Beiluo.
Beiluo Lake Island.
Lu Fan sat upright in the Thousand Blades Chair and was playing Go to recover his Soul Strength.
The little Responsive Dragon was having so much fun from playing and spurting water at the Tianji Pigeons.
Suddenly.
Lu Fan’s eyes twitched involuntarily in the middle of a Go game.
He put down a chess piece, making a light clicking sound on the chessboard.
Calm and poised, he raised his head and looked beyond Beiluo Lake Island. His eyes pierced through the thick fog made of Spirit Qi.
He immediately saw Ximen Xianzhi, who was gliding across the lake on a sword.
“Young Master Lu… Do you dare to fight me!”
Ximen Xianzhi held his hands behind his back, his clothes flapping in the wind. He was filled with confidence and a touch of the arrogance of a swordsman.
Ximen Xianzhi was not a stranger to Lu Fan. After all, Lu Fan had taught the Sword of Light technique, which was used by Ximen Xianzhi.
However, much to Lu Fan’s surprise, somehow, Ximen Xianzhi showed up on Beiluo Lake…and looked to challenge him.
Lu Fan was lost for words.
Who on earth gave him the courage?
Was it Hua Dongliu the Sword Saint?
Lu Fan didn’t really care who encouraged him to come.
“It has been a long time since anyone came to challenge me.”
Eyes sparkling, Lu Fan leaned on the back of the Thousand Blades Chair with a faint smile.
Ximen Xianzhi barged into the thick fog like a white goose that lost its sense of direction. He knew Lu Fan was strong. After all, no one would underestimate the most powerful cultivator in the world.
Therefore, Ximen Xianzhi exerted his full strength on the first blow.
Bang!
The sword underneath his feet vibrated and almost made the water in the lake boil.
Ximen Xianzhi sprang into the air.
He put two fingers together and fused the light into a sword!
The light on Beiluo Lake seemed to have dimmed while Ximen Xianzhi held a twisted Sword of Light in his hand.
The mighty Sword of Light came down like a bolt of lightning upon the man sitting in a wheelchair on the second floor of White Jade City Pavilion on Beiluo Lake Island.
The Sword of Light struck with full speed and almost split the lake water in half.
The all-out attack by a cultivator in the Internal Organs Realm had menacing power, just as expected.
At the lakeside of Beiluo Lake.
Several people watched the fight intently.
Ximen Xianzhi’s strength was beyond some of the people’s expectations. Even a cultivator like Jing Yue or Nie Changqing would take this level of attack seriously.
How unfortunate…
Jing Yue shook his head.
Ximen Nanzhi was still far inferior to Lu Fan.
Ximen Xianzhi had been in the mountain for far too long to understand how formidable the Young Master truly was.
Standing in the crowd, the Overlord roared with scornful laughter.
This kind of attack could hardly breach the Overlord’s defense. How could Ximen Xianzhi challenge a beast like Lu Ping’an with such inconsiderable strength?
The Sword Geek was silly for sure.
On Beiluo Lake Island.
Lu Fan laughed.
Although his laughter was not that loud, it still spread out and created ripples on the water’s surface of Beiluo Lake.
“Challenging me with this kind of ability… Are you insulting me?”
His calm voice made the turbulent lake motionless in an instant.
The water and the mist all ceased to flow.
The coldness tingled down Ximen Xianzhi’s spine. A feeling of great pressure made him hard to breathe. He felt as if his body was about to explode.
He raised his head and stared at the man sitting in a wheelchair on the second floor of White Jade City Pavilion.
His Sword of Light still came down fearlessly.
In the pavilion.
Lu Fan casually pinched the oncoming attack with two fingers.
Ximen Xianzhi’s Sword of Light exploded instantaneously and transformed into countless dots of light.
Ximen Xianzhi’s pupils contracted.
He saw Lu Fan sitting in the wheelchair and pointing at him with one finger from the distance.
An ominous feeling flooded Ximen Xianzhi.
