When Luo Yuheng, sect master of the Heavenly Martial Sect, entered the capital, the sun was high in the sky, and the weather was pleasant. The fact that a second person from Jishang Academy had achieved unity of Heaven and Man was too important; he had to personally come to the capital to verify it. Dressed in a simple white robe with an ancient sword hanging at his waist, Luo Yuheng led his horse slowly through the bustling streets. There were many pedestrians like him, and he didn’t attract any unusual attention.
After handing the reins of his precious steed to a stableboy, Luo Yuheng entered an inn and sat down.
“Have you heard? Lord Li subdued the Dragon Elephant Beast from Yun Empire with one hand yesterday in court. Truly worthy of being the top prodigy of our Great Qing Empire!”
“Indeed. That Dragon Elephant Beast weighs over 500,000 kilograms, yet it was pressed to the ground by Lord Li until it begged for mercy and was tamed as a mount. Even the Martial Emperor Realm envoy from Yun Empire who launched a sneak attack was casually killed by him.”
“He is the personal disciple of Dean Zhang from Jishang Academy. At such a young age, he has already cultivated the third layer of the Heaven and Man Record, a technique only Dean Zhang mastered. Now he’s also the Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince. In the future, he might become another Dean Zhang. Heaven truly blesses our Great Qing Empire!”
“…”
The conversations from the tea house next door drifted into Luo Yuheng’s ears, causing his teacup to tremble slightly, spilling a few drops of tea.
Li Feng? Wasn’t he just a new disciple of Jishang Academy?
He had managed to cultivate the Heaven and Man Record to the third layer in just a few days!?
A complicated look flashed in Luo Yuheng’s eyes; alongside his shock, there was a hint of bitterness. How could the gap between people be so vast?
He himself had once been a peerless prodigy with a superior-grade heaven Martial Vein, yet now he felt that his talent compared to Li Feng’s was like the gap between heaven and earth.
Years ago, Zhang Shouzheng had lent the Heaven and Man Record to the four great sects for study. Luo Yuheng had secluded himself for two and a half years but had not even touched the threshold of this spiritual-grade cultivation method.
Yet Li Feng, barely past his teens, had already gained profound mastery after only beginning his studies. Such talent was unprecedented in the history of the Great Qing Empire!
“No, if a prodigy like Li Feng dies at the hands of my master, it would be the greatest loss for the Great Qing Empire. I must prevent this from happening!” Luo Yuheng’s eyes suddenly sharpened as he made a decision.
As night deepened, Luo Yuheng arrived at Jishang Academy and stood before Li Feng’s door. After a moment’s hesitation, he knocked on the door ring.
Li Feng was practicing the Heaven and Man Record in the courtyard. Golden light flowed around him, and the shadow of Heaven and Man loomed faintly behind, causing purple qi to swirl within the [Mirror of Heaven and Man] several kilometers away. His understanding of the technique was growing deeper.
Hearing the knocking, Li Feng ended his practice and stood up, a flash of purple light passing through his eyes.
“Sect Master Luo visiting late at night, what business do you have?” Li Feng opened the door and directly asked, his gaze sharp as he stared at the uninvited guest.
One of his karmic threads was related to joining the Heavenly Martial Sect. If he had joined, he would likely be dead by now.
Li Feng was deeply wary of the Heavenly Martial Sect and naturally guarded against Luo Yuheng. Fortunately, he was at Jishang Academy. Even though Luo Yuheng’s cultivation was far beyond his own, he could control the [Mirror of Heaven and Man] to defend and slay Luo Yuheng if necessary.
Luo Yuheng chuckled awkwardly, “Young Master Li, sorry for the disturbance.”
He glanced around and lowered his voice, “May I have a word in private?”
Li Feng nodded slightly, leading him into the courtyard but did not close the door. With a wave of his hand, he connected to the [Mirror of Heaven and Man].
If Luo Yuheng had any ill intentions, Li Feng could respond immediately.
Seeing this, Luo Yuheng was even more shocked. He hadn’t expected Li Feng to control the [Mirror of Heaven and Man] from such a distance—this was a skill only those who had mastered the third layer could exhibit.
As expected, he was a once-in-a-generation talent. The rumors of Li Feng mastering the third layer of the Heaven and Man Record were indeed true!
He took a deep breath and got straight to the point, “Young Master Li, you are a rare genius. I admire you greatly. I came today because I don’t wish to see you perish early. I want to save your life.” Get faster updates on NovelPing.
“Oh?” Li Feng raised his brows slightly, calmly pouring a cup of tea and pushing it toward Luo Yuheng.
“Please, Sect Master, speak plainly.”
“If you trust me, never step foot into the Heavenly Martial Sect until you break through to the Martial Venerable Realm!” Luo Yuheng’s voice trembled as he spoke, his face full of sincerity as he looked at Li Feng.
“Alright, I will remember that.”
A trace of surprise flashed through Li Feng’s eyes, but he didn’t press further. He simply cupped his hands and thanked Luo Yuheng.
“Thank you, senior, for the warning.”
Li Feng had already known this through karmic threads but hadn’t expected Luo Yuheng to risk coming to warn him personally.
It seemed that this sect master of the Heavenly Martial Sect still had a conscience and wasn’t completely aligned with the old monster of the Heavenly Martial Sect.
Besides, even if Li Feng asked further, Luo Yuheng would likely say no more. No matter how much he valued Li Feng’s talent, he couldn’t possibly reveal the secrets of the old sect master. Doing so would mean certain death.
To risk his life warning Li Feng was already an act of utmost kindness and righteousness.
Luo Yuheng let out a long breath, as if shedding a heavy burden. “With your unparalleled talent, in time you will achieve greatness. You must not place yourself in danger.”
