Martial Arts Crossover: Me, the Immortal Venerable, Opens a Pawnshop in the Martial Arts World

Through the changing seasons, from the cold of winter to the heat of summer, from the blossoming of spring to the harvest of autumn, time flows by like water.

At the age of fourteen, the boy, wielding a sharp, blue sword, stepped into the martial world alone, his back view resolute.

His sword flashed like frost, its cold light reaching everywhere. Dugu Qiubai traversed mountains and rivers, unstoppable, and all heroes bowed down!

With each victory he accumulated, his sword intent grew increasingly fierce.

Before the age of twenty, he abandoned Qingfeng and took up Ziwei Soft Sword, which greatly increased his power and made him famous throughout the land!

The legendary sword demon rose step by step from obscurity to the pinnacle, his footprints etched in the hearts of the people.

With Ziwei in hand, he constantly evolved new moves, created his own sword style, and became famous throughout the world.

However, at the height of his fame, an accident caused him to mistakenly hurt his best friend.

Overwhelmed with remorse, he threw the Purple Rose Soft Sword into a deep valley pool, never to be used again.

He then picked up the heavy iron sword left behind by his friend, shouldered his ambition, and continued to roam the martial world.

After more than two decades of trials and tribulations, his swordsmanship has gradually reached a state of perfection, and there are very few in the world who can fight against him.

At the age of forty, facing the strongest swordsman of his time, he actually threw down his giant iron sword, broke off a blade of grass, and with a flick of his sleeve, defeated his opponent!

From that moment on, the name of the Sword Demon resounded throughout the world!

With no one left to challenge him, his desired defeat will ultimately remain elusive.

His solitary figure traversed thousands of miles of rivers and mountains, yet no one could rival him.

In a moment of desolation, I passed through the valley of yesteryear and found the spot where the sword had been sunk. The Purple Rose Soft Sword still lay by the pool, and a divine eagle stood beside it, seemingly intelligent and able to understand human speech.

On a whim, he collected eagles as companions and lived in seclusion for several years.

Years later, he buried the three old swords—Qingfeng, Ziwei, and Xuantie—into the sword mound by the pool, and inscribed words on the stone with sword energy:

"Having roamed the martial world for over thirty years, I have killed all my enemies and villains, defeated all heroes and valiant men, and found no one in the world who can stand against me. Helpless, I can only retreat to a deep valley and take eagles as my friends."

After finishing his business, he returned to his hometown, the Dugu family.

This time, the way his people looked at him was completely different.

The middle-aged man who once mocked him for his poor swordsmanship is now gray-haired, his eyes filled with emotion and satisfaction.

But the honor or disgrace of his family could no longer move him.

With both parents dead and his old love gone, he leaves his hometown once more, returning to the martial world to challenge all the renowned swordsmen.

When his interest waned, Dugu Qiubai resolutely retired, dwelling in a deep valley of the Song Dynasty, living a life of endless cycles, returning to nature, and reverting to his original nature.

The sword intent not only did not weaken, but became increasingly refined and powerful!

But from that moment on, he never stepped out of the deep valley again.

The land of Kyushu.

As the image slowly faded away, a brief silence followed, then a sudden burst of gasps erupted.

"Invincible!"

"This is... the true invincible swordsman?"

"The Sword Demon, Dugu Qiubai, truly deserves the title!"

"To have achieved so much at such a young age, who in the world can match him?"

"The legendary Sword Demon is indeed incredibly powerful!"

"Dugu Qiubai? Seeking only defeat... a lifetime spent pursuing failure, yet never achieving it? Such a realm... such strength, only one in the world can match him!"

"I used to think anyone who dared to call themselves 'Seeking Defeat' was an arrogant fool, but now I realize he deserves that title!"

"The Nine Provinces Heavenly Ranking has already entered the realm of mythology!"

"Didn't you guys notice? Dugu Qiubai's appearance..."

"Yes! He still looks middle-aged at the end of the video, but he's actually over a hundred years old..."

"Could it be that, when martial arts are cultivated to their highest level, one can truly transcend the mortal realm and become almost like a god?"

"If Dugu Qiubai truly possessed such extraordinary abilities to refine the elixir of immortality, what is impossible about him living past a hundred years old and still being middle-aged?"

