Liver into a martial arts legend: starting with Embroidered Spring Blade

Chapter 174 Abbess Miejue's Scheme, Yan Shisan's Mentality Collapses, Nameless Worries [Part Two]

A group of Emei disciples were furious.

Three days ago in the battle of Longquan Town, their master, Abbess Miejue, was indeed defeated by that female demon, and the sect's treasure, the Heaven-Slaying Sword, was also taken away by that female demon.

But that's all. It's not as exaggerated as these martial arts practitioners say.
What? Their master was beaten to his knees and begged for mercy, and in order to save his life, he voluntarily offered up the Heaven Sword?
That's not true at all.

These people are willing to spread any rumors in order to become famous. If we let them continue to spread these rumors, who knows what kind of things they will eventually become?

In short, it will ultimately be demeaning to Emei and harm its reputation.

"Master, I'm going to kill them!"

One of the female disciples couldn't help but slam her hand on the table, stand up, draw her long sword, and head to the other side to teach those who spread rumors a lesson and stop them from talking nonsense.

"stop!"

Abbess Miejue stopped her, her face darkening: "Aren't you ashamed enough?"

"But Master, if we let them continue to spread this word, the reputation of our Emei Sect will be completely ruined!" The goddesses said with grief and indignation.

"Ever since I was defeated by that female demon and the Heaven-Slaying Sword was taken away, Emei's reputation has been ruined."

Abbess Miejue slowly closed her eyes, her expression slightly desolate and forlorn.

She originally thought that with her martial arts skills and the sharpness of the Heaven-Slaying Sword, she would be able to fight even a true grandmaster.

Therefore, he planned to go to Wenzhou City first to find the murderer of his senior brother Dugu Yihe, the 'Lord of the Underworld', and kill him with his own strength to avenge Dugu Yihe and the others.

Incidentally, this will also allow Emei to regain its fame in the martial arts world and deter villains.

Unexpectedly, they were defeated by a female demon under the command of the 'Lord of the Underworld' without even seeing his face. The Heaven-Slaying Sword was also taken away, and the prestige of Emei over hundreds of years was destroyed in an instant.

Clearly, she overestimated herself, which led to this outcome.

This humble nun has failed Emei, and failed my ancestors…

But soon, Abbess Miejue opened her eyes again, her eyes revealing a firm and cold light. She gritted her teeth and said, "Temporary honor and disgrace mean nothing. As long as we get rid of this female demon in the future and take back the divine weapon of my Emei Sect, we can wash away the shame of this battle!"

In the past, she was arrogant and stubborn, believing that as long as she had the Heaven-Slaying Sword, Emei would be able to establish itself in the martial arts world.

But this experience also served as a wake-up call for her.

While powerful artifacts are indeed formidable, their effectiveness depends on the user's strength. The stronger the user, the greater the artifact's power can be unleashed, enhancing its overall impact. Otherwise, a single artifact is insufficient to overcome the odds and turn the tide of battle.

Only one's own strength is fundamental.

"But... Master, if this female demon's martial arts are already so powerful, then the Netherworld Palace Master who killed Shangguan Jin Hong must be even more powerful!"

"Moreover, this time Youming single-handedly blocked the forces from all sides that coveted the Money Gang's territory, helping Murong Manor become another top power in Jiangnan. This shows that there are many experts within Youming!"

"With only Emei, it will be difficult to reclaim the Heaven-Slaying Sword and wash away this shame..."

A female disciple hesitated before speaking.

"Although the Netherworld is strong, it is not necessarily invincible. The Demonic Sect was once so glorious, but now it is in ruins, and its members are like rats crossing the street, fleeing to the Western Regions and no longer daring to show their faces in the martial world... What is a mere Netherworld?"

Abbess Miejue coldly said, "Since our Emei sect can't deal with them, then let's ask someone who can to take action!"

"Master, what do you mean..." a female disciple asked.

Abbess Miejue took a deep breath and said, "Back then, my Emei Sect had a marriage agreement with Wudang Sect. However, your senior sister Ji Xiaofu, that rebellious disciple, was shameless and seduced Yang Xiao, the Left Guardian of the Demonic Sect, losing her chastity and causing my Emei Sect to break its promise."

