Chapter 81: Visitors from the Inner Domain, the Anxious First Prince

Chapter 81: Visitors from the Inner Domain, the Anxious First Prince

"Yes, Master. I will definitely comprehend it and will not let you down!" Meng Chong bowed excitedly.

"I believe in you," Li Xuan nodded, his figure soaring into the air and disappearing in an instant.

Meng Chong took a deep breath, gazing at the traces left by his master's demonstration of the Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist. He closed his eyes, his mind replaying the scene of Master Li Xuan's powerful display.

That fierce and rapid display, akin to the might of thunder, was overwhelming like a raging storm, penetrating every crevice.

Meng Chong's heart was stirred deeply. He couldn't believe that such terrifying power was achieved by someone at the Great Perfection stage of the Qi and Blood Realm.

"Master is teaching me the way of the fist, not just the techniques!

"This is the essence of the Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist. I must grasp the swiftness of thunder and the formlessness of the wind, penetrating all defenses, rather than merely mimicking Master's moves!" Meng Chong reminded himself.

He consciously tried to fade away the memory of his master's exact movements, focusing instead on the overwhelming might that resembled the wind and thunder.

After imparting the Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist to Meng Chong, Li Xuan felt relieved. Occasionally, he would offer guidance to Shi Er's cultivation as well.

As for whether Meng Chong could achieve enlightenment, he believed it wouldn't be a problem.

However, he couldn't estimate how long it would take for Meng Chong to comprehend the essence of the technique. Probably not too long, he thought.

Meng Chong spent his days in the mountains, meditating on the Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist. His mind constantly reverberated with the image of his master's swift and fierce movements, like angry thunder.

Gradually, he imprinted this image into his mind, carefully contemplating its essence.

From then on, Meng Chong ventured out early in the morning and returned late at night, practicing the fist technique in the mountains daily. He continually deepened the impression of his master's demonstration, engraving the might of wind and thunder into his mind.

Li Xuan, on the other hand, was waiting for Xu Yan to break through to the Innate Realm. Once that happened, he could begin teaching him the techniques beyond the Innate Realm.

The path of martial arts still needed to be explored by Xu Yan.

Li Xuan had also prepared the next steps for Meng Chong's cultivation after the Great Sun Golden Bell Cover technique. He was gradually perfecting the physical martial arts as well.

However, the martial arts techniques for the Innate Realm required Meng Chong to first comprehend the Wind and Thunder Vajra Fist and other techniques before they could be taught to him. This was to prevent Meng Chong from being too distracted and unable to focus, which might hinder his enlightenment.

...

In the Endless Mountains, the First Prince of Qi, protected by a group of experts, continued his exploration, venturing deeper into the vast mountain range.

"Where is the exalted master?" The First Prince asked eagerly.

The struggle for the crown prince position had reached a critical point, and the First Prince was on the verge of securing the title. However, due to Xu Yan, a powerful martial artist, the Emperor and the royal family of Qi had to bow their heads in concession.

Guo Rongshan, who appeared to be second only to the Emperor, actually held immense influence over the entire country of Qi, including the Emperor himself!

Up to this point, Guo Rongshan had not done anything outrageous, restrained by his reputation as a saintly and virtuous man. It was also due to his broadened horizons, causing him to value his reputation more than secular imperial power.

The First Prince believed that his quest for a master was not just for himself but for the entire country of Qi and the royal family.

"Who was it that suggested starting the search from Guo Rongshan's son-in-law's house?" The First Prince clenched his teeth in resentment.

If they hadn't gone to raid Xu Yan's home back then, none of this would have happened.

"Your Highness, we have ventured more than 500 miles into the Endless Mountains. Do you wish to go deeper?" a eunuch attendant asked worriedly.

The son of the Minister of War had ventured about 500 miles into the Endless Mountains before meeting with disaster.

Of course, it wasn't in this particular mountain range but in another entrance about a hundred miles away.

The First Prince surveyed their surroundings. They could either explore to the left or right or continue deeper, but the latter option was risky.

He glanced at his team, comprised of powerful experts, including several dozen imperial bodyguards.

This team far surpassed the one that had accompanied the son of the Minister of War in terms of combat strength. Even if they encountered danger, they wouldn't be completely helpless.

Even if they were powerless to fight back, with so many people, the monster would probably be full before it could suck the life out of the First Prince.

The First Prince gritted his teeth and said, "Let's continue forward!"

Fortune favors the bold, and the path of martial arts lies in embracing danger!

"Yes, Your Highness!" The eunuch attendant nodded and passed on the order.

However, his thoughts were elsewhere: "I wonder if martial arts can cause roots to grow? Or does the absence of roots not affect cultivation?"

Despite his physical shortcomings, he still yearned for the path of martial arts.

The First Prince's entourage consisted of over 300 people, all well-equipped. As they traveled, fierce beasts avoided them, and they climbed mountains and crossed valleys without encountering any danger.

Occasionally, venomous snakes appeared, but they were swiftly dispatched before they could enter the inner circle of the group. Moreover, the guards wore leather armor and applied snake repellent, causing most snakes to slither away from a distance.

