Chapter 176: First Encounter in Ping County

Chapter 176: First Encounter in Ping County

That kind of pain permeated every nerve of An Jing, and this pain was continuous, without interruption.

“Is this due to Cultivating the Nine Nether Purgatory Demonic Codex?”

An Jing quickly sat down cross-legged, the Qi in his body surged out wildly, resisting the black flames.

The two great Mind-Cultivation Techniques of the Xuanmen within his body circulated frantically, a large amount of Qi condensed within his body, but the black flames not only didn't panic, they became even more turbulent and surging.

“Boom!”

Just as the Qi from the Xuanmen Mind-Cultivation Technique flowed into the black flames, it directly transformed into surging black Qi. Although the black Qi was very small, its Aura suddenly erupted.

The Qi condensed by the Xuanmen appeared white, completely incompatible with the black Qi.

An Jing's face was twisted by the excruciating burning pain. He frantically urged the Qi in his body, constantly resisting the destruction of the black Qi.

Although he had long known the power of the Nine Nether Purgatory Demonic Codex Mind-Cultivation Technique, he was still startled by the Qi derived from the Nine Nether Purgatory Demonic Codex he faced at this moment.

Both the Great Luo Heart Method and the Ghost Valley Heart Sutra are Xuanmen martial arts derived from the Jade Emperor Scripture, so they are definitely incompatible with the Nine Nether Purgatory Demonic Codex.

“Hoo hoo.”

Violent gasps continuously came from An Jing's mouth, and streaks of crimson blood seeped out from his pores.

It looked extremely terrifying and eerie.

However, as soon as the blood appeared, it solidified into a枷, firmly adhering to his skin, making An Jing look like he was clad in crimson armor.

At this moment, An Jing, under the impact of the two streams of Qi, was in a state of wandering between losing himself.

Indescribable excruciating pain emanated from every part of An Jing's body. That kind of pain was enough to drive one mad, yet An Jing's eyes were bloodshot, and he stubbornly held on with sheer willpower.

The Qi within An Jing's body immediately rushed fearlessly towards the black Qi, then forcibly enveloped it, circulating along the path of the Xuanmen Mind-Cultivation Technique!

Facing the refinement of the Xuanmen Mind-Cultivation Technique, the black Qi seemed to sense something and immediately struggled violently.

After all, these two types of Qi have fundamental differences and are completely incompatible.

The black Qi's repulsive force was too strong; the white Qi simply couldn't bear it. That powerful repulsive force permeated every part of his body and also filled his Dantian. These repulsive forces, unable to leak out, would sooner or later completely burn An Jing from the inside out.

An Jing's mind instantly became somewhat muddled, almost losing control.

If he were to lose control and allow the black Qi to rampage within his body, then he would not be far from exploding.

“Embrace the One, Open the Mind to Clarity.”

An Jing silently recited the incantation, as if everything in his mind had disappeared, reaching a state of selflessness.

The black Qi was like an enraged Dragon, constantly surging within An Jing's body, finally all converging into his Dantian.

That Dantian also trembled when faced with the black Qi that suddenly invaded it.

The black and white Qi confronted each other, and a terrifying and alarming Aura spread out.

It was as if this was a life-and-death struggle.

Once these two great Qi collided and intersected, the storm they would cause within his body would be enough to severely injure him.

An Jing instantly came to his senses, then operated the Great Luo Heart Method and the Ghost Valley Heart Sutra with one hand, and the Nine Nether Purgatory Demonic Codex with the other.

If it were someone of ordinary Aptitude, it would be impossible to simultaneously operate these three Mind-Cultivation Techniques, especially since the Nine Nether Purgatory Demonic Codex is a martial art above the Heavenly Martial Realm.

In an instant, the black and white Qi were guided by each other and became docile.

The originally tense atmosphere also became much calmer.

“Whew.”

An Jing felt the situation within his body, then let out a heavy sigh.

At this moment, the black and white Qi were entrenched within his Dantian, clearly separated from each other, with the middle resembling a thunder pool, where neither would cross half a step.

This scene immediately made his heart vigilant.

The Demonic Cult's Mind-Cultivation Techniques and the Xuanmen's Mind-Cultivation Techniques are not interchangeable; they are mutually exclusive. Possessing both Mind-Cultivation Techniques means he has an extra layer of huge hidden danger.