He bellowed.
The Morning Chrysanthemum Sword underneath his feet rose to the air. He gripped it with his hand.
However…
Ximen Xianzhi felt like he was throwing straws against the blustering wind.
Crack…
Lu Fan tapped gently with his finger.
The Morning Chrysanthemum Sword blew up into pieces.
The broken pieces of the sword glided across Ximen Xianzhi’s face and left red weals.
Lu Fan tapped his finger once more.
Bang!
The terrifying impact disoriented Ximen Xianzhi.
The force from Lu Fan’s finger not only burst open the lake surface but also tore apart the mist hovering above the lake
Then the massive force landed on Ximen Xianzhi’s body.
Gritting his teeth and coughing up blood, Ximen Xianzhi pulled out the Green Peach Sword attached to his back and used it as a shield.
However…
Colliding with the horrifying force…
Even the Green Peach Sword was shattered into countless pieces.
Ximen Xianzhi was hit by the impact and couldn’t stop coughing up blood.
He was shocked…
Bang!
With an exploding sound…
Ximen Xianzhi’s body was sent flying above the lake surface. With strange and curious expressions, the people standing by the lake watched Ximen Xianzhi stepped into the dense fog and was thrown out after only a few seconds.
Ximen Xianzhi flew backward out of Beiluo Lake. His body arced across the air and continued spinning.
The Overlord and the others were unnerved by the scene.
They sprinted through the crowd and chased after Ximen Xianzhi.
Ximen Xianzhi’s body flew across the long street.
In the end…
He crashed into the wall of the gate tower of Beiluo City.
Bang!
A loud noise.
Ximen Xianzhi’s body was almost completely embedded in the wall.
At the top of the gate tower.
Several guards were stupefied.
They all went down the gate tower and looked at Ximen Xianzhi, who was lodged in the wall. Their faces froze with an odd and perplexed expression.
Ximen Xianzhi almost had a mental breakdown. Dispirited and demoralized, he stared at the gloomy sky and the snow falling from above.
The Internal Organs Realm… Wasn’t it the best realm in the world?
Why…
Why did he feel like he was even more powerless than a puny ant?
Ximen Xianzhi was baffled. He wouldn’t be so despondent if he lost to Lu Fan after a prolonged fight. After all, he would have had a chance to prove himself.
But now… What was that?
Lu Fan only used one finger…
Not only did Lu Fan destroyed the two precious swords Hua Dongliu gave him, but also the Young Master somehow threw his body over the lake and embedded him into the wall.
Disheartened, Ximen Xianzhi suddenly had an urge to cry.
The Young Master Lu was definitely not in the Internal Organs Realm.
He must be above the Internal Organs Realm!
Upon realizing the ultimate, fundamental difference between them, Ximen Xianzhi felt despair.
It was all right to challenge powerful fighters.
After all, the pressure from the fight could help one push through his limitations.
But it was important to make sure the opponent was not completely out of one’s league. Otherwise, there’s a high possibility the person could sink into a state of hopelessness.
Ximen Xianzhi remembered the hexagram Mo Tianyu explained to him.
He felt aggrieved and unresigned. Didn’t Mo Tianyu say it was auspicious?
On Beiluo Lake Island.
Lu Fan smiled.
He stretched out his hand and made a grabbing gesture into the void.
In the next moment…
Ximen Xianzhi’s pupils contracted in fright.
Was it not over yet?
Bang!
He felt a tremendous suction power coming from Beiluo Lake Island.
It seems that the suction power was pulling Ximen Xianzhi’s body out of the wall. Once again, he flew across the long street and straight into the misty Beiluo Lake Island.
The breakneck speed dazzled Ximen Xianzhi.
By the time his sight returned…
Ximen Xianzhi felt as though he was buried in the ground…
The pressure made him hard to breathe.
He realized that he was buried in the ground with only his head sticking out.
He couldn’t move at all, not even a finger.
