C7 The Inheritance of the Lone Sword

"Gentlemen, when I lead you to the stone tablet later, you must honor your promise and spare my life..." Wu Cheng pleaded with a somber tone.

He had been training on Demon Mountain when he stumbled upon a mysterious stone tablet. Clueless about its secrets, he headed to True Martial City to gather some information.

Unbeknownst to him, his inquiries had drawn the attention of these strangers with unclear backgrounds.

If he refused to guide them, they would surely kill him.

Yet, he had a growing suspicion that the stone tablet was no ordinary relic.

"Rest assured, the Wild Sword Martial Club never breaks a promise. Just lead us to the stone monument, and your life will be safe," the leader in green assured with a slight smile, though a barely perceptible glint of murderous intent flickered in his eyes.

The stone tablet's affair was complex, and dealing with it could wait until after the plump lad had shown them the way.

"Wild Sword Martial Club!"

Xiao Ling's eyes narrowed sharply at the mention.

The Wild Sword Martial Club was as renowned as the Holy Martial Institute, except it exclusively trained sword-wielding students, unlike the Institute's more lenient admissions.

The six martial cultivators from the Wild Sword Martial Club before him had all reached the Martial Master Stage. Such prowess would qualify them as intern instructors within their own ranks.

The rivalry between the two factions was fierce, with conflicts arising constantly.

"Little Fatty is in danger. I have to rescue him."

Xiao Ling was under no illusion that the Wild Sword Martial Club would keep their word and release Little Fatty.

From their conversation, it seemed Little Fatty had inadvertently discovered a ruin, which these people learned about and then captured him.

With a ruin in play, the less known, the better. Secrets are best kept by the silent—permanently.

"Qingjin, if this stone tablet Little Fatty mentioned truly belongs to the legendary Senior Lonely Sword, shouldn't we inform the dojo master?" a man in white inquired, standing behind Qingjin.

"Yang Qiu, ever wonder why you're still languishing at the One-star Martial Master Stage?" Qingjin's eyes gleamed with scorn as he tapped his temple, "It's because you lack mental agility."

Upon hearing these words, Yang Qiu's face contorted with rage. "Qingjin, what are you implying?" he demanded.

With his arms folded across his chest, Qingjin regarded Yang Qiu with a cool detachment. "If that stone tablet truly is a relic of Senior Lonely Sword, securing it would catapult us to great heights. We'd become formidable powers within the Flame Yellow Empire."

"Do you honestly think we'd get a piece of the action if we spill the beans to the dojo master now?"

Yang Qiu's complexion shifted dramatically as he processed Qingjin's rationale. "You're a heartless traitor, plotting against the Wild Sword Martial Club!" he accused.

"Yang Qiu, have you lost your mind?" Qingjin retorted, his expression icing over. "It's no wonder you're stuck at the One-star Martial Master level; your thinking is flawed. When did I ever suggest betraying the Wild Sword Martial Club?"

"Moreover, I was the one who discovered this news first. I generously included you, and yet you accuse me of treachery?"

A flicker of murderous intent passed through Qingjin's eyes as he faced Yang Qiu, a man of limited understanding.

"Regardless, I'm going to inform the dojo master about Senior Lonely Sword."

Yang Qiu let out a mocking laugh. "When I do, I'll also expose your betrayal. The dojo master will know exactly how to handle you."

He was intent on sharing the news with the head of the Wild Sword Martial Club, hoping to gain favor and recognition.

With a swift whoosh, the sound of a sword being drawn sliced through the air. Qingjin, with his sword now aimed at Yang Qiu, let his eyes blaze with lethal fury. "Yang Qiu, if you're courting death, don't expect any mercy from me."

"Everyone, Qingjin has turned his back on the Wild Sword Martial Club. Join me in apprehending him!"

Yang Qiu was taken aback by Qingjin's immediate hostility. He hastily drew his own sword and barked, "Qingjin, there's still time to surrender!"

As a mere One-star Martial Master, Yang Qiu was no match for Qingjin, who had long been established at the Three-star level. In a head-to-head fight, he stood no chance.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The remaining four, each wielding a long sword, silently encircled Yang Qiu.

"Are you all really going to betray me?"

Yang Qiu couldn't help but retreat a step, his complexion turning a sickly pale.

"If you're the reason we miss our shot at greatness, Yang Qiu, none of us will stand for it," one of them said in a low voice.

The lure of skyrocketing to power and becoming a powerhouse in the Flame Yellow Empire was irresistible. It's like being a pauper who suddenly gets a shot at becoming a billionaire; of course, you'd be tempted.

"Yang Qiu, you're too dim-witted, so in your next life, make sure you remember not to stand in the way of others' fortunes."

Qingjin let out a cold laugh. "Gentlemen, it's time to act."

Boom! Boom! Boom!

At Qingjin's command, the four struck. Sword qi flew in every direction, swiftly ending Yang Qiu's life.

"What a fool."

Qingjin looked down at Yang Qiu, whose eyes were still open in death, and spat disdainfully. He wouldn't have involved him if not for that drunken slip about the solitary sword.

"Brother Qingjin, should we bury him?" one of them inquired.

"No need."

Qingjin gestured dismissively. "The demonic beasts of Demon Mountain will make short work of his body. If anyone asks back home, we'll just say he fell to a beast's claws by accident."