"Now, it's time to continue this marriage."

As she spoke, Abbess Miejue's gaze swept across the disciples, finally settling on her beautiful, obedient, and gentle youngest disciple. She said softly, "Zhiruo, would you be willing to marry into Wudang and continue this marriage between Emei and Wudang?"

Zhou Zhiruo's pretty face paled, and she said, "Master, do you want me to marry Senior Yu?"

The other disciples' expressions also changed slightly.

Yu Daiyan, ranked third among the Seven Heroes of Wudang, was once engaged to their senior sister Ji Xiaofu. However, Ji Xiaofu lost her virginity to Yang Xiao, the Left Guardian of the Ming Cult, which led to the postponement of the marriage. Due to the power of Wudang and Emei, no one in the martial arts world dared to object to the matter.

In all aspects, apart from being older, Yu Daiyan was no less formidable in the martial arts world, whether in terms of martial arts skills or prestige. Moreover, Yu Daiyan was still unmarried, so Zhou Zhiruo marrying into Wudang could even be considered to be marrying above her station.

But the problem is, Yu Daiyan is disabled...

During the battle for the Dragon-Slaying Saber, Yu Daiyan was injured by Yin Susu, a demoness from the Eagle Sect, resulting in the severing of all his meridians, leaving him unable to move to this day.

If Abbess Miejue were to marry her junior sister Zhiruo to such a useless person, wouldn't that be pushing her into a fire pit?

For a moment, all the women felt a pang of pity.

Only Ding Minjun gloated and immediately rebuked, "Junior sister, it is your honor to marry Yu Sanxia. Besides, you dare to refuse Master's orders?"

"shut up!"

Abbess Miejue rebuked her sternly, saying, "In your eyes, is your master such an inhuman person?"

"This disciple dares not." The women quickly lowered their heads, but secretly thought to themselves, "Aren't you the one who doesn't?"

Abbess Miejue snorted coldly, looked at Zhou Zhiruo again, her expression softening slightly, and said, "Zhiruo, last year when I took you to Wudang to celebrate Master Zhang's birthday, Master Zhang's first disciple, who is also the current leader of Wudang and one of the Seven Heroes of Wudang, Song Yuanqiao, mentioned to me that his son, Song Qingshu, seemed to be interested in you."

“This Song Qingshu is only twenty years old, a few years older than you, but his martial arts skills and character are both excellent. He is also the first disciple among the third generation of Wudang disciples, and he will definitely succeed as the leader of Wudang in the future. If you can marry him, it will be a blessing for you.”

"This year, on Master Zhang's birthday, Song Yuanqiao might mention this matter to me again. If you are willing, I will agree and let you get married this year."

"With Wudang's help, destroying Youming, avenging your Uncle Dugu and the others, and reclaiming the Heaven-Slaying Sword will be no problem at all."

Hearing that it wasn't Yu Daiyan, Zhou Zhiruo breathed a sigh of relief, but she couldn't feel happy.

An image of a handsome and noble young man appeared in his mind.

She had met Song Qingshu before. Just as her master had said, Song Qingshu was skilled in martial arts and had a good character. Moreover, he was of noble status. But for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to like him. She always felt that there was a lewd and evil look in the eyes of that senior brother Song when he looked at her.

However, due to the power and influence of Wudang, she dared not mention it to her master.

Moreover, seeing the weariness and expectation in her master's eyes, she couldn't bear to refuse. She could only suppress her grief and whisper, "I will leave it to Master."

"Good, you are truly my good disciple!"

Abbess Miejue was immediately gratified and nodded repeatedly.

Then, she turned back to look in the direction of Wenzhou City, her eyes filled with endless humiliation and murderous intent.

The Netherworld Palace, the Six-Fingered Demon of the Qin...

The humiliation I have suffered today, I will repay a hundredfold in the future!
……

"This is the Heaven-Slaying Sword?"

Jiang Xuan gazed at the clear, bright four-foot-long green sword in his hand, marveling at it.

This is indeed a top-grade divine weapon; just holding it in one's hand, one can feel its sharpness and killing intent.

