Ten Directions Sword Master

Chapter 110 The Herb of Immortality

"There's still a quarter of an hour left, and not a single person from any of the major sects has arrived—"

Cui Xu's face turned ugly; this was a blatant slap in the face.

In particular, the two guest advisors from the Imperial City Guard arrived early, waiting for the troops to be fully assembled for battle.

With fewer people blocking his way, Helian Zhuo was focused on escaping, making it difficult to stop him, who was at the mid-stage of the Refining Spirit realm.

Fortunately, just as the appointed time was about to pass, a burly man with a heavy body, like an iron tower, slowly walked down the street.

"Prefect Cui, are you not too late?"

"Elder Fei's arrival is perfectly timed. The Hanyue Sect truly lives up to its reputation as a model sect in Heyin Prefecture. I must petition the imperial court to award your sect a brocade banner!"

Cui Xu looked excited and took the initiative to step forward to greet him.

"These words from the Prefect are truly heartbreaking. When it comes to serving the court, Wangyoulou is never one to lag behind!"

A slender figure gracefully landed, her face covered with thick makeup, making it impossible to tell her exact age.

"With Shi Niang's personal arrival, a great victory is assured!"

All the high-class brothels and pleasure boats in Heyin County are owned by the Wangyou Tower, which is said to be an outer force of the Rakshasa Palace, a major sect of the demonic path.

The leaders are the sisters Jiu Niang and Shi Niang, both of whom have the cultivation level of the early stage of the Refining Spirit realm.

"We can't wait for the Heavenly One Sect, let's act immediately!"

Time had passed, and Tianyi Sect still hadn't arrived. Cui Xu's face turned ashen as he issued orders.

Six experts at the Refinement Realm rushed towards the Sanyang Trading Company, attacking simultaneously with astonishing force.

The airflow collapsed, a deafening roar erupted, and the terrifying power of heaven and earth tore the Sanyo Trading Company to shreds.

The members inside, along with the buildings, turned to dust, leaving only a single, powerful sword light that shot up.

"Cui Xu!"

Helian Zhuo's voice was filled with anger and surprise, unable to understand why Cui Xu was able to mobilize so many Refining Gods to besiege him.

Shouldn't the powerful figures of a sect sit back and watch the tigers fight, waiting for the situation to become clear before making their own moves?

The Eagle Terrace Commander has been killed, so the Imperial City Guard should not be in such a state of agitation. Why would two guest ministers come to kill them?

He was so confident in planning a second assassination attempt because he hadn't expected Lu Li's existence.

According to the Six Garrisons' deductions, as long as the Imperial City Guard is dealt with, no force will dare to intervene at this juncture.

Therefore, Tian Wensi offered Wei Bin a price he could not refuse, a price so high that it outweighed his fear of the Inner Censorate.

"The assassination attempt failed, yet you still refuse to leave immediately, showing utter disregard for the people of Heyin! Today, I will uphold justice, protect Heyin, safeguard the people, and punish the wicked!"

Cui Xu drew his sword and pointed it at Helian Zhuo. Dotted lines rose up around him and wrapped around him.

Bloodhand Butcher chuckled evilly, spreading his arms wide. One after another, bright red blood hands, imbued with a demonic aura, slammed down like waves, staining the air with blood.

Senior Hong, wielding the Falling Flower Staff, stepped forward, his long staff already in his hand, and swung it down fiercely.

This staff strike had no fancy moves, it was straightforward and desolate, with countless shadows falling like petals.

Elder Fei of the Hanyue Sect and Shi Niang of the Wangyou Tower both stopped and stood guard on the perimeter. Cui's old servant only engaged in guerrilla warfare, striking from a distance with numerous illusory vines that restrained his hands and feet.

"You think you can kill me with this? You underestimate me!"

Helian Zhuo roared, and his sword light struck, as if covered by a cold moonlight, its silvery brilliance seemingly freezing every opponent who attacked him.

Immediately, the sword path changed again, killing intent gathered, and it thrust straight at the Falling Flower Staff.

Of the three, Cui Xu is the strongest and may possess a secret treasure of the Cui family, making him the most difficult to kill.

