Chapter 159 - 102: Tomb of the Qi Dao Grandmaster, For a Martial Artist, There Is No Sparring, Only a Wager of Life and Death

Chapter 159: Chapter 102: Tomb of the Qi Dao Grandmaster, For a Martial Artist, There Is No Sparring, Only a Wager of Life and Death

Excellent!

’If that’s the case, I suppose I can accept a "best friend" as extravagantly rich as you!’

A smile touched Ji Xiu’s lips.

However...

He gazed at the petite girl, whose veins were like jade and bones like colored glaze, despite her small frame.

Yet she exuded a pressure that even a Skin Refining Martial Artist could not match, and a chill went down his spine.

’Ye Ningzhi? The disciple of my master’s enemy?’

’The disciple is already this powerful; her master must be even more formidable. Master Duan, what kind of monsters did you provoke?’

’Good thing this disciple has a few screws loose.’

’Otherwise... if she hadn’t helped me out at the docks, I’d have brought out the powerful crossbows. I don’t care if you have Mercury Blood Silver Marrow; you’d be cut down on the spot. Then what would be the point of you avenging *your* master?’

’A naive girl who’s trained herself into a fool. Does she really think the Jianghu is all just fighting and killing?’

’The Jianghu is all about cunning and scheming!’

’But her foolishness has its uses. Since you stuck your neck out for me... I’ll give you this chance.’

’Whether you can seize it, however, is another question entirely.’

As he thought this, his fighting spirit soared.

Duan Chenzhou had once told Ji Xiu that once a practitioner of Mortal Transformation: Soaring Dragon Gate perfected their Golden Bone, they could contend with a Mercury Blood Silver Marrow martial artist who had reached their Body’s Great Limit without any special innate talent.

And now...

He himself had absorbed Dragon Blood, entered the Dragon Gate, and broken into the Ascending Dragon Immortal Palace, causing the muscles, bones, Qi, and Blood of his entire body to slowly transform!

Though he didn’t know exactly how much stronger he had become, he knew...

Ji Xiu was still pondering, trying to gauge the difference between them.

But!

WHOOSH!

Ye Ningzhi stomped her foot, shattering the packed snow, and shouted:

"What are you two whispering about over there?"

"Skipping breakfast is bad for your stomach! Here, have a knuckle sandwich!"

BAM!

Her Jade Bone Glaze gleamed, igniting an eruption of Blood Marrow. In an instant, Ye Ningzhi’s small, slender frame leaped forward. Her supple back seemed to carry the weight of a ferocious, striped tiger as she charged straight at Ji Xiu!

Without another word, her fist came crashing down.

Ji Xiu was taken aback.

’Seriously? She’s this wild?’

The first time he’d met a peer with Golden Muscle and Jade Veins was on the Earth Dragon Cave Mountain Dao, where he had taught the ’arrogant’ Cai Ling’Er a lesson.

The first time he’d met someone with Mercury Blood Silver Marrow...

...was this girl from the Embroidery Lineage, Ye Ningzhi!

’Hey now, you really think you can do whatever you want just because I, the Boss, seem cultured and easygoing?’

Ji Xiu’s eyes sharpened. Using his palm as a blade, his body erupted with a Sword Stance like a Fire Prison as he shot forward with a palm strike!

BANG!

...

「In Duan Chenzhou’s room.」

Qin Zhuo, the first disciple of the Celestial Blade Style, looked at his martial uncle before him. Purple Qi flowed around the man’s body, a sign he had already reached the realm of Qi Cultivation. Qin Zhuo’s face was alight with joy.

"Martial Uncle, it’s been over a decade. Master thought you were..."

Duan Chenzhou lifted a teacup with his single arm, took a sip, and sneered.

"I haven’t been back in over a decade. Is your master still the same, always swallowing his pride and making compromises?"

Qin Zhuo choked, finding it difficult to respond.

Seeing his expression, Duan Chenzhou took another sip, set down his cup, and his gaze grew distant.

"Hmph. With his personality, he’s probably still clinging to the Celestial Blade Style—that little thing the old man casually threw together—as if it were a treasure. All those assets we ’borrowed’ and fought for back in the day... I bet he’s returned every last one, hasn’t he?"

"But there’s no end to appeasement. It only encourages others to become more aggressive, to break your bones and suck the marrow dry."

Qin Zhuo fell silent but still spoke up.

"As the Sect Leader, Master has to consider the livelihood of the disciples. He is worthy of the title ’Master’."

Duan Chenzhou drummed his fingers on the table.

"Are you worried that now that I’ve become a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster, I’ll return with great fanfare and snatch your master’s position?"

"There’s no need for that."

From the Purple Silk Martial Artist’s empty sleeve, a large, semi-translucent hand of Qi Dao energy condensed. He gazed toward Jiangyin Prefecture and just shook his head with a faint smile.

"I will go back, of course."

"And the first thing I’ll do when I get there... is remove my name from the register of the Celestial Blade Style’s disciples."

Hearing this, the color drained from Qin Zhuo’s face.

"Martial Uncle..."

Before he could finish, Duan Chenzhou raised a hand to cut him off.

"Just enter the name of your junior brother, Ji Xiu, into the register."

"He has excellent talent and has perfectly inherited the old man’s path. He even had the heaven-defying luck to succeed in the Mortal Transformation: Soaring Dragon Gate. His future is limitless."

"He’s exactly the kind of promising youth Chen Hex treasures most."

"You tell him to protect Ji Xiu well."

"As for me..."

A smirk played on Duan Chenzhou’s lips.

"I’ll naturally take on a new identity, a new name."

"Time to settle old scores and repay old debts."

His tone was indifferent as he blew out a breath.

Coincidentally, a crack in a nearby window let in a cold draft, causing the Crescent Saber to hum and tremble.

Qin Zhuo was speechless, a chill running straight to his head.

However—

CRASH!

A loud noise came from outside.

Duan Chenzhou frowned.

"What was that commotion?"

With that, the Purple-clothed Martial Artist stood, fastened his saber, and went to investigate. Qin Zhuo, startled out of his daze, quickly rose and followed at his heels.

They had just reached the main courtyard when...

...they saw his precious disciple, panting heavily and looking a complete mess. He was straddling a girl who was pinned to the ground, her eyes glaring fiercely. With his elbow and a Palm Blade that carried the oppressive weight of ’fire and hell,’ he held her down firmly.

’A Sword Mountain and Fire Sea Stance at the Perfection level...’

’Junior Brother has truly received Martial Uncle’s True Inheritance. Incredible!’

’No, wait a minute!’

Qin Zhuo glanced to the side and saw Cai Ling’Er clapping enthusiastically. His eyes then widened in disbelief as he stared at the girl pinned beneath Ji Xiu—the one with bones like glaze and veins like jade. He was utterly shocked.

’Is that... Ye Ningzhi?!’

The disciple of Ye Luan, one of the Two Swords of Jiangshui... Ye Ningzhi!

She was the future prospect for Qi Cultivation who had broken two Great Limits at the tender age of sixteen! The matriarch of her Embroidery Lineage doted on her endlessly, treating her like a precious treasure to be carefully nurtured!