Slave Empire [Complete] - 1

Synopsis:
A clichéd fictional plot—Hua Yinghong, a finance major in the 21st century, is sent by lightning to a sacred continent in another world, beginning his struggle as a slave. The novel is merely a microcosm of the real world. Martial arts, schemes, military tactics, power, beauties, brotherhood... a series of thrilling wars, countless treacherous conspiracies, familiar faces, and magnificent scenes... What earth-shattering secrets lie hidden behind these bizarre lives? An endless thirst for revenge, an endless slaying of treacherous officials! —The world in the novel is nothing more than a carefree life fabricated by a wanderer!

Volume One: Life as a Slave Chapter One:
Survival on a Deserted Island
"Ouch!"
Hua Yinghong felt as if every bone in his body had shattered.
He slightly opened his eyes, then quickly closed them again. This simple act of opening his eyes triggered an unbearable stinging pain that stimulated all the nerves in his eyes, then spread throughout his face and body. A full quarter of an hour later, the dizziness gradually subsided, and as if his lost consciousness was slowly returning, Hua Yinghong felt his strength slowly returning. His years of persistent training had finally paid off, and the feeling of exhaustion was finally gone.
Enduring the tearing pain throughout his body, Hua Yinghong struggled to turn over. His injuries were seared into the scalding sand. Yes, it was sand; the sensation in his fingers confirmed it.
Where was he?
Hua Yinghong tried to stand up. He was surrounded by an unfamiliar beach, golden sunlight shining on the boundless sea, shimmering dazzlingly. Waves surged onto the shore, the nearby waters gently lapping at his ankles, while the distant tides crashed against the rocks with a deafening roar. Palm-like plants grew on the beach, and the wind was like a tender lover's kiss, carrying the faint scent of the sea. All of this reminded Hua Yinghong of the South Island, of the days he and his girlfriend, Fei'er, had traveled there.
A slight smile appeared on his lips, but it quickly froze.
It wasn't the pain, but the sudden realization—
wasn't he in the Han Dynasty tomb? He and Fei'er were playing there when, unexpectedly, dark clouds obscured the sun. Fei'er and he were rushing towards a building in the pouring rain when a bolt of lightning struck. The last thing he saw was Fei'er's wide-open eyes in terror… Fragments of memory flashed through Hua Yinghong's mind.
He looked down at himself; he couldn't find a single piece of clothing on him, his body pale from being soaked in seawater.
Hua Yinghong pinched his thigh hard—ouch! The sharp pain told him this wasn't a dream. But where was he? Hua Yinghong was completely baffled.
He turned around, stumbled, and began to look around.
It was a small island, desolate at first glance. The sea breeze carried a primal, wild scent. The beach he stood on was a downhill slope, with a hill several tens of meters high behind it, covered in some green tropical plants, which he couldn't immediately identify.
"Robinson Crusoe," a fitting title flashed through his mind.
His stomach rumbled involuntarily. Hua Yinghong sadly realized he was even worse off than Robinson Crusoe. At least Robinson Crusoe had some things on his boat; he had nothing.
A glimmer of light in the sand caught his attention. Was it glass or something else? He walked over with some difficulty, and upon closer inspection, he was overjoyed—a knife! He had picked up a knife about three inches long from the sand, the very same fruit knife he'd used while visiting the Han Dynasty tomb—a fairly sharp knife.
With a knife in hand, many things would be easier. He was incredibly hungry. Ignoring whether the colorful clams on the beach were poisonous or not, he used the knife to cut them open one by one and sucked them into his mouth. Surprisingly, they tasted delicious. Although eaten raw, it didn't affect the natural crispness and smoothness of the flavor, and the slight saltiness of the seawater made it even more palatable. Hua Yinghong ate more than a dozen in a row, and felt a surge of strength within him.
In any case, surviving on this deserted island was his primary task. Hua Yinghong began to stagger up the slope. After climbing for a while, he came to a patch of tangled thorns and tamarisk. Half an hour later, he finally reached the top, exhausted, and stopped to rest. After a while, he looked around again.
The island wasn't very big, and the top of the slope where Hua Yinghong was was actually the highest point on the island, offering a panoramic view of the entire island. A slope led down to several rolling hills, with tall coconut and palm trees interspersed among the low tamarisk trees, creating a desolate and bleak scene. The entire island was only about two kilometers long and one and a half kilometers wide. Hua Yinghong let out a huff and staggered to the nearest coconut tree. He found some stones and tried to knock a coconut down. After a while, he finally managed to hit a coconut with a fist-sized stone. It landed on the ground with a "thud," bounced twice, and then came to a stop.
The coconut tasted wonderful; the coconut meat inside tasted somewhat like water chestnuts, very sweet. After eating the coconut down to just a thin husk, Hua Yinghong felt a surge of energy. He pressed on, picking up stones and shooting down the remaining coconuts from the tree, stringing them together with vines. He decided to reuse the shells; he'd keep them with him, they might come in handy someday.
Pushing aside the dense bushes, Hua Yinghong's target was a nearby mound. The last rays of the setting sun were beginning to appear in the clouds. Hua Yinghong felt he needed to find a place to settle down first; who knew what kind of monsters might lurk there! If he encountered anything at night, he wouldn't even know how he died!
Beyond the bushes was a grove of red willows. Hua Yinghong's appearance startled a flock of seabirds; the grey flock soared into the sky, startling Hua Yinghong with its spectacular sight. Thick layers of bird droppings accumulated in the tamarisk grove. Fortunately, there were many eggs in the empty nests left behind by startled seabirds. Hua Yinghong filled the coconut shells to the brim—these were valuable!
Passing through the tamarisk grove, he finally reached his destination. The mound was about five or six meters high. Hua Yinghong circled it and discovered a lush coconut grove behind it. This place was excellent—sheltered from the wind, and not too dark. Listening to the heavenly sound of the tides, Hua Yinghong finally relaxed. The only thing that puzzled him was that there were almost no plants on the mound, only a layer of bluish-brown moss.
Seeing that it was still early, Hua Yinghong quickly went to the nearby bushes and pulled some soft weeds, spreading them out on the ground. He picked some palm leaves, cut them into thin strips with a knife, twisted them into thin ropes, strung a few leaves on them, and tied them around his waist, just enough to cover his private parts. Although there were no spectators, running around naked was definitely not Hua Yinghong's hobby; he felt extremely uncomfortable.
Survival in the wild was no challenge for Hua Yinghong. A military enthusiast, he was quite familiar with the procedures of modern wilderness survival training. He peeled some willow bark with a knife, twisted it into a rope, made a makeshift cable, and gathered a large pile of dry grass and twigs to start a fire. The dry grass quickly ignited, and Hua Yinghong cheered. He quickly piled up the thin twigs he had gathered, then threw in several pieces of amber-like resin peeled from the trees. The resin was highly flammable, and the flames leaped higher and higher, making Hua Yinghong happy.
He dug a shallow pit, placed the bird eggs inside, covered them with a thin layer of soil, and then moved some burning twigs to make a small fire on top. The bird eggs buried under the fire emitted an enticing aroma. Hua Yinghong quickly used a stick to pry open the fire and dug out the eggs. Hua Yinghong poked a hole in a coconut with a knife, gulped down several mouthfuls of coconut juice, peeled open a bird's egg, and found its white shell and enticing aroma. He tossed it into his mouth, chewed it haphazardly a few times, and swallowed it. So delicious! He ate over twenty bird eggs in one go before stopping.
According to those who later knew Hua Yinghong, when discussing the most delicious food, he always listed "bird eggs" first. Perhaps because of the circumstances, the taste of bird eggs was far more exquisite than even the best dishes of a top chef.
After eating and drinking his fill, Hua Yinghong felt his strength and energy had recovered to about 80-90%. Night was falling, and on this strange, deserted island, a small knife alone wouldn't be enough for self-defense. Hua Yinghong found two relatively straight wooden sticks, each about two meters long and the size of a fist. He carefully peeled off the bark bit by bit with the knife, then sharpened one end into a spike and carved two grooves on the other end to increase friction and make it easier to use, creating two simple but somewhat lethal wooden guns.
Heh heh! If any wild beasts showed up, he'd have some roasted meat. As darkness fell, Hua Yinghong felt a little uneasy and had to bolster his courage. He threw some larger branches into the fire; in the wild, a fire was a lifesaver. Almost all animals feared fire and dared not approach.
Holding the wooden guns, Hua Yinghong lay on the straw bed, his mind wandering. One moment he thought of Fei'er's charming, smiling face; the next, his parents working in the countryside; then, his school… The full moon rose from the sea, its soft light spilling across the island like mercury. "
The bright moon rises over the sea, we share this moment though far apart. Lovers gaze at each other from afar,
longing for each other throughout the night." Hua Yinghong murmured the poem, tears streaming down his face, lost in thought. Although born into a farming family and having experienced much hardship since childhood, possessing an incredibly resilient nature, he had never been so caught in this inexplicable predicament. Overwhelmed by emotion, he drifted off to sleep.
The night passed uneventfully. Dawn gradually broke.
Hua Yinghong was awakened by the cold; the island's mornings were chilly, and the fire had dwindled. The first thing he did upon waking was to grip his wooden spear tightly. Once fully conscious, he looked around, and seeing no danger, he breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly gathered more branches to add to the fire, making it burn brighter.
There was much to do. Hua Yinghong racked his brains for a solution. He hadn't seen any other landmass from the hilltop yesterday, and he wondered if any planes were flying overhead or if any ships were nearby… He absolutely had to send out a distress signal. He had to find a way to survive on the island until he was rescued. Having made up his mind, Hua Yinghong ate a dozen bird eggs and put his plan into action.
Yesterday, from the hilltop, he had seen a large beach beyond the tamarisk grove to the south, much larger than the beach he had been on yesterday. Hua Yinghong decided to make a conspicuous distress signal there. He spent ten minutes traversing the tamarisk grove, startling flocks of seabirds along the way.
Emerging from the grove, he indeed found a large beach, the size of several football fields. He thought for a moment, then cut many large palm leaves and found many bowl-sized stones in the grove.
He arranged the palm leaves in order, weighed them down with stones, and made an "SOS" symbol several tens of meters long on the beach. This way, if a plane flew overhead, it would be able to spot the symbol. After spending about two hours preparing all this, Hua Yinghong began to survey the entire island.
The island was indeed small. Hua Yinghong, carrying a wooden gun, circled the entire island in about an hour. He encountered no wild animals, only several different kinds of seabirds. One type of bird in the eastern forest weighed over a pound and wasn't very afraid of people, while some smaller seabirds were only the size of sparrows. To the west was a cliff about 20 meters high, where waves crashed with tremendous roars.
On one side of a mound in the center of the island, Hua Yinghong found a good spot. A rock protruded from a height of over two meters, sheltering a three-meter square area below, perfect for rain protection. This spot was almost in the center of the island, and the distance to the beaches in all directions was about ten minutes. Hua Yinghong quickly moved all his belongings, such as coconuts, from where he had "slept" the previous night, and lit a fire. His stomach growled again, so he ate some bird eggs and continued building his "home."
In his busy work, Hua Yinghong seemed to forget his sadness. He wasn't a weak man, but having reached this point, his only thought was to survive, hoping to see Fei'er and his family again.
Survival was always the top priority. This was the most important principle in Hua Yinghong's life philosophy. He always adhered to this principle throughout his subsequent military campaigns.
The next half-day, Hua Yinghong had a fruitful day: while looking for distress signs on the southern beach, he found a clam washed ashore, weighing over 30 kilograms. By filling it with sand and cutting it with a knife, he obtained the thick shell, large enough to be used as a cooking pot. There was no fresh water on the island, not even a single puddle. Hua Yinghong found a low-lying, damp spot near his lodging and spent over two hours digging a pit one foot deep and two feet square with a stick. He compacted it with stones, smoothed it out, and then dug a small ditch next to his lodging, both to prevent rainwater accumulation and to hope that the pit would be filled with fresh water. Coconut juice is good, but drinking it every day would get boring, wouldn't it? The rocky outcrop was drafty on three sides, so Hua Yinghong gathered a large number of fist-sized red willow branches and used the soft, thin twigs to tie them together in a fence-like pattern
. He then erected slightly larger wooden sticks on three sides and tied them together. Leaving a doorway in the middle, he added several layers of palm leaves to the outside of the fence, making it somewhat resemble a small hut. Exhausted, Hua Yinghong gripped his wooden gun and quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Sure enough, a strong wind howled in the middle of the night, accompanied by lightning, thunder, and torrential rain. Hua Yinghong was awakened, hearing the fence swaying in the wind, and his heart pounded with worry. Fortunately, no water accumulated under the rock, sparing him from the rain and flooding. Water trickled down the rock, and he quickly used two clam pots to catch it; more fresh water was always a good thing.
For the next few days, besides checking the SOS system for any damage, Hua Yinghong spent most of his time learning about the island and building his new home. He dug another pit, picked many coconuts to store, and reinforced the fence. Having eaten too many island eggs, he wanted a change of pace and decided to hunt seabirds in the eastern woods to roast. At first, he was unsuccessful; even getting very close with his wooden gun, he couldn't catch a single one. Luckily, those seabirds, each weighing over a pound, weren't afraid of people. After a few tries, he mastered the technique and finally managed to hit one with a single shot. Hua Yinghong was overjoyed. He boiled seawater in a clam shell pot, and the resulting sea salt turned out surprisingly well for seasoning. To make it even more delicious, he found spices like Sichuan peppercorns, chili peppers, and cumin in the bushes. He dried them in the sun, ground them into powder, and used them to roast the seabird meat—it was practically a delicacy!
If Fei'er were here, such days would be wonderful, wouldn't they? Like a picnic, a camping trip. Whenever he thought of Fei'er, Hua Yinghong's heart would feel both sweet and aching.
Days passed by. Every day, he went to the beach, keeping the "SOS" sign unchanged. Each day, he would also wave a homemade cross-shaped flag made of long sticks and palm leaves atop the highest hill. At night, he would light a fire, hoping a passing plane or ship would spot him and come to his rescue. But from the very first day, Hua Yinghong had already carved six tally marks on the rock, and in all these days, not a single plane or ship had appeared. Even with his resilient character, Hua Yinghong was gradually becoming desperate.
After many days of practice, Hua Yinghong's bird-hunting skills had become incredibly refined. At first, he could hit a bird with perfect accuracy with a single thrust of his wooden spear. Later, the birds became more nimble, taking flight before he could even get close. Hua Yinghong then tried throwing the spear from a distance, repeating it thousands of times a day until his hands, eyes, and mind became incredibly sensitive. Gradually, he could throw and shoot startled seabirds at will, relying solely on instinct. He also became adept at fishing on the beach.
That night, the moon rose, its silvery light like water. The island was shrouded in a hazy moonlight.
Hua Yinghong was still tending a fire on the highest hillside, preparing his signature roasted seabirds and grilled fish. After so many days, his skills had become increasingly refined. When the two seabirds and two grilled fish were almost done, he rubbed them with fish oil and seasonings, put them back on the fire, and grilled them for another half minute—just right. A rich aroma wafted out, drifting far and wide, almost enveloping the entire island in the enticing scent of roasted meat.
Suddenly, a gentle voice rang in Hua Yinghong's ears: "The moonlight is like water, the scenery is beautiful before us, young brother, excellent skills, excellent spirit."