The Forbidden City of the Ming Dynasty.

From the moment the image of Dugu Qiubai's life appeared, Ye Gucheng and Ximen Chuixue never looked away, their gazes fixed and intense.

At this moment, the scene ended, and the two of them simultaneously exhaled a breath of stale air, their expressions trembling.

"kendo……"

"Every blade of grass and every tree can be transformed into a sword..."

"Such a realm is beyond our reach, even if we exhaust our entire lives!"

Outside the Yong'an Pawnshop in Beiliang.

"Using everything as a sword? Sweeping across the world unchallenged by the age of thirty?"

"Is this still within the realm of martial arts? Or has it approached the level of immortals and gods?"

"So, reaching the pinnacle of martial arts can actually transcend the mortal realm to this extent?"

Xu Nian stared in astonishment, so much so that he knocked over the wine pot in his hand, spilling wine all over the table, and muttered to himself.

"Compared to them, aren't we so-called masters like legendary immortals in the eyes of the world?"

Lu Xiucai gave a bitter smile, his lips trembling slightly, feeling a heavy weight on his heart, as if a tremendous force was pressing down on him.

In this world, it's not just the Nine Provinces Heavenly Ranking that far surpasses everyone's understanding.

Even those on the list are gradually stepping into the divine realm that mortals cannot reach!

Even the Sword Demon Dugu Qiubai was only ranked eighth on the Nine Provinces Heavenly Ranking...

"Before him, there were seven people who were above him!"

Guo Furong rested her smooth chin on her hands, her eyelashes fluttering slightly. Her tone seemed casual, yet it concealed deep thought:

"You say..."

"Could the names of immortals and gods truly appear on that list?"

"Does immortality truly exist in this world?"

[Sword Demon Dugu Qiubai! Realm: Grandmaster Perfection, ranked eighth on the Nine Provinces Heavenly Ranking, specially bestowed with the Sword Intent of Destruction; with a single strike, all things are annihilated, and heaven and earth wither!]

boom--

If Dugu Qiubai's appearance had already shaken the world, then...

Now that his strength and realm have been revealed to the public, no one in the entire Nine Provinces can remain calm!

Countless people were shaken to their core, their minds were in an uproar, information exploded like thunder, and their reason almost collapsed!

"Grandmaster at the peak?!"

"Senior Dugu's cultivation has actually reached such a level?"

"The Nine Provinces Heavenly Ranking... is it really this unfathomable?"

"Since becoming a Grandmaster, he has never lingered in any minor realm."

"From the later stages to perfection, there wasn't even a transition in between; it was a direct leap!"

"Following this line of reasoning... even reaching the pinnacle of Grandmasterhood isn't the end!"

Deep within the Imperial Garden of the Tang Dynasty.

Yuan Tiangang swayed slightly, his voice trembled, and his face was filled with horror:

"The Grandmaster level in the realm of gods and demons is not the ultimate goal!"

"There really are people in this world who can break through this barrier!"

Li Shimin gripped the teacup tightly, his knuckles turning white, cold sweat pouring down his face. He was far more terrified than Yuan Tiangang.

"What's even more terrifying is... there are probably more than just one or two people who have surpassed the Grandmaster level!"

"If a Grandmaster is already capable of overturning rivers and seas, and is unstoppable by enemy nations, then those above them... wouldn't overthrowing a dynasty be as easy as snapping their fingers?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tiangang's eyes were filled with complex emotions. He managed to squeeze out a sentence that even he himself found hard to believe, attempting to offer some comfort:

"Your Majesty... the Grandmaster level is the pinnacle that humanity can reach!"

"Even those who are new to this realm can withstand a thousand troops and are invincible against ten thousand men."

"If there truly is someone surpassing the Grandmaster level, why have we never heard of them at all?"

"So... perhaps the top few on the list are just top experts who are also stuck at the perfect realm."

"The strongest in Kyushu is still within the realm of 'human,' only infinitely close to the limit."

The inn is located on the second floor opposite Yong'an Pawnshop.

The usually aloof and solitary Yaoyue's expression changed drastically and her mind fluctuated violently as she looked at the terrifying strength displayed by Dugu Qiubai!

