Chapter 138: Lu Wuqiang: Surrender the Wind-Thunder Pair Swords, and I'll Spare Your Life

Chapter 138 Lu Wuqiang: Surrender the Wind-Thunder Pair Swords, and I'll Spare Your Life

For the next half month, Xiao Chen single-handedly took on all the Blood Piercing Pill refinement tasks.

Thanks to the Essence Unification Manual, he could complete two batches daily—from afternoon to evening. By late February, he’d finished the order ahead of schedule, claiming a reward of one thousand spirit stones.

The Alchemy Hall cultivators were stunned. What kind of efficiency was this? Xiao Chen had submitted fifty vials of Blood Piercing Pills, meaning he’d succeeded in all fifty consecutive refinement attempts without a single failure. It was simply too outrageous!

Now, whenever Xiao Chen entered the Alchemy Hall, countless eyes scrutinized him from all directions. Those who’d missed the spectacle grilled their peers for details.

Of course, no one knew he still had another fifty vials of Blood Piercing Pills quietly stored in his bag. That was the real money-maker. However, since only a handful of Pill Forging Masters could produce them, selling them openly risked exposing his identity. He needed to find a discreet channel.

“I wonder if the Black Market will operate this year,” Xiao Chen mused, recalling last spring’s Niu Village Black Market. Back then, he’d been too busy preparing for the Yan Chi Secret Realm to attend the final event—only for it to be raided anyway.

“Hmm… wasn’t one of the Black Market tokens I turned in? Never mind then.”

After settling the Blood Piercing Pill matter, he browsed the remaining tasks. While he could keep exploiting the “buy one, get one free” deal for spirit herbs, these basic pills offered meager profits—barely a few spirit stones even at 100% margin.

He sought out Chen Tianyuan. “Master Senior, any second-tier spirit pill orders lately? Preferably rare ones.”

Chen Tianyuan shook his head. “Not yet. But according to my estimate, rare spirit pill tasks will come soon.”

“The latest news is that Sihai Sect has dispatched many disciples to Hezhou. Spirit Origin Sect has also increased orders for healing and recovery pills.”

“Once more Foundation Building cultivators clash, the demand for second-tier spirit pills will naturally rise.”

Hearing this, Xiao Chen felt gloomy. Many families would only part with their treasures in dire straits. If this happened, the Hezhou conflict would escalate, and the victor would soon emerge. If Hezhou fell, Li Zhou might face devastation too.

With no suitable orders, Xiao Chen casually accepted a few common pill tasks at the Alchemy Hall’s second floor, shifting his focus back to cultivation.

A few days later, on the third day of the third lunar month, Xiao Chen was meditating in his courtyard when a shout interrupted him:

“Senior Xiao, Happy Shangsi Festival! Want to go flower-picking with me?”

“What festival?”

He opened the door, only to be stunned again. Su Wanning wore a fresh spring-blooming flower with dewdrops in her hair, clearly plucked recently, and carried a flower basket on her arm.

“Ta-da!” She spun around. “Senior, does it look good?”

“Wait… what’s this outfit?” Xiao Chen frowned.

He noticed the dew hadn’t moved when she turned. “Wait, is that flower fake?”

Su Wanning tapped her flower hairpin. “It’s a new prodigy-grade hairpin I bought yesterday! And this matching basket—doesn’t it look great?”

Xiao Chen hesitated. “I… don’t know how to say this.”

“Huh?” Su Wanning looked surprised. “Senior, you didn’t attend the Ascension Ceremony? Haven’t you seen Yao Hua Zhenren?”

“This is the latest Li Zhou fashion. I even had someone special reserve it for me!”

Xiao Chen finally noticed her identical featherlight silk gown. The basket’s design was similar but scaled down, which he’d missed at first glance.

She stepped closer, pointing at the embroidery. “It’s a high-quality knockoff! See the floral patterns? They’re identical to Yao Hua Zhenren’s!”

Xiao Chen recalled. “They are… quite large.”

“Huh?” Su Wanning looked down at the peach blossoms on her chest. “Are they too big?”

“Ahem. Not the point,” Xiao Chen averted his gaze. “I’ll skip the flower-picking. Did you come here for something else?”

“Of course!” Su Wanning pulled out a storage bag. “This is this year’s dividend. Grandfather asked me to deliver it.”

Xiao Chen blinked, then remembered his investments. The bag held 2,182 spirit stones and an account ledger.

Frankly, it was a fortune. Excluding Foundation Building Pills, the Su siblings likely earned no more than 2,000 spirit stones annually—even as main branch heirs. Ordinary clan members received far less. In other words, he’d earned more dividends than 99% of the Su Family.

“Grandfather said the ledger is a copy. No need to return it,” Su Wanning explained, then eyed his courtyard. “Senior Xiao, what are you growing here?”

“A few Tianluo Xing plants,” he replied.

“Can I take a look?”

“Sure.”

Su Wanning dashed in, admiring the seedlings. “Wow, Senior Xiao! You’re so rich, using magic artifacts as flowerpots!”

