Ten Directions Sword Master

Chapter 104

This mission had no punishment and no clear time limit; the only requirement was to protect Cui Xu until someone from the capital arrived.

If the situation weren't so complicated, it would truly be a good time to focus on cultivation.

Lu Li had finally reached the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, but the problems caused by his cultivation aptitude became increasingly apparent.

The next breakthrough will require even more cultivation time, and the pills will need to be even more potent than the Songyan Heqi Pill used this time.

However, if you accumulate like this, you will encounter big problems when you reach the stage of refining your spirit.

Because excessive consumption of elixirs can lead to resistance, it makes breaking through to higher realms much more difficult.

If possible, you should improve your cultivation level on your own.

He wondered when the Nebula Palace would open up intermediate-level seclusion talismans, which would give him much more time to cultivate.

"It's a pity that the Nebula Palace doesn't sell any elixirs to improve aptitude. The Qingcheng World and the Floating Island World should offer opportunities to obtain similar spiritual items."

The next day, Lu Li met his Uncle Qin from the Hanyue Sect. He was very old and frail, like a once towering tree that had withered down to just a layer of bark.

He even doubted whether this person could defeat Tang Lie.

Only after talking did I learn that the Hanyue Sect's martial arts techniques are divided into five realms: Iron Skin, Copper Bones, Silver Veins, Golden Marrow, and Jade Marrow.

Uncle Qin had already refined his Golden Body, making him immune to all poisons and able to cleanse his internal organs. However, he was ambushed and, after a simple acupuncture treatment, his muscles mysteriously shrank and could not recover.

They can only retain their current combat strength and will never be able to enter the true Refinement God Realm again.

Don't let his appearance fool you; he's just a skinny old man. When he fights, his bones resonate like bells, and his blood and qi surge, almost becoming tangible.

Lu Li took the initiative to invite him to try out his moves outside. His largest suite was an entire courtyard.

The two exchanged more than ten moves before each stopping, demonstrating their strength.

"As expected of a descendant of a grandmaster, with such a profound family tradition, I have never heard of such swordsmanship before."

Uncle Qin was shocked. He had only come with a try-it-out mentality, but this strength made him completely dispel his doubts. He had never seen anyone in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage receive a half-step Refining Spirit technique so easily.

Lu Li said, "The Twenty-Four Solar Terms Sword Technique won't be available for several hundred years. It would be a miracle if you saw it."

Furthermore, the Half-Step Spirit Refinement skill is indeed extraordinary.

Each strike subtly invokes the laws of heaven and earth, possessing immense power.

The same move, with no difference in internal energy compared to the Foundation Establishment Perfection stage, but the difficulty of dealing with it is more than ten times greater.

If it turns into a life-or-death struggle, the best outcome would be mutual destruction.

This shows that he is completely unable to participate in battles at the Spirit Refinement level.

Unless the opponent is seriously injured and unable to move, his trump card might not be effective.

The conversation with Uncle Qin was very direct. He said that he had come to protect Cui Xu on the king's orders and that he might be assassinated by a Refining God Realm expert.

What conditions need to be met to get him to join in protecting the prefect?

After much deliberation, Uncle Qin proposed two conditions: first, he himself did not have many years left to live, and second, it was all about his descendants.

In his early years, he was so engrossed in martial arts that he neglected his family. When he lost hope of cultivating his spirit and turned back, he found that his wife was seriously ill and his only son had been lured into the arena and had his limbs broken.

Years later, after losing two close relatives, only one grandson remained as a blood relative.

Sun'er's martial arts talent was mediocre, and since Uncle Qin had made many enemies within the sect, they didn't even dare to send him to the Hanyue Sect.

I hope Bai Liulang can choose a top-tier sect for his grandson, preferably one with a humble atmosphere, not the kind that's always fighting and killing.

In addition, I would also like to ask for a Heavenly King Heart-Nourishing Pill, which I can then pass on to my grandson.

All I ask for is to reach the Foundation Establishment stage and live a peaceful life.

And so, her life was sold to him.

Lu Li readily agreed, as the latter only required merit points.

As for the former, since they both saved Cui Xu's life, asking him to write a letter of recommendation in the name of the Boling Cui clan would be no problem securing a disciple spot for a second-tier sect.

Having successfully added a half-step Divine Refinement cultivator to his team, Lu Li continued to wait for the fish to take the bait.

Logically, the local Eagle Terrace Captain should have taken some action after learning of my existence, regardless of his thoughts.

The Imperial City Guard should not be so slow in its reaction.

"Could it be that the corruption in officialdom has even affected intelligence agencies like the Imperial City Guard, causing a significant drop in efficiency, or is it that Kim Gu simply didn't report to his superiors?"

If the Imperial City Guard doesn't move, Lu Li's next step in the plan can't proceed.

He had originally planned to quickly increase his fame in the county town by slapping the Eagle Terrace Captain in the face.

"In that case, we need to take a different approach—should we visit the Tianyi Sect first, or that rogue martial artist in the mid-stage of the Refinement Realm?"

Lu Li got up to relax and, using his eyesight, saw a figure frantically fleeing from the rooftop, heading towards him.

Three or five masked men followed closely behind, unleashing a barrage of hidden weapons that splattered blood everywhere.

In broad daylight, on the street, such arrogant violence caused the crowd to flee in panic, stalls were overturned, and many people fell to the ground crying.

The fleeing martial artist must have activated a secret technique, his movements were strange and unpredictable. With a light tap of his toes, he shattered a brick and made a ninety-degree turn.

It quickly put distance between itself and its pursuers, vaulted over several rooftops, and disappeared from sight.