(Volume 1, Slave Life, Chapter 2, The Two Gods of Swords and Blades
inquiring)
—Suddenly, another clear and powerful voice pierced the air from the sea: "The moon is full, the stars are lonely, swords and blades shine brightly. Brother Lang's swordsmanship is unparalleled, I never imagined his culinary skills were also unmatched. I admire you." The voice initially seemed to be several miles away, not very loud, but it clearly reached the hillside. By the time the word "admire" was uttered, a small boat had already sailed through the waves and stopped at the shore. A man stood prominently on the boat, his figure extremely imposing.
Hua Yinghong only glanced at him. The next moment, his vision blurred, and the man was already standing a dozen feet away, forming a triangle with Hua Yinghong and the earlier, swaggering fellow. The man was dressed in a magnificent embroidered gold robe, with a long, floor-length silver cloak over it. A three-inch wide belt cinched his waist, revealing a section adorned with jewels that shimmered brilliantly in the moonlight. A sheathed sword rested on his back. He appeared to be only about thirty years old, with handsome features. What was particularly striking was his translucent, shimmering skin. His long, glossy black hair was parted in the middle and cascaded down his shoulders, which were much broader than those of an average person. He had a high, straight nose, and his eyes were bright and piercing, like lightning, possessing an irresistible charm that would leave a lasting impression. Combined with his imposing and dignified presence, he inspired a sense of awe and fear.
Hua Yinghong gasped. The two men's attire, their silent arrival, and the latter's lightning-fast speed overturned all his understanding of martial arts novels—scenes he'd only ever encountered in the past decade.
Was he dreaming? Hua Yinghong subtly twisted his left arm, feeling a sharp pain, confirming he wasn't dreaming.
Then he heard Brother Lang calmly laugh, "Brother Guan, you flatter me. The Azure Cloud Rain Sword hasn't been used for years; it's probably rusted. In Brother Guan's eyes, a master of swordsmanship, it's nothing. As for the island's exotic fragrance, so enticing and unprecedented, that's all thanks to this young man."
Brother Guan let out a soft "Eh," his gaze sweeping over Hua Yinghong, then another soft "Eh," clearly astonished. Under his gaze, Hua Yinghong felt utterly exposed, as if all his secrets had been swept away in a single glance, leaving him feeling extremely strange.
But then Guan said, "I have some knowledge of physiognomy. This young man has a unique face, seemingly destined for both hardship and great fortune. He appears to face both the most lowly and the most noble blessings, and he doesn't seem like someone of this world. Brother Lang, your discerning eye is sharp; could you discern anything amiss?"
Brother Lang smiled wryly and said, "Brother Guan is brilliant. I arrived a moment earlier and have been pondering this for a long time as well. On such a beautiful night, with the moon not yet high in the sky, let's first drink fine wine and enjoy some delicacies before discussing martial arts. What do you think, young man?"
The last sentence was directed at Hua Yinghong. Although it was a question, it carried a natural and unavoidable tone, yet without causing offense.
Hua Yinghong had been in a state of half-awake, half-asleep since the two appeared, his mind a jumbled mess. The titles "Brother Guan" and "Brother Lang," the semi-classical language, and the miraculous lightness of their movements made him unsure whether he was in reality or a dream. In a flash, he recalled the few online novels he had read. Could those fantasy stories about traveling back to ancient times or to other worlds be happening to him? It seemed absurd, yet the scene before him was remarkably similar.
Lang's question brought Hua Yinghong back to his senses. The two men before him must be highly skilled; to figure out where he was, he needed to rely on them. Fortunately, Hua Yinghong had loved history since childhood and had a good command of classical Chinese. He composed himself and casually replied, "Life is short, so seize the day! Don't let the golden goblet face the moon empty. If you two gentlemen don't mind, feel free to take the roasted meat from the grill."
"A fine saying! 'Life is short, so seize the day! Don't let the golden goblet face the moon empty!' Young brother, you truly are a man of spirit like us," Guan praised, clapping his hands.
Lang and Guan then sat cross-legged with Hua Yinghong around the fire. Lang took out a wine pouch and casually tossed a package to Hua Yinghong. Hua Yinghong saw the package fly towards him smoothly and slowly, as light as a feather. He picked it up with both hands, opened it, and found a set of clothes. He then suddenly realized that he was naked, only covered by palm leaves. He was extremely grateful to Brother Lang and hurriedly said to the two men, "Please, gentlemen, eat first. I'll change my clothes before I come to listen to your teachings."
Brother Guan did not respond, but casually beckoned a stone a few meters away, which flew into his hand. He then used his fingers like a knife to cut the stone. Hua Yinghong knew that the stone on the island was dense and very hard. He had tried to make a stone axe for it these days, but had not succeeded. Unexpectedly, when Brother Guan cut with his finger like a knife, the stone was cut into three pieces as quickly as a knife cutting tofu. Brother Guan held one piece in his left hand and used his right hand to cut and shave. The movements were so fast that Hua Yinghong could not see them. Stone chips flew around, and in the blink of an eye, a smooth, jade-like stone cup was made, which looked as if it were naturally formed without any carving.
Such extraordinary skill left Hua Yinghong stunned. Only after Brother Lang smiled and gestured did he retreat behind a tree, quickly putting on a set of clothes and thin-soled cloth shoes from his bundle. The feeling of being naked for many days instantly disappeared, and he even felt reborn. Looking at himself, the clothes and shoes resembled the clothing of the Tang and Song dynasties seen on television, and they were quite comfortable to wear.
When Hua Yinghong walked back to the campfire, Guan and Lang were pleasantly surprised. Previously, Hua Yinghong had looked disheveled, covered in palm leaves, like a barbaric man. Now, dressed, he was not necessarily handsome, but his features were regular, his contours were clear, and a touch of heroism naturally emanated from his brows.
"Young brother, you have excellent character! You are destined for greatness. I am Lang Qingyun, and all men are brothers. You may call me Brother Lang. This is Brother Guan Shanyue, known as the God of Swords. Tonight, Brother Guan and I have arranged to discuss the Dao on this Lonely Star Island. This island is remote and deserted. May I ask where you come from, young brother?" Brother Lang's voice always remained gentle and calm, without a trace of arrogance, making one feel as if bathed in a spring breeze.
In front of "God of Swords" Guan Shanyue were three identical stone cups, identical in size and shape. Hearing Lang Qingyun's words, he couldn't help but laugh and said, "Brother Lang, you flatter me. The title of God of Swords is merely the work of busybodies. Brother Lang's Misty Rain Sword is unparalleled in the world. Ten years ago, you defeated the leader of the Demonic Sect within a hundred moves. The title of God of Swords is well-deserved."
Hua Yinghong was even more convinced that he had encountered extraordinary people, and he hoped to find out his whereabouts from the two of them. However, judging from Lang and Guan's words and actions, he knew that he had unwittingly arrived on this so-called Lonely Star Island, and the world he was in was definitely not his original one. If he told the truth, it would be shocking to anyone else. But these two were extraordinary people; even if he couldn't understand them, he could probably accept it. He made up his mind and said, "Brothers, I am Hua Yinghong. I was stranded on this island a month ago..." He then recounted his experiences and doubts. Although he kept it brief, he spoke for half an hour.
Even Lang and Guan, two unparalleled masters with wisdom as vast as the sea, were surprised by what Hua Yinghong said. They asked questions from time to time, and after Hua Yinghong finished speaking, they both fell into deep thought, forgetting to drink and eat.
Suddenly, Lang Qingyun and Guan Shanyue blurted out at the same time, "Could it be that so!" They smiled at each other.
Guan Shanyue said, "I have diligently cultivated martial arts for over forty years, reaching the pinnacle of the Void-Breaking Technique. I have glimpsed the Dao of Heaven and know that there are heavens beyond heavens and people beyond people. My duel with Brother Lang is to pursue the path of advancing towards the Dao of Heaven. Comparing Brother Hua's words with our current world, it is clear that Brother Hua is undoubtedly from another world." Lang Qingyun nodded without speaking.
Hua Yinghong was startled, but his doubts remained. He asked, "I still have questions to ask, and I humbly request your guidance."
"Please speak freely," Lang Qingyun and Guan Shanyue said.
Hua Yinghong said, "Brothers, you are both learned in the ways of heaven and man. Could you please tell me the general geography and culture of this world so that I can make a comparison?" The
three of them then drank wine and ate meat while Lang and Guan explained the key points of the geography and culture of this world to Hua Yinghong. Lang and Guan had never tasted the flavors of another world before, and they found Hua Yinghong's barbecue to be extremely unique, praising it repeatedly.
It turned out that the world Hua Yinghong was currently in was called the Sacred Continent, which was irregularly shaped like a horseshoe. The entire continent is divided into three subcontinents: Hualong, Ouba, and Meisi, surrounded by a vast ocean. At its center lies the expansive Aegean Sea, dotted with islands of varying sizes. The Ouba continent is located in the northwest, the Meisi continent in the northeast, and the Hualong continent in the south. A narrow passage connects the Ouba and Hualong continents, linking Ouba to Meisi, while the Qionghai Strait separates Hualong from Meisi. To the east of the Hualong continent lie the Wonu Islands, and to the south, the Zhenbao Islands. To the west of the Ouba continent lies the large island of Congo. Hua Yinghong's location, Lonely Star Island, is 500 li west of the Zhenbao Islands, approximately a three-day sea voyage.
The Hua Long Continent has a population of approximately 200 million. The people of Hua Long are not significantly different in appearance from Hua Yinghong. Fifty years ago, the prodigy Liu Suifeng unified the Hua Long Continent, establishing the centralized Tang Empire, which comprised nine provinces and thirty-six prefectures. The Grassland Kingdom and the Baiyi Kingdom submitted to the Tang Empire. Later, due to a major war between the Tang Empire and the allied forces of the Ouba and Meisi Continents, both sides were severely weakened. The Tang Empire's central authority gradually weakened, and ten years ago it was finally split into five major powers: the Tang Empire, the New Song Kingdom, the Daliang Kingdom, the Yulong Kingdom, and the Jinlong Kingdom, along with the Grassland Kingdom and the Baiyi Royal Family. In reality, each of these kingdoms was internally divided into numerous smaller and larger factions. The gentry, landlords, and commoners constitute the main social classes, with approximately ten percent of the population being slaves. The Hua Long Continent suffers from inconsistent governance, with constant civil wars among the feudal lords, causing immense suffering for the people.
Martial arts are extremely prevalent on the Hua Long Continent, with martial artists classified into nine ranks and Saint and Divine ranks. There are three universally acknowledged top-tier martial arts masters on the Hua Long Continent: Guan Shanyue, the God of Knives; Lang Qingyun, the God of Swords; and Yan Nanfei, the God of Spears. In reality, given the vastness of the Hua Long Continent, countless reclusive masters exist, and top-tier masters are likely numerous. The Sword Inquiry Pavilion, the Valley of Heartbreak, the
Demonic Sect, the various sects of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism, the Four Great Families, and other major clans possess countless masters. As for the recent situation on the Ouba and Meisi Continents, Lang and Guan have never been there and are not very clear about it, only hearing that it is also embroiled in fragmentation and war. The people of Ouba and Meisi are tall, and their martial arts differ greatly from those of Hua Long, but they also have many masters. Legend has it that fifty years ago, the peerless genius Emperor Liu Suifeng, whose martial arts were unparalleled on the Hua Long Continent, was assassinated by a sword god and a knight god from the Ouba Continent. After a fierce battle of hundreds of moves, he finally killed them, suffering severe internal injuries and dying young. The descendants of Liu Suifeng lacked the necessary authority, and the princes and nobles became disloyal and rebellious, nearly wiping out the Liu clan and leading to the gradual fragmentation of the Tang Empire.
Hua Yinghong grew increasingly disheartened as he listened. The geography and culture were vastly different from his original world; it seemed he was indeed in another world. "Fei'er, Dad, Mom…" Countless thoughts flashed through his mind. He had thought he was merely stranded on a deserted island and would eventually be rescued and see her again, but this turn of events seemed to have brought no hope of ever seeing her again. Overwhelmed with grief, he would have wept bitterly if not for his resolute nature.
Lang Qingyun said gently, "The ways of Heaven are unpredictable, and the will of Heaven is unfathomable. Brother Hua's extraordinary encounter is perhaps preordained. With the power of Brother Guan and myself, we have glimpsed the Heavenly Dao; when the time is right, we can pierce the void. Brother Hua is a prodigy. The Heavenly and Earthly Technique I cultivate focuses on understanding the will of Heaven. If you cultivate to the realm of Heaven and Man, perhaps you can return home."
Guan Shanyue laughed heartily and said, "Brother Lang, how generous you are! Brother Hua, there's no need to worry. If you don't mind, I, Guan, will also teach you the Breaking Void Technique, which may help you return home sooner. Consider it a token of my gratitude for the delicious food you've treated me to."
"Thank you both, brothers!" Hua Yinghong was overjoyed. He was like a drowning man, grasping at any straw for a chance of survival. In this strange world, without martial arts as a backup, he feared he would be unable to move an inch. Guan and Lang were both top-tier divine-grade masters, so their martial arts secrets were naturally extraordinary. If he could diligently cultivate them and succeed, he couldn't let go of even the slightest hope of returning home.
Lang Qingyun smiled slightly, and with a swift movement, he sat cross-legged behind Hua Yinghong. He gently stroked Hua Yinghong's back with his left hand and murmured, "Close your eyes and concentrate. The way of Heaven is to take from the excess and give to the deficient. Man follows the Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows Nature..."
Hua Yinghong felt a gentle, slightly chilly current of energy emanating from Lang Qingyun's hands, flowing in from the Dazhui acupoint on his back, ascending to the Yuzhen, Baihui, and forehead, then down the philtrum to the chest, lower abdomen, perineum, and then back up through the coccyx and Mingmen, circulating three times before finally settling in the lower dantian, forming a small ball of energy. Instantly, his meridians were unblocked, his mind clear and refreshed, and his eyes opened, revealing everything within three meters as clearly as daytime. The "Heaven and Earth Formula" that Lang Qingyun recited was actually not long, only a few hundred words including the general outline and the main text, which he clearly remembered, yet he felt a profound meaning in each word, which he could not immediately comprehend. Thinking that if he could fully comprehend it all at once, it wouldn't be a divine skill.
Lang Qingyun withdrew his hand and said, "Unexpectedly, Brother Hua has excellent aptitude and strong comprehension. Foundation Establishment only took three cycles, and it was so easy. When my master taught me the Heaven and Earth Technique, it took nine cycles to establish my foundation, and it took a whole day's effort. In the future, the Heaven and Earth Technique will shine brightly with Brother Hua. Brother Guan
, please." Before Hua Yinghong could react, Guan Shanyue's right palm had already pressed down on the top of his head, and he also shouted softly, "Close your eyes and concentrate. The Way of Heaven is that emptiness and reality are interdependent. Reality can be broken, emptiness cannot be broken. Emptiness can be broken, void cannot be broken. Void can be broken, nothingness cannot be broken..." Hua Yinghong felt a powerful heat surge from the Baihui point on the top of his head, circulating three cycles in the same direction as when Lang Qingyun transmitted the power, but then suddenly exploded, surging to his limbs and the eight extraordinary meridians. For a moment, his whole body was extremely hot, and his meridians and limbs seemed to be expanding as if they were about to explode. Hua Yinghong gritted his teeth, enduring the pain without uttering a sound. Just as he was about to reach his limit, a cold current automatically flowed from the small ball of energy left by Lang Qingyun in his dantian, dissipating along with Guan Shanyue's warm current. It was as if the warm current was setting fires everywhere, while the cold current was extinguishing and repairing them.
After an unknown amount of time, Hua Yinghong regained consciousness, feeling an inexhaustible surge of power throughout his body. He was astonished to discover that during the incredibly painful transfer of power, every word Guan Shanyue spoke seemed etched into his mind, crystal clear. The Breaking Void Technique, with its six sections of main text, was even shorter than the Heaven and Earth Technique. Similarly, every word contained profound mysteries, which he could not immediately comprehend.
"Brother Hua is indeed exceptionally talented. You now possess one-tenth of my and Brother Lang's power within you, but you haven't yet mastered its use, and your martial arts haven't reached a high level. However, your future achievements are limitless. The Breaking Void Technique and the Heaven and Earth Technique will surely shine brightly in your hands! Just be careful not to pass them on to the wrong people, lest they bring disaster to the world," Guan Shanyue said earnestly.
Hua Yinghong bowed and replied, "Disciple understands. However, I have a slight feeling that both the Heaven and Earth Technique and the Void-Breaking Technique are grand and righteous methods, requiring the cultivation of righteous energy to achieve mastery. If wicked people obtain them, I fear it will be more harmful than beneficial." He was extremely grateful to Lang and Guan, and his manner of addressing them as a disciple changed.
Lang Qingyun and Guan Shanyue were both taken aback upon hearing this, then burst into laughter, saying, "Brother Hua's talent and magnanimity are beyond our reach! The martial world will surely belong to Brother Hua in the future!"

He
hadn't expected such high praise from Lang and Guan for a casual remark, and was about to feign modesty.
Lang Qingyun said, "Brother Hua's words have awakened me from my dream. From now on, you may choose a suitable person to bestow the Heaven and Earth and Void-Breaking Techniques upon, but there is no need to fear that unscrupulous people will obtain them. The world is in great chaos now, and people yearn for peace. Brother Hua is an extraordinary person
sent by heaven, and he bears a heavy responsibility. What do you think, Brother Guan?" Guan Shanyue nodded and said, "Years ago, I passed on the Void-Breaking Technique to someone, but he was infatuated with a demonic woman, and I feared that his power would be used by the demonic path to aid and abet evil, so I dared not lightly pass on the sixth technique. Today, I have seen the light. If you encounter him in the future, Brother Hua, please pass it on to him on my behalf. It is I who have misled him all these years."
Hua Yinghong responded, "Yes!"
Guan Shanyue said, "The moon is high in the sky. Brother Lang, our martial arts techniques have been passed on, and we have no more worries. Today's battle is my lifelong wish. I truly look forward to whether we can advance into the Heavenly Dao."
Lang Qingyun replied with a smile, "I have also been looking forward to today's battle for a long time. Brother Guan, please go ahead. I will say a few more words to Brother Hua and then follow."
Guan Shanyue nodded to Hua Yinghong, and without any apparent movement, he disappeared. The next moment, he appeared on the top of the western cliff, standing tall and imposing with his hands behind his back. Under the moonlight, Guan Shanyue's figure was majestic, standing as tall as a mountain, as if he had stood there since ancient times. His cloak fluttered in the wind, and even from nearly a mile away, one could still feel his supreme aura.
The supreme master of the sword, dominating the world.
Lang Qingyun calmly said to Hua Yinghong, "Brother Hua, you should concentrate your eyes and observe the battle carefully. It should be helpful for your future advancement in the Heavenly Dao."
Before Hua Yinghong could speak, Lang Qingyun's figure vanished into thin air. A voice echoed from the sky: "After this battle, we will never meet again. The road ahead is arduous; take care." Before the words had even finished, Lang Qingyun was already standing three zhang away from Guan Shanyue, his white robes fluttering, exuding an indescribable air of elegance.
Suddenly, tears welled up in Hua Yinghong's eyes. Two peerless masters from another world, who had bestowed upon him the grace of passing on their skills and with whom he shared a brotherly bond, were about to clash. He didn't even know who he would cheer for. He only hoped that the two would be evenly matched, that both would comprehend the Heavenly Dao, and that there would be no unexpected events.
Three miles outside Lonely Star Island, over a hundred large ships, laden with spectators who had come to watch the battle from across the water, stood in a triangular formation with Hua Yinghong, Lang, and Guan.
Lonely Star Island remained unchanged, with misty clouds swirling around its peaks and light fog shrouding its cold beaches. At high tide, giant waves crashed against the outer reefs, producing deafening roars that shook the very soul, refusing to slow down for a moment.
Guan Shanyue laughed heartily, "On such a full moon night, to be able to discuss swordsmanship with Brother Lang is enough to comfort me for a lifetime."
Lang Qingyun chuckled, "Brother Guan's words resonate deeply with me!"
Their eyes met, and the world seemed to change instantly!
As Lang Qingyun had instructed, Hua Yinghong circulated the true energy of the Heaven and Earth Technique within his body, focusing his power on his eyes. He felt his vision was like lightning, and with the moonlight, he could see several miles away. Looking up at the once bright and clear night sky, he suddenly sensed something amiss.
A thick, heavy cloud, accompanied by flashes of lightning, was rapidly moving from the deep sea towards Lang and Guan from the east. Its overwhelming momentum sent chills down one's spine.
The bright moonlight still bathed Lonely Star Island, but how long could it last as the dark cloud approached?
Guan Shanyue stood with his hands at his sides, his eyes flashing like lightning, a satisfied smile on his lips, watching Lang Qingyun stand proudly and calmly before him, without saying a word.
"Clang!"
Lang Qingyun's Misty Rain Sword was drawn from its sheath, first unleashing a burst of light from his chest, then the raindrops spread, instantly filling Guan Shanyue with countless points of light, making it hard to believe that this was merely a visual illusion created by a single sword.
The swordsman Guan Shanyue, his cloak billowing in the night wind, suddenly stopped. His right foot lightly touched the ground, producing a sound like muffled thunder. His Dragon Roar Blade flashed, a resounding "moo" echoing for miles around, reverberating through the island's crisscrossing caves, its power awe-inspiring.
The blade dominated the world, its sword energy crisscrossing. It seemed as if the swords had clashed once, or thousands of times, or perhaps not at all. Those watching, including Hua Yinghong, were bewildered by the strange sensations created by Lang and Guan, unable to discern the blades or assess the situation.
The entire island seemed to shake, drowning out the sounds of the waves and wind.
The points of light vanished abruptly.
Lang Qingyun remained standing leisurely, his Misty Rain Sword long since sheathed, as if it had never been drawn.
Guan Shanyue's Dragon Roar Blade on his back seemed never to have been drawn. He smiled and sighed, "As expected of the Sword God Lang Qingyun, you follow the laws of heaven and earth, controlling your attacks with your own will. Otherwise, under the influence of my aura, if I had gone all out, there would have been no need for this fight."
Lang Qingyun gazed at the sky, his eyes seemingly able to penetrate the clouds, seeing everything around him. He calmly said, "Man follows the earth, the earth follows heaven, heaven follows the Dao, and the Dao follows nature. Heaven and man interact, the four seasons change, and the human heart is filled with illusion. This thunderstorm has come at just the right time."
Guan Shanyue nodded and said, "Heaven and man resonate. This dark cloud is no accident."
Both of them were relaxed and at ease, as if they had never even tested each other's strength. It was as if they were not having a martial arts contest, but rather a heart-to-heart talk.
Just then, Guan Shanyue's clothes suddenly billowed wildly, and the clouds around him began to swirl rapidly. At first, the vortex was only about ten feet in size, but in an instant, it rapidly expanded to thirty feet, creating an extremely eerie scene. The Dragon's Roar Blade on his back emitted a clear, melodious cry, seemingly about to leap out and soar into the sky.
Lang Qingyun smiled slightly, his hand retracting behind him, his mind gradually entering a profound realm he had never explored before. His heart opened completely, allowing all kinds of emotions to surge forth without reservation, immersing him in heart-wrenching memories of the past, not letting go of any fragment, not daring to miss any detail.
Past, present, and future merged into one, encompassing all love and pain, and all things in the universe. Even the wounds usually hidden deep within surfaced, a torrent of emotions washing over the land of his soul.
These intense, unrestrained, and boundless emotions cleansed his body and mind like a flood.
The Heaven and Earth Technique operated in accordance with the changes in his emotions, neither forcing himself to forget emotions nor to be without desire. He indulged in the world, all things returning to oneness. Before him, there was no longer any distinction between inside and outside, between you and me, between him and the world surrounding him.
In a profound and mysterious state, he finally reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship he had longed for, glimpsing the vanished "One" within the Dao of Heaven. As long as this realm remained unbroken, as long as he took another step, he could ascend from the state of oneness with Heaven to a higher level, merging into that "One," breaking through the limits of Heaven and Man, and piercing through the void.
He waited.
He closed his eyes, yet he could perceive the exact movement of every hair on Guan Shanyue's head.
From the moment their eyes locked, their minds and auras were intertwined. If he lost even the slightest composure, he might die on the spot. Under the mutual pull of their auras, even if Guan Shanyue was unwilling, he could not change this tragic outcome.
The faint rumble of thunder in the sky added to the tense atmosphere of impending doom before their direct confrontation.
Guan Shanyue stood tall amidst the swirling, swirling fog, continuously unleashing the Void-Breaking Technique.
Under the pressure of his all-out attack and the overwhelming force of his aura, few in the world, other than Lang Qingyun, could withstand his direct confrontation. He had to immediately switch from defense to offense. Otherwise, if he pushed the Void-Breaking Technique to its limit, his opponent would likely be pulverized.
In the thirty years since he mastered the Void-Breaking Technique, no one had ever faced him head-on for so long, let alone allowed him to gather his power. Guan Shanyue was now devoid of joy or anger, his mind sinking into the endless void.
The essence of the void was continuously absorbed into his body through the pores of his body, transforming into true energy. His spirit was constantly strengthened and concentrated, exerting all his strength to restrain his opponent's mind, seizing any opening.
This profound technique of seizing the essence of heaven and earth and grasping the void could only be achieved by someone at the peak of the Void-Breaking Technique. And this process was extremely dangerous. The human body is finite, but the void is infinite. If one only gathers without dispersing, at best one will suffer a qi deviation, at worst one will be instantly shattered to pieces. Even Guan Shanyue was not immune to this.
He needed an outlet for his frustrations, an evenly matched opponent, to achieve balance. In his solitary contemplation, though he had glimpsed the gates of the Heavenly Dao, he could not advance any further because he lacked a worthy adversary, lacking that moment of sudden enlightenment.
Today's battle was inevitable; Guan Shanyue and Lang Qingyun had no enmity, even mutual respect, yet this fight was unavoidable.
Lang Qingyun was the opponent he had longed for for thirty years. An opponent who could potentially help him find the gate to the void—or, from another perspective, a friend.
Lang Qingyun remained completely still, but his hair flew wildly, his eyes gleaming with divine light. He did not seize the essence of the void like Guan Shanyue, but he became an inseparable part of heaven and earth, merging with them.
Heaven and earth were me, and I was heaven and earth. All streams flowed to their source, all laws returned to one.
No matter how vast and terrifying Guan Shanyue's spirit and attack power were, his aura always followed closely, relentlessly growing stronger. Like a light boat, no matter how turbulent the waves, it always drifts with the current, sailing freely and safely.
"Boom!"
Thunder rumbled from the east, the wind and rain gradually approaching.
"Clang!"
Lang Qingyun's renowned Misty Rain Sword, as if possessed by a spirit, sprang from its sheath, somehow finding its way into Lang Qingyun's slender fingers.
The swirling wind and clouds suddenly froze, as if solidified.
Within fifty feet of Guan Shanyue and Lang Qingyun, the air seemed to solidify, while beyond that, the wind and clouds swirled and roared, seemingly concealing world-destroying power.
Guan Shanyue's figure suddenly vanished. The next moment, he seemed to emerge from the void, appearing like a ghost a few feet in front of Lang Qingyun, his Dragon Roar Blade appearing, slashing out with a single strike.
An indescribable strike!
At this moment, the martial arts masters on the hundreds of observation ships, and Hua Yinghong on the high slope of Lonely Star Island, were all completely focused and dumbfounded, watching the clouds and smoke swirling wildly like angry dragons and the strange celestial phenomena on the western peak of Lonely Star Island, unable to believe that it was man-made.
The full moon reigned supreme above Lonely Star Island, its silvery moonlight covering the rapidly spinning clouds, transforming them into a swirling cloud of light, resembling a bizarre and absurd miracle.
Suddenly, a deafening thunderclap erupted, and the sky above Lonely Star Island was engulfed in a violent storm of thunder and rain.
Hua Yinghong dared not blink, his mind rising and falling with the changing winds and clouds at the scene of the two's fierce battle. It was a mysterious experience; the Void-Breaking Technique circulating within his body accelerated wildly with Guan Shanyue's strike, as if he had grasped the infinite mysteries of that strike, yet could not grasp anything at all.
No words could describe the power and speed of Guan Shanyue's strike.
A strike without any fancy moves, yet it revealed all the subtle changes in the void of heaven and earth, penetrating the secrets of the void of heaven.
A single strike, capable of splitting the heavens and earth, invincible and capable of shattering anything, even the void itself seemed to be torn apart by its power.
Lang Qingyun's closed eyes suddenly snapped open, his gaze blazing with unparalleled brilliance. His Misty Rain Sword transformed into a long rainbow, soaring into the sky before suddenly accelerating like an arrow released from a bow, darting and leaping like a dragon cutting through waves, striking Guan Shanyue's blade tip with lightning speed.
The swords clashed, yet there was not a sound.
The swirling clouds fifty feet away suddenly converged on the point of impact, a bolt of lightning as thick as a fist striking that very spot. A thunderclap followed, and then the clouds vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye! It was as if a portal to another void had just been opened there.
The entire Lonely Star Island was bathed in the bright moonlight, clear and luminous.
Those watching could clearly see the unforgettable, eerie scene of the clash of swords.
A whirlwind swept through.
"Crack!"
Another golden bolt of lightning pierced through the clouds, splitting into countless root-like flashes ten feet above their heads, lingering for a long time, completely enveloping their figures.
The lightning disappeared. The bright moon lost its color, and dark clouds covered the sky
. A torrential downpour pounded down, once again submerging these two highly respected top masters in the vast wind, rain, and lightning.
Guan Shanyue's eyes flashed like lightning, clashing with Lang Qingyun's sharp gaze like swords clashing.
This peerless sword god had entered an unprecedented realm of transcendence, channeling the energy of heaven and earth through his body and the Dragon Roar Blade, like a mighty river flowing endlessly through the intersection of the Dragon Roar Blade and the Misty Rain Sword, into Lang Qingyun's meridians and body.
If Lang Qingyun could not withstand it even for a moment, that irresistible, surging, and astonishing power would blast him into dust, leaving not a trace. Greatness
lies in tolerance, and strength lies in the absence of desire.
No one could withstand this earth-shattering, awe-inspiring attack.
Not even Lang Qingyun!
But Lang Qingyun merged with heaven and earth, transforming himself into the boundless universe. He didn't resist, but instead, like a vast ocean embracing all rivers, he frantically absorbed and circulated the unfathomable source and power from Guan Shanyue.
The sea would never overflow. No matter how large the rivers that flowed into it, the sea's capacity would only rise, demanding more space from heaven and earth, ebb and flow, boundless and limitless.
A genuine smile suddenly appeared on Guan Shanyue's handsome face.
Lang Qingyun's eyes also shone with joy.
Suddenly, both of them roared with laughter, their laughter filled with boundless elation.
Guan Shanyue's Dragon Roar Blade became ethereal, all its power vanishing without a trace. Simultaneously, Lang Qingyun absorbed all of his true essence and power, striking back with lightning speed, instantly returning it all to Guan Shanyue's body.
Their figures disappeared, reappearing moments later, standing face to face, three zhang apart.
Rain arrows shot forth, but were forced aside by the force of the air, scattering and cascading away. Neither of them wore a single drop of rain.
The two masters locked eyes, then simultaneously burst into laughter, overjoyed, like two children who had finally obtained a rare and precious toy they had longed for all their lives.
Guan Shanyue laughed loudly and asked, "Do you understand now?"
Lang Qingyun also laughed so hard he almost fell over, nodding wildly, "That's it!"
Guan Shanyue laboriously stopped laughing, shaking his head and sighing, "I couldn't wait any longer."
Lang Qingyun tossed his Misty Rain Sword high into the air, his mind entering a state of perfect tranquility. At the same time, Guan Shanyue slowly rose upwards, completely defying the laws of nature.
Within a radius of fifty feet, both were completely dry, without a trace of rain. The Misty
Rain Sword transformed into a silvery-white speck of light reflecting the lightning in the sky, streaking across the void like a shooting star chasing the moon. Following an arc encompassing the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, it appeared extremely slow, yet was actually as fast as lightning as it shot towards Guan Shanyue.
Guan Shanyue's Dragon Roar Blade struck out fiercely, slamming into the shimmering sphere of light composed of silver specks. The sphere exploded, transforming into a tidal wave of sword rain,
surging and crashing towards Guan Shanyue wave after wave. Guan Shanyue let out a long howl, soaring diagonally into the sky, arriving at the void outside the cliff. The sword rain subsided, and Lang Qingyun, like a soaring eagle, swooped down beyond the cliff. The Misty Rain Sword once again unleashed a sky full of sword light, attacking Guan Shanyue from the void. The two leaped and danced, their attacks clashing and separating in an instant. Their swords exchanged thousands of blows in mid-air, yet instead of falling, they soared more than three hundred feet into the void.
No matter how the Misty Rain Sword changed, Guan Shanyue's Dragon's Roar Blade always struck its tip; no matter how the Dragon's Roar Blade traced lines that embodied the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, the Misty Rain Sword could intercept it in time.
The essence of heaven and earth, endlessly circulating, flowed through the meridians of the two amidst the clash of swords, achieving absolute balance and fixing them in a void.
The two fought slower and slower, as if time itself had suddenly become lazy and weary. When it slowed down to the point where it could slow down no more, the two simultaneously exerted all their strength, unleashing their final sword and saber strikes.
The Misty Rain Sword first shot diagonally away, then turned and slashed horizontally at Guan Shanyue's right waist. Guan Shanyue's Dragon's Roar Blade shot out, aiming straight for Lang Qingyun's heart.
In that instant, both foresaw that if the situation continued to develop, they would only perish together. Their eyes met, and they smiled knowingly, their minds merging seamlessly, more compatible than any confidant. "Clang!" The Misty Rain Sword and the Dragon's Roar Blade returned to their sheaths at the same time.
Guan Shanyue and Lang Qingyun's outstretched hands clasped tightly together.
Hundreds of bolts of lightning struck down, piercing their clasped hands—symbols of understanding the Dao of Life and Death—exploding into massive, blinding balls of lightning visible far and wide.
The sea shimmered under the moonlight, and the onlookers stared in disbelief at the dazzling, breathtaking light on Lonely Star Island.
Who would win? Who would lose? The ball of lightning exploded where the two stood. The world was instantly plunged into white.
Caught off guard, everyone was blinded by the intense light.
The light subsided, but the lingering afterglow still obscured everything. Gradually, the scene cleared.
A dazzling beam of light shot out from the ball of light, tracing a beautiful trajectory through the air, landing a foot in front of Hua Yinghong. Hua Yinghong heard Guan Shanyue's powerful voice: "The Dao of Heaven is constant; we shall meet again."
Amidst the breathtaking beauty of the bright moon overhead, an image unfolded before the spectators, an image they would never forget for a moment—
in the void, a dazzling ball of light transformed into a strange gate shape, and Guan Shanyue vanished without a trace. Lang Qingyun, carrying the world-renowned Misty Rain Sword, stood proudly at the edge of a giant, suspended rock, leisurely gazing up at the bright moon.
In the blink of an eye, Lang Qingyun's figure also disappeared without a trace.