“Hmm?”

An Jing opened his eyes and then found that the Ground Book showed that the Nine Nether Purgatory Demonic Codex had already reached the fourth layer.

One must know that the Nine Nether Purgatory Demonic Codex is the most top-tier martial art in the current world, and each layer's improvement is extremely difficult, especially since An Jing had only Cultivated for a few short days, and he had not yet studied or pondered it.

Seeing this, An Jing couldn't help but think to himself: This Nine Nether Purgatory Demonic Codex is a martial art that only the Demonic Cult Leader can Cultivate. Does this mean I can also become the Demonic Cult Leader?

A true man lives between Heaven and Earth; how can he remain in a subordinate position for long? Occasionally being in charge is also acceptable.

Soon, he dismissed this 'unrealistic' idea from his mind.

An Jing muttered to himself, “Forget it, improving my strength is still the most important thing right now.”

Although he had been constantly studying and pondering the Four Symbols Sword Ancestor's sword帖 these past few days, his sword Dao cultivation had progressed slowly. The fifth and sixth Realms were a huge threshold.

Throughout history, how many top-tier swordsmen have been stuck in this Realm.

Therefore, wanting to advance to the sixth Realm is not an overnight matter.

“From Half-Step Grandmaster to Grandmaster is also a threshold, but if there is enough Heaven and Earth Spiritual Essence accumulated, there is still a chance.”

An Jing murmured to himself, then took out the Holy Essence Gu from his bosom: “I almost forgot this precious item.”

At this moment, the Holy Essence Gu had lost its previous roundness and translucence; it seemed very hungry, and its body had shriveled. Not to mention condensing Heaven and Earth Spiritual Essence, it was questionable whether it could even survive.

Obtaining this Holy Essence Gu was a blue Opportunity, and even an expert like Lou Xiangzhen was moved by it. Afterwards, Lou Xiangzhen used some method to hatch this Holy Essence Gu, and it nurtured a lot of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Essence as soon as it was born.

Most of it was used by Lou Xiangzhen to advance to the Three Qi Realm, but a small portion remained, allowing An Jing to Breakthrough to the cultivation of a Half-Step Grandmaster.

After such a long time without feeding, this Holy Essence Gu seemed to be on its last breath.

An Jing took a deep breath, “But I need to find a way to make it produce Heaven and Earth Spiritual Essence. Old Man Lou said when he left that this thing likes to eat various rare jade stones. I'll buy some jade stones to feed the Holy Essence Gu when I go to Ping County.”

After putting away the Holy Essence Gu, An Jing no longer hesitated and directly landed on the back of the Black Flood Dragon.

“Roar!”

Although the Black Flood Dragon was currently very timid, it was very intelligent and could completely understand An Jing's instructions. It shook its head and tail and flew away into the distance.

Tianmen City, as its name suggests, is the gateway to Yujing City, and Ping County is a territory under the jurisdiction of Yujing City. After passing Tianmen City, one reaches the outskirts of Yujing City.

An Jing first urged the Black Flood Dragon to hide in the mountains and forests before entering Ping County.

Ping County is neither big nor small, situated between Yujing City and Youfeng Valley, serving as an important thoroughfare connecting the east and Yujing City. Because it is backed by Yujing City, this place is also very prosperous.

An Jing had originally thought that he would be exceptionally excited upon arriving here, but at this moment, he felt a complex and subtle emotion.

“Sugar gourds for sale! Four coins a string.”

“Rice for sale, come and see!”

“Stinky tofu, smells stinky, tastes delicious, everyone come and see.”

The streets were bustling with people, coming and going, shoulder to shoulder. The shouts of vendors from shops on both sides were incessant, and there were also several small stalls nearby, including a fortune teller holding a banner.

The banner read: Ancient legends of immortal arts, surpassing astrology and Zi Dou.

An Jing walked through the marketplace, looking at the bustling scene before him, and couldn't help but feel a little lost in thought.

The fortune teller looked up and smiled, “Sir, would you like to have your palm read?”

“Are you accurate?”

An Jing glanced at the fortune teller and asked.

“This thing, if you believe it, it will be effective.”

The fortune teller said with a smile, “Come and have a reading, I am very accurate.”