"Where is that exalted master?" The First Prince couldn't help but feel dejected.

Deep in the Endless Mountains, two figures strode through the forest, their feet not touching the ground.

Suddenly, a roar reverberated through the air, and a colorful tiger leaped out.

The young man in the lead, who appeared to be in his twenties, glanced at the colorful tiger and smiled. "Is that a Red-Eyed Tiger?"

The middle-aged man behind him nodded. "Yes, Young Master."

The colorful tiger, about to unleash its might, cowered under the young man's gaze, lying down obediently like a well-behaved house cat.

The young man smiled and looked toward the expanse beyond the Endless Mountains.

"Did Blood Heartless really escape to the frontier? Does he think no one will dare to pursue him there?

"Others may not dare, but I, Xie Lingfeng, am not afraid!"

The middle-aged man, Hu Shan, cautioned, "Young Master, don't be careless. Blood Heartless is a Demon Sect master who cultivates the Blood Devil Scripture, absorbing the essence and blood of others, especially martial artists.

"Although there is no spiritual energy in the frontier for cultivation, many people still live there. Given Blood Heartless' cruelty, he will undoubtedly commit atrocities like slaughtering an entire city for a blood sacrifice.

"His strength has likely recovered, and he may even be more powerful than before."

However, Xie Lingfeng exuded confidence. "Hu Shan, don't forget that I am also a Grandmaster. Even if Blood Heartless is stronger, with our combined efforts, we will surely defeat him!

"Moreover, I, Xie Lingfeng, alone am enough to kill him. I've slain plenty of Grandmaster martial artists before!"

Hu Shan considered his words and found them reasonable. Young Master Xie Lingfeng was one of the three youngest Grandmaster martial artists in the Inner Domain, a renowned martial genius with extraordinary strength far beyond that of ordinary martial artists.

And Hu Shan himself was also a Grandmaster martial artist.

Even if Young Master Xie couldn't defeat Blood Heartless alone, with Hu Shan's help, Blood Heartless was as good as dead.

"Hu Shan, it is precisely because there are people living in the frontier that we must go and kill Blood Heartless. Otherwise, the frontier will become a living hell!" Xie Lingfeng's expression turned solemn.

His tone turned cold and grave as he continued, "Blood Heartless has been hiding in the frontier for some time now, and he has likely already committed heinous crimes!"

Hu Shan nodded. In the frontier, where there were no powerful experts, Blood Heartless could slaughter thousands without resistance.

"Let's go. We must hurry to the frontier!" Xie Lingfeng said, soaring into the air and flying toward the end of the Endless Mountains.

Hu Shan followed closely behind.

"Young Master, look! There's someone over there!" Half an hour later, Hu Shan suddenly pointed to the left and said.

Xie Lingfeng sighed, "Blood Heartless has indeed committed atrocities. These people have been forced to flee into the Endless Mountains. With their strength, even with bows and crossbows, if they venture deeper and encounter fierce beasts like the Red-Eyed Tigers or Fire-Maned Wolves, they will likely face total annihilation."

Hu Shan nodded in agreement.

It was clear that this group had come to the mountains to seek refuge, and given that Blood Heartless had escaped to the frontier, it wasn't difficult to guess that his slaughter there had driven these people to flee here.

"Let's go down and ask them," Xie Lingfeng said as he flew towards the First Prince and his entourage.

The First Prince and his companions had been searching for quite some time, and everyone was exhausted. They stopped to rest.

"Where is this exalted master? Where did Xu Yan meet this master?" The First Prince wondered aloud, feeling a bit discouraged.

Having lived a life of privilege, he had never experienced such hardships.

"Your Highness, look! It's the exalted master!" one of the eunuch attendants exclaimed excitedly.

The First Prince's spirits lifted instantly, and he looked up to see two figures descending from the sky.

In an instant, they landed right in front of them.

A master!

At that moment, the First Prince was filled with excitement, his face flushed, and all his fatigue vanished.

He jumped up, but then felt it wasn't appropriate, and as he was about to stand up, he knelt down with a plop.

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Qi, pays his respects to the exalted master!" The First Prince bowed.

Following his lead, the rest of the guards knelt down, equally excited.

"We pay our respects to the exalted master!" they exclaimed.

Xie Lingfeng sighed inwardly. Blood Heartless had indeed caused a lot of trouble, forcing the royalty of a country to seek a master in the Endless Mountains to resolve the impending disaster.

"Please rise," Xie Lingfeng said in a deep voice.

"Yes, exalted master!" The First Prince stood up, his face filled with excitement.

He stole glances at Xie Lingfeng and his companion. Although Xie Lingfeng looked younger than him, he didn't dare assume that Xie Lingfeng was actually younger in age.

After all, masters could maintain their youth and possess eternal life.

"Has your country of Qi encountered some sort of calamity?" Xie Lingfeng asked in a deep voice.