In terms of material and weight alone, it even surpasses his Embroidered Spring Blade.

It truly deserves to be one of the two divine weapons in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber".

"This divine weapon is indeed extraordinary. It can carry 100% of true energy. The sword energy that the old nun Miejue unleashed with this sword was extremely powerful and could directly break through my 'Heavenly Dragon Eight Sounds'. If she did not have a divine weapon comparable to it, or an artistic realm to contend with, the old nun Miejue would definitely be invincible in the Grandmaster realm with the sword's support."

Huang Xuemei said that she was not belittling Abbess Miejue, but simply stating the facts.

Abbess Miejue possessed martial arts skills that were fully inherited from the Emei Sect, and her skill was incredibly refined, no weaker than Miejue's. If Miejue hadn't spent many years diligently cultivating the 'Heavenly Dragon Eight Sounds' in the mountains, thus fully unleashing the power of the Heavenly Demon Harp, the outcome would have been uncertain.

Despite this, she only managed a slight victory over Abbess Miejue.

Among these factors, the sharpness of the Heaven-Slaying Sword held a significant advantage, making her hesitant and unable to engage in close combat.

Jiang Xuan nodded slightly: "After all, it is the sacred artifact of Emei Mountain."

In the original novel, both the Heaven-Slaying Sword and the Dragon-Slaying Saber were forged from Dugu Qiubai's Xuan Tie Heavy Sword.

Guo Jing and Huang Rong melted down the Xuan Tie Heavy Sword and forged it into two weapons. They also hid in the two weapons Yue Fei wrote "The Legacy of Yue Fei", the complete "Nine Yin Manual", a quick version of the essence of "Nine Yin Manual" written by Huang Rong, and "The Essence of the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms" in the two weapons.

Therefore, it was sought after by the world, and the saying "The supreme martial arts weapon, the Dragon Slayer Saber, commands the world and none dare disobey. Without the Heaven-Slaying Sword, who can contend with it?" circulated in the martial arts world.

In short, whoever obtains these two divine weapons will become the supreme master of the martial arts world.

In this world of martial arts, these two divine weapons still exist, but they were not forged by Guo Jing and Huang Rong. Instead, they have been passed down since ancient times. However, they are still first-class divine weapons, comparable to the ten great divine weapons such as Xuanyuan, Chun Jun, Gan Jiang Mo Xie, and Seven Star Longyuan. Their origins are unknown.

Among them, the Dragon Slayer Saber has been circulating in the martial arts world for a long time, and no force has been able to possess it for a long time. The last time it appeared was twenty years ago, when it was obtained by Xie Xun, the "Golden-haired Lion King", one of the four Dharma Kings of the Ming Cult, and then disappeared.

As for the Heaven-Slaying Sword, it was obtained by the founder of the Emei Sect, Master Bai Mei, three hundred years ago. He used it to establish the Emei Sect, which has been a powerful force in the martial arts world for hundreds of years.

Therefore, it is impossible for such unique martial arts manuals as "The Legacy of Yue Fei" and "The Nine Yin Manual" to exist there anymore.

Jiang Xuan could no longer melt it down to prove this. Refining such a divine weapon was no simple task.

"This sword should also be forged from black iron, and perhaps it also contains some rare ingredients..."

Jiang Xuan stroked the sword, channeling his true energy into it. There was no resistance whatsoever. It could indeed perfectly support the flow of a martial artist's true energy. Even a martial artist who didn't know swordsmanship could wield it and unleash tremendous power. It truly deserved to be called a divine weapon.

Jiang Xuan was very satisfied. He sheathed the sword and then looked at Huang Xuemei, saying, "I happen to be short of a good sword right now. I'll take this one. Later, I'll find other materials and forge a defensive treasure for you as compensation."

Huang Xuemei nodded without saying much. She didn't practice swordsmanship; the Heavenly Demon Harp was enough for her.

"Congratulations, sir, on acquiring this divine artifact." Murong Qiudi stepped forward to offer her congratulations, her eyes filled with envy.

Who could resist such a treasure?
Ignoring the burning light in her eyes, Jiang Xuan casually placed his sword aside and asked indifferently, "Yan Shisan and the others haven't returned yet?"