Bloodhand Butcher is a seasoned veteran, cunning and ruthless, and the Blood River Sect's techniques are notoriously bizarre.

Kill the weakest one first to create a breach, then retreat.

"The Moon-Gazing Annihilation Sword? As expected of a sect that has produced Dharma Bodies, this swordsmanship is truly remarkable!"

Senior Hong, whose primordial spirit was ice-cold, paused for a moment. Just as he was about to be stabbed, an ordinary longsword was offered to him, blocking the sword.

Nine chapters, Minglun.

Having learned of Helian Zhuo's background from Lu Li, Cui Xu was naturally prepared.

The strength of the Moon Gazing Sword Sect's swordsmanship lies in its ability to strike directly at the primordial spirit without harming the physical body. Even martial artists of the same level would be momentarily stunned by the moonlight, let alone these three whose cultivation levels were all lower than his.

However, Anping's Nine Chapters of Mind Cultivation and Spirit Forging are far more solid than those of other martial artists of the same level, allowing him to react immediately.

Luo Hua Gun gave Cui Xu a grateful look, and then exerted even more force in his hands, weaving a long stick that filled the sky.

With each strike, Helian Zhuo's body trembled, his imposing aura diminished.

If they tried to break through with their Dharma Body techniques, they would be blocked by Cui Xu's rigid and square sword light, and then swept away by the sea of ​​blood, forcing them to return to their original position.

After thirty moves, Helian Zhuo took a step back, blood gushing from his mouth and nose.

This time, Lu Li had no intention of going forward to risk his life. Instead, he stayed obediently in the rear, observing the great battle.

Unlike last time when it was a life-or-death situation, this time there were plenty of people. His presence was more like a mascot, representing the Imperial City Guard to encourage the martial artists who were helping him refine their skills.

However, this is a rare opportunity for Lu Li. As for Helian Zhuo, he has changed more than three sword techniques since the start of the war.

There's the Moon-Viewing Annihilation Sword from the Moon-Viewing Sword Sect, the violent sword technique from the desert that's like a tornado burying sand, the concise and direct sword technique from the army that's full of killing intent, and another technique that even Lu Li can't distinguish—a faint, elusive sword aura that's extremely hidden and insidious.

However, he has a fatal flaw: these sword techniques are all very powerful, but they are not systematic and each is used independently.

It only increased the breadth, not the depth.

Despite his numerous tactics, Helian Zhuo was unable to break through the defenses, and his momentum waned.

Cui Xu's Nine Chapters of Anping allowed Lu Li to seriously observe the swordsmanship of the Boling Cui Clan for the first time.

In the real world, the once most prestigious sect in the land has declined significantly under the oppressive rule of the Great Zhou Dynasty, with one branch even fleeing to Qinghe.

Cui was not known for his swordsmanship.

However, families of this caliber are not weak in any of the martial arts techniques besides the Nine Chapters of Anping, and their swordsmanship is also top-notch.

At first glance, it doesn't seem very sophisticated; it's just a monotonous repetition of sword strikes.

However, when paired with the Nine Chapters of Anping, they form a perfect correspondence, fully revealing the true meaning of each chapter.

After advancing to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, Lu Li was about to revisit the swordsmanship of the Hundred Schools of Swords and temper his sword intent once again.

But this process will only become more and more difficult, because there are very few sword techniques that can catch his eye and have a positive effect.

Otherwise, the wonder of the Xiabu Sword Technique would be an endless cycle, like stepping on the right foot with the left, heading straight into the azure sky.

Only those at the Refining Spirit level or those ranked in the top ten of the Human Ranking can enhance their sword intent through sword observation.

In the third round, one must even observe the half-step Dharma Body wielding the sword to further enhance sword intent.

"Helian Zhuo is doomed. He won't last more than sixty moves—"

Lu Li made a judgment upon seeing the tenth move.

With Cui Xu as the main figure, it is no wonder that Cui Xu, a genius from a collateral branch, became the prefect. He may not seem particularly outstanding, but he has managed to mold the three of them into a cohesive whole.

With him in charge, the three of them worked together seamlessly, as if they had been cooperating for many years.

