Chapter 75 Provocation
"Today's duel was meant to be a place of mutual learning and entertainment. I just saw the old man trying to take General He's eyes, so I couldn't help but help him. If you say he was trying to kill him, that would be an exaggeration."
Lu Yan's lazy and unfocused voice echoed in the hall, making everyone feel that he seemed a little different from before. The candlelight on the peacock stand beside him illuminated his handsome features and his smile, which was not an exaggeration to say that he was confusing everyone.
Gongsun Wuyou was still confused and hadn't figured out the situation. Liu Quedan had a vague guess about something and looked at Lu Yan with suspicion, feeling as if he had missed some important information.
Zhui Ling made a gesture of invitation. His old right hand was wrinkled like bark, and his nails shone with a dark glow. "Just now, I was wrong. Since Your Highness is quite capable, why don't you come up to the stage and learn from him so that you can get a glimpse of the mysteries of the Scripture of Ascension to Immortality?"
The emperor frowned and said without thinking: "Third brother, stop making trouble!"
The moves of this old man in black robe are really weird, even the Emperor may not be able to defeat him. If Lu Yan were to go on stage to compete, he would probably be crippled if not killed.
Lu Yan said nothing after hearing this, thinking that He Jianshuang had already been defeated. If Xian Ling could not win the duel, it would mean that there was no one in the court who was more powerful than him. It would be very bad if his weakness was discovered by the other three countries.
After thinking for a while, Lu Yan had made up his mind. He raised his head and drank the remaining wine in the cup in front of everyone. He stood up from his seat and said, "I am not talented. I am the least capable one among all the brothers, but today is a rare gathering of heroes. I would like to learn a thing or two from you, old gentleman. I hope you will give me some advice!"
Is King Fengling going insane?!
This was the unanimous thought of almost everyone present. Even the first warrior of the immortals, He Jianshuang, was defeated by the black-robed old man. What was King Fengling, a young man who had been drained of his body by alcohol and sex, going to do? Was he going to die?!
Almost most of the court officials were secretly groaning in their hearts. King Nanxun and King Guxu also looked unhappy. It was true that they had a grudge against Lu Yan, but if Lu Yan was beaten to a pulp in public, it would be a loss of face for the immortals.
Even Zhao Yuzhang looked at Lu Yan in disbelief and said in a low voice, "Are you crazy?! That black-robed weirdo's moves are so weird that even your fairy He Jianshuang can't beat him. Aren't you going to die if you go up there?"
Lu Yan smiled at him and said indifferently: "Wouldn't it be exactly what you want if I died?"
These words were addressed to Zhao Yuzhang, Liu Quedan and others.
Lu Yanyu stood up and left the table. He didn't know what he was thinking of. He turned back to look at Shang Junnian, raised his chin with his fingertips and asked, "Prime Minister, you don't worry about me. If I die, you will be a widow."
Shang Junnian raised his head as he pushed. His eyes were deep, like a bottomless cold pond, which made it impossible for anyone to see his true emotions. His voice was low and cold: "Your Highness, go with peace of mind. If he kills you, I will make sure he dies without a burial place."
If you die, I will avenge you. This sounds reasonable, but not very pleasant.
Lu Yan leaned close to his ear, and said with a slight smile: "Prime Minister, if you cry a little, I will be happier."
Shang Junnian was startled, but Lu Yan had already turned around and left. He took the three-foot-long wooden sword from the eunuch, then flew up and leaped onto the arena as nimbly and neatly as a swallow.
An expert can tell whether something is there or not with just one look.
Lu Yan's movements were definitely the most neat and nimble among the contestants. Just from this one move, one could tell that he had quite good Qinggong skills. Many people at the table had already changed their expressions. Lu Yan calmly saluted with his sword in hand and said, "Please teach me."
Black Robe didn't like to use the sword, he preferred to use his fingernails as a weapon, he sneered and said: "I am trained in the art of killing people in troubled times, I don't care about the severity of my attacks, if I accidentally hurt Your Highness, please don't blame me."
As soon as he finished speaking, he rushed over like a gust of swift wind, his right hand formed into a claw, and went straight for Lu Yan's eyes. The emperor and others were terrified, and just as the guards in the dark were ready to step forward to rescue him, they saw Lu Yan suddenly turn around and dodge, and suddenly raised the wooden sword to block, with a clang, the nails of the Zhui Ling, who didn't know what material it was, actually scratched a hole in the wooden sword.
