Surviving in the chaos of battle, I'm grinding for proficiency.

As Li Chuan walked further in, he found the passage to be extremely narrow, long, and chillingly cold.

The walls were made of bluestone slabs, covered with dark green moss and black mold spots.

The air was murky and had a strong earthy smell.

Upon reaching the end, Li Chuan found a heavy stone door blocking his way.

On the right side of the stone gate, there are a few more lines of text.

Li Chuan looked closely and discovered that these words described the life of a man called "Jade Skin Madman".

"I have devoted my entire life to cultivating to the point of 'embracing the elixir,' and have tempered my skin and flesh to make them indestructible."

"Without mastering the Gang Jin (罡劲), one's lifespan is difficult to extend."

"Knowing that his days are numbered, he did not want this external martial arts technique, which he obtained from an ancient tomb, to be lost."

"Therefore, I have built a tomb to pass on my life's savings and this practice."

Next, we learn the conditions for opening the tomb.

"By embracing the elixir body and drawing upon the Jade Skin Technique, one can open the stone gate."

"Got it: Invincible Shield!"

Li Chuan's pupils suddenly contracted.

Golden Bell Shield?!

Although it is not the same thing as what I knew in my previous life.

But how bad can something be if it's named after that!

"But to reach the Core Formation stage... I'll need to go to the prefectural city to cultivate for a while."

Li Chuan was still somewhat unwilling to give up and tried to activate the jade skin.

However, they found that the tightly closed stone door did not respond at all.

He placed his hand on the stone door and pushed forward with all his might!

As a result, all they got were dust on their hands, and the stone gate remained tightly shut.

"Should I try hitting it?" Li Chuan wondered to himself.

He has an impressive record of shattering a rock with a single punch.

If I were willing to work as a miner here, I might actually have a chance.

Suddenly, the stone wall began to shake, as if some kind of mechanism was brewing inside.

Li Chuan immediately dismissed the idea.

In my past lives, there were many times when I could have done things well by taking a steady and methodical approach.

Unfortunately, he messed things up because of his own cleverness.

In fact, as long as one cultivates steadily until reaching the Core Formation stage, one can return and reliably obtain the Golden Bell Shield and the legacy.

There's no need to rush, the escape room won't run away anyway!

With this in mind, Li Chuan left the secret chamber and returned to the surface.

Now, the rooster crows at dawn, and the sky is just beginning to brighten.

After restoring all traces, Li Chuan quietly left.

On his way back, Li Chuan passed by a familiar place.

"The Yu family."

When he was practicing martial arts at Songfeng Martial Arts School, Yu Sinian had taken him to his home before, so he had some impression of this place.

Unexpectedly, it now appears dilapidated, with most of the signboards removed.

"Sir, may I ask what trouble has befallen the Yu family? How did their once-thriving shop become like this?"

Li Chuan found an old man passing by and casually asked him a question.

The old man cried out:

"I heard that the Yu family found some important person or something, and they said they were going to Sanyuan Prefecture a year ago, but there's still no definite news."

"Thank you, sir."

Li Chuan frowned. No wonder he had never heard from him before.

So they moved to Sanyuanfu?

The Yu family's business in Anning County is just so-so. Could things be better if they went to Sanyuan Prefecture?

I'm afraid... there's more to the story.

However, Li Chuan did not delve into it further, as there was no point in doing so.

After returning home and having breakfast, he went to the entrance of Dantang.

"Brother Li, it's been a long time!"

Liu Peiran greeted Li Chuan with a smile.

He was wearing a plain white robe, and all the luxurious ornaments he had worn before were gone.

Li Chuan asked in confusion:

"Brother Liu is here too. Are we going to Sanyuan Prefecture together?"

Liu Peiran explained:

"Yes, not only that, I also joined the Heavenly Blade Sect with you."

Li Chuan nodded:

"This trip to the Heavenly Blade Sect must have been very expensive, no wonder Brother Liu has become much more frugal."