Ximen Xianzhi was befuddled.
Was he planted in the soil like a stalk of green onion?
On the second floor of White Jade City Pavilion.
Lu Fan held the bronze wine cup and casually took a sip. He felt the breeze blowing on his body.
He hadn’t planted green onions for a while. It looked like he hadn’t lost the skills yet.
A boat slowly drifted from the lakeside.
Lv Dongxuan and Jing Yue arrived at the island by boat.
Their faces twitched when they saw Ximen Xianzhi was buried in the ground with only his head sticking out.
Jing Yue looked at the familiar scene and pursed his lips.
He remembered how Mo Tianyu was planted in the ground by the Young Master back in the day.
Mo Tianyu probably would lose hope a long time ago if Jing Yue didn’t keep him company.
Now it was Ximen Xianzhi’s turn.
Jing Yue couldn’t bear to watch him.
Carrying the Jing Heaven Sword, Jing Yue shook his head and went to Ximen Xianzhi.
“Senior Brother Ximen…I told you not to challenge the Young Master. You wouldn’t listen to me.”
“Thanks to his kind heart, the Young Master didn’t kill you right away. He probably planted you here to show consideration for feelings of the head of the Sword Pavilion… You can move and live again once your master comes to help you out.”
“It was Mo Tianyu, the principal disciple of the Master, who was planted in the ground by Young Master the last time. He survived only because of my care and company. Senior Brother Ximen… Do you need me to stay here and chat with you?” Jing Yue said as he squatted next to Ximen Xianzhi.
Ximen Xianzhi had a doleful look. His eyes were slightly red.
“What did you say? Who was planted here the last time?” Ximen Xianzhi asked, lips trembling.
“It was Mo Tianyu, the principal disciple of Confucianism… The Master himself came here to help him out,” Jing Yue said.
“It took me a lot of trouble to keep Mo Tianyu alive…”
“Senior Brother Ximen, do you need company? Do you need me to talk with you? You have to tell me in advance if you do. I may not know if you don’t tell me explicitly.”
Jing Yue was babbling incessantly.
He didn’t notice Ximen Xianzhi’s dejected expression.
Tears rolled down Ximen Xianzhi’s cheeks after he learned about the truth.
Lv Dongxuan also looked at Ximen Xianzhi sympathetically.
It was too bad…
“Xianzhi, it was really courageous for you to challenge the Young Master. But you need to be in the Heavenly Lock Realm at the very least…”
“You are merely in the Internal Organs Realm. How could you be so reckless to come here?”
“Hua Dongliu is such an old fool who has no sense left. Did he send you here to die because he was tired of you?” Lv Dongxuan asked.
Ximen Xianzhi didn’t want to speak.
To be honest, Lv Dongxuan and Jing Yue both felt relieved after seeing Ximen Xianzhi was only planted in the ground.
It meant that Lu Fan didn’t plan on killing Ximen Xianzhi.
Otherwise, the ill-tempered Young Master wouldn’t let Ximen Xianzhi live for more than a few seconds.
All of a sudden.
Lu Fan’s calm voice passed down from the pavilion.
“Do you have a lot of free time?”
Jing Yue was chatting with Ximen Xianzhi and suddenly stood up.
Lv Dongxuan also rubbed his hands together, smiling obsequiously.
“No one has entered the Heavenly Lock Realm after such a long time. I’m very disappointed with you.”
Lu Fan’s voice was emotionless.
Yet it unnerved Jing Yue.
Was he not the Young Master’s favorite disciple anymore?!
“Young Master, I understand. I’m going to the Trial Pagoda to cultivate now!” Jing Yue said.
Then, he turned around, pulled out the Jing Heaven Sword, and rode the sword across the lake.
Lv Dongxuan smiled. He stepped on the boat, rowed away, and disappeared in the mist.
Beiluo Lake Island became quiet again.
Lu Fan continued to play Go and enjoyed the breeze.