Volume One, Chapter Four: Escape from Lonely Star
. Hua Yinghong felt a pang of sorrow. Guan Shanyue had clearly flown away; the words "Heaven's way is constant, we'll meet again" couldn't have been spoken without reason. Perhaps he truly had hope of returning? A few feet before him lay a simple, ancient-looking, sheathed sword—Guan Shanyue's Dragon's Roar Blade. He stepped forward, picked it up with both hands, and gripped the hilt with his right. Instantly, a familiar feeling surged from his touch; the True Qi of Breaking Void within him resonated with the Dragon's Roar Blade, and the blade, as if delighted to have a new master, vibrated and hummed joyfully within its sheath. Just as
Hua Yinghong was about to draw the Dragon's Roar Blade, he inadvertently noticed that among the hundred or so ships watching the battle at sea, a dozen or so were sailing eastward towards Lonely Star Island. He suddenly realized: the item Guan Shanyue left behind was no ordinary object; those people must be after the Dragon's Roar Blade. "A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime." In this strange world, he currently had enemies and no friends; he needed to devise a plan. He needed to both protect the Dragon's Roar Blade and use these ships to leave the isolated island. He would decide his next move later.
He slung the blade over his shoulder and, judging by the ships' speed, estimated they would reach the west shore in about fifteen minutes. However, considering the numerous martial arts masters from this other world, and the possibility that some might come by water, time was running out; it was best to leave quickly.
Hua Yinghong picked up the wooden spear and three stone cups, along with the empty wine bag. He ran swiftly towards his lodgings. As he ran, he felt the Heaven and Earth Technique and the Void-Breaking Technique flowing naturally, his feet moving with the wind, his steps becoming much lighter, each stride covering nearly two meters, and he quickly disappeared without a trace. Sure enough,
in less than half a moment, before four figures could even move like lightning, they pounced on the slope where Hua Yinghong had just been. Seeing the fire he had left behind and the strange distress signal, one of them couldn't help but let out a soft "Eh." Just as they were about to search around, more than ten more figures rushed up the slope.
Most of them knew each other and didn't say much. Each person searched using their own experience. Judging from the items left at the top of the slope, it wasn't hard to tell that Guan Shanyue and Lang Qingyun had stayed there. However, there was another person, whose identity was unknown, sitting side by side with Guan and Lang. Could it be the Gun God Yan Nanfei? Most of the experts on the slope felt a chill. If the Gun God Yan Nanfei had made a move, no one would dare to hope for the items left behind by Guan and Lang's duel.
After a while, dozens more figures rushed up the slope.
Soon, these experienced experts found clues. From the footprints left behind, they could determine that someone with low martial arts skills had taken the items. Lonely Star Island was not large. With so many people, they could quickly search the entire island, and then the truth would naturally come out.
The group followed the route Hua Yinghong had taken and flew away. After more than half a mile, they arrived at Hua Yinghong's "home" in the blink of an eye.
By this time, Hua Yinghong had already taken the small knife and dozens of cooked bird eggs. The knife was his closest possession in this strange world, holding his sweetest memories with Fei'er; he couldn't bear to part with it. The wooden gun smelled of blood, making him an easy target, so he reluctantly left his livelihood—which he'd carried for nearly a month—on his bed and departed lightly. The island was filled with his scent from the past few days, which would somewhat confuse the pursuers. However, the pursuers were numerous and powerful, and many were undoubtedly skilled. A full search of the island would surely not be enough, and he was utterly powerless to fight back. Therefore, he needed to devise a better plan.
Countless schemes raced through his mind, and finally, Hua Yinghong decided to take a risky gamble. He wondered if the adage "the most dangerous place is the safest place" would apply in this strange world. By the time the pursuers reached his "home," he had already slipped fifty feet north. To the north were several hills six or seven feet high; he planned to circle along the coast from there to the place where the pursuers' boat was moored to the east, then sneak onto the boat and hide in the most unexpected place.
Later, Hua Yinghong learned that, thankfully, the highest-ranking pursuers were only ninth-grade experts, whose spiritual sense could only detect up to twenty feet. The rest were only seventh or eighth-grade. Furthermore, Hua Yinghong deliberately used the Heaven and Earth Technique to conceal his aura, which allowed him to escape the search. In fact, among the hundred-plus ships watching the battle, many of the top-ranking Saint-level experts from the Hua Long Continent had arrived in various ways, but due to their status, they did not go ashore or even approach the ships. Otherwise, how could he have escaped?
Meanwhile, outside Hua Yinghong's residence, the leaders announced their names, but received no response for a long time. After lingering for a while, they called out a few times before finally pushing open the door. Finding neither the person nor the item, they split up and chased after the pursuers in three different directions.
Hua Yinghong concealed himself, stealthily making his way along the foot of the hill to a red willow tree about three zhang (approximately 10 meters) from the sea on the east side of the island. Concentrating his eyes, he peeked out and saw, about fifty zhang away, a dozen or so ships, each about ten zhang long, three zhang wide, and two and a half zhang high, anchored at the shore. Each ship had a lantern, and several figures moved about on board.
The moonlight was like water, illuminating Lonely Star Island as if it were daytime. Hua Yinghong was secretly anxious; in this situation, if he tried to board a ship, he feared he would be caught the moment he showed himself. He couldn't help but complain to the heavens: "Why is the moon so bright? Please, take it back quickly!"
Perhaps hearing Hua Yinghong's plea, a dark cloud drifted across the sky above Lonely Star Island, obscuring the moon. The island was plunged into brief darkness.
"Heaven is helping me!" Hua Yinghong thought to himself, seizing the opportunity to leap out. The three zhang distance was covered in just a few steps; with a fish-like leap, he dove into the water. The skill he had honed from playing in the river since childhood came in handy; his entry into the water only created a small ripple. Just then, a wave surged onto the beach, and as it receded, the few footprints left on the shore vanished without a
trace. Hua Yinghong darted out of the water like a fish, hiding behind a rock. Peeking back at the shore, he saw a dozen figures gathered around his hiding place, discussing something. Some even glanced out to sea. Hua Yinghong quickly looked away, thinking how close he had come to disaster! Had he been even a fraction of a second slower, he would have been caught.
When he looked again, the figures were gone. Several groups of people from Lonely Star Island were seen flying through the air, conducting a net-like search. It seemed the people had been misled by the traces left on Hua Yinghong's island over the past month
and had simply resorted to a thorough search. Hua Yinghong glanced at the dozen or so ships about fifty feet away. The figures on board didn't seem to be paying attention to the sea. Although this distance wasn't very far, with his previous physique and the turbulent waves, it would have taken him half an hour to swim. At this moment, he probably didn't have that much time. After Lang Qingyun and Guan Shanyue imparted their martial arts techniques, Hua
Yinghong felt an inexhaustible supply of energy. He had just entered the water and dived several meters deep, feeling completely at ease and without any stuffiness. He had no choice but to give it his all. Gritting his teeth, Hua Yinghong took a deep breath and plunged into the water, heading towards the nearest ship. When he was almost out of breath, he carefully surfaced, gently exhaling to breathe. In a single glance, he realized he had already dived over twenty meters, and his direction was correct. Taking another deep breath, he plunged back into the water, diving with all his might towards the ship. For safety, he dived even deeper this time. After estimating he was over twenty meters deep, he suddenly realized that if he surfaced to breathe too close to the ship, he would be discovered and all his efforts would be wasted! A chill ran down his spine, and he suppressed the urge to surface, continuing his dive. Just as he was about to lose his breath, the Heaven and Earth Technique activated, greatly relieving the stuffiness and increasing his speed. Suddenly, his hand touched the ship's wall. Overjoyed, he gently floated up, barely breaking the surface before his head and mouth emerged, letting out a soft sigh of relief.
Success! Hua Yinghong had silently clung to the ship, a blind spot from which no one on the island, the ship, or any other vessel could see him lurking in the shadows. Hua Yinghong remained vigilant, striving to conceal his presence. The battle with the Sword God and the Blade God, though he couldn't fully grasp the experience immediately, taught him that masters could sense others through their aura, not with their eyes, but with their heart and spirit. "
Better safe than sorry." This saying was absolutely true, especially in this perilous situation; one wrong move could mean certain death.
"Second Leader, First Leader, please bring more men to the island. We must find the one who possessed the Sword God and Blade God's relics first," a voice said.
"Understood. Li Yi, take ten brothers to guard the ship; the rest of you come with me to the island," the "second leader" ordered. Hua Yinghong saw over fifty figures shoot towards the beach, then split into three groups, leaping and bounding towards Lonely Star Island in a few bounds. Dozens of people flew out from each of the other ten or so ships nearby, the air filled with figures moving swiftly and agilely. He was extremely envious, wishing he could move so high and agilely someday. However, he didn't realize that the Blade God and Sword God were divine-level masters; if they had mastered the Heaven and Earth and Void-Breaking Techniques they passed down, such methods would be nothing more than a piece of cake.
The most urgent task was to board a ship and hide. Being in the sea for too long would cause serious dehydration. Besides, Lonely Star Island was 500 li from the nearest Treasure Island, a journey of more than three days. It was impossible to simply hang on the ship, not to mention the risk of being spotted during the day, and the presence of dangerous creatures in the sea.
With this in mind, Hua Yinghong decided to sneak onto the ship when there were few people on board. He immediately began to carefully observe his surroundings while slowly moving towards one side of the ship. Lacking any martial arts skills, climbing the two and a half zhang (approximately 6.7 meters) from the water to the deck was quite difficult. Since it was a ship, there must be ladders for ordinary people to board and disembark, and for loading and unloading goods; he could only try those places and see if there was an opportunity.
Sure enough, there were two ladders on the right side of the ship, but half of them were retracted, leaving a height of one and a half zhang (approximately 3.7 meters) above the water. Given the lack of leverage in the water, it was impossible for Hua Yinghong to climb them at his current speed. Just as Hua Yinghong was feeling frustrated, he saw a thick rope disappear into the water from the stern, and he was overjoyed.
That thick rope was the anchor used to stabilize the ship. Hua Yinghong strained his ears, making sure no one was nearby. Seeing no one on the other ships paying attention, he grabbed the ropes, pulled himself up, and quickly reached the ship's side. With a swift movement, he hid behind a pile of miscellaneous items.
Given the size of this ship, with at least two hundred crew members, the storage rooms must be quite large and likely unnoticed. Hua Yinghong wasn't very familiar with ship mechanics, but he knew common sense: storage rooms wouldn't be on the upper decks, which were mostly for living quarters. The lowest deck was also unlikely, as that was for manual operations and watertight compartments. Hua Yinghong estimated the storage rooms were near the stern in the middle deck. Seizing an opportunity, taking advantage of the fact that only a dozen or so people were on duty and patrols were lax, he slipped into the middle deck through an entrance on the right.
Thank goodness! The entire middle deck was completely empty, with two rows of rooms marked with room numbers in clerical script. As expected, the word "Storage" was prominently displayed at the front of the stern. Hua Yinghong tiptoed quickly towards the storage room. Luckily, the door wasn't locked. He gently pushed it open, slipped inside, and closed the door behind him.
The storage room was large, about two and a half zhang deep, two zhang wide, and two and a half meters high. Neatly stacked wooden crates, taller than a person, were piled up near the entrance, labeled with items like dried meat and dried fish. Further inside were miscellaneous items like canvas. It was indeed a good hiding place.
Hua Yinghong carefully checked, making sure he hadn't left a trace, before crawling behind the pile of canvas at the back to hide. After a tense escape that lasted half the night, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief. A wave of drowsiness washed over him, and he relaxed, falling asleep without realizing it.
When Hua Yinghong awoke, he didn't know how much time had passed. He heard a commotion outside, followed by loud shouts of "Anchors!" as the ship began to move.
"Damn it! Over a thousand people searched all night, and that kid's just disappeared. What a waste of time!" A voice cursed as it walked to the storage room door and pushed it open.
"Brother Zhang, don't be upset. So many experts went out and couldn't find him. We're not ashamed," another voice said immediately. "Brothers! Two more people, move some more stuff. We're all starving after a whole night. Don't make the leader angry."
"Yes, Brother Yi!" Two or three more people ran to the storage room, their steps extremely light, clearly indicating they possessed considerable martial arts skills.
Hua Yinghong's heart tightened. He quickly activated his Heaven and Earth Technique, trying to conceal his aura, not uttering a single breath, lest he be discovered and wronged!
Fortunately, the group didn't linger. They simply moved several large boxes of things at the door and left.
Hua Yinghong also felt hungry. He listened carefully and, hearing no one outside, took out a seabird egg, peeled it, and ate it in a few bites. Before leaving his lodgings on the island, he had filled his wine bag with fresh water, which came in handy. He dared not drink too much, unsure how long he would be on the ship, or if he would have a chance to steal water and food. Caution was paramount.
Hiding in a corner, Hua Yinghong began to ponder how to survive in this strange world. Returning to his original world was currently impossible; in this chaotic world, survival itself was a major problem. After much thought, he concluded that for survival and to return home, mastering unparalleled martial arts was essential. If given the opportunity, he might do something for the people of this chaotic world. Hua Yinghong recalled Lang Qingyun's assessment of him as having "a heavy responsibility on his shoulders," and the words and actions of Lang and Guan, as well as the style of their two secret techniques. He secretly made up his mind.
"Holy Continent. Since I, Hua Yinghong, have been brought here, let me live a wonderful life here!"
In the 994th year of the Hua Long Continent calendar, a thought Hua Yinghong had while hiding in the ship's storage room changed the course of history for the Hua Long Continent and even the Holy Continent. The will of Heaven, intentionally or unintentionally, guided the direction of history.
With his mind made up, Hua Yinghong devoted himself entirely to comprehending the Heaven and Earth Technique and the Void-Breaking Technique. He recalled the scene of the energy transfer, his mind guiding the two small energy clusters in his lower dantian to separate and circulate along the route of that day, carefully experiencing every subtle change in his body.
The storage room was dark, and he didn't know how much time had passed. While practicing, Hua Yinghong was startled awake by footsteps outside the storage room. He thought about how "Brother Zhang," "Brother Yi," and the others had already come to collect things eight times, and there wasn't much left in the storage room. He had already stolen some from the items near the stern, and if they didn't dock for a few more days, they would likely discover him once everything was gone.
Just as he was pondering his next move, he heard "Brother Zhang" loudly proclaim, "Brother Yi! We're finally almost at shore! We've been so bored at sea lately. Once we reach Xigang, let's find a place to have some fun!"
Brother Yi replied, "We'll have to wait for the leader's permission."
After the group carried away several boxes of things, the door closed again. Hua Yinghong knew his chance to escape was near, so he immediately stopped practicing his martial arts.
Less than an hour later, cheers erupted from the ship; it had finally docked. After about half an hour of commotion, the ship quieted down.
Then, the second leader's voice came: "Li Yi, take twenty brothers to guard the ship; the rest of you return to headquarters," followed by the sound of clothes rustling through the air.
Hua Yinghong waited patiently for another quarter of an hour, then heard "Brother Zhang's" cursing voice: "This is a damn inhuman life! Brother Yi, why are we guarding the ship again!"
The leader called Li Yi smiled bitterly: "Who told us our martial arts are so weak, we're not of much use! Brother Zhang, don't be angry, we'll just drink and make merry on the ship. Tomorrow I'll treat you to some fun at the Debauchery."
"Hehe! Then Brother Yi will have to pay."
Hua Yinghong chuckled inwardly. He could faintly hear the sounds of drinking games and toasts coming from the upper deck. He carefully left the storage room, gathering all his spiritual senses, and tiptoed past the two patrolling men. Following the same route he had taken that day, he slid into the water along the thick rope, swimming several dozen feet before surfacing for air. Looking back, he saw that Yi Ge and the others on the ship were still drinking and oblivious.
Looking around in the water, he realized the dock was clearly a small pier, with dozens of boats of various sizes moored there. Knowing it was best not to be discovered, Hua Yinghong silently swam towards a beach several hundred feet away.
He reached the shore about five hundred feet from the dock, near a small mountain several tens of feet high. There was no one around, so he rested briefly before rushing up the mountain. Although there was no path, he felt energetic and didn't find it difficult.
Looking towards the dock from the mountain, he saw the lights of "West Port," the place Zhang had mentioned, stretching inland for miles, covering an area of at least a hundred thousand people. Hua Yinghong turned left and right, finding a secluded spot to hide the Dragon's Roar Blade, the small knife, the stone cup, and other items, carefully disguising and marking them. The Dragon's Roar Blade was too conspicuous; if it were shown in public, anyone with discerning eyes could spot it immediately, causing trouble. It should only be used when one's strength was sufficient. Hua
Yinghong took another route down the mountain. About fifty feet from the foot of the mountain, as he was running, a sudden alarm bell rang in his mind— "Someone!" Hua Yinghong stopped. The Heaven and Earth Technique slowly activated, his spiritual sense searching for the aura within a three-foot radius. A mysterious feeling told him that several people were surrounding him in a ring within that three-foot radius, and he was locked in by several dangerous auras.