With those words, Qingjin turned his gaze to the trembling Wu Cheng and smirked cruelly. "Lead the way, Fatty."

"O-okay..."

Wu Cheng was nearly paralyzed with fear, never imagining these men would turn on one of their own.

As Wu Cheng and the others moved on, Xiao Ling and Yun Xi emerged from the underbrush.

"The solitary sword?"

Xiao Ling stroked his chin, piecing together their destination from the conversation - the ruins left by the solitary sword.

"I can't just stand by and watch Little Fatty fall into their hands."

Despite facing Martial Master powerhouses, Xiao Ling's resolve to save Wu Cheng remained unshaken. "Xi'er, stay put. I'm going to see if I can rescue Little Fatty," he said.

He wasn't entirely confident about taking on these Martial Master experts.

"No way," Yun Xi firmly objected. "If you're going, we're going together."

Xiao Ling met Yun Xi's resolute eyes, clenched his jaw, and agreed, "Fine, but if things go south, we're out of there immediately."

He was intent on saving Wu Cheng, but only if it was within his capabilities.

"Let's see if I can refine him into blood Qi."

Gazing at Yang Qiu's lifeless body, Xiao Ling hesitated briefly before making a decision. He summoned the Blood Flame, refined Yang Qiu into blood Qi, and absorbed it into his body with a thunderous boom.

As he felt the overwhelming surge of Yuan Qi, Xiao Ling quickly sat down cross-legged, forming seals with his hands to assimilate the Yuan Qi.

Throughout this process, the violent will of Yang Qiu's bloodline lashed out at Xiao Ling, who managed to fend it off. His soul force was incredibly strong, allowing him to withstand the ferocity of a Martial Master's will.

"Five-star martial cultivator!"

Xiao Ling's eyes snapped open, gleaming with excitement. To his amazement, the blood Qi of a Martial Master had helped him break through to the next level.

Yun Xi watched Xiao Ling refine Yang Qiu's body, her beautiful eyes betraying a flicker of concern.

Rising to his feet, Xiao Ling announced, "We should move on."

Yun Xi nodded, and they both lowered their auras, stealthily trailing Wu Cheng and his group.

Along the way, they encountered numerous demonic beasts, all dispatched by Qingjin and his companions, who harvested only the Demon Crystals and left the carcasses behind.

This delighted Xiao Ling, who followed in their wake, refining the demonic beast corpses into blood Qi, elevating himself to the pinnacle of the Five-star Martial Cultivator stage, just a hair's breadth away from Six-star.

"Gentlemen, we've arrived," Wu Cheng called out from the front, his voice quivering with trepidation.

Qingjin nodded and shifted her gaze forward, where a crumbling wall stood, overgrown with the same wild vegetation she often encountered on Demon Mountain.

The distinction here was a stone tablet nestled beneath the wall, its surface etched with several sword marks that spoke of great age and history.

Upon seeing those marks, Qingjin's excitement was palpable. She approached the tablet, traced the grooves with her fingers, and declared with conviction, "Yes, these are the marks left by the venerable Lonely Sword! Even separated by a millennium, the sword's essence is still palpable."

Xiao Ling and Yun Xi, observing from a distance, noticed the sword marks and felt a surge of awe, their pupils contracting in reverence.

The chaotic pattern of the sword marks belied a potent sword intent, a testament to Lonely Sword's formidable prowess.

"This level of sword intent could easily overwhelm any Martial Ancestor," Yun Xi remarked.

"That would mean Lonely Sword was likely a Martial Ancestor-level expert," Xiao Ling mused, licking his lips. It was common knowledge that the mightiest warrior in the Flame Yellow Empire was the Martial Emperor, who also served as the empire's sovereign.

If Lonely Sword had been among the living, he would have had the power to vanquish all of the empire's formidable warriors with ease.

Crack.

As Yun Xi and Xiao Ling conversed, Qingjin activated a concealed switch on the tablet. Under the covetous stares of the group, the secret passage began to reveal itself slowly.

"Fatty, take point," Qingjin commanded, her eyes fixed on Wu Jin with an icy tone.

"Guys, you've got to be kidding," Wu Cheng protested, his face the picture of misery. "I'm just a Two-star martial artist. If there's a trap in there, I'm done for. Besides, you promised to release me once I brought you here!"

"My patience is wearing thin," Qingjin warned, her gaze frosty as her fingers subtly played with the sword sheath. A flash of cold light shot forth, causing Wu Cheng to shudder.

"Fine, I'll lead the way," Wu Cheng conceded, his head hung low as he cautiously made his way into the cavern.

Then, all was quiet behind him.

Qingjin paced outside with his hands clasped behind him, his movements betraying his impatience.

"Could that little chubby guy have died in there?" someone inquired.

"Let's wait and see," Qingjin responded.

The air was thick with urgency, likely due to the involvement of a staggering legacy.

"Gentlemen, it's quite safe inside, and there's ample room!" Wu Cheng's voice suddenly rang out. At the sound of his assurance, Qingjin and the others' faces brightened. Without hesitation, they darted into the cave.

Xiao Ling and Yun Xi emerged as well, casting glances toward the cave. After a brief pause, they too stepped briskly after the others and made their way inside.