He rose and took his leave, “I have said all I needed to. Take care, Young Master.”
After leaving Jishang Academy, Luo Yuheng suddenly showed a strange expression and felt a chill down his spine.
“Why didn’t Li Feng seem surprised when I told him not to go to the Heavenly Martial Sect? Could it be that he already knows about the great horror hidden within?”
Thinking of this, Luo Yuheng felt a wave of fear and a strange sense of relief.
If Li Feng already knew about the danger lurking within the Heavenly Martial Sect, it explained why he treated Luo Yuheng with such guarded hostility.
Fortunately, he had come tonight. Otherwise, when Li Feng grew stronger and struck at the Heavenly Martial Sect, he, Luo Yuheng, would not escape death!
The next morning at Jishang Academy, Zhou Danxin stood at the square, addressing the newly selected students in a loud voice, “You have been gathered here today because I have a task for you.”
“Every year, Jishang Academy sends disciples to the Heavenly Martial Sect to request a batch of Spirit Martial Pills and to exchange martial arts knowledge between disciples. This time, you will represent the academy, so you must give it your all.”
The new disciples below were all excited and shouted in unison, “We will bring glory to the academy!”
Opportunities like this to make a name for themselves were rare. Plus, they could visit the Heavenly Martial Sect—at eighteen, they were full of youthful exuberance and could barely wait.
Of course, there were exceptions.
Li Feng suddenly stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, “Dean, I cannot go to the Heavenly Martial Sect.”
“What? You’re not going?” Zhou Danxin’s white beard quivered in shock as he stared at Li Feng.
“Li Feng, this martial exchange concerns the academy’s reputation. As the academy’s top prodigy, how can you refuse? You are supposed to lead this delegation!”
Li Feng replied calmly, “Dean, I have recently gained new insights into the Heaven and Man Record. It’s not suitable for me to spar with others right now.” Find the original chapter at g.com.
Zhou Danxin’s face lit up with joy. Nothing was more important than Li Feng’s cultivation progress.
“In that case, you don’t have to go. This time, Han Li will lead the team.”
Zhou Danxin looked toward Han Li, an ordinary-looking young man with a stoic face.
“Disciple accepts the order!” Han Li’s eyes gleamed with joy as he quickly cupped his hands.
The team leader would receive several extra bottles of Spirit Martial Pills and could select a heaven-grade martial skill from the library in advance—real, tangible rewards.
Moreover, without Li Feng overshadowing him, Han Li would be the strongest prodigy on this trip. He would surely make a name for himself in the sparring matches against the Heavenly Martial Sect disciples, bringing glory to the Han family—a win-win situation.
As the students dispersed to prepare, Li Feng solemnly said to Zhou Danxin, “Dean, wouldn’t it be better if we asked them to deliver the pills instead of sending people to the Heavenly Martial Sect?”
“Nonsense!” Zhou Danxin’s beard bristled with anger. “The Spirit Martial Pills are a secret art of the Heavenly Martial Sect. For hundreds of years, we have always sent people to collect them, and there has never been an incident. If we change that now, won’t it look like we’re afraid of their young disciples?”
Seeing Zhou Danxin so agitated, Li Feng could only remain silent.
Zhou Danxin placed great importance on the academy’s honor and would be hard to persuade.
Li Feng couldn’t very well say that the Heavenly Martial Sect harbored an old monster who preyed on prodigies—it would sound too alarming. After all, nothing had ever happened during previous exchanges.
“Perhaps I’m overthinking it. According to the karmic threads, that old monster only attacked me. Maybe he’s only interested in me and won’t target others.”
Li Feng could only hope for the best.
After the new disciples left, Li Feng decided to go out for a walk. He planned to visit the Celestial Jade Sect to see Liu Ruyue.
Liu Ruyue possessed the Lunar Yin Physique and had been cultivating the Jade Maiden Heart Sutra for some time now. Li Feng was curious about her progress—and he missed her a little.
Meanwhile, from the direction of Jiuyang Mountain, a luxurious convoy was slowly heading toward the Celestial Jade Sect.
Eighteen snow-white dragon horses led the way, followed by thirty-six Martial Master Realm warriors carrying a golden palanquin. Seated inside was Jiang Ran, the “number one prodigy” of Jiuyang Mountain.
After being baptized by the Jiuyang Divine Stone, Jiang Ran’s cultivation had broken through to the Martial Emperor Realm. At twenty-three, a Martial Emperor Realm cultivator was unprecedented in Jiuyang Mountain’s history. He was regarded as the only one who could rival Li Feng.
After breaking through, Jiang Ran proposed to the sect master of Jiuyang Mountain that he should go to the Celestial Jade Sect to propose marriage and marry Chen Liu Ruyue. The sect master was greatly shocked.
Liu Ruyue was Li Feng’s wife—was Jiang Ran not inviting war with Jishang Academy?
However, Jiang Ran claimed that Li Feng’s sudden transformation from a waste to the top prodigy of the Great Qing Empire was because of Liu Ruyue.
If Jiang Ran could obtain Liu Ruyue, he would soon surpass Li Feng and lead Jiuyang Mountain to become the number one sect not just in the Great Qing Empire but also in the surrounding Empires.
In truth, Jiang Ran was fabricating this to persuade the sect master to help him seize Liu Ruyue.
Unknowingly, he hit the nail on the head—Liu Ruyue was indeed the reason for Li Feng’s rise.
Tempted by the prospect, the sect master agreed and personally led Jiuyang Mountain’s elites to accompany Jiang Ran to the Celestial Jade Sect to propose marriage.
Even if the Celestial Jade Sect refused, they would still seize Liu Ruyue!