"Where do you think you're going!" Before the words were even finished, a figure appeared a few feet away. Looking back, he saw two more figures appearing on his left, right, and rear, all clad in leather armor. One of them, from each side, had a bow drawn and an arrow poised to fire, while the other held a sword.
Hua Yinghong dared not move rashly. At this moment, besides the Heaven and Earth and Void-Breaking True Qi, he possessed no martial arts skills whatsoever, nor any combat experience. Although the six figures on his side and rear were fierce in their attacks, he felt no fear. The figure opposite him, clad in bronze armor, was clearly the leader. His sword was not drawn, but his intimidating aura made Hua Yinghong feel that he was no match for him.
"Damn it!" Hua Yinghong thought to himself, realizing he had encountered an army.
"Take him down! Take him alive!" Before Hua Yinghong could even speak, the bronze-armored leader in front of him shouted.
Simultaneously, the black-armored soldiers on both sides, wielding swords, lunged forward, slashing down with their blades. Hua Yinghong rapidly activated his Heaven and Earth Technique, and the lunging movements of the two soldiers suddenly became slow and clear in his eyes: he could even see the blade on the left change from a slash to a strike just before it reached his body, aiming for his shoulder, while the blade on the right changed from a slash to a knock, aiming for his right leg. If the powerful force of the blades landed, he might immediately lose the ability to resist and be at their mercy.
Hua Yinghong quickly activated his Void-Breaking Technique, his left hand forming a palm, and swiftly struck the blade on the left!
The combined power of Guan Shanyue and Lang Qingyun within Hua Yinghong was extraordinary. Although he didn't yet know how to utilize it and couldn't exert even half its power, this strike still caused the blade on the left to deflect, and the soldier's hand bled as he stumbled and fell away.
Seeing that the opportunity had appeared, Hua Yinghong formed a claw with his right hand and grabbed the blade striking from the right. With a flick of his wrist, a burst of energy surged from the blade, and the soldier wielding the blade was immediately jolted, releasing his grip and retreating. Hua Yinghong gripped his sword, rolled to the left, and charged towards the archer close to the ground.
"Whoosh!"
An arrow shot from the right. Hua Yinghong rolled again, the arrow hitting empty air behind him. He was already in front of the archer on the left, and slashed with his sword. This strike was completely unpredictable, only incredibly fast!
The archer had no time to retreat and raised his bow to parry. With a "clang," the iron-bound bow was cleaved in two. The archer, given a moment's respite, rolled away. Hua Yinghong, prioritizing his own survival, surged forward, each step covering nearly ten feet.
In the blink of an eye, he had covered over ten feet, with a dense forest less than three feet ahead. Just as he was filled with elation, he heard the sound of armor whistling overhead. A figure stood before the forest, the bronze-armored leader, still with his sword drawn, waiting with a cold smile for Hua Yinghong to arrive from three feet away.
Hua Yinghong had no choice but to rush to the bronze-armored leader in three steps and slash down with his sword again.
The bronze-armored leader casually swung his sword back, "Clang!" Hua Yinghong felt a powerful force surge from the point where the two swords collided, his tiger's mouth went numb, and his sword almost slipped from his grasp. He knew the difference in strength was vast. Before he could even think, the bronze-armored leader had already unleashed a sweeping slash, its energy overflowing, as fast as lightning!
Hua Yinghong inwardly cursed, using the Breaking Void Technique to desperately block with his sword, "Clang!" He and his sword were cleaved back two zhang. Before he could stand up, the bronze-armored leader flashed in front of him again, delivering a powerful cleaving strike! The sword technique was extremely simple, but its speed was incredibly fast, leaving Hua Yinghong with no way to dodge. He had no choice but to raise his sword to meet the attack, supporting the back of the blade with his left hand for leverage.
"Clang!" A powerful force surged forth, and Hua Yinghong's feet sank a foot into the mud. His inner energy vanished, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.
The bronze-armored leader swiftly pointed, and Hua Yinghong felt a numbness throughout his body, instantly losing consciousness.
This series of events, though seemingly lengthy, actually happened in the blink of an eye. Six soldiers arrived shortly afterward. The bronze-armored leader coldly snorted, "A mere runaway slave managed to defeat three of my Black-Clad Guards and withstand three of my strikes. His strength far surpasses that of a second-rank expert. It seems I must question him further. Return to camp!"
Two soldiers lifted Hua Yinghong, and the group traveled for several miles through the mountains, entering a military camp.
When Hua Yinghong awoke, his entire body ached terribly. The three strikes he exchanged with the bronze-armored leader had exhausted all his true energy and stamina.
Little did he know that the bronze-armored leader was a sixth-rank expert. For someone who had never practiced martial arts, to survive three strikes with only the true energy honed over three days of cultivation was already an anomaly. For an ordinary second-rank expert to withstand three strikes from a sixth-rank expert was truly remarkable.
Opening his eyes, he surveyed his surroundings. Hua Yinghong found himself lying in a large room, his hands and feet shackled with iron chains. The room was sparsely furnished except for three tables placed in the center and on either side of the entrance. The bronze-armored leader who had captured him sat at the head of the table, flanked by two other men in black armor, all with solemn expressions.
"You audacious runaway slave! How dare you disregard camp orders and escape on your own! How did you escape? Who was the accomplice? If you don't confess the truth, this general will execute you without mercy!" The bronze-armored leader's tone was cold, as if a single wrong word would result in Hua Yinghong's execution, and he didn't seem to care much about killing.
"So I've been mistaken for a runaway slave." Hua Yinghong looked at himself. The clothes Lang Qingyun had given him were tattered after the escape and seawater soaking; no wonder he'd been mistaken for one. What bad luck!
His mind raced. A truthful confession was impossible; no one would believe him. The only witnesses were Lang Qingyun and Guan Shanyue. Heavens! If he mentioned them as witnesses, he'd be considered insane! But if he didn't find a way to escape, dying here would be too unjust. What to do? Knowing so little about this strange world, he had no idea how to proceed.
Seeing Hua Yinghong remain silent, the bronze-armored leader immediately ordered, "Men! Torture him! I don't believe you're mute or a tough guy." Two soldiers in black armor stepped into the room, each holding a whip; they were the two Hua Yinghong had defeated.
"Mute!" Hua Yinghong had a sudden inspiration. Recalling his capture, he hadn't uttered a single word. If he pretended to be mute, even if the bronze-armored leader and the others didn't believe him, they wouldn't immediately behead him. He could stall for time and find an opportunity to escape. He made up his mind, waving his hands and muttering incoherently.
The bronze-armored leader, instead of being angry, laughed: "Given a little paint and you want to open the dye shop? You really are pretending to be mute. Torture him!"
"Crack! Crack!..." The two black-armored soldiers, gritting their teeth, lashed out with their whips. Caught off guard and humiliated, they seized the opportunity to "repay" Hua Yinghong.
After several lashes, Hua Yinghong's skin was torn and bleeding, the pain excruciating. He had never been whipped like this before; the agony was unbearable. Yet, he knew he couldn't utter a sound, or he would surely die. So he simply covered his head to protect his vital points, secretly circulating his internal energy. As his true energy flowed through, the pain lessened considerably, though he cried out in pain, without begging for mercy.

After a few more lashes, Hua Yinghong's injured body couldn't withstand the strain, and he was too weak to scream. He quickly fainted.
The two soldiers lashed a few more times, but seeing that Hua Yinghong was silent, they stopped. Killing a runaway slave was a small matter, but the confession the copper-armored leader wanted hadn't been obtained yet. If they killed him first, their crime would be serious. The two soldiers were the copper-armored leader's personal guards. They knew he was originally a sixth-rank expert, a captain, whose eccentric personality had offended his superiors. Three months ago, he had been demoted two ranks to a squad leader guarding slaves in the mines, and his resentment had nowhere to go. Therefore, they were careful not to provoke him.
The black-armored man on the right rose and checked Hua Yinghong's breathing. He said to the bronze-armored leader, "General He, this slave has fainted
. If we torture him further, we might not get any information out of him even if he dies. Perhaps we should use a little trick..." He stepped forward and whispered a few words in the bronze-armored leader's ear. General He nodded and ordered, "Take this slave away to treat his wounds and put him in cell
number three. He'll start mining in the cave tomorrow." Two black-clad guards obeyed the order and "treated" Hua Yinghong's wounds. In reality, they just haphazardly applied some military wound medicine to his wounds and then dragged him to cell number three. The two black-clad guards ordered the soldiers guarding the gate to open it, threw Hua Yinghong in right outside, slammed the gate shut, and hurriedly left.
Cell number three was a small room, no more than ten feet square, with some straw piled haphazardly on the floor. Inside, three people, all wearing shackles and handcuffs and with different appearances, were already living. If someone were to look through the lanterns outside the iron bars of the window, they could see a burly man with a full beard lying casually on a pile of weeds in the center of the room; in the right corner, there was a clean-cut young man of about seventeen or eighteen, with sharp eyes and a rather clever demeanor; and in the left corner, there was an old man with thin cheeks and a sickly face.
The sound of the door opening and closing startled the three people who had been sleeping inside. The bearded man immediately jumped up, squatted down in front of Hua Yinghong, and examined him. He put his hand in front of his nose to feel his breath
, shouting, "Old Master! He's still breathing! See if there's any hope! Those bastards beat him so badly!" The clever young man also dragged over in his shackles, put his hand in to feel his breath, and said, "Batian, stop yelling. He won't die!"
Bawang glared at him and said, "Tch! How do you know he won't die? I believe what the Old Master says. You, Ye Zhiqiu, go cool off somewhere else!"
"Cough! Cough!" The old scholar coughed softly, suppressing his throat, and said in a low voice, "Batian, Xiaoye, don't make a fuss. Help me up so I can see. This place that eats people alive, who knows how many people it will kill, cough cough..."
Batian and Ye Zhiqi helped the old scholar to Hua Yinghong's side. The old scholar reached out and placed his hand on Hua Yinghong's left wrist, closed his eyes for a while, and said, "Eh!" He seemed somewhat surprised. He lifted Hua Yinghong's clothes, looked at the whip wound, and said, "Although this person's external injuries are severe, his qi and blood are calm and strong. His life is not in danger. Xiaoye, get some water."
Ye Zhiqi hurriedly went to a corner of the room, took out a wooden tube containing some murky water, and poured some into Hua Yinghong's mouth. Hua Yinghong instinctively swallowed it while unconscious. After a moment, he opened his eyes and woke up.
Not far in front of him, there were three eager eyes looking at him. Although he didn't know them, Hua Yinghong could still feel their sincere concern.
This was purely a feeling, and sometimes feelings are more accurate than rational judgment. Later, when someone asked Hua Yinghong why he always trusted Ba Tian, Ye Zhi Qiu, and the old master Lü Jingwei—the veteran ministers who helped him conquer the world—unconditionally, while seeing through the schemers and villains, he only had two words: "Feeling."
Seeing Hua Yinghong wake up, Ye Zhi Qiu boasted to Ba Tian, "Ba Tian, now you should be convinced! I, Ye Zhi Qiu, am a master of foresight, truly worthy of the name Ye Zhi Qiu…" followed by a series of self-praises.
The old master coughed, interrupting Ye Zhi Qiu's boasting, and asked gently, "I am Lü Jingwei. This young man is Ba Tian, and that is Ye Zhi Qiu. May I ask why you are imprisoned here?"
Hua Yinghong glanced at the iron bars on the window but remained silent. Ye Zhi Qiu understood, darted to the window, looked around, and then listened intently, signaling that no one was eavesdropping.
Hua Yinghong couldn't bear to lie to them, but for a moment he didn't know where to begin, so he could only say, "To deal with those people, I'm pretending to be mute. I have to be careful. It's a long story! I am Hua Yinghong. I came down from the back mountain and was mistaken for a runaway slave by some soldiers. We got into a fight, and I was captured and given a good beating. It was truly an undeserved misfortune. What about you?"
Ba Tian shouted, "These bastards, they don't treat me like a human being! I was originally a fisherman from Xigang, naturally strong. A few years ago, an old man taught me a few incantations, something called 'Horizontal Training,' which made me even stronger, impervious to swords and blades. A year ago, those dogs from outside came to the village to rob us. I beat over a dozen of them, but there was this guy in bronze helmet and armor who was really powerful. I couldn't beat him, so I was captured and brought here to do hard labor."
The old scholar Lü Jingwei coughed again and said, "That man's name is He Zongshi. He was originally a captain in the Zhenbao Island Division. His swordsmanship is fierce, and he has already reached the sixth rank. Ba Tian has also undergone 'Horizontal Training,' making him impervious to swords and blades. Dealing with ordinary soldiers is no problem, but he can't beat experts. However, Ba Tian has a naturally chivalrous heart, and from time to time..." He stood up for his brothers in the slave camp, sometimes taking the beatings for them, and sometimes even beating the overseers when he got angry. He himself suffered quite a bit. Fortunately, he was a good worker, and the overseers didn't make things too difficult for him. I've also benefited greatly from his and Xiao Ye's care. "Ahem!"
Ye Zhi Qiu interrupted, "Old Master, what are you saying? You are a very capable man, a high-ranking official in the past. If you hadn't been implicated for trying to save someone, you wouldn't be imprisoned here."
He then chuckled and said, "As for me, I was caught stealing two months ago and was sent here. Brother Hua, you won't look down on a thief like me, will you?"
Hua Ying Hong said, "Brother Ye, what are you saying? Many heroes are born from humble beginnings. Why judge someone's worth based on their background?"
The old master couldn't help but glance at Hua Ying Hong, but remained silent.
Ye Zhi Qiu recited the line "Heroes are often from humble beginnings, their worth not determined by their birth" twice, then exclaimed joyfully, "Will I become a great hero too?"
Ba Tian shouted, "Little Ye, if you become a great hero, then I'll be a great hero too! Brother Hua, don't you think so?"
Hua Ying Hong, having arrived in this strange world, had no acquaintances or friends. Seeing Ye Zhi Qiu's cleverness and Ba Tian's uprightness, he was pleased and said, "If you two brothers don't mind, the three of us can become sworn brothers, sharing both hardships and joys. We'll be great heroes together, and we'll be big bears together too."
Ba Tian and Ye Zhi Qiu saw that although Hua Ying Hong was seriously injured, his demeanor was extraordinary, and his speech and actions made him very approachable. Hearing this, they were both overjoyed and said in unison, "Good!" Ye Zhi Qiu said, "There's no incense or wine..."
Hua Ying Hong said, "It's alright. The essence of brotherhood lies in understanding, not in formalities."
At that moment, they determined their ages. Hua Yinghong and Batian were both eighteen, only one month older, while Ye Zhiqiu was seventeen, ranking third. "Big Brother," "Second Brother," "Second Brother," "Third Brother," the three called out repeatedly, greatly excited.
The wheels of history on the Hualong Continent quietly began to turn because of the sworn brotherhood of these three slaves.
Alas! The old master Lü Jingwei was also happy for the three, but reminded them, "Brother Hua is still seriously injured and may suffer again tomorrow. Batian, Ye, let Big Brother Hua rest early."
Only then did Hua Yinghong feel the excruciating pain from the whip wounds all over his body. He smiled apologetically at Batian and Ye, "Second Brother, Third Brother, you should go to sleep early. This is just a small injury, Big Brother can handle it."
Batian and Ye Zhiqiu spread a thick layer of straw in the center of the room and helped Hua Yinghong lie down. They then helped Lü Jingwei lie down in a corner of the room, and the two of them quickly went to sleep against the wall.
After everyone else in the room had fallen asleep, Hua Yinghong intended to get up and practice his martial arts cross-legged. However, as soon as he tried to prop himself up, the whip wounds all over his body suddenly flared up. He gritted his teeth, suppressing a cry, and had to lie back down. Unwilling to give up, he silently circulated the Heaven and Earth Technique. He sensed a small ball of true energy in his dantian move slightly. He continued to circulate the technique, and the small ball of energy split off a stream of energy that flowed along the path of the Heaven and Earth Technique, completing a full cycle in a short time. The whip wounds all over
his body seemed to lessen somewhat from the influence of the true energy. Hua Yinghong was overjoyed. He realized he could practice martial arts while lying down! The Heaven and Earth Technique was truly miraculous! He continued to circulate the technique, round and round, until he fell into a deep sleep. The true energy continued tirelessly circulating within his body along its path.
Anyone who saw this would be astonished. With each cycle of the Heaven and Earth Technique, the whip wounds on Hua Yinghong's skin faded a little, until after hundreds of cycles, the wounds gradually scabbed over and finally fell off.
Unbeknownst to Hua Yinghong, his practice while asleep had inadvertently aligned him with the principle of "following the natural way," making that one night's practice equivalent to ten days of ordinary training.
Hua Yinghong awoke with a shout, feeling brimming with energy. The whip marks from yesterday seemed to have vanished without a trace, and he secretly praised the miraculous power of the Heaven and Earth Technique.
Outside, dawn was just breaking when the iron door of room number three creaked open, and two soldiers in black leather helmets and armor called out, "Everyone out for work!"
The other three inside also awoke. Ba Tian cursed, "What are you yelling about! I was sleeping soundly. If you disturb my sleep, I'll break your neck!"
The two soldiers, having likely suffered at Ba Tian's hands before, said somewhat timidly, "Ba Tian, it's time to get to work. Don't make things difficult for us, okay?"
Ba Tian then became somewhat more alert, looked at Hua Yinghong, and shouted to the soldiers, "I'll go do the work. Hua... this man is seriously injured and can't go. I'll take his work!" He appeared rough and tough, but was actually quite shrewd. He suddenly remembered that Hua Yinghong was pretending to be mute and didn't want to reveal his identity, so he immediately changed his words.
One of the soldiers said with a wry smile, "Ba Tian, I'm afraid this won't work..."
Ba Tian glared at them, as if about to explode, "If you don't work, I'll beat you up!"
Hua Yinghong slowly got up, shook his hand, indicating that he could do it.
Lu Jingwei said, "Sigh! Forget it, Batian! They can't make the decision anyway, don't make things difficult for them." He saw Hua Yinghong getting up, and the whip wounds from last night seemed to have healed, so he figured it was no big deal and there must be some wonderful method involved, which surprised him greatly.
"Anyone who dares to disobey the camp orders, this general will make them wish they were dead!" General He's icy voice came clearly—