“No, thank you.”

An Jing glanced at the fortune teller's palm and shook his head.

This fortune teller had a strong scent of blood, and although his palms seemed to have no calluses, there was a sharp Qi about him, making him seem less like a fortune teller and more like someone who sold his life.

The fortune teller smiled and said nothing more.

“Sir, you must have come from afar, right? I can guide you, sir.”

At this moment, a clever-looking young man walked over.

In various regions, there are 'consultants' who are quick-witted and sharp-eyed. They specialize in helping others with directions, finding people, finding objects, and gathering information in exchange for some silver.

The young man saw that An Jing was unfamiliar and wore a robe that concealed his face, with an ancient long sword in his hand, and immediately knew he was a Jianghu person from out of town.

“How long have you been in Ping County?”

An Jing glanced at the young man and asked.

The young man quickly replied, “Sir, I was born and raised here. I can say that I am very familiar with every blade of grass and every tree in Ping County.”

“Here's some silver.”

An Jing heard this, took out an ounce of silver, and said, “I only have one question.”

“Please ask, sir.”

The young man's eyes lit up, and he said excitedly.

An ounce of silver!

This was an ounce of silver!

Few people would give so much for a consultation.

Several people nearby saw this and showed a hint of envy.

An Jing was silent for a moment, then said, “Are there any large families named Zhao in Ping County?”

“I've lived here for over ten years, and I only know the Zhang Family and the Zuo Family.”

The young man shook his head and said.

An Jing nodded, but exhaled heavily in his heart, then his mood became gloomy again.

Although he had long known this outcome, now that the facts were before his eyes, he still couldn't quite react.

An Jing, you fool!

This Lady's image as a refined young lady is false; her ruthless and vicious side is probably the real one.

But why would Zhao Qingmei marry him?

An Jing was puzzled.

Seeing An Jing lost in thought, the young man stood obediently by his side without speaking.

Many things seemed to suddenly become clear.

For example, Master Jiang, who suddenly wanted to kill him. Logically speaking, he couldn't have known An Jing's true identity, and An Jing had never made any enemies with such an expert, so why would such an expert want to kill him?

Therefore, it must have been because of his Lady that Master Jiang brutally attacked him.

Also, Zhao Qingmei had been gone for so long. She once said she would return to Yu Prefecture City in two months. Now, she must know that 'An Jing' has died, so she naturally has no need to return to Yu Prefecture City.

“Whew.”

Thinking of this, An Jing let out a breath.

If he were to go directly to find Zhao Qingmei, the Ground Book restricted him, preventing him from revealing his identity, which would instead lead to a confrontation with the Demonic Cult.

Since his Lady was safe, he no longer had to worry so much.

“Strength is most important in the Jianghu, so the most important thing is to improve my own strength. Besides that, I also need to infiltrate the Demonic Cult. Firstly, I can slowly improve my strength, and secondly, I can also find out about my Lady's plot against me.”

“So, now I need to find that old fellow Li Fuzhou, then offer my letter of submission and infiltrate the Demonic Cult.”

An Jing's mind raced, and in an instant, he had thought out his current path and strategy.

In short, infiltrating the Demonic Cult first was the best strategy.

Li Fuzhou seemed to be around Yujing City, and Tan Yun was also there. And because of the Master-disciple relationship between Tan Yun and Li Fuzhou, Tan Yun had even become a Protector in the Demonic Cult. It would be extremely difficult for him to find them.

Recalling the last time he met Li Fuzhou on Five Poison Mountain, An Jing couldn't help but sigh to the sky: “If only I had known, when Li Fuzhou tried to recruit me back then, I shouldn't have been so absolute in my refusal.”

Many things are only regretted after they are missed.

Even if he found Li Fuzhou now, it would probably not be so easy to make him believe him.

Li Fuzhou was a complete old fox, very difficult to deal with. If he suddenly changed his tone and said he wanted to join the Demonic Cult, Li Fuzhou would definitely become highly suspicious.

Could he enter the Demonic Cult through Tan Yun and thus get more news about his Lady?

An Jing thought to himself, “Before going to Yujing City, I should first retrieve the Town Evil Sword Clone from Xu Wang Mountain.

Every bit of strength helps.”

“Sir.”