"The fact that several Foundation Establishment cultivators are so arrogant suggests that the escaped person stole an extremely important treasure or deadly information, which is why they are willing to kill people in the street without regard for the consequences—this also shows that these martial artists' fear of the imperial court's laws is gradually decreasing."

After thinking for a moment, Lu Li decided to visit the Tianyi Sect first.

His sect leader is a late-stage Refining Spirit expert; if he can be persuaded, protecting Cui Xu will be much simpler.

Back in the courtyard, Lu Li sniffed, a faint smell of blood wafting over. Without making a sound, he walked toward the source, where the cicada's song was already in his hand.

"So it was you!"

Under a peach tree, someone leaned against the trunk. The man who took off his mask was none other than Kim Koo, whom they had met yesterday.

At this moment, his face was ashen, and he was sweating profusely. A palm strike to his chest shattered his leather armor, leaving a clear palm print.

His chest cavity was caved in, and I don't know how many bones were broken.

One can even deduce that the palm strike was incredibly powerful and lightning fast; the patient's internal organs should have been a complete mess long ago, yet they managed to hold on until now.

In comparison, the wounds from several sharp objects were minor compared to the injuries from the hidden weapons that had been inserted into the body.

"Barbarians—barbarians must not be allowed to enter the pass—"

Jin Jiu was barely breathing. After saying this, his neck bent over and he died.

Kim Gu, who should have collapsed the moment he was struck, seemed to have lived on this obsession until now, but after seeing Lu Li, his spirit dissipated.

Following the gaze that had been cast by him in his dying moments, Lu Li pulled out a very thin book from his chest pouch, half of which was already stained red with blood.

Each character is as thin as a grain of rice, and the ink marks vary in age, clearly indicating that they were copied at different times.

Inside are detailed information on each tribe in the desert, which high-ranking officials in the court can use to formulate impeccable plans for the desert.

If I'm not mistaken, Kim Gu is indeed a secret agent of the Imperial City Guard. I also found a token with a similar but simpler design at his waist.

"Kim Gu entered the city to deliver intelligence, but was chased and killed in the street—no, he had already been struck by a palm before the chase began, and was certain to die. Those people were only after taking back the book."

Lu Li's expression was serious as he stretched out his palm, attempting to recreate the scene.

"Given this position and angle, it's highly likely that Kim Gu was kneeling on the ground when he heard the sound and looked up in surprise, only to be struck by a palm strike. His strong will to survive allowed him to live for another quarter of an hour. The person who struck him was known to everyone in the county, so he couldn't show himself and could only send a few secretly trained subordinates to hunt him down."

With such strength, and the ability to make Kim Gu lower all his guard, there is only one person in Heyin County, the Eagle Terrace Captain who is in charge of all the identities of secret agents.

He never expected that his boss would take such ruthless action without any mercy.

"There is only one reason why that Commander Wei of the Eagle Terrace attacked and killed his colleague—he has secretly betrayed his cause and defected to the Six Garrisons Military Governor or the Great Khan of the Desert."

"Once Jin Jiu's intelligence is submitted, the court will definitely take it very seriously, and the desert cavalry will not be able to enter—there will be no chaos in Heyin. The most disappointed will be the military governors of the six garrisons, who will lose their reason for setting out with their armies. That's why the Eagle Terrace Commandant, who betrayed the court, would be so ruthless as to ensure that this intelligence and this person would not be harmed."

No wonder Cui Xu is facing assassination and a huge crisis.

No wonder the Six Towns Death Squad and the Desert Swordsmen were able to infiltrate the county town undetected.

Given the intelligence capabilities of the Imperial City Guard, it's impossible that they haven't issued any warnings by now, allowing the hostile Refining God to swagger into the city without anyone knowing.

Either the Imperial City Guard of Heyin County was completely paralyzed, or the Eagle Terrace Commandant defected to the enemy and was concealing the truth from beginning to end.

It's laughable that Lu Li thought the Imperial City Guard would naturally side with the court, but he ended up alerting a giant python that suddenly appeared.

The crisis in the prefecture is escalating. The defection of the head of the Imperial City Division branch to the enemy has caused far greater harm than that of other officials of the same rank.

Fortunately, this action when entering the city made Kim Gu remember him.

Jin Jiu's years of experience as a spy have instilled many good habits in him, which have saved him many times. For example, he used two copper coins to have a beggar keep an eye on Lu Li and his companion, thus learning where they were staying at the inn.

That's why, on the verge of death today, he subconsciously came here.

"Open the door, come out! The yamen is on patrol and suspects a murderer has entered your courtyard. All the courtyards in this area must be opened for inspection." Several noises came from outside the courtyard. Lu Li pushed open the door and saw that there were already four or five people guarding the place, their eyes unfriendly.

"Hand over Kim Gu's body; we saw him enter this courtyard!"

Lu Li sneered, no longer bothering to pretend: "Who dares? Step through the gates, and life or death is irrelevant."

"Threatening officials is an even more serious offense!"

Several men lunged at him menacingly, but before Lu Li could make a move, his Uncle Qin arrived and punched them all.

Uncle Qin's seemingly casual punch sent these late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators flying like rag dolls, proving that he was still vigorous despite his age and that his strength had not diminished much.

"Do not be rude to the young master!"

Uncle Qin displayed his divine power precisely to show off and elevate his status in Bai Liulang's eyes.

"Tie them up and see if anyone else dares to come here! Later, send them all to the authorities—say they were impersonating government officials and tried to break into the inn to commit murder."

Lu Li threw the problem to the government and saw how they would deal with the captured spies.

"How dare you! We are secret agents of the Imperial City Guard! How dare you act like this!"

"Murdering a secret agent of the Imperial City Guard is tantamount to treason. Think it over!"

Seeing that Lu Li was really going to do this, the group began to threaten him.

）