The First Prince was taken aback. How did the master know? But it made sense—ever since Xu Yan's arrival, Qi had undergone significant changes. As for the impending disaster? It was possible. Who knew if Guo Rongshan would suddenly rebel one day?

"Yes, yes, exalted master, your foresight is truly divine!" The First Prince nodded vigorously.

Xie Lingfeng's heart sank. Blood Heartless had indeed started his killing spree and blood sacrifices, consuming the essence and blood of others to strengthen himself.

If he hadn't come, the atrocities in the frontier would be unimaginable.

Thinking of this, his face turned cold, and he asked, "He has indeed been reckless. Tell me, how many people have died?"

How many people have died?

The First Prince was a little stunned. He didn't know the exact number, but everyone in the capital knew about Xu Yan's defeat of the elite Godly Might Army, an elite force of ten thousand soldiers.

However, he didn't know how many of the Godly Might Army had perished.

"I don't know the exact number, but I heard that he single-handedly defeated our elite Godly Might Army, ten thousand strong!" The First Prince replied honestly.

Xie Lingfeng's killing intent grew stronger. So, he had already slaughtered ten thousand people?

And these were the elite forces of Qi. What about before this?

Blood Heartless had undoubtedly already killed countless others and may have even performed a blood sacrifice of an entire city, prompting Qi to deploy their elite forces to surround and suppress him.

"Tell me, where is he now?" Xie Lingfeng asked in a deep voice.

"Probably in the Eastern River County," the First Prince replied, not entirely sure.

However, from the master's expression, it seemed like there was some enmity between him and Xu Yan, or perhaps Xu Yan's master? It would be good if there was enmity, as it would prevent them from joining forces.

"Exalted master, please protect our royal family of Qi. We are willing to appoint you as the National Master to protect our country!" The First Prince bowed and made his request.

"There's no need for a National Master title. I will resolve the disaster that has befallen your country of Qi," Xie Lingfeng said after a moment of thought.

"Yes, exalted master!" The First Prince was a little disappointed.

However, as long as the master went to the capital of Qi, there would still be a chance for a turnaround.

"Exalted master, please come with me to the capital. We can quickly find out his whereabouts," the First Prince instructed, and they immediately set off to return to the capital of Qi.

Xie Lingfeng noticed that their group was moving too slowly. By the time they returned to the capital, Blood Heartless would have already killed countless more people.

To avoid further delay, Xie Lingfeng reached out and grabbed the First Prince's shoulder, saying, "You lead the way. Let's go."

The First Prince was a little flustered and smiled awkwardly, "Er... exalted master, I don't know the direction..."

"But my companion does!" The First Prince quickly pointed to the eunuch attendant beside him.

"Then let's go together," Xie Lingfeng nodded.

Hu Shan reached out and grabbed the eunuch attendant, and together with Xie Lingfeng, they rose into the air.

"We're flying!" The First Prince was thrilled. He looked down and was startled by the height, his body shaking a little.

Xu Yan didn't know how to fly yet, but this master's strength was clearly superior to Xu Yan's. Now, let's see how arrogant Xu Yan could be.

The glory of Guo Rongshan's family would come to an end.

It was time for his father, the emperor, to abdicate the throne.

The old fool only knew how to take out his frustrations on his own son! The First Prince thought bitterly.

"Show me the way," Xie Lingfeng said to the eunuch attendant.

"It's over there! The capital is over there!" The eunuch attendant's voice trembled with excitement as he pointed towards the capital of Qi.

He really wanted to ask the master if the roots that had been cut off could regrow for cultivation, but he never found the courage to ask.

"Let's go!" Xie Lingfeng's martial energy surged, protecting the First Prince as they flew towards the capital of Qi.

Hu Shan held onto the eunuch attendant and followed closely behind.

The capital of Qi was still bustling with activity.

The officials had no heart to attend court sessions, and the common folk didn't seem to mind. As long as they were left alone to live their lives, they didn't care who was in charge or whether the officials attended court.

However, everyone praised the King of Qi as a virtuous and wise ruler. Ever since he had taken control of the government and assisted the Emperor, excessive taxes had been reduced, and life had improved.

In the imperial palace, the Emperor of Qi was entertaining Guo Rongshan, addressing him as "brother Guo" in a friendly manner. By his side was his beloved concubine, Yun Fei.

Guo Rongshan felt extremely uncomfortable.

The last time, the Emperor had hinted at giving Yun Fei to him, and he had hastily refused.

Now, with Yun Fei by the Emperor's side, what did it mean?

"Brother Guo, you seem to be getting younger and stronger. How about I give you..." The Emperor of Qi smiled.

Guo Rongshan felt suffocated. What kind of emperor was he, having such strange thoughts? Where was that master? Why hadn't they found him yet?

"Your Majesty, I am flattered, but my wife is like a tigress, and I dare not think of such things!" Guo Rongshan quickly declined.

This Emperor seemed to have some sort of fetish. Could it be that he wanted to give away another concubine?

"Father Emperor, the master has arrived! I have found the master!" a thrilled voice suddenly called out from above.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end