The young man beside him saw An Jing standing still and silent for a long time, and said with some trepidation.

An Jing came back to his senses, took out another tael of silver and threw it to the young man, saying, “Take me to my jade selling shop.”

“Alright, this way, Sir.”

The young man was extremely excited to see An Jing being so generous.

Jingji Province, Qinghe Village.

In a square courtyard in the village, lamplight flickered inside the house.

On the square table, there were three sets of tea utensils.

A beautiful, plump young woman stood by, carefully listening to the conversation of the people present.

This woman was none other than Tan Yun.

Sitting at the table were Li Fuzhou, Human Sect Leader Li Fuzhou, Lin Tianhai, Azure Dragon Seat Leader, and Luo Zixiang, a Great Master of the Demonic Cult Earth Sect.

“This Ghost Swordsman is too much, he doesn’t put our Demonic Cult in his eyes at all.”

Lin Tianhai’s old face sank, and he began to complain bitterly to Li Fuzhou and Luo Zixiang.

The Ghost Swordsman had almost castrated him, and Lin Tianhai would have been lying if he said he wasn’t afraid at the time.

When he thought back, he was still both shocked and scared.

Although he was old, his heart was not old; his former vigor was still present.

That day at Four Symbols Gate, if it weren’t for the Ghost Swordsman’s intervention, how could Xi Yuanjun and Jia Shiwu have been a match for him, Lin Tianhai?

After all, those two were Half-Step Grandmasters, while he, Lin Tianhai, had already reached the Grandmaster Realm.

“This Ghost Swordsman is indeed a bit strange.”

Li Fuzhou nodded, and said in a deep voice, “When I was at Sanmiao Mountain, I clearly didn’t say a word, yet he attacked and tried to kill me.

At the time, I thought he had some grudge with our Demonic Cult.”

Luo Zixiang, however, frowned deeply, “But last time in Huang Yao Town, the Ghost Swordsman personally saved Tan Yun.”

Tan Yun nodded repeatedly from the side, anxiously saying, “Yes, if the Ghost Swordsman hadn’t appeared, I might have fallen into the hands of the Black Robe Guard.

Perhaps there’s some misunderstanding.”

Tan Yun’s ‘words carried little weight’ and were highly emotional, and the three people present seemed to not hear what she said at all.

This made her anxious and covered in sweat.

The three of them were all frowning, deep in thought.

The Ghost Swordsman’s whereabouts were elusive, and his motives were equally so.

At this moment, Li Fuzhou took out a white paper and placed it on the table, saying, “Sect Master Yu sent a secret letter, saying that we should try our best to capture the Ghost Swordsman alive.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Tianhai couldn’t help but smile bitterly, “This Ghost Swordsman can even kill Old Man Qingfeng.

Forget about capturing him alive, it would be a great fortune if we could even defeat him.”

Old Man Qingfeng was a Grandmaster of the first Qi, and had been famous for a long time.

Even he died at the hands of the Ghost Swordsman, so how could the people present be a match for the Ghost Swordsman?

Luo Zixiang’s face was even more filled with surprise and uncertainty, “Zhenyi Sect couldn’t even capture him alive in Great Yan, so we probably…”

The Ghost Swordsman was no longer the Ghost Swordsman from Yu Prefecture City.

The lives of countless Great Masters at his hands had long since built up his prestige.

Tan Yun, on the other hand, was full of worry, but at this moment, she had no room to speak.

Li Fuzhou shook his head, “The Ghost Swordsman’s strength is unfathomable.

Our chances of success if we attack him are extremely small, but we can use others.”

“Oh?”

Lin Tianhai raised an eyebrow when he heard Li Fuzhou say that.

Li Fuzhou narrowed his eyes and said, “It’s well known in the Jianghu that Lou Xiangzhen and the Ghost Swordsman are on good terms.

And it’s an undeniable fact that Lou Xiangzhen once challenged the Sword God of Yuheng Sword Sect, had his spirit broken, and wasted decades.

Now, Lin Yiyang is one of the Six Great Sword Immortals, and the Ghost Swordsman is also one of the Six Great Sword Immortals.

This grudge has never been settled, and we can make an issue of it.”

