"Ah?"
In an instant, Chen Xi spurred her horse into a small world, and immediately felt immense pressure. In someone else's small world, she would naturally suffer various suppressions. Chen Xi's fist intent erupted, and she leaped from her horse, hovering in mid-air. Her fists clenched, and a faint "peng peng peng" sound came from her knuckles as her fist intent grew stronger, making her appear like a deity.
A peak eleventh-realm martial artist, Chen Xi was incredibly talented in the art of boxing. Her father had not inherited his grandfather Chen Wanli's boxing talent, but Chen Xi showed signs of surpassing him. At only 28 years old, a peak Heavenly Origin Realm martial artist, it was said that Chen Xi had already glimpsed the threshold of the Rebirth Realm. If she could break through one day, she would truly be unique in the human world.
But at this very moment, someone intended to assassinate this rising star among human martial artists.
"Who's there? Come out."
Chen Xi narrowed her beautiful eyes, looking at the gentle breeze ahead, and smiled, "Since you've set a trap to kill me, don't you even dare show your face? Or perhaps, you're an acquaintance and dare not reveal yourself?"
From the ethereal surroundings, a crisp, bell-like female laughter rang out, "Marshal, you jest. What acquaintances are there? Just a passerby I've never met."
As she spoke, a sharp ringing sound exploded from the ground. Immediately, a beam of sword light shot straight towards Chen Xi. Following the sword light was a woman in a long black dress, her face veiled. Her features were indistinct, but her eyes were exceptionally beautiful, and her figure was graceful. Even Chen Xi, a martial artist, felt inferior.
Such a beautiful woman, and yet a twelfth-realm sword cultivator?
Chen Xi threw out a powerful punch. Instantly, her fist aura collided with the sword energy, exploding in the small world, creating ripples of unceasing sword qi and fist aura. With just one contact, Chen Xi was at a disadvantage. Her opponent was a twelfth-realm sword cultivator, with supreme swordsmanship and profound sword intent. The force of this sword strike was like metal and stone, making her fist numb and forcing her to retreat dozens of steps.
The woman in black remained silent, her figure flashing and disappearing. Immediately, sword light rained down, and she had already deployed her Natal Flying Sword!
Chen Xi's cloak fluttered in the wind as she looked up at the sky full of sword energy, unwilling to surrender. With a crisp shout, the pale golden Soldier God's Gallbladder within her thrummed. In the next moment, she sent countless fist auras towards the sky, filling it with the sight of fist aura and sword energy colliding. Yet, even as a peak eleventh-realm martial artist, she was constantly pushed back, her fist aura shattering faster than the opponent's sword energy dissipated.
Logically, an eleventh-realm martial artist would have no chance against a twelfth-realm sword cultivator. But Chen Xi was different. She had formed a Soldier God's Gallbladder. According to the grading of martial artists' martial gallbladders, the General's Gallbladder was the most common, yet most martial artists could not resonate with even one in their lifetime. Thus, in the martial world, those who could form a General's Gallbladder were already outstanding and envied. Above the General's Gallbladder was the Spirit-Warrior's Gallbladder. Those who possessed a Spirit-Warrior's Gallbladder were almost guaranteed to enter the Sea-Stepping Realm, such as Chu Huaixi, Mu Zha, and Chu Yu, all of whom possessed Spirit-Warrior's Gallbladders. Such individuals would be regarded as grandmasters of boxing in the human martial world.
Above the Spirit-Warrior's Gallbladder was the even more precious Soldier God's Gallbladder. Those who formed a Soldier God's Gallbladder could ascend the upper five realms as if walking on flat ground. In the Great Shang Dynasty, Chen Xi, the Southern Marshal Lin Ruo, and the Rebirth Realm Old Marshal Lu Fengxian were all individuals who had formed Soldier God's Gallbladders. Above the Soldier God's Gallbladder was the Battle God's Gallbladder, which all martial artists in the world looked up to. It was rumored that anyone who formed a Battle God's Gallbladder would inevitably reach the twelfth realm, the Rebirth Realm, in their lifetime!
This was also why Old Marshal Chen Wanli had lamented so much when Lin Zhao died. If Lin Zhao had not died and continued practicing boxing, let alone the Rebirth Realm, he might have even seen the threshold of the thirteenth realm of martial artists! If he truly became a thirteenth-realm martial artist, he could contend with a fourteenth-realm Demon Ancestor. Even if he couldn't win, he wouldn't be easily defeated, and if he was willing to fight to the death, he would have a good chance of exchanging lives with a Demon Ancestor.
Therefore, Chen Xi's Soldier God's Gallbladder was exceedingly rare.
Moreover, at only 28 years old and in the Heavenly Origin Realm, she was even rarer. There were even rumors in the martial world that Chen Xi might break through within ten years and become a true Rebirth Realm martial artist. At that time, with her boxing talent and proud spirit, few in this world could match her.
Yet, in the Great Shang Dynasty, within the Imperial Capital Bai Di City, someone intended to defy heaven and eliminate this eleventh-realm martial artist.
...
After thirty moves, Chen Xi's fist intent began to be suppressed. Although her boxing techniques remained orderly, her momentum and strength were completely crushed by her opponent. The disparity in realms was evident. It was already a miracle for an eleventh-realm martial artist to last thirty moves within a twelfth-realm sword cultivator's domain, especially when that twelfth-realm cultivator was so formidable.
"Pfft..."
Chen Xi was struck on the shoulder by another sword. She coughed up blood and retreated, her surrounding protective fist aura continuously disintegrating. Her expression was grave. This time, she might truly die. Her opponent had thrown out over a dozen magical treasures and deployed all three of her Natal Flying Swords. Her killing intent was too strong; she had no intention of giving Chen Xi a chance to survive.