Murong Qiudi glanced at the unromantic man with a hint of resentment, but didn't think much of it. She looked away and nodded, saying, "It should be soon. The Murong family has already successfully taken over the territories of the Golden Money Gang in various prefectures. As for the remaining small towns, my Murong family can handle them. Once the business in the prefectures is stable, we can slowly expand outwards."

"Well, you can handle the rest yourself. You will still be in charge of the Heavenly Venerable's men. In the future, you can work for your Murong family under the banner of my Netherworld."

Jiang Xuan nodded and sternly admonished, "But remember, you'd better be more restrained in your actions in the future. Youming is just doing things for money, and is by no means an appendage of your Murong family. Also, don't be too aggressive in your actions, and don't provoke people you shouldn't provoke."

"If something goes wrong and Youming becomes like the Celestial Venerable, becoming a public enemy of the martial world, don't blame me for taking action to 'clean house'!"

Although Youming has become famous in the martial arts world and is considered a top-tier force, Jiang Xuan is not arrogant enough to believe that Youming truly has the strength to be an enemy of the entire martial arts world.

Leaving aside those long-established, hidden forces, there are many forces in the open that the Netherworld cannot afford to offend.

Shaolin, Wudang, Tianxiahui, Wushuang City...

This world is a very complex place.

Even the top forces that invaded Jiangnan this time, such as the Supreme Alliance, the Sea Shark Palace, and the Angry Dragon Gang, would have been in a dream if they had not had their own local rivals to restrain them from launching a full-scale invasion. It would have been a pipe dream for Youming alone to hold off the attacks of so many forces at the same time.

None of the people like Guan Yutian and Helian Ba ​​are weaker than Shangguan Jin Hong.

Murong Qiudi naturally understood these principles and nodded, saying, "Don't worry, my lord, Qiudi knows what to do."

Jiang Xuan nodded slightly: "If there are any problems that cannot be resolved in the future, you can send someone to inform me. Once this matter is settled, it is time for me to go back."

Thud, thud—

Just then, a carrier pigeon flew in from the north, circled once in the air, and landed in Jiang Xuan's hand.

Jiang Xuan recognized it as a carrier pigeon used by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and frowned.

He took the secret letter from the carrier pigeon's leg, opened it, and his expression immediately changed: "Young Emperor, do you want to restart the Western Depot?"

……

Three days later, Yan Shisan, Xiyu, and the others returned.

"Are you coming back to the capital with me, or staying here?" Jiang Xuan asked Yan Shisan.

Jiang Xuan knew that Yan Shisan's greatest wish had always been to fulfill his promise to fight Xie Xiaofeng. He hadn't been confident before, and he went to the appointment with the intention of dying. But now that he had comprehended the fourteenth sword and entered the second realm of swordsmanship, he might not be able to wait any longer.

As expected, Yan Shisan's eyes were burning with determination as he said, "I'm going to find Xie Xiaofeng. I'll come back after this battle is over."

Jiang Xuan was not surprised and nodded, saying, "You can go and take a look at Bitter Sea Town."

"Bitter Sea Town?" Yan Shisan was taken aback.

“That useless Aji,” Jiang Xuan reminded him.

"What?! He...you mean, Aji is Xie Xiaofeng?!" Yan Shisan stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

"You've spent so much time with him, you should be able to tell that he has martial arts skills. Why would an ordinary person suffer like this?" Jiang Xuan said helplessly, worried about his intelligence.

"I...you bastard!"

Yan Shisan's face turned green. He had been trying to comfort 'Aji' and even taught him martial arts, and had even passed on the Thirteen Deadly Swords.

That little bastard, knowing his identity, didn't utter a word and learned all his unique skills.

Suddenly, Yan Shisan realized something, and his expression changed: "I fused the thirteen swords to create the fourteenth sword, entering the Heavenly Sword realm. He himself is a Heavenly Sword, and I also passed on the thirteen swords to him. Could it be that he can also comprehend the fourteenth sword through this, perfecting his sword intent, and using it to counter me..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yan Shisan looked dejected: "It's over! He might be able to! With his talent in swordsmanship, mastering the fourteenth sword technique is definitely not a problem..."