Lin Tianhai was also a shrewd person, and immediately said, “Sect Leader Li, do you mean that we should widely publicize this matter, and then spread rumors that the Ghost Swordsman is challenging Lin Yiyang?

Let them fight each other, and we reap the benefits?”

Li Fuzhou nodded and said, “Exactly.

According to the intelligence received by our Human Sect, Lin Yiyang is already in Yujing City.”

In the Jianghu, Zhenyi Sect held a transcendent position, not needing to rely on any force within the Imperial Court.

Even the Second Prince had to lean towards Zhenyi Sect, making every effort to befriend it.

As for other forces, even one as powerful as Yuheng Sword Sect had to find a patron in the Imperial Court.

Lin Yiyang was arrogant and conceited, looking down on everyone, so he naturally had very few friends.

However, the current Crown Prince Zhao Chongyin was one of those very few.

Every time Lin Yiyang came to Yujing City, he had only one purpose.

That was to visit this old friend.

Luo Zixiang asked from the side, “What if the Ghost Swordsman and Lin Yiyang don’t fall for this open scheme?

You know, the Ghost Swordsman also seems to have a connection with the Crown Prince.”

At Four Symbols Gate, the Ghost Swordsman had intervened.

Otherwise, given Lin Tianhai’s strength, it would only be a matter of time before Xi Yuanjun and Jia Shiwu were defeated.

“If the Ghost Swordsman is confident, there are two reasons why he must challenge Lin Yiyang.”

Li Fuzhou pondered for a moment and said, “Firstly, Lou Xiangzhen was indeed harmed by a small trick used by the Sword God back then.

Secondly, Lin Yiyang is an arrogant person.

If he knew that the Ghost Swordsman was challenging him, whether it was true or false, he would be disdainful.

Who in the Jianghu doesn’t strive for fame and fortune, unless this Ghost Swordsman is willing to be a coward.”

Tan Yun finally had a chance to speak, saying, “But this Ghost Swordsman is like a coward.

Master, how about we try another strategy, like a honey trap?”

By the end, her voice had dropped, as if she had lost her courage.

Luo Zixiang lowered his head, Lin Tianhai drank water, and Li Fuzhou completely ignored her.

Li Fuzhou smiled faintly and said, “No one in the Jianghu doesn’t cherish their reputation.

When this matter is constantly being pushed forward, both of them will be at the forefront of public opinion.

Under the force of circumstances, they will have no choice but to act.

Do you still remember Lou Xiangzhen back then?”

After Jiang Sanjia was framed, Lou Xiangzhen remained in seclusion, ignoring the matter.

This caused a heated debate in the Jianghu at the time.

Those who wander the Jianghu generally value loyalty very highly.

Li Fuzhou shook his head and said, “Of course, if the Ghost Swordsman is truly so tolerant, and cannot be outsmarted, then we can only use force.”

“Force?”

Lin Tianhai glanced at Li Fuzhou.

Given the Ghost Swordsman’s strength, could they really use force?

Li Fuzhou said lightly, “When this old man returns from Yujing City, I will personally meet him.”

Lin Tianhai and Luo Zixiang said nothing, their expressions becoming extremely solemn.

Li Fuzhou had been silent for decades, so long that people had forgotten that he was once a prodigy, a prodigy that even Jiang Shang couldn’t help but secretly marvel at.

Tan Yun, on the other hand, bit her lip, her small head rapidly thinking about how to stop the three in front of her or inform the Ghost Swordsman, so he could quickly leave this place and avoid being ambushed by these cunning old men.

Ping County, at the entrance of the jade shop.

The young man pointed to the shop ahead and said, “Sir, that’s the jade shop.”

“Good, thank you.”

An Jing waved his hand and said, “Go on with your work.”

The young man rubbed his hands and said, “Sir, if you have any other instructions, I’ll just wait nearby.”

This gentleman before him was very generous, and he absolutely couldn't miss this excellent Opportunity.

An Jing nodded, then walked into the jade shop.

“Hmm?!”

As soon as he walked in, he saw a kind-faced old monk standing by, seemingly patiently waiting for something.

The old monk also sensed someone entering, then put his palms together in front of his chest and said, “Benefactor, we meet again.”

“I didn’t expect to see Great Master here.”

An Jing was also a little surprised and said with a smile, “It’s truly a small world.”