He didn’t bother to pay attention to Ximen Xianzhi as if he was only a new scene on Beiluo Lake Island.
Compared with the morning chrysanthemum and peach blossom nearby, Ximen Xianzhi’s head made people feel sorry for him.
Suddenly.
Ximen Xianzhi’s head felt a sense of pressure.
As though something was standing on his head.
A tail swung from side to side in front of Ximen Xianzhi’s eyes.
The little Responsive Dragon played around Ximen Xianzhi’s head with curiosity.
It pursed its lips and sprayed a stream of water on Ximen Xianzhi’s face.
Ximen Xianzhi was tearful from the pain.
He was…so miserable.
Mo Tianyu… He would definitely avenge himself the next time he met him!
However, being buried in the ground…
Ximen Xianzhi gained a sense of serenity, unexpectedly.
The lake breeze on the island and the bustling sound of the bamboo forest helped him calm down.
He gazed at the lone figure playing chess with ease in the pavilion. Ximen Xianzhi was amazed at how Lu Fan looked elegant and detached like a fallen Immortal.
The result of Ximen Xianzhi challenging the Young Master Lu was not surprising.
It didn’t set off any chain reaction either.
Even though some people were interested in Ximen Xianzhi’s fate, they didn’t see him coming out of the island after waiting for a long time. Maybe…he died peacefully.
Sima Qingshan shook his head, smiling.
An Miaoyu held the umbrella and stood next to him with a sullen look on her face.
“Rumor has it that the Young Master Lu has a bad temper… I finally witnessed it today,” An Miaoyu said.
“Miaoyu, that’s not true. Young Master Lu is already kind and mild-mannered today.”
“The weak provokes the authority by challenging the strong. There is no one else to blame even if he lost his life… Besides, this man is not dead yet,” Sima Qingshan said.
An Miaoyu was surprised. “He’s not dead yet?”
“He still has a breath left,” Sima Qingshan replied.
“Master, is this Ximen Xianzhi powerful? Which one of you is stronger?” An Miaoyu was curious. She held the umbrella as her red cloak flapping in the wind.
Sima Qingshan carried his bookcase and smiled.
“We’re about the same. After all, I’m not good at killing people.”
“Let’s go to the Trial Pagoda. After that, I will bring you to pay a visit to the Young Master Lu.”
Sima Qingshan didn’t speak further.
The two walked to the West Mountain of Beiluo.
West Mountain.
Under the Trial Pagoda.
Several people had gathered.
The Overlord, Jing Yue, and Sima Qingshan all stepped into the Trial Pagoda.
On Beiluo Lake Island.
Lu Fan placed a chess piece on the board. His eyes narrowed.
He raised his head and looked at the white jade pagoda. The clouds swirled above the pagoda.
The Overlord, Nie Changqing, Ning Zhao, Sima Qingshan, and other cultivators who were most likely to break into the Heavenly Lock Realm were all in the Trial Pagoda.
Maybe someone would achieve the breakthrough this time.
Lu Fan was lost in thought.
With a pensive look, he glanced at Ximen Xianzhi who was buried in the ground with only his head left outside.
The weak could only progress by challenging the strong.
Once a cultivator entered the Heavenly Lock Realm, no matter who he was, he wouldn’t have a comparable opponent unless he came to challenge Lu Fan.
No one would dare to challenge Lu Fan again in the future after the incident today. Therefore, Lu Fan believed it was necessary to find some motivations for them.
They made rapid progress when attempting the Internal Organs Realm because of the threat from the wanderers.
Where would the motivation come from after they entered the Heavenly Lock Realm?
Lu Fan leaned against the railings and enjoyed the snow.
Surprisingly, Ximen Xianzhi’s reckless move offered Lu Fan some inspirations.
Lu Fan tapped his fingers on the armrest of the wheelchair. His eyes brightened up.
His consciousness set off and went into the Dao Impartment Platform.
Lu Fan suddenly came up with a bold idea to find motivation.
…