Volume 1: Slave Life, Chapter 6: First Understanding of Divine Skill
"He Zongshi!" Hua Yinghong saw the bronze-helmeted general appear at the door, his sharp eyes shooting out a cold lightning bolt, his whole body exuding a powerful aura that made him almost lose his footing.
Batian was fearless, but facing this icy general, he dared not say a word.
"You! You must move one hundred baskets of ore today, or you'll be whipped!" He Zongshi coldly said to Hua Yinghong. "Or, you can tell the truth, and I won't make things difficult for you."
Ba Tian blocked Hua Yinghong's path, angrily saying, "This is too much! He's injured, so his share should be on my tab!"
"Crack! Crack!" Two whips rang out as He Zongshi's whip, imbued with true qi, lashed across Ba Tian's body. Even with his formidable external martial arts skills, he couldn't withstand the blow and was immediately knocked aside, his clothes torn in the front and back, revealing two bloody welts.
"Boy! If you dare to act wildly again, I'll break your legs!" He Zongshi's voice was as cold as ice. Ba
Tian roared and lunged forward again. Seeing this, Hua Yinghong held him tightly. His Heaven and Earth Technique had improved again, greatly increasing his strength, allowing him to block Ba Tian. He stared at Ba Tian and shook his head. Ba Tian felt the strength in his hands and slowly calmed down.
Hua Yinghong released his grip and stepped out the door. Ba Tian and Ye Zhi Qiu helped the old master Lü Jingwei keep up. The slave camp didn't make things difficult for Lü Jingwei; Ba Tian had always helped with the mining.
The sun hadn't risen yet. When Hua Yinghong went to the construction site with two soldiers, he secretly surveyed the terrain—
the slave camp was built in a valley about three or four miles in circumference. At the entrance, there was a camp wall about four zhang high and more than ten zhang long, along with more than a hundred barracks. On both sides were mountain peaks that were hundreds of zhang high, even monkeys couldn't climb. In the distance, the narrow valley entrance where the mountain peaks connected was built with a wall more than four zhang high and about five zhang wide, presumably to prevent the slaves from escaping. For slaves with shackles on their hands and feet, escaping was as difficult as climbing to heaven, yet it was unknown how someone had managed to escape, forcing He Zongshi to personally chase after them.
Two mine shafts about ten zhang high and two zhang wide had been dug into the mountains on both sides, and about six or seven hundred slaves were already standing in front of each shaft waiting to start work, with more than a hundred black-armored soldiers with knives supervising the work. Some of the slaves had blank expressions, while others had resolute faces; most were strong young men in their twenties or thirties.
"Bang!" A gong sounded, and work began! Ba Tian, Ye Zhi Qiu, and Lü Jing Wei were deliberately placed on the other side. Before entering the cave, the three couldn't help but glance worriedly at Hua Ying Hong. Seeing him nod resolutely, they went in.
Hua Ying Hong's task was to carry the iron ore, dug and packed by other slaves in the mine, to a designated area outside the cave, a distance of about half a mile. The baskets weren't very large, but when full of ore, they weighed no less than two hundred jin (approximately 100 kg), and if they overflowed, they would weigh no less than two hundred and fifty jin (approximately 125 kg).
Hou Jun and a soldier supervised the loading area, while Li Bing and another soldier oversaw the unloading area. There was also a soldier every two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) along the way. He Zong Shi's black-clad guards usually didn't supervise, so Hua Ying Hong seemed to receive special "preferential treatment."
Sure enough, for the first basket, Hou Jun had a slave fill it to overflowing. When the basket pressed down on his shoulder, Hua Yinghong winced in pain. Two hundred and fifty pounds was no joke, and with the shackles, his legs were unsteady. But he gritted his teeth and persevered, moving with the other slaves towards the cave exit.
After setting down the first basket, Hua Yinghong slumped to the ground, letting out a long sigh; his shoulders felt like they didn't belong to him anymore. Ouch!
Li Bing's whip lashed out with a "crack!" Hua Yinghong had seen it before it struck and tried to dodge, but the shackles hampered his movement, and
he took the full force of the lash, the pain excruciating. "No slacking off!" Li Bing lashed out again. This time, Hua Yinghong grabbed it, giving him a cold, disgusted look before standing up and walking back into the cave. Li Bing, startled by his sharp gaze, dared not strike again, unable even to utter a curse.
When the third basket of overflowing ore pressed down on his shoulder, Hua Yinghong's legs trembled, and he could barely move. Hou Jun lightly tapped the leather whip in his hand, ready to lash it down at the slightest mistake.
Hua Yinghong gritted his teeth and forced himself to take a few steps, feeling as if he were carrying a mountain, each step incredibly difficult, his vision blurring with stars. Just when he felt he couldn't hold on any longer and wanted to throw the basket to the ground, a cool stream of energy flowed from his dantian, automatically circulating along the path of the Heaven and Earth Technique. Wherever the true energy reached, the pressure on his shoulders immediately eased considerably.
Hou Jun didn't bring down the whip he had been holding in mid-air, for he was astonished to find that Hua Yinghong, who had almost been unable to take another step, was now walking towards the cave entrance with even greater ease! The
Heaven and Earth Technique was circulating faster, and Hua Yinghong was walking with even greater ease. Sensing this change, he suddenly slapped himself across the face with his left hand, thinking: How stupid! Wouldn't I have suffered more if I had started practicing earlier? It turns out the Heaven and Earth Technique can be practiced not only while sleeping but also while moving.
Hua Yinghong was unaware that he had inadvertently broken the old path of martial artists who practiced meditation in stillness, fearing the danger of qi deviation, and entered an unprecedented realm of martial arts wonder—where both movement and stillness could be used for practice! Movement was eternal, stillness was relative; doing as one pleased, the wonder lay in nature. This was something even divine masters like Lang Qingyun and Guan Shanyue might not have realized. Perhaps they did realize it but failed to share it with anyone!
Gradually, the other slaves noticed Hua Yinghong's changes with surprise. Although each basket was piled high with ore by Hou Jun, he carried it faster and more easily!
But Hua Yinghong himself was unaware of this. His mind was immersed in the wondrous feeling of the Heaven and Earth Technique operating. Under the external pressure and the pull of the true qi of heaven and earth, the Void-Breaking Technique also began to operate. Strands of the Void-Breaking True Qi left by Guan Shanyue merged with the true qi of the Heaven and Earth Technique. Part of it circulated in his main meridians, while the other part flowed through all his meridians along the route opened by Guan Shanyue when he transmitted his power!
The True Qi of Breaking Void instantly flowed through all the meridians of his body, and the True Qi of Heaven and Earth also flowed along with it. As the True Qi flowed back, two small but extremely pure streams of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi flowed into Hua Yinghong's body from the soles of his feet and the Baihui point on his head, respectively. They were received by the True Qi of Breaking Void and the True Qi of Heaven and Earth and flowed back into his dantian. The two primordial energy clusters in his dantian were pushed to rotate slowly, absorbing the received Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi and transforming it into True Qi before releasing it again!
More Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi was absorbed and transformed, and the rotation speed of the two primordial energy clusters accelerated, gradually undergoing a change! The True Qi of Heaven and Earth and the True Qi of Breaking Void were originally one cold and one hot, clearly distinct and not interfering with each other, but in the rapid rotation, the two primordial energy clusters began to merge and permeate each other!
As the primordial energy of heaven and earth was continuously absorbed, the two energy clusters grew stronger, intertwining and eventually merging into a sphere resembling a Tai Chi symbol, constantly rotating according to some mysterious law…
“Boom!” Just as the Tai Chi sphere formed, the primordial energy of heaven and earth surged rapidly from the top of his head and the bottom of his feet, filling all the meridians in his body; then, suddenly, it stopped abruptly as if cut by a knife. The flow of energy in his meridians slowly flowed back into the Tai Chi sphere, leaving it empty, before being filled again by the mixed true energy flowing out from the Tai Chi sphere.
Hua Yinghong's mind seemed to be immersed in this energy as well, his five senses fully opened, and he immediately felt a moving sensation. Within a radius of five zhang, he even seemed to hear the muttering of a soldier four zhang away to his left, and the sound of a cockroach on the cave wall to his right, comfortably exhaling after eating a little food scrap…
To outsiders, Hua Yinghong was still carrying ore, walking quickly at an astonishing pace. Little did they know that in those brief moments, Hua Yinghong had experienced a fortuitous encounter that every martial artist dreams of. He had miraculously merged the True Qi of Heaven and Earth with the True Qi of Breaking Void, not only advancing to the fourth level and the second level of the Heart Sutra respectively, but also generating a unique True Qi that combined the characteristics of the two True Qi, opening an unprecedented door to the treasure trove of martial arts!
In terms of the strength of his True Qi alone, Hua Yinghong had already entered the ranks of a fourth-grade master. However, due to his lack of experience in using True Qi and martial arts techniques, his strength would be greatly diminished.
Two hours later, when it was time to eat, Hua Yinghong, aided by the circulation of his inner energy, had easily carried thirty baskets, while even the strongest of the other slaves had only carried twenty.
The food was unpalatable, consisting of only a small bowl of thin, watery porridge and two steamed buns mixed with rice bran. Hua Yinghong didn't care about the taste and forced himself to swallow it. After all, survival was the most important thing.
After a rare short rest, he resumed his work. After carrying the load for a while, the slaves' stamina became finite, and their pace slowed considerably. The overseers' whips began to crack intermittently, followed by the screams of the slaves being whipped…
By noon, Hua Yinghong had carried over sixty full baskets. At this rate, completing the quota seemed achievable. Just as he was about to slow down, an accident occurred—Hua Yinghong had
just put down a basket of ore and picked up the empty basket to walk into the cave when a middle-aged slave, about thirty years old, of medium build and rather weak, carrying a basket of ore, tripped over a protruding rock, lost his balance, and fell forward, spilling the entire basket of ore to the ground. His knee struck the rock, and blood gushed out!
A nearby soldier, seeing this, lashed the middle-aged slave with his whip, “crack! crack!” several times, tearing his skin and flesh, but the slave gritted his teeth and didn't cry out!
"Brother Qin!" Several slaves dropped their baskets and rushed forward to shield the middle-aged slave with their bodies, whipping the others. Those struck groaned, gritting their teeth and refusing to cry out or back down.
It seemed Brother Qin was quite popular among the slaves, as more slaves stopped their work and surrounded him. The soldier, seeing this, tensed up, stopped whipping, gripped his sword, and shouted, "What are you all doing here! Get back to work!"
Several nearby soldiers, thinking a slave mutiny was brewing, drew their swords and surrounded him, shouting, "Scatter! Scatter! Are you trying to rebel?" Black-clad guard Li Bing also approached with a soldier.
Seeing a conflict about to erupt, and knowing the slaves were handcuffed and shackled and would surely suffer, Hua Yinghong quickly stepped forward. Still not daring to speak, he pointed to the middle-aged slave, then to the basket, and then gestured for him to carry the basket himself, indicating he would take over the middle-aged slave's work.
Li Bing, the black-clad guard, and his men understood the situation perfectly. They thought it was the best course of action; pushing the slaves too far would result in some deaths, but they had heard the situation was tense, with urgent demands for military supplies. Iron ore was a crucial resource, and disrupting the supply chain was something no one could afford to ignore.
Li Bing said, "Qin Zhong still has thirty-four baskets to move. Now that someone has taken his place and he's injured, he can rest." He then said to Hua Yinghong, "You, you still have thirty-eight baskets left. You have a total of seventy-two baskets to move. If you're short even one, you and Qin Zhong will be punished!"
The other slaves cried out, "I'll count five baskets too!" "Me too!"...
Li Bing sneered, "No! Who told him to try and show off! Are you all that strong? Tomorrow, each of you will get five more baskets, no! Ten more!" The slaves, driven by righteous indignation, were already exhausted from completing their seventy to eighty baskets each, and dared not utter another word. They fell silent, their faces filled with resentment.
The middle-aged slave Qin Zhong said gratefully, "Thank you, brothers! Everyone, get back to work!" He then said apologetically to Hua Yinghong, "I've troubled you, brother!"
Li Bing ordered two soldiers to apply wound medicine to Qin Zhong's wounds and take him back to his quarters to recover.
With the help of the slaves, Hua Yinghong quickly packed the scattered ore back into baskets, put them on his shoulder, and strode towards where he had put the baskets. He was circulating his internal energy, so he didn't feel too tired. However, he was cautious. To avoid Hou Jun
, Li Bing, and the others noticing and trying to retaliate against him, he deliberately pretended to be exhausted and in pain after carrying several baskets, but always persevered to the end. Hou and Li were indeed pleased to see Hua Yinghong's disheveled appearance.
When it was time to finish work in the evening, Hua Yinghong had just finished his and Qin Zhong's tasks. He deliberately pretended to be exhausted and was carried back to cell number three.
Ba Tian and the other two had already returned and were worried when they saw Hua Yinghong being carried back. Ba Tian exclaimed, "Damn it! You've really put Big Brother in a terrible situation!"
After the soldiers left, the three surrounded him. Hua Yinghong, who had been listless, sat up straight and laughed, "Master, Second Brother, Third Brother, I'm alright!"
The three were both surprised and delighted. Hua Yinghong then briefly recounted his experiences of the day. As for the strange changes in his true energy from the Heaven and Earth Technique and the Void-Breaking Technique, he didn't really understand them, only that he had endured hardship since childhood and possessed considerable strength.
Ba Tian exclaimed happily, "Big Brother is indeed amazing! I could only manage about two hundred baskets before I couldn't do any more. Big Brother, you're still recovering from your serious injuries, yet you're so capable!"
Ye Zhi Qiu said, "Of course Big Brother is amazing! Otherwise, how could he be Big Brother!"
"Cough!" Old Master Lü Jingwei seemed to be getting sicker. However, both he and Ye Zhiqi had received Ba Tian's assistance, so the mining hadn't been too strenuous, and they still had the energy to speak—
"Brother Hua, if you don't mind, just call me 'Old Brother.' May I ask where you're from? I've seen many people, but judging from your speech and knowledge, you're not like an ordinary person." He couldn't help but be curious about Hua Yinghong's rapid recovery from his serious injuries, his astonishing strength, and his extraordinary demeanor, and his words were full of hidden meaning.
Hua Yinghong had already decided not to reveal his otherworldly origins to anyone other than Lang and Guan, so he replied with his prepared words: "Then please forgive my rudeness. Old Brother, you don't know, I was originally the son of a hunter from Jade Dragon Mountain. I met my master by chance, who taught me some martial arts and knowledge. This time, I crossed the sea with my master to watch a battle on Lonely Star Island. I heard it was some kind of competition between sword gods and saber gods. Later, we got separated, and I was mistakenly captured here by General He."
His words were a mix of truth and falsehood, yet they were connected to the earth-shattering battle that had shaken the martial arts world a few days prior. The timing was also coincidental, and he wasn't afraid of being exposed in the future.
"Like master, like disciple," Lü Jingwei said. "Your master must be a master."
Hua Yinghong said, "My master has never mentioned his name. By the way, I have lived in the mountains for many years and know little about worldly affairs. I would appreciate your guidance, brother." He intentionally changed the subject, but at the same time, he genuinely wanted to take this opportunity to learn more about this other world. He observed that Lü Jingwei was no ordinary person and thought it would be a good time to ask him for advice.
At that moment, Hua Yinghong and Lü Jingwei exchanged questions and answers, from the general trend of the world to history, culture, and geography, from people's livelihood and politics to military strategy. Hua Yinghong asked most of the questions, and Lü Jingwei was indeed knowledgeable and knowledgeable. He was amazed by Hua Yinghong's ability to always ask insightful questions, his occasional apt comments, and his fresh perspectives. Therefore, he shared his knowledge without reservation, greatly broadening Hua Yinghong's horizons and deepening his understanding of the Hua Long Continent.
Ba Tian and Ye Zhi Qiu initially chimed in, but later fell silent, listening attentively to Hua and Lü's discussions. Being of humble origins, they rarely had the opportunity to witness such things, and this was a chance for them to gain much knowledge.
The two men talked animatedly until the third watch of the night. Ba and Ye, however, finally succumbed and fell asleep. Lü Jingwei smiled upon seeing this and said, "There's still heavy work to do tomorrow, Brother Hua, take good care of yourself." Since
Hua Yinghong had mastered the method of practicing martial arts in both stillness and movement, the strange true energy resulting from the fusion of Heaven and Earth and the Void-Breaking True Qi flowed naturally through his meridians. Despite being tired all day, he remained energetic, as if he could talk all night. Seeing Lü Jingwei's sickly face and frequent coughing, Hua Yinghong felt a pang of pity and said, "A word from you, brother, is worth more than ten years of study. You should rest early too."
The two quickly fell asleep.
Some time passed. Hua Yinghong was awakened by a slight noise. Lü Jingwei had already quietly gotten up; without any visible movement, his hands and feet swiftly freed themselves from their shackles, and then he moved with lightning speed through the room. Hua Yinghong felt a numbness in his pressure points, but it was quickly dispelled by the strange internal energy within him. He vaguely sensed that Lü Jingwei was an extraordinary person; he didn't know the purpose of striking the three people's pressure points to make them fall asleep, but he didn't seem to have any malicious intent, so he pretended to be asleep.
Lü Jingwei flashed to the window, and Hua Yinghong peeked out, only to see him raise both hands, his palms glowing with a red, flame-like light, grasping two fist-sized steel rods in the middle, and gently pulling them apart. The steel rods instantly turned red, bending as pliable as noodles, revealing an opening more than a foot wide. Lü Jingwei leaped through the gap, then turned back and restored the steel rod to its original position.
Hua Yinghong was astonished. The seemingly sickly Lü Jingwei was actually a highly skilled martial artist!
Suddenly, Hua Yinghong recalled the meaning of "the real can be broken, the illusory cannot" from the "Breaking the Void Technique," and a sudden realization dawned on him. He placed his right hand on the shackles of his left foot, activated the Breaking the Void Technique, transforming the strange true energy into Breaking the Void True Energy, and probed into the shackles. His mind followed, examining the structure of the shackles, discovering it was merely a simple mechanism. With a thought, the Breaking the Void True Energy moved—with
a soft "click," the shackles opened!