The old monk in front of him was none other than Puhui Bodhisattva, a Grandmaster of the Chan Sect.

For some reason, seeing the old monk in front of him, An Jing felt a strange sense of familiarity, perhaps because seeing the old monk reminded him of past events in Yu Prefecture City.

“Yes, this humble monk didn’t expect it either.”

Puhui Bodhisattva sighed with emotion, then asked, “May I ask why Benefactor is here today?”

“I’m here to find someone.”

“Looking at Benefactor’s appearance, you haven’t found him yet.”

“I’ve found him, and I haven’t found him.”

An Jing sighed wistfully and said, “Great Master, why are you not spreading Buddhist Dharma, but instead in this small city?”

Buddhist temples are now opening their doors across Great Yan, and the effects have been significant recently.

In a few years, the Great Yan Jianghu will likely have many more Buddhist disciples.

According to the current trend, Buddhism has already flourished everywhere, and Zhenyi Sect’s vital interests have been greatly affected, coupled with the heavy losses Zhenyi Sect suffered before, which injured its foundation.

Xiao Qianqiu, above Yuan Lake, also failed to display the demeanor of Zhenyi Sect as the national religion.

It can be said that Zhenyi Sect is now a wounded tiger.

But a wounded tiger is the most terrifying and the most ferocious.

If the Ghost Swordsman only had a dispute over Dao traditions with Zhenyi Sect, then Buddhism was a struggle for survival.

If Buddhism flourished, Zhenyi Sect would inevitably decline.

As the national religion of Great Yan, Zhenyi Sect would definitely respond.

Currently in the Great Yan Jianghu, only this Puhui Bodhisattva, who had just entered the Grandmaster Realm, was clearly no match for Zhenyi Sect.

Rumors in the Jianghu said that Buddhist Vajra had already crossed eastward and were stationed at Longquan Temple, the thousand-year-old Buddhist temple in Yujing City.

Vajra with angry eyes subdue demons, Bodhisattvas with lowered brows save all sentient beings.

Both Vajra and Bodhisattva are Buddhist fruit positions; the difference is that while Bodhisattvas have Grandmaster cultivation, they are not skilled in combat, while Vajra are known for their ferocity, cultivating Buddhist martial arts of killing and conquest, and are among the top experts in the same Realm.

In the war to suppress Buddhism back then, Buddhist Vajra emerged, fighting fiercely in all directions, with corpses piled for a hundred li, which still makes many Great Masters turn pale at the mention of it.

However, whether Longquan Temple truly had Buddhist Vajra, no one knew for sure.

Puhui Bodhisattva said, “This humble monk was entrusted by someone to ensure their safety.”

“Oh?”

Upon hearing this, An Jing raised his eyebrows slightly.

What kind of person could invite a Buddhist Grandmaster to protect them?

Their background must be truly extraordinary.

Who exactly was this person?

“Old monk, what do you think if I make a jade Buddha out of this excellent Dushan jade?”

Just then, a voice rang out.

The voice was like a nightingale leaving the valley, a kite crying, a phoenix singing, clear and bright yet melodious and gentle.

What a beautiful woman.

An Jing subconsciously looked up, the woman was dressed in white, and the flowers reflected made her even more radiant.

She was only seventeen or eighteen years old, with skin like snow, incomparably delicate and beautiful, her countenance so stunning that one could not gaze directly at her.

In An Jing’s opinion, the beauty of women in this world could not be compared by ranking.

Every woman possessed a unique temperament and charm, such as Zhao Qingmei’s gentleness and grace, like a willow swaying in the wind, soft and lingering, yet alluring and passionate.

Dai Ling, with her icy skin and bones, was cold and noble, like a Fairy who had descended to the mortal world, making people dare not approach her too closely.

Although Tan Yun was not exquisitely beautiful, she was still a rare beauty, and her figure was even more curvaceous, with a hint of playfulness and liveliness in her brows, pure and natural, making it hard not to like her.

The woman in front of him, however, possessed an Aura of ethereal beauty.

Her phoenix eyes were like a clear spring, carrying two arcs of electricity that seemed to strike directly into a man’s heart, especially the subtle smile that curved at the corner of her lips, a perfect crescent moon.

At this moment, the woman held an ancient jade in her hand and slowly descended the stairs.