Zhui Ling laughed loudly: "How can a mere wooden sword defeat my iron armor!"
His light blue eyes stared straight at Lu Yan, and it was dizzying to look at him for a long time. Lu Yan then realized that this man probably knew some witchcraft. No wonder He Jianshuang reacted so slowly just now, as if he had lost his soul.
“Tear——”
Lu Yan immediately tore off the cloth of his robe and flew back to keep some distance. He held the purple cloth strip in his hand and made a very bold decision in front of everyone. He covered his eyes with the cloth and tied a knot behind his head.
The man in black robe's face changed. He didn't expect that Lu Yan could be so strong and powerful. Although the opponent could not be affected by his soul-stealing technique, he was blind, so the fight would be extremely dangerous.
"He's crazy! How can you fight him when he's blindfolded?!"
Zhao Yuzhang subconsciously grabbed Shang Junnian's sleeve. Seeing the dangerous situation on the field, he also became nervous for no reason. Although he didn't like Lu Yan, he was Shang Junnian's backer after all. If he got beaten up, wouldn't Shang Junnian have to serve a cripple?
Shang Junnian seemed indifferent, but there was a sharp poisoned silver needle hidden in his fingertips. He almost threw out this hidden weapon several times just now, but seeing that Lu Yan had escaped danger, he endured it forcefully. It was obvious that he was not as calm as he appeared.
Shang Junnian said calmly: "Just wait and see what happens."
Although Lu Yan was blindfolded and his vision was completely dark, his hearing was infinitely amplified, and he could distinguish the moves by sound. The long sword in his hand flew around, so fast that only the afterimage could be seen. He could accurately break Zhui Ling's attack every time, and he fought with the opponent for hundreds of moves without losing the upper hand.
Inside the Golden Palace, two figures, one red and one black, fought to a draw, their sword energy and internal strength shattered the arena. Zhui Ling was clearly getting anxious, his moves became more and more vicious and sinister, he even deliberately used his internal strength to roll up the remains of the wooden stakes on the ground and attack Lu Yan, then sneaked up to confuse Lu Yan's hearing, making the onlookers curse him shamelessly.
Although Lu Yan's eyesight was poor, he became more and more agile and nimble. His scarlet robe fluttered like the wings of a red butterfly, seductive and eye-catching. However, his sword moves were clear and upright, and his aura was steady, giving him the appearance of a banished immortal.
Gongsun Wuyou rubbed his eyes vigorously and suspected for a moment that he was hallucinating. How could that ignorant bastard King Fengling have such amazing skills and swordsmanship, which was a hundred times better than that of his cousin!
Liu Quedan was stunned and subconsciously tightened the wine glass in his hand. He never thought that Lu Yan had been playing the pig to eat the tiger for so long. How old was he? Twenty-two? Twenty-three? He could fight on equal terms with the black-robed sword master. Given time, his future would be hard to predict!
Even outsiders were so shocked, let alone the Emperor and the other two princes. For a moment, everyone in the palace had different thoughts, and huge waves were set off in their hearts.
Even a rogue prince has such impressive skills. Could it be that the power of the immortals is not as simple as it seems, and there are mysteries hidden in the dark? !
Zhao Yuxi frowned and stared at the figure on the field. He originally planned to spy on the strength of the fairy country. If it was really strong on the outside but weak on the inside, it would also be a reason to instigate the other two countries to rebel. However, he did not expect...
"ah--!!!!"
A scream suddenly brought everyone back to their senses. A figure in black robe flew out of the arena like a sandbag, covering his right hand and screaming. A bloody index finger fell not far away, and the black and sharp nails flashed coldly under the candlelight.
Lu Yan stood on the arena and took off the scarlet cloth covering his eyes, revealing a pair of eyes as bright and sharp as cold stars. He held a wooden sword with the tip of the sword slightly drooping and stained with blood. He actually used his internal strength to cut off a finger of the man in black robe.
The whole place was silent. No one dared to believe that a useless prince like Lu Yan could actually defeat Zhui Ling.
Lu Yan put away his sword neatly and said calmly, "I noticed that your nails were too sharp and you were always poking people's eyes, so I wanted to cut them for you, but I didn't expect that I was too strong and hit too hard, so please don't blame me."