“It’s not that expensive. Similar to your basket. I just bought them because I can’t tend to them often.”

“Do they consume much spirit stone?”

“A single spirit stone lasts three months.”

Su Wanning counted the pots. “So about four spirit stones monthly.”

“Only five are allocated for my cultivation each month,” she pouted. “Can I help care for your spirit flowers? Three spirit stones a month is enough!”

Xiao Chen doubted her. First, while Su Wanning might be short on spirit stones, she likely had dozens monthly. Second, if she killed his plants, it’d be a disaster.

“Not a chance.”

But Su Wanning conjured a water droplet. “Senior, I have a water spirit root! Watch this!”

She directed the water onto the seedlings, reviving their vigor. Xiao Chen felt the plants’ vitality surge.

“You’re actually good at this!”

Turns out, with the right spells and fertilizer, spirit flowers could grow several times faster. Xiao Chen was familiar with the concept—Yu Ling Jue also cultivated flowers in the dantian, accelerated by spiritual elixirs.

Su Wanning had learned these techniques from Elder Qi at Azure Water Peak, where proper fertilizers were available.

Thus, Xiao Chen agreed to let her tend the plants, visiting every three to six days.

By the tenth day of the third month, Lin Ping An finally arrived.

“Senior Xiao, I’m ready.”

Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow. “Lin, you’re late. It’s already March.”

Lin Ping An smiled sheepishly. “The divination said today was the auspicious hour.”

“Divination?”

“Did you also divine what’s inside the Forbidden Realm?”

Lin Ping An waved his hands. “Senior jokes! I wouldn’t dare dig too deep—I want to live longer!”

“I only suspect the Forbidden Realm might hold a chance related to Core Formation.”

He preempted Xiao Chen’s question. “That’s all I can say. Too much detail spoils the prophecy.”

Core Formation? Xiao Chen grew curious. Was Lin Ping An hiding something, or was it truly unknowable? Could the Forbidden Realm’s secrets vanish if revealed?

Still, he dropped the matter. Some things were better left unasked.

“If today’s auspicious, let’s go.”

They flew westward, following the treasure map toward the volcanic ranges. Beyond Li Zhou, the sky turned pale orange-yellow. Towering volcanoes spewed smoke, blanketing the land in ash. Only a few spirit herbs survived in this harsh terrain, dotting the craters with yellow or orange blooms.

Heatwaves and sulfur stung their faces as they ventured deeper. Xiao Chen felt the heavenly qi here was unusually turbulent.

“Lin, how much longer?”

“Halfway there. Two thousand li more west.”

“That deep?”

Though the scenery remained unchanged, Xiao Chen sensed a slight increase in spiritual energy—a rare phenomenon. Spirit veins usually dictated energy density, thinning with distance. This anomaly could be either fortune or misfortune.

Six days later, they reached a cooled volcanic crater.

Lin Ping An checked his parchment. “According to the map, this should be it.”

Xiao Chen leapt into the crater, finding a broken stone platform. “Lin, looks like we’re too late. How accurate’s your divination?”

The entrance—once a portal akin to the Yan Chi Secret Realm—had collapsed, likely from time or disaster.

Lin Ping An examined the formation carefully. "The damage isn't severe. It should just be the original sealing formation breaking down."

"I'm quite proficient in this area. Leave it to me."

Xiao Chen asked, "Is there anything I can assist with?"

"Repairing formations isn't complicated, but damaged ones like this need complete restoration at once. If interrupted midway, secondary damage could occur." Lin Ping An roughly estimated, "At minimum, this will take two hours. Senior sect brother, could you guard me while I work?"

Xiao Chen nodded and returned to the volcano's rim above. The desolate landscape stretched endlessly - not a soul in sight, not even a bird. Only distant smoke columns broke the monotony.

After two hours of diligent watch, Xiao Chen muttered, "Junior sect brother Lin, are you done yet?"

"Senior sect brother, there's been a complication. Please wait a little longer."

...

Last time at the Yan Chi Secret Realm, Lin Ping An had also exceeded time limits while cracking that grand gate formation. Was this formation truly so difficult, or was his skill simply lacking? Considering cultivation arts, formations and sealing techniques were universally acknowledged as the most challenging branch among the Hundred Cultivation Arts.

As Xiao Chen aimlessly surveyed the surroundings, a sudden sword beam tore across the distant sky toward his position.

What? Could this barren wasteland actually attract visitors?

As the beam approached, Xiao Chen mounted his sword, hovering midair to observe the newcomer. The figure seemed familiar - he vaguely recalled seeing this cultivator seated with the Cangyan Sect delegation.

The approaching cultivator was none other than Lu Wuqiang, Dark Hall Elder of the Cangyan Sect. Ever since returning from the Qianzhu Building incident, Lu had deployed numerous operatives to monitor the Lihuo Sect's movements. Expecting Xiao Chen, as Chu Mo Dian's manager, to frequently engage in reconnaissance against demonic cultivators, he'd even fabricated false demonic activity sites to lure Xiao Chen into action.