She gritted her teeth, filled with indignation. She had thrown punches continuously, exerting her full strength, yet she couldn't even break through the opponent's veil. At the very least, she wanted to see the opponent's true face and know who was trying to kill her! In this world, there weren't many twelfth-realm sword cultivators with matching realms, sword intent, age, and gender. Perhaps it was Su Qingjiu from Changming Mountain, or Lin Wanhua from Fusu Great Wall, or perhaps someone from the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Otherwise, the opponent would surely not be human. Could it be a female sword immortal from the demon race?
It didn't seem like it.
Few people knew about Chen Xi's visit to the capital to meet the Emperor, and not many would want to kill her. In the entire Great Shang Dynasty, who in Bai Di City would want to eliminate the Lord of Tian Ji City? It could only be the Great Shang imperial family or the Southern Marshal's people. Wen Hao wouldn't have such a powerful twelfth-realm sword cultivator, so it had to be the Great Shang Dynasty.
"Cao Ying."
Chen Xi retreated, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth. She sneered, "After you kill me, do you think the Cang Nan Iron Cavalry will obey someone surnamed Zhao? Dream on. The Cang Nan Iron Cavalry will only obey someone surnamed Chen!"
The masked woman in black chuckled without speaking, but her sword light grew even fiercer.
Waves of sword qi surged towards her, chilling Chen Xi's heart. There was no opportunity. Ambushed by a twelfth-realm sword immortal, there was almost no chance of escape.
Just then, suddenly, not far away, amidst a sharp sound, a small protrusion appeared on the boundary wall of the twelfth-realm sword cultivator's small world. A sword tip was constantly drilling through this small world. Was she... trying to break through the opponent's small world?
"Ah?!"
The woman in black's heart tightened, her face filled with confusion.
With a soft "chi" sound, Lin Zhao, with his fingers spread and controlling the Flying Sword Haoran to pierce through the opponent's small world, charged in. Behind him was Leng Yan. The moment they entered the twelfth-realm sword cultivator's small world, the Flying Sword Haoran "swished" and emitted a golden ripple, replacing it with a new small world, one imbued with a strong Confucian aura.
"This..."
The woman in black was greatly alarmed.
"Marshal Chen Xi!"
Lin Zhao, with his back to Chen Xi, said, "I'm late, apologies. The sword dao restrictions of a twelfth-realm sword immortal are indeed difficult to break."
"..."
Chen Xi's face was filled with shock. This young sword cultivator looked familiar. She seemed to have seen him in Tian Ji City before. Yes, during a patrol return, she had seen him in Tian Ji City. Could he be one of those people from another world who mingled in Tian Ji City? His words were spoken lightly, but they were actually quite terrifying. To break through the restrictions of a twelfth-realm sword immortal, how many people in the world dared to speak so casually?
"Oh, you have help?"
The woman in black chuckled, her beautiful eyes filled with alluring charm. She ignored the fact that she was in Lin Zhao's small world. Her sword light flashed, once again stirring up a turbulent wave of sword energy, attacking Lin Zhao, Chen Xi, and Leng Yan.
"Be careful!"
Chen Xi supported her severely injured arm, her fist intent rising step by step, ready to punch again. After all, although the young sword cultivator possessed divine skills, his realm was simply too low. He was only in the lower five realms. How could he dare to challenge a twelfth-realm great sword immortal?
"A Yan!"
Lin Zhao suddenly gave a light shout. Then, he took out nine Zhao Jian Talismans from his embrace and lit them all. In the next moment, the nine Zhao Jian Talismans exploded, transforming into countless strands of sword qi that bombarded the woman in black. Nine beams of sword light flew out like lightning. Five of them belonged to Lin Wanhua, and four belonged to Su Qingjiu, each with about twenty percent of their peak sword intent!
The sound of clashing sword qi filled the air!
"Ah?!"
While the woman in black was startled, Leng Yan had already lit nine Zhao Jian Talismans. Lin Zhao had given her a total of 20, not holding back at all. After the version update, using military talismans consumed stamina, so she instantly used 180 stamina points and, along with Lin Zhao, threw out nine beams of sword energy. After all, these were only twenty percent of Su Qingjiu's and Lin Wanhua's strength. They posed more of a deterrent than substantial damage to a twelfth-realm sword immortal, so the more the better!
"Zhao Jian Talismans!?"
The woman in black spread her five fingers, condensing a brilliant sword aura to constantly defend against the attack. However, the sword aura shattered inch by inch. Even at twenty percent strength, the sword techniques and sword intent within them were undiminished, making the woman in black feel extremely uncomfortable. A chill ran through her heart. These 18 Zhao Jian Talismans came from two twelfth-realm sword cultivators. The sword intent and sword techniques of these two were slightly stronger than hers. As for who they were, did she even need to ask?
She glanced coldly at Lin Zhao. This person had connections with Lin Wanhua and Su Qingjiu. It was better not to kill him today, lest she create enmity later. Not only the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but even the Great Shang imperial family would have trouble.
She drifted away, shattering a magical artifact as she fled Lin Zhao's small world. In reality, she was overthinking. Lin Zhao's realm was too low to sustain the small world for long.
...
The world before them vanished. Chen Xi, Lin Zhao, and Leng Yan were still standing on the dirt road outside the wine shop.
Chen Xi panted, began circulating her energy to heal her injuries, and cupped her fists respectfully, saying, "Chen Xi of Tian Ji City thanks you for saving my life. May I know your esteemed names?"
Lin Zhao cupped his fists, "Lin Zhao!"
Leng Yan hesitated for a moment, then, like Lin Zhao, cupped her fists with a smile like a martial world traveler, "Leng Yan!"