Zhui Ling's martial arts skills far surpassed his swordsmanship. Now that his index finger was cut, how could he not feel resentful? However, this was the territory of the immortals, and he could only swallow his anger no matter what. He staggered to his feet, holding his wound, and looked at Lu Yan with resentment, gritting his teeth and saying, "Your Highness is more skilled, I admit defeat, and the sword and the "Immortality Scripture" will be yours. I wish your Highness a speedy rise to the great road!"
Yuqi stepped down from the arena with a gloomy face and returned to behind Zhao Yuxi.
Minister Liu was overjoyed, as if the waste pig he raised in his backyard had suddenly transformed into a golden dragon and soared into the sky. He quickly walked onto the arena, and his hoarse voice could not conceal his excitement: "King Fengling wins this contest, is there any other hero willing to come up and learn from him?"
He spoke very fast, fearing that if he spoke a little slower, someone else would come up to challenge him. In fact, most of the masters in the twelve continents had been defeated in the previous competitions, and only Zhui Ling and He Jianshuang could compete. Now that Lu Yan had defeated Zhui Ling, no one dared to come up to the stage and die.
Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads, but no one came up to the stage.
When Minister Liu saw that no one responded, he smiled with wrinkles all over his face: "Since no one has stepped up to accept the challenge, the magic sword will leave the human world and the "Immortality Scripture" will belong to King Fengling!"
After he finished speaking, he turned around and bowed to the emperor, saying loudly: "I congratulate your majesty on giving birth to a son as brave as a dragon, and congratulate you on your bravery and skill in fighting! Long live the immortal spirit, long live your majesty!"
The other courtiers also knelt down and saluted: "Long live the immortal! Long live your Majesty!"
Although the Emperor was amazed at Lu Yan's Kung Fu, he was his most beloved son after all. When he saw Lu Yan win the competition, he was much happier than shocked. He smiled for the first time and said with great joy: "My son has always been the most useless. I am sorry to have embarrassed you all today! The rest of the contestants don't have to be discouraged. I have rewards for them!"
Everyone thanked him in unison: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!"
After the arena was removed, the palace regained its glory and the mess it had just seen was no longer visible. Only the lingering smell of blood in the air reminded people of what had just happened.
Imperial Master Xuan Hong came forward holding an ancient book in his hand and bowed to Lu Yan: "Your Highness, this book is the Scripture of Ascension to Immortality. Tianshui is a remote country with high mountains and remote land. There is no extraordinary talent worthy of this thing. Now that I am giving it to Your Highness, it is worth the reputation of this book."
"Thank you for the gift, Imperial Master."
Lu Yan handed the wooden sword to the eunuch beside him and took the "Immortality Scripture" with both hands. He flipped through a few pages and found that the first chapter was about how to dig out other people's inner elixir to help one's own cultivation. He couldn't help but smile: "It is said that the "Immortality Scripture" contains rare knowledge that can make cultivation more effective. Is the King of Tianshui willing to donate this thing?"
This sentence is meaningful if you listen carefully, but unfortunately Master Xuan didn't understand it. Or maybe he understood it but pretended not to understand and said in a low voice: "Only a real dragon can match this rare treasure. Tianshui dare not hide it without permission. I only hope that Your Highness will pity our king's longing for his son and say a few good words in front of the emperor to let Prince Wuyou return to the country. In this way, I will have fulfilled my mission."
Lu Yan smiled and said, "The Emperor is kind-hearted. I don't think there is any need for me to plead for mercy."
Master Xuan was stunned when he heard this, and couldn't tell whether Lu Yan agreed or not. He subconsciously looked at the other party, but saw that Lu Yan had already walked to the middle of the hall with the "Ascension Sutra" in his hand, and countless burning eyes fell on him.
This book has caused a sensation since its publication and has been the subject of constant dispute for a hundred years. Now that it has fallen into Lu Yan's hands, you can imagine how much attention it has attracted.
This filial son probably wants to present this item to the emperor——
Everyone thought so, including the Emperor himself.
However, Lu Yan just flipped through the book casually, and the next second he threw it into the three-legged beast-carved stove beside him that was burning with charcoal. In an instant, the flames jumped up and swallowed up the ancient book. Suddenly, the hall was filled with loud noises, and many people stood up in shock:
“Your Highness, you can’t do that!!”