Hua
Yinghong was overjoyed: so true energy could be used like this! He then removed all the shackles from his hands and feet. With this experience, he darted to the window, grabbed the two steel rods with both hands, and pulled with all his might—
though it was very difficult, the steel rods were slowly pulled apart. Hua Yinghong checked that no one was around, quickly slipped out of the window, and then put the steel rods back in place.
Looking around, he saw Lü Jingwei's figure flash and disappear dozens of feet away, then flash again and fly another six or seven feet into the depths of the valley—such fast movement!
Hua Yinghong didn't know where General He and the other experts lived, so he concealed his aura and used his stealth technique to snake his way towards Lü Jingwei's direction. He had just mastered his divine skill and felt as light as a swallow. Although he didn't have any lightness skills, he could still leap three feet at a time, dodging two groups of patrols along the way, and sped towards the valley!
About fifty feet from the narrow valley entrance wall, he slowed down, quietly approaching to within twelve or thirteen feet, and stopped at a bend, secretly peeking out—

"General He, Lü Jingwei left room number three and headed towards the valley!"
"Understood. Investigate further and report back." He Zongshi sat behind his desk, listening to a report from a black-clad guard, his expression still indifferent.
Surprisingly, a man in a brocade robe sat behind the desk, with two men in black standing behind him, clearly his bodyguards. The man in the brocade robe was about forty years old, sitting upright, with a robust build, exuding the imposing aura of someone in a high position.
"General He, that mute also left room number three, heading in the same direction, but he doesn't seem to be with Lü Jingwei." Another black-clad guard reported.
"Keep a close watch, be careful not to alert him," He Zongshi said coldly.
He turned to the man in the brocade robe and said, "Senior Brother An, the remnants of the Liu family will soon appear. This time, we must wipe them all out!"
The man in the brocade robe, named An Rushan, studied under the same master as He Zongshi and ranked third. Upon hearing this, he said, "Junior Brother He, you must not be careless. That Sword Saint Hou Mubai is no easy opponent. Ten years ago, three of my Jade Dragon Secret Agents, along with hundreds of experts, pursued him, yet he still managed to escape with the remnants of the Liu family. This time, five of the twelve elders of the Dragon Group have arrived to keep Hou Mubai occupied
. You and my men must make careful arrangements to kill Lü Jingwei and the remnants of the Liu family in one fell swoop!" He Zongshi said, "When will the five elders arrive? Delay might cause unforeseen complications."
"In the next two days. Lü Jingwei and the remnants of the Liu family will not give up until they find Lu Shenggong. The most urgent task is to hide Lu Shenggong as bait. What's the deal with that mute man?"
"When capturing the runaway slaves, he knocked down three of my black-clad guards. I mistakenly captured this one, whose origins are unknown. His skill level is close to the third rank, but he has no martial arts skills, which is puzzling. He did hard labor all day today, so he's a good slave," He Zongshi said casually.
If Hua Yinghong were here to hear this, he would definitely be so angry that he would vomit blood! What kind of nonsense is this! He clearly knew he had been mistakenly captured, gave him a severe beating, and then forced him to do extra hard labor all day, turning him into a slave. He's more wronged than Dou E!
Senior Brother An said reproachfully, "Junior Brother He still can't change his troublemaking temper. If things get complicated and mess up, neither of us can bear the responsibility." Seeing that He Zongshi was about to argue, he added, "Forget it, just be careful. With one more third-rank expert of unknown origin, as long as we don't implicate his sect's experts, we can handle it with our current manpower."
The black-clad guards responsible for monitoring didn't see how Hua Yinghong left room number three, so their report didn't mention him pulling out the fist-thick steel rod. Neither Senior Brother An nor He Zongshi expected that this small oversight would lead to a fatal failure for what was originally a flawless plan…

Meanwhile, when Hua Yinghong peeked out, he saw Lü Jingwei standing about seven or eight zhang away, hands at his sides, seemingly waiting respectfully for someone.
The patrol of ten soldiers on the city wall ignored Lü Jingwei, continuing along their fixed route on the approximately five-zhang-long section of the wall.
A pale purple figure appeared on the wall, and the soldiers didn't even blink. Then, the figure gently floated down, passing five or six zhang, and landed opposite Lü Jingwei.
Lü Jingwei bowed and said, “Your subject Lü Jingwei greets the Princess.”
In that instant, under the soft starlight, Hua Yinghong's eyes, enhanced by the true energy of heaven and earth, displayed exceptional vision. He clearly saw the face of the purple-clad princess opposite Lü Jingwei. His mind went blank for a moment, and the word "Fei'er" almost escaped his lips.
The purple-clad princess was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a delicate, oval face, willow-leaf eyebrows, and captivating, watery eyes that seemed to speak volumes. She had a slightly high nose, cherry-like lips, and a tall, slender figure. She wore a light purple dress that accentuated her slender waist, which swayed gently in the night breeze. Her long, flowing hair cascaded down her back, her graceful figure like that of a celestial being. The ancient-style hilt of the sword visible on her back suggested it was a divine weapon. Her fair face possessed three parts heroic spirit, seven parts delicate charm, and an undeniable air of nobility and elegance. Her neck was as white as jade, with graceful lines. The exposed breast beneath her dress shimmered with a snow-white light. A crescent-shaped jade pendant gleamed with a hazy, emerald-green luster under the starlight; its ancient design spoke of its preciousness.
A woman dressed as an ancient Fei'er appeared before Hua Yinghong. This face, these lips, bore countless passionate kisses from him, kisses he could never forget…
For a moment, Hua Yinghong was stunned. He desperately wanted to rush out and embrace her, to give her the kiss he so desperately craved, but he found himself unable to move, unable even to utter a sound.
The purple-clad princess stepped aside, pouting, “Uncle Lü, you flatter me! If it weren’t for you, I would be long gone, and the Liu family line would be extinct. I owe you a life-saving grace and the virtue of continuing the clan; how could I accept such a grand gesture?” Her voice was like a nightingale's song, clear and melodious, like celestial music. But Hua Yinghong felt a chill in his heart, finally realizing this woman was not Fei'er. Although Fei'er was extremely beautiful, her voice was very distinctive, with a touch of masculine strength, unlike this melodious one.
"The proper etiquette between ruler and subject cannot be disregarded," said Lü Jingwei. "I am ashamed; ten years of toil have yielded nothing. I have made several nighttime incursions this month, but Lu Shen Gong's whereabouts are still unknown. Recently, it seems that a highly skilled individual from the Jade Dragon spies has arrived. Princess, you bear a great responsibility; your safety concerns the fate of the Tang Dynasty. Please leave quickly, Princess, and allow me to continue my investigation. Cough! Cough!"
Princess Yufei said urgently, "Uncle Lü, your internal injuries have not yet healed. Such exhaustion makes me uneasy. If you continue to toil alone while I reap the benefits, even if we restore the kingdom, how can I face the late Emperor and Empress Dowager in the afterlife! I must participate in this operation no matter what; Uncle Lü, there's no need to persuade me otherwise." "I'm in!"
Seeing Liu Yufei's resolute attitude, Lü Jingwei stopped insisting and coughed lightly, saying, "How about the princess's trip to Lone Star Island?"
Liu Yufei sighed softly, "On Lone Star Island, the battle between the two seniors, the Sword God and the Blade God, was earth-shattering. Only then did I realize the vastness and inexhaustibility of martial arts. However, after their enlightenment during the duel, the two seniors disappeared without a trace, and I was unable to personally learn from them, which is truly regrettable. I have had brief meetings with the young masters of the four great families: Ximen, Shangguan, Dongfang, and Nangong. Although the first three were polite, I suspect they are not reliable for important matters. Young Master Nangong, on the other hand, is willing to help, but..." As she spoke, her pretty face flushed slightly, showing a hint of sadness and shyness.
Lu Jingwei, unaware of the situation, said, "The renowned fortune teller Guigu once predicted for the princess that 'the successor of two gods will become a powerful ruler in another world,' meaning that the princess's fate would fall on the successor of two gods, and we should indeed pay attention to him. However, I don't know what the meaning of 'powerful ruler in another world' means... Nangong Jun is a young talent of our time, and the Nangong family is the wealthiest in the world and well-informed. If we can win him over, it will be a great help to our plan to restore the country."
Liu Yufei remained silent. Although Nangong Jun seemed genuinely fond of her, it would be difficult to persuade him to give up his entire fortune to help her restore her kingdom and risk his family's lives. As a princess, if she succeeded in restoring her kingdom, she would become empress; how could she easily give herself to someone else? Moreover, she only had a good impression of Nangong Jun, not love. She had a hunch that her true love was someone else.
Lü Jingwei continued, "I recently met a young man. Although his martial arts skills are not particularly high, his knowledge and conversation are unparalleled in my life. If we could recruit him, he would be a great help." He then told Liu Yufei about Hua Yinghong's extraordinary deeds and remarkable insight.
Liu Yufei said, "Uncle Lü's judgment of character is certainly correct; we should get to know him." She had never seen Lü Jingwei praise someone so highly, especially a young man, and she was eager to meet him.
Lu Jingwei said, "I should return now, lest something change. Princess, be careful. The Iron-Blooded Twins, protect the princess carefully!" The Iron-Blooded Twins were Liu Yufei's personal female bodyguards, orphans rescued by Hou Mubai. They had served Liu Yufei since childhood, their bond like sisters. Under Hou Mubai's guidance, their martial arts skills were quite high.
"Yes!" Two responses came from the shadows of the city wall.
Hearing that Lu Jingwei was going back to his room, Hua Yinghong felt a surge of anxiety: if Lu Jingwei returned and didn't find him, wouldn't he be exposed? He wanted to return to his room first, but he also wanted to see Liu Yufei one more time. Although he knew she wasn't his "Fei'er," their faces were similar, but seeing her a few more times was better than nothing in this strange world. Just as he was hesitating, he accidentally touched the stone wall, knocking down some sand. He immediately realized what was happening and thought, "Oh no
!" Sure enough, Liu Yufei and Lu Jingwei shouted almost simultaneously, "Who!" The two figures flashed, Lu Jingwei passing over Hua Yinghong's head with incredible speed, cutting off his escape route to the valley entrance. Liu Yufei's graceful figure floated in the air, her aura already locked onto Hua Yinghong. Her divine sword was silently drawn, unleashing a rain of swords that surged towards Hua Yinghong with overwhelming force.
"The Sword of Startling Wind and Weeping Rain!" The peerless swordsmanship that the peerless prodigy Liu Suifeng relied on to dominate the world was reproduced in Liu Yufei's hands. Hua Yinghong felt as if he were in a raging storm, every part of him within the range of the sword rain's attack, with nowhere to dodge or avoid.
In an instant, Hua Yinghong's mind flashed back to the earth-shattering battle between Lang Qingyun and Guan Shanyue—under the rain of light bursting from Lang Qingyun's Misty Rain Sword, Guan Shanyue's Dragon Roar Blade traced marks imbued with the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, accurately meeting the tip of the Misty Rain Sword... Hua Yinghong activated the Void-Breaking Technique, and a strange true energy split from the Tai Chi sphere in his dantian, transforming into Void-Breaking True Energy, which surged out under immense pressure. With a thought, Hua Yinghong forgot whether using a fist and sword would cause injury. Seemingly slow and gentle, yet incredibly fast, he threw a punch towards the most intense part of the storm!
Sword and fist clashed, and the rain of light vanished instantly. Liu Yufei landed on the ground without a ripple, sword tip pointing diagonally, her sash fluttering lightly, her graceful figure like a celestial maiden.
Hua Yinghong staggered back three steps, landing heavily on his hindquarters. A soft, resilient energy flowed from the sword tip through his fist into his meridians. He tried his best to neutralize it with his True Qi, but the difference in power was too great. He groaned, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, having suffered a serious internal injury!
Liu Yufei cried out, her "Weeping Rain and Startling Wind" sword ready to strike again, but Lu Jingwei urgently called out, "Princess, wait!" and quickly sheathed her sword.
Lu Jingwei stepped forward to help Hua Yinghong up and said to Liu Yufei, "Princess, this is Brother Hua."
Liu Yufei sheathed her sword and smiled apologetically at Hua Yinghong, "I didn't know it was Young Master Hua. I made a mistake. Please forgive me."
Hua Yinghong felt that Liu Yufei's smile was incredibly charming, no less so than the smile Fei'er had when they first met. It made his heart pound. He hurriedly said, "Fei... Oh, Princess, you're too kind. I was wrong first. That..." He was so flustered that he almost called her "Fei'er." He realized his mistake and quickly corrected himself, but his words became somewhat incoherent.
Only then did Liu Yufei carefully examine the man Lu Jingwei had described as "the most outstanding person she had ever seen." He was dressed in tattered clothes and looked disheveled, but his features were upright and angular, his gaze focused and unwavering, exuding a masculine and resolute aura. Recalling how he had caught eighty percent of her sword's power with his fist in a split second, and how, despite being injured, he hadn't blamed others but instead admitted his own fault, Liu Yufei couldn't help but compare him to Nangong Jun. If Nangong was a refined gentleman in a chaotic world, this man before her was like a great hero in turbulent times—each with their own merits.
"Tch!" Liu Yufei suddenly realized she wasn't choosing a husband; what was she thinking? She silently spat, unaware that Hua Yinghong's heroic image had already been quietly etched into her heart.
"Yufei is merely an orphan girl from a fallen kingdom, Mr. Hua, please don't address me as a princess. Just call me by my name." Liu Yufei composed herself. Because of Lu Jingwei's words and her generally positive impression of Hua Yinghong, she couldn't help but want to befriend him.
At that time, even among martial arts practitioners, young men and women addressed each other as "Young Master" or "Miss" without using their given names. Anyone who addressed someone by their given name was either an enemy or a close friend or family member. Hua Yinghong, having had a late-night conversation with Lü Jingwei, was well aware of these social customs. He
already felt a connection to Liu Yufei because of her lifelike appearance, resembling a "Fei'er" from another world. Seeing her like this, he felt even more favorably towards her and said, "Then I'll boldly call you Yufei. But please don't call me Young Master Hua. If you don't mind, just call me Brother Hua.
" "Brother Hua!" Liu Yufei called out sincerely. Being alone and having a special status, she was usually treated with the respect due to a subject by Lü Jingwei and others. Even the two Iron-Blooded Beauties, though sisters, mostly treated her like a maid. Now, seeing Hua Yinghong so open and generous, treating her as a friend and brother, her heart felt both refreshed and inexplicably moved, a strange emotion welling up within her.
"Yufei!" Hua Yinghong was also genuinely excited. First, he became sworn brothers with Ba Tian and Ye Zhi Qiu, then he met Liu Yufei, this "Fei'er" from another world. His initial frustration upon arriving in this strange world largely dissipated, and he began to find life here quite colorful.
Seeing Hua and Liu hit it off immediately, Lü Jingwei was secretly pleased. With his abilities, he could see that Hua Yinghong was no ordinary person; having such a talented young man would greatly aid Liu Yufei's plan to restore her kingdom.
"Ahem!" Lü Jingwei interrupted Liu Yufei and Hua Yinghong, who were lost in their own thoughts, and said, "It's getting late, and Brother Hua is injured again. We should return now. Princess, we will meet here again in three days to discuss the final plan."
"Uncle Lü, take care! Brother Hua, take care." Liu Yufei's concern was evident.
"The night is cold and frosty, Yufei, be careful." Hua Yinghong's Heaven and Earth Technique activated on its own, and his injuries were ninety percent healed. He glanced at Liu Yufei one last time with reluctance, then left with Lü Jingwei.
Liu Yufei had never experienced such tender care from a strange man before. Her heart stirred, and her phoenix eyes gleamed with an unusual light. She only left after Lü and Hua had disappeared from sight.

"The Liu family heir met with Lü Jingwei. He then briefly fought with the mute, who appears to be injured. The specific details are unknown as we dare not approach. Lü Jingwei has now helped Hua Yinghong back to room number three," the black-clad guard reported to He Zongshi and Senior Brother An.
"Very good!" He Zongshi said. "Nothing tonight, rest. However, those treacherous patrolmen still need to be kept a close watch!" He finished speaking with a cold smile.
An Rushan didn't say much. He knew He Zongshi was extremely capable and reliable, but his eccentric temperament inevitably displeased his superiors; otherwise, he wouldn't have been demoted to guarding the slave mines.
******** ****
Hua Yinghong's injuries healed that very night as his internal energy circulated continuously. The next morning, Hou Jun and Li Bing came again to urge Hua Yinghong to go to work, but He Zongshi did not come. Ba Tian and Ye Zhi Qiu, unaware of being knocked unconscious, went with Lü Jingwei as usual.
Nothing happened that day. Although the middle-aged slave Qin Zhong's injuries had not healed, he was given a job in the mines, with a strong slave replacing him as a porter. Hua Yinghong continued to practice his martial arts while carrying ore, easily completing the task of carrying one hundred baskets. His strange internal energy became increasingly refined, and his progress was rapid. Of course, in the eyes of the overseer, he still looked very "painful."
As evening fell, he continued his usual conversation with Lü Jingwei, gaining a deeper understanding of this strange world. The important matter Lü Jingwei and Yufei were undertaking couldn't be discussed with Ba Tian and Ye Zhi Qiu present, but under the guise of military discussions, he learned more about the military system of the Hua Long Continent: legions, divisions, regiments, battalions, companies, and outposts. He also learned that the slave camp had approximately 1,500 slaves, guarded by small squads of about 300 soldiers divided into three outposts, and so on.
He vaguely sensed that what Yufei and Lü Jingwei were doing was extremely dangerous. He Zongshi was no incompetent man; without extraordinary means, how could he allow Lü Jingwei to infiltrate the slave camp and carry out his plan to find Lu Shen Gong? Out of concern for Yufei and the others, he felt worried for them.
The conversation continued until the third watch, when Ba Tian and Ye Zhi Qiu had already fallen asleep. Lü Jingwei, exhausted, pressed their pressure points to induce sleep and said to Hua Yinghong, "Brother Hua, rest first. I have some things to take care of."
Hua Yinghong replied, "I'll go too, at least there'll be someone to look after you."
Lü Jingwei said, "Brother Hua's intentions are good, I know. I'm only going to scout ahead; too many people would be inconvenient." With that, he drew his steel rod as he had the night before and disappeared.
Hua Yinghong didn't insist. He was worried about Lü Jingwei's safety, and he couldn't sleep, constantly thinking of Yufei's stunningly beautiful face and figure. He decided to concentrate on his recent fights, hoping to develop a move or two. In this dog-eat-dog world, martial arts were essential for survival; if he were more skilled, he could provide Yufei with greater assistance.
His mind flashed back to the awe-inspiring battle between Lang Qingyun and Guan Shanyue, the initial encounter with He Zongshi, the inspiration during the breakout, and the divine punch he delivered under the pressure of Liu Yufei's "Weeping Rain and Startling Wind" sword... Martial arts must have patterns to follow. Fragments of these scenes, like slow-motion replays, replayed in his mind one by one, then began to spin rapidly again...
Suddenly, Hua Yinghong stood up, using his hand as a blade, and performed several movements: Sweeping Across a Thousand Armies, Cleaving Mount Hua, and Unstoppable Advance. If someone were present, they would surely see that these three movements, though simple, possessed lightning speed and resolute momentum, and even contained the profound principles of heaven and earth.
Hua Yinghong was not satisfied with these three movements; their shortcomings were obvious, but he knew that with his current skill and understanding of martial arts, he could only reach this level. To execute these three movements perfectly, he needed to rely on the True Qi of Breaking Void and the True Qi of Heaven and Earth. To his satisfaction, these three simple moves had unlimited potential for improvement as his skill increased and his understanding of the Void-Breaking and Heaven-Earth Techniques deepened!
"The Three Forms of Heaven-Breaking," Hua Yinghong named his self-created martial art. The Three Forms of Heaven-Breaking, which would later shock the martial arts world of Hua Long Continent, thus took shape.
Just as Hua Yinghong was immersed in his comprehension of the profound martial arts, a faint voice came from outside the window: "Brother Hua, quick!—"

Hua
Yinghong rushed to the window and saw Lü Jingwei leaning weakly against the wall. He quickly channeled his inner energy, pulled back the steel bar as fast as he could, letting Lü Jingwei in, and then swiftly returned it to its original position.
"Quickly put my shackles on and help me to the corner! You should also get some sleep. Someone's chasing us," Lü Jingwei urged.
Hua Yinghong had just settled Lü Jingwei as instructed when he heard a whooshing sound coming from several feet away. He quickly lay down in the room, his face turned slightly to the window, peeking out—
He Zongshi's figure flashed in the window, followed by several more figures appearing behind him.
The room was unobstructed, and He Zongshi's cold, piercing gaze swept across the room, quickly discerning the situation. He snorted coldly and barked, "Continue searching! If that man escapes, you'll all be sent to the mines as slaves!" He was clearly furious.
Once he was certain the searchers had gone far away, Hua Yinghong quietly got up and went to Lü Jingwei. Upon closer inspection, he was horrified! —He