Yet after waiting over a month with no results, Lu's frustration boiled. He'd nearly gone to Elder Mei Yong to report Xiao Chen's apparent dereliction of duty. Finally, eight days prior, he'd returned to the Cangyan Sect to handle internal matters. The very next day after returning, his subordinates reported seeing Xiao Chen flying westward. Enraged, Lu had smashed three chairs before hastily pursuing.

This sudden interception required secrecy, so Lu traveled alone, bringing only his top-grade magic artifacts to the volcanic range depths. Spotting Xiao Chen now, his eyes gleamed with predatory excitement.

"This area is restricted", Xiao Chen called from a distance. "Please detour elsewhere."

Lu Wuqiang ignored him, advancing while secretly forming a spell seal. When Xiao Chen unsheathed the Donghua Wind Sword and warned, "Come any closer, and I won't hold back!" Lu nearly laughed aloud.

"I'd love to see how impolite you can be", he mused, halting his sword beam. With a flick of his sleeve, he deployed the radiant Golden Light Pearl to block escape routes before taunting, "Hand over the Wind-Thunder Pair Swords, and I'll spare your life. Refuse, and this day next year becomes your funeral."

Even if Xiao Chen surrendered, Lu would kill him regardless. Hearing the commotion, Lin Ping An shouted, "Senior sect brother Xiao, what's happening?"

"Nothing serious", Xiao Chen replied calmly. "Just another fool looking to die."

Lu consumed a Gushing Spring Pill and hurled a mana-infused fireball. Blue spirit flames roared toward Xiao Chen like a tiger descending a mountain. Xiao Chen countered by deploying the Tasselled Edging Brocade Handkerchief overhead while summoning his Golden Armor. The flames licked at his defenses.

Lu laughed heartily. "So much for your reputation! Just a paper tiger!"

This flame technique specialized in igniting opponents' mana reserves, feeding on their energy to grow stronger. Once latched onto a cultivator, the flames became nearly impossible to extinguish.

"You're celebrating too soon", Xiao Chen countered. As his mana drained rapidly while the flames intensified, he calmly retrieved the Treasure Gourd of Hidden Flame. The palm-sized gourd expanded to human height.

"Reap!" he commanded. The gourd's vortex sucked away the surrounding blue flames.

Lu's eyes narrowed. "A top-grade magic artifact!" His laughter turned sinister. "Excellent! Another treasure to claim after killing you."

Withdrawing a special talisman from his abdomen, Lu chanted, "Heaven and earth lend me power! Yellow Turban Warriors, arise!" The talisman struck the ground, summoning a three-zhang-tall muscular warrior clad in yellow.

"Capture him!" Lu ordered. The giant charged, arms swinging to seize Xiao Chen. Unfamiliar with this technique, Xiao Chen avoided direct confrontation, instead hurling a jade bowl from his storage bag.

"Seal!" The bowl, once a top-grade artifact, trapped the warrior beneath its weight despite violent thrashing inside.

Lu frowned. "Another top-grade artifact? Let's see how many you have!" He slammed his storage bag, producing golden sledgehammers. Mana-formed hands wielded the weapons, swinging downward with unstoppable force.

Xiao Chen finally sensed danger. The spirit flames, yellow warrior spell, and paired top-grade artifacts marked Lu as no ordinary cultivator - likely a renowned Cangyan Sect elder. But when had he offended such a figure?

No time for reflection. As the hammers fell, he drew the Donghua Thunder Sword.

"Seven Star Sword Technique - Kaiyang!" he roared. The technique's signature power clashed against Lu's hammers, shattering the mana constructs with sheer force.

"What?!" Lu exclaimed. His golden hammers, paired with earth-ranked hammer techniques, had never faced resistance. Yet Xiao Chen's swordplay matched his strength directly.

Realizing his disadvantage, Lu activated the Golden Light Pearl hovering above. Cultivated since his Foundation Building days, this supreme-grade artifact had killed five Foundation Stage cultivators in Dark Hall purges. Now it plummeted toward Xiao Chen's head.

But Xiao Chen's Brocade Handkerchief unfurled with a rustle, engulfing the pearl.

Lu gaped in shock. Xiao Chen smirked. "Surprised? I've been expecting that trick." He'd learned from Elder Chen's tactics, keeping the handkerchief reserved specifically to counter aerial threats.

Snarling, Lu deployed his final talisman - a Spirit Confinement Talisman purchased at great cost for emergencies. Golden light flashed as eighteen divine generals materialized behind him, each possessing Foundation Initial Stage cultivation.

"Kill him!" Lu commanded. The generals surged forward, but Xiao Chen summoned the three-zhang Divine Flame Banner. With four waves, thirty-six fire soldiers emerged, each matching the generals' power in pairs.

Lu's confidence shattered. Every attack neutralized, he abandoned his pearl and tried fleeing. But Xiao Chen's voice echoed behind him:

"You're the Golden Light Technique hermit!" Lu realized too late. Despite wearing supreme-grade robes and secondary defense talismans, he'd only lasted half an hour before Xiao Chen's sword severed his head.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end