She once asserted that no one in the entire Nine Provinces could surpass the Grandmaster level!

After all, each leap across a realm is like ascending to heaven.

But now...

Dugu Qiubai, who is only ranked eighth, has already reached the peak of the Grandmaster realm!

He's only one step away from that legendary "breakthrough"!

What about the remaining seven?

Could it be that no one has ever managed to overcome this obstacle?

Do not!

The most difficult thing to overcome in every realm is that one step that crosses the chasm between heaven and earth!

A mere foot apart, yet it has become an insurmountable barrier throughout history, blocking countless heroes from the world!

Perhaps, the seven people who followed closely behind were just stuck at the Grandmaster level?

after all……

The Sword Demon Dugu Qiubai was a legendary being comparable to gods and demons, transcending the mortal realm.

Even the thirteenth level of the Bright Jade Divine Art that she obtained from the Nine Provinces Heavenly Ranking could never reach the realm above Grandmaster!

Although several people are ranked ahead of him on the list, even if they are more capable, the difference should be negligible!

That must be it!

Yaoyue lightly gripped the wine glass with her fingertips, her expression shifting several times before finally settling into a resolute look.

She doesn't believe it!

There really is someone in this world who can break through that invisible barrier that stands above the Grandmaster!

Grandmaster—

This is the end of enlightenment!

Inside the Golden Palace of the Great Song Dynasty, Zhao Gou's face was flushed with excitement. He suddenly rose from his dragon throne, exclaimed repeatedly in the court, and laughed wildly to the sky.

"Hahaha! Hahaha!"

"Who would have thought! My Great Song Dynasty would have such good fortune?"

"I thought the Sweeping Monk, ranked tenth on the Nine Provinces Heavenly Ranking, was already a godsend, but who knew that the Sword Demon Dugu Qiubai, ranked eighth, was also a citizen of my Great Song Dynasty!"

"The Sword Demon, Dugu Qiubai!"

"If such unparalleled masters were willing to protect our Great Song Dynasty, I ask all the dynasties under heaven, who could rival them?"

Overwhelmed with emotion, Zhao Gou immediately issued an important decree:

"Dispatch elite troops immediately to search every secluded valley and treacherous ravine outside Tianyuan City, in search of the whereabouts of the Sword Demon, Dugu Qiubai!"

"Whoever finds him will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold; if he can persuade him to leave the mountains and assist our Great Song Dynasty, he will be granted the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households, a hereditary title!"

In front of the Yin-Yang School Hall in Xianyang City, during the Qin Dynasty.

Ying Zheng and Donghuang Taiyi exchanged a glance, a hint of lingering fear flashing in each other's eyes.

"Fortunately, the Song Dynasty was not among the targets for conquest, otherwise..."

Although Donghuang Taiyi is strong, he can be considered the second strongest person in the world today.

But Dugu Qiubai went even further, his cultivation level was actually a whole realm higher than his!

In addition, the Song Dynasty produced many outstanding figures, including the Sweeping Monk, who was on par with the Eastern Emperor Taiyi.

Even with the Song Dynasty's weak military strength, the Qin Dynasty had no chance of winning with these top experts in command!

As his black robes fluttered in the wind, Ying Zheng, while feeling fortunate, secretly harbored envy and jealousy towards Zhao Gou.

"This Song Dynasty has always been known as the weakest of the seven great dynasties."

"Who would have thought that so many reclusive masters were hidden here? It's truly enviable!"

In fact, the Qin Dynasty was not lacking in experts.

The former Grandmaster Wei Zhuang, the half-step Grandmaster, and even the current Grandmaster-level Donghuang Taiyi beside me are all exceptional figures.

Taken together, it is only slightly inferior to the Song Dynasty.

It is more than capable of overwhelming the other dynasties.

however--

None of these people truly submitted to him. Whether it was Wei Zhuang or Donghuang Taiyi, they were allies rather than subordinates. He could not rely on them entirely, let alone bring them under his control.

In contrast, the masters of the Song Dynasty, though living in seclusion, had no grudges against the Zhao imperial family. They were of Song blood and might one day be able to be driven by Zhao Gou!

Although Donghuang Taiyi, standing to the side, did not experience the same emotional turmoil as Ying Zheng, his heart was still filled with ups and downs.