Not a single ounce of true energy was wasted; the three energies blended harmoniously together.

While Elder Fei and Shi Niang on the periphery did not make a move, they still put a lot of pressure on Helian Zhuo, forcing him to take a risky gamble.

On the fifty-eighth move, a sea of ​​blood surged as Helian Zhuo was struck from behind by the elusive Blood Hand, spitting blood from his mouth.

Another blow came crashing down, the force of which made his sword-wielding wrist unsteady, leaving his center wide open.

Chapter Five: Upholding Righteousness.

Where righteousness lies, I will go even if it means facing millions of people.

A dazzling sword light shone forth, unstoppable, instantly dividing Yin and Yang, and a sword wound appeared on Helian Zhuo's chest.

His breath suddenly stopped, and his body split open, about to fall to either side.

"Is this the Nine Chapters of Anping?"

Helian Zhuo remained calm. The powerful vitality of a Refining Spirit Martial Artist allowed him to continue speaking, mainly because after the birth of his primordial spirit, he was truly a world apart from ordinary people.

"That's right—you dare to take advantage of the chaos to raise an army, and you even collude with the Khan, which will surely bring devastation to the people of Heyin—I have a duty to defend this land, and my sword will be drawn without favoritism, amplifying the might of Heaven!"

Cui Xusheng's voice was like rolling thunder, booming and resounding, exuding an aura of authority.

Looking at the scene again, Helian Zhuo had already been split in two and was dead.

"Successfully protecting Prefect Cui Xu's safety, rewarded with 500 merits — The Central Plains are weak, and the Great Desert Khan is eyeing them covetously, wanting to win over the Fire God Cult to jointly launch an attack."

"Infiltrate the desert, slay the Fire God Cult Leader Zhan Shamani, stop the alliance, and you will be rewarded with a Longevity Herb."

"Countdown to returning to the real world: three days."

Lu Li, who was watching the battle with great interest from the rear, heard a loud sound.

Sure enough, once Helian Zhuo was killed, the protection mission was considered complete.

There's no need to wait for the Imperial City Envoy to arrive; Cui Xu's life can be guaranteed.

Even if the young chieftain of the Damoke tribe had not left, he alone could not have assassinated the guarded Cui Xu.

This was expected, but the subsequent tasks were what shocked him.

Immortality herb?

The world of the Northern Wei Dynasty actually had the herb of immortality!

No, this is a reward from the Nebula Compass.

The fact that this follow-up quest is worth a herb of immortality begs the question: just how dangerous is it?

The herb of immortality has long been extinct in the real world. The most recent news about it dates back a century, mentioning that a herb of immortality, preserved using a secret method, was harvested from a secret realm.

This caused a frenzy among various forces, stirring up the world's affairs. In the end, it was taken over by the Zhenwu Temple, and the lucky martial artist naturally became the true successor of the Zhenwu Temple's secular lineage.

This is simply the main ingredient used to refine the Azure Emperor's Longevity Pill.

One pill can extend life by ten years.

This is one of the few elixirs in the world that can also work on Grandmasters of the Dharma Body and have the same effect.

Starting with the second one, the effect will be halved each time.

For those Dharma Masters nearing the end of their lives, a single herb of immortality is priceless and cannot be measured by any other treasure.

"To obtain a single herb of immortality, one would need a divine weapon, and perhaps even the consent of a Dharma Body—but alas, neither I nor the White Deer Academy can withstand the herb of immortality. Only if the two temples, three monasteries, and five great families obtain it can we safely refine the elixir."

I heard that after the Zhenwu Temple refined the Azure Emperor Longevity Pill, it gave one portion to the Lou Temple and one portion to the Baiyun Temple.

On the surface, it's said to be based on the camaraderie of the entire Taoist sect, but it's more like finding someone to share the pressure, so that no one becomes the target of public criticism.

"I can only stay in the Northern Wei world for three more days, but this mission has no time limit. As long as the alliance is broken before the official deployment of troops in the desert, it should still count. If I'm confident, I can use the Retreat Talisman to exchange for time next time and come to the Northern Wei world to complete the mission!"