Zongshi returned to his room, where An Rushan was already waiting.
"Senior Brother An, the bait has been cast; we're just waiting for the fish to take the hook," He Zongshi said with a hint of smugness. He had known about Lü Jingwei's reconnaissance for some time and deliberately waited until Lü Jingwei saw where Lu Shenggong was hidden before revealing himself and engaging him with the Black-Clad Guards on the return journey. Although Lü Jingwei's "Blazing Sun Skill" was formidable, he was ill and focused on escaping. After ten moves, he was exhausted and struck in the back, barely managing to escape. He deliberately slowed his pursuit, letting Lü Jingwei into room number three, and even pretended to look around the room, acting as if he would continue the chase. This was all to get Lü Jingwei to send a message, luring Liu Yufei to raid the camp, and then capture them all in one fell swoop.
Lü Jingwei shouldn't die. He Zongshi knew he was holding back. With his skill far exceeding the sixth rank and approaching the seventh rank, if that palm strike had been delivered with full force, Lü Jingwei probably wouldn't have been able to escape! Even if Lü Jingwei was seriously injured, he would definitely find a way to get that pretending-to-be-mute boy to send out the message.
An Rushan laughed and said, "Junior Brother He is indeed meticulous in his work! If this great undertaking succeeds, Junior Brother's contribution will be significant, and promotion and advancement will be a given."
A slight smile finally appeared on He Zongshi's icy face: "Promotion and titles are fine, but being transferred away from this godforsaken place is enough. I'll need Senior Brother An to put in a good word for me with Master."
An Rushan laughed: "If you achieve such merit, are you afraid you won't have a chance to leave here?"
The two brothers looked at each other and smiled, as if everything was under their control.
******** ****
By the light from the window, Hua Yinghong saw that Lü Jingwei's face was ashen, his breath weak, and blood was seeping from the corner of his mouth. He dared not move and called out softly, "Brother! How are you?"
Lü Jingwei woke up and said to Hua Yinghong in a weak voice, "Hua... Brother... I was hit by... He Zongshi's palm... I'm dying... Please find a way... to tell the princess... Lu Shen Gong... cough!... Under the city wall at the valley entrance... in the sixth cave... inner secret chamber, be very careful... Jade Dragon Spy... cough."
Hua Yinghong urged, "Brother! Don't speak, healing your injuries is the priority."
Lü Jingwei shook his head, weakly saying, "Ten years ago... to save the princess from danger... I was severely injured by He Zongshi's master... Li Xinghai's 'Yinluo Hanbing Gong'... I couldn't recover... my power was only half left... A master from the Divine Physician Sect diagnosed me, saying that in this world... only the Sword God... Lang Qingyun... could protect my heart meridian with the true energy of heaven and earth, and there might be hope. Now I'm injured again... and injured again..." Before he could finish speaking, he fainted again.
"Heaven and Earth Technique!" Hua Yinghong thought to himself: What a coincidence, isn't that the Heaven and Earth Technique I'm practicing? Saving lives is the priority right now, and without considering whether his own power is sufficient, he helped Lü Jingwei sit up cross-legged, recalling the scene when Lang Qingyun transmitted his power, he placed his hands on Lü Jingwei's shoulders, activated the Heaven and Earth Technique, and slowly let strange true energy flow from the Taiji sphere, transforming into the true energy of heaven and earth, and inputting it into Lü Jingwei's body.
The true energy of heaven and earth flowed upwards along Lü Jingwei's body, from the Dazhui acupoint to the Yuzhen and Baihui points, then downwards along the main
meridian. Upon reaching his chest, the situation suddenly changed! A chilling true energy suddenly appeared from nowhere—it was the Yinluo Hanbing true energy of Li Xinghai, as Lü Jingwei had mentioned. It attacked the true energy of heaven and earth, and the two energies intertwined, using Lü Jingwei's meridians as a battlefield.
The Yinluo Hanbing true energy was extremely strange; its chilling aura penetrated the true energy of heaven and earth, reaching Hua Yinghong's mind, seemingly about to freeze him solid! Hua Yinghong's mind sharpened; he dared not be careless. He fully activated the Heaven and Earth Technique. His dantian Taiji sphere seemed to sense the danger, continuously sending strange true energy into Lü Jingwei's body.
The Yinluo Hanbing true energy had occupied Lü Jingwei's body for ten years, suppressing more than half of his blazing yang true energy—it was no easy opponent. Although the true energy of heaven and earth possesses the qualities of absorption, devouring, and encompassing all things, Hua Yinghong's power was insufficient to completely sweep away the Yinluo Cold Ice True Energy. Therefore, the battle between the two true energies was evenly matched, with neither gaining a clear advantage. However, the true energy stronghold of the Yinluo Cold Ice True Energy, originally located in his heart meridian, gradually began to loosen.
Just as the stalemate reached its peak, Lü Jingwei was awakened by the intense pain of the internal and external true energies attacking each other. He felt excruciating pain in his chest, abdomen, and heart meridian. As a martial arts master, he immediately understood the situation. Although he didn't know the name of the true energy Hua Yinghong had transmitted, its characteristics perfectly countered the Yinluo Cold Ice True Energy. He realized this was a golden opportunity to heal his internal injuries.
Just as Hua Yinghong's dantian Tai Chi sphere had shrunk to a tiny size and could no longer continue, a wisp of blazing sun true energy rose from Lü Jingwei's dantian, joining the battle against the Yinluo Cold Ice True Energy.
The three streams of true energy intertwined, creating a two-against-one situation. The Yinluo Frost True Energy was immediately overwhelmed, and the true energy locking the heart meridian violently surged. The Blazing Sun True Energy within Lü Jingwei's heart meridian, suppressed for ten years, sensed the anomaly and, no longer willing to remain dormant, also began to surge outwards.
Lü Jingwei sensed the Yinluo Frost True Energy's heart lock showing signs of defeat and intensified his energy cultivation. Hua Yinghong also sensed this and exerted all his strength to send out the true energy of heaven and earth. Instantly, the Tai Chi sphere in his dantian was emptied into a tiny point of true energy!
"Boom!" Under the combined attack, the Yinluo Frost True Qi finally succumbed, and a tiny channel was breached in the Heart Lock. Lu Jingwei's previously divided Blazing Sun True Qi reconnected, and he focused all his energy on circulating according to the Blazing Sun Technique. The Yinluo Frost True Qi lost its foundation and drifted with the current. As the Blazing Sun True Qi flowed, Hua Yinghong's Heaven and Earth True Qi followed relentlessly...
Lu Jingwei's ten-year-old ailment was expected to be resolved in one day, so he couldn't care less about anything else. He activated the technique, and wherever the Blazing Sun True Qi passed, the previously stagnant and atrophied meridians were reopened. However, the pain of reopening the meridians was truly extraordinary. Fortunately, the Yinluo Frost True Qi and the Heaven and Earth True Qi followed. The Yinluo Frost True Qi's cold nature alleviated the pain of the damaged meridians, while the Heaven and Earth True Qi was like a gentle breeze and fine rain, nourishing and repairing the damaged areas and strengthening the meridians' resilience.
After three cycles of internal energy cultivation, Lü Jingwei's meridians were fully restored, and his Blazing Sun Technique had recovered to 20%. Although his internal injuries were not completely healed, they were no longer a major concern. Noticing that Hua Yinghong was showing signs of weakness and was unable to control the true energy of heaven and earth, while the Yin Luo Cold Ice True Energy had transformed into wisps of wandering energy, Lü Jingwei had an idea.
He used his Blazing Sun True Energy to guide the true energy of heaven and earth and the Yin Luo Cold Ice True Energy, slowly drawing them back into Hua Yinghong's body. Hua Yinghong's true energy was exhausted. Lü Jingwei's Blazing Sun True Energy, after its resurrection, was too powerful, almost causing him to lose his connection with true energy and forcing him to act as a "repairman." Now, with the true energy flowing back, he seized the opportunity. He circulated his internal energy technique, guiding the flowing true energy into his dantian. The Tai Chi sphere, which had been drawn away and was now only a small part remaining, rapidly expanded!
The Dao gives birth to one, one gives birth to two, two gives birth to three, three gives birth to all things... The fifth level of the Heaven and Earth Technique was unintentionally comprehended. The returning true energy, once absorbed into the sphere, was transformed into strange true energy. Upon flowing out again, it became true energy
of heaven and earth, with an even stronger suction force accelerating the circulation and return of the true energy. In a flash, the true energy of heaven and earth, carrying the "trophy" of Yinluo Cold Ice True Energy, which had been sent into Lü Jingwei's body, all returned to Hua Yinghong's body. The powerful suction force also pulled at Lü Jingwei's Blazing Sun True Energy, seemingly trying to absorb it as well!
Lü Jingwei was shocked and quickly severed the connection between his true energy and Hua Yinghong's! He gently detached himself from Hua Yinghong's palms, leaving half of his Blazing Sun True Energy within Hua Yinghong's body. Lü Jingwei continued to circulate his energy to heal his injuries, entering a state of selflessness and tranquility.
The Tai Chi sphere spun rapidly, absorbing all the returning true energy, including Yinluo Cold Ice True Energy and Blazing Sun True Energy, and transforming it into strange true energy. His meridians, through the alternation of "emptiness" and "fullness," expanded further. Through this experience, the Tai Chi sphere became more condensed, showing a subtle tendency to transform from a gaseous state to a liquid state.
In the beginning of chaos, a new beginning arose. Hua Yinghong simply named the strange true energy "Primordial True Energy." It was a fusion of the true energy of heaven and earth and the true energy of breaking through the void, yet it could be transformed into two different true energies.
The true energy of breaking through the void was powerful and domineering, indestructible, displaying the aura of a hegemon; the true energy of heaven and earth was neutral and ethereal, encompassing all things, seemingly possessing the air of a hermit; the true energy of primordial true energy, however, was both powerful and neutral, even more mysterious, and if one were to force a description, it would be the way of a king.
Hua Yinghong risked everything to heal Lü Jingwei's injuries, and although it was extremely dangerous, he gained a deeper understanding of the characteristics of true energy. Moreover, his good intentions were rewarded, as he absorbed the Yin Luo Hanbing true energy left by Li Xinghai and Lü Jingwei's half-formed Fiery Yang true energy, and also digested most of the true energy left in various meridians by Guan Shanyue and Lang Qingyun when they were building their foundations. He comprehended the fifth level of the Heaven and Earth Technique, and thus advanced to the ranks of fifth-grade masters.
The martial arts world of Hualong Continent is teeming with heroes and geniuses, but Hua Yinghong's astonishing journey from complete ignorance of martial arts to becoming a fifth-rank master in just five or six days, the speed and nature of his advancement, would likely be considered by others to be a once-in-a-millennium genius!
It's worth noting that Ximen Jie of the Ximen family, the foremost of the "Four Young Masters of the Martial World" and hailed as the number one young master, also reached the fifth rank at the age of ten, having practiced martial arts for seven years and benefited from numerous spiritual medicines since childhood to cleanse his marrow and refine his essence, as well as the foundational skills of his family's top masters!
As dawn approached, Lü Jingwei sensed something amiss and slowly withdrew his energy. His internal injuries had healed, and his Blazing Sun Skill had recovered to about 60% of its peak. If he were to fight He Zongshi again now, the outcome would be uncertain.
At this moment, Hua Yinghong also opened his eyes, two beams of light shooting out, a divine light swirling within them. He felt an indescribable comfort throughout his body, and his joints cracked with each movement.
Lu Jingwei bowed deeply and said, "Thank you so much, Brother Hua, for saving my life!" He was extremely grateful to Hua Yinghong. Although he didn't know the origin of Hua Yinghong's true energy, it was a fact that Hua Yinghong had risked his life to help him heal his injuries and cure his long-standing ailment. He didn't know how to repay such a great kindness.
Hua Yinghong hurriedly stood up and stepped aside, not daring to accept the bow, saying, "Brother, there's no need for such formalities! Even a stranger should be helped, let alone someone you've known since we met. I did my little bit, there's no need for thanks!" Seeing that
Hua Yinghong had shown no expectation of repayment, Lu Jingwei was even more impressed and secretly resolved to win him over, hoping to use him as an ally for Liu Yufei's restoration of her kingdom. He then said, "I will handle the matter I discussed last night myself. Brother Hua, you don't need to risk your life any further." He didn't want to invite him, but he knew that with Hua Yinghong's character, he would not stand aside and would definitely participate actively. In the future, they would be on the same path.
Sure enough, Hua Yinghong frowned and said, "Does Brother think my martial arts are too weak to be of any use? Just because Princess Yufei calls me Brother Hua, I would go through fire and water for her." In his heart, he regarded Liu Yufei as Fei'er. In this strange world, if anyone harmed her, even if he was the Heavenly King or a prince, he would fight to the death to protect her.
Just as Lü Jingwei was about to speak, the soldiers outside banged their gongs and shouted "Time to work!" The sound echoed throughout the slave camp.
Hua Yinghong suddenly whispered to Lü Jingwei, "We'll talk tonight. Brother, you must pretend you're still recovering from your serious injuries and can't go to work. I suspect you were exposed last night, and the princess and I may both be part of someone else's scheme..."
Lü Jingwei was startled. He was a man of great wisdom, and he understood immediately. Thinking of the seemingly reasonable details from last night and even the past few days, and considering the consequences, he broke out in a cold sweat! He looked at Hua Yinghong with a mixture of gratitude and surprise, and lay down in the corner as instructed.
Lu Jingwei used his internal energy to feign the appearance of someone still recovering from serious injuries, though slightly better than the one he
had the previous night. Fortunately, the blood he had vomited was still there, and his act was quite convincing, almost flawless without close inspection. The iron gate slammed open. Hou Jun and Li Bing appeared at the door again, urging Hua Yinghong to start work. These two were extremely vengeful, having enjoyed watching Hua Yinghong's "painful" work over the past two days. Today, they plotted to tamper with the ore loading and counting to get revenge on Hua Yinghong.
Ba Tian and Ye Zhi Qiu's sleeping pressure points had naturally released, and they were awakened by the noise. Hua Yinghong gave Ye Zhi Qiu a wink, his gaze drifting towards Lu Jingwei.
Ye Zhi Qiu was extremely quick-witted, and seeing the bloodstains on the weeds beside Lu Jingwei, he immediately cried out in alarm, "Old Master! What happened to you?"
Hearing this, Ba Tian also rushed over and shouted, "Old Master, you vomited blood!" He was unaware of the situation, so his reaction was the most genuine and natural. Hua Yinghong, feigning ignorance, stepped forward.
Hou Jun and Li Bing glanced at him from afar outside the door. Hou Jun shouted, "What happened?"
"Yesterday... I moved around too much... a few more times, aggravating... my old ailment... I'm afraid I'm not going to make it," Lü Jingwei said weakly, then coughed incessantly, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His acting was remarkably convincing.
Ba Tian and Ye Zhi Qiu, genuinely unaware of the situation, were terrified by Lü Jingwei's performance and cried out, "Old Master, don't scare us!" They had spent many days with Lü Jingwei, gaining much experience, and were deeply respected for his amiable and elder-like demeanor. They had developed a strong bond with him over the years.
In the slave camp, there was no medicine or medical care; many had died from exhaustion and illness. Seeing Lü Jingwei's "tragic" state, Ba Tian and Ye Zhi Qiu almost cried.
Hua Yinghong chuckled inwardly, but his face was also filled with sorrow.
Ba Tian called out to the door, "Old Master's old injury flared up, he vomited a lot of blood, he can't work today!"
Hou Jun and Li Bing exchanged a glance, but didn't go in. Hou Jun shouted
, "No way! No one will do his work, even if he dies, he'll die on the construction site!" Ba Tian roared, "Damn it! I'll do Old Master's work! Anyone who tries to force him to work, I'll fight them to the death!" He was tall and strong, and when he got angry, he was like a raging little lion, ready to devour anyone.
Hou Jun and Li Bing exchanged another glance, and Li Bing said helplessly, "Fine! His share is yours! All three of you go to work."
Lü Jingwei waited for the door to close again. After thinking it over, he was extremely anxious. Hua Yinghong's reminder made him realize that this operation was extremely dangerous, and one wrong move could even plunge the princess and the restoration plan into utter ruin! It
was already broad daylight, and they couldn't move. How to contact Princess Yufei and inform her of the situation? Even with his resourcefulness, he had no idea. That evening, he decided to discuss the matter with Hua Yinghong. Once again, Lü Jingwei felt he couldn't quite grasp the young man's wit and strategy. Having made up his mind, he finally calmed down and focused all his energy on circulating the Blazing Sun Technique to recover his strength as quickly as possible.
After all, every bit of strength meant a bit more safety.
******** ****
"Lü Jingwei didn't go to work!" He Zongshi wasn't surprised to hear the report from the black-clad guards. He had already instructed Hou Jun and Li Bing to stage a scene with Lü Jingwei in room three, making Lü Jingwei believe that without his unrevealed identity, he would send out the "important intelligence" he had gathered.
"Keep a close eye on the mute!" Lü Jingwei was seriously injured; his only hope was to rely on the "mute" to deliver the message. As for the traitor among the guards, including that one… He Zongshi didn't give them any chance to get close to room three.
An Rushan went to pick up the five elders of the Dragon Group. The twelve elders of the Jade Dragon Secret Service's Dragon Group used "Dragon" as their surname and their given name as their generational name; their real names were unknown. To deal with the Sword Saint Hou Mubai, all five elders from Long San to Long Qi were mobilized, demonstrating the importance the kingdom's higher-ups placed on this operation.
"Hou Mubai, Lü Jingwei, the remnants of the Liu family, this time you won't escape!" He Zongshi's lips curled into a cold smile.
****Earth********
"Brother Hua, Batian, Xiao Ye, there's something I must tell you, as you've all been unwittingly drawn into a deadly calamity." That evening, Lü Jingwei spoke to the other three with an unprecedentedly serious expression.
Hua Yinghong, having seen Yufei that night, had anticipated the danger and wasn't surprised.
Batian and Ye Zhiqi, seeing Lü Jingwei suddenly transformed from a severely wounded, near-death man into a radiant figure, were overjoyed, but upon hearing this, they were utterly bewildered.
Lu Jingwei then recounted the events leading up to this—
eleven years ago, the disloyalty of the princes and nobles was blatantly obvious, and the central power of the empire was waning. The Tang dynasty's decrees were effectively confined to a mere three hundred li (approximately 150 kilometers) beyond the capital. Emperor Liu Qinghua, knowing impending doom, secretly ordered Lu Shenggong, the Vice Minister of Works, to undertake a top-secret "Divine Craftsmanship" project. This project, which took six months, involved the construction of a heavily fortified vault, where most of the treasures and gold accumulated over decades of the Tang dynasty's founding were secretly stored. The entire project was overseen by Lu Shenggong, and even the then-Ministers of Revenue and Works were only allowed to cooperate fully, unaware of the details. Those involved in the project were all loyal confidants of the Liu family, and none of them survived; their fate remains unknown.
Rumor has it that only Lu Shenggong knows the location of the "Divine Craftsmanship Vault," and that only a single key can unlock its mechanisms, requiring Lu Shenggong's personal presence. Ten years ago, the Five Princes rebelled, the Liu family was destroyed, and Princess Yufei, then less than eight years old, was entrusted by Liu Qinghua to the Sword Saint Hou Mubai before his death. Hou Mubai, carrying Yufei, repelled several groups of experts from the five kingdoms, fleeing thousands of miles before falling into an encirclement set up by "Frost Blade" Li Xinghai in the Jade Dragon Kingdom. After a series of fierce battles, Hou Mubai was no match for Li Xinghai, who had reached the pinnacle of the Innate Saint level, and was wounded as he escaped within the encirclement.
Lü Jingwei, having offended a powerful imperial figure in his youth, was nearly framed and his entire clan was exterminated, but Liu Qinghua uncovered the truth and saved his people. Later, Lü Jingwei sought refuge with the Jade Dragon King, who was at odds with the imperial figure, and was valued for his intelligence, participating in core secrets. Seeing Hou Mubai and Princess Yufei in danger, he risked his life to rescue them, managing to help Hou Mubai and the princess escape and hide in the Baiyi Mountains. During his battle with Li Xinghai, Lü Jingwei was injured by his Yinluo Frost True Qi, a wound that has prevented him from recovering for ten years, a condition that even Hou Mubai and the Divine Healer Sect could not heal.
Under Hou Mubai's guidance, Princess Yufei has achieved minor mastery of her family's martial art, the "Sword of Startling Wind and Weeping Rain," reaching the level of a seventh-rank master. However, due to the incomplete loss of the manual during the chaos, she ultimately cannot achieve full mastery. Despite his ailing health, Lü Jingwei tirelessly works to restore the Liu family's kingdom, contacting loyal clans and righteous individuals to form the Restoration Society, appointing Princess Yufei as its leader, hoping to restore the kingdom. However, their efforts have yielded little success. Plagued by financial difficulties and other factors, the society only has a few thousand members, operating secretly under various identities.
Until two months ago, the Restoration Society discovered a secret: Lu Shenggong had appeared on Treasure Island!