"How dare you!"
"Hurry up and save the book! Save the book!!"
The Emperor was also shocked and quickly ordered the eunuch to pick up the book. However, Lu Yan deliberately stood aside and in a short while, the "Ascension to Immortality Sutra" was burned to ashes, leaving only a few charred pages.
The eunuch brought the paper up on a tray, and the emperor took it and the paper shredded into black powder. He was extremely distressed, and looked at Lu Yan with annoyance. If he hadn't considered the wrong occasion, he would have kicked him right now.
"Third brother, why did you throw this book into the furnace and burn it for no reason?!"
The Emperor felt that if Lu Yan did not give a reasonable explanation, he would beat this stupid son until he cried for his parents.
The others also beat their chests and stamped their feet, saying, "Although this item belongs to Your Highness, if Your Highness doesn't want it, you can just give it to someone else. Why destroy this precious treasure? It really hurts me!"
Facing the confusion and grief of the crowd, Lu Yan seemed calm. He first bowed to the emperor, then turned around and explained to the crowd:
"Everyone knows that the "Climbing to Immortality Scripture" has miraculous effects, but it requires digging out the inner elixir of others to use for one's own practice, so its reputation is mixed. Some people call it a magical object, while others call it a demon."
"If this thing falls into the hands of ordinary people, it will be nothing more than firewood. If it falls into the hands of royal nobles, I am afraid that the high-ranking people will be confused and wantonly dig out other people's inner elixir for cultivation, which will become the source of a hundred disasters."
Lu Yanyu smiled and stretched his hand over the golden charcoal stove. The light of the fire made his fingertips look like they were carved from beautiful jade. Countless pieces of paper ashes flew into the air, but were held back by his inner strength and fell back into the flames, as if sealing off a group of evil thoughts:
"The sword art of the world is based on one's own understanding. One should not seek shortcuts. If this evil method is revealed, everyone will follow suit and no one will practice diligently. I'm afraid the sword art will be destroyed."
"It is my great fortune to have obtained this sword manual today, but I am afraid that my mortal body will not be strong enough, so I burn it to eliminate the evil thoughts in my heart. I hope you will not blame me."
Lu Yanyu bowed to the guests present, his eyes were clear, and he was completely different from before:
"May all the wise men hold their swords and seek the truth in their hearts."
He didn't want to put an end to his own evil thoughts, but clearly wanted to put an end to these people's evil thoughts.
After hearing what Lu Yan said, the Emperor was stunned for a moment, then he slowly fell back into the dragon chair and uttered a long sigh. As the monarch of the twelve continents, he had been in the high position for too long, but he was actually going backwards, not as clear-sighted as Lu Yan.
There were many sword masters among the audience. Some were keen on the "Ascension to Immortality Sutra", while naturally there were also some who sneered at it. After hearing these words, they could not help but ponder secretly, as if they had a sudden realization.
Master Xuan looked at the indescribably charming man in the middle of the hall. He suddenly recalled the words the king had said to him while he was lying on his sickbed before he passed away:
"Although others regard the Scripture of Ascension to Immortality as a treasure, I regard it as a scourge. Tianshui has a treasure land but no power to protect itself. It is like a child carrying gold in a busy market. Sooner or later, it will bring disaster upon itself. You take this item to present to the Emperor. If you can exchange it for Prince Wuyou, it will be considered as a good use of the item."
Tianshui is the richest of the four kingdoms, but has the weakest military force. However, it has been able to stand firm in the chaotic times, which shows that the king has good skills.
Xuanhong always believed that King Dongli was too tolerant, King Wuyun was too foolish, and Emperor Xianling had the ability to unify the world but gave birth to three useless sons. King Nanxun was reckless and brainless, King Guxu was treacherous by nature, and King Fengling was even more so. None of them could be called a normal person, and to call him a beast was an understatement.
In the future, when the emperor returns to earth, Tianshui is the most likely to rise. However, it was unexpected that...
Master Xuan thought that if the heavens were merciful to the immortals, the world might continue to be in the hands of that man for another hundred years. He had always believed in fate and his intuition was accurate enough, so he was afraid that he could not accept the cooperation proposed by Zhao Yuxi.