After all, Liu Peiran had previously worn a gold hairpin in her hair, had a waist ornament, and even her belt was made of silk.

That was incredibly luxurious, befitting the title of the eldest son of the four great families of the inner city!

Liu Peiran smiled wryly:

"Brother Li, do you know that my family's entire savings were emptied out just for this spot in the Heavenly Blade Sect?"

As he said this, a hint of jealousy flickered in his eyes as he looked at Li Chuan.

He almost sold his family because he wanted to go to the Heavenly Blade Sect.

But this kid, I don't know what methods he used, easily obtained this spot.

Could it be that Hall Master Lu has taken a liking to her?

Liu Peiran rubbed his face, thinking to himself that he wasn't bad-looking at all!

Why does Master Lu look down on him, and even refuse to give him a discount?

Li Chuan observed Liu Peiran's attire and then began to truly understand.

Just how precious is this spot in the Heavenly Blade Sect?

This caused the Liu family, who had been entrenched in the inner city for many years, to suffer a significant financial loss.

If I were to work for such a large sum of money, how long would it take?

"Let's go." Lu Qiuhan walked out of the alchemy hall and got into the carriage.

Old Huang greeted Li Chuan and followed closely behind.

"Brother Li, stop looking. You and I are riding in the same carriage!" Liu Peiran said quietly.

However, no matter how Li Chuan listened, he could sense a bitter taste in those words.

After Liu Peiran got into the carriage, his gaze kept lingering on Li Chuan, scrutinizing him.

It seemed as if they wanted to see right through him.

It wasn't until Li Chuan felt a chill run down his spine that he finally sighed and accepted reality.

"Brother Li, what do you know about the Heavenly Blade Sect?"

Li Chuan looked thoughtful.

Liu Peiran's eyes showed anticipation.

Li Chuan pondered for a moment and said:

"I only know the name."

Liu Peiran: "..."

Li Chuan:

"Oh, I also know it's one of the Five Sects and Seven Schools."

"That's it?"

"That's all."

Liu Peiran seemed to have found a sense of superiority and began to introduce:

"The Heavenly Blade Sect was founded a hundred years ago by a 'Heavenly Blade Master,' who is said to have reached the level of Gang Jin and possessed unparalleled strength."

"When he first founded the Heavenly Blade Sect, the power of the Three Yuan Prefecture was still called 'Four Gates and Seven Sects'."

"The Heavenly Blade Sect is not respected, especially the sect leader of the Cloud Wilderness Sword Sect, who openly ridiculed their poor swordsmanship."

"Master Tiandao had a fiery temper; with a single move of the Heavenly River Saber Technique, he beheaded the sect leader of the Cloud Wasteland Sword Sect! Yes, just one strike!"

Liu Peiran's eyes revealed a look of admiration.

Even just hearing this story is captivating.

At this point, Liu Peiran's eyes gleamed with smugness, and he suddenly stopped talking.

Li Chuan exclaimed in surprise:

"Brother Liu's knowledge is so vast, I am ashamed to admit my inferiority!"

Liu Peiran laughed heartily, then waved his hand dismissively, feigning modesty:

"Since Brother Li puts it that way, then I'll explain the ins and outs to you."

"Since the passing of the Heavenly Blade Master, the Heavenly Blade Sect's strength has dropped from first to third, and it continues to decline."

"Even so, he still holds a very important position within the entire Sanyuan Prefecture."

"Of the fifty-six cities in the Three Yuan Prefecture, the Heavenly Blade Sect alone controls the tax revenue of fifteen cities—a truly terrifying amount!"

"Moreover, although the sect as a whole is facing a generational gap, its foundation is still intact."

"Some say that the Heavenly Blade Sect's library is the most extensive in the entire Sanyuan Prefecture!"

Li Chuan leaned against the handrail and looked outside.

The library has the richest collection?

For someone like him, who possesses extraordinary talent.

It could not be better!