Volume One, Chapter Nine: The Divine Craftsman's Operation.
Lü Jingwei, having received news of Lu Shenggong's appearance, led over fifty members across the sea. If they find Lu Shenggong, firstly, they can retrieve the "Divine Craftsman's Treasure Vault," alleviating their financial worries and greatly increasing their hopes for restoring the kingdom; secondly, the treasure vault might contain the complete manual of the "Sword of Startling Wind and Weeping Rain," which could help Liu Yufei achieve full mastery of her martial arts.
Just then, Hou Mubai, intending to go to Lonely Star Island to watch the battle between the two swordsmen in order to achieve a breakthrough in martial arts, also brought Liu Yufei and the two iron-blooded beauties along.
Upon arriving at Treasure Island, Lü Jingwei and the others faced the challenge of remaining undetected while gathering information. Fortunately, there were also secret members of the Restoration Society in Xigang. A month ago, news came that Lu Shenggong had appeared in Xigang, but disappeared after the appearance of the Jade Dragon spy, suspected of falling into the spy's hands.
Lü Jingwei and the others rushed to Xigang and, combining various pieces of information, determined that Lu Shenggong was imprisoned in this slave camp. A member of the Restoration Society happened to be working as a sentry guarding the slaves there, and Lü Jingwei seized the opportunity to create trouble, infiltrate the camp, and personally gather information. Last night, they indeed saw Lu Shenggong imprisoned in a secret chamber inside Cave 6 of the entrance city wall. Upon returning, he was severely injured by He Zongshi, but fortunately, he was rescued by Hua Yinghong.
Ba Tian and Ye Zhi Qiu were dumbfounded. Coming from humble backgrounds, they had never heard of such a thrilling event. Although Lü Jingwei kept the story brief, the twists and turns of the perilous journey still made Hua Yinghong tremble with fear.
Lü Jingwei sighed and said to the three, "This rescue operation, called 'Divine Craftsmanship,' was warned this morning by Brother Hua that it's almost certainly a trap set by Jade Dragon's spies, and our lives are constantly in danger. You three young men have a long future ahead of you, but because of me, you've already been drawn into this, and your lives may be in danger. Tonight, when the brothers of our society are patrolling the inner valley city walls, we'll arrange for you three to escape."
Hua Yinghong said, "Brother, don't bring that up again. Are we three brothers really so ignorant of right and wrong, so cowardly? Second brother, third brother, what do you say?"
Ba Tian laughed heartily, "I'm not afraid! I'll listen to my eldest brother, whatever he says, I'll do." He was upright and honest, and having acknowledged Hua Yinghong as his eldest brother, he followed his lead without question.
Ye Zhi Qiu also said, "I'm not a coward either. I've even been beheaded
before." Hua Yinghong asked curiously, "Third brother, didn't you used to make a living by stealing? How could you have been beheaded? Was it murder or arson? I'm not laughing at you."
Ye Zhi Qiu hesitated for a moment, then said, "I'm actually a member of an organization called 'The Freed Slaves.' I infiltrated here to rescue my fellow slaves. The dozen or so slaves who escaped a few days ago were rescued by us. That's why Brother Hua was mistakenly captured and brought here."
"The Freed Slaves!" Hua Yinghong and Lü Jingwei exchanged a glance, signaling Ye Zhi Qiu to continue.
“The Jade Dragon government treats Treasure Island as a large slave camp. Of the island’s more than one million inhabitants, apart from tens of thousands of soldiers and a small number of merchants, there are only civilians and slaves. The government often seizes innocent civilians as slaves to mine, pave roads, and do hard labor. Some are even transported to the mainland to be sold. That’s how Ba Tian got in. There are too many cases like this on the island.” When talking about slavery, Ye Zhi Qiu seemed like a different person, his eyes shining brightly as he spoke eloquently.
Ba Tian nodded vigorously.
"The common people on the island, unable to bear the oppression, organized various slave-free organizations called 'Slave Freers.' They went to slave camps specifically to try and rescue their fellow slaves. Our slave-freer organization in Xigang currently has nearly six hundred members, divided into several groups operating in various slave camps, waiting for an opportunity to rescue people." After learning Lü Jingwei's true identity, Ye Zhiqiu frankly revealed the organization's secrets. He could tell that Lü Jingwei and Hua Yinghong were both extraordinary individuals, and vaguely felt that this was a good opportunity for the slave-freer organization to grow stronger.
Lü Jingwei asked, "Little Ye, how do you rescue people? He saw that Ye Zhiqiu's martial arts skills were obviously not high, probably at most a first-rank martial artist, hence the question."
Ye Zhiqiu smiled slyly, fumbled with his handcuffs a few times, and the handcuffs came off. Then he bent down and removed his shackles in the same way, in the blink of an eye.
Lü Jingwei and Hua Yinghong were greatly impressed by Ye Zhiqiu's agile movements. Of course, Ye Zhiqiu couldn't use his inner energy to unlock the shackles like the two of them, but he skillfully removed the shackles with a thin wire.
Ye Zhiqiu added, "I will find an opportunity to remove the shackles from the slave brothers, and then have the brothers outside take advantage of the moment when the patrolling soldiers on the inner valley wall are not paying attention to them, and use ropes to rescue them. There is a kind of sedative herb on the island, and the sedative incense made from it can make people unconscious for a quarter of an hour before they wake up on their own. Those soldiers are lazy to begin with, and it's like they are taking a nap, so no one suspects anything."
Hua Yinghong solemnly addressed Lü Jingwei, saying, "Brother, forgive my bluntness, but the Divine Craftsmanship Operation is already within the Jade Dragon's spies' calculations. The enemy is in the dark while we are in the light. Your character and methods are likely well-known to the enemy, who have probably already laid a trap based on this. The best course of action now is twofold: first, cancel the Divine Craftsmanship Operation and find a way to escape immediately; second, replace the mastermind with a different one, a clever plan might work."
Lü Jingwei smiled bitterly, "The Divine Craftsmanship Operation concerns the great plan of restoring the nation, how can it be canceled? As for replacing the mastermind, the people you brought do not have such talent. If you are willing to help, I will express my gratitude on behalf of the princess!"
Hua Yinghong resolutely said, "Even if Princess Yufei calls me Brother Hua, I will not refuse. Second and third brothers, do you dare to fight with your elder brother?" His divine skills had already been mastered, and his words naturally exuded an aura that commanded respect.
Ba Tian and Ye Zhi Qiu readily agreed, "Why wouldn't we dare! Brothers united, what does life and death matter?"
******** ****
He Zongshi and An Rushan sat respectfully behind tables on either side of the room. Seated
in the main seats were five extremely ordinary-looking old men, their expressions neither joyful nor sorrowful, their eyes calm and devoid of any imposing presence. These old men were truly unremarkable; if placed in a crowd, they would be difficult to distinguish from ordinary elderly people. These figures were none other than the five elders of the renowned Jade Dragon Secret Service's Dragon Group: Long San, Long Si, Long Wu, Long Liu, and Long Qi!
He Zongshi briefly recounted recent events, and Long San, seated in the center, said, "The plan." He was sparing with words, refusing to utter a single extra word.
He Zongshi said, "Lu Jingwei himself was seriously injured by me last night and is no longer a concern. This time, he brought ten fifth-rank experts, twenty fourth-rank experts, and twenty third-rank experts from the Restoration Society. The remnants of the Liu family have already advanced to the seventh rank, and the Iron-Blooded Beauties are sixth-rank. In addition, among the slave camp guards, there is a squad leader named Lin Zhi who is a member of the Restoration Society and is at the third rank. According to investigations, about fifty ordinary soldiers are unreliable and are being closely monitored. Our slave camp has two hundred and fifty ordinary soldiers, and ten second- and ten third-rank Black-Clad Guard experts. I can defeat one sixth-rank expert." He was at the peak of the sixth-rank expert level and was quite confident in himself.
An Rushan continued, “The slave camp guards lack outstanding experts. The Jade Dragon spies currently have five sixth-rank experts, twenty-four fifth-rank, thirty fourth-rank, and thirty third-rank. I can handle one seventh-rank expert, so our strength is already sufficient. A few days ago, the remnants of the Liu family appeared, but the Sword Saint Hou Mubai claims to be their protector and is always by their side. Since no one can defeat him, we dare not act rashly. Now, please have the five elders deal with Hou Mubai; the rest will be dealt with by my fellow disciples. We must ensure they are all captured and never return.”
Long San asked, “When?”
He Zongshi hurriedly replied, “The day after tomorrow night, Lin Zhi will lead the sentry patrol to patrol the inner valley city walls. I estimate that Lü Jingwei will take the opportunity to inform the Liu family remnants. Normally, people are easily fatigued between four and five in the morning, so Lü Jingwei will definitely take advantage of this time to raid Lu Shenggong's hiding place. My senior brother An and I discussed this arrangement…”
******** ****
Room 3
After listening to Lü Jingwei's introduction of the Restoration Society's manpower, strength, equipment, and weaponry in the area, Hua Yinghong asked Ye Zhiqi, "Third Brother, if my rescue operation and your slave liberation operation cooperate, how many people can you free slaves mobilize within two days, and what is their strength?"
Ye Zhiqi replied, "There are about two hundred people nearby. Our leader, Hai Tianqing, fought He Zongshi to a draw and is currently nearby. There are also two other leaders who can rival the sergeant. The rest of our brothers are all from slave backgrounds, hunters, and fishermen. They haven't practiced any martial arts; they are just physically strong. Their weapons are mostly homemade bows and arrows, fishing spears, and the like. They only have a small number of standard military steel swords and bows and arrows. Therefore, we have never dared to engage in direct combat with the army."
Hua Yinghong then asked Ye Zhiqi many questions about the terrain and landforms around the slave camp, especially the situation outside the inner valley. Fortunately, Ye Zhiqi was very familiar with the local geography. He used his finger as a pen to draw a sketch on the ground. Under Hua Yinghong's guidance, he could clearly describe the distant and near peaks and valleys, the terrain, and the distances.
Hua Yinghong fell into deep thought, and after a long while, he slowly spoke, "Brother, second brother, third brother, as the art of war says, 'Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle.' Now, the Restoration
Society's every move is under their control. Although we don't know their strength, since they dared to set this trap, their strength must far exceed ours. This battle is extremely dangerous. But we are not without a chance of victory..." Hearing Hua Yinghong's previous words, which were all reasonable, Lü Jingwei felt a chill in his heart. But upon hearing the last sentence, his heart clenched,
and he asked, "Where is the chance of victory?" Hua Yinghong knew that Lü Jingwei had become flustered and lost his usual wisdom since realizing that his original plan was falling into the enemy's trap. So he patiently analyzed, "There are four chances of victory. First..." "Brother, your internal injuries have healed, and your strength has mostly returned. You're definitely not in their calculations, and you could be a surprise attack. Secondly, they're focused on the Restoration Society, and the 'Freers' organization isn't part of their plans. If they can join the battle, they could also be a surprise force. Thirdly, He Zongshi and his men have never taken the slaves seriously, beating and scolding them at will, treating human life like dirt. If used properly, they could also be a surprise or feint. Fourthly, He Zongshi was only recently demoted to this camp, and Yu Long's secret agents have just arrived; they're certainly not familiar with the local area. In war, victory depends on calculation; those who calculate more win, and those who calculate less lose. He Zongshi has these four miscalculations. Even if he knows the Restoration Society's secrets, and even if Yu Long's secret agents are powerful, they'll still make him suffer a great defeat!"
"Then what should we do?" Ba Tian's mind wasn't quite clear, and the analysis left him confused.
Ye Zhi Qiu, however, seemed thoughtful, clearly having gained something, and didn't interrupt.
Lu Jingwei was even more surprised and sincerely said, "Brother, what you said about military strategy is something I've never heard of before, yet every word is precious. If you were in the army, given time, you would certainly be no less than any famous general of our time. I will follow your command in this battle!"
Hua Yinghong then realized that he had blurted out the familiar "Art of War" by Sun Tzu, and that this other world might not even exist. He said, "It's just what Master taught, nothing more than theoretical knowledge." He continued, "The key to our current plan lies in three things. First, Brother, you must continue to feign illness and appear weak to the enemy. Second, Third Brother, contact the leader of the 'Slave Freers' as soon as possible and make sure to mobilize all available people nearby to participate in the battle. Third, Third Brother, mobilize the slaves in this camp to cooperate with the operation the following night. The condition is that after the mission is accomplished, all the slaves in this camp will be released. If this battle succeeds, Third Brother will be the one to take the credit!"
Ba Tian almost shouted, but dared not actually shout, and lowered his voice to say, "Big Brother! What about me?"
"You will definitely get credit, and Second Brother will show his prowess the following night!" Hua Yinghong laughed, and then explained the whole plan in detail again. Lü Jingwei listened and nodded repeatedly.
******** ****
"Ye Zhi Qiu left room number three and went to the inner valley!" He Zongshi was taken aback when he heard the report. It was already past midnight, and the Five Elders and An Rushan had gone back to their rooms to rest. Why did Lü Jingwei send the message not a mute, but a thief with extremely poor martial arts skills? Perhaps it was because the Liu family's heir injured the mute that night?
"Let him go, don't alarm him!" He Zongshi ordered. Whoever sent the message would be caught in a tight net! Although this was slightly different from expectations, it wasn't worth alarming the Five Elders and Senior Brother An.
"Ye Zhiqiu evaded the patrolling soldiers on the inner valley wall and climbed over!"
He Zongshi breathed a sigh of relief. Apart from changing the messenger, everything was going according to plan.
******** ****
When Ye Zhiqiu returned at dawn, he brought news that the chieftain was willing to cooperate and that 250 men could be mobilized. Even more unexpectedly, on his return journey, he encountered a woman in purple—Princess Yufei—who informed him of the latest news and Hua Yinghong's latest plan.
Hua Yinghong and Lü Jingwei, who were racking their brains about how to notify Liu Yufei, breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Lu Jingwei felt as if fate was on his side. Since meeting the extraordinary young man Hua Yinghong, his luck had been truly remarkable: first, his ten-year-old internal injury was cured; then, he was exposed to the Jade Dragon Spy's trap; moreover, he unexpectedly received help from the "Freer of Slaves"; and he even had a nearly flawless new plan…
******** ****
Before the storm arrives, there is always a suffocating calm. From the morning of the second day to the evening of the third day, apart from Hua Yinghong having to feign "pain" under the deliberate revenge of Hou Jun and Li Bing, and Ba Tian helping the "mortally ill" Lu Jingwei with two more days of work, everything passed peacefully.
On the middle night, Hua Yinghong learned a great deal from Lu Jingwei about the secrets of agility and martial arts techniques, gaining much insight. Ba Tian and Ye Zhi Qiu, with their weaker foundations, didn't gain much.
As night fell, a few stars twinkled faintly in the sky, like people blinking their eyes. Visibility was extremely low in the valley, the chirping of insects drowned out by the howling night wind—a perfect night for travel.
Ye Zhiqiu used his unlocking technique to open the door to room number three. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, he beckoned inside. Ba Tian carefully carried a pair of shackles, leading the way, while Hua Yinghong carried the seriously ill Lü Jingwei out the door. Ye Zhiqiu led the way, Hua Yinghong carried Lü Jingwei in the middle, and Ba Tian brought up the rear. They moved in a zigzag pattern, stopping and starting, avoiding the two patrolling soldiers, before heading towards the inner valley.
All of this was observed by He Zongshi and An Rushan, who remained unmoved. Lü Jingwei's actions were expected; they had sent a sixth-rank spies with two fifth-rank secret agents to secretly accompany and monitor them from a distance.
Upon reaching the inner valley's city wall, they found the patrolling team of twenty men led by Lin Zhi. Seeing Lü Jingwei and his group of four, they quickly lowered the ropes and pulled them up to the wall one by one.
Four skilled spies spotted three tall, graceful figures landing on the city wall. One of the women rushed forward, leaning over to listen to Lü Jingwei, who was on Hua Yinghong's back, and then spoke a few words to the other two women.
Afterward, a rope was lowered from the other side of the wall, ensnaring Lü Jingwei and the others. The three women floated over the wall and disappeared into the darkness.
Despite the report from one of the spies, He Zongshi and An Rushan remained unmoved. As long as they had Lu Shenggong as bait, they weren't worried about the Liu clan's remnants not taking the bait. If they captured the Liu clan's remnants, obtained the key to the Shenggong treasury, and then used the Liu clan's remnants' lives to force Lu Shenggong to open the treasury, the Jade Dragon Kingdom's wealth and military strength would greatly increase, and dominating the other nations would be just around the corner. As for Lü Jingwei, heavily injured, where could he possibly run?
Outside the inner valley city walls, Hua Yinghong, Lü Jingwei, Batian, and Ye Zhiqi changed into full sets of black night-clothes and equipment. Princess Yufei and the two iron-blooded beauties beside them brightened up. Hua Yinghong, no longer dressed in tattered clothes, now wore a tight-fitting night-clothes that accentuated his strong physique and explosive power. His angular, slightly square face possessed both a domineering air and a free and easy demeanor, displaying an indescribable charm.
"Brother Hua, thank you so much for saving Uncle Lü!" Liu Yufei's beautiful eyes sparkled, seemingly speaking volumes as she gazed at Hua Yinghong. Even the experts of the Divine Healer Sect were helpless against Lü Jingwei's incurable illness; Hua Yinghong's ability to cure him surprised her greatly, and she was deeply grateful.
Although Lü Jingwei was nominally her lord, they had been like father and daughter for ten years. Liu Yufei truly felt the weight of Lü Jingwei's life-saving grace.
"Yufei, don't be so polite! It's only right... Um... have you contacted the Freemasons organization yet?" Hua Yinghong's heart pounded uncontrollably. Faced with Liu Yufei, who was as beautiful as a fairy and seemed like a "Fei'er" from another world, even his magical powers couldn't suppress his panic, and he was completely unlike his usual composed self.
"Pfft," one of the two Iron-Blooded Beauties couldn't help but chuckle.
"Liu Lan! What's so funny!" Liu Yufei also noticed Hua Yinghong's slight unease, and a strange feeling stirred within her as well, a mixture of shyness and anticipation...
Hua Yinghong also realized he had lost his composure. He had heard Lü Jingwei mention the two Iron-Blooded Beauties, Liu Lan and Liu Ju. The night was hazy, and he couldn't see them clearly, but he could still tell they were two beauties no less stunning than Liu Yufei. The one who had just chuckled was Liu Lan, and the other, who seemed quiet and reserved, was Liu Ju.
"I'm just a country bumpkin, please forgive my humble appearance, ladies." Hua Yinghong quickly shifted the conversation to a more pressing matter. "Yufei, where is the Sword Saint now?"
"Sage Hou only intervenes to protect Yufei when she's attacked, he doesn't participate in the action," Lü Jingwei said from the side. He was quite skeptical of this. If the Sword Saint hadn't refused to act, the Restoration Society would have greatly increased its prestige by leveraging his reputation, and things would be much better than they are now. But no matter how much they tried to persuade him, Hou Mubai refused to appear, citing his dedication to martial arts.
"What if there's danger, and Sage Hou can't act in time?" Hua Yinghong was still somewhat worried. Tonight's battle hinged on Liu Yufei personally taking risks as bait. If Liu Yufei couldn't escape successfully, all their plans would be in vain. Therefore, he had to carefully inquire.
“Brother Hua, don’t worry. Hou Sheng’s abilities are unpredictable, and with the General Protector by your side, if Yufei is in danger, just send a signal, and he’ll be there in an instant.” Liu Yufei knew that Hua Yinghong wasn’t doubting the Sword Saint’s abilities, but simply concerned for her, and her heart inexplicably warmed.
******** ****
It was past four in the morning when He Zongshi’s three top spies monitoring the inner valley city wall were getting impatient. If the Liu family’s descendants didn’t arrive tonight, they would have wasted the entire night.
Just as their eyelids were about to droop, they suddenly saw a figure descend from the city wall, whispering to Lin Zhi, the patrol leader. “They’re here!” The three top spies immediately tensed up. Then, they saw dozens more figures land on the city wall, and a fifth-rank spy quickly went to report to He Zongshi and the others.
He Zongshi had already made arrangements, and upon hearing the spy’s report, he was delighted and ordered all the ambushers to be alert and prepared.
Just then, a black-clad guard reported, "General He, Lin Zhi's sentry and his remaining troops are going to the inner valley city wall for a troop rotation. They got into a dispute with the troops under the command of the high-ranking sentry in charge of surveillance. High-ranking sentry, what should we do? Should we take action?"
"No, the remnants of the Liu family haven't arrived yet. We can't alert them. A few dozen ordinary soldiers won't cause any trouble," An Rushan said. He Zongshi knew that there was no such thing as troop rotation during patrols in the slave camp. He didn't know what Lü Jingwei's intentions were, but An Rushan's words made sense, so he immediately ordered the black-clad guard to pass.
The two spies in charge of surveillance saw figures move on the inner valley city wall from afar, and then three beautiful figures floated up. The dozens of black figures bowed, and more than thirty of them jumped down from the city wall, followed by the three beautiful figures.
The two spies were about to go and report when they saw thirty soldiers coming from the direction of the slave camp, emitting several dazzling flashes as a signal. The three beautiful figures who had leaped off the city wall, along with the thirty experts, stopped, allowing the thirty soldiers to climb back onto the wall.
Another fifth-rank spy hurriedly went to report the latest situation regarding the enemy's impending attack.
Squad leader Lin Zhi led twenty soldiers who had been relieved of their duties towards the slave camp—
the last remaining spy had chosen an extremely clever position, about ten or twenty zhang from the inner valley wall and less than six zhang from the main road in the valley. With his sixth-rank skill, he could observe the inner valley wall while remaining highly concealed and able to retreat easily without fear of being discovered from any angle.
Lin Zhi and his men had just passed the spy's hideout when they suddenly stopped. The twenty men split into five groups and surrounded the hideout.
Hua Yinghong's mastermind, Operation Shengong, had now been fully launched!

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