The banquet was over and everyone left. On the surface, the guests enjoyed themselves, but no one knew what they were thinking secretly. The emperor originally planned to summon Lu Yan to ask him where he learned his hidden sword moves, but he remembered that he had to talk privately with the envoy, so he had to put it aside for the time being and planned to ask him later.
Shang Junnian and Lu Yan walked out of the hall together. Below them were hundreds of steps. In the night, the towering imperial city, brightly lit, was within sight.
Lu Yanyuan wanted to stretch his back, but his wrist suddenly tightened, and Shang Junnian silently grabbed his fingertips. The man's cold and gloomy eyes rarely brightened, but he didn't know whether it was because of the candlelight or because of the person in front of him: "You burned the "Ascension Scripture", don't you think it's a pity?"
Lu Yan thought he was going to ask something, but it turned out to be this. He said nonchalantly, "Evil things should not be allowed to remain in the world. Fortunately, I have a precious sword, so this fight is not in vain."
Shang Junnian hummed in an ambiguous tone: "That sword is good, it suits you very well."
Lu Yan smiled and said, "Why, have you used that sword?"
Zhao Yuzhang happened to follow from behind, and when he heard this, he curled his lips and said, "That was Junnian's family heirloom sword. After he left the country, Zhao Yuxi humiliated him and took it away. Do you think he used it?"
Lu Yan had not expected that there was such a lawsuit behind him. He was stunned when he heard this and subconsciously looked at Shang Junnian: "Why didn't you tell me earlier? Fortunately, I won the sword back, otherwise it would have been given to someone else for nothing. I will return it to you when we return home."
Shang Junnian lowered his eyes and gently fiddled with the ghost ball hanging on his waist. Lu Yan also had an identical one on his waist: "If you win, it's yours. That sword is too heavy, and I can't lift it now. It's just right for you."
If this sword fell into the hands of someone else, Shang Junnian would naturally be unhappy. If there was a chance in the future, he would definitely try every means to get it back. But if it fell into Lu Yan's hands...
Let it fall.
He sighed slightly in his heart, since he had already followed the other party, why would he be stingy with a sword?
When Lu Yan heard this, he was about to say something when a voice suddenly came from behind him. Zhao Yuxi came over with his attendants and bowed to him with a smile: "How is King Fengling? You just amazed everyone with your skills in the competition. I admire you very much and came to congratulate you."
Lu Yan recalled what Zhao Yuzhang had just said, and his tone became a little subtle: "Prince Yuxi called me to tell you something important?"
Zhao Yuxi's smile deepened: "Your Highness, do you still remember what you said before the banquet?"
He was referring to the exchange of Shang Junnian and Zhao Yuzhang for the Sword Sect's mental method.
Upon hearing what was said, people passing by stopped and looked at them secretly, wanting to know what excitement there was to see.
Lu Yan nodded: "You mean the matter of exchanging the mind for beauty? Of course I remember it."
Zhao Yuxi couldn't help but feel even happier: "The Sword Sect's Secret Method is a national treasure that cannot be passed on to others. How about I exchange it for another rare treasure? Xianling and Wuyun are friendly neighbors. If Your Highness is willing to exchange, you and I can also become brothers. Isn't that a happy thing?"
Facing Zhao Yuxi's question, Lu Yan remained silent. He looked up at the plaque of the Wannian Hall, stroked his chin and asked, "Brotherly friendship? Prince Yuxi, do you know that to become my brother you need to go through tests, just like the King of Nanxun?"
Prince Nanxun stood by and watched the excitement. He was inexplicably cueed and had a bad feeling in his heart.
Zhao Yuxi, on the other hand, was completely unaware of this and frowned in confusion: "Test? What test?"
This was strange. He had never heard of the friendship between King Nanxun and King Fengling. He only heard that the two of them were at loggerheads. Last time, King Fengling had kicked King Nanxun hard in front of the Wannian Palace...
"ah--!!!!"
The sharp pain from the lower part of his body suddenly interrupted Zhao Yuxi's trance. He cried out in pain and subconsciously bent over to cover his vitals. The pain was so severe that his eyes were bloodshot. However, he saw Lu Yan slowly retracting his foot and flicking his robe:
"It's not easy to be my brother, isn't it, Big Brother?"
Lu Yan smiled at Prince Nanxun who was standing behind the crowd and deliberately threw him a wink.
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