"I wasn't confident of beating him before, and now that he's mastered the fourteenth sword technique and is using it against me, I'm even less of a match for him... That son of a bitch, he's really despicable!"

Yan Shisan lost his temper and couldn't help but swear.

Jiang Xuan shook his head, too lazy to worry about the duel between the two, and casually reminded him: "If you are really worried, you can wait until you have mastered the fifteenth sword before going to find him."

After saying this, he left with Xi Yu and the others, preparing to rush back to the capital.

He never expected that such a change would occur after he had only been away from the capital for a few months. Zhu Youjian wanted to reactivate the Western Depot to counterbalance the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

This is clearly aimed at him.

Clearly, Zhu Youjian had begun to suspect him and wanted to cultivate his own confidants. This guy was really quite a troublemaker.

Jiang Xuan didn't take Yu Huatian seriously at all.

However, he had to pay attention to the political landscape and Zhu Youjian's attitude; he didn't want his years of hard work in the court to be wasted.

He didn't want to give up his official position unless absolutely necessary.

Therefore, I need to get back as soon as possible to take a look.

But his words left Yan Shisan stunned.

“The fifteenth sword…” Yan Shisan murmured.

The fourteenth sword strike was already the limit he had seen so far.

Is there really a fifteenth sword?
……

Soon, Jiang Xuan finished explaining everything and quietly left Wenzhou with his men, heading to the capital. He did not have Murong Qiudi and the others see him off, nor did he attract the attention of any forces.

But he didn't realize that everything he had been doing these days was being watched.

On a small hill outside the city, Wuming stood with his hands behind his back, quietly watching the caravan of carriages leaving Wenzhou City. He never showed himself from beginning to end.

Behind him, Jian Chen stood holding the Hero Sword and asked in a low voice, "Master, aren't you going to see him?"

Wuming shook his head: "There's no need for that. I originally thought he would stir up another bloodbath this time, but now it seems that he is more clear-headed and rational than I imagined. He has not become arrogant and complacent or narrow-minded just because he has broken through to the Heavenly Realm."

"But with his current strength, if he really intends to dominate the martial arts world, he is indeed capable of stirring up conflict in the martial arts community," Jian Chen sighed, his expression extremely complicated.

He had been practicing under his master's tutelage since childhood and once considered himself a prodigy, but now it seems that he was the one who was narrow-minded and ignorant.

At least, compared to this person, we are like fireflies compared to the bright moon.

Everyone was around the same age, belonging to the younger generation, but this person had already surpassed him, forcing his master to personally come forward, fearing that he would not restrain himself and would stir up trouble in the martial arts world.

"Let's go."

Watching the group of people disappear into the distance, Wuming shook his head and turned to walk down the mountain.

Jian Chen quickly followed and asked, "Master, are we going back to Hangzhou?"

“No, let’s go check on the Giant Whale Gang first.” Nameless shook his head.

"The Giant Whale Gang?"

Jian Chen asked in confusion, "What are you going to the Giant Whale Gang for?"

"The Giant Whale Gang has members of the Yagyu family from Japan. The ancestors of the Yagyu family once invaded the Central Plains with the people of the Wujue Divine Palace. It is very strange that they have suddenly appeared in the Central Plains."

"Twenty years have passed. Could it be... that Japanese martial arts are about to make a comeback?"

Wuming stood with his hands behind his back, looking eastward with a deep worry in his eyes.

Although the martial arts world in the Central Plains is in chaos now, the strongest are only Grandmasters, which in his eyes are nothing more than minor squabbles.

As long as the situation remains under control and no stronger figure intervenes, there's no need to worry too much.

What truly worried him was the Mujue Shrine in Japan.

Twenty years ago, the Wujue Divine Palace launched a large-scale invasion of the Central Plains martial arts world. Although they were repelled, he was very clear about the ambition of the person in charge of the Wujue Divine Palace.

Moreover, given that person's martial arts aptitude, he certainly wouldn't be stuck in the same place after twenty years.

If they were to return, it would surely unleash a catastrophe that would engulf the entire Central Plains martial arts world…

(End of this chapter)