. He then struck, eliminating all the remaining members of the Demon Clan in one fell swoop. Including Hu Fei and other Demon Emperors! Then, he did nothing else but watched the Stone Coffin consume all the blood and essence. A slight smile curled up the corner of his mouth. As time passed, he watched as the blood red link of the Stone Coffin became deeper and his expression grew more excited. Nobody could have foreseen that the Demon Clans countless eras of plotting would all be for his benefit. Zhou Shen was so confident before, believing that their plan was foolproof, that no human could possibly stop it, all because there were no more Ancient Cultivating Immortals in the world. But under the Talent of Innocent Foolishness, Liang Sheng turned impossibility into reality and became a powerful Ancient Cultivating Immortal. Plus, with his Talent of Innocent Foolishness, he could break through without limit, without any bottleneck. Right now, this Stone Coffin Space has become his greatest cultivation resource. He didnt know how long it would take him to absorb such a vast power. Thats why he asked Master Heavenly Fate to seal the Stone Coffin Space, so no one could disturb him. At this moment, standing in the center of the room, Liang Sheng switched his skills to the Primordial Mysterious Technique, and began to absorb the Power Spring of the Stone Coffin. No! After Liang Sheng started operating the ancient technique, an unwilling voice faintly came from the space. But Liang Sheng continued without paying any heed, focusing on using his skill. This is the greatest opportunity for Liang Sheng to reach the Immortal Realm! A decade has already passed since Liang Sheng entered the Stone Coffin Space and Master Heavenly Fate sealed it off from the external world. The Holy Land. At this moment, the two Master Heavenly Fates and the Zi Zai independent cultivator were sipping tea. They had already put their worries to rest, perhaps Liang Sheng had truly resolved the crisis. At least, after a decade had passed, the humans survived. This implies that the Demon Clans plan had failed once again, otherwise, how could the humans still exist under the current circumstances? However, for safety reasons, the Beast Swamp had long been destroyed. They no longer wanted to use the Demon clan as a grinding stone for humans, all for the sake of human safety. As for the Seeking Truth Lineage and the Zhou family, Master Heavenly Fate personally took action. This time, they didnt hold back in the slightest. Everything was for humanity. Even if it meant becoming an executioner, he didnt mind. Without such determination, how could they become the leaders of the Holy Land? Just then, Zi Zai independent cultivator suddenly blinked, taking out a communication jade slip. He looked somewhat incredulous. Zi Zai, what happened? It took a while for Zi Zai independent cultivator to regain his composure. He sat motionless, which made Master Heavenly Fate become subconsciously anxious. Just as they were about to ask again, Zi Zai independent cultivator finally chuckled, We no longer have to worry about our kind. The crisis of the Stone Coffin has been completely dismissed. What? Next moment, the three of them appeared at the location where the Stone Coffin Space was sealed off. Although they were at such a high level of cultivation, they were still somewhat nervous. But they quickly quelled their emotions, opened the seal, and found the room inside devoid of anything threatening. Liang Sheng has truly succeeded! But where did Liang Sheng go? The two Master Heavenly Fates looked at Zi Zai independent cultivator, who shook his head. But there was no sign of anxiety in his expression. My disciple has obtained the unhindered freedom! Huh? Master Heavenly Fate looked at Zi Zai independent cultivator, who nodded in affirmation, and quietly uttered four words. Immortal and unfettered, he has obtained great freedom and leisure! Earth! Someone woke up from his sickbed, the corners of his mouth slightly raised into a smile, then his laughter grew louder and louder. Im back!